Differences in function and recovery profiles between patterns of multimorbidity among older medical patients the first year after an acute admission-An exploratory latent class analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Multimorbidity is common among older people and may contribute to adverse health effects, such as functional limitations. It may help stratify rehabilitation of older medical patients, if we can identify differences in function under and after an acute medical admission, among patient with different patterns of multimorbidity. AIM: To investigate differences in function and recovery profiles among older medical patients with different patterns of multimorbidity the first year after an acute admission. METHODS: Longitudinal prospective cohort study of 369 medical patients (77.9 years, 62% women) acutely admitted to the Emergency Department. During the first 24 h after admission, one month and one year after discharge we assessed mobility level using the de Morton Mobility Index. At baseline and one-year we assessed handgrip strength, gait speed, Barthel20, and the New Mobility Score. Information about chronic conditions was collected by national registers. We used Latent Class Analysis to determine differences among patterns of multimorbidity based on 22 chronic conditions. RESULTS: Four distinct patterns of multimorbidity were identified (Minimal chronic disease; Degenerative, lifestyle, and mental disorders; Neurological, functional and sensory disorders; and Metabolic, pulmonary and cardiovascular disorders). The "Neurological, functional and sensory disorders"-pattern showed significant lower function than the "Minimal chronic disease"-pattern in all outcome measures. There were no differences in recovery profile between patients in the four patterns. CONCLUSION: The results support that patients with different patterns of multimorbidity among acutely hospitalized older medical patients differ in function, which suggests a differentiated approach towards treatment and rehabilitation warrants further studies.

A Danish version of the life-space assessment (LSA-DK) - translation, content validity and cultural adaptation using cognitive interviewing in older mobility limited adults.

BACKGROUND: Identification and prevention of mobility limitations in older adults is important to reduce adverse health outcomes. The Life-Space Assessment (LSA) provides a single measure of mobility including environmental and social resources of the older adult. Availability of the LSA for non-English speaking countries is still sparse. Therefore, we translated the LSA into Danish and performed a content validity analysis of the translation in older adults with mobility limitations. METHODS: After translation into Danish, the Danish version (LSA-DK) was content validated using cognitive interviewing in older mobility limited adults (+ 65) from an outpatient rehabilitation center (n = 12), medical wards at a university hospital (n = 11), and an assisted living facility (n = 7). The interviews were transcribed and analyzed according to the four stages of the Information Processing Model. Based on the analyses, recommendations for changes to the LSA-DK and to the manual were made and presented to the developers of the LSA. RESULTS: Consensus was reached on the LSA-DK. Thirty cognitive interviews were carried out. A wide range of sources of error primarily related to the comprehension, memory and decision process were identified. The frequency and type of error sources were most prevalent among assisted living facility informants and included difficulties in defining the geographical extension of neighborhood, town and outside town. The results led to adaptations to the questionnaire and manual to support implementation of the LSA-DK in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: The Life-Space Assessment was translated into Danish and content validated based on cognitive interviews. Adaptations were made to support that the Danish version can be implemented in clinical practice and used in the assessment of mobility in older Danish adults.

Disentangling the complexity of mobility of older medical patients in routine practice: An ethnographic study in Denmark.

AIM: Many older medical patients experience persistent functional limitations after hospitalization, such as dependency in activities of daily living, recurring fall incidents and increased mortality. Therefore, increased activity and mobilization during hospitalization are essential to prevent functional decline in older medical patients. No previous studies have explored how the social context influences how health professionals decide whether or not to mobilize patients. This qualitative study aimed to explore how social contextual circumstances affect the mobility of older medical patients in medical departments. METHODS: An ethnographic field study was conducted in six medical departments in three public hospitals in the capital region of Copenhagen, Denmark. Participant observations were carried out from January to June 2017. The researchers were present for up to 14 days (range, 8-14 days) in the six departments. A total of 210 pages of field notes were produced. The participants were health professionals involved in the care of older medical patients: physiotherapists, registered nurses, nursing assistants and physicians. A content analysis was conducted. FINDINGS: Five themes concerning mobility of patients emerged: (1) materialities; (2) professional roles; (3) encouraging moments; (4) patients and relatives; and (5) organization and management. Of these, professional roles seem to be the most important because it pervaded all themes. Different health professionals in the medical departments recognized, spoke and acted based on different cultural models. CONCLUSION: It was found that mobility of older medical patients is entangled in a complex network of social contextual circumstances. Mobility of older medical patients is based on health professionals' different cultural models, which shape distinct professional identities and lead to contradictions and blurring of the priorities and responsibilities among the health professionals involved in mobilization. The consequence is that no profession "owns" the responsibility for mobilization, thus restricting mobilization of the patients during hospitalization.

