Prevalencia de bajo peso, sobrepeso y obesidad en adolescentes escolarizados de la provincia de La Pampa

Introducción. Mientras que diversos estudios epidemiológicos incluyen como parte de su relevamiento datos de jóvenes de la provincia de La Pampa en relación con la prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad, sus diseños experimentales presentan ciertas limitaciones en cuanto a la descripción de la realidad regional. Objetivo. Obtener un diagnóstico de situación acerca del perfil de composición corporal de adolescentes de 13 años de edad de la provincia de La Pampa. Población y métodos. Se realizó un estudio de corte transversal en una muestra de varones y niñas nacidos en el año 2001, a los que se les tomó peso, talla, perímetro de cintura, pliegue subescapular y tricipital. Resultados. De los 711 varones y niñas evaluados, 5 sujetos (0,7%) presentaron un peso por debajo del percentilo 3 para sexo y edad. En lo que hace a sobrepeso y obesidad, los valores de la muestra fueron 26,4% y 14,1%, respectivamente (27,5% y 16,9% en varones; 25,5% y 11,7% en niñas). Un 15,8% del total de la muestra (16,5% de los varones y 15,6% de las niñas) presentó valores de perímetro de cintura compatibles con obesidad abdominal. Un 36,8% (37,4% de varones y 36% de mujeres) mostró valores de grasa por encima de lo normal de acuerdo con la evaluación realizada a partir de los pliegues cutáneos. Conclusión. En contraposición a la pequeña prevalencia de bajo peso en la región, el sobrepeso y la obesidad constituyen una problemática de magnitudes elevadas en nuestra provincia en lapoblación estudiada.Fil: Catalani, Fabrizio. Gobierno de la Provincia de La Pampa. Ministerio de Bienestar Social. Dirección de Deportes; ArgentinaFil: Fraire, Javier. Provincia de La Pampa. Hospital Gobernador Centeno; ArgentinaFil: Pérez, Norma. Gobierno de la Provincia de La Pampa. Ministerio de Bienestar Social. Dirección de Deportes; ArgentinaFil: Mazzola, Monica Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Martínez, Ana M.. Fundación Centro de Salud e Investigaciones Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Mayer, Marcos Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; Argentina. Fundación Centro de Salud e Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Seed germination and viability of Wyoming sagebrush in northern Nevada

Seed size and germination behavior affect performance of early seedlings. The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between seed size and germination percentage, germination rate, time course of germination and seed viability in Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentatassp. wyomingensis Beetle and Young). Working hypotheses were: 1) for single seeds,germination percentages and rates are positively related to seed weight; and 2) some TTC-unstained seeds are not unviable, butdormant. Seed collection was conducted at Battle Mountain and Eden Valley sites in northern Nevada during November 2002 and 2003. Individual sagebrush seeds were placed into weight classes,using 0.05mg·seed-1 increments, ranging from ≤0.15 to>0.40mg·seed-1. Seeds were incubated in darkness at 15ºC, seedlings with radicles ≥1.0mm were removed daily during the first 10days, and every other day thereafter until day 32. The study terminated on day 37. Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) test wasused to determine viability of ungerminated seeds, and Evan’s blue to sort out ungerminated seeds into either dead or dormant categories. Results supported both hypotheses. Maximum germination at both sites, years and all seed weight ranges was reachedin 5 to 6 days after imbibition. This suggests that moist soil forseveral consecutive days would help provide optimum field germi-nation in this species. Use of the vital stain Evan’s blue demon-strated that, albeit in a small percentage (≤5%), some TTC-un-stained seeds were not dead but only dormant with germination potential given appropriate conditions. When sagebrush is used forrestoration, relatively heavy seeds should be used because they have the greatest germination potential.El tamaño de la semilla y las características de la germinación afectan el desempeño de las plántulas en estadios tempranos. el objetivo de este estudio fue investigar las relaciones entre tamaño de semilla y porcentaje de germinación, tasa de germinación, variación de la germinación con el tiempo y viabilidad de las semillas en artemisa (artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis beetle y young). las hipótesis de trabajo fueron: 1) para semillas individuales, las tasas y porcentajes de germinación están positivamente relacionados al peso de las semillas; y 2) algunas semillas no teñidas con el ttc no están muertas sino durmientes. las semillas fueron recolectadas en battle mountain y eden valley, al norte de nevada, eeuu, en noviembre 2002 y 2003. las semillas individuales fueron clasificadas por peso en clases de 0,05mg·semilla-1, variando de≤0,15 a >0,40mg·semilla-1, y fueron incubadas en oscuridad a 15ºc; las plántulas con radículas ≥1,0mm se removieron diaria mente durante los primeros 10 días, y luego cada 2 días hasta eldía 32. El estudio concluyó el día 37. La prueba del cloruro detrifenil tetrazolio (TTC) se usó para determinar la viabilidad de las semillas no germinadas, y el azul de Evans para separar semillas no germinadas en durmientes o muertas. Los resultados apoyaron ambas hipótesis. La germinación máxima en ambos sitios, años y todos los rangos de semillas se alcanzó 5-6 días luego de la imbibición. Esto sugiere que un suelo húmedo por varios días consecutivos ayudaría a proveer una germinación óptima en campo. El uso del azul de Evans demostró que aunque en pequeño porcentaje(≤5%), algunas semillas no teñidas por TTC no estaban muertas sino durmientes, con potencial para germinar dadas condiciones apropiadas. Cuando este arbusto es usado para restaurar pastizales degradados se deberían usar semillas relativamente pesadas, que tienen el mayor potencial para germinar.Fil: Busso, Carlos Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida; ArgentinaFil: Mazzola, Monica Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; Argentina. University of Nevada; Estados UnidosFil: Perryman, Barry L.. University of Wyoming; Estados Unido

