The evidence for introducing case-finding for delirium and dementia in older medical inpatients in a New Zealand hospital

Objective The aim of this project was to make the case to the managers of a large urban teaching hospital in New Zealand for the introduction of systematic case-finding for pre-existing cognitive impairment/dementia in older hospital inpatients that screen positive for delirium. Method Two hundred consecutive acute admissions aged 75+ in four medical wards were assessed using the 4AT assessment tool for delirium and the Alzheimer Questionnaire (AQ) for pre-existing cognitive impairment/dementia. Length of stay and mortality at 1 year were also collected. Results Over a third of the sample screened positive for delirium and nearly two-thirds of these also screened positive for dementia. The median length of stay was 5 days for delirium without dementia and 7 days for delirium with dementia, compared to 3 days for those who screened negative for both. After adjustment for age, gender and ethnic group, people who screened positive for delirium (with or without dementia) had 50% longer length of stay ( p < 0.05) and at least double the risk of death ( p < 0.05). Conclusion Older hospital inpatients that screen positive for delirium and dementia using 4AT and AQ have longer lengths of stay and higher mortality. Identification may lead to more timely interventions that help to improve health outcomes and reduce hospital costs.

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Use of linked electronic health records to assess mortality and length of stay associated with pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 at a UK teaching hospital

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268814002076 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 143 (6) ◽

pp. 1125-1128 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

C. Smith ◽

M. D. Curran ◽

I. Roddick ◽

M. Reacher

Keyword(s):

Length Of Stay ◽

Teaching Hospital ◽

Influenza A ◽

Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽

Hospital Data ◽

Adjusted Risk ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Lengths Of Stay ◽

Multiplex Pcr Assay ◽

Influenza A H1n1

SUMMARYEffective use of data linkage is becoming an increasingly important focus in the new healthcare system in England. We linked data from the results of a multiplex PCR assay for respiratory viruses for a population of 230 inpatients at a UK teaching hospital with their patient administrative system records in order to compare the mortality and length of stay of patients who tested positive for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 with those positive for another influenza A virus. The results indicated a reduced risk of death among influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 patients compared to other influenza A strains, with an adjusted risk ratio of 0·25 (95% confidence interval 0·08–0·75, P = 0·01), while no significant differences were found between the lengths of stay in the hospital for these two groups. Further development of such methods to link hospital data in a routine fashion could provide a rapid means of gaining epidemiological insights into emerging infectious diseases.

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Carotid Endarterectomy: Update on the Gold Standard Treatment for Carotid Stenosis

The American Surgeon ◽

10.1177/000313480507100806 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 71 (8) ◽

pp. 647-652 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Nancy L. Harthun ◽

A.J. Baglioni ◽

Gail L. Kongable ◽

Timothy D. Meakem ◽

Kenneth J. Cherry

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trials ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Carotid Endarterectomy ◽

Randomized Clinical Trials ◽

Hospital Costs ◽

Carotid Stenting ◽

Veterans Administration ◽

Lengths Of Stay ◽

Related Group ◽

Median Hospital

Many prospective, randomized clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) versus medical management in the prevention of ischemic stroke were performed in the 1990s. Clinical trials are underway that will compare CEA outcomes to carotid stenting; however, relatively few studies have examined the outcomes of modern CEA. The purpose of this report is to examine current outcomes of CEA and evaluate hospital costs and length of stay. Statewide results were collected for all hospitals, except Veterans Administration hospitals, by Virginia Health Information (VHI). Data for the years 1997–2001 were evaluated, and data were based on the All Patient Refined Diagnostic Related Group (APR-DRG; 3M Company). A total of 14,095 CEAs were performed in a 5-year period. The mortality of patients undergoing CEA was 0.5 per cent. The stroke rate was 1 per cent overall and decreased each year of the study. Mean and median lengths of hospital stay were 3 and 2 days, respectively. Length of stay decreased over the course of this study. Mean and median hospital costs were $14,331 and $11,268. Higher rates of mortality and stroke and higher costs were observed at low-volume hospitals. The need for CEA is substantial. CEA is safe and inexpensive. The data presented here demonstrates continued refinement in CEA, leading to a very low rate of perioperative adverse events, declining lengths of stay, and low hospital costs.

