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IntroductionGeriatric syndrome (GS) increases risk of disability and mortality in older adults. Sarcopenia is a predominant illness of GS and accelerate its progression. This study aimed to investigate associations between mortality, emergency department (ED) re-visits and GS-related illnesses among older adults who visited the ED.MethodThis retrospective observational study enrolled elderly patients who visited the ED in our hospital between January 2018 and October 2020. Patients were evaluated for potential sarcopenia, which was defined by both low handgrip strength and calf circumference. Follow-up was at least 6 months. Data of age, gender, mortality, ED re-visits, and GS-related illnesses were collected and analyzed for associations.ResultsA total of 273 older adults aged 74 years or older were included, of whom 194 were diagnosed with possible sarcopenia. Older adults with possible sarcopenia also had significantly lower body mass index (BMI); a higher proportion needed assistance with daily activities; more had malnutrition, frailty, and history of falls (all p < 0.001) and acute decline in activities of daily living (p = 0.027). Multivariate analysis showed that possible sarcopenia [adjusted hazard ratio, aHR): 9.89, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.17–83.81, p = 0.036], living in residential institutions (aHR: 2.85, 95% CI: 1.08–7.50, p = 0.034), and frailty (aHR: 7.30, 95% CI: 1.20–44.62, p = 0.031) were associated with mortality. Aged over 85 years (adjusted odds ratio: 2.44, 95% CI: 1.25–4.80, p = 0.02) was associated with ED re-visits.ConclusionSarcopenia is associated with mortality among older adults who visit ED. Initial screening for sarcopenia and relevant risk factors among older adults in the ED may help with early intervention for those at high-risk and may improve their prognosis.

ImportanceAlthough influenza vaccination has been associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), the findings among studies of older adult populations are inconsistent.ObjectiveTo determine the risk of GBS after influenza vaccination among older adults.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cross-sectional study incorporated a self-controlled case series design. Days 1 to 7, days 1 to 14, and days 1 to 42 after influenza vaccination were identified as risk intervals; days 8 to 180, days 15 to 180, and days 43 to 180 comprised the corresponding control interval. Population-based data were obtained from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance research database between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2017. Data were analyzed from November 1, 2021, through February 28, 2022. Adults 65 years or older who developed GBS within 180 days after influenza vaccination were enrolled.ExposureGovernment-funded seasonal influenza vaccination.Main Outcomes and MeasuresOnset of GBS during risk intervals after influenza vaccination compared with control intervals using Poisson regression to calculate incidence rate ratio (IRR).ResultsOf 13 482 122 adults aged 65 years or older who received an influenza vaccination, 374 were hospitalized for GBS. The mean (SD) age of the study population was 75.0 (6.1) years; 215 (57.5%) were men and 159 (42.5%) were women. In terms of comorbidities, 33 adults (8.8%) had cancer and 4 (1.1%) had autoimmune diseases. The IRRs for GBS during days 1 to 7, days 1 to 14, and days 1 to 42 were 0.95 (95% CI, 0.55-1.61; P = .84), 0.87 (95% CI, 0.58-1.29; P = .48), and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.72-1.17; P = .49), respectively. No results showed statistical significance. Similarly, no significant differences in IRRs were noted for the overall risk interval (ie, days 1-42) in subgroup analyses pertaining to different age groups (65-74 years [0.93 (95% CI, 0.66-1.31)], 75-84 years [0.85 (95% CI, 0.58-1.26)], and ≥85 years [1.10 (95% CI, 0.57-2.11)]), sex (men, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.71-1.33; P = .87]; women, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.58-1.23; P = .39]), Charlson Comorbidity Index (1.03 [95% CI, 0.77-1.38; P = .84]), or comorbidities (cancer, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.28-1.64; P = .39]; autoimmune disease, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.11-10.53; P = .94]).Conclusions and RelevanceThese findings suggest that influenza vaccination did not increase the risk of GBS among adults aged 65 years or older in Taiwan regardless of postvaccination period or underlying characteristics.

