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Serum suPAR associated with disease severity and mortality in elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Song Shan,Jia Qinyao,Chen Xiaoju,Lei Zhen,He Xinrong,Leng Zhenwei,Chen Shaoping Scandinavian journal of clinical and laboratory investigation Severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP) in elderly has more atypical clinical presentation compared to younger patients. Timely recognition could improve clinical care. This study investigated the value of soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) on severity assessment and outcome prediction in elderly patients with CAP. We conducted a prospective, observational study between January 2014 and December 2016. A total of 230 patients ≥65 were enrolled in this study, of which 151 were CAP and 79 were SCAP. Serum suPAR levels were determined by ELISA essays within 24 h after hospitalization. Thirty-day and 1-year mortalities were recorded as outcomes. Serum suPAR level was significantly increased in patients with SCAP. Positive correlation was found between suPAR levels with CURB-65 and PSI score ( = 0.423 and  = 0.489;  < .001 for both). The AUC for suPAR to discriminate SCAP patients from CAP was 0.783 at a cut-off value 4.27 ng/mL. AUCs of suPAR for predicting 30-day and 1-year mortalities were 0.815 (95% CI 0.746-0.866) and 0.820 (95% CI 0.770-0.870). Regression result shows suPAR (≥8.92 ng/mL) was independent factor for 30-day mortality (HR = 2.83, 95% CI 1.04-7.69) and suPAR with cut-off value 6.18 ng/mL could predict 1-year mortality (HR = 2.44, 95% CI 1.09-5.44). suPAR was strongly associated with CAP severity and could be a prognostic indicator for 1-year survival in elderly. 10.1080/00365513.2020.1795920
Frailty Characteristics Predict Respiratory Failure in Patients Undergoing Tracheobronchoplasty. Buitrago Daniel H,Gangadharan Sidhu P,Majid Adnan,Kent Michael S,Alape Daniel,Wilson Jennifer L,Parikh Mihir S,Kim Dae H The Annals of thoracic surgery BACKGROUND:Respiratory complications are the leading cause of morbidity in patients undergoing tracheobronchoplasty, yet risk stratification systems on this population are insufficient. We investigated the association between frailty and risk of major respiratory complications after tracheobronchoplasty. METHODS:A retrospective review was made of 161 consecutive tracheobronchoplasties (October 2002 to September 2016). A frailty index was developed by the deficit-accumulation approach comprising 26 multidomain preoperative variables. The main outcome was a composite endpoint of major respiratory complications within 30 days of surgery. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated using logistic regression. RESULTS:The cohort consisted of 103 women (64%), median age of 58 years (interquartile range, 51 to 66) and median FI of 0.25 (interquartile range, 0.1 to 0.3). Forty-eight patients (30%) had respiratory complications, the most common being respiratory failure (n = 27, 16.8%) and pneumonia (n = 25, 15.5%). Severe frailty (frailty index ≥0.33) was strongly associated with major respiratory complications (73.8% versus 2.5%; OR 58.8, 95% CI: 9.6 to 358.3). The association with severe frailty appeared stronger for respiratory failure (47.6% versus 2.5%; OR 30, 95% CI: 4.7 to 189.9) than for pneumonia (40.5% versus 0%; OR 35.2. 95% CI: 2.0 to 599.8). Further adjustment for intraoperative crystalloid volume or forced expiratory volume in 1 second moderately attenuated the association between frailty with major respiratory complications (OR 17.4. 95% CI: 2.0 to 150.8), respiratory failure (OR 13.1, 95% CI: 1.7 to 95.8), and pneumonia (OR 20.1, 95% CI: 1.1 to 341.8). CONCLUSIONS:Frailty, as indicated by frailty index, was associated with major respiratory complications, particularly respiratory failure after tracheobronchoplasty. Preoperative identification of frailty may help guide decision making for patients considering this effective, although arduous procedure. 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2018.05.065
