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Objective Describe who is able to return to driving (RTD) after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), when this occurs, who maintains that activity, and the association with outcome. Design Cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting Eight follow-up sites of the TBI Model Systems (TBIMS) program. Participants 618 participants enrolled in the TBIMS and 88 caregivers (N=706). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures A survey was completed from 1-30 years postinjury focusing on RTD. Descriptors included demographic information, injury severity, and current employment status. Outcome was assessed at the time of the interview, including depression, quality of life, functional status, and community participation. Results Of 706 respondents, 78% (N = 552) RTD, but 14% (N = 77) of these did not maintain that activity. Of those who RTD, 43% (N = 192) did so within 6 months of the injury and 92% did so within 24 months postinjury. The percentage of people driving after TBI did not differ significantly based on age at time of injury or follow-up. There were significant differences between drivers and nondrivers with respect to severity of injury, seizures, race, education, employment, rural vs urban setting, marital status, and family income. We performed a multivariate logistic regression to examine the association between driving status and demographic variables, adjusting for other variables in the model. The strongest associations were with current employment, family income, race, seizures, and severity of injury. Driving was associated with greater community participation, better functional outcomes, fewer symptoms of depression, and greater life satisfaction. Conclusions Over a span of 30 years, three-quarters of people experiencing moderate-to-severe TBI return to driving a personal vehicle, although not everyone maintains this activity. Employment, race, family income, and seizures are strongly associated with RTD.

Describe driving patterns following moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants: Adults (N = 438) with TBI that required inpatient acute rehabilitation who had resumed driving.Cross-sectional, observational design.Eight TBI Model System sites.A driving survey was completed at phone follow-up.Most respondents reported driving daily, although 41% reported driving less than before their injury. Driving patterns were primarily associated with employment, family income, sex, residence, and time since injury, but not injury severity. Confidence in driving was high for most participants and was associated with a perception that the TBI had not diminished driving ability. Lower confidence and perceived loss of ability were associated with altered driving patterns.Most people with moderate-to-severe TBI resume driving but perhaps not at pre-injury or normal levels compared to healthy drivers. Some driving situations are restricted. The relationship between low confidence/perceived loss of ability and driving patterns/restrictions suggests people with TBI are exhibiting some degree of caution consistent with those perceptions. Careful assessment of driving skills and monitoring during early stages of RTD is warranted, particularly for younger, male, and/or single drivers who express higher levels of confidence.

Background: African Americans are at increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) but barriers to optimal clinical care are unclear. Objective: To comprehensively evaluate potential racial differences in the diagnosis and treatment of AD in an academic medical center. Methods: We used the clinical informatics tool, i2b2, to analyze all patient encounters for AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System over a three-year period, examining neuroimaging rates and dementia-related medication use by race and clinic site using ratio tests on contingency tables of stratified patient counts. Results: Enterprise-wide, African Americans were not underrepresented among outpatients seen for AD/MCI. However, there were differences in the clinic setting where visits occurred, with African Americans overrepresented in Geriatrics and primary care clinics and underrepresented in Memory Disorders specialty clinics. There were no racial differences in the rates at which any clinic ordered PET neuroimaging tests or dementia-related medications. However, unsurprisingly, specialty clinics ordered both PET neuroimaging and dementia-related medications at a higher rate than primary care clinics, and overall across the medical enterprise, African Americans were statistically less likely to have PET neuroimaging or dementia-related medications ordered. Conclusion: African Americans with AD/MCI were not underrepresented at this academic medical center but were somewhat less likely to have PET neuroimaging or to be on dementia-related medications, potentially in part from underrepresentation in the specialty clinics where these orders are more likely. The reasons for this underrepresentation in specialty clinics are likely multifactorial and important to better understand.

Background Cross-sectional studies suggest self-reported cancer history is associated with decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, little is known about how self-reported cancer affects longitudinal AD progression, the primary outcome in clinical trials and observational studies. Objective To determine self-reported cancer history's effect on longitudinal AD progression in an observational study. Methods We utilized data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) to evaluate progression to AD by self-reported all-cancer, breast, prostate, colorectal, or non-melanoma skin cancer history. Linear mixed effects models were used to examine baseline differences and rates of progression on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog) by self-reported cancer history. Age at AD onset was examined using consensus clinical diagnoses with Cox proportional hazards regression. Results Among 1,271 participants, models revealed no significant differences in progression over time but did reveal significantly lower baseline ADAS-Cog score, indicating better cognition at a given age in those with self-reported cancer history. Cox models indicated those with self-reported cancer history had significantly later age of AD onset (HR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.53-0.85) after adjustment for covariates. Conclusion Participants with self-reported cancer history entered ADNI with better cognition and later age of AD onset, but progressed similarly to participants without such history, indicating differences in AD between those with and without self-reported cancer history emerge early in the disease course. Such differences in longitudinal progression by self-reported cancer history could affect AD trials and observational studies, given the current focus on early disease course. Further investigation is warranted with detailed longitudinal assessment of cancer and AD.

Background: Use of specialists and recommended drugs has beneficial effects for older adults living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD). Gaps in care may exist for minorities, e.g., Blacks, and especially in the United States (U.S.) Deep South (DS), a poor U.S. region with rising ADRD cases and minority overrepresentation. Currently, we have little understanding of ADRD care utilization in diverse populations in this region and elsewhere in the U.S. (non-DS), and the factors that adversely impact it. Objective: To examine utilization of specialists and ADRD drugs (outcomes) in racial/ethnic groups of older adults with ADRD and the personal or context-level factors affecting these outcomes in DS and non-DS. Methods: We obtained outcomes and personal-level covariates from claims for 127,512 Medicare beneficiaries with ADRD in 2013–2015, and combined county-level data in exploratory factor analysis to define context-level covariates. Adjusted analyses tested significant association of outcomes with Black/White race and other factors in DS and non-DS. Results: Across racial/ethnic groups, 33%–43% in DS and 43%–50% in non-DS used specialists; 47%–55% in DS and 41%–48% in non-DS used ADRD drugs. In adjusted analyses, differences between Blacks and Whites were not significant. Vascular dementia, comorbidities, poverty, and context-level factor “Availability of Medical Resources” were associated with specialist use; Alzheimer’s disease and senile dementia, comorbidities, and specialist use were associated with drug use. In non-DS only, other individual, context-level covariates were associated with the outcomes. Conclusion: We did not observe significant gaps in ADRD care in DS and non-DS; however, research should further examine determinants of low specialist and drug use in these regions.

