Depressive symptoms and quality of life in elderly patients with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or cardiac heart failure: preliminary data of a randomized controlled trial.

Aim of the study was to evaluate mortality and functional, cognitive, affective status in elderly patients (>or=75 years) with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or acute congestive heart failure (CHF) admitted to the emergency department (ED) of S. Giovanni Battista Hospital of Torino and randomly assigned to the geriatric home hospitalization service (GHHS) or to a general medical ward (GMW). All patients were evaluated on admission, on discharge and at 6 months, using a standardized study protocol. We excluded patients with unstable medical conditions. The total sample included 73 patients: 35 with COPD exacerbation (19 GHHS, 16 GMW) and 38 with CHF (19 GHHS, 19 GMW). Mean age was 81.7+/-8.0 years. At baseline, no significant differences in demographic, social and clinical conditions were found between the two groups of patients. 56.7% of COPD patients had a severe exacerbation, according to Anthonisen criteria; 65% of CHF patients were NYHA-III and 35% NYHA-IV (according to the criteria of the New York Heart Association) (FE<35% in 40% of patients). On admission all patients were partially dependent in ADLs and IADLs, with a moderate impairment of depression score and a fairly good quality of life. On discharge depression score and quality of life were significantly better only in GHHS patients. Mortality was similar in the two setting of care. Patients managed at home had a significantly longer length of treatment. At 6-month follow-up we did not observe a difference in mortality, but we observed a higher readmission rate in patients previously treated in hospital. In conclusion, our study indicates that home-treated patients with COPD or CHF have better depressive scores and quality of life and a lower rate of hospital readmission after six months.

Clinical outcomes in elderly demented patients and caregiver's stress: a 2-year follow-up study.

We have conducted a study on 82 elderly patients with advanced dementia admitted to the Geriatric Department of S. Giovanni Battista Hospital of Torino in order to evaluate mortality, functional and cognitive impairment and caregiver's stress at 2-year follow-up. Patients were examined using a standardized protocol which included demographic characteristics, comorbidity, duration and type of dementia, severity of disease (clinical dementia rating scale: CDR), behavioral disturbances (neuro-psychiatric inventory: NPI), functional status (activities of daily living: ADL, and instrumental activities of daily living: IADL), cognitive status (short portable mental status questionnaire: SPMSQ). Characteristics of primary caregivers were evaluated and their level of stress was assessed by the relatives' stress scale (RSS). After two years, mortality in the total sample was 61%; the mean age of survivors was 81.3+/-5.3 years; 88% of the sample was still living at home with a relative (76%) or with paid personnel (24%). A statistically significant worsening of the cognitive status was detected (baseline SPMSQ=7.5+/-1.7; follow-up SPMSQ=8.4+/-1.8; p<0.05). Functional status did not change significantly, since it resulted already seriously compromised at the beginning of the study. Most caregivers (80%) were the same as two years before and their stress level was very high (baseline RSS=36.6+/-13.9; follow-up RSS=33.2+/-14). In conclusion, most of the patients included in the follow-up were still living at home, despite the high caregiver's burden and the increasing severity of the disease. Therefore, there is a strong need to further improve health services for the patients with advanced dementia living in their homes.

Home care for demented subjects: new models of care and home-care allowance.

This study on home care for demented patients is one of the finalized research projects sponsored by the Ministry of Health. The teams involved are: the Home Hospitalization Service (HHS) of S. Giovanni Battista Hospital of Torino, the "Azienda Sanitaria Locale n 20" (ASL 20) of Alessandria and Tortona and the "Presidio Ospedaliero Riabilitativo Fatebenefratelli" of San Maurizio Canavese (Torino). Aim of the study is to assess the feasibility and usefulness of taking care of elderly demented patients at home and to improve the quality of life of patients and their relatives, involving training experiences and economic help. The Geriatric Department of San Giovanni Battista Hospital started a randomized controlled study on 109 severely demented subjects admitted to the emergency room of the hospital. Fifty-three patients were transferred to the traditional geriatric ward and 56 to the HHS. The team of ASL 20 of Alessandria and Tortona selected and evaluated 45 elderly demented patients living at home. These subjects, stratified for their cognitive and functional impairment, were randomly allocated to two different groups: a group receiving an economic help for one year and a control group. In the first setting of research the degree of dementia was severe, mini mental state examination (MMSE) score was 10.0 +/- 5.2 for patients at home, and 10.5 +/- 6 for the second group. The majority of patients followed at home (78.6 %) were discharged, while only 47.2 % of the in-patients returned home (p < 0.001). Seventeen out of 53 patients (32.1 %) admitted to the traditional ward and only two of home-hospitalization patients had to be sent to nursing home (p <0.001). The 45 subjects evaluated by the team of ASL 20 were divided into two groups.Twenty-four subjects were allocated to receive a home care allowance. Their functional status was impaired. Their MMSE score was 12.6 +/- 5.4 and clinical dementia rating scale(CDR) score 2.7 +/- 0.9. A control group of 21 subjects (17 women and 4 men) showed similar characteristics as the previously described group.

A randomized controlled trial of a home hospital intervention for frail elderly demented patients: behavioral disturbances and caregiver's stress.

A Geriatric Home Hospitalization Service (GHHS) has been operating in Torino at S. Giovanni Battista Hospital since 1985. GHHS allows us to perform diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, which are usually made in hospital, also at home. GHHS team includes geriatricians, nurses, physiotherapists, social workers and counselors. Between February 1999 and April 2002, the GHH Service conducted a randomized controlled trial on 109 elderly, demented patients requiring admission to the Hospital Emergency Department (ED)for acute illnesses. Objective of the study was to identify the benefits of the care in a GHHScompared to a general medical ward (GMW) in reducing behavioral disturbances in elderly patients with advanced dementia and in lowering caregiver's stress. Patients were randomly assigned to GHHS (56 patients) or to GMW (53 patients). Both groups were examined using the same protocol and were evaluated on admission and on discharge. All patients had a severe form of dementia as shown by the clinical dementia rating (CDR) scale mean value (3.7 +/- 0.9) with an important functional impairment and a relevant degree of comorbidity.The main reasons for hospitalization were infections, cerebrovascular accidents and malnutrition. Mortality of total sample was 19.3 %, without significant differences in the two settings of care. On discharge, in GHHS patients there was a significant reduction of behavioral disturbances. The use of anti-psychotic drugs was significantly lower in GHHS patients compared to the GMW group (p < 0.001). The stress of caregivers on discharge was reduced only in GHHS group and not in the control ones. In conclusion, we can say that a GHHS continuous support allows us to reduce the family caregiver's stress. When treated at home, demented patients do not have to change their environment or routine and it is possible to have a better control on behavioral disturbances.