Neuropsychiatric Symptoms after Liver Transplantation in a 65-Year-Old Male Patient.

The development of immunosuppressants has been key for the advancement of solid organ transplant surgery. Specifically, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, or everolimus have significantly increased the survival rate of patients by reducing the risk of a rejection of the transplanted organ and limiting graft-versus-host disease. We report the case of a 65-year-old man who, after undergoing a liver transplantation and receiving an immunosuppressive treatment with cyclosporine and everolimus, presented severe obsessive, psychotic, and behavioral symptoms over the past three years, and describe the pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions implemented against these symptoms. In this case, the immunosuppressants used have been cyclosporine and, preferably, everolimus. On the other hand, potential adverse reactions to the treatment have been observed, including neuropsychiatric symptoms such as tremor, anxiety, dysthymia, psychosis, and behavioral disorders, which make it necessary to use corrective psychoactive drugs such as benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and antipsychotics, combined with non-pharmacological interventions. A transversal approach, from the medical and psychosocial disciplines, facilitates success in managing neuropsychiatric symptoms after soft organ transplants.

Factors Related to Greater Functional Recovery after Suffering a Stroke.

BACKGROUND: In a stroke, the importance of initial functional status is fundamental for prognosis. The aim of the current study was to investigate functional status, assessed by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scale, and possible predictors of functional outcome at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. METHODS: This is a retrospective study that was carried out at the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service in A Coruña (Spain). A total of 365 consecutive patients with primary diagnosis of stroke were enrolled. The functional assessments of all patients were performed through the FIM. A descriptive and a bivariate analysis of the variables included in the study was made and a succession of linear regression models was used to determine which variables were associated with the total FIM at discharge. RESULTS: Prior to having the stroke, 76.7% were totally independent in activities of daily living. The FIM scale score was 52.5 ± 25.5 points at admission and 83.4 ± 26.3 at hospital discharge. The multivariate analysis showed that FIM scores on admission were the most important predictors of FIM outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that the degree of independence prior to admission after suffering a stroke is the factor that will determine the functionality of patients at hospital discharge.

Apathy and agitation in institutionalized older adults: an empirically derived classification.

BACKGROUND: Apathy and agitation are often recognized as the most problematic behavioural and psychological symptoms in care settings. In this study, we analyze the relationship between apathy and agitation symptoms other and their relationship with demographic, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric variables and psychotropic medication use. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at a gerontological care centre in Láncara, Spain. Participants were 196 residents of the gerontological care centre, including 143 with a diagnosis of dementia. Apathy and agitation were assessed with the Apathy Scale for Institutionalized Patients with Dementia, Nursing Home version, and the Spanish version of the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory, respectively. Two-stage hierarchical cluster analysis (hierarchical cluster analysis in a first exploratory stage and K-means clustering to obtain the final solution in the second stage) was conducted to assign residents to different groups based on apathy and agitation scores. RESULTS: In cluster 1, a certain level of apathy, the highest levels of agitation, and the most frequent intake of atypical antipsychotics and clomethiazole were observed. The highest levels of apathy and the most frequent intake of memantine were seen in cluster 2. The lowest levels of agitation and apathy and the highest levels of cognitive performance were found in cluster 3. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, subjects with dementia were in a state of high agitation and eventual apathy, had low cognitive status, and were very old. Patients with this profile require well-designed non-pharmacological interventions.

A Case Study on Polypharmacy and Depression in a 75-Year-Old Woman with Visual Deficits and Charles Bonnet Syndrome.

Depression is one of the most prevalent pathologies in older adults. Its diagnosis and treatment are complex due to different factors that intervene in its development and progression, including intercurrent organic diseases, perceptual deficits, use of drugs, and psycho-social conditions associated with the aging process. We present the case of a 75-year-old woman (who lives in the community) with a diagnosis of major depression with more than 10 years of history, analyzing her evolution and therapeutic approach.

Dementia and Challenging Behaviors in Gerontological Centers. A Case Report.

Among the main challenges in geriatric and gerontological centers, we consider, central, the individualized attention to those elderly persons with challenging behaviors, to the extent that it is possible to design preventive strategies that delay cognitive deterioration and minimize consequences of behavior disorders. The first step will be to develop the correct interpretation of symptoms and deficits as a guarantee of a correct diagnosis which, in addition to not always being easy, has to be adapted to the progression of the disease. We present the case of a 68-year-old institutionalized individual, with an initial diagnosis of diffuse Lewy bodies dementia, analyzing his cognitive and behavioral evolution, and the pharmacological and non-pharmacological approach to the case.

Relación entre la obesidad visceral y el dolor crónico en ancianos institucionalizados sin deterioro cognitivo / Visceral obesity and chronic pain in the institutionalized elderly without cognitive impairment

El papel químico-metabólico que ejerce la obesidad visceral en la intensidad del dolor abre un nuevo campo de actuación para el profesional enfermero, donde el manejo del dolor es posible más allá de las medidas farmacológicas. Mediante un estudio descriptivo y transversal, se establecen relaciones significativas entre la incidencia del dolor crónico en ancianos institucionalizados y la obesidad visceral. La obesidad visceral está presente en un amplio número de ancianos con dolor crónico, influyendo negativamente en la calidad de vida del sujeto, lo que abre un campo de intervención enfermera en la esfera no farmacológica

The chemical-metabolic role exerted visceral obesity in the intensity of pain opens a new field of action for the professional nurse, where pain management is possible beyond pharmacological measures. Through a descriptive study, establishing meaningful relationships between the incidences of chronic pain in institutionalized elderly and visceral obesity. Visceral obesity is present in a large number of elderly with chronic pain, negatively affecting the quality of life of the subject, which opens a field of nursing intervention in the area non-pharmacological (AU)