OBJECTIVE: Examining cultural differences in assessment of cognitive/ functional disability among older Americans is needed. This analysis examined associations between day-to-day function, measured by activities of daily living (ADL), and cognition, measured by CLOX scores, among older African American (AA) and non-Hispanic White (nHW) community-dwelling women and men. METHODS: Design- Cross-sectional Setting- Homes of community-dwelling older adults. Participants- 893 Medicare beneficiaries > 65 living in west-central Alabama, without diagnoses of dementia, who were participants in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Study of Aging, and who had complete data. Measurements- Physical function was assessed by self-reported ADL difficulty; cognitive function by CLOX, a clock drawing-task. Multivariable, linear regression models were used to examine associations within race/sex specific groups. RESULTS: After controlling for socio-demographic factors and comorbidities, CLOX1 scores were inversely and significantly correlated with ADL for AA men (β=−0.205, P= 0.003). CLOX2 scores were similarly associated with ADL and IADL for the total group (β=−0.118, P= 0.001, and β=−0.180, P

OBJECTIVE To examine convergent validity of the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone (BTACT) by determining correlation with established neuropsychological tests, administered an average of 4.4 days apart, in an inpatient traumatic brain injury (TBI) population. SETTING Acute inpatient rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS Fifty-five patients receiving inpatient rehabilitation for new-onset TBI (69.1% male; mean age = 37 years, SD = 14 years). DESIGN Cross-sectional, secondary data analysis. MAIN MEASURES BTACT; California Verbal Learning Test-second edition (CVLT-2); Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV) Digit Span; Trail Making Test; semantic fluency; phonemic fluency; Symbol Digit Modalities Test; Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. RESULTS The BTACT was significantly associated with established neuropsychological tests across composite scores of overall cognition (r = 0.64, P < .001), episodic verbal memory (r = 0.66, P < .001), and executive function (r = 0.56, P < .001). For BTACT subtests, Word List Immediate Recall and Word List Delayed Recall were correlated with CVLT-2 learning trials total score (r = 0.57, P < .01) and long delay free recall (r = 0.60, P < .001), respectively. BTACT Digits Backward correlated with WAIS-IV Digit Span (r = 0.51, P < .01). BTACT Animal Fluency was associated with semantic fluency (r = 0.65, P < .01), phonemic fluency (r = 0.60, P < .01), and Trail Making Test Part B (r = 0.39, P < .01). CONCLUSION BTACT composite scores of overall cognition, verbal memory, and executive function demonstrate initial convergent validity in a TBI inpatient population. Future research should examine validity in a larger sample of individuals with TBI.

OBJECTIVE. To create a larger, more representative community comparison sample of the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone (BTACT) data to facilitate assessment of cognitive function in research studies. SETTING. National U.S. community-based survey. PARTICIPANTS. 6,747 healthy adults aged 23 to 84 years (53% female; mean age = 55 years [SD = 13]). DESIGN. Secondary data analysis of BTACT data collected from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) II and MIDUS Refresher cohorts. MAIN MEASURES. The Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone, a brief (15–20 minute) measure of global cognitive function validated for telephone administration. RESULTS. This paper provides BTACT community comparison sample data based on age, sex, and education from a national sample. Similar to other cognitive measures, BTACT scores decreased with age and increased with education. CONCLUSIONS. The BTACT community comparison sample will facilitate investigation of cognitive functioning in large scale traumatic brain injury research studies, and will support secondary analysis of existing BTACT data gathered through the MIDUS study.

Background/objectives The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Life-Space Assessment (LSA) is a widely used measure of community mobility. To assist clinicians and researchers with assessing the significance of changes in scores, we determined the minimal important change associated with a change in health status. Setting Homes of community-dwelling older adults. Participants A total of 419 African American and non-Hispanic white adults 75 years and older participating in the UAB Study of Aging II, a longitudinal epidemiological study across the state of Alabama. Intervention None. Measurements Linear mixed models were used to compare change in LSA scores over 1-month intervals (N = 9712) between participants reporting improvement, no change, or decline in activities of daily living walking scores, accounting for the correlation among scores for the same participant over time. Results A decline in walking status was associated with a mean decrease in LSA scores of 2.93 points (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.69-4.17 points), indicating lower mobility. An improvement in walking status was associated with a mean increase in LSA scores of 2.51 points (95% CI = 1.26-3.77 points), indicating higher mobility. Conclusion A change in LSA scores of five or more is clinically important, exceeding the 95% CI for the change in LSA associated with change in walking status. Changes exceeding this threshold should prompt further investigation by providers with a goal of preserving mobility. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:565-569, 2019.

This study aimed to determine the proportion of older adults who recovered community mobility after hospitalization and identify factors associated with recovery. Using a random sample of 1,000 Medicare beneficiaries ≥65 years of age, we identified individuals with at least one hospitalization over 8.5 years of follow-up. Data were collected at baseline and every 6 months, including demographics, function, social support, community mobility measured by the UAB Life-Space Assessment (LSA), and overnight hospital admissions. Recovery was defined as a LSA score no more than five points lower than the prehospitalization LSA score at last follow-up. Overall, 339 participants ( M age = 75.4 [ SD = 6.6] years, 44% African American, 48% female) had at least one hospitalization. In the full logistic regression model, younger age ( p = .007) and religious service attendance ( p = .001) remained independently associated with recovery. An understanding of factors associated with recovery after hospitalization may provide a target for future interventions.

Social factors may disparately affect access to food and nutritional risk among older adults by race and gender. This study assesses these associations using the Mini Nutritional Assessment among 414 community-dwelling persons 75+ years of age in Alabama. Descriptive analyses on the full sample and by African American men, African American women, white men, and white women showed that mean scores for the full Mini Nutritional Assessment differed by groups, with African American men and African American women having the highest nutritional risk. Multivariable analyses indicated that social factors affect nutritional risk differently by race and gender. Nutritional risk interventions are warranted for older adults.

Objective The authors investigated potential effects of increased African American participation in Alzheimer disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) clinical trials by examining differences in comorbid conditions and treatment outcome affecting trial design. Methods Using a meta-database of 18 studies from the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study and the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, a cohort of 5,164 subjects were included for whom there were baseline demographic data and information on comorbid disorders, grouped by organ system. Meta-analysis was used to compare prevalence of comorbidities, dropouts, and rates of change on the cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale by race. Clinical trial scenarios similar to recent therapeutic trials were simulated to determine effects of increased African American participation on statistical power. Results Approximately 7% of AD, 4% of MCI, and 11% of normal participants were African American. African American subjects had higher prevalence of cardiovascular disorders (odds ratio: 2.10; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.71–2.57) and higher rate of dropouts (odds ratio: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.15–2.21) compared with whites but lower rates of other disorders. There were no significant differences in rate of progression (–0.862 points/year; 95% CI: −1.89 to 0.162) by race and little effect on power in simulated trials with sample sizes similar to current AD trial designs. Conclusion Increasing African American participation in AD clinical trials will require adaptation of trial protocols to address comorbidities and dropouts. However, increased diversity is unlikely to negatively affect trial outcomes and should be encouraged to promote generalizability of trial results.

Objective: To determine whether decline in life-space mobility predicts increased health care utilization among community-dwelling older adults. Method: Health care utilization (number of emergency department [ED] visits and hospitalizations) was self-reported during monthly interviews among 419 community-dwelling African American and non-Hispanic White adults aged 75 years and older in The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Study of Aging II. Life-space was measured using the UAB Life-Space Assessment. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine associations of life-space at the beginning of each interval with health care utilization over the 1-month interval. Results: Overall, 400 participants were followed for 36 months. A 10-point decrease in life-space was associated with 14% increased odds of an ED visit and/or hospitalization over the next month, adjusting for demographics, transportation difficulty, comorbidity, and having a doctor visit in the last month. Discussion: Life-space is a practical alternative in predicting future health care utilization to performance-based measures, which can be difficult to incorporate into clinical or public health practice.

Objective To examine the neuropsychological correlates of anosognosia for instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia. Method Participants (n = 103; age range = 54–88, 52% female) with MCI and mild dementia were recruited from neurology and geriatrics clinics for cross-sectional analysis. They completed neuropsychological tests along with subjective and performance-based assessments of six IADLs: financial management, driving, grocery shopping, nutrition evaluation, telephone use, and medication management. For each IADL, participants were classified as having anosognosia when there was objective difficulty but no subjective complaints. Results Depending on functional domain, 13–39% of the sample had objective IADL difficulty, and of those, 65–93% lacked insight into these deficits. Binomial logistic regression models controlling for demographic variables revealed that measures of global cognition, executive function, visual attention, and verbal memory predicted classification of anosognosia, and these relationships varied across IADLs. In contrast, basic auditory attention, working memory, depressive symptoms, nor cognitive reserve were significantly related to anosognosia for any IADL. Conclusion Results support the Conscious Awareness Model, which theorizes that accurate metacognitive output is reliant on attentional, memory, and executive functioning systems. Findings from this study suggest that anosognosia for different IADLs may arise from breakdowns at varying points in this model, explaining both inter- and intra-patient variability in self-awareness of functional deficits.

