Could olfactory identification be a prognostic factor in detecting cognitive impairment risk in the elderly?

Aging contributes to the deterioration of the olfactory system in humans. Several studies indicate that the olfactory identification test alone may function as a screening test for olfactory dysfunction and they are more feasible to apply in clinical practice. Olfactory identification may be a predictor for cognitive impairment.

[Predictive ability of baseline frailty and handgrip strength at admission on outcomes at discharge in a geriatric functional recovery unit].

Objective: To evaluate the predictive capacity of different frailty scales, as well as the strength of the handgrip, and to determine their relationship with clinical favourable outcomes.

Patients And Method: Prospective study of patients admitted to the Geriatric Functional Recovery Unit (GFRU) of the Hospital Central Cruz Roja. The «FRAIL» scale, «Clinical Frailty Scale» (CFS) and «Fragil-VIG» index, and handgrip strength by hydraulic dynamometer were completed on admission.

Hip fracture mortality: Predictive models.

The preoperative estimation of the risk of mortality after a hip fracture is very useful to plan time of surgery and perioperative care, inform patients and families about the prognosis and allows comparisons between different units. Different models have been developed to stratify mortality risk, but they show heterogeneity in terms of type of population and variables included, monitoring the time and statistical methods used, which makes it difficult to establish comparisons between them. The vast majority of them are awaiting external validation in populations different from those in which they were originally proposed.

[Impact of a centralised hospital admission system on the efficacy and efficiency of a geriatric functional recovery unit].

Objective: To evaluate the influence of a change in the management of admissions on the activity and care outcomes of a Geriatric Functional Recovery Unit (GFRU).

Material And Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. Since 2000, the Hospital Central Cruz Roja GFRU has been collecting data grouped into periods of 4 years, except for the centralised admissions (September 2016-December 2018).

[Efficiency of acute geriatric units in Spain hospitals].

Objectives: To review published data from Spanish hospitals in which comparisons had been made between the mean length of stay in patients admitted to acute geriatric units (AGU) and those admitted to other departments using the diagnosis-related groups (DRG) classification system and to describe our own experience.

Material And Methods: The Spanish reports collected in a previous systematic review were reviewed. The case mix of our hospital was added by analyzing episodes in patients older than 74 years old discharged during a 24-month period and included in the most frequent DRGs.

[Acute orthogeriatric care (II). Clinical aspects].

The present article reviews the clinical principles of acute orthogeriatric care. The application of geriatric medicine to patients with hip fracture is explained. The principal stages of geriatric intervention in this process are mentioned, as are the interventions to be carried out by the geriatric team.

[Acute orthogeriatric care (I). Healthcare issues].

The present article reviews the historical development of several collaborative care models between orthopaedic and geriatrics departments for the care of patients with hip fracture. Subacute orthogeriatric units are described and special emphasis is placed on geriatric consulting teams and acute orthogeriatric units, as well as on their benefits for the patient and the healthcare service. We also review evidence-based studies that support this type of care for patients with acute hip fracture and guidelines from scientific associations involved in the care of these patients.