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Differences in Hospital Costs among Octogenarians and Nonagenarians Following Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty

Geriatrics ◽

10.3390/geriatrics6010026 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 26

Author(s):

Christopher Fang ◽

Andrew Hagar ◽

Matthew Gordon ◽

Carl T. Talmo ◽

David A. Mattingly ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Length Of Stay ◽

Total Joint Arthroplasty ◽

Hospital Costs ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Joint Arthroplasty ◽

Nursing Facilities ◽

Activity Based Costing ◽

Skilled Nursing ◽

Value Based Care ◽

Hospital Expenses

The proportion of patients over the age of 90 years continues to grow, and the anticipated demand for total joint arthroplasty (TJA) in this population is expected to rise concomitantly. As the country shifts to alternative reimbursement models, data regarding hospital expenses is needed for accurate risk-adjusted stratification. The aim of this study was to compare total in-hospital costs following primary TJA in octogenarians and nonagenarians, and to determine the primary drivers of cost. This was a retrospective analysis from a single institution in the U.S. We used time-drive activity-based costing (TDABC) to capture granular total hospital costs for each patient. 889 TJA’s were included in the study, with 841 octogenarians and 48 nonagenarians. Nonagenarians were more likely to undergo total hip arthroplasty (THA) (70.8% vs. 42.4%; p < 0.0001), had higher ASA classification (2.6 vs. 2.4; p = 0.049), and were more often privately insured (35.4% vs. 27.8%; p = 0.0001) as compared to octogenarians. Nonagenarians were more often discharged to skilled nursing facilities (56.2% vs. 37.5%; p = 0.0011), experienced longer operating room (OR) time (142 vs. 133; p = 0.0201) and length of stay (3.7 vs. 3.1; p = 0.0003), and had higher implant and total in-hospital costs (p < 0.0001 and 0.0001). Multivariate linear regression showed implant cost (0.700; p < 0.0001), length of stay (0.546; p < 0.0001), and OR time (0.288; p < 0.0001) to be the strongest associations with overall costs. Primary TJA for nonagenarians was more expensive than octogenarians. Targeting implant costs, length of stay, and OR time can reduce costs for nonagenarians in order to provide cost-effective value-based care.

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Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT-SL) in Parkinson’s Disease

Journal of Parkinson s Disease ◽

10.3233/jpd-212688 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Travis H. Turner ◽

Alexandra Atkins ◽

Richard S.E. Keefe

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Functional Capacity ◽

Visual Memory ◽

Assessment Tool ◽

Task Force ◽

Self Report ◽

Capacity Assessment

Background: Cognitive impairment is common in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and highly associated with loss of independence, caregiver burden, and assisted living placement. The need for cognitive functional capacity tools validated for use in PD clinical and research applications has thus been emphasized in the literature. The Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT-SL) is a tablet-based instrument that assesses proficiency for performing real world tasks in a highly realistic environment. Objective: The present study explored application of the VRFCAT-SL in clinical assessments of patients with PD. Specifically, we examined associations between VRFCAT-SL performance and measures of cognition, motor severity, and self-reported cognitive functioning. Methods: The VRFCAT-SL was completed by a sample of 29 PD patients seen in clinic for a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. Fifteen patients met Movement Disorders Society Task Force criteria for mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI); no patients were diagnosed with dementia. Non-parametric correlations between VRFCAT-SL performance and standardized neuropsychological tests and clinical measures were examined. Results: VRFCAT-SL performance was moderately associated with global rank on neuropsychological testing and discriminated PD-MCI. Follow-up analyses found completion time was associated with visual memory, sustained attention, and set-switching, while errors were associated with psychomotor inhibition. No clinical or motor measures were associated with VRFCAT-SL performance. Self-report was not associated with VRFCAT-SL or neuropsychological test performance. Conclusion: The VRFCAT-SL appears to provide a useful measure of cognitive functional capacity that is not confounded by PD motor symptoms. Future studies will examine utility in PD dementia.

