Risks factors for significant injury after geriatric falls.

Elderly falls are a healthcare epidemic. We aimed to identify risk factors of serious falls by linking data on functional status from the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW) and our institutional trauma registry. 124 of 5,091 local women enrolled in GLOW were evaluated by our trauma team for injuries related to a fall during the study period.

Evaluation of a Multimodal, Direct-to-Patient Educational Intervention Targeting Barriers to Osteoporosis Care: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Osteoporosis treatment rates are declining, even among those with past fractures. Novel, low-cost approaches are needed to improve osteoporosis care. We conducted a parallel group, controlled, randomized clinical trial evaluating a behavioral intervention for improving osteoporosis medication use.

Functional status predicts postoperative mortality after liver transplantation.

Background: Frail patients are more vulnerable to perioperative stressors of liver transplantation (LT). Program Specific Reports, used in transplant center auditing, risk-adjust for frailty using the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) scale. We evaluate the extent to which functional impairment/disability is associated with increased risk of postoperative death.

A multi-modal intervention for Activating Patients at Risk for Osteoporosis (APROPOS): Rationale, design, and uptake of online study intervention material.

Objective: To develop an innovative and effective educational intervention to inform patients about the need for osteoporosis treatment and to determine factors associated with its online uptake.

Methods: Postmenopausal women with a prior fracture and not currently using osteoporosis therapy were eligible to be included in the Activating Patients at Risk for OsteoPOroSis (APROPOS). Four nominal groups with a total of 18 racially/ethnically diverse women identified osteoporosis treatment barriers.

Predictors and outcomes of readmission for Clostridium difficile in a national sample of medicare beneficiaries.

Background: Rates of Clostridium difficile (CD) infections are increasing. Elderly patients may be at particular risk of recurrent CD infection. Little is known about the risk for CD readmission specifically in this age group.

Effect of preinjury warfarin use on outcomes after head trauma in Medicare beneficiaries.

Background: Elderly Americans are at increased risk of head trauma, particularly fall related. The effect of warfarin on head trauma outcomes remains controversial.

Methods: Medicare beneficiaries with head injuries from 2009 to 2011 were identified by International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9 code.