Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Clinical Validation of TIME Criteria to Detect Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults: Methodological Report from the TIME International Study Group.

Background: Various explicit screening tools, developed mostly in central Europe and the USA, assist clinicians in optimizing medication use for older adults. The Turkish Inappropriate Medication use in oldEr adults (TIME) criteria set, primarily based on the STOPP/START criteria set, is a current explicit tool originally developed for Eastern Europe and subsequently validated for broader use in Central European settings. Reviewed every three months to align with the latest scientific literature, it is one of the most up-to-date tools available.

Optimizing pharmacotherapy and deprescribing strategies in older adults living with multimorbidity and polypharmacy: EuGMS SIG on pharmacology position paper.

Inappropriate polypharmacy is highly prevalent among older adults and presents a significant healthcare concern. Conducting medication reviews and implementing deprescribing strategies in multimorbid older adults with polypharmacy are an inherently complex and challenging task. Recognizing this, the Special Interest Group on Pharmacology of the European Geriatric Medicine Society has compiled evidence on medication review and deprescribing in older adults and has formulated recommendations to enhance appropriate prescribing practices.

The effect of vitamin D on neurocognitive functions in older vitamin D deficient adults: a pilot longitudinal interventional study.

Background: The relationship between vitamin D and cognitive status remains controversial. We aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin D replacement on cognitive functions in healthy and cognitively intact vitamin D deficient older females.

Methods: This study was designed as a prospective interventional study.

Management of use of urinary antimuscarinics and alpha blockers for benign prostatic hyperplasia in older adults at risk of falls: a clinical review.

Purpose: We aimed to outline the existing information and the underlying mechanisms of risk of falls associated with the use of urinary antimuscarinics for overactive bladder (OAB) or alpha-blockers for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in older adults. In addition, we aimed to provide assistance to clinicians in decision-making about (de-)prescribing these drugs in older adults.

Methodology: Based on a literature search in PubMed and Google Scholar, we reviewed the literature, and identified additional relevant articles from reference lists, with an emphasis on the most commonly prescribed drugs in OAB and BPH in older patients.

Potentially inappropriate medications based on TIME criteria and risk of in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between hospital admission potentially inappropriate medications use (PIM) and in-hospital mortality of COVID-19, considering other possible factors related to mortality.

Methods: The Turkish inappropriate medication use in the elderly (TIME) criteria were used to define PIM. The primary outcome of this study was in-hospital mortality.

Deprescribing practices, habits and attitudes of geriatricians and geriatricians-in-training across Europe: a large web-based survey.

Purpose: To provide an overview of the current deprescribing attitudes, practices, and approaches of geriatricians and geriatricians-in-training across Europe.

Methods: An online survey was disseminated among European geriatricians and geriatricians-in-training. The survey comprised Likert scale and multiple-choice questions on deprescribing approaches and practices, deprescribing education and knowledge, and facilitators/barriers of deprescribing.

Simpler modified fried frailty scale as a practical tool to evaluate physical frailty: Methodological report for its cross-cultural adaptation and validation.

Frailty is a common geriatric syndrome that indicates homeostenosis and increased risk of disability and mortality. It is amenable to intervention when detected. Hence, screening frailty is of utmost importance to preserve quality-of-life and function in older age.

Hypotension Under Antihypertensive Treatment and Incident Hospitalizations of Nursing Home Residents.

Background And Objective: Hypertension is the most prevalent chronic disease in older adults. Antihypertensive drug use increases with aging. In some studies, hypotension developing under antihypertensive medication use has been indicated as a potential risk factor for morbidity and mortality in older adults.

Associations between obesity, self-reported weakness and their combinations with mortality in nursing home residents.

Objectives: There are studies on associations between obesity and mortality in nursing home (NH) residents, but the presence of concomitant muscle weakness has not been examined. We considered that self-reported weakness might be a low muscle strength proxy marker. We aimed to examine associations of obesity alone, self-reported muscle weakness alone, and their combination with mortality in NH residents.

Best Practice Recommendations for Geriatric Dysphagia Management with 5 Ws and 1H.

Background: Dysphagia is a geriatric syndrome. Changes in the whole body that occur with aging also affect swallowing functions and cause presbyphagia. This condition may progress to oropharyngeal and/or esophageal dysphagia in the presence of secondary causes that increase in incidence with aging.

