Associations of Physiological State, Cognitive Function, Sensory Function, and Biochemical Index with Frailty Status Among Patients with Schizophrenia

The literature on the prevalence and effect of the frailty status of patients with schizophrenia is limited. The interactions between frailty and psychiatric disorders warrant exploration. This study primarily aimed to explore the associations of physiological state, cognitive function, sensory function, and biochemical index with frailty status among patients with schizophrenia. A cross-sectional study design was adopted. Patients with schizophrenia were selected using purposive sampling. Frailty was revealed to be more prevalent with lower educational attainment, more hospitalization days, higher skeletal muscle percentage, higher basal metabolic rate, having fallen in the past year, use of anxiolytics or tranquilizers and sleeping pills, lower cognitive function, and use of assistive equipment. In addition, physiological state, cognitive function, and sensory function differed depending on the incidence of frailty among patients with schizophrenia. Cognitive function and the reduction of frailty incidence should be emphasized. Institutional nursing staff should regularly assess patients’ frailty risk, pay attention to changes in patients’ physiological state, monitor the cognitive function of patients, and recommend physical therapy and exercises to improve the strength, conditioning, and mobility of patients with schizophrenia for health maintenance and positive aging.

A cross-sectional study for the mental health status and sleep quality among college students in Macao during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objectives The main focus of this study was to investigate the effect of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on the mental health condition and sleep quality of college students in Macao. In addition, the students’ behaviours during the pandemic, such as drinking alcohol, taking sleeping pills, and seeking psychological counselling were analyzed. Method A cross-sectional survey of mental health and sleep quality status, as well as the possible behavioral risk factors, was conducted among the college students of Macao in August, 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online self-report questionnaire survey method was applied to assess the general demographics and related lifestyle behaviors of students. The general mental health condition and sleep quality were evaluated through the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaires, respectively. The main statistical methods included the Chi-square test, Bonferroni correction, and Pearson correlation. Data analysis was performed using SPSS Version 24.0. Results A total of 980 students were investigated in the study, of which 977 completed the survey. During the COVID-19 pandemic period, overall college students in Macao were psychologically well adjusted and reported good quality of sleep. However, female students were in poorer psychological condition than males (P < 0.05). Moreover, the students over 20 years of age had poorer sleep quality than students aged less than or equal to 20 (P < 0.05). The significant differences were found among the students in different study majors for the mental health status and sleep quality (both P < 0.05), which were associated with certain behaviors, such as drinking alcohol, taking sleeping pills, and seeking for help in psychological counselling during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Conclusions Poor mental health status could be either the consequence or cause of sleep disturbance, which might further affected physical health. Therefore, regular assessment of mental health condition and sleep quality of college students is particularly necessary during public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and appropriate intervention should be provided to the students.

Sleep Disturbance Among Older Korean Immigrants

Little is known about sleep disturbance among older Korean immigrants living in the United States. In this exploratory study, we conducted focus groups with 6 and phone interviews with 22 older Korean immigrants to explore and understand their sleep experiences. Three members of the research team fluent in Korean independently coded each focus group and phone interview transcript to identify underlying themes. The following themes emerged: Daytime naps were acceptable behaviors, particularly among those who were retired or not employed. Many reported worry and anxiety rumination behaviors that interfered with their sleep. In addition, praying, reading the bible, and singing hymns often occurred while in bed, and smartphone or tablet use was a frequent activity as well. Drinking alcohol and taking sleeping pills were used as a last resort to help with sleep, particularly among those who lived alone. Internal (e.g., biological urge, snoring, medical conditions) and external distractions (e.g., noise) contributed to nighttime awakenings. Living alone and worrying about the future made it difficult for some to return to sleep after awakening. Seeking advice from peers was a common behavior but did not seem to help with sleep. Calming activities such as reading a book, taking a shower, watch television, or writing a diary were routinely performed before bedtime. These findings are consistent with unhealthy sleep behaviors shown in other racial/ethnic minority older adults with poor sleep. Sleep education programs in Korean-speaking churches may be used to target those who are socially isolated and may benefit older Korean immigrants.

Factors associated with insomnia in older adult outpatients vary by gender: a cross-sectional study