This study examined the relationship between cognitive change and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in a large, national, population-based sample. Cognitive change was assessed via verbal fluency, word list learning (WLL), and word list delayed recall (WLD). Incident cognitive impairment was defined by change in Six-Item Screener (SIS) status over a period of 10 years. Impaired IADL was defined as self-reported difficulty or needing assistance performing any IADL at Year 10. A one-word decrease in WLL over a 10-year span increased the odds of impaired IADL by 16% (95% CI 1.08-1.24) and incident cognitive impairment increased the odds of impaired IADL by 59% (95% CI 1.36-1.85) when adjusting for demographic factors, health-related behaviors, vascular risk factors and disease, and depressive symptoms. Cognitive change most strongly predicted impairment in managing finances (OR 2.47, 95% CI 2.04-3.00) and driving (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.73-2.44).

Performance of instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) can become compromised in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Patients’ level of insight into their everyday functioning varies both amongst individuals and across domains assessed, with some individuals exhibiting complete unawareness of deficits. The current cross-sectional study examined the neuroanatomical substrates of self-awareness in order to help explain the variability in this phenomenon in older adults across a continuum of cognitive impairment. Eighty-five participants (ages 54–88, mean age = 73 years, 57% female, 89% Caucasian) diagnosed with MCI or mild probable dementia underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging. Level of self-awareness was assessed by calculating the discrepancy between objective and subjective performance across six IADLs (Financial Management, Driving, Grocery Shopping, Nutrition Evaluation, Medication Management, and Telephone Use). Over-estimation of current abilities occurred in 13–31% of the sample depending on which IADL was evaluated. Poor awareness was significantly related to reduced volume in the bilateral medial prefrontal cortex, middle and posterior cingulate cortex, right insular cortex, and cerebellum. No associations were found with total white matter lesion load. These findings were broadly consistent across all functional domains assessed, supporting the theory that cortical midline and cerebellar structures are involved in self-referential processing across a variety of different cognitive and behavioral skills. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this association.

BACKGROUND: Tools for efficient evaluation of amyloid-and tau-PET images are needed in both clinical and research settings. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to validate a semi-automated image analysis methodology, called Biomarker Localization, Analysis, Visualization, Extraction, and Registration (BLAzER). We tested BLAzER using two different segmentation platforms, FreeSurfer (FS) and Neuroreader (NR), for regional brain PET quantification in participants in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset. METHODS: 127 amyloid-PET and 55 tau-PET studies with volumetric MRIs were obtained from ADNI. The BLAzER methodology utilizes segmentation of MR images by FS or NR, then visualizes and quantifies regional brain PET data using FDA-cleared software (MIM), enabling quality control to ensure optimal registration and to detect segmentation errors. RESULTS: BLAzER analysis required ~5 min plus segmentation time. BLAzER using FS segmentation showed strong agreement with ADNI for global amyloid-PET standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) (r = 0.9922, p 0.97, p 0.97) and nearly identical dichotomization as amyloid-positive or -negative (2 discrepant cases out of 127). Comparing FS versus NR segmentation with BLAzER, global SUVRs were strongly correlated for amyloid-PET (r = 0.9841, p

OBJECTIVE: To identify neurocognitive predictors of medical decision-making capacity (MDC) in participants with mild and moderate/severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). SETTING: Academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty adult controls and 104 adults with TBI (49 mild, 55 moderate/severe) evaluated within 6 weeks of injury. DESIGN: Prospective cross-sectional study. MAIN MEASURES: Participants completed the Capacity to Consent to Treatment Instrument to assess MDC and a neuropsychological test battery. We used factor analysis to reduce the battery test measures into 4 cognitive composite scores (verbal memory, verbal fluency, academic skills, and processing speed/executive function). We identified cognitive predictors of the 3 most clinically relevant Capacity to Consent to Treatment Instrument consent standards (appreciation, reasoning, and understanding). RESULTS: In controls, academic skills (word reading, arithmetic) and verbal memory predicted understanding; verbal fluency predicted reasoning; and no predictors emerged for appreciation. In the mild TBI group, verbal memory predicted understanding and reasoning, whereas academic skills predicted appreciation. In the moderate/severe TBI group, verbal memory and academic skills predicted understanding; academic skills predicted reasoning; and academic skills and verbal fluency predicted appreciation. CONCLUSIONS: Verbal memory was a predictor of MDC in controls and persons with mild and moderate/severe TBI. In clinical practice, impaired verbal memory could serve as a "red flag" for diminished consent capacity in persons with recent TBI. Language: en

The purpose of this study was to examine the trajectories of life-space before and after the transition to driving cessation among a diverse sample of community-dwelling older adults. Life-space scores and self-reported driving cessation were assessed at annual visits from baseline through Year 6 among participants in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Study of Aging. Approximately 58% of older adults reported having stopped driving during the 6 years of follow-up. After adjusting for potential confounders, results from a random intercept model indicate that mean life-space scores decreased about 1 to 2 points every year ( p = .0011) and approximately 28 points at the time of driving cessation ( p < .0001). The rate of life-space decline post driving cessation was not significantly different from the rate of decline prior to driving cessation. Driving cessation was associated with a precipitous decline in life-space score; however, the driving cessation event did not accelerate the rate of life-space decline.

Symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) impairs walking, but data on the impact of PAD on community mobility is limited. Life-space mobility measures the distance, frequency, and assistance needed as older adults move through geographic areas extending from their bedroom (life-space mobility score: 0) to beyond their town (life-space mobility score: 120). We evaluated the association of PAD with longitudinal life-space mobility trajectory.Participants were part of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Study of Aging, a longitudinal study of community-dwelling older adults who were observed from 2001 to 2009. We limited our analysis to those who survived at least 6 months (N = 981). PAD was based on self-report with verification by physician report and hospital records. Our primary outcome was life-space mobility score assessed every 6 months. A multilevel change model (mixed model) was used to determine the association between PAD and life-space mobility trajectory during a median 7.9 years of follow-up.Participants had a mean age of 75.7 (standard deviation, 6.7) years; 50.5% were female, and 50.4% were African American. PAD prevalence was 10.1%, and 57.1% of participants with PAD died. In participants with both PAD and life-space restriction, defined as life-space mobility score 60, we observed the highest mortality (73.1%). In a multivariable adjusted mixed effects model, participants with PAD had a more rapid decline in life-space mobility by -1.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], -1.9 to -0.24) points per year compared with those without PAD. At 5-year follow-up, model-adjusted mean life-space mobility was 48.1 (95% CI, 43.5-52.7) and 52.4 (95% CI, 50.9-53.8) among those with and without PAD, respectively, corresponding to a restriction in independent life-space mobility at the level of one's neighborhood.Life-space mobility is a novel patient-centered measure of community mobility, and PAD is associated with significant life-space mobility decline among community-dwelling older adults. Further study is needed to mechanistically confirm these findings and to determine whether better recognition and treatment of PAD alter the trajectory of life-space mobility.