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Cognitive Impairment after Lacunar Stroke and the Risk of Recurrent Stroke and Death

Cerebrovascular Diseases ◽

10.1159/000514261 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Abraham Kwan ◽

Jingkai Wei ◽

N. Maritza Dowling ◽

Melinda C. Power ◽

Zurab Nadareshvili ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Memory Impairment ◽

Recurrent Stroke ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Hazard Ratio ◽

Cognitive Screening ◽

Lacunar Stroke ◽

Domain Specific ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Increased Risk

Introduction: Patients with poststroke cognitive impairment appear to be at higher risk of recurrent stroke and death. However, whether cognitive impairment after lacunar stroke is associated with recurrent stroke and death remains unclear. We assessed whether global or domain-specific cognitive impairment after lacunar stroke is associated with recurrent stroke and death. Methods: We considered patients from the Secondary Prevention of Small Subcortical Strokes (SPS3) trial with a baseline cognitive exam administered in English by certified SPS3 personnel, 14–180 days after qualifying lacunar stroke. We considered a baseline score of ≤86 on the Cognitive Assessment Screening Instrument to indicate global cognitive impairment, <10 on the Clock Drawing on Command test to indicate executive function impairment, and domain-specific summary scores in the lowest quartile to indicate memory and nonmemory impairment. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the association between poststroke cognitive impairment and subsequent risk of recurrent stroke and death. Results: The study included 1,528 participants with a median enrollment time of 62 days after qualifying stroke. During a mean follow-up of 3.9 years, 11.4% of participants had recurrent stroke and 8.2% died. In the fully adjusted models, memory impairment was independently associated with an increased risk of recurrent stroke (hazard ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.04–2.09) and death (hazard ratio, 1.87; 95% CI: 1.25–2.79). Global impairment (hazard ratio, 1.66; 95% CI: 1.06–2.59) and nonmemory impairment (hazard ratio, 1.74; 95% CI: 1.14–2.67) were associated with an increased risk of death. Discussion/Conclusion: After lacunar stroke, memory impairment was an independent predictor of recurrent stroke and death, while global and nonmemory impairment were associated with death. Cognitive screening in lacunar stroke may help identify populations at higher risk of recurrent stroke and death.

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Exploring the Association between Multimorbidity and Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults Living in the Community: A Review of the Literature

Home Health Care Management & Practice ◽

10.1177/10848223211030468 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 108482232110304

Author(s):

Grace F. Wittenberg ◽

Michelle A. McKay ◽

Melissa O’Connor

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Assessment Tool ◽

Adult Population ◽

Home Health ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Cognitive Screening ◽

Review Of The Literature ◽

Increased Risk

Two-thirds of older adults have multimorbidity (MM), or co-occurrence of two or more medical conditions. Mild cognitive impairment (CI) is found in almost 20% of older adults and can lead to further cognitive decline and increased mortality. Older adults with MM are the primary users of home health care services and are at high risk for CI development; however, there is no validated cognitive screening tool used to assess the level of CI in home health users. Given the prevalence of MM and CI in the home health setting, we conducted a review of the literature to understand this association. Due to the absence of literature on CI in home health users, the review focused on the association of MM and CI in community-dwelling older adults. Search terms included home health, older adults, cognitive impairment, and multimorbidity and were applied to the databases PubMed, CINAHL, and PsychInfo leading to eight studies eligible for review. Results show CI is associated with MM in older adults of increasing age, among minorities, and in older adults with lower levels of education. Heart disease was the most prevalent disease associated with increased CI. Sleep disorders, hypertension, arthritis, and hyperlipidemia were also significantly associated with increased CI. The presence of MM and CI was associated with increased risk for death among older adults. Further research and attention are needed regarding the use and development of a validated cognitive assessment tool for home health users to decrease adverse outcomes in the older adult population.

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Cognitive Impairment and Length of Stay in Acute Care Hospitals: A Scoping Review of the Literature

Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement ◽

10.1017/s0714980820000355 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-19

Author(s):

Jonathan Plante ◽

Karine Latulippe ◽

Edeltraut Kröger ◽

Dominique Giroux ◽

Martine Marcotte ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Acute Care ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Research Question ◽

Positive Association ◽

Well Being ◽

Future Research ◽

Care Hospital ◽

The Impact

Abstract Older persons experiencing a longer length of stay (LOS) or delayed discharge (DD) may see a decline in their health and well-being, generating significant costs. This review aimed to identify evidence on the impact of cognitive impairment (CI) on acute care hospital LOS/DD. A scoping review of studies examining the association between CI and LOS/DD was performed. We searched six databases; two reviewers independently screened references until November 2019. A narrative synthesis was used to answer the research question; 58 studies were included of which 33 found a positive association between CI and LOS or DD, 8 studies had mixed results, 3 found an inverse relationship, and 14 showed an indirect link between CI-related syndromes and LOS/DD. Thus, cognitive impairment seemed to be frequently associated with increased LOS/DD. Future research should consider CI together with other risks for LOS/DD and also focus on explaining the association between the two.

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