Kidney function estimates using cystatin C versus creatinine: Impact on medication prescribing in acutely hospitalized elderly patients.

BACKGROUND: Medication errors due to inaccurate measures of kidney function are common among elderly patients. We investigated differences between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) based on creatinine and cystatin C and how these differences would affect prescribing recommendations among acutely hospitalized elderly patients. We also identified factors associated with discrepancies between estimates. METHODS: Estimated glomerular filtration rate and chronic kidney disease (CKD) classifications were determined for 338 acutely hospitalized elderly patients using equations from Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI), Berlin Initiative Study (BIS) and Cockcroft-Gault (CG). Prescribed renal risk medications were compared with dosing guidelines in Renbase® . Linear regression models were used to identify explanatory variables for eGFR discrepancies between equations. Muscle weakness was assessed by handgrip strength; inflammation was assessed by smoking status, serum C-reactive protein (CRP), soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL); and organ dysfunction was assessed by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and FI-OutRef. RESULTS: Median eGFR values were 65.5, 60.7, 54.1, 57.1, 55.1 and 57.6 mL/min/1.73m2 according to CKD-EPICr , CKD-EPIComb , CKD-EPICys , BISCr , BISComb and CGCr , respectively. Depending on choice of equation, renal risk medications were prescribed at higher than recommended dose in 13.6% to 22.5% of patients using normalized GFR units and 9.9% to 19.1% of patients using absolute units. Age, handgrip strength, CRP, suPAR, NGAL and smoking status had significant association with eGFR discrepancies between creatinine- and cystatin C-based equations. CONCLUSIONS: Significant discrepancies in eGFR and CKD classification were observed when switching between eGFR equations in acutely hospitalized elderly patients. Switching from a creatinine-based equation to its corresponding cystatin C-based equation resulted in lower GFR estimates, and these differences were larger than in community-dwelling older populations. Switching between CKD-EPICr , CGCr and the alternative equations would result in clinically relevant changes to medication prescribing. Discrepancies between equations were associated with high age, muscle weakness and inflammation.

A tailored strategy for designing the Walk-Copenhagen (WALK-Cph) intervention to increase mobility in hospitalised older medical patients: a protocol for the qualitative part of the WALK-Cph project.

INTRODUCTION: Older medical patients (>65 years) represent 54% of the admissions to Danish medical and emergency departments. Acute admissions and bed-rest during hospitalisation are independent risk factors for death and dependency in older patients. Even short hospitalisations are associated with increased dependency in activities of daily living after discharge. Interventions that increase mobility during hospitalisation are therefore important. The purpose of this protocol is to describe the intervention design of the WALK-Copenhagen project, aimed at increasing 24 hours mobility in older medical patients during acute hospitalisations and following discharge. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study is based on ethnographic fieldwork and interviews. Workshops are used to develop and co-design the intervention in collaboration with key stakeholders (patients, relatives, health professionals and researchers). The theory of cultural learning processes, and the cultural historical activity theory will be used to help us understand the interaction between health professionals, structures and objects in relation to mobility in the medical departments. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The project will adhere to the directives of the Helsinki Declaration. Ethical approval was not required for the study since formal ethical approval is not mandatory for studies that do not involve biomedical issues (I-Suite no: 05078) according to Danish law. Informed consent was obtained for all participants. The results will be disseminated to health professionals, managers, patients and relatives, who will be invited to afternoon meetings where the project will be discussed. The results will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presented at scientific conferences.