Nutrition risk assessed by Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 is associated with in-hospital mortality in older patients with COVID-19.

Background: Although numerous studies have been performed to determine predictors of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortality, studies that address the geriatric age group are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) and the Geriatric 8 (G8) screening tools in predicting clinical outcomes in older adults hospitalized with COVID-19.

Methods: Patients aged ≥60 years who were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the second wave of the pandemic were included in the study.

Barriers and facilitators in using a Clinical Decision Support System for fall risk management for older people: a European survey.

Purpose: Fall-Risk Increasing Drugs (FRIDs) are an important and modifiable fall-risk factor. A Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) could support doctors in optimal FRIDs deprescribing. Understanding barriers and facilitators is important for a successful implementation of any CDSS.

SARC-F and other screening tests for sarcopenia.

Purpose Of Review: Sarcopenia screening tools can enable clinicians to select individuals for more demanding evaluations, and hence, may facilitate its timely diagnosis and management. The most common recommended screening test is SARC-F, whereas many others are proposed. We aimed to summarize the recent studies and evidence performed on SARC-F and other sarcopenia screening tools.

Clarifying the relationship between sarcopenia and depression in geriatric outpatients.

Objective: We investigate the relationship between sarcopenia components and depression in geriatric outpatients, considering the effects of potential confounding factors.

Methods: Adults ≥60 years of age were selected from outpatient clinics. Muscle strength was assessed using handgrip strength (HGS) measured using a hydraulic hand dynamometer and chair stand test (CSST).

International Validation of the Turkish Inappropriate Medication Use in the Elderly (TIME) Criteria Set: A Delphi Panel Study.

Objective: Explicit screening tools and implicit evaluation methods have been developed to assist healthcare professionals in the management of pharmacotherapy in older adults. As prescribing habits and locally available medications vary considerably between countries, guides tailored to the needs of specific regions may be required. We aimed to report the results of the international Delphi validation study for the Turkish Inappropriate Medication use in the Elderly (TIME) criteria set, which aims to detect inappropriate prescribing in older adults in Eastern Europe.

STOPPFall (Screening Tool of Older Persons Prescriptions in older adults with high fall risk): a Delphi study by the EuGMS Task and Finish Group on Fall-Risk-Increasing Drugs.

Background: Healthcare professionals are often reluctant to deprescribe fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs). Lack of knowledge and skills form a significant barrier and furthermore, there is no consensus on which medications are considered as FRIDs despite several systematic reviews. To support clinicians in the management of FRIDs and to facilitate the deprescribing process, STOPPFall (Screening Tool of Older Persons Prescriptions in older adults with high fall risk) and a deprescribing tool were developed by a European expert group.

Turkish inappropriate medication use in the elderly (TIME) criteria to improve prescribing in older adults: TIME-to-STOP/TIME-to-START.

Purpose: To improve prescribing in older adults, criterion sets have been introduced from different countries. While current criterion sets are useful to some extent, they do not meet the need in some European countries. Turkish inappropriate medication use in the elderly (TIME) criteria was planned to meet this need.

Chronic pain: prevalent and independently associated with frailty and female gender in geriatric outpatients.

Purpose: This study aims to determine the prevalence and factors independently associated with chronic pain.

Methods: Participants  ≥ 65 years of age admitted to a geriatric outpatient-clinic were recruited between November 2012 and May 2018. Chronic pain is defined as presence of musculoskeletal system-based pain ongoing more than 3 months.

Association of different bioimpedanciometry estimations of muscle mass with functional measures.

Aim: To investigate the muscle mass adjustment technique that best correlates with functional measures.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed. Community-dwelling older adults aged ≥60 years were assessed for body composition and functional measures between November 2012 and July 2017 in the geriatric outpatient clinic of a university hospital.

Anorexia Is Independently Associated with Decreased Muscle Mass and Strength in Community Dwelling Older Adults.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the association between anorexia and sarcopenia in community dwelling older adults.

Method: Anorexia was assessed by Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ) and sarcopenia defined by EWSGOP criteria. Study participants consisted of 442 patients from Turkish validation study of the SNAQ.