[Comparaison du déclin fonctionnel entre des patients atteints de démence à corps de Lewy et de la maladie d'Alzheimer]. / Functional decline in Lewy body dementia compared to Alzheimer disease.

Lewy body dementia (LBD) is the second most frequent neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer disease (AD). In this study, we compared functional decline between LBD and AD patients, considering motor dysfunction, over an 18-month follow-up period. We included all patients >70 years of age, with initial MMSE ≥ 20 and a diagnosis of possible or probable LBD or AD, who consulted at the memory centre of the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital. Statistical analyses were performed using univariate tests and multivariate linear regression. Thirty-seven AD and 36 LBD patients were included, with a median age of 81 and a median MMSE score of 24/30. Global ADL Katz score decreased significantly for LBD people, compared to AD patients: -0.40 ± 0.75 versus 0 ± 0.24; p=0.003. Global IADL score decreased in the two populations but without a significant difference between the two groups: -1.71 ± 2.19 in LBD versus -1.32 (± 1.55); p=0.38. This study shows a significant decrease in autonomy in LBD patients over time that was faster than that in AD patients, related, in particular, to bathing, dressing and personal care.

Correction: Medico-economic comparison of two anticoagulant treatment strategies: Vitamin K antagonists vs. direct oral anticoagulants in older adults in nursing homes in France. The "MIKADO" study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283604.].

Patients with cardiac amyloidosis are at a greater risk of mortality and hospital readmission after acute heart failure.

AIMS: Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is an under-diagnosed cause of heart failure (HF) and has a worse prognosis than other forms of HF. The frequency of death or rehospitalization following discharge for acute heart failure (AHF) in CA (relative to other causes) has not been documented. The study aims to compare hospital readmission and death rates 90 days after discharge for AHF in patients with vs. without CA and to identify risk factors associated with these events in each group. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with HF and CA (HF + CA+) were recruited from the ICREX cohort, after screening of their medical records. The cases were matched 1:5 by sex and age with control HF patients without CA (HF + CA-). There were 27 HF + CA + and 135 HF + CA- patients from the ICREX cohort included in the study. Relative to the HF + CA- group, HF + CA+ patients had a higher heart rate (P = 0.002) and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide levels (P < 0.001) and lower blood pressure (P < 0.001), weight, and body mass index values (P < 0.001) on discharge. Ninety days after discharge, the HF + CA+ group displayed a higher death rate, a higher all-cause hospital readmission rate, and a higher hospital readmission rate for AHF. Death and hospital readmissions occurred sooner after discharge in the HF + CA+ group than in the HF + CA- group. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of CA in patients with HF was associated with a three-fold greater risk of death and a two-fold greater risk of all-cause hospital readmission 90 days after discharge. These findings emphasize the importance of close, active management of patients with CA and AHF.

Medico-economic comparison of two anticoagulant treatment strategies: Vitamin K antagonists vs. direct oral anticoagulants in older adults in nursing homes in France. The "MIKADO" study.

OBJECTIVES: Currently, two classes of oral anticoagulants are available in nursing home residents: vitamin K antagonists (VKA) and direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC). DOACs have a higher net clinical benefit than VKAs but DOACs are about 10 times more expensive than VKAs. The objective of our study was to assess and compare the overall costs of anti-coagulant strategy (VKA or DOAC), i.e., including drugs, laboratory costs and time spent in human capital (nurses and medical time) in nursing homes in France. METHODS: This was an observational, multicenter, prospective study including nine nursing homes in France. Among these nursing homes, 241 patients aged 75 years and older and treated with VKA (n = 140) or DOAC (n = 101) therapy accepted to participate in the study. RESULTS: During the 3-month follow-up period, the adjusted mean costs per patient were higher for VKA than DOACs for nurse care (€327 (57) vs. €154 (56), p<.0001) for general practitioner care (€297 (91) vs. €204 (91), p = 0.02), for coordinating physicians care (€13 (7) vs. €5 (7), p < 0.07), for laboratory tests (€23 (5) vs. €5 (5), p<.0001), but were lower for drug costs (€8 (3) vs. €165 (3), p<.0001). The average overall cost for 3 months per patient was €668 (140) with VKA vs. €533 (139) with DOAC (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that in nursing homes despite a higher drug cost, DOAC therapy is associated with a lower total cost and less time used by nurses and physicians for drug monitoring when compared to VKA.

