[Can the screening of blood samples identify adverse drug reactions?].

Background: Analysis of blood samples may identify adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and risk situations. The study objective was to validate a method for in-hospital detection of ADRs based on screening of blood samples.

Material And Methods: Routine blood samples from patients in a geriatric ward were screened according to simple decision criteria to identify ADRs.

Concurrent and predictive validity of "getting up from lying on the floor".

Background And Aims: Older age, higher morbidity and lower functional capacity are associated with fall injuries. Inability to get up from the floor is associated with older age, higher morbidity and lower functional capacity. The purpose of this study was to assess the concurrent and predictive validity of the ability of elderly women to get up from lying on the floor.

Oral hygiene and oral symptoms among the elderly in long-term care.

Dental teams examined 1910 elderly adults living in long-term care settings (1358 institutionalized, 552 homebound) from all 19 counties in Norway to document oral hygiene, oral symptoms and ability to receive dental treatment. The Mucosal-Plaque Score (MPS) was used to assess oral status. The MPS was significantly better in women than in men, in individuals with dentures than in those with any remaining teeth, and in people who were homebound rather than those who lived in institutions.

Well-being and instrumental activities of daily living after stroke.

Objective: To explore the relationship between subjective well-being and competence in instrumental activities of daily living after stroke.

Design: Cross-sectional with evaluation at six months post stroke.

Subjects: Eighty-two patients admitted to an acute stroke unit, of whom 64 were seen at six months.

Geographic differences in tooth loss and denture-wearing among the elderly in Norway.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of teeth and dentures in individuals aged 67 years and above.

Methods: A representative random sample of 1152 individuals was drawn from 11 of the 19 counties of Norway. In all, 582 subjects were interviewed and examined clinically by the same dentist (BMH) in 1996-99.

Geriatric rehabilitation as an integral part of geriatric medicine in the Nordic countries.

Objectives: First, to outline the theoretical and practical framework for geriatric rehabilitation in the Nordic countries and second, to survey the scientific medical publications for evidence-based geriatric rehabilitation.

Methods: Brainstorming on geriatric rehabilitation in a working group of Nordic teachers in geriatric medicine. Papers on scientific programmes for geriatric rehabilitation from Internet sources were collected and analyzed.

Anxiety and well-being in older people after discharge from hospital.

Background: A previous study using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) has documented a very high prevalence of anxiety symptoms among older inpatients. The STAI produced two main concepts on factor analysis -'Nervousness' and 'Well-being'- and high scores on both caused the high overall score in these patients.

Aim: To investigate how the scorings on the STAI evolve after discharge in older patients in order to understand better the reasons for their high scorings while in hospital.

Prevalence of teeth and dentures among elderly in Norway receiving social care.

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of teeth and dentures in individuals aged 67 years and over receiving social care in Norway. A representative sample of 2893 individuals was selected from all 19 counties of Norway. In all, 1910 individuals (1358 living in institutions, 552 living at home) could be interviewed and examined by calibrated local dental teams in 1996-97.

Predictors of falls in the elderly by location.

Background And Aims: In the elderly, balance and walking impairments are assumed to play an important role in causing falls. We have assessed prospectively the predictive ability of health, function and balance variables regarding falls and their location.

Methods: Falls which occurred during one year in a random sample of 307 women aged 75 years and over (mean 80.

Use of constraints and surveillance in Norwegian wards for the elderly.

Objective: To describe the use of constraints and surveillance and their correlates in a nationwide sample of wards in institutions for the elderly in Norway.

Methods: Questionnaires were sent to 975 institutions and returned by 623 (64%) with 1398 wards. The wards' head nurses were asked whether any patient was currently subjected to physical restraints, electronic surveillance, force or pressure in medical examination or treatment, and force or pressure in ADL.

Emotional well-being of close relatives to stroke survivors.

Objective: To compare the well-being of stroke patients' relatives with that of a reference group, and to identify variables related to the well-being of the relatives.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Outpatient hospital department and patients' and relatives' own homes.

[Diagnostic imaging techniques in the investigation of dementia].

Background: Neuroimaging can provide valuable information in the diagnostic work-up of patients presenting with suspected dementia.

Material And Methods: Based on our experience from a memory clinic at Ullevål University Hospital in Oslo, Norway and on relevant literature identified on Medline, we give an overview of the use of neuroimaging methods in patients with suspected dementia.

Results And Interpretation: CT of the brain should be offered to all patients with suspected dementia as CT can provide essential diagnostic information regarding focal cerebral pathology (tumour, haemorrhage, normal pressure hydrocephalus).

Validity of the aphasia item from the Scandinavian Stroke Scale.

We studied the validity of the aphasia item of a widely used stroke scale - the Scandinavian Stroke Scale (SSS) - in discriminating between aphasia and normal language function in 33 stroke patients of an acute stroke unit. They were assessed by a nurse using the aphasia item from the SSS and by a speech and language therapist carrying out a full evaluation of the language function. The latter served as the 'gold standard'.

The psychosocial burden on spouses of the elderly with stroke, dementia and Parkinson's disease.

Objective: To characterize the psychosocial burden on spouses living with the elderly suffering from mild dementia, stroke and Parkinson's disease, and to identify patient characteristics associated with it. Materials and methods Data on patient-spouse couples came from three studies of patients with stroke (36 couples), mild dementia (92 couples) and Parkinson's disease (58 couples). The psychosocial burden was recorded by the 15-item Relatives' Stress Scale (RSS).