Frailty and Mortality in Hospitalized Older Adults With COVID-19: Retrospective Observational Study. De Smet Robert,Mellaerts Bea,Vandewinckele Hannelore,Lybeert Peter,Frans Eric,Ombelet Sara,Lemahieu Wim,Symons Rolf,Ho Erwin,Frans Johan,Smismans Annick,Laurent Michaël R Journal of the American Medical Directors Association OBJECTIVES:To determine the association between frailty and short-term mortality in older adults hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). DESIGN:Retrospective single-center observational study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS:Eighty-one patients with COVID-19 confirmed by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), at the Geriatrics department of a general hospital in Belgium. MEASUREMENTS:Frailty was graded according to the Rockwood Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS). Demographic, biochemical, and radiologic variables, comorbidities, symptoms, and treatment were extracted from electronic medical records. RESULTS:Participants (N = 48 women, 59%) had a median age of 85 years (range 65-97 years) and a median CFS score of 7 (range 2-9); 42 (52%) were long-term care residents. Within 6 weeks, 18 patients died. Mortality was significantly but weakly associated with age (Spearman r = 0.241, P = .03) and CFS score (r = 0.282, P = .011), baseline lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; r = 0.301, P = .009), lymphocyte count (r = -0.262, P = .02), and RT-PCR cycle threshold (Ct, r = -0.285, P = .015). Mortality was not associated with long-term care residence, dementia, delirium, or polypharmacy. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, CFS, LDH, and RT-PCR Ct (but not age) remained independently associated with mortality. Both age and frailty had poor specificity to predict survival. A multivariable model combining age, CFS, LDH, and viral load significantly predicted survival. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS:Although their prognosis is worse, even the oldest and most severely frail patients may benefit from hospitalization for COVID-19, if sufficient resources are available. 10.1016/j.jamda.2020.06.008
Frailty Screening (FRAIL-NH) and Mortality in French Nursing Homes: Results From the Incidence of Pneumonia and Related Consequences in Nursing Home Residents Study. De Silva Thanuja R,Theou Olga,Vellas Bruno,Cesari Matteo,Visvanathan Renuka Journal of the American Medical Directors Association OBJECTIVES:To investigate the ability of the fatigue, resistance, ambulation, incontinence or illness, loss of weight, nutritional approach, and help with dressing (FRAIL-NH) tool to predict mortality. DESIGN:The Incidence of Pneumonia and Related Consequences in Nursing Home Residents (INCUR) study database was used. This was an observational cohort study in French nursing homes conducted over 12 months in 2012. PARTICIPANTS:A total of 788 residents aged 60 years or older, from 13 randomly selected French nursing homes. MEASUREMENTS:FRAIL-NH was generated from the available variables at baseline. FRAIL-NH scores ranged from 0 to 14 and people were categorized as nonfrail (0‒1), frail (2‒5), and most frail (6‒14). Mortality data were obtained from medical charts and confirmed by the nursing home administrative documentation. RESULTS:Mean age of the participants was 86.2 ± 7.5 years, and 74.5% were women. The prevalence of persons with FRAIL-NH score greater than 1 was 88.8%, with 54.2% and 34.6% of residents identified as most frail and frail, respectively. The mean FRAIL-NH score was 6.0 ± 3.4. Women (N = 583) were frailer (6.1 ± 3.4) than men (N = 200, 5.5 ± 3.4; P = .027). Overall, 136 residents died over the 1-year follow-up period. The FRAIL-NH score was a predictor of mortality (adjusted hazard ratios: for frail group 1.15, 95% confidence interval 0.55‒2.41; for most frail group 2.14, 95% confidence interval 1.07‒ 4.27). CONCLUSIONS:FRAIL-NH is a predictor of mortality in nursing home residents and the score could assist with guiding appropriate care planning. 10.1016/j.jamda.2017.12.101
