Discrepancies in corrected calcium versus ionised calcium in a geriatric population: an observational study.

Background: Calcium can be measured as ionised (Ca-ionised) or albumin-adjusted total calcium (Ca-albumin). Current clinical guidelines predominantly utilise Ca-albumin, despite Ca-ionised being the gold standard. Discrepancies can occur between these measurement modalities and can lead to clinical dilemmas.

Impact of geriatric co-management on outcomes in hospitalised cardiology patients aged 85 and over.

Objective: Cardiovascular disease and frailty are common among the population aged 85+. We hypothesised these patients might benefit from geriatric co-management, as has been shown in other frail patient populations. However, there is limited evidence supporting geriatric co-management in older, hospitalised cardiology patients.

Effect of interprofessional and intraprofessional clinical collaboration on patient related outcomes in multimorbid older patients - a retrospective cohort study on the Intensive Collaboration Ward.

Background: The management and care of older patients with multiple health problems is demanding and complex. Interprofessional and intraprofessional collaboration has the potential to improve both the efficiency and the quality of care for these patients. However, it has proven difficult to demonstrate the efficacy of this approach in terms of objective patient-related outcomes.

Incidences of underlying causes of hypothermia in older patients in the emergency department: a systematic review.

Purpose: Hypothermia is a serious condition in older adults. Knowledge of a priori chances of underlying diseases may affect initial management, hence prognosis. This systematic review provided an overview of existing literature on the incidences of underlying causes of hypothermia in older patients at the emergency department.

A comparison of the clinical pharmacotherapy knowledge of medical and surgical residents and consultants.

Purpose: Knowledge of clinical pharmacotherapy is essential for all who prescribe medication. The aims of this study were to investigate differences in the pharmacotherapy and polypharmacy knowledge of medical and surgical residents and consultants and whether this knowledge can be improved by following an online course.

Methods: Design: A before-and-after-measurement.

Proton Pump Inhibitors and Hypomagnesemia in Older Inpatients: An Observational Study.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are prescribed frequently and can cause potentially severe hypomagnesemia. Researchers assessed the prevalence of hypomagnesemia and the association between PPI use and hypomagnesemia in hospitalized older patients. Researchers conducted a single-center, observational, retrospective cohort study with patients admitted to a geriatric ward at the Jeroen Bosch Hospital in the period between June 24, 2016, and August 30, 2020.

Combined professional and professional clinical collaboration reduces length of stay and consultations: a retrospective cohort study on an intensive collaboration ward (ICW).

Patients with multiple health problems are a growing population at high risk of receiving fragmented care, resulting in a poorer quality of care, preventable hospitalisations, and higher costs. Health agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) advocate the implementation of professional care, which should lead to better patient care. This retrospective cohort study investigated the effect of combined professional and professional collaboration on the management of mainly elderly patients with multiple health problems on an Intensive Collaboration Ward (ICW).

Improving Appropriate Prescribing For Geriatric Patients Using a Clinical Decision Support System.

Polypharmacy is a known risk factor for potentially inappropriate prescribing. Recently there is an increasing interest in clinical decision support systems (CDSS) to improve prescribing. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a CDSS, with the START-STOPP criteria as main content in the setting of a geriatric ward.

Performance of the APOP-screener for predicting in-hospital mortality in older COVID-19 patients: a retrospective study.

Background: A variety of prediction models concerning COVID-19 have been proposed since onset of the pandemic, but to this date no gold standard exists. Mortality rates show a sharp increase with advancing age but with the large heterogeneity of this population in terms of comorbidities, vulnerability and disabilities, identifying risk factors is difficult. Therefore, we aimed to research the multidimensional concept of frailty, measured by the Acute Presenting Older Patient (APOP)-screener, as a risk factor for in-hospital mortality in older COVID-19 patients.

Integrating healthcare for follow-up of adult COVID-19 patients in an outpatient clinic: A matter of cooperation.

Rationale Aims And Objectives: A large number of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) need outpatient follow-up after hospitalization. As these patients may experience a broad range of symptoms, as do patients infected with the related SARS-CoV-1 virus, we set up a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic involving pulmonologists, internists, and geriatricians. Patients were allocated to a specialist based on symptoms reported on a self-developed questionnaire of expected symptoms of COVID-19.

