Can hip protector use in the nursing home be predicted?

OBJECTIVES: To identify resident- and caregiver-related factors that influence hip protector (HP) usage. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study over 6 weeks. SETTING: A 409-bed nursing home located in New York City. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-two residents and 60 certified nursing assistants (CNAs). INTERVENTION: Free HPs were provided to residents enrolled in the study. MEASUREMENTS: HP adherence (number of hours HPs were worn/shift); HP users (subjects who used HPs for more than 1 hour during any 8-hour shift as recorded by CNAs in week 6 or who used HPs at checks performed by research staff in week 6 and intended future use); CNAs' scores on a questionnaire quantifying osteoporosis knowledge, opinions on HPs, job satisfaction, and health locus of control. RESULTS: Sixty-eight percent of residents were HP users. Factors independently associated with this outcome included male sex, age, Parkinson's disease, family involvement, impaired cognition, dependent ambulation, and CNAs' sense that chance affects health outcomes. In multivariate models, anxiety, resistive behaviors, ambulation, and fall history in residents and CNAs' perceptions of HPs and their sense of how chance or other staff determine health outcomes predicted HP adherence. CONCLUSION: Resident-related factors and CNAs' sense of external controls predicted HP users and HP adherence. CNAs' understanding of osteoporosis and HP affected only HP adherence. Most resident-related factors were not remediable but might help to target likely HP users. To improve HP adherence, educational programs should be designed to improve CNAs' understanding of osteoporosis and HP. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Coronary calcification, coronary disease risk factors, C-reactive protein, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events: the St. Francis Heart Study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the prognostic accuracy of electron beam computed tomographic (CT) scanning of the coronary arteries and the relationship of coronary calcification to standard coronary disease risk factors and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the prediction of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events in apparently healthy middle-age persons. BACKGROUND: As a screening test for coronary artery disease (CAD), electron beam CT scanning remains controversial. METHODS: In a prospective, population-based study, 4,903 asymptomatic persons age 50 to 70 years underwent electron beam CT scanning of the coronary arteries. RESULTS: At 4.3 years, follow-up was available in 4,613 participants (94%), and 119 had sustained at least one ASCVD event. Subjects with ASCVD events had higher baseline coronary calcium scores (median [interquartile range], Agatston method) than those without events: 384 (127, 800) versus 10 (0, 86) (p < 0.0001). For coronary calcium score threshold > or = 100 versus < 100, relative risk (95% confidence interval) was 9.6 (6.7 to 13.9) for all ASCVD events, 11.1 (7.3 to 16.7) for all CAD events, and 9.2 (4.9 to 17.3) for non-fatal myocardial infarction and death. The coronary calcium score predicted CAD events independently of standard risk factors and CRP (p = 0.004), was superior to the Framingham risk index in the prediction of events (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.79 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.69 +/- 0.03, p = 0.0006), and enhanced stratification of those falling into the Framingham categories of low, intermediate, and high risk (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The electron beam CT coronary calcium score predicts CAD events independent of standard risk factors, more accurately than standard risk factors and CRP, and refines Framingham risk stratification.

Treatment of asymptomatic adults with elevated coronary calcium scores with atorvastatin, vitamin C, and vitamin E: the St. Francis Heart Study randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine whether lipid-lowering therapy and antioxidants retard the progression of coronary calcification and prevent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events. BACKGROUND: The electron beam computed tomography-derived coronary calcium score predicts coronary disease events. Small, uncontrolled studies suggest that vigorous lipid-lowering therapy slows progression of coronary calcification and prevents coronary artery disease events, but controlled, scientific demonstration of these effects is lacking. METHODS: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial of atorvastatin 20 mg daily, vitamin C 1 g daily, and vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 1,000 U daily, versus matching placebos in 1,005 asymptomatic, apparently healthy men and women age 50 to 70 years with coronary calcium scores at or above the 80th percentile for age and gender. All study participants also received aspirin 81 mg daily. Mean duration of treatment was 4.3 years. RESULTS: Treatment reduced total cholesterol by 26.5% to 30.4% (p < 0.0001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 39.1% to 43.4% (p < 0.0001), and triglycerides by 11.2% to 17.0% (p < or = 0.02) but had no effect (p = 0.80) on progression of coronary calcium score (Agatston method). Treatment also failed to significantly reduce the primary end point, a composite of all ASCVD events (6.9% vs. 9.9%, p = 0.08). Event rates were related to baseline calcium score (pre-specified analysis) and may have been reduced in a subgroup of participants with baseline calcium score >400 (8.7% vs. 15.0%, p = 0.046 [not a pre-specified analysis]). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with alpha-tocopherol, vitamin C, and low doses of atorvastatin (20 mg once daily) did not affect the progression of coronary calcification. Treatment may have reduced ASCVD events, especially in subjects with calcium scores >400, but these effects did not achieve conventional levels of statistical significance.