Polypharmacy in older people: lessons from 10 years of experience with the REPOSI register

reserved361siAs a consequence of population aging, we have witnessed in internal medicine hospital wards a progressive shift from a population of in-patients relatively young and mainly affected by a single ailment to one of ever older and more and more complex patients with multiple chronic diseases, followed as out-patients by many different specialists with poor integration and inevitably treated with multiple medications. Polypharmacy (defined as the chronic intake of five or more drugs) is associated with increased risks of drug-drug interactions and related adverse effects, prescription and intake errors, poor compliance, re-hospitalization and mortality. With this background, the Italian Society of Internal Medicine chose to start in 2008 a prospective register called REPOSI (REgistro POliterapie SIMI, Società Italiana di Medicina Interna) in internal medicine and geriatric hospital wards. The country wide register is an ongoing observatory on multimorbidity and polypharmacy in the oldest old, with the goal to improve prescription appropriateness and, thus to avoid potentially inappropriate medications. The main findings of the register, that has accrued so far, 7005 older patients throughout a 10 year period, are summarized herewith, with special emphasis on the main patterns of poor prescription appropriateness and related risks of adverse events.mixedMannucci PM, Nobili A, Pasina L; Tettamanti M, Franchi C, Corrao S, Marengoni A, Salerno F, Cesari M, Perticone F, Licata G, Violi F, Corazza GR, Franchi C, Cortesi L, Tettamanti M, Cortesi L, Ardoino I, Prisco D, Silvestri E, Cenci C, Emmi G, Biolo G, Zanetti M, Guadagni M, Zaccari M, Vanoli M, Grignani G, Pulixi EA, Bernardi M, Bassi SL, Santi L, Zaccherini G, Mannarino E, Lupattelli G, Bianconi V, Paciullo F, Nuti R, Valenti R, Ruvio M, Cappelli S, Palazzuoli A, Olivieri O, Girelli D, Matteazzi T, Barbagallo M, Dominguez L, Cocita F, Beneduce V, Plances L, Zoli M, Lazzari I, Brunori M, Pasini FL, Capecchi PL, Palasciano G, Modeo ME, Di Gennaro C, Cappellini MD, Maira D, Di Stefano V, Fabio G, Seghezzi S, Mancarella M, Cesari M, Rossi PD, Damanti S, Clerici M, Conti F, Corazza GR, Miceli E, Lenti MV, Pisati M, Dominioni CC, Murialdo G, Marra A, Cattaneo F, Secchi MB, Ghelfi D, Anastasio L, Sofia L, Carbone M, Cipollone F, Guagnano MT, Angelucci E, Valeriani E, Mancuso G, Calipari D, Bartone M, Delitala G, Berria M, Muscaritoli M, Molfino A, Petrillo E, Zuccalà G, D'Aurizio G, Romanelli G, Marengoni A, Zucchelli A, Picardi A, Gentilucci UV, Gallo P, Dell'Unto C, Annoni G, Corsi M, Bellelli G, Zazzetta S, Mazzola P, Szabo H, Bonfanti A, Arturi F, Succurro E, Rubino M, Serra MG, Bleve MA, Gasbarrone L, Sajeva MR, Brucato A, Ghidoni S, Fabris F, Bertozzi I, Bogoni G, Rabuini MV, Cosi E, Manfredini R, Fabbian F, Boari B, De Giorgi A, Tiseo R, Paolisso G, Rizzo MR, Borghi C, Strocchi E, De Sando V, Pareo I, Sabbà C, Vella FS, Suppressa P, Agosti P, Schilardi A, Loparco F, Fenoglio L, Bracco C, Giraudo AV, Fargion S, Periti G, Porzio M, Tiraboschi S, Peyvandi F, Rossio R, Ferrari B, Colombo G, Monzani V, Savojardo V, Folli C, Ceriani G, Salerno F, Pallini G, Dallegri F, Ottonello L, Liberale L, Caserza L, Salam K, Liberato