Modifiable factors associated with postoperative atrial fibrillation in older patients with hip fracture in an orthogeriatric care pathway: a nested case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Few data are available regarding post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF) in non-cardiothoracic surgery, particularly orthopedic surgery. Hence, given the frequent incidence of POAF after surgery and its marked impact, we need to identify modifiable factors associated with POAF after hip fracture surgery in older patients. METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study in the unit for perioperative geriatric care of an academic hospital in Paris from July 1, 2009 to December 31, 2019, enrolling all consecutive patients aged ≥ 70 years with hip fracture surgery and no history of permanent AF before admission (retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data). Patients with and without POAF were matched 1:5 on 5 baseline characteristics (age, hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, cardiac failure). RESULTS: Of the 757 patients included, 384 were matched, and 64 had POAF. The incidence of POAF was 8.5%. The mean age was 86 ± 6 years, 298 (78%) patients were female, and the median Charlson Comorbidity Index was 6 (interquartile range 4-8). The median time from surgery to the occurrence of POAF was 2 days (1-4). On multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis (matched cohort), the modifiable factors present at admission associated with POAF were time to surgery > 48 h (odds ratio [OR] = 1.66, 95% confidence interval [1.01-2.81]) and > 2 units of packed red blood cells (OR = 3.94, [1.50-10.03]). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides new information about POAF in older patients with hip fracture surgery, a surgical emergency whose complexity requires multidisciplinary care.

Estimation of the plasma volume status of elderly patients with acute decompensated heart failure using bedside clinical, biological, and ultrasound parameters.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of intravascular volume status to ensure optimization before hospital discharge could significantly reduce readmissions. It is difficult to evaluate congestion on clinical signs during an episode of acute heart failure (ADHF) in elderly patients. HYPOTHESIS: There is an association between various volume overload parameters in patients older than 75 years. METHODS: We performed a single-center prospective longitudinal study of patients older than 75 years hospitalized for acute heart failure. We analyzed the association between congestion assessment based on clinical signs, inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter measured by ultrasound, biological evaluation with N terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and estimated plasma volume (EPV) during decongestive therapy. We also monitored changes in renal function. RESULTS: Fifty consecutive ADHF patients (85.2 ± 5.9 years, 68% female) were included in the study. At admission, a dilated, noncompliant IVC was found in all patients. The strongest correlations between different parameters of volume overload estimation were found between IVC and jugular vein distention (r = .8; p < .001), then IVC and oedema (r = .6; p < .001), IVC and crackles (r = .3; p < .036), then IVC and NT-proBNP (r = .3; p = .02). There was no correlation between EPV and signs of congestion. Patients who had no congestive signs on clinical or IVC examination at Day 2, more often presented with acute renal failure. CONCLUSION: In ADHF patients older than 75 years, clinical and IVC evaluation of intravascular congestion correlate well. The concomitant assessment of clinical signs and IVC may prevent depletion-related renal failure.

Lack of Association Between Perioperative Medication and Postoperative Delirium in Hip Fracture Patients in an Orthogeriatric Care Pathway.

OBJECTIVES: Units for perioperative geriatric care are playing a growing role in the care of older patients after hip fracture surgery. Postoperative delirium is one of the most common complications after hip fracture, but no study has assessed the impact of therapeutics received during a dedicated orthogeriatric care pathway on its incidence. Our main objective was to assess the association between drugs used in emergency, operating, and recovery departments and postoperative delirium during the acute stay. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: All patients ≥70 years old admitted for hip fracture to the emergency department and hospitalized in our unit for perioperative geriatric care after hip fracture surgery under general anesthesia between July 2009 and December 2019 in an academic hospital in Paris. METHODS: Demographic, clinical, and biological data and all medications administered pre-, peri-, and postoperatively were prospectively collected by 3 geriatricians. Postoperative delirium in the unit for perioperative geriatric care was assessed by using the confusion assessment method scale. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess variables independently associated with postoperative delirium. RESULTS: A total of 490 patients were included [mean (SD) age 87 (6) years]; 215 (44%) had postoperative delirium. The occurrence was not associated with therapeutics administered during the dedicated orthogeriatric care pathway. Probability of postoperative delirium was associated with advanced age [>90 years, odds ratio (OR) 2.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-3.89], dementia (OR 3.51, 95% CI 2.14--5.82), depression (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.14-3.01), and preoperative use of beta-blockers (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.10-2.79). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: No emergency or anesthetic drugs were significantly associated with postoperative delirium. Further studies are needed to demonstrate a possible causal link between preoperative use of beta-blockers and postoperative delirium.

