The treatment of hypertension in people with dementia: a multi-centre prospective observational cohort study

ObjectivesTo describe the treatment of hypertension in people with dementia and collate evidence on adverse health events whilst on treatment.DesignA multicenter prospective observational cohort study.Setting and participantsPeople with documented diagnoses of hypertension and dementia were recruited through memory clinics and general practice from 8 sites in the United Kingdom.MethodsThe cohort was recruited between July 2013 and October 2014. Participants underwent face-to-face, standardized assessment of blood pressure (BP), activities of daily living, cognitive function, and medication use. Follow-up was by monthly telephone interview for 6 months to collate data on adverse health events.Results181 participants were recruited and 177 followed up; 126 (70%) were female, mean age was 82 [standard deviation (SD) 6.3] years, median Mini-Mental State Examination score was 23 [interquartile range (IQR) 18-26] and mean BP was 141/78 (SD 22/12) mmHg. Antihypertensive drugs were prescribed in 157 (87%). Participants were prescribed a median of 1 (IQR 1-2) antihypertensive medication. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and/or angiotensin receptor blockers were the most frequently prescribed antihypertensives in 63% of participants. Target BP was achieved in 58% (95% confidence interval 49%-64%). Increasing number of antihypertensives was not associated with lower systolic or diastolic BP, or with a higher proportion of patients attaining target BP. Participants had 214 falls, 3 had a fracture, 3 developed symptomatic heart failure, 4 had cerebrovascular events, and 8 died.Conclusions/ImplicationsIn this population of people with mild dementia, participants were treated with standard antihypertensive medications in a similar proportion to the general population, with a similar proportion achieving target BP. The rate of adverse health events was higher than in randomized controlled trials of antihypertensives and raises reservations about the assumptions underpinning antihypertensive treatment in people with dementia. These findings may help inform clinical decision making

Acetylcholinesterase activity measurement and clinical features of delirium

Aims: Cholinergic deficiency is commonly implicated in the pathophysiology of delirium. We aimed to investigate the relationship between directly measured serum AChE activity and (1) clinical features of delirium and (2) outcomes, among older hospital patients with delirium. Methods: Hospitalized patients with delirium were recruited and delirium motor subtype, severity and duration of delirium were measured. Serum AChE activity was measured using a colorimetric assay. Results: The mean AChE activity for the whole sample was 2.46 μmol/μml/min (SD 1.75). Higher AChE activity was associated with increased likelihood of hypoactive delirium rather than the hyperactive or mixed subtype (OR 1.98, CI 1.10-3.59). Conclusion: Higher AChE activity was associated with hypoactive delirium, but did not predict outcomes. Simple enhancement of cholinergic neurotransmission may not be sufficient to treat deliriu

Individual patient data meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of community occupational therapy for stroke patients

<p><b>Background and Purpose:</b> Trials of occupational therapy for stroke patients living in the community have varied in their findings. It is unclear why these discrepancies have occurred.</p> <p><b>Methods:</b> Trials were identified from searches of the Cochrane Library and other sources. The primary outcome measure was the Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living (NEADL) score at the end of intervention. Secondary outcome measures included the Barthel Index or the Rivermead ADL (Personal ADL), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Nottingham Leisure Questionnaire (NLQ), and death. Data were analyzed using linear or logistic regression with a random effect for trial and adjustment for age, gender, baseline dependency, and method of follow-up. Subgroup analyses compared any occupational therapy intervention with control.</p> <p><b>Results:</b> We included 8 single-blind randomized controlled trials incorporating 1143 patients. Occupational therapy was associated with higher NEADL scores at the end of intervention (weighted mean difference [WMD], 1.30 points, 95% confidence intervals [CI], 0.47 to 2.13) and higher leisure scores at the end of intervention (WMD, 1.51 points; 95% CI, 0.24 to 2.79). Occupational therapy emphasizing activities of daily living (ADL) was associated with improved end of intervention NEADL (WMD, 1.61 points; 95% CI, 0.72 to 2.49) and personal activities of daily living (odds ratio [OR], 0.65; 95% CI, 0.46 to 0.91), but not NLQ. Leisure-based occupational therapy improved end of intervention NLQ (WMD, 1.96 points; 95% CI, 0.27 to 3.66) but not NEADL or PADL.</p> <p><b>Conclusions:</b> Community occupational therapy significantly improved personal and extended activities of daily living and leisure activity in patients with stroke. Better outcomes were found with targeted interventions.</p&gt

Measuring health related quality of life of care home residents, comparison of self-report with staff proxy responses for EQ-5D-5L and HowRu: protocol for assessing proxy reliability in care home outcome testing

Introduction Research into interventions to improve health and wellbeing for older people living in care homes is increasingly common. Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) is frequently used as an outcome measure but collecting both self-reported and proxy HRQoL measures is challenging in this setting. This study will investigate the reliability of UK care home staff as proxy respondents for the EQ-5D-5L and HowRu measures. Methods and Analysis This is a prospective cohort study of a sub-population of care home residents recruited to the larger Proactive Healthcare for Older People in Care Homes (PEACH) study. It will recruit residents ≥ 60 years across 24 care homes and not receiving short stay or respite care. The sample size is 160 participants. Resident and care home staff proxy EQ-5D-5L and HowRu responses will be collected monthly for three months. Weighted kappa statistics and intraclass correlation adjusted for clustering at the care home level will be used to measure agreement between resident and proxy responses. The extent to which staff variables (gender, age group, length of time caring, role, how well they know the resident, length of time working in care homes and in specialist gerontological practice) influence the level of agreement between self-reported and proxy responses will be considered using a multilevel mixed-effect regression model. Ethics and Dissemination The PEACH study protocol was reviewed by the UK Health Research Authority and University of Nottingham Research Ethics Committee and was determined to be a service development project. We will publish this study in a peer-reviewed journal with international readership and disseminate it through relevant national stakeholder networks and specialist societies

