The Impact of Delirium on Recovery in Geriatric Rehabilitation After Acute Infection

OBJECTIVES

Delirium is common during acute infection in older patients and is associated with functional decline. Geriatric rehabilitation (GR) can help older patients to return to their premorbid functional level. It is unknown whether delirium affects GR outcomes in patients with acute infection. We evaluated whether delirium affects trajectories of activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life (QoL) recovery in GR after COVID-19 infection.

DESIGN

This study was part of the EU-COGER study, a multicenter cohort study conducted between October 2020 and October 2021.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Participants were recruited after COVID-19 infection from 59 GR centers in 10 European countries.

METHODS

Data were collected at GR admission, discharge, and at the 6-week and 6-month follow-ups. Trajectories of ADL [using the Barthel index (BI)] and QoL [using the EuroQol-5 Dimensions-5 Level (EQ-5D-5L)] recovery were examined using linear mixed models.

RESULTS

Of the 723 patients included (mean age 75.5 ± 9.9 years; 52.4% male), 28.9% had delirium before or during GR admission. Participants with delirium recovered in ADL at approximately the same rate as those without (linear slope effect = -0.13, SE 0.16, P = .427) up to an estimated BI score of 16.1 at 6 months. Similarly, participants with delirium recovered in QoL at approximately the same rate as those without (linear slope effect = -0.017, SE 0.015, P = .248), up to an estimated EQ-5D-5L score of 0.8 at 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Presence of delirium during the acute phase of infection or subsequent GR did not influence the recovery trajectory of ADL functioning and QoL.

Targeted RNA Sequencing Highlights a Diverse Genomic and Morphologic Landscape in Low-grade Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma, Including Novel Fusion Genes

Low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LGESS) represents a morphologically and genetically heterogenous mesenchymal neoplasm. Previous work has shown that approximately half of LGESS are characterized by JAZF1::SUZ12 gene fusions, while a smaller proportion involves rearrangement of other genes. However, a subset of cases has no known genetic abnormalities. To better characterize the genomic landscape of LGESS, we interrogated a cohort with targeted RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). Cases previously diagnosed as low-grade endometrial stromal neoplasia (n=51) were identified and re-reviewed for morphology and subjected to RNA-Seq, of which 47 were successfully sequenced. The median patient age was 49 years (range: 19 to 85). The most commonly detected fusions were JAZF1::SUZ12 (n=26, 55%) and BRD8::PHF1 (n=3, 6%). In addition to the usual/typical LGESS morphology, some JAZF1::SUZ12 fusion tumors showed other morphologies, including fibrous, smooth muscle, sex-cord differentiation, and myxoid change. Novel translocations were identified in 2 cases: MEAF6::PTGR2 and HCFC1::PHF1 . Ten tumors (21%) had no identifiable fusion, despite a similar morphology and immunophenotype to fusion-positive cases. This suggests that a subset of cases may be attributable to fusion products among genes that are not covered by the assay, or perhaps altogether different molecular mechanisms. In all, these findings confirm that RNA-Seq is a potentially useful ancillary test in the diagnosis of endometrial stromal neoplasms and highlight their diverse morphology.

Poor Nutritional Status Is Associated with Death in a Population of Dialyzed Older Persons

BACKGROUND

Older patients in hemodialysis have high prevalence of malnutrition that is often associated with rapid weight loss till cachexia.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to investigate whether in older patients undergoing hemodialysis the association between poor nutritional status and mortality may be independent of comorbidities and other risk factors.

DESIGN

Retrospective longitudinal study.

SETTING

Unit of Nephrology, Dialysis and Kidney Transplantation of the Policlinic Hospital of Milan, Milan, Italy.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 107 prevalent patients undergoing hemodialysis for at least three months.

MEASUREMENTS

Sociodemographic, clinical, and biological data were recorded. Unintentional weight loss (UWL) was defined as loss of body weight > 5% in 3 months or > 10% in 6 months. We computed a 21-item Frailty Index that included clinical conditions associated with malnutrition and mortality in this population. Unadjusted and adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were performed to test the association of UWL, albumin and transferrin levels with death. Survival analyses based on Kaplan-Meier estimates were performed.

RESULTS

Patients' age was 79 (±7.7) years; 38 (35%) were women. Thirty-one patients (29%) died during follow-up. Eighteen (16.8%) patients experienced UWL during the follow-up period. UWL was positively associated with death in the unadjusted model and even after the progressive inclusion of potential confounders. Low albumin levels were positively associated with death only in the unadjusted and partially adjusted models while low transferrin levels were not associated with death in none of the models. Mortality was significantly higher in those patients experiencing both UWL and albumin levels below 3.5 mg/dL.

CONCLUSIONS

In older patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis UWL is associated with mortality independently of comorbidities and other risk factors. Patients presenting both UWL and low albumin levels were those experiencing the worst outcomes in terms of mortality.

Social Vulnerability, Frailty and Self-Perceived Health: Findings from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)

BACKGROUND

Social vulnerability interacts with frailty and influences individuals' health status. Although frailty and social vulnerability are highly predictive of adverse outcomes, their relationship with self-perceived health(SPH) has been less investigated.

METHODS

Data are from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing(TILDA), a population-based longitudinal study of ageing. We included 4,222 participants aged ≥50 years (age 61.4±8.5 years;women 56%) from Wave 1 (2009-2011) followed over three longitudinal waves (2012,2014-2015,2016). Participants responded to single questions with five response options to rate their 1)physical health, 2)mental health, and 3)health compared to peers. 30-item Frailty (FI) and Social Vulnerability (SVI) indices were calculated using standardised methods. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to establish the association between FI and SVI cross-sectionally and longitudinally over 6 years.

RESULTS

Cross-sectionally, SVI (mean:0.40±0.08; range:0.14-0.81) and FI (mean: 0.13±0.08; range:0.10-0.58) were modestly correlated (r=0.256), and independently associated with poor physical health (SVI: OR 1.43, 95%CI 1.15-1.78; FI: OR 3.16, 95%CI 2.54-3.93), poor mental health (SVI: OR 1.65, 95%CI 1.17-2.35; FI: OR 3.64, 95%CI 2.53-5.24), and poor health compared to peers (SVI: OR 1.41,95%CI 1.06-1.89; FI: OR 3.86, 95%CI 2.9-5.14). Longitudinally, FI and SVI were independently and positively associated with poor physical health (SVI: β 1.08, 95%CI 0.76-1.39; FI: β 1.97, 95%CI 1.58-2.36), poor mental health (SVI: β 1.18, 95%CI 0.86-1.5; FI: β 1.58, 95%CI 1.2-1.97), and poor overall health compared to peers (SVI: β 0.78, 95%CI 0.89-1.33; FI: β 1.74, 95%CI 0.47-1.1).