The Acute Care for Elders (ACE) Unit model improves cognitive and functional outcomes for hospitalized elders but reaches a small proportion of patients. To disseminate ACE Unit principles, we piloted the "Virtual ACE Intervention" that standardizes care processes for cognition and function without daily geriatrician oversight on two non-ACE units. The Virtual ACE Intervention includes staff training on geriatric assessments for cognition and function and on nurse-driven care algorithms. Completion of the geriatric assessments by nursing staff in patients aged 65 years and older and measures of patient mobility and prevalence of an abnormal delirium screening score were compared preintervention and postintervention. Postintervention, the completion of the assessments for current functional status and delirium improved (62.5% vs. 88.5%, p < .001) and (4.2% vs. 96.5%, p < .001). In a subsample analysis, in the postintervention period, more patients were up to the chair in the past day (36.4% vs. 63.5%, p = .04) and the prevalence of an abnormal delirium screening score was lower (13.6% vs. 4.8%, p = .16). The Virtual ACE Intervention is a feasible model for disseminating ACE Unit principles to non-ACE Units and may lead to increased adherence to care processes and improved clinical outcomes.

Background Life-space is associated with adverse health outcomes in older adults, but its role in health care utilization among individuals with heart failure is not well understood. We examined the relationship between life-space and both emergency department (ED) utilization and hospitalization. Methods Participants were community-dwelling older adults with a verified diagnosis of heart failure who completed a baseline in-home assessment and at least one follow-up telephone interview. Life-space was measured at baseline and at follow-up every 6 months for 8.5 years. Poisson models were used to determine the association between life-space, measured at the beginning of each 6-month interval, and health care utilization, defined as ED utilization or hospitalization in the immediate ensuing 6 months, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical confounders. Results A total of 147 participants contributed 259 total health care utilization events involving an ED visit or a hospital admission. Multivariate analysis demonstrated an inverse association between life-space and health care utilization, where a clinically significant 10-point difference in life-space was independently associated with a 14% higher rate of ED utilization or hospitalization (incidence rate ratio 1.14, 95% CI 1.04-1.26, p = .004). Conclusions Life-space may be a useful identifier of community-dwelling older adults with heart failure at increased risk of ED visits or hospital admissions in the ensuing 6 months. Life-space may therefore be a potentially important component of intervention programs to reduce health care utilization.

To identify approximately 500 cases of incident cognitive impairment (ICI) in a large, national sample adapting an existing cognitive test-based case definition and to examine relationships of vascular risk factors with ICI.Participants were from the REGARDS study, a national sample of 30,239 African-American and White Americans. Participants included in this analysis had normal cognitive screening and no history of stroke at baseline, and at least one follow-up cognitive assessment with a three-test battery (TTB). Regression-based norms were applied to TTB scores to identify cases of ICI. Logistic regression was used to model associations with baseline vascular risk factors.We identified 495 participants with ICI of 17,630 eligible participants. In multivariable modeling, income (OR 1.83 CI 1.27,2.62), stroke belt residence (OR 1.45 CI 1.18,1.78), history of transient ischemic attack (OR 1.90 CI 1.29,2.81), coronary artery disease(OR 1.32 CI 1.02,1.70), diabetes (OR 1.48 CI 1.17,1.87), obesity (OR 1.40 CI 1.05,1.86), and incident stroke (OR 2.73 CI 1.52,4.90) were associated with ICI.We adapted a previously validated cognitive test-based case definition to identify cases of ICI. Many previously identified risk factors were associated with ICI, supporting the criterion-related validity of our definition.

Background Given the complex and progressive nature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a precision medicine approach for diagnosis and treatment requires the identification of patient subgroups with biomedically distinct and actionable phenotype definitions. Methods Longitudinal patient-level data for 1160 AD patients receiving placebo or no treatment with a follow-up of up to 18 months were extracted from an integrated clinical trials dataset. We used latent class mixed modelling (LCMM) to identify patient subgroups demonstrating distinct patterns of change over time in disease severity, as measured by the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale—cognitive subscale score. The optimal number of subgroups (classes) was selected by the model which had the lowest Bayesian Information Criterion. Other patient-level variables were used to define these subgroups’ distinguishing characteristics and to investigate the interactions between patient characteristics and patterns of disease progression. Results The LCMM resulted in three distinct subgroups of patients, with 10.3% in Class 1, 76.5% in Class 2 and 13.2% in Class 3. While all classes demonstrated some degree of cognitive decline, each demonstrated a different pattern of change in cognitive scores, potentially reflecting different subtypes of AD patients. Class 1 represents rapid decliners with a steep decline in cognition over time, and who tended to be younger and better educated. Class 2 represents slow decliners, while Class 3 represents severely impaired slow decliners: patients with a similar rate of decline to Class 2 but with worse baseline cognitive scores. Class 2 demonstrated a significantly higher proportion of patients with a history of statins use; Class 3 showed lower levels of blood monocytes and serum calcium, and higher blood glucose levels. Conclusions Our results, ‘learned’ from clinical data, indicate the existence of at least three subgroups of Alzheimer’s patients, each demonstrating a different trajectory of disease progression. This hypothesis-generating approach has detected distinct AD subgroups that may prove to be discrete endophenotypes linked to specific aetiologies. These findings could enable stratification within a clinical trial or study context, which may help identify new targets for intervention and guide better care. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13195-017-0332-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

OBJECTIVE To examine whether cognitive reserve (CR) attenuates the initial impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on cognitive performance (neural reserve) and results in faster cognitive recovery rates in the first year postinjury (neural compensation), and whether the advantage of CR differs on the basis of the severity of TBI. SETTING Inpatient/outpatient clinics at an academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS Adults with mild TBI (mTBI; n = 28), complicated mild TBI (cmTBI; n = 24), and moderate to severe TBI (msevTBI; n = 57), and demographically matched controls (n = 66). DESIGN Retrospective, longitudinal cohort assessed at 1, 6, and 12 months postinjury. MAIN MEASURES Outcomes were 3 cognitive domains: processing speed/executive function, verbal fluency, and memory. Premorbid IQ, estimated with the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading, served as CR proxy. RESULTS Higher premorbid IQ was associated with better performance on cognitive domains at 1 month postinjury, and the effect of IQ was similarly beneficial for all groups. Cognitive recovery rate was moderated only by TBI severity; those with more severe TBI had faster recovery in the first year. CONCLUSION Results support only the neural reserve theory of CR within a TBI population and indicate that CR is neuroprotective, regardless of the degree of TBI. Higher premorbid CR does not allow for more rapid adaptation and recovery from injury.