NL, Tognin T, Bianchi GB, Giaquinto S, Purrello F, Di Pino A, Piro S, Rozzini R, Falanga L, Spazzini E, Ferrandina C, Montrucchio G, Petitti P, Salmi R, Gaudenzi P, Violi F, Perri L, Landolfi R, Montalto M, Mirijello A, Guasti L, Castiglioni L, Maresca A, Squizzato A, Molaro M, Grossi A, Bertolotti M, Mussi C, Libbra MV, Dondi G, Pellegrini E, Carulli L, Perticone F, Colangelo L, Falbo T, Stanghellini V, De Giorgio R, Ruggeri E, Del Vecchio S, Salvi A, Leonardi R, Damiani G, Gabrielli A, Capeci W, Mattioli M, Martino GP, Biondi L, Pettinari P, Ghio R, Col AD, Minisola S, Colangelo L, Afeltra A, Marigliano B, Pipita ME, Castellino P, Blanco J, Zanoli L, Pignataro S, Saracco V, Fogliati M, Bussolino C, Mete F, Gino M, Cittadini A, Vigorito C, Arcopinto M, Salzano A, Bobbio E, Marra AM, Sirico D, Moreo G, Gasparini F, Prolo S, Pina G, Ballestrero A, Ferrando F, Berra S, Dassi S, Nava MC, Graziella B, Baldassarre S, Fragapani S, Gruden G, Galanti G, Mascherini G, Petri C, Stefani L, Girino M, Piccinelli V, Nasso F, Gioffrè V, Pasquale M, Scattolin G, Martinelli S, Turrin M, Sechi L, Catena C, Colussi G, Passariello N, Rinaldi L, Berti F, Famularo G, Patrizia T, Castello R, Pasino M, Ceda GP, Maggio MG, Morganti S, Artoni A, Del Giacco S, Firinu D, Losa F, Paoletti G, Montalto G, Licata A, Malerba V, Antonino L, Basile G, Antonino C, Malatino L, Stancanelli B, Terranova V, Di Marca S, Mecocci P, Ruggiero C, Boccardi V, Meschi T, Lauretani F, Ticinesi A, Minuz P, Fondrieschi L, Pirisi M, Fra GP, Sola D, Porta M, Riva P, Quadri R, Scanzi G, Mengoli C, Provini S, Ricevuti L, Simeone E, Scurti R, Tolloso F, Tarquini R, Valoriani A, Dolenti S, Vannini G, Tedeschi A, Trotta L, Volpi R, Bocchi P, Vignali A, Harari S, Lonati C, Cattaneo M, Nieves RD, Alberto MM, Pedro AR, Vanessa LP, Lara T, Xavier CV, Francesc F, Jesus DM, Esperanza BT, Esther DCB, Maria SP, Romero M, Blanca PL, Cristina LG, Victoria VGM, Saez L, Bosco J, Susana SB, Marta AG, Concepcion GB, Antonio FM, Hernandez MG, Borrego MP, Raquel PC, Florencia PR, Beatriz GO, Sara CG, Alfonso GC, Marta PM, Garcia SC, Alberto RC, Antonio AA, Montserrat GG, Ángel BRM, Manuel MJ, Ignacio NV, Lucía AS, Alfonso L, David RB, Iria IV, Monica RP.Mannucci, Pm; Nobili, A; Pasina, L; Tettamanti, M; Franchi, C; Corrao, S; Marengoni, A; Salerno, F; Cesari, M; Perticone, F; Licata, G; Violi, F; Corazza, Gr; Franchi, C; Cortesi, L; Tettamanti, M; Cortesi, L; Ardoino, I; Prisco, D; Silvestri, E; Cenci, C; Emmi, G; Biolo, G; Zanetti, M; Guadagni, M; Zaccari, M; Vanoli, M; Grignani, G; Pulixi, Ea; Bernardi, M; Bassi, Sl; Santi, L; Zaccherini, G; Mannarino, E; Lupattelli, G; Bianconi, V; Paciullo, F; Nuti, R; Valenti, R; Ruvio, M; Cappelli, S; Palazzuoli, A; Olivieri, O; Girelli, D; Matteazzi, T; Barbagallo, M; Dominguez, L; Cocita, F; Beneduce, V; Plances, L; Zoli, M; Lazzari, I; Brunori, M; Pasini, Fl; Capecchi, Pl; Palasciano, G; Modeo, Me; Di Gennaro, C; Cappellini, Md; Maira, D; Di