CONCLUSIONS

In a large cohort of community-dwelling older adults, frailty and social vulnerability were associated with poor SPH and with risk of SPH decline over six years.

Comprehensive molecular assessment of mismatch repair deficiency in Lynch associated ovarian cancers using next generation sequencing panel

OBJECTIVES

Abnormalities in mismatch repair have been described in ovarian cancer, but few studies have examined the causes of mismatch repair deficiency (MMRd). To address this, we completed targeted mutational and methylation sequencing on MMRd ovarian cancer cases. The objective of this study was to explore the molecular mechanism of MMRd using our targeted next generation sequencing panel.

METHODS

Newly diagnosed non-serous/mucinous ovarian cancers (n=215) were prospectively recruited from three cancer centers in Ontario, Canada, between 2015 and 2018. Tumors were reflexively assessed for mismatch repair protein by immunohistochemistry. Matched tumor-normal MMRd cases were analyzed on a custom next generation sequencing panel to identify germline and somatic mutations, copy number variants, rearrangements, and promoter methylation in mismatch repair and associated genes.

RESULTS

Of 215 cases, 28 (13%) were MMRd. The MMRd cohort had a median age of 52.3 years (range 33.6-62.2), with mostly stage I (50%) and grade 1 or 2 endometrioid histotype (57%). Of the 28 cases, 22 were available for molecular analysis, and Lynch syndrome was detected in 50% of MMRd cases (11/22; seven ovarian cancer and four synchronous ovarian and endometrial cancer: seven MSH6, two MLH1, one PMS2, and one MSH2). An explanation for the observed mismatch repair phenotype was available for 22/22 deficient cases, including 12 MLH1/PMS2 deficient (nine somatic methylation, one bi-allelic somatic deletion, and two pathogenic germline variant), one PMS2 deficient (one pathogenic germline variant), seven MSH6 deficient (seven pathogenic germline variant), and two MSH2/MSH6 deficient (one pathogenic germline variant and one bi-allelic somatic mutation). Concordance between clinical germline testing and panel sequencing results was 100%.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of our custom next generation sequencing panel allowed for the streamlined assessment of hereditary and somatic causes of MMRd in ovarian cancers.

IDH mutations in G2-3 conventional central bone chondrosarcoma: a mono institutional experience

BACKGROUND

Heterozygous isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations occur in about half of conventional central bone chondrosarcomas (CCBC). Aim of this study was to assess the frequency and prognostic impact of IDH mutations in high grade CCBC patients.

METHODS

64 patients with G2 and G3 CCBC were included. DNA extraction, PCR amplification of IDH1/2 exon 4s, and sequencing analysis with Sanger were performed.

RESULTS

IDH mutations were detected in 24/54 patients (44%): IDH1 in 18, IDH2 in 4, and both IDH1/2 in 2 patients. The frequency of mutations was 37% in G2 vs. 69% in G3 (p = 0.039), and 100% in three Ollier disease associated chondrosarcoma. 5-year overall survival (OS) at 124 months (range 1-166) was 51%, with no significant difference based on the IDH mutational status: 61% in IDHmut vs. 44% in IDH wild type (IDHwt). The 5-year relapse free survival (RFS) was 33% (95% CI:10-57) for IDHmut vs. 57% (95%CI: 30-77) for IDHwt. Progression free survival (PFS) was 25% (95%CI:1-65) IDHmut vs. 16% (95%CI: 0.7-52) IDHwt. 55% (5/9) of IDHmut G2 became higher grade at the recurrence, as compared with 25% (3/12) of G2 IDHwt.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows a higher frequency of IDH mutations in G3 CCBC as compared with G2. No significant differences in OS, RFS, and PFS by mutational status were detected. After relapse, a higher rate of G3 for IDH mutated CCBC was observed.

Diagnostic accuracy of frozen section and patterns of nodal spread in high grade endometrial cancer: A secondary outcome of the SENTOR prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

The study aimed to define the accuracy of intraoperative frozen section (FS) for the detection of metastases in sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and describe the pattern of lymph node (LN) spread and relation to molecular classifiers in patients with high-grade endometrial cancer (EC).

METHODS

We performed a secondary outcome of clinicopathologic data from the Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy versus Lymphadenectomy for Intermediate- and High-Grade Endometrial Cancer Staging (SENTOR) prospective cohort study evaluating SLNB in patients with clinical stage I high-grade EC (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01886066). The primary outcome was the sensitivity of FS of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) specimen, compared to a standardized ultrastaging protocol. Secondary outcomes included the pattern and characteristics of LN spread.

RESULTS

There were 126 patients with high-grade EC with a median age of 66 years (range:44-86) and a median Body Mass Index (BMI) of 26.9 kg/m² (range:17.6-49.3). FS was performed on surgical specimens from 212 hemipelves; SLNs were identified in 202 specimens (95.7%) and fatty tissue alone was identified in 10 specimens (4.7%). Of the 202 hemipelves in which SLNs were identified, 24 were positive for metastatic disease on final pathology. Initial FS correctly identified only 12, yielding a sensitivity of 50% (12/24, 95% CI 29.6-70.4) and a negative predictive value of 94% (178/190, 95% CI 89-96.5). A total of 24 patients (19%) had LN metastases: 16 (13%) had isolated pelvic metastases, 7 (6%) had both pelvic and para-aortic metastases and 1 (0.8%) had an isolated para-aortic metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative FS of SLNs in high-grade EC patients has poor sensitivity. Since isolated para-aortic metastases are rare, para-aortic lymphadenectomy may be omitted in patients in which SLNs were successfully mapped to the pelvis.

