scholarly journals Achalasia in the Elderly: Diagnostic Approach and a Proposed Treatment Algorithm Based on a Comprehensive Literature Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (23) ◽  
pp. 5565
Author(s):  
Amir Mari ◽  
Wisam Sbeit ◽  
Wisam Abboud ◽  
Halim Awadie ◽  
Tawfik Khoury

Achalasia is not uncommonly diagnosed in elderly patients and its incidence and prevalence are growing in this population. However, a scarcity of studies has assessed the typical pathophysiological and clinical features of the disease as well as the effectiveness and safety of the various therapeutic options in elderly populations. Botulinum toxin injection has been used for achalasia treatment since 1994 and is traditionally considered the preferred treatment for fragile elder patients. However, recently more evidence has become available regarding the safety and effectiveness of pneumatic balloon dilation (BD), laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) and per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) in elderly patients with achalasia. In the current review we present the current literature on this topic with a focus on the clinical presentation of achalasia in the elderly and manometric features thereof, as well as summarize the effectiveness and safety of the various therapeutic options. Furthermore, we propose a practical management algorithm as a means to guide the treatment of future cases. We recommend that a conservative/BTI approach should be adopted in the fragile unfit patient. In the elderly fit patient, the treatment decision should be based on the achalasia type, patient preference and the available expertise, similar to the approach adopted for the non-elderly population.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiqi Ke ◽  
Yuting WANG ◽  
Xukeng GUO ◽  
Ronghua HUANG ◽  
Xiangdong ZHANG ◽  
...  

Abstract Background:Artificial femoral head replacement is one of the most effective methods for treatment of severe diseases of femoral joint in the elderly. The ideal anesthetic effect is one of the key elements for the success of the operation because it brings fast recovery. However, the multiple comorbidities of the elder patients make them too weak to tolerate the hemodynamic changes after anesthesia. In this case, the most suitable anesthesia method for patients undergoing femoral head replacement surgery is of great significance.Objective:To compare the post-anesthetic hemodynamic changes between combined lumbar plexus and sciatic nerve block(CLPSB) and combined spinal and epidural anesthesia(CSEA) in elderly patients undergoing unilateral artificial femoral head replacement.Methods:We reviewed records of the patients who aged over 60 years old (age 62-103 years) and received unilateral artificial femoral head replacement between January 2015 and December 2020 in the first affiliated hospital of Shantou University Medical College. After adjustment according to the inclusion criteria, 477 patients were included and divided into CLPSB group (n=90) and CSEA group (n=387). The primary outcome was comparison of the hemodynamic changes after anesthesia, including the systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR). The second outcome was the comparison of the vasopressor used during the surgery.Results:We established three models to compare the two anesthesia methods on hemodynamic changes. Crude model included all variates for analysis, while model I adjusted age and gender. Model II adjusted other comorbidities in addition to model I. All three models exhibit that changes of MAP (∆MAP) after CSEA were higher than that after CLPSB(β= 6.88, 95% CI: 4.33 - 9.42, P < 0.0001), with significant difference, which indicated that CSEA causes higher fluctuation of MAP. Concurrently, the use of vasopressors increased by 137% (OR=2.37, 95%CI: 1.24-4.53, P=0.0091) in the CSEA group, which is statistically significant. However, the changes of HR (∆HR) between the CLPSB and CSEA was not significant(β= 0.50, 95% CI: 1.62 - 2.62, P = 0.6427). Conclusions:Both CLPSB and CSEA are ideal anesthesia methods for patients receiving femoral head eplacement, though CLPSB is more suitable for elderly patients with advanced hemodynamic stability.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Na Tosha N. Gatson ◽  
Jill Barnholtz-Sloan ◽  
Jan Drappatz ◽  
Roger Henriksson ◽  
Andreas F. Hottinger ◽  
...  

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has placed excessive strain on health care systems and is especially evident in treatment decision-making for cancer patients. Glioblastoma (GBM) patients are among the most vulnerable due to increased incidence in the elderly and the short survival time. A virtual meeting was convened on May 9, 2020 with a panel of neuro-oncology experts with experience using Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields). The objective was to assess the risk-to-benefit ratio and provide guidance for using TTFields in GBM during the COVID-19 pandemic.Panel DiscussionTopics discussed included support and delivery of TTFields during the COVID-19 pandemic, concomitant use of TTFields with chemotherapy, and any potential impact of TTFields on the immune system in an intrinsically immunosuppressed GBM population. Special consideration was given to TTFields' use in elderly patients and in combination with radiotherapy regimens. Finally, the panel discussed the need to better capture data on COVID-19–positive brain tumor patients to analyze longitudinal outcomes and changes in treatment decision-making during the pandemic.Expert OpinionTTFields is a portable home-use device which can be managed via telemedicine and safely used in GBM patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. TTFields has no known immunosuppressive effects which is important during a crisis where other treatment methods might be limited, especially for elderly patients with multiple co-morbidities. It is too early to estimate the full impact of COVID-19 on the global healthcare system and on patient outcomes and the panel strongly recommended collaboration with existing cancer COVID-19 registries to follow CNS tumor patients.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Si Zhao ◽  
Hanlong Zhu ◽  
Xiuhua Zhang

