Feasibility and predictive performance of the Hendrich Fall Risk Model II in a rehabilitation department: a prospective study

BACKGROUND:Falls are a common adverse event in both elderly inpatients and patients admitted to rehabilitation units. The Hendrich Fall Risk Model II (HIIFRM) has been already tested in all hospital wards with high fall rates, with the exception of the rehabilitation setting. This study's aim is to address the feasibility and predictive performances of HIIFRM in a hospital rehabilitation department. METHODS: A 6 months prospective study in a Italian rehabilitation department with patients from orthopaedic, pulmonary, and neurological rehabilitation wards. All admitted patients were enrolled and assessed within 24 h of admission by means of the HIIFRM. The occurrence of falls was checked and recorded daily. HIIFRM feasibility was assessed as the percentage of successful administrations at admission. HIIFRM predictive performance was determined in terms of area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), best cutoff, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, along with their asymptotic 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS: One hundred ninety-one patents were admitted. HIIFRM was feasible in 147 cases (77%), 11 of which suffered a fall (7.5%). Failures in administration were mainly due to bedridden patients (e.g. minimally conscious state, vegetative state). AUC was 0.779(0.685-0.873). The original HIIFRM cutoff of 5 led to a sensitivity of 100% with a mere specificity of 49%(40-57%), thus suggesting using higher cutoffs. Moreover, the median score for non-fallers at rehabilitation units was higher than that reported in literature for geriatric non fallers. The best trade-off between sensitivity and specificity was obtained by using a cutoff of 8. This lead to sensitivity\u2009=\u200973%(46-99%), specificity\u2009=\u200972%(65-80%), positive predictive value\u2009=\u200917% and negative predictive value\u2009=\u200997%. These results support the use of the HIIFRM as a predictive tool. CONCLUSIONS: The HIIFRM showed satisfactory feasibility and predictive performances in rehabilitation wards. Based on both available literature and these results, the prediction of falls among all hospital wards, with high risk of falling, could be achieved by means of a unique tool and two different cutoffs: a standard cutoff of 5 in geriatric wards and an adjusted higher cutoff in rehabilitation units, with predictive performances similar to those of the best-preforming pathology specific tools for fall-risk assessmen

Out-of-hospital helmet CPAP in acute respiratory failure reduces mortality: a study led by nurses

Background and Aim. Acute respiratory failure (ARF) is a condition that must be treated as quickly as possible. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is a common method used to treat ARF in hospital. The main objective of our study was to investigate the effect of CPAP prior to admission to the emergency room, on the reduction of endotracheal intubation, in-hospital mortality and on the length of stay in hospital (HLOS). Methods. A prospective, observational (non-randomised) study with a historical control group. Data from 3 groups of patients with ARF, irrespective of cause, was collected: pre-hospital CPAP (PHCPAP) group, i.e. 35 patients treated with a helmet CPAP in the ambulance, by trained nurses (mean age, years 80.1±7.9 SD; 14 males); hospital CPAP (HCPAP) group, i.e. 46 patients treated with helmet CPAP in the hospital emergency room (mean age 78.6±6.9 SD; 27 males), and a historical control group of 125 patients treated with medical therapy only (mean age 76.7±5.5 SD; 52 males). CPAP was delivered via a helmet interface. Results. Compared with standard medical therapy, helmet CPAP (pre and in-hospital) reduced mortality by 77 % (p=0.005), while pre-hospital helmet CPAP reduced it by 94% (p=0.011), after adjustment for age, sex, severity of clinical conditions at entry and diagnosis upon admission. HLOS was reduced, compared with standard medical therapy, by 63.5% and by 66% (adjusting for age, sex, severity of clinical conditions at entry and diagnosis at admission) with helmet CPAP (pre and in-hospital) and with helmet CPAP in the ambulance, respectively (p<0.0001). Conclusions. Treating patients with ARF of any cause, with CPAP by trained nurses, before hospital admission, is safe, reduces mortality and the length of stay needed in hospital

Swallowing disorders in tracheostomised patients: a multidisciplinary/multiprofessional approach in decannulation protocols

