Search results for "elder"

Multimorbidity and polypharmacy in the elderly: Lessons from REPOSI

2014

none 10 no The dramatic demographic changes that are occurring in the third millennium are modifying the mission of generalist professionals such as primary care physicians and internists. Multiple chronic diseases and the related prescription of multiple medications are becoming typical problems and present many challenges. Unfortunately, the available evidence regarding the efficacy of medications has been generated by clinical trials involving patients completely different from those currently admitted to internal medicine: much younger, affected by a single disease and managed in a highly controlled research environment. Because only registries can provide information on drug effectiven…

OVERCOMING SOCIAL ISOLATION WITH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AMONG AGEING POPULATIONS DURING COVID-19

2021

During Covid-19 social isolation has become more common worldwide, however, some groups, especially elderly people, might have experienced dramatically limited communication due to the lack of skills and access to digital technologies. In this paper, we examined if education was associated with the use of digital technologies to maintain contacts with a family, friends, other social networks and services. The survey was conducted in June-August 2020 by doing 1089 computer-assisted telephone interviews. The questions examined how people aged 50 years and older coped with socioeconomic and health-related impact of COVID-19.We used logistic regression analysis to study the association between …

How should I treat a DeBakey type I acute aortic dissection four weeks after transcatheter aortic valve implantation in an old, fragile patient?

2015

Constant Hierarchic Patterns of Physical Functioning Across Seven Populations in Five Countries

1998

This research was aimed at identifying critical steps in the decline in physical function that often parallels aging. Six basic and nine instrumental activities of daily living (ADLs) were classified into four domains of disability characterized by specific underlying physical impairment. The hierarchical order of this classification was verified in two random samples representative of the older home-dwelling population. The concordance level of disability and results of performance-based measures of physical function were also tested. Finally, the cross-cultural reliability of the model was verified in seven population-based samples of older persons living in five European countries. In ol…

Immune Alterations in Frailty Syndrome and Cognitive Impairment.

2020

Chronic renal failure: a neglected comorbidity of COPD

2009

BACKGROUND: To the best of our knowledge, the association between COPD and chronic renal failure (CRF) has never been assessed. Lean mass is frequently reduced in COPD, and the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) might be depressed in spite of normal serum creatinine (concealed CRF). We investigated the prevalence and correlates of both concealed and overt CRF in elderly patients with COPD. METHODS: We evaluated 356 consecutive elderly outpatients with COPD enrolled in the Extrapulmonary Consequences of COPD in the Elderly Study and 290 age-matched outpatients free from COPD. The GFR was estimated using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study Group equation. Patients were categorized a…

The improvement of quality of life a indication for elective surgery in elderly patients with minimally symptomatic inguinal hernia.

2014

AIM: Effectiveness of surgery on quality of life in elderly affected by minimally symptomatic inguinal hernia. MATERIAL OF STUDY: Forty male patients aging over 75 years affected by minimally symptomatic inguinal hernia were included. In the first group were allocated 15 patients who refused hernioplasty; in the second were included 25 patients who underwent early elective hernioplasty using an high density polypropylene mesh under local anesthesia. The SF-36 questionnaire was administered to all patients at the time of enrollment and 6 months after. RESULTS: All 8 domains of SF-36 and his related two comprhensive index, Mental Component Summary and Physical Component Summary scores, improv…

Open mini-invasive cholecystectomy in high risk elderly. A review of 121 consecutive procedures.

2011

INTRODUCTION: the report describes the features of a low cost, open mini-invasive procedure for cholecystectomy in a sample of 121 consecutive high risk elderly (ASA score 3 to 5). PATIENTS AND METHODS: the surgery is performed through a 3 - 4 cm right subcostal skin incision. An optimal exposition of the operating field was achieved thanks to an innovative three valve retractor. RESULTS: a mean hospital stay of 3,02 days, low complication rate and 2,4% mortality are the results of the described procedure. CONCLUSIONS: in high risk elderly the results are extremely encouraging, particularly in comparison with both laparoscopic and traditional open cholecystectomy. The open minisurgical chol…

Loup-assisted technique to create arterio-venous fistulas in elderly. A single centre experience

2019

AIMS: The radio-cephalic arteriovenous fistula (RCAVF) is the first choice treatment in end-stage renal disease patients. In the last few years, the hemodialysis population has shown a high percentage of elderly patients (> 65 year old) with comorbidities, mainly vascular diseases, which may adversely affect their vascular access success. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a loup-assisted technique to create RCAVFs in over 65 patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 98 consecutive patients with renal failure were prospectively observed. The patient were divided in relation to their age (> 65 year old; < 65 year old). In both groups, a microsurgical distal RCAVF was c…

Difference in Mortality Risk in Elderly People with Bronchial Obstruction Diagnosed Using a Fixed Cutoff or the Lower Limit of Normal of the FEV1/FVC…

2017

Background: Whether a fixed cutoff or the lower limit of normal of the FEV1/FVC ratio should be used to diagnose bronchial obstruction is still a matter of debate. This issue is particularly important for elderly people. Objectives: We used equations applicable up to 90 years of age to evaluate the mortality of elderly people diagnosed with bronchial obstruction using either a fixed cutoff of 0.7 or the lower limit of normal (LLN). Methods: Participants in the SaRA (Salute Respiratoria nell'Anziano, Italian for "Respiratory Health in the Elderly") study were grouped as follows: FEV1/FVC ≥0.7 and ≥ LLN (n = 535: F-/L-), FEV1/FVC <0.7 but ≥ LLN (n = 118: F+/L-), and FEV1/FVC <0.7 and < LLN (n…