Relationship among Age, Education and Frailty in Older Persons

Preliminary data suggest that frailty tend to increase with age and is associated with fewer years of formal education. However, it is still unclear whether age and education synergistically act in the definition of frailty. Aim of the study is to evaluate the interaction between age and education in defining frailty in community-dwelling older persons. We considered 911 community-dwelling older adults (mean age 79.5 years) who underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment. Our results showed that education and age interact in the definition of frailty following an exponential-type relationship. Whereas age is a non-modifiable risk factor, much can be done to address the social component of frailty here represented by education. The reported interaction suggests that social interventions might be particularly effective at an older age, paving the way for multidisciplinary interventions beyond the clinical field.

The Number of Medications Is Associated with Fractures in a Population of Dialyzed Older Patients with Frailty

Older persons with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing hemodialysis represent a growing portion of patients characterized by high vulnerability but still marginally studied. This study aimed at exploring the relationship between the number of prescriptions and fractures in older patients with CKD undergoing hemodialysis. A 24-item Frailty Index (FI) based on sociodemographic, clinical and biological data was computed. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were performed to test the association of prescribed medications with history of fractures. A total of 107 older patients undergoing hemodialysis (38 [35.5%] women, mean age 79.1 standard deviation, SD=7.7) were included in the study. Mean number of prescribed medications was 9.9 (SD=3.9) and was significantly associated with fractures (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.06-1.32, p=0.003), even after adjustment for potential confounders (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.03-1.30, p=0.016). If these results will be confirmed, interventions based on deprescribing will become essential in older persons undergoing hemodialysis.

Appetite Loss and Anorexia of Aging in Clinical Care: An ICFSR Task Force Report

Appetite loss/anorexia of aging is a highly prevalent and burdensome geriatric syndrome that strongly impairs the quality of life of older adults. Loss of appetite is associated with several clinical conditions, including comorbidities and other geriatric syndromes, such as frailty. Despite its importance, appetite loss has been under-evaluated and, consequently, under-diagnosed and under-treated in routine clinical care. The International Conference on Frailty and Sarcopenia Research (ICFSR) Task Force met virtually on September 27th 2021 to debate issues related to appetite loss/anorexia of aging. In particular, topics related to the implementation and management of appetite loss in at-risk older adult populations, energy balance during aging, and the design of future clinical trials on this topic were discussed. Future actions in this field should focus on the systematic assessment of appetite in the care pathway of older people, such as the Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) program recommended by the World Health Organization. Moreover, clinical care should move from the assessment to the treatment of appetite loss/anorexia. Researchers continue to pursue their efforts to find out effective pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions with a favorable risk/benefit ratio.

Frailty in Caregivers and Its Relationship with Psychological Stress and Resilience: A Cross-SectionalStudy Based on the Deficit Accumulation Model

BACKGROUND

Studies increasingly suggest that chronic exposure to psychological stress can lead to health deterioration and accelerated ageing, thus possibly contributing to the development of frailty. Recent approaches based on the deficit accumulation model measure frailty on a continuous grading through the "Frailty Index" (FI), i.e. a macroscopic indicator of biological senescence and functional status.

OBJECTIVES

The study aimed at testing the relationship of FI with caregiving, psychological stress, and psychological resilience.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study, with case-control and correlational analyses.

PARTICIPANTS

Caregivers of patients with dementia (n=64), i.e. individuals a priori considered to be exposed to prolonged psychosocial stressors, and matched controls (n=64) were enrolled.

MEASUREMENTS

The two groups were compared using a 38-item FI condensing biological, clinical, and functional assessments. Within caregivers, the association of FI with Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) was tested.

RESULTS

Caregivers had higher FI than controls (F=8.308, p=0.005). FI was associated directly with PSS (r=0.660, p<0.001) and inversely with BRS (r=-0.637, p<0.001). Findings remained significant after adjusting for certain confounding variables, after excluding from the FI the conditions directly related to psychological stress, and when the analyses were performed separately among participants older and younger than 65 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The results provide insight on the relationship of frailty with caregiving, psychological stress, and resilience, with potential implications for the clinical management of individuals exposed to chronic emotional strain.

Molecular Phylogenetics, Speciation, and Long Distance Dispersal in Tardigrade Evolution: A case study of the genusMilnesium

Microorganisms (sensu lato, i.e., including micrometazoans) are thought to have cosmopolitan geographic distributions due to their theoretically unlimited dispersal capabilities, a consequence of their tiny size, population dynamics, and resistant forms. However, several molecular studies of microorganisms have identified biogeographic patterns indicating cryptic speciation and/or weak species definitions. Using a multi-locus approach with the genus Milnesium (Tardigrada), we aimed to determine the genetic structure of populations worldwide and the effects of long distance dispersal (LDD) on genetic connectivity and relationships across the six continents. Our results on this micrometazoan's genetic structure and LDD at global and micro-local scales indicate contrasting patterns not easily explained by a unique or simple phenomenon. Overall, we report three key findings: (i) confirmation of long distance dispersal for tardigrades, (ii) populations with globally-shared or endemic micro-local haplotypes, and (iii) a supported genetic structure instead of the homogeneous genetic distribution hypothesized for microorganisms with LDD capabilities. Moreover, incongruences between our morphological and molecular results suggest that species delimitation within the genus Milnesium could be problematic due to homoplasy. Duality found for Milnesium populations at the global scale, namely, a molecular phylogenetic structure mixed with widely distributed haplotypes (but without any apparent biogeographic structure), is similar to patterns observed for some unicellular, prokaryotic and eukaryotic, microorganisms. Factors influencing these patterns are discussed within an evolutionary framework.

Brief family history questionnaire to screen for Lynch syndrome in women with newly diagnosed non-serous, non-mucinous ovarian cancers

OBJECTIVES

While ovarian cancer is the third most common Lynch syndrome-associated cancer in women, there is no established screening strategy to identify Lynch syndrome in this population. The objective of this study was to assess whether the 4-item brief Family History Questionnaire can be used as a screening tool to identify women with ovarian cancer at risk of Lynch syndrome.

METHODS

In this prospective cohort study, participants with newly diagnosed non-serous, non-mucinous ovarian cancer completed the brief Family History Questionnaire, extended Family History Questionnaire, and had tumors assessed with immunohistochemistry for mismatch repair proteins, MLH1 methylation, and microsatellite instability testing. All underwent universal germline testing for Lynch syndrome. Performance characteristics were compared between the brief Family History Questionnaire, extended Family History Questionnaire, immunohistochemistry±MLH1 methylation, and microsatellite instability testing.

