Factors affecting insufficiency in activity daily living in the elderly.

Background: In a "case-control" study we investigated the correlations among twenty-four clinical signs of "functional impairment" and probability of "activity daily living insufficiency".

Methods: The study involved 788 randomised inpatients, aged 65 years and over, of nineteen long-stay hospitals of an Italian region (Lazio, Rome). We measured self care autonomy, mobility and continence, on a modified Barthel's scale; the score on Barthel's scale, Barthel Index (BI), was correlated to twenty-four signs of "functional impairment" (explicative variables).

[Thyroid gland stimulation test in Reinke's edema. A study of 28 patients].

In order to clarify the correlation between Reinke's oedema and thyreopathies, we performed a study on 28 patients affected by polypoid degeneration of the vocal cords. Every patient had a complete check-up concerning the otorhino-laryngological either endocrinological aspects, in particular blood laboratory tests including the routine ones and RIA for T3, T4, FT3, FT4, hGT, antibodies and TSH under stimulation of the TRH. 22 patients showed to be affected by subclinical hypothyroidism; 5 patients did not show a substantial increase of the TSH to the TRH stimulation; one patient was affected by hypothyroidism.