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Background: The risk of pulmonary embolism (PE) has not been studied in older patients affected by COVID-19. We aimed to assess PE incidence and risk factors in a population of older patients infected with SARS-CoV-2., Methods: An ambispective, observational cohort study. A total of 305 patients ≥ 75 years old had the SARS-CoV-2 infection from March to May 2020. The incidence rate of PE was estimated as the proportion of new cases within the whole sample. Youden's index was used to assess the cutoff point of D-dimer. To select factors associated with the risk of PE, time-to-event analyses were performed using cause-specific hazard models., Results: In total, 305 patients with a median age of 87 years (62.3% female) were studied; 67.9% were referred from nursing homes and 90.4% received any type of anticoagulation. A total of 64.9% showed frailty and 44% presented with dementia. The PE incidence was 5.6%. The cutoff value of a D-dimer level over 2.59 mg/L showed a sensitivity of 82.4% and specificity of 73.8% in discriminating a PE diagnosis. In the multivariate analysis, the factors associated with PE were previous oncological events and D-dimer levels., Conclusions: The PE incidence was 5.6%, and major risk factors for PE were oncological antecedents and increased plasma D-dimer levels.

Aim: We aimed to investigate the impact of delirium on short-term outcomes in hip fracture patients. Special attention was given to patients with delirium and dementia., Methods: A prospective observational cohort study was carried out in hip fracture patients aged ≥70 years who were admitted to a hospital unit where a multicomponents approach to delirium is established for all patients. Our population was split into delirium (n = 212) and non-delirium cohort (n = 171) according to the Confusion Assessment Method. Patients with a previous diagnosis of dementia in an outpatient appointment were also assessed within the delirium cohort. The utility of the rehabilitation was measured with the Absolute Functional Gain index., Results: A total of 383 patients were entered into the study. The median age was 86 years, and most patients were women (78.8%). Delirium patients were older, presented a lower previous Barthel Index (BI), had higher rates of dementia and came more frequently from nursing homes. Comparative analysis did not show differences in mortality, complications, length of stay or walking ability between the cohorts. However, lower BI on discharge, lower Absolute Functional Gain and the presence of nosocomial infections were found more frequently in the delirium cohort. In multivariate analysis, only the BI on discharge (P = 0.010) was lower in delirium patients. Within the delirium cohort, those suffering from dementia had worse BI on discharge (P = 0.017) and lower Absolute Functional Gain (P = 0.019)., Conclusions: Delirium was not associated with mortality, walking ability, length of stay and clinical complications in hip fracture patients. BI on discharge was the only short-term outcome affected. In the delirium cohort, those suffering from dementia showed worse rehabilitation results. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 130-137., (© 2019 Japan Geriatrics Society.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the risk of mortality, functional decline and institutionalization, as well as the hospital cost associated with patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in an Acute Geriatric Unit (AGU)., Material and Methods: We retrospectively gathered data on patients admitted to the AGU over a 5-year period (from 1/1/2001 to 1/1/06). Mortality, institutionalization, functional impairment at discharge, length of hospital stay, and hospital costs were compared between patients with and without MRSA. MRSA infection was documented by the microbiology department using culture and antibiogram, as well as by clinical diagnosis of hospital infection registered in the medical record., Results: Data were obtained from 47 patients with MRSA (mean age 86.15+/-5.5 years) and from 4281 patients without MRSA (mean age 85.25+/-6 years). MRSA-infected patients had higher mortality (25.5% vs. 7.7%, p<0.001), worse functional status at discharge (Barthel index 39.43+/-33.05 vs. 55.24+/-34.99, p<0.01) and more frequent institutionalization (29% vs. 9%, p<0.001). Longer length of hospital stay (22.15+/-13.67 vs. 10.64+/-7.69 days, p<0.001) and higher hospital cost per patient (7517.71+/-4639.59 vs 3611.21+/-2609.98 euro, p<0.001) were also observed. In the multivariate analysis adjusted by age, sex, and baseline functional and cognitive status, MRSA infection was independently associated with higher mortality (OR=3.92; 95% CI=1.95-7.86), worse functional status at discharge (OR=2.48; 95% CI=1.22-5.01), institutionalization at discharge (OR=6.50; 95% CI=2.60-12.22), and substantial increase in length of hospital stay (Beta coefficient=11.55 days; 95% CI=9.32-13.75)., Conclusion: MRSA infection in the AGU is associated with higher mortality, worse functional status at discharge and a higher incidence of institutionalization, as well as significantly longer length of stay and higher hospital costs.