The aim of the study was to determine the prospective association between baseline benzodiazepine use and mobility, functioning, and pain among urban and rural African-American and non-Hispanic white community-dwelling older adults. From 1999 to 2001, a cohort of 1,000 community-dwelling adults, aged ≥65 years, representing a random sample of Medicare beneficiaries, stratified by ethnicity, sex, and urban/rural residence were recruited. Benzodiazepine use was assessed at an in-home visit. Every six months thereafter, study outcomes were assessed via telephone for 8.5-years. Mobility was assessed with the Life-Space Assessment. Functioning was quantified with level of difficulty in five basic activities of daily living (ADL: bathing, dressing, transferring, toileting, eating), and six instrumental activities of daily living (shopping, managing money, preparing meals, light and heavy housework, telephone use). Pain was measured by frequency per week and the magnitude of interference with daily tasks. All analytic models were adjusted for relevant covariates and mental health symptoms. After multivariable adjustment, baseline benzodiazepine use was significantly associated with greater difficulty with basic ADL (Estimate = 0.39, 95%CI: 0.04–0.74), and more frequent pain (Estimate = 0.41, 95%CI: 0.09–0.74) in the total sample and declines in mobility among rural residents (Estimate = −0.67, t(5,902)= −1.98, p= .048), over 8.5 years. Benzodiazepine use was prospectively associated with greater risk for basic ADL difficulties and frequent pain among African-American and non-Hispanic white community-dwelling older adults, and life-space mobility declines among rural-dwellers, independently of relevant covariates. These findings highlight the potential long-term negative impact of benzodiazepine use among community-dwelling older adults.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of falls and fractures on life-space mobility in a cohort of community-dwelling older adults. DESIGN: Prospective, observational study with a baseline in-home assessment and 6-month telephone follow-up interviews over 4 years. SETTING: Central Alabama. PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older recruited from a random sample of Medicare beneficiaries stratified according to sex, race, and urban versus rural residence (N = 970). MEASUREMENTS: Sociodemographic factors, medical history, depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale), cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination), mobility-related symptoms, transportation difficulty, and healthcare use were assessed during a baseline in-home interview of participants. Life-space mobility and falls or injuries (including fractures) were assessed at the baseline interview and at 6-month intervals in follow-up telephone calls. RESULTS: Four hundred fifty-four (47%) participants reported at least one fall during the 4-year follow-up. The life-space score fell 3.2 points from the beginning to the end of the 6-month interval during which a fall occurred, adjusting for other known predictors of decline in life-space mobility. The decrease in interval life-space score was progressively greater for a fall and an injury (-4.7 points), a fall and a fracture (-14.2 points), and a fall and a hip fracture (-23.6 points). CONCLUSION: Falls, whether associated with an injury or not, were independently associated with a decrease in life-space mobility in the ensuing 6 months. Further studies are needed to determine reasons for life-space mobility decline in community-dwelling older adults with incident falls without any injuries. Language: en

Objectives: To examine the association between function measured according to activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activ1ities of daily living (IADLs), and cognition assessed according to Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores of older African-American and non-Hispanic white community-dwelling men and women. Design: Cross-sectional study assessing associations between self-reported ADL and IADL difficulty and MMSE scores for race- and sex-specific groups. Setting: Homes of community-dwelling older adults. Participants: A random sample of 974 African-American and non-Hispanic white Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older living in west-central Alabama and participating in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Study of Aging, excluding those with reported diagnoses of dementia or with missing data. Measurements: Function, based on self-reported difficulty in performing ADLs and IADLs, and cognition, using the MMSE. Multivariable linear regression models were used to test the association between function and cognition in race- and sex-specific groups after adjusting for covariates. Results: Mini-Mental State Examination scores were modestly correlated with ADL and IADL difficulty in all four race- and sex-specific groups, with Pearson correlation coefficients ranging from -0.189 for non-Hispanic white women to -0.429 for African-American men. Correlations between MMSE and ADL or IADL difficulty in any of the race- and sex-specific groups were no longer significant after controlling for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities. Conclusion: Mini-Mental State Examination was not significantly associated with functional difficulty in older African-American and non-Hispanic white men and women after adjusting for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities, suggesting a mediating role in the relationship between cognition and function.

Summary Background Asymmetry of hippocampal internal architecture (HIA) has been reported to be a frequent imaging finding in epilepsy patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) who exhibit other signs of hippocampal sclerosis. HIA asymmetry may also be an independent predictor of the side of seizure onset in patients with otherwise normal MRI scans. The study of HIA asymmetry and its relationship to the laterality of TLE would benefit from a reliable method of assessing the clarity of HIA in MRI scans. We propose a visual scoring system that rates HIA clarity from 1 (imperceptible) to 4 (excellent) and report the inter-rater reliability (IRR) of this system. Methods In the initial preliminary phase of this study we examined IRR using a kappa statistic ( κ ) among a mixed group of expert and non-expert reviewers using only a brief description of the scoring system to score single images from a series of patients. In the second phase we explored the effect of training on the use of our HIA scoring system by assessing IRR among neuroimaging experts before and after a brief interactive training session. In this phase, multiple slices from each patient were scored. Separate κ values and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated from the scores given to each hippocampal image and from the asymmetry of scores between left and right for each slice. In the third phase the effect of training on non-expert reviewers was explored using a similar approach as with the expert reviewers. Results In the preliminary phase of the study, HIA scoring of single images showed substantial agreement among expert reviewers ( κ HIA =0.65), fair agreement among non-expert reviewers ( κ HIA =0.27), and a fair to moderate degree of agreement among all the reviewers as a whole ( κ HIA =0.40). In the second phase, prior to training there was substantial agreement among expert reviewers in regard to the individual HIA scores ( κ HIA =0.62; ICC HIA =0.81) but only moderate agreement on the degree of asymmetry ( κ Asym =0.47; ICC Asym =0.71). Training improved agreement on the individual HIA scores ( κ HIA =0.58–0.72; ICC HIA =0.76–0.84) and on the degree of asymmetry ( κ Asym =0.61–0.67; ICC Asym =0.81–0.85). Among non-expert reviewers, scores improved from only a fair degree of agreement pre-training ( κ HIA =0.25, κ Asym =0.25; ICC HIA =0.68, ICC Asym =0.66) to a moderate level of agreement after training ( κ HIA =0.54, κ Asym =0.52; ICC HIA =0.78, ICC Asym =0.81). Conclusions The proposed HIA scoring system has a substantial degree of inter-rater reliability among experienced neuroimaging reviewers. Training improves the detection of asymmetries in HIA score in particular. Non-expert reviewers can employ the system with a moderate degree of reliability, and training has an even greater impact on the improvement of scoring reliability.

Asymmetry of hippocampal internal architecture (HIA) clarity has been suggested to be a sign of hippocampal sclerosis (HS) and is frequently associated with other MRI findings of HS. The goal of this work is to use a previously developed HIA visual scoring system (Ver Hoef et al., 2013) to quantify HIA asymmetry in a retrospective series of consecutive temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients and evaluate its value in predicting laterality of seizure onset both in patients with other signs of HS (HS+) and those without (HS-).The HIA scoring system was used to rate hippocampal asymmetry and to assess the agreement between HIA and seizure lateralization. The median values of the average HIA scores for each hippocampus were compared for HS+ epileptogenic hippocampi, HS- epileptogenic hippocampi, and non-epileptogenic hippocampi with a Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance by ranks. Pair-wise differences between groups were evaluated with the two-tailed Mann-Whitney U test. A logistic regression model examined the utility of average HIA asymmetry score in predicting the true laterality of seizure onset as determined by video-EEG. Sensitivity and specificity are calculated using various asymmetry thresholds in each patient group.Fifty-five patients were identified who met inclusion criteria. Thirteen patients (24%) were found to have hippocampal atrophy and/or signal abnormality indicative of HS (HS+) and 42 did not (HS-). Significant differences were observed in the distribution of individual and average HIA scores between each of the groups of hippocampi, with HS+ hippocampi having the lowest HIA scores and non-epileptogenic hippocampi having the highest. Logistic regression analysis showed that the average HIA asymmetry score was a strong predictor of the laterality of seizure onset (β=3.93508, p0.001). HIA asymmetry remained significant even after adjustment for HS+/HS- status (β=3.8854, p0.001). Among HS- patients, when the average HIA asymmetry score was equal to or exceeded a threshold value of 0.5, the specificity for correctly predicting the side of seizure onset was between 95% and 100% with a sensitivity of 40-45%. Among HS+ patients, a threshold of 0.3 yielded a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 100%.In this report we show for the first time that HIA asymmetry is a significant predictor of the laterality of seizure onset in TLE patients with otherwise normal MRI findings, and that the proposed HIA scoring system has high specificity and moderate sensitivity for lateralizing seizure onset in patients with TLE.