Stefano, V; Fabio, G; Seghezzi, S; Mancarella, M; Cesari, M; Rossi, Pd; Damanti, S; Clerici, M; Conti, F; Corazza, Gr; Miceli, E; Lenti, Mv; Pisati, M; Dominioni, Cc; Murialdo, G; Marra, A; Cattaneo, F; Secchi, Mb; Ghelfi, D; Anastasio, L; Sofia, L; Carbone, M; Cipollone, F; Guagnano, Mt; Angelucci, E; Valeriani, E; Mancuso, G; Calipari, D; Bartone, M; Delitala, G; Berria, M; Muscaritoli, M; Molfino, A; Petrillo, E; Zuccalà, G; D'Aurizio, G; Romanelli, G; Marengoni, A; Zucchelli, A; Picardi, A; Gentilucci, Uv; Gallo, P; Dell'Unto, C; Annoni, G; Corsi, M; Bellelli, G; Zazzetta, S; Mazzola, P; Szabo, H; Bonfanti, A; Arturi, F; Succurro, E; Rubino, M; Serra, Mg; Bleve, Ma; Gasbarrone, L; Sajeva, Mr; Brucato, A; Ghidoni, S; Fabris, F; Bertozzi, I; Bogoni, G; Rabuini, Mv; Cosi, E; Manfredini, R; Fabbian, F; Boari, B; De Giorgi, A; Tiseo, R; Paolisso, G; Rizzo, Mr; Borghi, C; Strocchi, E; De Sando, V; Pareo, I; Sabbà, C; Vella, Fs; Suppressa, P; Agosti, P; Schilardi, A; Loparco, F; Fenoglio, L; Bracco, C; Giraudo, Av; Fargion, S; Periti, G; Porzio, M; Tiraboschi, S; Peyvandi, F; Rossio, R; Ferrari, B; Colombo, G; Monzani, V; Savojardo, V; Folli, C; Ceriani, G; Salerno, F; Pallini, G; Dallegri, F; Ottonello, L; Liberale, L; Caserza, L; Salam, K; Liberato, Nl; Tognin, T; Bianchi, Gb; Giaquinto, S; Purrello, F; Di Pino, A; Piro, S; Rozzini, R; Falanga, L; Spazzini, E; Ferrandina, C; Montrucchio, G; Petitti, P; Salmi, R; Gaudenzi, P; Violi, F; Perri, L; Landolfi, R; Montalto, M; Mirijello, A; Guasti, L; Castiglioni, L; Maresca, A; Squizzato, A; Molaro, M; Grossi, A; Bertolotti, M; Mussi, C; Libbra, Mv; Dondi, G; Pellegrini, E; Carulli, L; Perticone, F; Colangelo, L; Falbo, T; Stanghellini, V; De Giorgio, R; Ruggeri, E; Del Vecchio, S; Salvi, A; Leonardi, R; Damiani, G; Gabrielli, A; Capeci, W; Mattioli, M; Martino, Gp; Biondi, L; Pettinari, P; Ghio, R; Col, Ad; Minisola, S; Colangelo, L; Afeltra, A; Marigliano, B; Pipita, Me; Castellino, P; Blanco, J; Zanoli, L; Pignataro, S; Saracco, V; Fogliati, M; Bussolino, C; Mete, F; Gino, M; Cittadini, A; Vigorito, C; Arcopinto, M; Salzano, A; Bobbio, E; Marra, Am; Sirico, D; Moreo, G; Gasparini, F; Prolo, S; Pina, G; Ballestrero, A; Ferrando, F; Berra, S; Dassi, S; Nava, Mc; Graziella, B; Baldassarre, S; Fragapani, S; Gruden, G; Galanti, G; Mascherini, G; Petri, C; Stefani, L; Girino, M; Piccinelli, V; Nasso, F; Gioffrè, V; Pasquale, M; Scattolin, G; Martinelli, S; Turrin, M; Sechi, L; Catena, C; Colussi, G; Passariello, N; Rinaldi, L; Berti, F; Famularo, G; Patrizia, T; Castello, R; Pasino, M; Ceda, Gp; Maggio, Mg; Morganti, S; Artoni, A; Del Giacco, S; Firinu, D; Losa, F; Paoletti, G; Montalto, G; Licata, A; Malerba, V; Antonino, L; Basile, G; Antonino, C; Malatino, L; Stancanelli, B; Terranova, V; Di Marca, S; Mecocci, P; Ruggiero, C; Boccardi, V; Meschi, T; Lauretani, F; Ticinesi, A; Minuz, P; Fondrieschi, L; Pirisi, M; Fra, Gp; Sola, D; Porta, M; Riva, P; Quadri, R; Scanzi, G; Mengoli, C; Provini, S; Ricevuti, L; Simeone, E; Scurti, R; Tolloso, F; Tarquini, R; Valoriani, A; Dolenti, S; Vannini, G; Tedeschi, A; Trotta, L; Volpi, R; Bocchi, P; Vignali, A; Harari, S; Lonati, C; Cattaneo, M; Nieves, Rd; Alberto, Mm; Pedro, Ar; Vanessa, Lp; Lara, T; Xavier, Cv; Francesc, F; Jesus, Dm; Esperanza, Bt; Esther, Dcb; Maria, Sp; Romero, M; Blanca, Pl; Cristina, Lg; Victoria, Vgm; Saez, L; Bosco, J; Susana, Sb; Marta, Ag; Concepcion, Gb; Antonio, Fm; Hernandez, Mg; Borrego, Mp; Raquel, Pc; Florencia, Pr; Beatriz, Go; Sara, Cg; Alfonso, Gc; Marta, Pm; Garcia, Sc; Alberto, Rc; Antonio, Aa; Montserrat, Gg; Ángel, Brm; Manuel, Mj; Ignacio, Nv; Lucía, As; Alfonso, L; David, Rb; Iria, Iv; Monica, Rp

