The feasibility and reliability of measuring forearm muscle thickness by ultrasound in a geriatric inpatient setting: a cross-sectional pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Given the potential benefits of introducing ultrasound in the clinical assessment of muscle disorders, this study aimed to assess the feasibility and reliability of measuring forearm muscle thickness by ultrasound in a geriatric clinical setting. METHODS: Cross-sectional pilot study in 25 participants (12 patients aged ≥ 70 years in an acute geriatric ward and 13 healthy volunteers aged 25-50 years), assessed by three raters. Muscle thickness measurement was estimated as the distance between the subcutaneous adipose tissue-muscle interface and muscle-bone interface of the radius at 30% proximal of the distance between the styloid process and distal insertion of the biceps brachii muscle of the dominant forearm. Examinations were repeated three times by each rater and intra- and inter-rater reliability was calculated. Feasibility analysis included consideration of technological, economic, legal, operational, and scheduling (TELOS) components. RESULTS: Mean muscle-thickness measurement difference between groups was 4.4 mm (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.4 mm to 6.3 mm], p < 0.001). Intra-rater reliability of muscle-thickness assessment was excellent, with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.947 (95%CI 0.902 to 0.974), 0.969 (95%CI 0.942 to 0.985), and 0.950 (95%CI 0.907 to 0.975) for observer A, B, and C, respectively. Inter-rater comparison showed good agreement (ICC of 0.873 [95%CI 0.73 to 0.94]). Four of the 17 TELOS components considered led to specific recommendations to improve the procedure's feasibility in clinical practice. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that US is a feasible tool to assess the thickness of the forearm muscles with good inter-rater and excellent intra-rater reliability in a sample of hospitalized geriatric patients, making it a promising option for use in clinical practice.

Impact of adrenomedullin levels on clinical risk stratification and outcome in subarachnoid haemorrhage.

PURPOSE: To use classification tree analysis to identify risk factors for nonsurvival in a neurological patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) and to propose a clinical model for predicting of mortality. METHODS: Prospective study of SAH admitted to a Critical Care Department and Stroke Unit over a 2-year period. Middle region of pro-ADM plasma levels (MR-proADM) was measured in EDTA plasma within the first 24 hours of hospital admission using the automatic immunofluorescence test. A regression tree was made to identify prognostic models for the development of mortality at 90 days. RESULTS: Ninety patients were included. The mean MR-proADM plasma value in the samples analysed was 0.78 ± 0.41 nmol/L. MR-proADM plasma levels were significantly associated with mortality at 90 days (1.05 ± 0.51 nmol/L vs 0.64 ± 0.25 nmol/L; P < .001). Regression tree analysis provided an algorithm based on the combined use of clinical variables and one biomarker allowing accurate mortality discrimination of three distinct subgroups with high risk of 90-day mortality ranged from 75% to 100% (AUC 0.9; 95% CI 0.83-0.98). CONCLUSIONS: The study established a model (APACHE II, MR-proADM and Hunt&Hess) to predict fatal outcomes in patients with SAH. The proposed decision-making algorithm may help identify patients with a high risk of mortality.