Prognosis of hyponatremia in elderly patients with fragility fractures.

Background: Hyponatremia (serum sodium < 135 mmol/L) is the commonest electrolyte imbalance encountered in clinical practice. It is associated with multiple poor clinical outcomes including increased length of hospital stay, institutionalization and mortality. Prevalence of hyponatremia is higher in frail patient groups, and elderly patients with fragility fractures (EPFF) are particularly susceptible.

Prevalence, incidence and etiology of hyponatremia in elderly patients with fragility fractures.

Introduction: Hyponatremia (serum sodium<135 mMol/L) is the commonest electrolyte imbalance encountered in clinical practice. It is associated with multiple poor clinical outcomes including increased mortality, longer hospital stay, falls and fractures. Prevalence is higher in frail patient groups, and elderly patients with fragility fractures (EPFF) are particularly susceptible.

Medical student attitudes toward older people and willingness to consider a career in geriatric medicine.

Objectives: To evaluate the attitudes of first- and fourth-year medical students toward older people and the relationship between these attitudes and possible career choice. To examine the effects of an intensive geriatric medicine (GM) teaching program on these attitudes and career aspirations.

Design: Observational study.

Prognostic implications of hyponatremia in elderly hospitalized patients.

Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte imbalance in elderly in-patients. We hypothesized that hyponatremia was independently associated with increased length of stay and loss of independence or death as measured by failure to return to previous residence. This cohort study measured the prognostic impact of hyponatremia in all patients admitted to two acute geriatric wards.

A mysterious case of normalising blood sugar: insulinoma in a long-standing diabetic patient.

We report a case of recurrent hypoglycaemia in a long-standing type 2 diabetic patient, despite dramatic reduction in her anti-diabetic therapy. Subsequent investigations revealed an insulinoma as the cause. This patient was treated medically with diazoxide therapy, as multiple co-morbidities were felt to preclude surgical intervention.