Polypharmacy and malnutrition in older people: A narrative review.

Polypharmacy is the simultaneous use of multiple medicines, usually more than five. Polypharmacy is highly prevalent among older individuals and is associated with several adverse health outcomes, including frailty. The role of polypharmacy in nutritional status seems to be crucial: although a clear association between polypharmacy and malnutrition has been widely reported in older people, the magnitude of the effect of increased number of drugs in combination with their type on the risk for malnutrition remains to be largely explored. Therefore, this review aims to discuss the association between polypharmacy and malnutrition in older people and to provide suggestions for its management. Polypharmacy is prevalent among malnourished frail patients, and the relative contribution of comorbidities and polypharmacy to malnutrition is difficult to be determined. Several mechanisms by which commonly used medications have the potential to affect nutritional status have been identified and described. Deprescribing (i.e., a systematic process of identification and discontinuation of drugs or a reduction of drug regimens) could be an essential step for minimizing the effects of polypharmacy on malnutrition. In this regard, the literature suggests that in older patients taking several medications, the best method to solve this problem is the comprehensive geriatric assessment, based on a holistic approach, including drug review, to find potential unnecessary and inappropriate medications. Nutritional and deprescribing interventions must be tailored to patient needs and to the local context to overcome barriers when applied in different settings.

INPH and parkinsonism: A positive shunt response with a negative tap test.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare clinical and functional performances of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) patients with and without parkinsonism at the initial evaluation, 72 h after the cerebrospinal fluid tap test (CSF TT), and 6 months after ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) surgery. Materials and methods: This is an observational prospective study on patients with INPH who underwent VPS. Patients were classified into INPH with parkinsonism (INPH-P+) and without parkinsonism (INPH-P-). We used the time up and go (TUG) test, Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA) test, INPH grading scale (INHPGS), and modified Rankin scale (mRS) at baseline, 72 h after CSF TT, and 6 months after VPS surgery. Results: A total of 64 patients with probable INPH were included, 12 patients with INPH-P+ and 52 controls with INPH-P-. Patients with INPH showed significant improvement in all clinical and neurological parameters after VPS including TUG, Tinetti POMA, INPHGS, and mRS (p < 0.001) with the exception of mRS where there was no significant change 72 h after CSF TT compared to baseline for patients with INPH (p = 0.182). Patients with INPH-P+ performed significantly worse than patients with INPH-P- on Tinetti POMA and mRS at baseline, at 72 h post-CSF TT, and at 6 months post-VPS with INPHGS being worst at 72 h post-CSF TT. There was no difference between patients with INPH-P+ and patients with INPH-P- for TUG at baseline (p = 0.270), at 72 h post-CSF TT (p = 0.487), and at 6 months post-VPS (p = 0.182). Patients with INPH-P+ did not show any change in any of the parameters at 72 h post-CSF TT compared to baseline; however, there was a trend toward improvement on TUG (p = 0.058), Tinetti gait (p = 0.062), and Tinetti total (p = 0.067). INPH-P+ significantly improved in all parameters 6 months post-VPS compared to baseline except for mRS (p = 0.124). Patients with INPH-P- significantly improved in all parameters at 72 h post-CSF TT and at 6 months post-VPS compared to baseline, respectively, except on mRS 72 h after CSF TT (p = 0.299). Conclusion: Patients with INPH and parkinsonism overall do worse than patients without parkinsonism. An unsatisfying response to the CSF tap test in INPH patients with parkinsonism should not be used as an exclusion criterion from VPS surgery since patients with and without parkinsonism showed significant improvement post-VPS.

Syphilis as osteomyelitis of the fifth metatarsal of the left foot: the great imitator hits once again.

INTRODUCTION: We report an unusual case of osteomyelitis of the left foot due to syphilitic bone involvement. CASE PRESENTATION: A 73-year-old man came to our attention with a four-month history of fever and a hypertrophic ulceration of the fifth metatarsal of the left foot. He had a history of syphilis treated years before. The CT scan showed an evident osteolytic area of the metatarsal phalangeal joint of the fifth left toe. The serological tests demonstrated a syphilitic reinfection. On suspicion of a bone localization of syphilis, an US-guided bone biopsy was performed. The histological examination with silver impregnation confirmed the diagnosis. The patient was treated with the traditional treatment of syphilis using penicillin, obtaining the complete resolution of the radiological and cutaneous alterations. CONCLUSIONS: The aim of this work is to sensitize clinicians to suspect syphilis in case of osteolytic lesions in patients with a history of this disease.