The effect of frailty on survival in patients with COVID-19 (COPE): a multicentre, European, observational cohort study. Hewitt Jonathan,Carter Ben,Vilches-Moraga Arturo,Quinn Terence J,Braude Philip,Verduri Alessia,Pearce Lyndsay,Stechman Michael,Short Roxanna,Price Angeline,Collins Jemima T,Bruce Eilidh,Einarsson Alice,Rickard Frances,Mitchell Emma,Holloway Mark,Hesford James,Barlow-Pay Fenella,Clini Enrico,Myint Phyo K,Moug Susan J,McCarthy Kathryn, The Lancet. Public health BACKGROUND:The COVID-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented strain on health-care systems. Frailty is being used in clinical decision making for patients with COVID-19, yet the prevalence and effect of frailty in people with COVID-19 is not known. In the COVID-19 in Older PEople (COPE) study we aimed to establish the prevalence of frailty in patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to hospital and investigate its association with mortality and duration of hospital stay. METHODS:This was an observational cohort study conducted at ten hospitals in the UK and one in Italy. All adults (≥18 years) admitted to participating hospitals with COVID-19 were included. Patients with incomplete hospital records were excluded. The study analysed routinely generated hospital data for patients with COVID-19. Frailty was assessed by specialist COVID-19 teams using the clinical frailty scale (CFS) and patients were grouped according to their score (1-2=fit; 3-4=vulnerable, but not frail; 5-6=initial signs of frailty but with some degree of independence; and 7-9=severe or very severe frailty). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality (time from hospital admission to mortality and day-7 mortality). FINDINGS:Between Feb 27, and April 28, 2020, we enrolled 1564 patients with COVID-19. The median age was 74 years (IQR 61-83); 903 (57·7%) were men and 661 (42·3%) were women; 425 (27·2%) had died at data cutoff (April 28, 2020). 772 (49·4%) were classed as frail (CFS 5-8) and 27 (1·7%) were classed as terminally ill (CFS 9). Compared with CFS 1-2, the adjusted hazard ratios for time from hospital admission to death were 1·55 (95% CI 1·00-2·41) for CFS 3-4, 1·83 (1·15-2·91) for CFS 5-6, and 2·39 (1·50-3·81) for CFS 7-9, and adjusted odds ratios for day-7 mortality were 1·22 (95% CI 0·63-2·38) for CFS 3-4, 1·62 (0·81-3·26) for CFS 5-6, and 3·12 (1·56-6·24) for CFS 7-9. INTERPRETATION:In a large population of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19, disease outcomes were better predicted by frailty than either age or comorbidity. Our results support the use of CFS to inform decision making about medical care in adult patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. FUNDING:None. 10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30146-8
Frailty and outcomes from pneumonia in critical illness: a population-based cohort study. Darvall Jai N,Bellomo Rinaldo,Bailey Michael,Paul Eldho,Young Paul J,Rockwood Kenneth,Pilcher David British journal of anaesthesia BACKGROUND:A threshold Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) of 5 (indicating mild frailty) has been proposed to guide ICU admission for UK patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. However, the impact of frailty on mortality with (non-COVID-19) pneumonia in critical illness is unknown. We examined the triage utility of the CFS in patients with pneumonia requiring ICU. METHODS:We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult patients admitted with pneumonia to 170 ICUs in Australia and New Zealand from January 1, 2018 to September 31, 2019. We classified patients as: non-frail (CFS 1-4) frail (CFS 5-8), mild/moderately frail (CFS 5-6),and severe/very severely frail (CFS 7-8). We evaluated mortality (primary outcome) adjusting for site, age, sex, mechanical ventilation, pneumonia type and illness severity. We also compared the proportion of ICU bed-days occupied between frailty categories. RESULTS:1852/5607 (33%) patients were classified as frail, including1291/3056 (42%) of patients aged >65 yr, who would potentially be excluded from ICU admission under UK-based COVID-19 triage guidelines. Only severe/very severe frailty scores were associated with mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] for CFS=7: 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-7.8; CFS=8 [aOR: 7.2; 95% CI: 2.6-20.0]). These patients accounted for 7% of ICU bed days. Vulnerability (CFS=4) and mild frailty (CFS=5) were associated with a similar mortality risk (CFS=4 [OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 0.7-3.8]; CFS=5 [OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 0.7-3.9]). CONCLUSIONS:Patients with severe and very severe frailty account for relatively few ICU bed days as a result of pneumonia, whilst adjusted mortality analysis indicated little difference in risk between patients in vulnerable, mild, and moderate frailty categories. These data do not support CFS ≥5 to guide ICU admission for pneumonia. 10.1016/j.bja.2020.07.049