Antibiotic use and associated factors in a large sample of hospitalised older people.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to assess (i) the prevalence of antibiotic use, (ii) factors associated with their use and (iii) the association with in-hospital mortality in a large sample of hospitalised older people in Italy. METHODS: Data were obtained from the 2010-2017 REPOSI register held in more than 100 internal medicine and geriatric wards in Italy. Patients aged ≥65 years with at least one antibiotic prescription during their hospitalisation were selected. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine factors associated with antibiotic use. RESULTS: A total of 5442 older patients were included in the analysis, of whom 2786 (51.2%) were prescribed antibiotics during their hospitalisation. The most frequently prescribed antibiotic class was β- lactams, accounting for 50% of the total prescriptions. Poor physical independence, corticosteroid use and being hospitalised in Northern Italy were factors associated with a higher likelihood of being prescribed antibiotics. Antibiotic use was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio=2.52, 95% confidence interval 1.82-3.48) also when accounting for factors associated with their use. CONCLUSION: Hospitalised older people are often prescribed antibiotics. Factors related to poor physical independence and corticosteroid use are associated with increased antibiotic use. Being prescribed antibiotics is also associated with an increased risk of in-hospital death. These results demand the implementation of specific stewardship programmes to improve the correct use of antibiotics in hospital settings and to reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance

