Profile and 3-month evolution of geriatric patients after a hip fracture followed-up at a Fracture Liaison Service (FLS)

IntroductionThere are few studies on Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) that evaluate older patients after a hip fracture (HF) through comprehensive geriatric assessment. We aim to determine these patients’ characteristics, outcomes, and prescribed treatments.MethodsA retrospective observational study of a cohort of patients older than 65 years admitted with HFs to an orthogeriatric unit between February 25th (2013) and December 16th (2016). After hospitalization, those patients with a good baseline social, functional, and cognitive situation were referred to the FLS. A comprehensive geriatric assessment and treatment adjustment were conducted. A comparison between FLS patients and HF patients non-referred was made.ResultsFrom 1887 patients admitted to the orthogeriatric unit, 469 (24.85%) were referred to the FLS. Of those, 328 were women (75.6%) and 337 (77.6%) lived in the community. The FLS patients had a better functional status (96.8% of the patients with independent gait versus 64.8%) than non-FLS patients (p < 0.001). After 3 months in the FLS, 356 (82%) patients had independent gait and had improved their analytical values. Antiosteoporotic treatment was prescribed to 322 patients (74%), vitamin D supplements to 397 (91.5%), calcium to 321 (74%), and physical exercise to 421 (97%).ConclusionsPatients referred to an FLS were younger, with a better functional and cognitive situation. At hospital discharge, they frequently presented gait impairment and laboratory abnormalities (anemia, hypoproteinemia, vitamin D deficiency) that presented good recovery due to the patient's previous baseline. These patients benefit from comprehensive treatment (pharmacological and non-pharmacological).     

El paciente anciano en Urgencias. ¿Es el mejor escenario para la toma de decisiones complejas?

Clinical evaluation of elderly patients must include a comprehensive geriatric assessment. This is vital when deciding if a patient with a demonstrated critical disease should receive an active treatment, defined as the set of measures to treat an acute disease.The clinical outcomes are presented of four elderly patients who were admitted from the Emergency Department and whose severe acute diseases were treated with Comfort Measures Only. During their admission in the Geriatrics Acute Unit, and due to a reported clinical improvement, an active treatment was provided. All patients were discharge from the hospital after a favourable clinical course.     

¿Cuál es el papel de la valoración geriátrica integral en Oncogeriatría?

The growing increase in world population and generalised aging have been accompanied by an increase in the prevalence of cancer in the elderly. Aging is associated with certain physiological changes, some of which are enhanced by the neoplasm itself. Along with this, the elderly oncology patient usually has more problems than the rest of the elderly, and has a multitude of deficits. These characteristics require a special handling of the older patient with cancer, by using the main tool used in Geriatrics, the comprehensive geriatric assessment. This article analyses the importance of the comprehensive geriatric assessment in this population group, paying special attention to its ability to predict the toxicity of chemotherapy and the survival of the elderly oncology, as well as its ability to classify these patients into groups that help in the decision making process.