Optimal management of older people with frailty non-weight bearing after lower limb fracture: a scoping review

BackgroundPatients with lower limb fractures who are non-weight bearing are at risk of the complications of the associated immobility and disability, particularly people with frailty, but there is lack of clarity about what constitutes optimal care for such patients. A scoping literature review was conducted to explore what evidence is available for the management of this patient group.MethodsMEDLINE (PubMed) CINAHL, EMBASE and the Cochrane databases of published literature and the HMIC and SIGLE sites for grey literature were searched for primary research studies and expert reports, using an iterative approach initially including the key term ‘non-weight bearing’. All study types were included. Analysis was by narrative synthesis.ResultsNo papers were identified from a search using the key phrase ‘non-weight bearing’. With this term removed, 11 indirectly relevant articles on lower limb fractures were retrieved from the searches of the electronic databases comprising three observational studies, five non-systematic review articles, a systematic review, an opinion piece and a survey of expert opinion that had relevance to restricted weight bearing patients. The observational studies indicated depression, cognition and nutrition affect outcome and hence have indirect relevance to management. The non-systematic reviews articles emphasised the importance of maintaining strength and range of movement during immobilisation and advised an orthogeriatric model of care. Fourteen UK and 97 non-UK guidelines relevant to fragility fractures, falls and osteoporosis management were found in the grey literature, but none made specific recommendations regarding the management of any period of non-weight bearing.DiscussionThese findings provide a summary of the evidence base that can be used in the development of a clinical guideline for these patients but is not sufficient. We propose that, a guideline should be developed for these patients using an expert consensus process

Feasibility RCT of neuromuscular electrical stimulation; an Intervention to Maintain and improve neuroMuscular function during periods of Immobility (IMMI): Protocol

East Midlands Research into Ageing Network (EMRAN) is a research collaboration across the East Midlands to facilitate collaborative applied clinical research into ageing and the care of older people. EMRAN was set up by NIHR CLAHRC East Midlands and is supported by the NIHR Clinical Research Network

The evidence for treating hypertension in older people with dementia: a systematic review

Hypertension and dementia commonly co-exist in older people, yet guidance is lacking on how to manage these co-existing conditions. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the evidence for the treatment of hypertension in older people with dementia. Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and the national research register archives were searched. Inclusion criteria were: randomised controlled trial of hypertension treatment, included participants aged 65+ years, participants had a diagnosis of dementia (global cognitive decline for at least 6 months affecting daily function), and the study assessed cognitive outcomes using validated tools. Dementia prevention studies and poor quality studies were excluded. The initial search revealed 1178 papers of potential interest, of which 24 were selected for review and six met the full inclusion criteria. Trials included people with mild-to-moderate but not severe dementia; exclusion criteria for the trials were extensive. Four trials were placebo-controlled RCTs; the remaining two compared different antihypertensives. All trials reported MMSE scores at baseline and follow-up; four reported blood pressure changes at follow-up; and only three reported cardiovascular morbidity or mortality at follow-up. Only one of four placebo-controlled studies showed evidence of blood pressure reduction, but no clear evidence for benefit (or harm) from antihypertensives on cognition, physical function or other cardiovascular outcomes. We found no evidence to confirm or refute the hypothesis that treatment of hypertension in people with dementia leads to overall health benefit

The modified functional comorbidity index performed better than the Charlson index and original functional comorbidity index in predicting functional outcome in geriatric rehabilitation: a prospective observational study

Background In the inpatient rehabilitation of older patients, estimating to what extent the patient may functionally recover (functional prognosis), is important to plan the rehabilitation programme and aid discharge planning. Comorbidity is very common in older patients. However, the role of comorbidity in making a functional prognosis is not clearly defined. The aim of this study was to investigate a modified and weighted Functional Comorbidity Index (w-FCI) in relation to functional recovery and compare its predictive performance with that of the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) and the original Functional Comorbidity Index (FCI). Methods The COOPERATION study (Comorbidity and Outcomes of Older Patients Evaluated in RehabilitATION) is a prospective observational cohort study. Data of patients that were admitted in an inpatient geriatric rehabilitation facility in the UK between January and September 2017, were collected. The outcome measures were: the Elderly Mobility Scale (EMS) and Barthel index (BI) at discharge, EMS gain/day and BI gain/day. Baseline comorbidity was assessed using the CCI, the FCI and the w-FCI. Correlations, receiver operating curves (ROC), and multiple linear regression analyses were performed. The models were adjusted for age, gender and EMS or BI on admission. Results In total, 98 patients (mean age 82 years; 37% male) were included. The areas under the ROC curves of the w-FCI (EMS at discharge: 0.72, EMS gain/day: 0.72, BI at discharge: 0.66 and BI gain/day: 0.60) were higher than for the CCI (0.50, 0.53, 0.49, 0.44 respectively) and FCI (0.65, 0.55, 0.60, 0.49 respectively). The w-FCI was independently associated with EMS at discharge (20.7% of variance explained (PVE), p 0.05). Conclusions The w-FCI was predictive of mobility & function at discharge and mobility gain per day, and outperformed the original FCI and the CCI. The w-FCI could be useful in assessing comorbidity in a personalised way and aid functional prognosis at the start of rehabilitation