Cerebrovascular disease is the second commonest cause of mortality globally and among the commonest causes of disability. However, research executed to probe the heavy metal exposure-stroke incidence relationship is scarce. Accordingly, we executed our study to probe the relationship of heavy metal concentrations (ie, concentrations of lead [Pb], mercury [Hg], cadmium [Cd], and arsenic) in the serum and urine of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with several patient variables.For enrollment, we chose patients who had a first AIS within 7 days after the onset of a stroke. Thus, 33 newly diagnosed patients with AIS were recruited. We determined the aforementioned metals' concentrations by executing inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. We also gauged the association between such metal concentrations and patient variables by employing Spearman correlation coefficient. To examine the differences in metal concentrations between the different variables, we implemented an independent Mann-Whitney U test.In our cohort analysis, we noted serum Pb and Cd concentrations to be positively correlated with serum creatinine and hemoglobin. Serum and urine Cd concentrations had a negative correlation with impaired HbA1c in AIS patients. Urine Hg had a positive correlation with C-reactive protein in the participants. Participants who smoked or consumed alcohol had significantly higher Pb and Cd levels in serum than did those who neither smoked nor drank. Patients with AIS who smoked or consumed alcohol had high levels of serum Pb and serum Cd than did those who did not. Patients with AIS who consumed alcohol had significantly higher Pb and Hg urine concentrations than did those who did not.Our study indicated that serum Cd and Pb elevation increased the AIS risk in southern Taiwan patients.

Background and aims Renal dysfunction is a potent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, including stroke. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of admission estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) levels on short-term (1-month) and long-term (1-year) mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods From the Taiwan Stroke Registry data, we classified ischemic stroke patients, identified from April 2006 to December 2015, into 5 groups by eGFR at admission: ≥ 90, 60–89, 30–59, 15–29, and Results Among 52,732 ischemic stroke patients, 1480 died within one month. The 1-month mortality rate was over 5-fold greater in patients with eGFR Conclusions After acute ischemic stroke, patients with reduced eGFR are at elevated risks of short-term and long-term deaths in a graded relationship.

We investigated the impact of serum cholesterol levels on 30-day mortality after ischemic stroke in dialysis patients.From the Taiwan Stroke Registry data, we identified 46,770 ischemic stroke cases, including 1101 dialysis patients and 45,669 nondialysis patients from 2006 to 2013.Overall, the 30-day mortality was 1.46-fold greater in the dialysis group than in the nondialysis group (1.75 versus 1.20 per 1000 person-days). The mortality rates were 1.64, .62, 2.82, and 2.23 per 1000 person-days in dialysis patients with serum total cholesterol levels of 120 mg/dL, 120-159 mg/dL, 160-199 mg/dL, and ≥200 mg/dL, respectively. Compared to dialysis patients with serum total cholesterol levels of 120-159 mg/dL, the corresponding adjusted hazard ratios of mortality were 4.20 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-17.4), 8.06 (95% CI = 2.02-32.2), and 6.89 (95% CI = 1.59-29.8) for those with cholesterol levels of 120 mg/dL, 160-199 mg/dL, and ≥200 mg/dL, respectively.Dialysis patients with serum total cholesterol levels of ≥160 mg/dL or 120 mg/dL on admission are at an elevated hazard of 30-day mortality after ischemic stroke.

Objective The objective of this study is to determine whether hypothermia will lessen decreases in heart rate variability and improve outcome in a rat model of sepsis. Methods Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into 3 groups: control, low sepsis, and high sepsis groups. These groups were each subdivided into a normothermia (37°C) (n = 6) and a hypothermia group (34°C) (n = 6). Cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg) was administered 5 days before Staphylococcus aureus injection to produce conditions in which sepsis could be induced reliably. Hypothermic rats received temperature reduction for 1 hour post injection. Electrocardiogram was recorded before, after, and 1 day after staphylococcal injection, and the low frequency, high frequency (HF), and LF/HF ratio measurements of heart rate variability and the frequencies of arrhythmia were recorded. The effects of time, sepsis severity, and hypothermia on these variables were analyzed using a multivariate generalized estimation equation mode. Results Four deaths occurred in the normothermic group, and none, in the hypothermic group. Sepsis of both low and high severity increased low frequency and HF 1 day after sepsis induction. Hypothermia significantly decreased HF in low, but not high sepsis severity. Conclusions Hypothermia decreased mortality in septic rats. The influence of hypothermia on HF depended on the severity of the sepsis.