Objectives To determine the relationship between neighborhood-level socioeconomic characteristics, life-space mobility, and incident falls in community-dwelling older adults. Design Prospective, observational cohort study with a baseline in-home assessment and 6-month telephone follow-up. Setting Central Alabama. Participants Community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older recruited from a random sample of Medicare beneficiaries (N = 1,000). Measurements Neighborhood disadvantage was measured using a composite index derived from baseline neighborhood-level residential census tract socioeconomic variables. Data on individual-level socioeconomic characteristics, clinical variables, and life-space collected at baseline were included as covariates in a multivariate model using generalized estimating equations to assess the association with incident falls in the 6 months after baseline. Results Of the 940 participants who completed baseline and follow-up assessments, 126 (13%) reported one or more new falls in the 6 months after baseline. There was an independent nonlinear association between neighborhood disadvantage (according to increasing quartiles of disadvantage) and incident falls after adjusting for confounders: The lowest quartile served as reference; 2nd quartile odds ratio (OR) = 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2–4.6; 3rd quartile OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.0–3.7; 4th quartile OR = 3.2, 95% CI = 1.7–6.0. Each 10-point decrement in life-space (OR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1.0–1.3) was associated with a higher risk of falls. Conclusion Greater neighborhood disadvantage was associated with greater risk of falls. Life-space also contributes separately to fall risk. Community-dwelling older adults in disadvantaged neighborhoods, particularly those with limited mobility, may benefit from a more-rigorous assessment of their fall risk by healthcare providers. Neighborhood level socioeconomic characteristics should also be an important consideration when identifying vulnerable populations that may benefit the most from fall prevention programs.

Objective: To investigate recovery of medical decision-making capacity (MDC) over the first year following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods: A total of 177 participants (111 persons with TBI and 66 healthy controls) were recruited from an inpatient/outpatient TBI rehabilitation unit and outpatient neurology department. Participants with TBI were classified by injury severity into subgroups: mild TBI (mTBI; n = 28), complicated mild TBI (cmTBI; n = 23), and moderate/severe TBI (msevTBI; n = 60). Control and TBI groups were compared at 1 month (t1), 6 months (t2), and 12 months (t3) postinjury using the Capacity to Consent to Treatment Instrument (CCTI), which evaluates MDC using 5 consent standards: expressing choice, reasonable choice, appreciation, reasoning, and understanding. Results: Relative to controls, no TBI group displayed impairment on CCTI expressing choice or reasonable choice at any timepoint. Those with mTBI had reduced appreciation and understanding at t1, which resolved by t2. The cmTBI and msevTBI groups were impaired on all 3 complex consent standards at t1. While patients with cmTBI improved to a level similar to controls by t3, those with msevTBI remained impaired on reasoning and understanding. Across all TBI groups, notable MDC improvement only occurred over the first 6 months postinjury. Conclusions: Over 1 year, most individuals with mTBI or cmTBI regain MDC, while many individuals with msevTBI have lingering deficits in reasoning and comprehension of treatment information. Clinical recovery of MDC occurs primarily during the first 6 months post-TBI regardless of injury severity. Clinicians can therefore identify MDC outcomes in TBI at 6 months postinjury.

OBJECTIVE: The current study sought to determine whether the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR) provides a stable estimate of premorbid intellectual ability in acutely injured patients recovering from traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHOD: A total of 135 participants (43 mild TBI [mTBI], 40 moderate/severe TBI [msevTBI], 52 healthy controls) were administered the WTAR at 1 and 12 months post-injury. RESULTS: Despite similar demographic profiles, participants with msevTBI performed significantly worse than controls on the WTAR at both time points. Moreover, the msevTBI group had a significant improvement in WTAR performance over the 1-year period. In contrast, those participants with mTBI did not significantly differ from healthy controls and both the mTBI and control groups demonstrated stability on the WTAR over time. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that word-reading tests may underestimate premorbid intelligence during the immediate recovery period for patients with msevTBI. Clinicians should consider alternative estimation measures in this TBI subpopulation.© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected]/* */ Language: en

Introduction The rise in ED utilization among older adults is a nursing concern, because emergency nurses are uniquely positioned to have a positive impact on the care of older adults. Symptoms have been associated with ED utilization; however, it remains unclear whether symptoms are the primary reason for ED utilization. The purpose of this study was to describe the self-reported symptoms of community-dwelling older adults prior to accessing the emergency department and to examine the differences in self-reported symptoms among those who did and did not utilize the emergency department. Methods A prospective longitudinal design was used. The sample included 403 community-dwelling older adults aged 75 years and older. Baseline in-home interviews were conducted followed by monthly telephone interviews over 15 months. Results Commonly reported symptoms at baseline included pain, feeling tired, and having shortness of breath. In univariate analysis, pain, shortness of breath, fair/poor well-being, and feeling tired were significantly correlated with ED utilization. In multivariable models, problems with balance and fair/poor well-being were significantly associated with ED utilization. Discussion Several symptoms were common among this cohort of older adults. However, no significant differences were found in the types of symptoms reported by older adults who utilized the emergency department compared with those who did not utilize the emergency department. Based on these findings, it appears that symptoms among community-dwelling older adults may not be the primary reason for ED utilization.

The study purpose was to assess the effects of emergency department visits on mobility as measured by Life-Space Assessment (LSA) scores and to compare life-space trajectories associated with emergency department visit only, hospitalization, and no event.A total of 410 community-dwelling adults aged ≥75 years who were living in the community, were able to communicate by telephone, could schedule an in-home interview, and could answer questions independently were followed from June 2010 to August 2014. In-home baseline and monthly telephone follow-up interviews collected data on LSA scores, emergency department use, and hospitalizations. Life-space is measured using a validated patient-reported tool reflecting community mobility and quality of life. Trajectories of LSA before and after an emergency department visit or hospitalization were compared with no event occurrence.Mean age of participants was 81.7 years (standard deviation, 4.8); 57% were female, and 35% were African American. During 3 years of follow-up, 83 persons (20%) had an emergency department visit without subsequent hospitalization and 164 persons (40%) were hospitalized. Although baseline LSA scores were similar, in the month after an emergency department visit, adjusted LSA scores decreased by 6.1 points (P = .01) in comparison with hospitalized participants who experienced an average decrease of 18.0 points (P.0001). Neither those with an emergency department visit only nor those with hospitalization recovered to their prior level of community mobility. Moreover, those with an emergency department visit showed no significant improvement in LSA scores up to 1 year later.Older adults who experienced an emergency department visit or hospitalization had an associated decrease in community mobility without significant recovery.