How inflammation underlies physical and organ function in acutely admitted older medical patients.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether systemic inflammation in acutely admitted older medical patients (age >65 years) is associated with physical performance and organ dysfunction. Organ dysfunction´s association with physical performance, and whether these associations are mediated by systemic inflammation, was also investigated. METHODS: A cross-sectional study in an Emergency Department. Physical performance was assessed by handgrip strength and de Morton Mobility Index (DEMMI), and organ dysfunction by FI-OutRef, the number of standard blood tests outside the reference range. Systemic inflammation was assessed by suPAR, TNFα, and IL-6. Associations were investigated by regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, cognitive impairment, CRP, and VitalPAC Modified Early Warning Score. RESULTS: A total of 369 patients were evaluated. In adjusted analyses, suPAR and TNFα was associated with both physical performance measures (p<0.001- p=0.004), and IL-6 with handgrip strength (p=0.007). All inflammation biomarkers were associated with FI-OutRef (p<0.001). FI-OutRef was also associated with physical performance (all p<0.001); suPAR being the inflammatory biomarker with the highest impact when adjusting for inflammation. CONCLUSION: Inflammatory biomarkers are potentially feasible for systematic assessment of vulnerability. Moreover, suPAR may be an important mediator between organ dysfunction and physical performance.

Prediction of Mobility Limitations after Hospitalization in Older Medical Patients by Simple Measures of Physical Performance Obtained at Admission to the Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVE: Mobility limitations relate to dependency in older adults. Identification of older patients with mobility limitations after hospital discharge may help stratify treatment and could potentially counteract dependency seen in older adults after hospitalization. We investigated the ability of four physical performance measures administered at hospital admission to identify older medical patients who manifest mobility limitations 30 days after discharge. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study of patients (≥65 years) admitted to the emergency department for acute medical illness. During the first 24 hours, we assessed: handgrip strength, 4-meter gait speed, the ability to rise from a chair (chair-stand), and the Cumulated Ambulation Score. The mobility level 30 days after discharge was evaluated using the de Morton Mobility Index. RESULTS: A total of 369 patients (77.9 years, 62% women) were included. Of those, 128 (40%) patients had mobility limitations at follow-up. Univariate analyzes showed that each of the physical performance measures was strongly associated with mobility limitations at follow-up (handgrip strength(women), OR 0.86 (0.81-0.91), handgrip strength(men), OR 0.90 (0.86-0.95), gait speed, OR 0.35 (0.26-0.46), chair-stand, OR 0.04 (0.02-0.08) and Cumulated Ambulation Score OR 0.49 (0.38-0.64). Adjustment for potential confounders did not change the results and the associations were not modified by any of the covariates: age, gender, cognitive status, the severity of the acute medical illness, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Based on prespecified cut-offs the prognostic accuracy of the four measures for mobility limitation at follow-up was calculated. The sensitivity and specificity were: handgrip strength(women), 56.8 (45.8-67.3), 75.7 (66.8-83.2), handgrip strength(men), 50.0 (33.8-66.2), 80.8 (69.9-89.1), gait speed, 68.4 (58.2-77.4), 81.4 (75.0-86.8), chair-stand 67.8 (58.6-76.1), 91.8 (86.8-95.3), and Cumulated Ambulation Score, 40.2 (31.6-49.2), 92.0 (87.1-95.4), respectively. CONCLUSION: Physical performance measures, particularly chair-stand and gait speed assessed at admission to an emergency department, were able to identify mobility limitation in acutely admitted older medical patients 30 days after hospital discharge.

Feasibility and inter-rater reliability of physical performance measures in acutely admitted older medical patients.

