Relationship between Selected Functional Performance Parameters and the Occurrence of Anaemia in Hospitalized Females and Males Aged 80 and More.

Anaemia is considered a factor that significantly increases the risk of disability and mortality in the elderly. Among the hospitalized elderly, the incidence of anaemia is higher than in the general population, which necessitates extensive diagnostics for anaemia in this group. The aim was to assess the relationship between the occurrence of anaemia in hospitalized females and males, aged 80 years and more, and selected determinants of motor fitness. The analysis covered 91 females and 57 males aged 80 and more. The study implemented haemoglobin level, handgrip strength, a lower limb strength, mobility and balance measurement. The analysis used the logistic regression model and the cut-off point was determined by ROC curve. A 1 kg increase in muscle strength reduced the risk of anaemia in a group of males by 12%. The value of handgrip strength from which anaemia can be predicted in a group of males is 24.4 kg. In the female group, no statistically significant correlations were found. There is a need to continue research in this area with the participation of a larger group of respondents to look for potential factors that may be related to anaemia, in order to find non-invasive diagnostic tools useful for elderly people.

Changes in spino-pelvic alignment after surgical treatment of isthmic spondylolisthesis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To analyze the changes in spino-pelvic parameters after surgical treatment of lumbar isthmic spondylolisthesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients recruited from a group of consecutive series of 128 cases with isthmic spondylolisthesis operated on between 2002 and 2012 in the Department of Neurosurgery, Tarnow, Poland. All patients were operated on by the same surgeon (the first author). Spino-pelvic parameters: PI, SS, PT, LSA, and LL were measured manually on standing lateral view radiograms. Patients were divided according to Spinal Deformity Study Group classification which we modified for means of analysis: (A) low-grade group: subgroups with balanced pelvis and unbalanced pelvis (instead of normal and high PI subgroups), (B) high-grade group: subgroups with balanced and unbalanced pelvis. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients had unbalanced pelvis before the operation. In 10 of them (34%), the procedure resulted in full correction of pelvis position meaning that they achieved balanced pelvis after the surgery. There were 6 patients with low-grade slip who had balanced pelvis preoperatively but showed unbalanced pelvis after the surgery but this loss of balanced pelvis did not affect the clinical outcome which overall was good among them. Patients with unbalanced pelvis presented changes towards restoration of spino-sacro-pelvic anatomy postoperatively: PT decreased while SS increased, although these changes were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Further studies are needed to confirm whether surgical correction of spino-pelvic parameters results in better clinical outcome in patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis.