Association between Comorbidity Indices and Functional Autonomy in Individuals with Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review aimed to examine whether higher comorbidity burden, as assessed by comorbidity indices, was associated with a functional autonomy decline in individuals with cognitive impairment. The search was conducted in the following databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, Cochrane, and Embase. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies that examined the relationship between comorbidity indices and scales measuring activities of daily living (ADL) in individuals with cognitive impairment were included. The quality assessment tool for observational cohort and cross-sectional studies of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was used. Overall, 12 studies were included, among which three were longitudinal. Significant association was frequently reported by cross-sectional designs (n=7 studies) and only one study reported a significant longitudinal association. This longitudinal study repeatedly assessed both comorbidity burden and functional autonomy, and considered comorbidity burden as a time-varying covariate. Considering comorbidity burden as a time varying covariate may deal with the dynamic nature of comorbidity burden over time, and conducting repeated assessments during the follow-up using both comorbidity index and ADL scales may increase their sensitivity to reliably measure comorbidity burden and functional autonomy decline over time. In conclusion, a higher comorbidity index was associated with a lower level of functional autonomy in people with cognitive impairment. This relationship seems to be dynamic over time and using comorbidity indices and ADL scales only once may not deal with the fluctuation of both comorbidity burden and functional autonomy decline. To cope with complexity of this relationship this review highlights some methodological approaches to be considered.

[From medication reconciliation to shared medication review: Pilot study integrating support for community pharmacists within a pharmaceutical care pathway]. / De la conciliation médicamenteuse au bilan partagé de médication : étude pilote intégrant un accompagnement des pharmaciens d'officine au sein d'un parcours de soins pharmaceutiques.

INTRODUCTION: Medication reconciliation at hospital and the shared medication review are two complementary activities for securing the medication management of the elderly patient. We are experimenting with a pharmaceutical care pathway including a support approach to promote continuity between these two activities and the initiation of shared medication review. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An admission and discharge medication reconciliation has been set up in a geriatric follow-up care and rehabilitation service. A drug assessment was also carried out during the hospital stay. Support for community pharmacists following conciliation was provided by phone calls. Medication discrepancies at admission and discharge, pharmaceutical interventions (PI) as well as satisfaction and difficulties encountered by community pharmacists were collected. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients were included in the study. On admission, 33% of patients had an unintentional discrepancy and 15% on discharge. On average 1.15 PI per patient were notified. The support was propounded to 13 pharmacists. Eight pharmacists (62%) accepted it. Among them, 5 (62.5%) had never performed a medication review. Lack of time was the main difficulty encountered by pharmacists. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our pathway enables to integrate hospital and primary care activities and specifically support the delicate transition between them. This enables to facilitate the implementation of these activities and to maintain a relevant and secure continuity of pharmaceutical care.

Drug-related problems among older patients: Analysis of 8 years of pharmacist's interventions.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the most frequent DRP over time and pharmacists' interventions made among older patients aged over 75 years old. DRP between older patients and younger patients aged 18 to 74 years and between older patients treated in geriatric wards or not were also compared. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study conducted on DRP detected by pharmacists at the university hospital centre of Lyon and prospectively recorded in the Act-IP© database from January 2008 to December 2015. RESULTS: A total of 56,223 DRP were investigated - 19,056 in older patients and 37,167 in younger patients. A supratherapeutic dosage was mainly reported (22.4% in older patients vs. 19.0% in younger patient) and pharmacists made interventions mostly to adjust dosage (27.3% vs. 24.2%). Physicians' acceptance was significantly lower in older patients (57.1% vs. 64.3%). DRP associated to a drug included a supratherapeutic use of acetaminophen (5.2% vs. 3.8%) and hypnotics (4.0% vs. 1.4%), medication in cardiology used without indication (1.4% vs. 0.2%) and underuse of vitamin D (1.2% vs. 0.1%). Supratherapeutic dosages were more significantly detected with a lower overall physicians' acceptance in older patients treated in general wards. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the specificity of DRP among older patients and encourages health care professionals to remain especially alert regarding older patients treated in general wards. These findings can contribute to define or adjust training needs and quality indicators to improve the daily practices of health care professionals.