RESULTS

Of 215 participants, 169 (79%) were evaluable with both the brief Family History Questionnaire and germline mutation status; 12 of these 169 were confirmed to have Lynch syndrome (7%). 10 of 12 patients (83%) with Lynch syndrome were correctly identified by the brief Family History Questionnaire, compared with 6 of 11 (55%) by the extended Family History Questionnaire, 11 of 13 (85%) by immunohistochemistry±MLH1 methylation, and 9 of 11 (82%) by microsatellite instability testing. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, and negative predictive values of the brief Family History Questionnaire were 83%, 65%, 15%, and 98%, respectively. A combined approach with immunohistochemistry and the brief Family History Questionnaire correctly identified all 12 patients with Lynch syndrome. The brief Family History Questionnaire was more sensitive than the extended Family History Questionnaire and took <10 min for each patient to complete.

CONCLUSIONS

The brief Family History Questionnaire alone or combined with immunohistochemistry may serve as an adequate screening strategy, especially in centers without access to universal tumor testing.

Assessment and Management of Appetite Loss in Older Adults: An ICFSR Task Force Report

The Appetite loss in older people is an important unmet clinical need in geriatrics. The International Conference on Frailty and Sarcopenia Research (ICFSR) organized a Task Force on April 20th 2022, in Boston, to discuss issues related to appetite loss in older people, in particular, the assessment tools currently available, its evaluation in the primary care setting, and considerations about its management. There is a high heterogeneity in terms of the etiology of appetite loss in older people and a gold standard assessment tool for evaluating this condition is still absent. Although this may render difficult the management of poor appetite in clinical practice, validated assessment tools are currently available to facilitate early identification of appetite loss and support care decisions. As research on biomarkers of appetite loss progresses, assessment tools will soon be used jointly with biomarkers for more accurate diagnosis and prognosis. In addition, efforts to foster the development of drugs with a favorable risk/benefit ratio to combat poor appetite should be strengthened.

Frailty Is Associated with Impaired Diabetic Foot Ulcer Healing and All-Cause Re-Hospitalization

BACKGROUND

Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFUs) are a common and feared complication of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. People with DFUs often present a significant clinical complexity due to multimorbidity, frailty, polypharmacy, and disabling conditions. Frailty, defined using the accumulation of health deficits model, has shown to predict worsening health status, hospitalizations, and death in older persons. There are no clinical studies, to date, that have examined the prevalence and effect of frailty on DFUs outcomes. The aim of our study was to explore the impact of frailty on DFUs healing and re-hospitalization in a cohort of patients hospitalized with DFUs.

DESIGN

prospective cohort study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

The frailty status of 76 consecutive hospitalized patients with DFUs was assessed by using the Frailty Index (FI).

MEASUREMENTS

The primary outcome was the non-healing of the DFU. Secondary outcome was re-hospitalization events (for any cause) within 6 months from hospital discharge. Frailty was defined as FI>0.25.

RESULTS

Out of 76 patients (median age 65 years, range 31-84), 56 (74%) were frail. At six months, 81.5% of frail patients had non-healing of the DFU compared to 55% in non-frail patients (p=0.02). The rate of of re-hospitalization was also higher in frail compared to non-frail (90.3% vs 54%, respectively; p=0.01) patients. In multivariable analyses, frailty was significantly associated with a more than fivefold increased risk of DFU non-healing [odds ratio 5.54 (95% confidence interval 1.28-23.91), p=0.02]. Similarly, re-hospitalization was also significantly higher in frail patients compared to the non-frail ones.

CONCLUSIONS

In hospitalized patients with DFUs, frailty was highly prevalent. Frailty emerged as an independent risk factor for DFU non-healing and re-hospitalization events. Patients with DFUs require a comprehensive assessment of their frailty status which would enable personalization of their management and interventions.

Challenges in the Development of Drugs for Sarcopenia and Frailty - Report from the International Conference on Frailty and Sarcopenia Research (icfsr) Task Force

Sarcopenia and frailty represent two burdensome conditions, contributing to a broad spectrum of adverse outcomes. The International Conference on Frailty and Sarcopenia Research (ICFSR) Task Force met virtually in September 2021 to discuss the challenges in the development of drugs for sarcopenia and frailty. Lifestyle interventions are the current mainstay of treatment options in the prevention and management of both conditions. However, pharmacological agents are needed for people who do not respond to lifestyle modifications, for those who are unable to adhere, or for whom such interventions are inaccessible/unfeasible. Preliminary results of ongoing trials were presented and discussed. Several pharmacological candidates are currently under clinical evaluation with promising early results, but none have been approved for either frailty or sarcopenia. The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped how clinical trials are conducted, in particular by enhancing the usefulness of remote technologies and assessments/interventions.

Prevalence and impact of frailty in patients with atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Frailty is a clinical syndrome characterized by a reduced physiologic function, increased vulnerability to stressors, and an increased risk of adverse outcomes. Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF) are often burdened with a high number of comorbidities and prone to frailty. The prevalence of frailty, its management and association with major outcomes in patients with AF are still unclear.

Purpose

To estimate the pooled prevalence of frailty in patients with AF, as well as its association with AF-related risk factors and comorbidities, oral anticoagulants (OAC) prescription, and major outcomes.

Methods

We systematically searched PubMed and EMBASE, from inception to 31st January 2021, for studies reporting the prevalence of frailty (irrespective of the tool used for assessment). Pooled prevalence, odds ratio (OR), and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were computed using random-effect models; heterogeneity was assessed through the inconsistency index (I2). This study was registered in PROSPERO: CRD42021235854.

Results

A total of 1,116 studies were retrieved from the literature search, and 31 were finally included in the systematic review (n=842,521 patients). The frailty pooled prevalence was 39.6% (95% CI=29.2%-51.0%, I2=100%; Figure 1). Significant subgroup differences were observed according to geographical location (higher prevalence found in European-based cohorts; p=0.003) and type of tool used for the assessment (higher prevalence in studies using the Clinical Frailty Scale and Tilburg Frailty Index tools; p&lt;0.001). Meta-regressions showed that study-level mean age and prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and history of stroke were directly associated with frailty prevalence. Frailty was significantly associated with a 29% reduced probability of OAC prescription in observational studies (OR=0.71, 95% CI=0.62–0.81). Frail patients with AF were at higher risk of all-cause death (OR=4.12, 95% CI=3.15–5.41), ischemic stroke (OR=1.55, 95% CI=1.01–2.38), and bleeding (OR=1.55, 95% CI=1.12–2.14), compared to non-frail patients with AF.

