East Midlands Research into Ageing Network (EMRAN) Discussion Paper Series

Academic geriatric medicine in Leicester . There has never been a better time to consider joining us. We have recently appointed a Professor in Geriatric Medicine, alongside Tom Robinson in stroke and Victoria Haunton, who has just joined as a Senior Lecturer in Geriatric Medicine. We have fantastic opportunities to support students in their academic pursuits through a well-established intercalated BSc programme, and routes on through such as ACF posts, and a successful track-record in delivering higher degrees leading to ACL post. We collaborate strongly with Health Sciences, including academic primary care. See below for more detail on our existing academic set-up. Leicester Academy for the Study of Ageing We are also collaborating on a grander scale, through a joint academic venture focusing on ageing, the ‘Leicester Academy for the Study of Ageing’ (LASA), which involves the local health service providers (acute and community), De Montfort University; University of Leicester; Leicester City Council; Leicestershire County Council and Leicester Age UK. Professors Jayne Brown and Simon Conroy jointly Chair LASA and have recently been joined by two further Chairs, Professors Kay de Vries and Bertha Ochieng. Karen Harrison Dening has also recently been appointed an Honorary Chair. LASA aims to improve outcomes for older people and those that care for them that takes a person-centred, whole system perspective. Our research will take a global perspective, but will seek to maximise benefits for the people of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, including building capacity. We are undertaking applied, translational, interdisciplinary research, focused on older people, which will deliver research outcomes that address domains from: physical/medical; functional ability, cognitive/psychological; social or environmental factors. LASA also seeks to support commissioners and providers alike for advice on how to improve care for older people, whether by research, education or service delivery. Examples of recent research projects include: ‘Local History Café’ project specifically undertaking an evaluation on loneliness and social isolation; ‘Better Visits’ project focused on improving visiting for family members of people with dementia resident in care homes; and a study on health issues for older LGBT people in Leicester. Clinical Geriatric Medicine in Leicester We have developed a service which recognises the complexity of managing frail older people at the interface (acute care, emergency care and links with community services). There are presently 17 consultant geriatricians supported by existing multidisciplinary teams, including the largest complement of Advance Nurse Practitioners in the country. Together we deliver Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment to frail older people with urgent care needs in acute and community settings. The acute and emergency frailty units – Leicester Royal Infirmary This development aims at delivering Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment to frail older people in the acute setting. Patients are screened for frailty in the Emergency Department and then undergo a multidisciplinary assessment including a consultant geriatrician, before being triaged to the most appropriate setting. This might include admission to in-patient care in the acute or community setting, intermediate care (residential or home based), or occasionally other specialist care (e.g. cardiorespiratory). Our new emergency department is the county’s first frail friendly build and includes fantastic facilities aimed at promoting early recovering and reducing the risk of hospital associated harms. There is also a daily liaison service jointly run with the psychogeriatricians (FOPAL); we have been examining geriatric outreach to oncology and surgery as part of an NIHR funded study. We are home to the Acute Frailty Network, and those interested in service developments at the national scale would be welcome to get involved. Orthogeriatrics There are now dedicated hip fracture wards and joint care with anaesthetists, orthopaedic surgeons and geriatricians. There are also consultants in metabolic bone disease that run clinics. Community work Community work will consist of reviewing patients in clinic who have been triaged to return to the community setting following an acute assessment described above. Additionally, primary care colleagues refer to outpatients for sub-acute reviews. You will work closely with local GPs with support from consultants to deliver post-acute, subacute, intermediate and rehabilitation care services. Stroke Medicine 24/7 thrombolysis and TIA services. The latter is considered one of the best in the UK and along with the high standard of vascular surgery locally means one of the best performances regarding carotid intervention

Driving and Parkinson’s Disease: A Survey of the Patient’s Perspective

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a multi-system disorder that can impact on driving ability. Little is known about how these changes in driving ability affect people with PD, making it difficult for clinicians and carers to offer appropriate support. Objective: To assess patient views concerning the effect of PD on their driving ability, the impact of these changes and how they manage them. Method: An online survey was created by a team of clinicians, people with PD, their carers, and representatives from Parkinson’s UK. People with PD throughout the United Kingdom were invited to participate through Parkinson’s UK’s website, newsletter and Parkinson’s Excellence Network email list. Results: 805 people with PD took part in the survey. We found that the loss of a driving licence had an adverse impact on employment, socialisation, travel costs and spontaneous lifestyle choices. Multiple changes in driving ability related to PD were described, including that impulse control disorders can have an adverse impact on driving. Changes in driving ability caused people to change their driving practices including taking shorter journeys and being less likely to drive at night. Participants advised managing changes in driving ability through planning, vehicle adaptions, maintaining skills and self-assessment. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the impact that changes in driving ability can have on the lifestyle of people with PD and reveals the strategies that individuals adopt to manage these changes