[Medication management of hypertension and heart failure in older patients: What happens to therapeutic changes after hospitalization?] / Prise en charge médicamenteuse de l'hypertension artérielle et de l'insuffisance cardiaque chez la personne âgée : les modifications effectuées à l'hôpital sont-elles poursuivies en ville ?

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to objectivize if the cardiovascular therapeutic changes performed during hospitalization of older patients with hypertension and/or heart failure (HF), were maintained in ambulatory 3 month after hospitalization. METHODS: This is a longitudinal study conducted in a geriatric unit. Patients over 65 years with hypertension and/or HF, who had at least one change in cardiovascular medicaton during hospitalization, and who accepted the 3-month follow-up were included in the longitudinal study. At admission, during hospitalization and 3 months after hospitalization data concerning cardiovascular medication were collected. RESULTS: During hospitalization, 142 (73.6%) patients had at least one change in hypertension and/or HF medication. Overall, 249 changes were performed. Forty-one patients received follow-up at 3 months. At 3 months, therapeutic changes were maintained by 48.8% of the general practitioners (n=20 patients). For the rest, 41.5% of the patients had benefited from new therapeutic changes (28 changes for 10 patients) and 9.7% of the general practitioners (n=4 patients) had restored the initial prescription before hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Medication review performed by geriatricians and pharmacists during hospitalization resulted in 249 changes. These changes aimed at limiting iatrogenic disease, by reducing overtreatment and potentially inappropriate prescriptions. Difficulties in the patient care continuity between the hospital and ambulatory setting have been identified.

[Community pharmacists' and pharmacy technicians' attitudes and beliefs about depression in elderly]. / Représentations des pharmaciens et préparateurs en pharmacie vis-à-vis de la prise en soin de la dépression chez la personne âgée.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze attitudes and beliefs of community pharmacists and pharmacy technicians about depression and treatment in older patients. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted with community pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. The first step of the study was to develop an interview guide to conduct semi-directive interviews. A thematic analysis was conducted based on the transcripts of the recording of audio interviews. RESULTS: Eight pharmacists and 5 pharmacy technicians were included. The mean duration of semi-directive interviews was 14.8±4.6minutes. The main identified themes were as follows: 1/the depression: beliefs about depression and its risk factors in older patients; how to talk about depression with older patients at the counter; 2/the management of depression: how to talk about antidepressant with older patients at the counter, including treatment duration, dosage, efficacy and adverse effects of treatment, but also alternative therapies and advices; 3/barriers and facilitators of antidepressant adherence in older patients. CONCLUSIONS: Barriers to conduct pharmaceutical care focusing on depression among older patients in community pharmacy have been identified: disease stigmatization, lack of privacy at the counter and lack of communication with the prescribing physician; but also a lack of knowledge concerning the specific therapeutic strategy for depression in the elderly. Thus, strengthening the pharmacy student teaching and the community pharmacist and pharmacy technician training regarding the posture to adopt and the therapeutic management of older patients with mental illness would be beneficial.

Caregiver in Alzheimer's disease, pharmacist, and pharmacy technician attitudes and knowledge about caregiver burden screening in community pharmacies.