Background Insomnia is a common sleep disturbance in older adults and is associated with many poor health outcomes. This study aimed to explore factors associated with insomnia in older adult outpatient clinics, and to further analyze the influence of gender on factors associated with insomnia. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in the outpatient clinics of a tertiary hospital in Southern Taiwan from July to September 2018. A total of 400 consecutive subjects aged 60 years or older were recruited. Insomnia was defined as a score of ≥6 points on the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). Socio-demographics, health behaviors and clinical data were collected by face-to-face interview. Multivariable logistic regression was adopted for statistical analysis of the entire sample and stratified by gender. Results Participants’ mean age was 74.74 ± 8.54 years, and the majority (93%) had more than one chronic disease. The prevalence of insomnia accounted for 30% (120/400) of all subjects, with males 22.9% (46/201) and females 37.2% (74/199). Gender, appetite, exercise, depressive symptoms, and sleep-related conditions such as short sleep duration, sleeping pills usage, medium-high risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and restless leg syndrome (RLS) were factors associated with insomnia in older adults. Exercise, sleeping pills usage, and RLS were independently associated with insomnia only in men, while appetite and medium-high risk of OSA were associated with insomnia in women only. In addition, after further adjusting for covariates, prevalence of the insomnia-related symptoms such as sleep induction, total sleep duration, sleep quality and sleepiness during the day was significantly higher in females than in males. Conclusions Insomnia symptoms are highly prevalent among older adults, predominantly females. Significant differences are found between genders in factors associated with insomnia and insomnia-related symptoms. Understanding gender differences may help clinicians to modify associated factors when managing older adults with insomnia.

Medications and Falls Experiences among Older People

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the status of drug use and analyze the effects of drug use on falls among older people.Methods: The data were collected from 285 community-dwelling older persons through interviewing with questionnaires and checking participants’ medication prescriptions and the drugs using the Korea Pharmaceutical Information Center’s (KPIC) website. The medications were classified into anatomical and therapeutic divisions based on the medications’ ingredients provided by the KPIC. x2 test, ANOVA, t-test, and logistic regressions were applied to analyze the data.Results: The finding showed that 81.4% of the older adults were taking medications. Older people taking antihyperlipidemic drugs were at 1.79 times higher risk for experiencing a fall (95% CI=1.01~3.16, p=.046), and hypnotic sedative and sleeping pills increased their fall risks 11.06 times (95% CI=1.27~96.07, p=.029) compared to those not taking the medications. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents showed a 2.74 odds ratio (95% CI=1.23~5.73, p=.013) and narcotic analgesics increased the fall experience risk 8.56 times (95% CI=1.02~71.88, p=.048). Those with chronic diseases experienced falls 3.04 times more than those without chronic diseases.Conclusion: The study findings showed medications might be one of the important influencing factors on fall risks among older adults. Raising awareness of fall risks associated with medicines through health education and medication reviews by health professionals should be considered a strategy for preventing older adults' falls.

Clinical consequences of abuse and misuse of hypnotics and analgesics in geriatric population

Insomnia and pain coexist with chronic diseases, especially in the elderly, who are therefore the largest group taking hypnotics and analgesics. For this reason, seniors are at high risk of abusing these medications, leading to dangerous and unpredictable clinical outcomes. The article provides a literature review using the Pubmed, Medline, Embase and Google Scholar databases. The articles were analysed using the following keywords: drug abuse, sleeping pills, painkillers, benzodiazepines, opioids. The article presents the characteristics of medical substances belonging to sleeping pills and painkillers, taking into account the consequences of their misuse. Hypnotics and pain relievers, especially benzodiazepines and opioids, are the most abused drug classes in the elderly. In the case of hypnotics, apart from benzodiazepines, these are zolpidem and zopiclone or trazodone, and in the case of analgesics, codeine, tramadol, morphine or oxycodone and also paracetamol and NSAIDs. The problem of abuse and misuse of hypnotics and analgesics in the geriatric population is still growing and therefore more and more attention should be paid to this problem. Although this type of treatment is important to maintain a good quality of life for the elderly, proper education among staff, patients and their carers is also needed. Proper information provided by medical personnel plays an important role in this matter.

The pharmaceuticalisation of life? A fictional case report of insomnia with a thought experiment

Background The safety of sleeping pills has increased dramatically during the last 100 years, from barbiturates to bensodiazepines to modern day so-called Z-drugs. Methods The circumstances of prescribing sleeping pills in the early 20th century are illustrated by summarizing the main storyline of a novel by Swedish writer Vilhelm Moberg. This is followed by a thought experiment and a theoretical discussion. Results In his 1937 novel Sömnlös (Swedish for sleepless) Vilhelm Moberg portrayed existential and relational distress in relation to insomnia. In a thought experiment, past progresses in sleeping pills safety are projected into the future. Thereby, it is claimed that important issues in the area of philosophy of medicine come to the fore. This leads to a theoretical discussion about broader questions concerning the role of the physician, the goals of medicine (as described by Lennart Nordenfelt), the concept of pharmaceuticalisation (as described notably by sociologist of sleep Simon J. Williams and co-workers), and health enhancement (c.f. Carl Elliott and the alleged wish to be better than well). Conclusion Insomnia is a prism through which important philosophical and sociological questions related to the practice of medicine can be asked.