Conclusions

In this systematic review and meta-analysis analysis, the prevalence of frailty was high in patients with AF, and associated with study-level mean age and prevalence of several stroke risk factors. Frailty may influence the management of patients, and worsening the prognosis for all major AF-related outcomes.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None. Prevalence of Frailty among AF patients

On Schrödinger's Cat and Evaluation of Trials Disrupted by the Covid19 Pandemic: A Critical Appraisal

From the beginning of 2020, the world has been fighting the SARS-Cov-2 outbreak. The life of each one of us has profoundly changed. Unavoidably, our clinical routine has drastically modified in its priorities and methodologies (1). The COVID-19 pandemic has also raised significant issues in the field of research. The investigators’ responsibility has increased with the need to thoughtfully weigh the risk-benefit ratio for each protocol in an emergency and evolving scenario (2).

Impact of Age, Frailty, and Dementia on Prescribing for Type 2 Diabetes at Hospital Discharge 2012-2016

BACKGROUND

The risks of intensive blood glucose lowering may outweigh the benefits in vulnerable older people.

OBJECTIVES

Our primary aim was to determine whether age, frailty, or dementia predict discharge treatment types for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and related complications. Secondly, we aimed to determine the association between prior hypoglycemia and discharge treatment types.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

We conducted a cohort study involving 3,067 patients aged 65-99 years with T2D and related complications, discharged from Melbourne's Eastern Health Hospital Network between 2012 and 2016.

MEASUREMENTS

Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between age, frailty, dementia and hypoglycemia, and being prescribed insulin-only, non-insulin glucose-lowering drugs (GLDs) or combined insulin and non-insulin GLDs compared to no GLD. International Classification of Diseases-10 codes were used to identify dementia status and prior hypoglycemia; frailty was quantified using the Hospital Frailty Risk Score.

RESULTS

Insulin-only, non-insulin GLDs, combined insulin and non-insulin GLDs, and no GLDs were prescribed to 19%, 39%, 20%, and 23% of patients, respectively. Patients >80 years were less likely than patients aged 65-80 to be prescribed any of the GLD therapies, (eg. non-insulin GLDs [OR 0.67; 95%CI 0.55-0.82]), compared to no GLD. Similarly, high vs. low frailty scores were associated with not being prescribed any of the three GLD therapies, (eg. non-insulin GLDs [OR 0.63; 95%CI 0.45-0.87]). However, dementia was not associated with discharge prescribing of GLD therapies. Patients with a hypoglycemia-related admission were more likely than those not hospitalized with hypoglycemia to receive insulin-only (OR 4.28; 95%CI 2.89-6.31).

CONCLUSIONS

Clinicians consider age and frailty when tailoring diabetes treatment regimens for patients discharged from hospital with T2D and related complications. There is scope to optimize prescribing for patients with dementia and for those admitted with hypoglycemia.

SARCOPENIA IN PRIMARY CARE: SCREENING, DIAGNOSIS, MANAGEMENT

Detection of sarcopenia in primary care is a first and essential step in community-dwelling older adults before implementing preventive interventions against the onset of disabling conditions. In fact, leaving this condition undiagnosed and untreated can impact on the individual's quality of life and function, as well as on healthcare costs. This article summarizes the many instruments today available for promoting an earlier and prompter detection of sarcopenia in primary care, combining insights about its clinical management. Primary care physicians may indeed play a crucial role in the identification of individuals exposed to the risk of sarcopenia or already presenting this condition. To confirm the suspected diagnosis, several possible techniques may be advocated, but it is important that strategies are specifically calibrated to the needs, priorities and resources of the setting where the evaluation is conducted. To tackle sarcopenia, nutritional counselling and physical activity programs are today the two main interventions to be proposed. Multicomponent and personalized exercise programs can (and should) be prescribed by primary care physicians, taking advantage of validated programs ad hoc designed for this purpose (e.g., the Vivifrail protocol). It is possible that, in the next future, new pharmacological treatments may become available for tackling the skeletal muscle decline. These will probably find application in those individuals non-responding to lifestyle interventions.

Performance characteristics of brief family history questionnaire to screen for Lynch syndrome in women with newly diagnosed ovarian cancers

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Background: Ovarian cancer (OC) is the third most common Lynch syndrome (LS)-associated cancer in women but there is no established screening strategy to identify LS in this population. An adequate family history may identify patients suspected of LS, prompting a referral to genetic assessment. We have previously validated the 4-item brief Family History Questionnaire (bFHQ) in endometrial cancers. The objective of this study was to assess whether bFHQ can be used as a screening tool to identify women with OC at risk of LS. Methods: Prospective cohort study recruited women with newly diagnosed non-serous/non-mucinous OC from three cancer centers in Ontario, Canada. Participants completed bHFQ, extended Family History Questionnaire (eFHQ; encompassing Amsterdam II criteria, Society of Gynecologic Oncology 20-25% criteria and Ontario Ministry of Health criteria), immunohistochemistry (IHC) for mismatch repair (MMR) proteins and universal germline testing for LS. The performance characteristics were compared between bFHQ, eFHQ, and IHC. Results: Of 215 participants, 169 (79%) were evaluable with both bFHQ and germline mutation status; 12 of these 169 were confirmed to have LS (7%). Nine of 12 patients (75%) with LS were correctly identified by bFHQ, compared to 6 of 11 (55%) by eFHQ and 11 of 13 (85%) by IHC. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values and negative predictive values of bFHQ were 75%, 66%, 15% and 98%, compared to 55%, 92%, 35% and 96% for eFHQ and 85%, 90%, 39% and 99% for IHC respectively. IHC was the most sensitive and specific approach. The 4-item bFHQ was more sensitive than eFHQ and took less than 10 minutes for each patient to complete. Conclusions: Patient-administered bFHQ may serve as an adequate screening tool to triage women with OC for further genetic assessment for LS, especially in centers without access to universal tumor testing for IHC for MMR.[Table: see text]

Maximizing cancer prevention through genetic navigation for Lynch syndrome detection in women with newly diagnosed endometrial and nonserous/nonmucinous epithelial ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

Despite recommendations for reflex immunohistochemistry (IHC) for mismatch repair (MMR) proteins to identify Lynch syndrome (LS), the uptake of genetic assessment by those who meet referral criteria is low. The authors implemented a comprehensive genetic navigation program to increase the uptake of genetic testing for LS in patients with endometrial cancer (EC) or nonserous/nonmucinous ovarian cancer (OC).