OBJECTIVES: To explore caregiver, pharmacist and pharmacy technician attitudes toward burden screening in community pharmacies and assess caregiver burden in community pharmacies. METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in 10 community pharmacies in France. Pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease were included in this study. Two self-reported questionnaires were used to explore attitudes of participants toward the burden screening in community pharmacy and to assess the caregiver burden in community pharmacy. The short version of the Zarit Burden Interview (range 0-7) was used for the burden screening. RESULTS: Fifty-two pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and 20 caregivers (61.8±13.7years) participated in this study. Seventy percent of caregivers and 96% of pharmacists/pharmacy technicians stated that caregiver burden screening should be conducted in community pharmacies. 65% of caregivers reported their caregiver status to their community pharmacist. Eighty-two percent of pharmacist/pharmacy technicians thought they had to inform the caregiver's general practitioners (GP) about the detected burden level. Of the 20 included caregivers, 18 had a perception of burden. The mean caregiver burden score detected in this exploratory study was 4.0±1.7, corresponding to a moderate to severe burden. CONCLUSIONS: According to caregivers' opinion, community pharmacists and pharmacy technicians represent accessible health care professionals in primary care to quantify caregiver burden. The burden screening can be easily incorporated into clinical service offerings in community pharmacy practice. It provides a valuable opportunity to identify high-risk caregivers with the aim of referring them to their GP to prevent the caregiver's frailty.

[Proper use of fluoroquinolones in hospitalized elderly patients: Realisation of a clinical audit in geriatric hospitals of Lyon University Hospital]. / Bon usage des fluoroquinolones chez le sujet âgé hospitalisé : réalisation d'un audit clinique dans les hôpitaux gériatriques des hospices civils de Lyon.

INTRODUCTION: Fluoroquinolones (FQ) are widely used because of their broad spectrum and their ease of use, especially in the elderly. Nevertheless, their misuse is behind the development and the emergence of bacterial resistances. The objective of this study was to evaluate the compliance of FQ prescriptions in the elderly hospitalized, before and after pharmaceutical interventions (PI). METHODS: A prospective clinical audit was conducted for three months in three geriatric hospitals. A pharmacist carried out the evaluation of the prescription's conformity with the help of referent geriatric doctor in infectiology according to the criteria defined by SPILF recommendations (2015). The PIs and their future have been collected and codified. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients were included (mean age: 85.3 years; male female ratio: 1,17). The medical-pharmaceutical collaboration helped to increase the overall compliance rate from 56 to 80%. FQ were used for urinary (72%) or respiratory (20%) infections, first-line (57%), documented (60%) and monotherapy (63%). Our results show that FQ misuse is a not inconsiderable case since in 28% they should not have been prescribed. Thirty-three PI were performed and accepted in 72% cases. CONCLUSION: Actions to promote the FQ proper use have therefore been put in place: communication of the audit results, dissemination of a summary of SPILF recommendations and creation of a tool to assist in the analysis of prescriptions FQ for pharmacists.

How to explore the needs of informal caregivers of individuals with cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease or related diseases? A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to review the methodologies used to identify the needs, the existing needs assessment instruments and the main topics of needs explored among caregivers of patients with mild cognitive impairment to dementia. METHODS: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, The Cochrane Library and Web of science were searched from January 1980 to January 2017. Research studies in English or French were eligible for inclusion if they fulfilled the following criteria: quantitative, qualitative and mixed method studies that used instrument, focus group or semi-structured interviews to assess the informal caregiver's needs in terms of information, coping skills, support and service. RESULTS: Seventy studies (n = 39 quantitative studies, n = 25 qualitative studies and n = 6 mixed method studies) met the inclusion criteria and were included. Thirty-six quantitative instruments were identified but only one has been validated for the needs assessment of dementia caregivers: the Carer's Needs Assessment for Dementia (CNA-D). The main areas of needs explored in these instruments were: information, psychosocial, social, psychoeducational and other needs. CONCLUSIONS: No instrument has been developed and validated to assess the needs of informal caregivers of patients with cognitive impairment, whatever the stage and the etiology of the disease. As the perceived needs of caregivers may evolve with the progression of the disease and the dementia transition, their needs should be regularly assessed.

PHARMAID study protocol: Randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of integrated pharmaceutical care at a psychosocial intervention on caregiver's burden in Alzheimer's disease or related diseases.