Empagliflozin in the elderly.

Glucose and sodium tubular reabsorption inhibitors, or gliflozins, are a new therapeutic class. Their novel mechanism of action involves inhibition of a glucose and Na+ reabsorption co-transporter in the renal proximal tubule. They reduce blood glucose levels by reducing renal glucose reabsorption. They therefore cause glycosuria, which constitutes an energy loss and ultimately leads to a weight loss of around 2 to 3 kg. They reduce sodium load and lower blood pressure. This class improves HbA1c by about 0.7%. Empagliflozin has been shown to reduce all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetic patients at high cardiovascular risk and to reduce episodes of cardiac decompensation and is nephroprotective in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. Empagliflozin, like other gliflozins, does not induce hypoglycaemia as it does not directly stimulate insulin secretion. Due to the high prevalence of type 2 diabetes, heart failure and renal failure in the elderly, gliflozins will become part of geriatric prescriptions. Their advantages and use must be known, especially as their role will be extended to numerous indications in the field of chronic diseases.

[Empagliflozin in the elderly]. / Empagliflozine chez le sujet âgé.

Glucose and sodium tubular reabsorption inhibitors, or gliflozins, are a new therapeutic class. Their novel mechanism of action involves inhibition of a glucose and Na+ reabsorption co-transporter in the renal proximal tubule. They reduce blood glucose levels by reducing renal glucose reabsorption. They therefore cause glycosuria, which constitutes an energy loss and ultimately leads to a weight loss of around 2 to 3 kg. They reduce the sodium load and lower blood pressure. This class improves HbA1c by about 0.7%. Empagliflozin has been shown to reduce all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetic patients at high cardiovascular risk and to reduce episodes of cardiac decompensation and is nephroprotective in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. Empagliflozin, like other gliflozins, does not induce hypoglycaemia as it does not directly stimulate insulin secretion. Due to the high prevalence of type 2 diabetes, heart failure and renal failure in the elderly, gliflozins will become part of geriatric prescriptions. Their advantages and use must be known, especially as their place will be extended to numerous indications in the field of chronic diseases.

COVID-19 In-Hospital Mortality and Use of Renin-Angiotensin System Blockers in Geriatrics Patients.

OBJECTIVE: The role of treatment with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers at the onset of COVID-19 infection is not known in the geriatric population. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) use and in-hospital mortality in geriatric patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN: This observational retrospective study was conducted in a French geriatric department. Patients were included between March 17 and April 18, 2020. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: All consecutive 201 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 (confirmed by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction methods) were included. All nondeceased patients had 30 days of follow-up and no patient was lost to follow-up. METHODS: Demographic, clinical, and biological data and medications were collected. In-hospital mortality of patients treated or not by ACEI/ARB was analyzed using multivariate Cox models. RESULTS: Mean age of the population was 86.3 (8.0) years, 62.7% of patients were institutionalized, 88.6% had dementia, and 53.5% had severe disability (activities of daily living [ADL] score <2). Sixty-three patients were treated with ACEI/ARB and 138 were not. Mean follow-up was 23.4 (10.0) days, 66 (33.8%) patients died after an average of 10.0 days (6.0). Lower mortality rate was observed in patients treated with ACEI/ARB compared with patients not treated with ARB or ACEI (22.2% [14] vs 37.7% [52], hazard ratio [HR] 0.54; 95% confidence interval 0.30-0.97; P = .03). In a multivariate Cox regression model including age, sex, ADL score, Charlson index, renal function, dyspnea, C-reactive protein, and white blood cell count, use of ACEI/ARB was significantly associated with lower in-hospital mortality (HR 0.52 (0.27-0.99), P = .048). CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: In very old subjects hospitalized in geriatric settings for COVID-19, mortality was significantly lower in subjects treated with ARB or ACEI before the onset of infection. The continuation of ACEI/ARB therapy should be encouraged during periods of coronavirus outbreak in older subjects.