[Hospitalizations due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the elderly]. / Hospitalizaciones por EPOC en el paciente anciano.

INTRODUCTION: Hospitalizations for decompensation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mainly occur in the elderly. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of octogenarians admitted for COPD and to compare these characteristics with those in a younger group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All patients hospitalized for COPD in an acute care hospital over three time periods were studied. All patients met spirometric criteria for COPD. A questionnaire evaluating items on prior admissions, days of hospital stay and readmissions in the subsequent year was completed. Data on comorbidity (the Charlson index), functional dependency (Katz index), depression (Yesavage scale), domiciliary medication, socioeconomic position, social resources, and quality of life, among other factors, were gathered. RESULTS: We studied 390 patients, with a mean age of 72 years (SD 9.6), of whom 88 (22%) were aged more than 80 years old. The mean length of hospital stay was 11.4 days, FEV(1) at discharge was 39% of the theoretical value, and 55% of the patients were readmitted in the following year, with no differences between age groups. Patients older than 80 years had a lower body mass index (P<.03), greater comorbidity (P<.001), greater functional dependency (P<.001) and worse scores on the Pffeifer (P<.001) and Yesavage scales (P<.01). CONCLUSIONS: Octogenarians hospitalized for COPD exacerbations have greater comorbidity, depressive features and functional dependency than younger patients. Nevertheless, no differences were found in the length of hospital stay or in readmissions in the following year.

Hospitalizaciones por EPOC en el paciente anciano / Hospitalizations due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the elderly

Introducción: Las hospitalizaciones por descompensación de enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC), se producen mayoritariamente en pacientes de edad avanzada. Nuestro objetivo es describir las características de los pacientes octogenarios ingresados por EPOC y compararlas con las del grupo de menor edad. Material y métodos: Se estudió a todos los pacientes hospitalizados por EPOC en un hospital de agudos, durante 3 períodos diferentes. Todos los pacientes cumplían criterios espirométricos de EPOC. Se cumplimentó un cuestionario donde se valoraban los ingresos previos, los días de estancia y los reingresos en el año posterior. Se recogieron la comorbilidad (índice de Charlson), la dependencia funcional (índice de Katz), la depresión (escala Yesavage), la medicación domiciliaria, el nivel socioeconómico, los recursos sociales y la calidad de vida entre otros. Resultados: Se estudió a 390 pacientes, con una edad media±desviación estándar de 72±9,6 años, de los cuales 88 (22%) eran mayores de 80 años. La estancia media fue de 11,4 días, el volumen espiratorio máximo en el primer segundo (FEV1) al alta del 39% del teórico y un 55% de los pacientes reingresaron en el año posterior sin diferencia entre ambos grupos de edad. Los pacientes mayores de 80 años tenían un índice de masa corporal menor (p<0,03), más comorbilidad (p<0,001), dependencia funcional (p<0,001) y peores puntuaciones en las escalas de Pffeifer (p<0,001) y Yesavage (p<0,01). Conclusiones: Los pacientes mayores de 80 años hospitalizados por exacerbación de EPOC presentan mayor comorbilidad, rasgos depresivos y dependencia funcional que los de menor edad. A pesar de ello, no hay diferencia en la estancia media ni en los reingresos en el año posterior (AU)

Introduction: Hospitalizations for decompensation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mainly occur in the elderly. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of octogenarians admitted for COPD and to compare these characteristics with those in a younger group. Material and methods: All patients hospitalized for COPD in an acute care hospital over three time periods were studied. All patients met spirometric criteria for COPD. A questionnaire evaluating items on prior admissions, days of hospital stay and readmissions in the subsequent year was completed. Data on comorbidity (the Charlson index), functional dependency (Katz index), depression (Yesavage scale), domiciliary medication, socioeconomic position, social resources, and quality of life, among other factors, were gathered. Results: We studied 390 patients, with a mean age of 72 years (SD 9.6), of whom 88 (22%) were aged more than 80 years old. The mean length of hospital stay was 11.4 days, FEV1 at discharge was 39% of the theoretical value, and 55% of the patients were readmitted in the following year, with no differences between age groups. Patients older than 80 years had a lower body mass index (P<.03), greater comorbidity (P<.001), greater functional dependency (P<.001) and worse scores on the Pffeifer (P<.001) and Yesavage scales (P<.01). Conclusions: Octogenarians hospitalized for COPD exacerbations have greater comorbidity, depressive features and functional dependency than younger patients. Nevertheless, no differences were found in the length of hospital stay or in readmissions in the following year (AU)

Risk factors for community-onset urinary tract infections due to Escherichia coli harbouring extended-spectrum beta-lactamases.

OBJECTIVES: Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli have been increasingly recognized in the community. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, types of ESBLs and risk factors for community-onset ESBL-producing E. coli in urinary tract infections (UTIs). METHODS: Adults with community-onset UTIs due to ESBL-producing E. coli (cases) and non-ESBL-producing E. coli (controls) were identified through records of the clinical microbiology laboratory of the hospital. Two different periods were studied: from January 2000 to January 2001 and from October to December 2003. Controls were matched in a 3:1 ratio to case patients according to age, sex, date of isolation and residence in a long-term care facility. Potential risk factors were recorded. Isoelectric focusing as well as PCR and DNA sequencing were used to characterize the bla(TEM), bla(SHV) and bla(CTX-M) genes. A possible clonal relationship among the strains was determined by repetitive extragenic palindromic sequence PCR. RESULTS: The prevalence of infection due to ESBL-producing E. coli increased from 0.47% in 2000 to 1.7% in 2003 (P < 0.001). Community-onset ESBL-producing E. coli infection shifted from 50% in the first period to 79.5% in 2003 (P < 0.001). Nineteen cases and 55 matched controls of community-onset ESBL-producing E. coli UTI were included. ESBL-producing E. coli strains were clonally unrelated. On univariate analysis, genitourinary pathology (P < 0.03), previous bacterial infection (P = 0.01), intravenous antibiotic treatment (P = 0.01), hospitalization in the previous 12 months (P = 0.04) and previous exposure to oral second-generation cephalosporins (P < 0.05) were associated with community-onset infection due to ESBL-producing E. coli. In our regression model, only previous exposure to second-generation cephalosporins was strongly associated with E. coli harbouring ESBLs (OR, 21.42; CI 95%, 5.38-85.22; P < 0.05). In the first period, only TEM- and SHV-derived ESBLs were identified. The enzymes were characterized as members of the TEM group (60%), SHV group (16%) and CTX-M group (24%). CONCLUSIONS: We detected a marked increase in infections due to ESBL-producing E. coli, especially in the community, in the periods studied. Only previous exposure to the oxyimino cephalosporin cefuroxime, and not to ciprofloxacin, aminoglycosides or third-generation cephalosporins, was predictive of an ESBL-producing E. coli community-onset infection in our area. The emergence of the CTX-M type of beta-lactamase in E. coli follows closely the spread of ESBLs in community isolates.