Polypharmacy in older people: lessons from 10\ua0years of experience with the REPOSI\ua0register

As a consequence of population aging, we have witnessed in internal medicine hospital wards a progressive shift from a population of in-patients relatively young and mainly affected by a single ailment to one of ever older and more and more complex patients with multiple chronic diseases, followed as out-patients by many different specialists with poor integration and\ua0inevitably treated with multiple medications. Polypharmacy (defined as the chronic intake of five or more drugs) is associated with increased risks of drug\u2013drug interactions and related adverse effects, prescription and intake errors, poor compliance, re-hospitalization and mortality. With this background, the Italian Society of Internal Medicine chose to start in 2008 a prospective register called REPOSI (REgistro POliterapie SIMI, Societ\ue0 Italiana di Medicina Interna) in internal medicine and geriatric hospital wards. The country wide register is an ongoing observatory on multimorbidity and polypharmacy in the oldest old, with the goal to improve prescription appropriateness and, thus to avoid potentially inappropriate medications. The main findings of the register, that has accrued so far, 7005 older patients throughout a 10\ua0year period, are summarized herewith, with special emphasis on the main patterns of poor prescription appropriateness and related risks of adverse events

Polypharmacy in older people: lessons from 10 years of experience with the REPOSI register.

As a consequence of population aging, we have witnessed in internal medicine hospital wards a progressive shift from a population of in-patients relatively young and mainly affected by a single ailment to one of ever older and more and more complex patients with multiple chronic diseases, followed as out-patients by many different specialists with poor integration and inevitably treated with multiple medications. Polypharmacy (defined as the chronic intake of five or more drugs) is associated with increased risks of drug-drug interactions and related adverse effects, prescription and intake errors, poor compliance, re-hospitalization and mortality. With this background, the Italian Society of Internal Medicine chose to start in 2008 a prospective register called REPOSI (REgistro POliterapie SIMI, Società Italiana di Medicina Interna) in internal medicine and geriatric hospital wards. The country wide register is an ongoing observatory on multimorbidity and polypharmacy in the oldest old, with the goal to improve prescription appropriateness and, thus to avoid potentially inappropriate medications. The main findings of the register, that has accrued so far, 7005 older patients throughout a 10 year period, are summarized herewith, with special emphasis on the main patterns of poor prescription appropriateness and related risks of adverse events

Therapeutic Duplicates in a Cohort of Hospitalized Elderly Patients: Results from the REPOSI Study