The hanging chin sign as a mortality predictor in geriatric patients at the emergency department: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: At the emergency department, there is a need for an instrument which is quick and easy to use to identify geriatric patients with the highest risk of mortality. The so- called 'hanging chin sign', meaning that the mandibula projects over one or more ribs on the chest X-ray, could be such an instrument. This study aims to investigate if the hanging chin sign is a predictor of mortality in geriatric patients admitted through the emergency department.

A pharmacotherapy self-assessment improves prescribing by prompting junior doctors to study further.

Aims: Junior doctors frequently prescribe incorrectly and this can cause serious harm to patients. Pharmacotherapy education in most medical schools falls short in preparing their students to prescribe safely in clinical practice. According to the theory of assessment-driven learning, a pharmacotherapy self-assessment for junior doctors may reduce potential harmful prescriptions in clinical practice, by revealing deficits in prescribing knowledge and skills.

Correction to: Fewer patients undergo surgery when adding a comprehensive geriatric assessment in older patients with a hip fracture.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The presentation of Figure 1 was incorrect. The correct version of Figure 1 is given in the following page.

Dementia as a predictor of morbidity and mortality in patients with delirium.

Introduction: This review examines whether functional and cognitive decline and mortality after an episode of delirium are comparable between patients with and those without dementia.

Methods: MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched systematically for 'dementia' and 'delirium'. After screening of the results, studies were rated on relevance and validity and data were extracted.

Towards a "prescribing license" for medical students: development and quality evaluation of an assessment for safe prescribing.

Purpose: This report describes the development and validation process of an assessment with national consensus in appropriate and safe pharmacotherapy.

Methods: A question-database on safe prescription based on literature of pharmacotherapy-related harm was developed by an expert group from Dutch medical faculties. Final-year medical students concluded a 2-year education program on appropriate and safe prescription by one of nine assessment variants of 40 multiple-choice questions each.

Resilience to cognitive impairment in the oldest-old: design of the EMIF-AD 90+ study.

Background: The oldest-old (subjects aged 90 years and older) population represents the fastest growing segment of society and shows a high dementia prevalence rate of up to 40%. Only a few studies have investigated protective factors for cognitive impairment in the oldest-old. The EMIF-AD 90+ Study aims to identify factors associated with resilience to cognitive impairment in the oldest-old.

Metoclopramide: A Safe Alternative to Domperidone? A Case Report on Severe Cardiac Adverse Effects in an Older Patient.

Peripheral antidopaminergic medication is frequently prescribed to treat nausea. However, domperidone is ill-famed for its severe cardiac adverse effects. Metoclopramide has been suggested as a relatively safe alternative because it has long been considered to have less significant cardiovascular adverse effects.

Association Between Urinary Tract Infections and Antipsychotic Drug Use in Older Adults.

Antipsychotic drugs are frequently prescribed to older adults, but they may be associated with serious adverse effects. The objective was to investigate the association between use of antipsychotics in older adults and the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs).This study was designed as a cohort study.

The Systematic Tool to Reduce Inappropriate Prescribing (STRIP): Combining implicit and explicit prescribing tools to improve appropriate prescribing.

Inappropriate prescribing is a major health care issue, especially regarding older patients on polypharmacy. Multiple implicit and explicit prescribing tools have been developed to improve prescribing, but these have hardly ever been used in combination. The Systematic Tool to Reduce Inappropriate Prescribing (STRIP) combines implicit prescribing tools with the explicit Screening Tool to Alert physicians to the Right Treatment and Screening Tool of Older People's potentially inappropriate Prescriptions criteria and has shared decision-making with the patient as a critical step.

Antipsychotic drug use associated with urinary tract infections in older women.

Objectives: Antipsychotic drugs are frequently prescribed to elderly patients, but they are associated with serious adverse effects. The objective of the current study was to investigate the association between use of antipsychotics by elderly women and the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Cohort Study Setting: Dispensing data were obtained from the PHARMO Database Network for the period 1998-2008.