Hart T, Hoffman JM, Pretz C, Kennedy R, Clark AN, Brenner LA. A longitudinal study of major and minor depression following traumatic brain injury. Objective To examine patterns of change and factors associated with change in depression, both major (major depressive disorder [MDD]) and minor, between 1 and 2 years after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design Observational prospective longitudinal study. Setting Inpatient rehabilitation centers, with 1- and 2-year follow-up conducted primarily by telephone. Participants Persons with TBI (N=1089) enrolled in the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems database, followed at 1 and 2 years postinjury. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Results Among participants not depressed at 1 year, close to three fourths remained so at 2-year follow-up. However, 26% developed MDD or minor depression between the first and second years postinjury. Over half of participants with MDD at year 1 also reported MDD the following year, with another 22% reporting minor depression; thus three fourths of those with MDD at year 1 experienced clinically significant symptoms at year 2. Almost one third of those with minor depression at year 1 traversed to MDD at year 2. Polytomous logistic regression confirmed that worse depression at year 1 was associated with higher odds of depression a year later. For those without depression at year 1, symptom worsening over time was related to year 2 problematic substance use and lower FIM motor and cognitive scores. For those with depression at year 1, worsening was associated with lower cognitive FIM, poor social support, and preinjury mental health issues including substance abuse. Conclusions Major and minor depression exist on a continuum along which individuals with TBI may traverse over time. Predictors of change differ according to symptom onset. Results highlight importance of long-term monitoring for depression, treating minor as well as major depression, and developing interventions for comorbid depression and substance abuse.

Objective: To determine predictors of family caregiver life satisfaction at one and two years after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods: Prospective collaborative longitudinal study of 336 family members caring for individuals with TBI participating in the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) designated TBI Model Systems of Care (TBIMS). Survivors' medical and demographic information was obtained from the TBIMS database. Follow-up interviews were completed with both survivors and family caregivers at 1 year and 2 years post injury. The primary outcome variable, caregiver life satisfaction, was measured with the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Results: Repeated measures ordinal logistic regression showed that survivors' functional status at discharge, drug use, and neurobehavioral problems were significant predictors of family caregivers' life satisfaction at 1 and 2 years post injury. Conclusions: Family members of individuals with TBI often experience reduced life satisfaction in the first 2 years following their relatives' TBI. Psychiatric and neurobehavioral problems, such as drug use and depression, as well as motor dysfunction in survivors may be important contributors to decreased life satisfaction among their caregivers.

Objective: To examine life-space mobility over 8.5 years among older Black and White male veterans and non-veterans inthe Deep South.Design: A prospective longitudinal study of community-dwelling Black and White male adults aged >65 years (N=501; mean age=74.9; 50% Black and 50% White) enrolled in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Study of Aging. Data from baseline in-home assessments with followup telephone assessments of life-space mobility completed every 6 months were used in linear mixed-effects modeling analyses to examine life-space mobility trajectories.Main outcome measure: Life-space mobility.Results: In comparison to veterans, nonveterans were more likely to be Black, single, and live in rural areas. They also reported lower income and education. Veterans had higher baseline life-space (73.7 vs 64.9 for non-veterans; Psubgroup analyses revealed significant differences in demographics, comorbidity, cognition, and physical function. Relative to Black veterans, there were significantly greater declines in life-space trajectories for White non-veterans (P=.009), but not for White veterans (P=.807) nor Black non-veterans (P=.633). Mortality at 8.5 years was 43.5% for veterans and 49.5% for non-veterans (P=.190) with no significant differences by race-veteran status.Conclusions: Veterans had significantly higher baseline life-space mobility. There were significantly greater declines in lifespacetrajectories for White non-veterans in comparison to other race-veteran subgroups. Black veterans and non-veterans did not have significantly different trajectories.Ethn Dis. 2015;25(3):255-262.

The authors studied factors associated with referral of delirium patients to psychiatry consultation and its outcome implications. Characteristics and treatment outcomes of delirium patients referred to psychiatry were compared with those not referred. Referred patients were younger, had a more hyperactive subtype, greater substance abuse, less comorbid dementia, were more likely to be recognized as having delirium, and be prescribed medications. Improvement in referred patients was indicated by lower readmission rate postdischarge. No differences were noted in length of stay, discharge status, or mortality within 1 year of the index episode. Psychiatric interventions were moderately helpful. Patients' characteristics and delirium subtypes may influence referral and should inform future liaison efforts.

Objective To determine characteristics of patients with complicated mild traumatic brain injury (CMTBI) on the inpatient rehabilitation unit and to accentuate limits of current classification systems for patients with mild TBI. Design Multicenter analysis of individuals with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 13 to 15 (lowest score in 24 h) and positive computed tomography findings admitted to inpatient rehabilitation for TBI. Setting 16 TBI Model System centers funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. Participants 373 adults with CMTBI. Main outcome measures Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and Disability Rating Scale (DRS) scores, length of stay, and medical complications. Results 16% of the sample experienced serious cranial complications (eg, cerebrospinal fluid leak, intracranial hypertension), with seizures being the most common during the course of inpatient rehabilitation. Most patients demonstrated substantial improvements on functional outcome measures during rehabilitation (mean admission FIM 68.2, discharge FIM 100.6; admission DRS 9.1, discharge DRS 4.8). Age, acute length of stay, and FIM score on rehabilitation admission were significant predictors of rehabilitation length of stay. Factors not predictive of rehabilitation duration were GCS score, ethnicity, gender, incidence of fractures, and incidence of cranial/noncranial complications. Conclusion Despite favorable GCS scores, some patients with CMTBI suffer a variety of serious cranial and noncranial complications. Such patients appear to benefit from additional brain injury services offered in inpatient rehabilitation. Further study of the unique treatment needs of these patients is warranted.

BACKGROUND: Effective treatment is necessary to reverse delirium and prevent potentially serious consequences. METHOD: Patients were identified for screening by initial chart review of all consecutive admissions to the general medical or surgical wards at the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital and the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi, between November 2000 and April 2002. Medically ill patients with delirium defined by DSM-IV criteria and a Delirium Rating Scale (DRS) score of >or= 13 were given risperidone, 0.5 mg, twice daily, with additional doses permitted on day 1 for target symptoms. Total day 1 dosage was given daily until the DRS score was

The sensitivity and specificity of the Cognitive Test for Delirium, which was originally developed for use in intensive care units, were tested in a group of patients with traumatic brain injury who were admitted to a neurorehabilitation center. Sixty-five consecutive patients were evaluated weekly by using the DSM-IV criteria for delirium and the Cognitive Test for Delirium. Complete ratings were available for 249 of 304 weekly observations. Analysis of the receiver operating characteristic curve suggested an optimum cutoff score of less than 22 for identification of delirium by using the Cognitive Test for Delirium, with a sensitivity of 72% and a specificity of 71% compared with the DSM-IV diagnosis. The results suggest that the Cognitive Test for Delirium provides an acceptable level of differentiation between delirious and nondelirious patients with traumatic brain injury.

Objectives: To validate the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) Telephone (MMSET) against the MMSE. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Homes of community-dwelling older adults. Participants: African-American and non-Hispanic white adults aged 75 and older participating in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Study of Aging II, a longitudinal epidemiological study across the state of Alabama (N = 419). Measurements: Cognition, measured using the MMSE, MMSET, and Six-Item Screener (SIS), and function, based on self-reported difficulty performing instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Correlation and agreement coefficients were used to examine concordance of the MMSE and MMSET; linear and logistic regressions were used to test associations with clinical outcomes of IADL difficulty and verified diagnoses of dementia. Results: The MMSET showed good internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.845), similar to the full MMSE, and strong correlation with the latter (Spearman ρ = 0.694, P < .001). The MMSET explained a similar proportion of IADL difficulty as the full MMSE (coefficient of variation = 0.201 and 0.189, respectively). The MMSET was also associated with verified dementia diagnoses (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.73), which was similar to the full MMSE. Conclusion: The MMSET is a brief, valid measure of cognition in older adults with psychometric properties similar to that of the full MMSE. Because it can be administered over the telephone, further use in epidemiological studies is promising.