Safe removal of tracheal cannula is a major goal in the rehabilitation of tracheostomised patients to achieve progressive independence from mechanical support and reduce the risk of respiratory complications. A tracheal cannula may also cause significant discomfort to the patient, making verbal communication difficult. Particularly when cuffed, tracheal cannula reduces the normal movement of the larynx which can further compromise the basic swallowing defect. A close connection between respiratory, phonating, swallowing and feeding abilities to be recovered, implies a strict integration among different professionals of the rehabilitation team. An appropriate management of tracheostomy cannula is closely connected with assessment and treatment of swallowing disorders in order to limit the development of severe pulmonary and nutritional complications, but at present there are no uniform protocols in the scientific literature. Furthermore, several studies report as an essential criterion for decannulation the presence of good patient consciousness, which is often altered in patients with tracheostomy, but a general agreement is lacking

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration under conscious sedation with meperidine and midazolam

Endobronchial Ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is usually performed under general anesthesia or deep sedation with drugs such as Propofol that, at least in Italy, can be administered only by an anesthesiologist. Aim of the study was to assess conscious sedation feasibility, safety and tolerability using Meperidine and Midazolam as administered by Pulmonologist and relevant impact on the efficiency of the sampling procedures. All patients undergoing EBUS-TBNA from February 2013 to July 2014 were examined retrospectively. Efficiency using Meperidine and Midazolam during EBUS-TBNA has been assessed: completion of lymph-nodal sampling, sampling adequacy, diagnostic yield, cough during endoscopic procedure complications and need for procedure repetition with Anesthesiology assistance. Patient satisfaction and cost/effectiveness were also evaluated. One hundred and thirty-four consecutive patients were considered; 97.7% completed the procedure. In 96.9% of cases the prefixed program of lymph-nodal sampling was accomplished. Sampling adequacy was 92,4%. Diagnostic yield was 55%. In 94.7% of cases cough was absent or did not interfere with EBUS-TBNA. The need to repeat the endoscopic procedure occurred in 6 cases but only in 2 the presence of an Anesthesiologist was required. Patient satisfaction was very high, with 95.9% of subjects reporting they would “definitely return”. A 27% cost reduction was calculated. EBUS-TBNA under conscious sedation using Meperidine and Midazolam prescribed and administered by pulmonologist without the Anesthesiologist assistance, revealed to be a safe, well tolerated and cost saving procedure. The efficiency of sampling was good, apart from a relatively low diagnostic yield due to different expertise of operators

Freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease patients treated with bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation: A long-term overview

Bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) is an effective treatment in advanced Parkinson’s Disease (PD). However, the effects of STN-DBS on freezing of gait (FOG) are still debated, particularly in the long-term follow-up (>/=5-years). The main aim of the current study is to evaluate the long-term effects of STN-DBS on FOG. Twenty STN-DBS treated PD patients were included. Each patient was assessed before surgery through a detailed neurological evaluation, including FOG score, and reevaluated in the long-term (median follow-up: 5-years) in different stimulation and drug conditions. In the long term follow-up, FOG score significantly worsened in the off-stimulation/off-medication condition compared with the preoperative off-medication assessment (z = -1.930; p = 0.05) but not in the on-stimulation/off-medication (z = -0.357; p = 0.721). There was also a significant improvement of FOG at long-term assessment by comparing on-stimulation/off-medication and off-stimulation/off-medication conditions (z = -2.944; p = 0.003). These results highlight the possible beneficial long-term effects of STN-DBS on FOG

Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease Patients Treated with Bilateral Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation: A Long-Term Overview

Bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) is an effective treatment in advanced Parkinson's Disease (PD). However, the effects of STN-DBS on freezing of gait (FOG) are still debated, particularly in the long-term follow-up (≥5-years). The main aim of the current study is to evaluate the long-term effects of STN-DBS on FOG. Twenty STN-DBS treated PD patients were included. Each patient was assessed before surgery through a detailed neurological evaluation, including FOG score, and revaluated in the long-term (median follow-up: 5-years) in different stimulation and drug conditions. In the long term follow-up, FOG score significantly worsened in the off-stimulation/off-medication condition compared with the pre-operative off-medication assessment (z = -1.930; p = 0.05) but not in the on-stimulation/off-medication (z = -0.357; p = 0.721). There was also a significant improvement of FOG at long-term assessment by comparing on-stimulation/off-medication and off-stimulation/off-medication conditions (z = -2.944; p = 0.003). These results highlight the possible beneficial long-term effects of STN-DBS on FOG