METHODS

Participants with newly diagnosed EC or OC were prospectively recruited from 3 cancer centers in Ontario, Canada. Family history questionnaires were used to assess LS-specific family history. Reflex IHC for MMR proteins was performed with the inclusion of clinical directives in pathology reports. A trained genetic navigator initiated a genetic referral on behalf of the treating physician and facilitated genetic referrals to the closest genetics center.

RESULTS

A total of 841 participants (642 with EC, 172 with OC, and 27 with synchronous EC/OC) consented to the study; 194 (23%) were MMR-deficient by IHC. Overall, 170 women (20%) were eligible for a genetic assessment for LS: 35 on the basis of their family history alone, 24 on the basis of their family history and IHC, 82 on the basis of IHC alone, and 29 on the basis of clinical discretion. After adjustments for participants who died (n = 6), 149 of 164 patients (91%) completed a genetic assessment, and 111 were offered and completed genetic testing. Thirty-four women (4.0% of the total cohort and 30.6% of those with genetic testing) were diagnosed with LS: 5 with mutL homolog 1 (MLH1), 9 with mutS homolog 2 (MSH2), 15 with mutS homolog 6 (MSH6), and 5 with PMS2.

CONCLUSIONS

The introduction of a navigated genetic program resulted in a high rate of genetic assessment (>90%) in patients with gynecologic cancer at risk for LS.

Physical Functional Assessment in Older Adults

The evaluation of the physical domain represents a critical part of the assessment of the older person, both in the clinical as well as the research setting. To measure physical function, clinicians and researchers have traditionally relied on instruments focusing on the capacity of the individual to accomplish specific functional tasks (e.g., the Activities of Daily Living [ADL] or the Instrumental ADL scales). However, a growing number of physical performance and muscle strength tests has been developed in parallel over the past three decades. These measures are specifically designed to: 1) provide objective results (not surprisingly, they are frequently timed tests) taken in standardized conditions, whereas the traditional physical function scales are generally self- or proxy-reported measures; 2) be more sensitive to changes; 3) capture the real biology of the function through the assessment of standardized tasks mirroring specific functional subdomains; and 4) mirror the quality of specific mechanisms underlying more complex and multidomain functions. Among the most commonly used instruments, the usual gait speed test, the Short Physical Performance Battery, the handgrip strength, the Timed Up-and-Go test, the 6-minute walk test, and the 400-meter walk test are widely adopted by clinicians and researchers. The clinical and research importance of all these instruments has been demonstrated by their predictive capacity for negative health-related outcomes (i.e., hospitalization, falls, institutionalization, disability, mortality). Moreover, they have shown to be associated with subclinical and clinical conditions that are also not directly related to the physical domain (e.g., inflammation, oxidative stress, overall mortality). For this reason, they have been repeatedly indicated as markers of wellbeing linked to the burden of multiple chronic conditions rather than mere parameters of mobility or strength. In this work protocols of the main tests for the objective assessment of physical function in older adults are presented.

Osteoporosis in Frail Older Adults: Recommendations for Research from the ICFSR Task Force 2020

Interactions among physiological pathways associated with osteoporosis and sarcopenia are thought to contribute to the onset of frailty. The International Conference on Frailty and Sarcopenia Research Task Force thus met in March 2020 to explore how emerging interventions to manage fracture and osteoporosis in older adults may reduce frailty, disability, morbidity, and mortality in the older population. Both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions (including nutritional intervention, exercise, and other lifestyle changes) were discussed, including nutritional intervention, exercise, and other lifestyle changes. Pharmacological treatments for osteoporosis include bone-forming and antiresorptive agents, which may optimally be used in sequential or combination regimens. Since similar mechanisms related to resorption underlie physiological changes in muscle and bone, these interventions may provide benefits beyond treating osteoporosis. Clinical trials to test these interventions, however, often exclude frail older persons because of comorbidities (such as mobility disability and cognitive impairment) or polypharmacy. The Task Force recommended that future clinical trials use harmonized protocols, including harmonized inclusion criteria and similar outcome measures; and that they test a range of multidomain therapies. They further advocated more high-quality research to develop interventions specifically for people who are frail and old. The ICOPE program recommended by WHO appears to be highly recommended to frail older adults with osteoporosis.

Intrinsic Capacitiy Monitoring by Digital Biomarkers in Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE)

The WHO action plan on aging expects to change current clinical practices by promoting a more personalized model of medicine. To widely promote this initiative and achieve this goal, healthcare professionals need innovative monitoring tools. Use of conventional biomarkers (clinical, biological or imaging) provides a health status assessment at a given time once a capacity has declined. As a complement, continuous monitoring thanks to digital biomarkers makes it possible to remotely collect and analyze real life, ecologically valid, and continuous health related data. A seamless assessment of the patient's health status potentially enables early diagnosis of IC decline (e.g. sub-clinical or transient events not detectable by episodic evaluations) and investigation of its probable causes. This narrative review aims to develop the concept of digital biomarkers and its implementation in IC monitoring.

Pain Management in Nursing Home Residents: Results from the INCUR Study

OBJECTIVES

Pain is very common among older persons living in nursing home, affecting 45% to 80% of residents, interfering with daily activities and quality of life. Aims of the study are: 1) to measure the analgesics non-prescription in nursing home residents who present pain symptoms; 2) to identify the main determinants of analgesics non-prescription.

DESIGN

Retrospective cross-sectional analysis.

SETTING

Data from an observational study ('Incidence of pNeumonia and related ConseqUences in nursing home Residents' [INCUR] study).