Background: Explicit criteria for potentially inappropriate prescriptions in the elderly are recommended to avoid prescriptions of duplicate drug classes and to optimize monotherapy within a single drug class before a new agent is considered. Duplicate drug class prescription (or therapeutic duplicates) puts the patient at increased risk of adverse drug reactions with no additional therapeutic benefits. To our knowledge, the prevalence of elderly inpatients receiving therapeutic duplicates has never been studied. Objectives: Our objective was to assess the prevalence of therapeutic duplicates at admission, discharge, and 3-month follow-up of hospitalized elderly patients. Methods: This cross-sectional prospective study was conducted in 97 Italian internal medicine and geriatric wards. Therapeutic duplicates were defined as at least two drugs of the same therapeutic class prescribed simultaneously to a patient. A patient\u2019s drug therapy at admission relates to prescriptions from general practitioners, whereas prescriptions at discharge are those from hospital internists or geriatricians. Results: The study sample comprised 5821 admitted and 4983 discharged patients. In all, 143 therapeutic duplicates were found at admission and 170 at discharge. The prevalence of patients exposed to at least one therapeutic duplicate rose significantly from hospital admission (2.5 %) to discharge (3.4 %; p = 0.0032). Psychotropic drugs and drugs for peptic ulcer or gastroesophageal reflux disease were the most frequently involved. A total of 86.8 % of patients discharged with at least one therapeutic duplicate were still receiving them at 3-month follow-up. Conclusions: Hospitalization and drugs prescribed by internists and geriatricians are both factors associated with a small but definite increase in overall therapeutic duplicates in elderly patients admitted to internal medicine and geriatric wards. More attention should be paid to the indications for each drug prescribed, because therapeutic duplicates are not supported by evidence and increase both the risk of adverse drug reactions and costs. Identification of unnecessary therapeutic duplicates is essential for the optimization of polypharmacy

Disability, and not diabetes, is a strong predictor of mortality in oldest old patients hospitalized with pneumonia

Background: Pneumonia causes more deaths than any other infectious disease, especially in older patients with multiple chronic diseases. Recent studies identified a low functional status as prognostic factor for mortality in elderly patients with pneumonia while contrasting data are available about the role of diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in-hospital, 3-month and 1-year mortality in elderly subjects affected by pneumonia enrolled in the RePoSi register.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data collected on hospitalized elderly patients in the frame of the REPOSI project. We analyzed the socio-demographic, laboratory and clinical characteristics of subjects with pneumonia. Multivariate logistic analysis was used to explore the relationship between variables and mortality.Results: Among 4714 patients 284 had pneumonia. 52.8% were males and the mean age was 80 years old. 19.8% of these patients had a Barthel Index <= 40 (p < 0.0001), as well as 43.2% had a short blessed test >= 10 (p < 0.0117). In these subjects a significant CIRS for the evaluation of severity and comorbidity indexes (p < 0.0001) were present. Although a higher fasting glucose level was identified in people with pneumonia, in the multivariate logistic analysis diabetes was not independently associated with in-hospital, 3-month and 1-year mortality, whereas patients with lower Barthel Index had a higher mortality risk (odds ratio being 9.45, 6.84, 19.55 in hospital, at 3 and 12 months).Conclusion: Elderly hospitalized patients affected by pneumonia with a clinically significant disability had a higher mortality risk while diabetes does not represent an important determinant of short and long-term outcome

Prevalence, characteristics and treatment of chronic pain in elderly patients hospitalized in internal medicine wards.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain is a frequent characteristic of elderly people and represents an actual and still poorly debated topic. OBJECTIVE: We investigated pain prevalence and intensity, and its pharmacological therapy in elderly patients hospitalized in 101 internal medicine wards. METHODS: Taking advantage of the "REgistro POliterapie Società Italiana Medicina Interna" (REPOSI), we collected 2535 patients of whom almost a quarter was older than 85 years old. Among them, 582 patients were affected by pain (either chronic or acute) and 296 were diagnosed with chronic pain. RESULTS: Patients with pain showed worse cognitive status, higher depression and comorbidities, and a longer duration of hospital stay compared to those without pain (all p < .0366). Patients with chronic pain revealed lower level of independency in their daily life, worse cognitive status and higher level of depression compared to acute pain patients (all p < .0156). Moreover, most of them were not treated for pain at admission (73.4%) and half of them was not treated with any analgesic drug at discharge (50.5%). This difference affected also the reported levels of pain intensity. Patients who received analgesics at both admission and discharge remained stable (p = .172). Conversely, those not treated at admission who received an analgesic treatment during the hospital stay decreased their perceived pain (p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show the need to focus more attention on the pharmacological treatment of chronic pain, especially in hospitalized elderly patients, in order to support them and facilitate their daily life after hospital discharge