In 2006, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke-Canadian Stroke Network (NINDS-CSN) Vascular Cognitive Impairment Harmonization Standards recommended a 5-Minute Protocol as a brief screening instrument for vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). We report demographically adjusted norms for the 5-Minute Protocol and its relation to other measures of cognitive function and cerebrovascular risk factors. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of 7199 stroke-free adults in the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study on the NINDS-CSN 5-Minute Protocol score. Total scores on the 5-Minute Protocol were inversely correlated with age and positively correlated with years of education, and performance on the Six-Item Screener, Word List Learning, and Animal Fluency (all p-values p p JINS, 2014, 20, 1–12)

Objective To investigate recovery of medical decision-making capacity (MDC) over 6 months in persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) stratified by injury severity. Design Longitudinal study comparing controls and patients with TBI 1 month after injury (t1) and 6 months after injury (t2). Setting Inpatient TBI rehabilitation unit and outpatient neurology department. Participants Participants (N=151) consisted of control subjects (n=60) and patients with TBI (n=91) stratified by injury severity: mild TBI (mTBI; n=27), complicated mild TBI (cmTBI; n=20), and moderate/severe TBI (msevTBI; n=44). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures We used the Capacity to Consent to Treatment Instrument to evaluate MDC performance on 5 consent standards (expressing choice, reasonable choice, appreciation, reasoning, and understanding). We also assigned capacity impairment ratings on the consent standards to each participant with TBI using cut scores referenced to control performance. Results Control performance was stable across time on the consent standards. Patients with mTBI and cmTBI performed below controls on the understanding standard at t1 but not t2. Patients with msevTBI performed below controls on appreciation, reasoning, and understanding at t1, and on appreciation and understanding at t2, but showed substantial improvement over time. Conclusions Regardless of injury severity, all groups with TBI demonstrated baseline impairment of MDC with subsequent partial or full recovery of MDC over a 6-month period. However, a sizeable proportion of individual patients with TBI in each group continued to demonstrate capacity compromise at 6 months postinjury. Clinically, this finding suggests that individuals with TBI, regardless of injury severity, need continued monitoring regarding MDC for at least 6 months after injury.

Purpose Financial capacity (FC) is an instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) critical to independent functioning and sensitive to cognitive impairment in dementia. Little is known about FC in cognitively impaired patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The present study investigated FC in PD patients with prodromal and clinical dementia. Methods Participants were 20 older controls and 35 PD patients who met consensus criteria for either mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI, n = 18) or PD dementia (PDD, n = 17). FC was assessed using a standardized performance based measure consisting of 9 domain and two global scores (Financial Capacity Instrument; FCI) (1). FCI domain and global performance scores were compared across groups. Capacity impairment ratings (no impairment, mild/moderate impairment, severe impairment) were calculated for each PD patient's domain and global scores. Results Relative to controls, PD-MCI patients were impaired on both FCI global scores and domains of basic monetary skills, financial concepts, and investment decision-making. Relative to both controls and PD-MCI patients, PDD patients were impaired on virtually all FCI variables. With respect to impairment ratings, greater than 50% of PD-MCI patients and greater than 90% of PDD patients were classified as either mild/moderate or severely impaired on the two FCI global scores. Conclusions Impairment of financial capacity is already present in PD-MCI and is advanced in PDD. Complex cognitively-mediated IADLs such as financial capacity appear to be impaired early in the course of PD dementia.

Background Life-Space Assessment captures community mobility and social participation and quantifies the distance, frequency, and independence obtained as an older adult moves through his or her environment. Reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is associated with decline in activities of daily living among older adults, but less is known about the association of eGFR with restrictions in mobility. Study Design Prospective observational cohort study. Setting & Participants Community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Study of Aging who had serum creatinine measured during a baseline in-home study visit and completed at least one telephone follow-up (N = 390). Predictor eGFR ≥ 60, 45-59, and 2 . Outcome Life-space mobility trajectory. Measurements Life-space mobility was evaluated by telephone every 6 months for up to 4.5 years using the previously validated Life-Space Assessment. Scores using this tool range from 0-120 (higher scores indicate greater mobility). Results Mean age of the 390 participants was 77.6 ± 5.8 (SD) years, 41% were African American, 50.5% were women; 30.0% had eGFR of 45-59mL/min/1.73m 2 , and 20.2% had eGFR 2 . Age-, race-, and sex-adjusted mean baseline life-space mobility scores were 64.8(95% CI, 62.0-67.6), 63.8 (95% CI, 60.3-67.4), and 58.3 (95% CI, 53.8-62.7) among those with eGFR categories ≥ 60, 45-59, and 2 , respectively. Compared with those with eGFRs ≥ 60mL/min/1.73m 2 , a more rapid decline in life-space mobility was found among those with eGFRs 2 , though this did not reach statistical significance ( P =0.06); a similar effect was not seen among those with eGFRs of 45-59mL/min/1.73m 2 ( P =0.3). Limitations Urinary albumin or longitudinal measures of eGFR were not available. Conclusions eGFR 2 was associated with a trend toward a more rapid decline in life-space mobility among community-dwelling older adults. Findings should be confirmed in a larger population.

Background: The apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 genotype has been recommended as a potential inclusion or exclusion criterion in targeted clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) resulting from AD, and has been implemented in trials of immunotherapeutic agents. Methods: We tested this recommendation with clinical trial simulations using participants from a meta-database of 19 studies to create trial samples with APOE e4 proportions ranging from 0% (all noncarriers) to 100% (all carriers). For each percentage of APOE e4 carriers, we resampled the database randomly for 1000 trials for each trial scenario, planning for 18- or 24-month trials with samples from 50 to 400 patients per treatment or placebo group, up to 40% dropouts, and outcomes on the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale, cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) with effect sizes from 0.15 to 0.75, and calculated statistical power. Results: EnrichmentofclinicaltrialparticipantsbasedonAPOE e4carrierstatusresultedinminimal increases inpower comparedwithenrollingparticipants withtheAPOE e3genotypeonlyorenrolling patients without regard to APOE genotype. Increased screening requirements to enhance the sample would offset gains in power. Conclusions: Although samples enriched for APOE e4 carriers in AD or MCI clinical trials showed slightly more cognitive impairment and greater decline using the number APOE e4 alleles as an inclusion criterion most likely would not result in more efficient trials, and trials would take longer because fewer patients would be available. The APOE e4/eX (where X 5 2, 3 or 4) genotype could be useful, however, as an explanatory variable or covariate if warranted by a drug’s action. 2014 The Alzheimer’s Association. All rights reserved.

Objectives: Aging adults face an increased risk of adverse health events as well as risk for a decrease in personal competencies across multiple domains. These factors may inhibit the ability of an older adult to age in place and may result in a nursing home admission (NHA). This study combines insights from Lawton’s environmental press theory with the neighborhood disadvantage (ND) literature to examine the interaction of the neighborhood environment and individual characteristics on NHA. Methods: Characteristics associated with the likelihood of NHA for community-dwelling older adults were examined using data collected for 8.5 years from the UAB Study of Aging. Logistic regression models were used to test direct effects of ND on NHA for all participants. The sample was then stratified into 3 tiers of ND to examine differences in individual-level factors by level of ND. Results: There was no direct link between living in a disadvantaged neighborhood environment and likelihood of NHA, but physical impairment was associated with NHA for older adults living highly disadvantaged neighborhood environments in contrast to older adults living in less disadvantaged neighborhood environments, where no association was observed. Discussion: These outcomes highlight (a) the usefulness of linking Lawton’s theories of the environment with the ND literature to assess health-related outcomes and (b) the importance of neighborhood environment for older adults’ ability to age in place.