PARTICIPANTS

800 older persons living in 13 French nursing homes. Measurments: Pain symptoms were definied by one of the following criteria: i) Presence of pain affecting the individual's function in the Activities of Daily Living; ii) Presence of daily pain, and/or; iii) Severe pain measured with a visual analogue scale.

RESULTS

Among the patients originally included in the study, 288 (36%) reported pain symptomatology (mean age 86.9 [SD 7.2] years, 220 (76%) participants women). Amongst these, 138 (47.9%) were treated with non-opioid analgesic drugs, 52 (18.1%) with opioids, and 98 (34%) did not receive any analgesic prescription. An adjusted logistic regression analysis found that the strongest determinant of analgesics non-prescription was the number of concomitantly prescribed drugs (p<0.001). Age, education, and frailty were not associated with prescription of analgesic drugs.

CONCLUSIONS

Pain undertreatment is very common among older persons living in nursing homes. The number of prescribed medications represents the most relevant risk factor for the analgesics non-prescription. Our findings document the importance of reviewing prescriptions in nursing home residents.

Assessment of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy vs Lymphadenectomy for Intermediate- and High-Grade Endometrial Cancer Staging

Question

What is the diagnostic accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) compared with lymphadenectomy in women with intermediate- and high-grade endometrial cancer?

Findings

In this cohort study of 156 patients with endometrial cancer (126 with high-grade histologic subtypes), SLNB had a sensitivity of 96% and a negative predictive value of 99% for the detection of nodal metastasis. A total of 26% of patients with node-positive cancer were identified outside lymphadenectomy boundaries or required immunohistochemistry for diagnosis.

Meaning

In this study, SLNB had similar diagnostic accuracy and prognostic ability as lymphadenectomy in patients with high-grade endometrial cancer at greatest risk for nodal metastasis.

Importance

Whether sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) can replace lymphadenectomy for surgical staging in patients with high-grade endometrial cancer (EC) is unclear.

Objective

To examine the diagnostic accuracy of, performance characteristics of, and morbidity associated with SLNB using indocyanine green in patients with intermediate- and high-grade EC.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In this prospective, multicenter cohort study (Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy vs Lymphadenectomy for Intermediate- and High-Grade Endometrial Cancer Staging [SENTOR] study), accrual occurred from July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2019, with early stoppage because of prespecified accuracy criteria. The study included patients with clinical stage I grade 2 endometrioid or high-grade EC scheduled to undergo laparoscopic or robotic hysterectomy with an intent to complete staging at 3 designated cancer centers in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Exposures

All patients underwent SLNB followed by lymphadenectomy as the reference standard. Patients with grade 2 endometrioid EC underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy (PLND) alone, and patients with high-grade EC underwent PLND and para-aortic lymphadenectomy (PALND).

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was sensitivity of the SLNB algorithm. Secondary outcomes were additional measures of diagnostic accuracy, sentinel lymph node detection rates, and adverse events.

Results

The study enrolled 156 patients (median age, 65.5 years; range, 40-86 years; median body mass index [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared], 27.5; range, 17.6-49.3), including 126 with high-grade EC. All patients underwent SLNB and PLND, and 101 patients (80%) with high-grade EC also underwent PALND. Sentinel lymph node detection rates were 97.4% per patient (95% CI, 93.6%-99.3%), 87.5% per hemipelvis (95% CI, 83.3%-91.0%), and 77.6% bilaterally (95% CI, 70.2%-83.8%). Of 27 patients (17%) with nodal metastases, 26 patients were correctly identified by the SLNB algorithm, yielding a sensitivity of 96% (95% CI, 81%-100%), a false-negative rate of 4% (95% CI, 0%-19%), and a negative predictive value of 99% (95% CI, 96%-100%). Only 1 patient (0.6%) was misclassified by the SLNB algorithm. Seven of 27 patients with node-positive cancer (26%) were identified outside traditional PLND boundaries or required immunohistochemistry for diagnosis.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this prospective cohort study, SLNB had acceptable diagnostic accuracy for patients with high-grade EC at increased risk of nodal metastases and improved the detection of node-positive cases compared with lymphadenectomy. The findings suggest that SLNB is a viable option for the surgical staging of EC.

Nutritional Interventions for Early Dementia

Nutrition plays a critical role in the definition of the individual's wellbeing. Nutritional interventions have been repeatedly advocated as of potential interest for preventing or delaying the cognitive decline, also in the context of neurodegenerative conditions. The idea of targeting the initial phases of dementia, when the process is theoretically still amenable of correction, via lifestyle modifications (including healthy diet or supplementation of specific micro-/macro-nutrients) is extremely appealing. In this perspective paper, we describe the most recent evidence on the topic and discuss how the nutritional assessment should be nested within a comprehensive approach to the aging person with initial signs of dementia for promoting his/her optimal management.

Multicomponent Interventions Against Frailty

The prevention and management of frailty imply the delay of functional decline. Recently, there has been a growing interest in the adoption of multicomponent interventions, usually incorporating nutrition and physical activity strategies targeted to age-related risk conditions like frailty and sarcopenia (1). The protocol published by Low et al. (2) is based on a 4-month program including a combination of group exercise (1 hour, once a week) and the prescription of home-based exercises, together with group-based educational seminars (i.e., six sessions) on nutrition. As outlined in the manuscript, the beneficial effects of nutrition and physical activity as strategies to prevent and manage frailty are well established. However, a challenge in delivering nutritional education programs to older people is represented by the difficulty in motivating persons at acquiring new dietary habits because of multiple reasons (e.g., sociocultural, economic, or clinical issues). The personalization of the interventions may represent an effective strategy to promote these changes (3).