Improving Conversations about Parkinson's Dementia

Background: People with Parkinson's disease (PD) have an increased risk of dementia, yet patients and clinicians frequently avoid talking about it due to associated stigma, and the perception that “nothing can be done about it”. However, open conversations about PD dementia may allow people with the condition to access treatment and support, and may increase participation in research aimed at understanding PD dementia. Objectives: To co‐produce information resources for patients and healthcare professionals to improve conversations about PD dementia. Methods: We worked with people with PD, engagement experts, artists, and a PD charity to open up these conversations. 34 participants (16 PD; 6 PD dementia; 1 Parkinsonism, 11 caregivers) attended creative workshops to examine fears about PD dementia and develop information resources. 25 PD experts contributed to the resources. Results: While most people with PD (70%) and caregivers (81%) shared worries about cognitive changes prior to the workshops, only 38% and 30%, respectively, had raised these concerns with a healthcare professional. 91% of people with PD and 73% of caregivers agreed that PD clinicians should ask about cognitive changes routinely through direct questions and perform cognitive tests at clinic appointments. We used insights from the creative workshops, and input from a network of PD experts to co‐develop two open‐access resources: one for people with PD and their families, and one for healthcare professionals. Conclusion: Using artistic and creative workshops, co‐learning and striving for diverse voices, we co‐produced relevant resources for a wider audience to improve conversations about PD dementia

Is dynamic cerebral autoregulation impaired in idiopathic Parkinson’s disease?

Background: Cerebral autoregulation (CA) refers to the ability of the brain to maintain a relatively constant cerebral blood flow (CBF) in response to significant changes in cerebral perfusion pressure. CA is governed by several key mechanisms, which can be described as neurogenic, myogenic and metabolic. Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease with a significant autonomic component, and it has been hypothesised that CA in PD may therefore be impaired. However, to date, the literature on this subject has been limited in its scope, of uneven quality and has yielded conflicted findings. Objective: This Thesis aimed to determine if dynamic CA is impaired in patients with idiopathic PD, compared to healthy control subjects, and if dynamic CA varies between the ‘on’ and ‘off’ states of PD. Methods: CA was assessed by means of continuous non-invasive monitoring of arterial blood pressure (BP) and velocities in the middle cerebral arteries bilaterally using transcranial Doppler ultrasound. A cohort of patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease were studied in both their clinically ‘on’ and ‘off’ states, and their data were compared to that obtained from age- and sex-matched healthy controls. In addition to assessing the CA response to spontaneous fluctuations in BP, a variety of paradigms were used to induce changes in mean cerebral blood flow velocity and BP, including passive arm movement and hyperventilation. Results: This study has demonstrated that CA responses to spontaneous fluctuations in BP do not differ significantly between the on and off states of PD, but do differ significantly between PD patients and healthy controls, ultimately suggesting that CA is altered, but not necessarily impaired, in idiopathic PD. CBF velocity responses to passive arm movement and hyperventilation did not differ significantly between the on and off states of PD, or between PD patients and healthy controls

Antihypertensives in dementia: Good or bad for the brain?

Hypertension is associated with both ageing and dementia. Despite this, optimal blood pressure targets in dementia remain unclear. Both high and low blood pressure are associated with poorer cognition. Changes in vascular physiology in dementia may increase the vulnerability of the brain to hypoperfusion associated with antihypertensives. We discuss the potential risks of antihypertensives in the context of altered cerebral haemodynamics, and evidence from antihypertensive trials in dementia. We suggest that individualised blood pressure targets should be the focus for antihypertensive therapy in dementia, rather than strict control to uniform targets extrapolated from trials in cognitively healthy individuals

Cerebral hemodynamics in stroke thrombolysis (CHiST) study.

Despite careful patient selection, successful recanalization in intravenous thrombolysis is only achieved in approximately 50% of cases. Understanding changes in cerebral autoregulation during and following successful recanalization in acute ischemic stroke patients who receive intravenous thrombolysis, may inform the management of common physiological perturbations, including blood pressure, in turn reducing the risk of reperfusion injury. Cerebral blood velocity (Transcranial Doppler), blood pressure (Finometer) and end-tidal carbon dioxide (capnography) were continuously recorded in 11 acute ischemic stroke patients who received intravenous thrombolysis (5 female, mean ± SD age 68±12 years) over 4-time points, during and at the following time intervals after intravenous thrombolysis: 23.9±2.6 hrs, 18.1±7.0 days and 89.6±4.2 days. Reductions in blood pressure (p = 0.04) were observed during intravenous thrombolysis. Reductions in heart rate (p<0.005) and critical closing pressure [Affected hemisphere (p = 0.02) and non-affected hemisphere (p<0.005)] were observed post intravenous thrombolysis. End-tidal CO2 increased during the sub-acute and chronic stages (p = 0.028). Reduction in affected hemisphere phase at low frequency was observed during intravenous thrombolysis (p = 0.021) and at subsequent visits (p = 0.048). No changes were observed in cerebral blood velocity, coherence, gain and Autoregulation Index during the follow-up period. Intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke patients induced changes in affected hemisphere phase and other key hemodynamic parameters, but not Autoregulation Index. Further investigation of cerebral autoregulation is warranted in a larger acute ischemic stroke cohort to inform its potential role in individualized management plans