Geriatric Emergency Medicine: Clinical Advances and Trends

Introduction: Rapid identification of frail elderly individuals upon admission to the emergency department is pivotal for enhancing their care and alleviating emergency room congestion. Objective: This pilot study aims to explore the relationship between morbidity, mortality, and frailty, as assessed by the mSEGA scale, among individuals aged 65 years or older in the emergency department. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single center. The pilot study included patients aged 65 and above who were admitted to Chaumont Hospital’s emergency unit (Haute-Marne department) for medical and/or surgical reasons between 1 July 2017 and 31 January 2018. Data encompassed socio-demographic characteristics, medical profiles, and emergency department visit details. Outcomes for patients one year post-admission were obtained through consultation with their respective general practitioners. Results: A total of 255 subjects participated, with a mean age of 82.1 ± 8.2 years. Primary admission reasons were falls (n = 51, 20.0%), digestive issues (excluding hemorrhage) (n = 30, 11.8%), and “other” causes (n = 61, 23.9%). Among participants, 78 (30.6%) scored ≤8 on the mSEGA frailty scale, 49 (19.2%) scored 9 to 11, and 125 (50.2%) scored ≥12. Concerning post-emergency department outcomes, 152 patients (59.6%) were hospitalized, while 103 (40.4%) were discharged. No deaths were reported during the study period, and vital status was known for all subjects at the one-year mark. At that point, 63 out of 255 patients had passed away, with 30 of them being readmitted to the emergency department either before or at the time of their one-year death. The 12-month survival rate analysis based on frailty status revealed a significant difference. Low-frailty patients exhibited a survival rate of 87.2% (95% CI; [77.5–92.9]), whereas frail/very frail patients had a survival rate of 70.0% (95% CI; [62.7–76.2]). Similarly, the 12-month readmission-free survival rate demonstrated statistically significant disparities. Low-frailty patients had a rate of 76.9% (95% CI; [65.9–84.8]), compared to 51.4% (95% CI; [43.8–58.5]) for very frail patients. Conclusion: Utilizing the mSEGA frailty scale in the Emergency Department could provide crucial prognostic insights, highlighting significant differences in 12-month survival and readmission-free survival rates based on frailty status. Full article

The 3D/3D+ multidimensional geriatric assessment tool provides an optimal model of emergency care for patients aged 75 and over who attend the Emergency Department (ED). The baseline, or static, component (3D) stratifies the degree of frailty prior to the acute illness, while the current, or dynamic, component (3D+) assesses the multidimensional impact caused by the acute illness and helps to guide the choice of care facility for patients upon their discharge from the ED. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of the 3D/3D+ to predict short- and long-term adverse outcomes in ED patients aged 75 years and older. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify the predictors of mortality 30 days after 3D/3D+ assessment. Two hundred and seventy-eight patients (59.7% women) with a median age of 86 years (interquartile range: 83–90) were analyzed. According to the baseline component (3D), 83.1% (95% CI: 78.2–87.3) presented some degree of frailty. The current component (3D+) presented alterations in 60.1% (95% CI: 54.1–65.9). The choice of care facility at ED discharge indicated by the 3D/3D+ was considered appropriate in 96.4% (95% CI: 93.0–98.0). Thirty-day all-cause mortality was 19.4%. Delirium and functional decline were the dimensions on the 3D/3D+ that were independently associated with 30-day mortality. These two dimensions had an area under receiver operating characteristic of 0.80 (95% CI: 0.73–0.86) for predicting 30-day mortality. The 3D/3D+ tool enhances the provision of comprehensive care by ED professionals, guides them in the choice of patients’ discharge destination, and has a prognostic validity that serves to establish future therapeutic objectives. Full article

The progressive aging and comorbidities of the population have led to an increase in the number of patients with polypharmacy attended to in the emergency department. Drug-related problems (DRPs) have become a major cause of admission to these units, as well as a high rate of short-term readmissions. Anticoagulants, antibiotics, antidiabetics, and opioids have been shown to be the most common drugs involved in this issue. Inappropriate polypharmacy has been pointed out as one of the major causes of these emergency visits. Different ways of conducting chronic medication reviews at discharge, primary care coordination, and phone contact with patients at discharge have been shown to reduce new hospitalizations and new emergency room visits due to DRPs, and they are key elements for improving the quality of care provided by emergency services. Full article