Management of immobilization and its complication for elderly.

Increased life expectancy have an effect on the rising percentage of elderly population in Indonesia and health problem associated with the elderly, particularly immobilization. Immobilization may cause various complications, especially when it has been overlooked without any appropriate and proper medical care in keeping with the procedures. High incidence of immobilization in elderly and the life-threatening complication call for an agreement on management of immobilization and its complication. Management of immobilization needs interdisciplinary team-work cooperation, the patients and their family. The management may be commenced through a complete geriatric review, formulating functional goals and constructing therapeutic plan. Various medical conditions and external factors that may act as risk factors of immobilization as well as drugs intake that may exaggerate the immobilization should be evaluated and optimally managed. Any complication due to immobilization and other concomitant disease/condition should be recognized and managed comprehensively in order to reduce morbidity and mortality. Management of immobilization and its complications include pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment, i.e. various mobility exercises, utilization of ambulatory device and supporting appliance for assisting patients in stand-up position, as well as the management of urinary voiding and defecation.

Correlation between serum vitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration and quadriceps femoris muscle strength in Indonesian elderly women living in three nursing homes.

AIM: to investigate the correlation between serum vitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration and quadriceps femoris muscle strength. METHODS: this was a cross-sectional correlative study, conducted at three nursing homes in Jakarta and one nursing home in Bekasi in January 2005. The subjects were women aged 60 years or above. Those selected study subjects underwent quadriceps femoris muscle strength examination with Cybex dynamometer with 150 degrees/second speed, twice (three repetitions with 30 second rest time). The 25 (OH)D concentration was measured by ELISA. RESULTS: out of 67 subjects who met the required criteria for this study, five subjects withdrew from the study during muscle strength examination. The mean age was 71.1 (SD 7.2) years old while the mean serum vitamin D concentration was 68.2 (SD 21.6) nmol/l. Vitamin D deficiency (<or= 50 nmol/l) was found in 22.6% of subjects. It was also found that the median (minimum-maximum) quadriceps femoris muscle strength was 40.00 (11-116) N.m. Approximately 82.3% of the subjects were of generalized muscle weakness. Correlation was found between serum 25 (OH)D concentration and quadriceps femoris muscle strength (r = 0.327; P = 0.009). CONCLUSION: this study reveals that serum 25 (OH) D concentrations in Indonesian elderly women is correlated with quadriceps femoris muscle strength. The proportion of elderly women with muscle weakness is higher than the normal ones. The group with older age shows higher proportion of muscle weakness. Most subjects have normal serum vitamin D concentration.

Correlation between vitamin D concentration and basic functional mobility in elderly women.

AIM: to determine vitamin D serum concentration, the timed up and go (TUG) test score, and the correlation between vitamin D serum concentration and TUG test score of elderly women. METHODS: a correlative cross-sectional study of elderly women aged 60 years old or above was carried out in three nursing homes in DKI Jakarta and one elderly nursing home in Bekasi, in January 2005. TUG test was performed to evaluate basic functional mobility by measuring the time in seconds to stand from 46 cm height armchair, walk three meters, turn around, and return to full sitting in chair. Vitamin D serum concentration was measured by ELISA method. Calcium ion serum concentration that was measured by NOVA method, age and body mass index (BMI) were confounding variables. RESULTS: of forty-two elderly women who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, thirty subjects which proportional randomly assigned participated in this study. Mean (+SD) vitamin D serum concentration was 68.0 (21.1) nmol/L, with concentration < 50 nmol/L was 23.3%, TUG score was 10.7 (2.1) seconds, BMI was 22.3 (3.7) kg/m2, age was 70.2 (6.4) years, and median (minimum-maximum) ionized calcium serum concentration was 1.095 (1.030-1.230) mmol/L. Vitamin D serum concentration did not show significant correlation with TUG (r = -0.008; P = 0.968). There were also no significant correlations among the confounding variables and TUG. The correlation with TUG for BMI r = 0.014; P = 0.942, ionized calcium serum concentration r = 0.287; P = 0.124, and age r = 0.315; P = 0.09. CONCLUSION: vitamin D serum concentration has not show significant correlation with basic functional mobility of elderly women, the higher vitamin D serum concentration was not followed by lesser time to perform TUG test; the proportion of subjects with TUG score < 10 seconds (freely mobile in functional mobility) were lesser in vitamin D deficiency respondents.