AI Article Synopsis

  • The G8 screening test is used to assess the vulnerability of older cancer patients before undergoing head and neck cancer (HNC) surgery.
  • A study of 90 patients aged 65 and older found that 64% were deemed vulnerable, impacting their post-operative outcomes such as longer hospital stays and increased dependency on feeding tubes.
  • The G8 test reliably predicts these outcomes, indicating its potential as a valuable tool for improving care for older adults after HNC surgery.

Article Abstract

Objectives: The G8 is a well-validated screening test for older cancer patients. The current study was undertaken to determine whether the G8 is predictive of short-term post-operative outcomes after head and neck cancer (HNC) surgery.

Methods: Consecutive patients aged 65 years or more and referred for a preoperative assessment by a speech-language pathologist were consecutively screened by clinicians at 2 academic medical centers using the G8. The G8 was used to screen for vulnerability prior to surgery. Patients were deemed vulnerable if they had a total G8 score ≤14 according to published guidelines. Data were also collected on demographic characteristics, tumor staging, post-operative course, and tracheostomy and feeding tube (FT) status.

Results: Ninety patients were consecutively screened during the study period. Using the G8, 64% of the patients were deemed vulnerable. Vulnerable patients differed significantly from non-vulnerable patients with regard to age, health, tumor stage, and baseline dysphagia, and underwent more extensive surgery. Postoperatively, vulnerable patients had a significantly longer hospital length of stay (LOS; 10.17 vs 5.50 days, respectively,  < .001), were less likely to discharge home (76% vs 94%,  = .044), and were more likely to be FT dependent for over a month (54% vs 21%,  = .006) compared to non-vulnerable patients. In regression models, controlling for T-stage and surgical variables, the G8 independently predicted 2 post-operative outcomes of interest, namely LOS and FT dependency.

Conclusions: The G8 may be a useful screening tool for identifying older adults at risk of a protracted postoperative medical course after HNC surgery. Future research should aim to identify the optimal screening protocol and how this information can be incorporated into clinical pathways to enhance the post-operative outcomes of older HNC patients.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/00034894231191869DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

patients
9
head neck
8
neck cancer
8
cancer patients
8
consecutively screened
8
patients deemed
8
deemed vulnerable
8
vulnerable patients
8
geriatric screening
4
screening tool
4

Similar Publications

A multisite validation of brain white matter pathways of resilience to chronic back pain.

Elife

December 2024

Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.

Chronic back pain (CBP) is a global health concern with significant societal and economic burden. While various predictors of back pain chronicity have been proposed, including demographic and psychosocial factors, neuroimaging studies have pointed to brain characteristics as predictors of CBP. However, large-scale, multisite validation of these predictors is currently lacking.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Predicting Time in Range Without Hypoglycaemia Using a Risk Calculator for Intermittently Scanned CGM in Type 1 Diabetes.

Endocrinol Diabetes Metab

January 2025

Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.

Purpose: To investigate the impact of clinical and socio-economic factors on glycaemic control and construct statistical models to predict optimal glycaemic control (OGC) after implementing intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring (isCGM) systems.

Methods: This retrospective study included 1072 type 1 diabetes patients (49.0% female) from three centres using isCGM systems.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Uric acid (UA) plays an important role in cardiovascular diseases, yet its implications in elderly patients remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to explore the impact of UA on the prognosis in advanced-age patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods: We included 526 patients aged 80 and older who were diagnosed with ACS.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau's high-altitude setting is characterized by intense solar ultraviolet radiation, a significant environmental stressor that frequently leads to skin barrier damage. This damage presents clinically as erythema, itching, and desquamation, underscoring the need for effective reparative interventions.

Aims: The objective of this study was to assess the therapeutic efficacy of a novel treatment protocol that integrates non-crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA) injection with microneedle application of human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) for the restoration of skin barrier function in regions of high altitude.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: To examine the role of cultural safety within a human rights-based approach to improving the health of Indigenous Peoples.

Design: Guided by Askey and O'Malley's scoping review framework, the literature was examined on cultural safety and prioritised Indigenous voices to inform culturally safe practices. Relevant literature from 2009 to 2021 was included.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Notice

Message: fwrite(): Write of 34 bytes failed with errno=28 No space left on device

Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php

Line Number: 272

Backtrace:

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: session_write_close(): Failed to write session data using user defined save handler. (session.save_path: /var/lib/php/sessions)

Filename: Unknown

Line Number: 0

Backtrace: