Influence of Alzheimer's disease on the relationship between nutritional status and risk of fall

Although malnutrition and risk of falls in the elderly have increased in recent years, uncertainties exist as to whether these conditions are associated after controlling for sociodemographic variables, body composition, metabolic condition, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study aimed to analyze the association between nutritional status and risk of fall in the elderly population. Participants were matched by gender and age, after they had been grouped on the basis of diagnosis of AD. The risk of falls, nutritional status, and mental status were assessed using the Downton Fall Risk Score (FRS), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), and Mini Mental State Evaluation (MMSE), respectively. Logistic regression modelsadjusted for the main confounders were used in the analyses. Among the 68 elderly individuals studied, participants who were malnourished or at risk of malnutrition were more likely to fall (odds ratio = 8.29; 95% confidence interval = 1.49-46.04) than those with normal nutritional status, regardless of gender, age, education, body composition, and metabolic condition. This association did not remain significant after adjustment for AD, a potential confounder in this association. Malnutrition or its risk was independently associated with high risk of fall; thus, malnutrition should be considered in the prevention of falls among the elderly population.

Análise do poder de discriminação de índices prognósticos em pacientes queimados / Analysis of discrimination power of prognostic scores in burn patients

Introdução: As queimaduras são um grave problema de saúde pública. Os índices prognósticos estimam probabilidade prognóstica e ajudam a quantificar a gravidade do paciente. Objetivo:Avaliar o poder de discriminação dos índices Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) e Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System 28 (TISS 28) da admissão em pacientes de uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva (UTI) especializada no tratamento de queimados. Casuística e Métodos:Estudo longitudinal prospectivo, realizado em uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva especializada no atendimento ao paciente queimado, no período de maio de 2011 a maio de 2013. Foram excluídos pacientes com menos de 18 anos e com menos de 24 horas de internação. Foram coletados dados clínicos e demográficos e calculados os escores prognósticos estudados. A acurácia dos índices foi avaliada pela curva Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC), discriminando o desfecho do paciente (sobrevivente e não sobrevivente). Foi calculada a área sob a curva (AUC). Resultados: Foram incluídos 180 pacientes no período de estudo, sendo 72,8% do sexo masculino (n=131). A mediana de idade foi de 40 anos (ITQ: 30 ­ 52,5). A mortalidade hospitalar foi de 37,2% (n=67). A maior AUC foi a do escore APACHE II, com valor de 0,837 (ponto de corte do escore = 14, sensibilidade de 83,6% e especificidade de 72,3%). Na análise de pontuação dos escores entre sobreviventes e não sobreviventes, observou-se diferença estatisticamente significativa entre os valores de todos os índices estudados. Conclusões: Os escores ABSI, APACHE II, SOFA e TISS 28 na admissão da UTI mostraram bom poder de discriminação para sobrevivência entre pacientes queimados.

Introduction: Burns are a serious public health problem. Prognostic indexes estimate prognostic probability and help to quantify disease severity. Objective: To evaluate the power of discrimination of Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) and Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System 28 (TISS 28) in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) from a burn center. Patients and Methods: This is a prospective longitudinal study, carried out from May 2011 to May 2013. Patients under 18 years of age and with hospitalization for less than 24 hours were excluded. Clinical and demographic data were collected, and the prognostic scores were calculated. The accuracy of the scores was evaluated by the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, which discriminated against the outcome of the patient (survivor and non-survivor). The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated. Results: A total of 180 patients were included, and 72.8% of them were male (n = 131). The median age was 40 years (IQR: 30 - 52.5). Hospital mortality was 37.2% (n = 67). The highest AUC was from the APACHE II score, with a value of 0.837 (associated criterion = 14, sensitivity = 83.6% and specificity = 72.3%). In the analysis of the scores between survivors and non-survivors statistically significant differences were found in all studied scores. Conclusions: ABSI, APACHE II, SOFA and TISS 28 at ICU resulted in good power of discrimination for survival among burn patients.