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's Disease and Related Diseases (ADRD) are associated with a caregiver burden that increases with the progression of the disease. Psychosocial interventions reported a moderate improvement on caregivers' burden. Patients with ADRD and their older caregivers are also exposed to a higher risk of developing drug-related problems. The main objective of the PHARMAID study is to measure the impact of personalized pharmaceutical collaborative care integrated to a multidisciplinary psychosocial program on the burden of caregivers. METHODS: The PHARMAID study is a 18-month randomized controlled trial that started in September 2016. This paper describes the study protocol. PHARMAID plans to enroll 240 dyads, i.e. ADRD patients and caregivers, whose inclusion criteria are: outpatient with mild or major neurocognitive disorders due to ADRD, living at home, receiving support from a family caregiver. Three parallel groups will compare a control group with two experimental groups: psychosocial intervention and integrated pharmaceutical care at a psychosocial intervention. The main outcome is the caregiver's burden assessed by the Zarit Burden Index at 6, 12 and 18months. DISCUSSION: This is the first trial designed to assess the specific impact of the integration of pharmaceutical care in a multidisciplinary psychosocial program on the caregiver's burden. The results will inform policymakers on strategies to implement in the near future. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: [ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02802371] Registered in June 2016.

Factors associated with changes in exposure to anticholinergic and sedative medications in elderly hospitalized patients: multicentre longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Elderly patients exposed to drugs with anticholinergic or sedative properties may have an increased risk of adverse events. This study aimed to assess the relationship between patient characteristics and changes of exposure to anticholinergic and sedative medications during their hospital stay. METHODS: A multicentre longitudinal study was set up on hospitalized patients (aged ≥65 years) using at least one drug at admission. The primary outcome was change of exposure to anticholinergic and sedative drugs between admission and discharge. Sociodemographic characteristics of the patients, comorbidities, life habits and information about the hospital stay (origin of admission, reasons for hospitalization) were collected. RESULTS: The study included 337 patients (mean age, 85.4 years) with an average hospital stay of 30.1 ± 37.5 days. The drug burden index increased during the hospital stay among males (P = 0.03), patients for whom the reason for hospitalization was either a stroke (P = 0.001) or inability to stay in their own home (P = 0.001), and patients with diabetes mellitus (P = 0.009). In the adjusted model, drug burden index increased among patients hospitalized for stroke, inability to stay in their own home or post-surgery, and for patients with diabetes mellitus or hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: The drug management of elderly patients during hospital stays may increase exposure to anticholinergic and sedative drugs. Although the anticholinergic and sedative properties may be in relation to the therapeutic purpose, they also represent an unexpected risk. Physicians and clinical pharmacists should consider performing optimization of the drug prescriptions for patients at risk.

[Identification of knowledge deficits of pharmacy students at the beginning of the fifth year of pharmacy practice experience: Proposals to change the content of academic programs]. / Identification des lacunes de connaissances des étudiants en filière officine débutant le stage de 5(e) année : propositions pour modifier le contenu de l'enseignement.

INTRODUCTION: In France, community pharmacy students performed a hospital pharmacy practice experience during the 5th year of the university curriculum. The purpose of a part of the content of the academic teaching program delivered before this practice experience is to prepare the students for their future hospital activities. It should enable them for the practical use of knowledge in order to improve pharmacotherapy, laboratory diagnosis and monitoring of patients' care. The aim of this study was to show if there are gaps in this program. METHODS: Fourteen students performing their clerkship in a teaching hospital were invited to highlight these gaps when they were gradually immersed in the pharmaceutical care. They did so under the careful observation of hospital pharmacist preceptors. These practitioners referred to professional guidelines, documentary tools used in daily clinical practice and publications supporting their pharmaceutical care practices. RESULTS: Shortcomings and gaps identified were: how to communicate with other healthcare professionals and the content of verbal exchanges, how to conduct a patient-centered consultation, documentation tools required for relevant pharmacist' interventions, codification of pharmacist's interventions, risks related to drug packaging and benefit risk assessment of health information technologies. DISCUSSION: These gaps represent a handicap by delaying the process that led to move from student to healthcare professional. Hospital pharmacist preceptors have to fill in these gaps before engaging students in pharmaceutical care. CONCLUSION: These results invite to revise partly the content of the academic teaching program delivered before the 5th year hospital pharmacy practice experience.

