Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
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To improve delirium recognition and care, numerous serum biomarkers have been investigated as potential tools for risk stratification, diagnosis, monitoring, and prognostication of delirium. The literature was reviewed, and no evidence was found to support the clinical use of any delirium biomarker, although certain biomarkers such as S-100 beta and insulin-like growth factor-1 and inflammatory markers have shown some promising results that need to be evaluated in future studies with appropriate sample size, prospective designs, and in a more-generalizable population.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
A new multimodal geriatric discharge-planning intervention to prevent emergency visits and rehospitalizations of older adults: the optimization of medication in AGEd multicenter randomized controlled trial.
To determine whether a new multimodal comprehensive discharge-planning intervention would reduce emergency rehospitalizations or emergency department (ED) visits for very old inpatients. ⋯ This intervention was effective in reducing rehospitalizations and ED visits for very elderly participants 3 but not 6 months after their discharge from the AGU. Future research should investigate the effect of this intervention of transitional care in a larger population and in usual acute and subacute geriatric care.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Cardiometabolic effects in caregivers of nursing home placement and death of their spouse with Alzheimer's disease.
To test the hypothesis that cardiometabolic risk is attenuated when caregivers are relieved of caregiving stress when the caregiving recipient transitions out of the home. ⋯ High cardiometabolic risk in caregivers decreased to the level of that of noncaregivers within 3 months of death of the spouse with AD, although placement, a transition in the course of dementia caregiving, did not benefit cardiovascular health in highly distressed caregivers.
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To describe the association between anticholinergic medications and incident delirium in hospitalized older adults with cognitive impairment and to test the hypothesis that anticholinergic medications would increase the risk of incident delirium. ⋯ The results did not support the hypothesis that prescription of anticholinergic medications increases the risk of incident delirium in hospitalized older adults with cognitive impairment. This relationship needs to be established using prospective study designs with medication dispensing data to improve the performance of predictive models of delirium.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Inappropriate medication use in older adults undergoing surgery: a national study.
To determine the prevalence and factors associated with use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in older adults undergoing surgery. ⋯ Receipt of PIMs in older adults undergoing surgery is common and varies widely between providers and geographic regions and according to participant characteristics. Interventions aimed at reducing the use of PIMs in the perioperative period should be considered in quality improvement efforts.