The effect of an eye mask on midazolam requirement for sedation during spinal anesthesia: a randomized controlled trial

Background Midazolam is frequently used for sedation during spinal anesthesia. However, external environmental factors, such as bright surgical lights, may hamper patient relaxation, which may lead to an increase in the dose of midazolam required and the likelihood of adverse drug effects. We investigated whether using an eye mask to block the external environment could reduce midazolam requirements during spinal anesthesia. Methods Participants aged 18–‒80 years, scheduled for elective surgery under spinal anesthesia, were randomly divided into a masked group (wearing eye masks during surgery, n = 20) and a control group (no mask, n = 18). The sedation level was assessed using a modified Observer Assessment of Alertness and Sedation (MOAA/S) scale. Midazolam (1 mg) was incrementally administered every 5 min until moderate sedation (MOAA/S score of 3) was achieved. The bispectral index (BIS) was monitored, and the onset and maintenance times of a BIS < 80 were recorded. Results The two groups had similar demographic characteristics. The midazolam requirements were significantly lower in the masked group than in the control group (2.8 mg vs. 3.7 mg, P = 0.024). However, the onset and maintenance times for a BIS < 80 were similar. In addition, there were no significant differences in the incidence of side effects or patient satisfaction between the two groups. Conclusions Blocking the external environment with an eye mask during spinal anesthesia can reduce the requirement for sedatives, such as midazolam. Trial registration The trial was retrospectively registered with the Clinical Research Information Service (No. KCT0005528, 15/10/2020) entitled “Can we reduce an amount of sleeping pills just by blocking light?”.

Sleep Disorders and Risk of Motor Vehicle Accident

Driving is a complicated process that demands coordination between a range of neurocognitive functions, including attention, visuo-perception, and appropriate judgment, as well as sensory and motor responses. Therefore, several factors may reduce the driving performance of an individual, such as sleepiness, distraction, overspeeding, alcohol consumption, and sedative drugs, all of which increase the hazard of motor vehicle accidents. Among them, drowsy driving is a major cause of traffic accidents, leading to more serious injuries as compared to other causes of major traffic accidents. Although sleep disorders have been highly associated among drowsy drivers, they are often untreated and unrecognized as a disease. In particular, obstructive sleep apnea and narcolepsy are some sleep disorders that are highly related to traffic accidents. Insomnia, which can cause inadequate sleep duration and promote sedative effects from sleeping pills, may also cause traffic accidents. These conditions are especially applicable to commercial bus or truck drivers, nocturnal workers, and shift workers, who are highly vulnerable to drowsy driving. Therefore, assertive screening and management of sleep disorders are necessary in general private drivers and relevant occupational drivers.

Polypharmacy in elderly patients with falls

Background: Falls in elderly–a multifactorial syndrome. One of the modifiable factors is polypharmacy. STOPP/START criteria are used for correction of polypharmacy in geriatrics.Aim: Assessment of the prevalence of polypharmacy, analysis and correction of pharmacotherapy using STOPP/START criteria in patients with falls.Materials and methods: The study included 655 patients hospitalized in the geriatric department over 60 years of age, who were divided into two groups. Group 1 (n=332, 50.7%)–patients with 1 or more falls, group 2 (n=323,49.3%)–patients without falls. The analysis of the received therapy before hospitalization was performed. After that, based on the indications, contraindications and STOPP/START criteria, drug therapy was corrected in patients with falls.Results: Patients of group 1 took 4.5±2.18 drugs, group 2–4.3±2.6. Polypharmacy was diagnosed in 150 (45.2%) patients with falls and in 122 (37.8%) patients without falls. Patients with falls were more likely to receive sleeping pills, NSAIDs. Univariate analysis showed that falls were associated with NSAIDs (OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.38–3.35, p=0.001) and sleeping pills (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.02–4.02, p=0.047). An audit and correction of therapy was performed: in 108 (32.5%) patients the number of prescribed drugs was reduced. Patients with falls were prescribed statins, antidementia drugs, anticonvulsants and antidepressants as components of therapy for chronic pain syndrome, chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine sulfate for the treatment of osteoarthritis, calcium and antiresorbtive therapy, antianemic drugs, vitamin D. Antiplatelet agents, digoxin, sleeping pills and NSAIDs were less frequently prescribed. STOPP/START criteria and their frequency in patients with falls were analyzed. 141 cases of potentially non-recommended but prescribed medications were identified. STOPP criteria were for the administration of NSAIDs (n=53, 37.6%) and acetylsalicylic acid (n=62, 44%). There were 458 cases of potentially recommended but not prescribed medications. The most common START criteria were not for the administration of vitamin D and statins.Conclusion. Half of elderly patients with falls have polypharmacy. These patients are more likely to take sleeping pills and NSAIDs. STOPP criteria most often concerned the appointment of NSAIDs and acetylsalicylic acid, and the START criteria revealed the absence of the appointment of vitamin D and statins.