[Pharmacist's interventions on proton pump inhibitor prescriptions in a University Hospital]. / Interventions des pharmaciens sur les prescriptions d'inhibiteurs de la pompe à protons dans un centre hospitalier universitaire.

PURPOSE: In France, efforts to optimize prescribing of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are rare. Various studies have shown that the prescription of these drugs is excessive. This has consequences regarding costs and iatrogenesis. The objective of this study was to describe the type of drug related problems (DRP) and pharmaceutical interventions reported by pharmacists practicing in a university hospital. METHODS: Drug related problems and pharmaceutical interventions (PI) made, were recorded on a database. They were classified according to the grid code of the French Society of Clinical Pharmacy. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Over a 3 years period, 132.890 prescriptions were analysed. 15.347 generated PI. Among them 701 (4.6%) concerned PPIs. Most frequently reported problems were: lack of indication or patients without a documented indication (24.4%), drug-drug interactions (22.4%) and inappropriate route or mode of administration (19.8%). Discontinuation has been proposed in 40.5% of cases, followed by substitution (22.0%) and dosage titration (17.3%). Physicians modified the prescription according to 51.3% of PI. The main PI, discontinuation therapy, is associated with over-prescription of this drug class. Nevertheless, the rate of DRP recorded (0.5%) is low compared to the high exposure of patients on PPIs and misuse (or overuse?) reported in the literature. CONCLUSION: PI made during the analysis of prescription contributes to rationalizing the use of PPIs. The action of the pharmacist must be strengthened through training of health professionals, and communication strategies to improve practices.

[Role of clinical pharmacist in the therapeutical optimization in geriatric outpatient hospital]. / Place du pharmacien clinicien dans l'optimisation thérapeutique en hôpital de jour gériatrique.

SETTING: Cares in outpatient hospital for elderly patients is a period of interest for multidisciplinary reassessment and pharmaceutical care of the prescription. The objective is to present the implementation of the pharmaceutical care activity at the outpatient hospital. METHODS: Between August and October 2011, elderly patients hospitalized in the outpatient hospital for a brief appraisal had a pharmaceutical care. The clinician introduced pharmaceutical reviews in the synthesis letter for general practitioner. An analysis of the activity was carried out over 3 months. RESULTS: A pharmaceutical care had been realized for 67 patients, mean age of 81.7 years. Among medical related problems identified, 39.6% were for potentially unnecessary medication. A stop was proposed for 44% of pharmaceutical interventions. A total of 91 pharmaceutical interventions and 13 recommendations were made and 34% of patients had potentially inappropriate medication. CONCLUSION: According to the objective to reduce the therapeutics contributing to the iatrogenesis, this approach allowed us to undertake a multidisciplinary collaboration oriented toward the relay between hospital and city cares.

[Post-surgery cognitive disorders: prevention, diagnosis and treatment strategies]. / Dysfonctions cognitives postopératoires: stratégie de prévention, de dépistage et de prise en charge.

Hip fracture is an important step in the autonomy evolution in elderly. As gait is particularly jeopardised after such a traumatism, cognition may also be acutely impaired. Elderly post-surgery delirium is frequent, but chronic progression of cognitive impairment and dementia may occur. The concept of cognitive reserve is crucial for understanding risk factors of post-surgery delirium in elderly. The more the cognitive reserve is decreased before such a traumatism, the higher the delirium and dementia progression risk is. A neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's disease may be clinically silent prior the traumatic event, and may decompensate soon after as the cognitive reserve is not sufficient anymore. Dementia may then lead to progressive autonomy loss. A systematic interdisciplinary approach is needed to prevent frail patients from delirium, and to early cure it to decrease the risk of long-term autonomy loss.