Admission Norton scale scores are associated with long-term mortality following rehabilitation in older adults.

OBJECTIVE: Low admission Norton scale scores (ANSS) are usually associated with high risk of pressure ulcer. The aim of this study was to determine whether low ANSS are also associated with long-term mortality following rehabilitation in older adults. DESIGN: A cross-sectional retrospective study. SUBJECTS: Consecutive older adults admitted during 2009 for rehabilitation following stroke (n = 110), hip arthroplasty (n = 201), and hospital-associated deconditioning (n = 96). METHODS: Patients were followed until January, 2011. Long-term mortality rates, i.e. within one year or more, were compared between patients with low (≤ 14) ANSS and patients with high (≥ 15) ANSS. RESULTS: The final cohort included 407 patients (67.8% females; mean age 82.2 years). Overall, 193 (47.4%) patients had low ANSS. Patients were followed for a mean period of 524 days. Overall, 66 (16.2%) patients died during this time. Patients who died had significantly lower mean ANSS compared with those who survived (13.9 vs 14.9; p = 0.001). Cumulative survival rates were significantly lower among patients with low ANSS compared with patients with high ANSS (p = 0.004). Regression analysis showed that ANSS were independently associated with mortality (p = 0.02), regardless of rehabilitation cause, age, gender, and chronic co-morbidities. CONCLUSION: ANSS may be used not only for evaluating pressure ulcer risk, but also for predicting long-term mortality, i.e. within one year or more, following rehabilitation in older adults.

Admission Norton scale scores (ANSS) correlate with rehabilitation outcome and length in elderly patients with deconditioning.

We sought to determine if admission Norton scale scores (ANSS) used for evaluating pressure ulcer risk also correlate with rehabilitation outcome and length in elderly patients with deconditioning. This was a retrospective study conducted in a geriatric department between June 2008 and June 2010. The medical charts of consecutive elderly (≥65 years) patients admitted for rehabilitation due to deconditioning were studied for the following measurements: ANSS, admission albumin serum levels, mini-mental status examination (MMSE) scores, discharge walking functional independence measure (FIM) scores, discharge transfer FIM scores, and rehabilitation length. The cohort included 152 patients: 79 (52%) females and 73 (48%) males. Mean age was 83.6±6.5 years. The three most common causes of deconditioning were pneumonia, congestive heart failure exacerbation, and falls. ANSS correlated with discharge walking FIM scores (r=0.32; p=0.003), discharge transfer FIM scores (r=0.30; p=0.005), and length of rehabilitation (r=-0.37; p<0.0001), following adjustment for age, albumin serum levels, and MMSE scores. Linear regression analysis showed that ANSS were independently associated with discharge walking FIM scores (p=0.004), discharge transfer FIM scores (p=0.006), and rehabilitation length (p<0.0001). We conclude that the Norton scoring system may be used for predicting the outcome and the length of rehabilitation in elderly patients with deconditioning.

[Length and outcome of acute inpatient rehabilitation for hospital-associated deconditioning in the elderly].

INTRODUCTION: Acute illness and prolonged bed rest might be associated with loss of muscle mass and significant decline in functional ability and mobility, regardless of a specific neurological or orthopedic insult. This condition is commonly termed hospital-associated deconditioning (HAD). To the best of our knowledge to date, acute inpatient rehabilitation length and outcome for HAD in the elderly have never been studied in Israel. AIM: To study which variables are independently associated with the length and mobility outcome of acute inpatient rehabilitation for HAD in the elderly. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted during 2009 at the departments of Geriatric Medicine in the Tel-Aviv Medical Center The medical charts of consecutive elderly (< 65 years) patients admitted for rehabilitation due to HAD were studied for the following measurements: demographics, co-morbidities, causes of HAD, admission albumin serum levels, Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) scores, admission transfer and walking Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores, discharge transfer and walking FIM scores, and rehabilitation length. RESULTS: The cohort included 103 patients: 57 (55.3%) females and 46 (44.7%) males. The mean age for the entire cohort was 83.6 +/- 6.0 years. The three most common causes of HAD were pneumonia, craniotomy due to intracranial bleeding without neurological insults, and congestive heart failure exacerbation. The mean discharge transfer and walking FIM scores were 5.3 +/- 0.9 and 5.2 +/- 0.8, respectively. The mean length of rehabilitation was 20.4 +/- 13.9 days. Linear regression analysis showed that discharge transfer FIM scores, discharge walking FIM scores, and rehabilitation length were all independently associated with mobility upon admission to rehabilitation (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p = 0.024, respectively). Rehabilitation length was also associated with admission albumin serum levels (p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: The length and mobility outcomes of acute inpatient rehabilitation for HAD in the elderly are associated with mobility upon admission to rehabilitation. Acute inpatient rehabilitation length is also associated with admission albumin serum levels.

Thrombosis associated with acute cytomegalovirus infection: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Thrombosis associated with acute cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has been reported in the medical literature almost 100 times thus far. Still, the clinical characteristics of patients with both conditions have never been systematically reviewed and described. METHODS: A literature search was conducted for all (n=97) reports concerning thrombosis associated with acute CMV infection. The current knowledge concerning this unique association and previous clinical experience are presented here. RESULTS: The incidence of thrombosis among acute CMV infection hospitalized patients was 6.4%, and the incidence of acute CMV infection among thrombosis hospitalized patients was 1.9-9.1%. Most (n=64; 65.9%) reported patients were immunocompetent. Mean age of reported patients was 39.7 ± 14.9 years. Female-male ratio was 1:1. DVT/PE, splanchnic vein thrombosis and splenic infarction were the most prevalent thromboses associated with acute CMV infection. While DVT/PE was more prevalent among immunocompromised patients, splanchnic vein thrombosis was more prevalent among immunocompetent patients. Inherited predispositions for thrombosis were significantly more prevalent among immunocompetent patients. Immunocompromised patients were treated with antiviral agents significantly more often. Duration of anticoagulation therapy varied significantly between reported patients. In-hospital mortality rates were 4.9-22.2%. CONCLUSIONS: We believe physicians should be alert for symptoms and signs of thrombosis in patients with acute CMV infection, and for symptoms and signs of acute CMV infection in patients with thrombosis.