Abstract Background: Data on the management and outcome of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) in elderlypatients are scant due to their poor representation in clinical trials. Methods:In total, 1379 elderly patients (≥65 years) histologically confirmed GIST between2010 and 2016 were enrolled from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.Results: As a result,surgery alone was the predominant treatment used in both age groups. Patients aged ≥75 years who underwent surgery alone had a median survival of 69 months, chemotherapy alone 51 months, surgery plus chemotherapy 60 months, and no therapy 51 months. While among patients aged 65-74 years, the median OS was not reached (NR), 49, 83, and NR, separately. Besides, C-indexes for the OS nomogram in the training set and validation set were0.771 and 0.761, respectively. Of importance, the predictive model displayed a comparable result to the 8th American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM staging system (p<0.05), demonstrating improved model discrimination. Conclusions: For elderly patients with GISTs, surgery alone or surgery plus chemotherapy seemed feasible and effective, conferring potential survival benefits even in very elderly patients. Moreover, this simple-to-use nomogram may assist clinicians in treatment decision-making and effectively predict 3- and 5-year survival.


2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-26
Author(s):  
R VIDALPEREZ ◽  
E ABUASSI ◽  
M PARAMODEVEGA ◽  
P VELOSO ◽  
A VARELAROMAN ◽  
...  

MedPharmRes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Truc Phan ◽  
Tram Huynh ◽  
Tuan Q. Tran ◽  
Dung Co ◽  
Khoi M. Tran

Introduction: Little information is available on the outcomes of R-CHOP (rituximab with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone) and R-CVP (rituximab with cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone) in treatment of the elderly patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), especially in Vietnam. Material and methods: All patients were newly diagnosed with CD20-positive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) at Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital, Ho Chi Minh city (BTH) between 01/2013 and 01/2018 who were age 60 years or older at diagnosis. A retrospective analysis of these patients was perfomed. Results: Twenty-one Vietnamese patients (6 males and 15 females) were identified and the median age was 68.9 (range 60-80). Most of patients have comorbidities and intermediate-risk. The most common sign was lymphadenopathy (over 95%). The proportion of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was highest (71%). The percentage of patients reaching complete response (CR) after six cycle of chemotherapy was 76.2%. The median follow-up was 26 months, event-free survival (EFS) was 60% and overall survival (OS) was 75%. Adverse effects of rituximab were unremarkable, treatment-related mortality accounted for less than 10%. There was no difference in drug toxicity between two regimens. Conclusions: R-CHOP, R-CVP yielded a good result and acceptable toxicity in treatment of elderly patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In patients with known cardiac history, omission of anthracyclines is reasonable and R-CVP provides a competitive complete response rate.


2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (8) ◽  
pp. 1466-1472
Author(s):  
Grażyna Kobus ◽  
Jolanta Małyszko ◽  
Hanna Bachórzewska-Gajewska

Introduction: In the elderly, impairment of kidney function occurs. Renal diseases overlap with anatomic and functional changes related to age-related involutionary processes. Mortality among patients with acute renal injury is approximately 50%, despite advances in treatment and diagnosis of AKI. The aim: To assess the incidence of acute kidney injury in elderly patients and to analyze the causes of acute renal failure depending on age. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis included medical documentation of patients hospitalized in the Nephrology Clinic during the 6-month period. During this period 452 patients were hospitalized in the clinic. A group of 77 patients with acute renal failure as a reason for hospitalization was included in the study. Results: The prerenal form was the most common cause of AKI in both age groups. In both age groups, the most common cause was dehydration; in the group of patients up to 65 years of age, dehydration was 29.17%; in the group of people over 65 years - 43.39%. Renal replacement therapy in patients with AKI was used in 14.29% of patients. In the group of patients up to 65 years of age hemodialysis was 16.67% and above 65 years of age. -13.21% of patients. The average creatinine level in the group of younger patients at admission was 5.16 ± 3.71 mg / dl, in the group of older patients 3.14 ± 1.63 mg / dl. The size of glomerular filtration GFR in the group of younger patients at admission was 21.14 ± 19.54 ml / min, in the group of older patients 23.34 ± 13.33 ml / min. Conclusions: The main cause of acute kidney injury regardless of the age group was dehydration. Due to the high percentage of AKI in the elderly, this group requires more preventive action, not only in the hospital but also at home.


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