OBJECTIVE: Physical performance measures can be used to predict functional decline and increased dependency in older persons. However, few studies have assessed the feasibility or reliability of such measures in hospitalized older patients. Here we assessed the feasibility and inter-rater reliability of four simple measures of physical performance in acutely admitted older medical patients. DESIGN: During the first 24 hours of hospitalization, the following were assessed twice by different raters in 52 (≥ 65 years) patients admitted for acute medical illness: isometric hand grip strength, 4-meter gait speed, 30-s chair stand and Cumulated Ambulation Score. Relative reliability was expressed as weighted kappa for the Cumulated Ambulation Score or as intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC1,1) and lower limit of the 95%-confidence interval (LL95%) for grip strength, gait speed, and 30-s chair stand. Absolute reliability was expressed as the standard error of measurement and the smallest real difference as a percentage of their respective means (SEM% and SRD%). RESULTS: The primary reasons for admission of the 52 included patients were infectious disease and cardiovascular illness. The mean± SD age was 78±8.3 years, and 73.1% were women. All patients performed grip strength and Cumulated Ambulation Score testing, 81% performed the gait speed test, and 54% completed the 30-s chair stand test (46% were unable to rise without using the armrests). No systematic bias was found between first and second tests or between raters. The weighted kappa for the Cumulated Ambulation Score was 0.76 (0.60-0.92). The ICC1,1 values were as follows: grip strength, 0.95 (LL95% 0.92); gait speed, 0.92 (LL95% 0.73), and 30-s chair stand, 0.82 (LL95% 0.67). The SEM% values for grip strength, gait speed, and 30-s chair stand were 8%, 7%, and 18%, and the SRD95% values were 22%, 17%, and 49%. CONCLUSION: In acutely admitted older medical patients, grip strength, gait speed, and the Cumulated Ambulation Score measurements were feasible and showed high inter-rater reliability when administered by different raters. The feasibility and inter-rater reliability of the 30-s chair stand were moderate, complicating the use of the 30-s chair stand in acutely admitted older medical patients. However, the predefined modified version of the chair stand test was both feasible and with high inter-rater reliability in this population.

Acute hospitalization of the older patient: changes in muscle strength and functional performance during hospitalization and 30 days after discharge.

OBJECTIVE: Acute hospitalization of older patients may be associated with loss of muscle strength and functional performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acute hospitalization as a result of medical disease on muscle strength and functional performance in older medical patients. DESIGN: Isometric knee-extension strength; handgrip strength; and functional performance, that is, the Timed Up and Go test, were assessed at admission, at discharge, and 30 days after discharge. Twenty-four-hour mobility was measured during hospitalization. RESULTS: The mean (SD) age was 82.7 (8.2) years, and the median length of stay was 7.5 days (interquartile range, 4.25-11). Knee-extension strength did not change over time (1.0 [N·m]/kg, 1.1 [N·m]/kg, and 1.1 [N·m]/kg, P = 0.138), as did handgrip strength (24.2 kg, 23.3 kg, and 23.5 kg, P = 0.265). The Timed Up and Go test improved during hospitalization, from 17.3 secs at admission to 13.3 secs at discharge (P = 0.003), but with no improvement at the 30-day follow-up (12.4 secs, P = 0.064). The median times spent in lying, sitting, and standing/walking were 17.4 hrs per day, 4.8 hrs per day, and 0.8 hrs per day, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Muscle strength did not change during hospitalization and 30 days after discharge in the acutely admitted older medical patients. Despite a low level of mobility during hospitalization, functional performance improved significantly during hospitalization, without further improvement.

Twenty-four-hour mobility during acute hospitalization in older medical patients.

BACKGROUND: Inactivity during hospitalization in older medical patients may lead to functional decline. This study quantified 24-hour mobility, validated the accelerometers used, and assessed the daily level of basic mobility in acutely admitted older medical patients during their hospitalization. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study in older medical patients able to walk independently (ambulatory patients) and those not able to walk independently (nonambulatory patients) on admission. The 24-hour mobility level during hospitalization was assessed by measuring the time in lying, sitting, and standing and/or walking, by two accelerometers. Basic mobility was quantified within 48 hours of admission and repeated daily throughout hospitalization. RESULTS: Forty-three ambulatory patients and six nonambulatory patients were included. The ambulatory patients tended to be hospitalized for fewer days than the nonambulatory patients (7 vs 16, p = .13). The ambulatory patients were lying median 17 hours, (interquartile range [IQR]: 14.4-19.1), sitting 5.1 hours (IQR: 2.9-7.1), and standing and/or walking 1.1 hours (IQR: 0.6-1.7) per day. On days with independency in basic mobility, the ambulatory patients were lying 4.1 hours less compared with days with dependency in basic mobility (p < .0001), sitting 2.4 hours more (p = .0004), and standing 0.9 hours more (p < .0001). The algorithm identification for lying, sitting, and standing and/or walking of the accelerometers, corresponded by 89%-100% with positions performed by older medical patients. CONCLUSIONS: Older acutely hospitalized medical patients with walking ability spent 17h/d of their in-hospital time in bed, and the level of in-hospital mobility seemed to depend on the patients' level of basic mobility. The accelerometers were valid in assessing mobility in older medical patients.