International Exercise Recommendations in Older Adults (ICFSR): Expert Consensus Guidelines

The human ageing process is universal, ubiquitous and inevitable. Every physiological function is being continuously diminished. There is a range between two distinct phenotypes of ageing, shaped by patterns of living - experiences and behaviours, and in particular by the presence or absence of physical activity (PA) and structured exercise (i.e., a sedentary lifestyle). Ageing and a sedentary lifestyle are associated with declines in muscle function and cardiorespiratory fitness, resulting in an impaired capacity to perform daily activities and maintain independent functioning. However, in the presence of adequate exercise/PA these changes in muscular and aerobic capacity with age are substantially attenuated. Additionally, both structured exercise and overall PA play important roles as preventive strategies for many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and obesity; improvement of mobility, mental health, and quality of life; and reduction in mortality, among other benefits. Notably, exercise intervention programmes improve the hallmarks of frailty (low body mass, strength, mobility, PA level, energy) and cognition, thus optimising functional capacity during ageing. In these pathological conditions exercise is used as a therapeutic agent and follows the precepts of identifying the cause of a disease and then using an agent in an evidence-based dose to eliminate or moderate the disease. Prescription of PA/structured exercise should therefore be based on the intended outcome (e.g., primary prevention, improvement in fitness or functional status or disease treatment), and individualised, adjusted and controlled like any other medical treatment. In addition, in line with other therapeutic agents, exercise shows a dose-response effect and can be individualised using different modalities, volumes and/or intensities as appropriate to the health state or medical condition. Importantly, exercise therapy is often directed at several physiological systems simultaneously, rather than targeted to a single outcome as is generally the case with pharmacological approaches to disease management. There are diseases for which exercise is an alternative to pharmacological treatment (such as depression), thus contributing to the goal of deprescribing of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMS). There are other conditions where no effective drug therapy is currently available (such as sarcopenia or dementia), where it may serve a primary role in prevention and treatment. Therefore, this consensus statement provides an evidence-based rationale for using exercise and PA for health promotion and disease prevention and treatment in older adults. Exercise prescription is discussed in terms of the specific modalities and doses that have been studied in randomised controlled trials for their effectiveness in attenuating physiological changes of ageing, disease prevention, and/or improvement of older adults with chronic disease and disability. Recommendations are proposed to bridge gaps in the current literature and to optimise the use of exercise/PA both as a preventative medicine and as a therapeutic agent.

Frailty Index, Hospital Admission and Number of Days Spent in Hospital in Nursing Home Residents: Results from the Incur Study

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the predictive capacity of an age-related deficit accumulation index (the so-called Frailty Index [FI] proposed by Rockwood) for hospital admission (HA) and number of days spent in hospital (DSH) among nursing home residents.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Data are from a longitudinal cohort study, the Incidence of pNeumonia and related ConseqUences in nursing home Residents (INCUR), of 768 elder people (75.4% women) living in 13 nursing homes in France.

MEASUREMENTS

The FI was computed taking into account 30 possible deficits at the baseline visit. Hospital admissions were defined as all urgent and involuntary admissions including unplanned readmissions. The length of stay was the total number of days spent by the resident in the hospital. Cox proportional hazard models in the presence of competing risks (death) were performed to study the relationship between the FI and HA over a 12-month follow-up. A Zero-inflated negative binomial regression was performed to study the association between the FI and DSH.

RESULTS

Mean age of participants was 86.7 (standard deviation [SD] 6.9) years, with a mean FI of 0.37 (SD 0.11). At the end of the follow-up, 238 (30.9%) HA events were recorded. Positive associations of the FI with DSH and HA were reported (per 0.01 FI increment: age- and gender-adjusted hazard ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 1.020-1.297, p=0.02 and OR 1.209 (1.075 - 1.359, p<0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The FI is a strong predictor of negative health-related outcomes as HA and DSH events, even with very old and complex nursing home residents.

Ongoing Research Protocols for the Pharmacological Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Dementia

The implementation of effective interventions for neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) is perceived as one of the most pressing research priorities in the field of dementia and one of the main unmet needs from the perspective of affected individuals and their caregivers and relatives. Nevertheless, to date, only a relatively marginal part of dementia research has focused on NPS. This study aimed to describe and discuss the state of the art concerning the identification and development of new pharmacological treatments for NPS in dementia. A review of 320 ongoing phase 1, 2, 3, and 4 protocols registered in the clinicaltrials.gov database was performed. All the trials enrolling patients with dementia were selected. Only studies adopting clinical measures of NPS frequency and/or severity as primary outcome were retained and analyzed. Overall, only a minority of ongoing phase 1, 2, 3 and 4 protocols on dementia (i.e., 9.0%) is primarily targeting NPS. Most of these studies are adopting a placebo-controlled parallel assignment design, testing oral compounds, and targeting specific NPS (mostly agitation and/or aggression). A total of 3,445 subjects with dementia will tentatively be recruited in these trials. The methodologies adopted in these studies, the characteristics of the tested interventions, the eligibility criteria, and the operational definitions of NPS are presented and discussed. The relevance of NPS is not yet matched by an adequate research effort. The current tendency at privileging disease-modifying approaches and other symptoms of dementia and the methodological complexity of studying NPS are still substantially contributing to the gap between research activities and clinical needs.

Performance characteristics of screening strategies to identify Lynch syndrome in women with ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

For women with ovarian cancer (OC), the optimal screening strategy to identify Lynch syndrome (LS) has not been determined. In the current study, the authors compared the performance characteristics of various strategies combining mismatch repair (MMR) immunohistochemistry (IHC), microsatellite instability testing (MSI), and family history for the detection of LS.

METHODS

Women with nonserous and/or nonmucinous ovarian cancer were recruited prospectively from 3 cancer centers in Ontario, Canada. All underwent germline testing for LS and completed a family history assessment. Tumors were assessed using MMR IHC and MSI. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of screening strategies were compared with the gold standard of a germline result.

RESULTS

Of 215 women, germline data were available for 189 (88%); 13 women (7%) had pathogenic germline variants with 7 women with mutS homolog 6 (MSH6); 3 women with mutL homolog 1 (MLH1); 2 women with PMS1 homolog 2, mismatch repair system component (PMS2); and 1 woman with mutS homolog 2 (MSH2). A total of 28 women had MMR-deficient tumors (13%); of these, 11 had pathogenic variants (39%). Sequential IHC (with MLH1 promoter methylation analysis on MLH1-deficient tumors) followed by MSI for nonmethylated and/or MMR-intact patients was the most sensitive (92.3%; 95% confidence interval, 64%-99.8%) and specific (97.7%; 95% confidence interval, 94.2%-99.4%) approach, missing 1 case of LS. IHC with MLH1 promoter methylation analysis missed 2 patients of LS. Family history was found to have the lowest sensitivity at 55%.

CONCLUSIONS

Sequential IHC (with MLH1 promoter methylation analysis) followed by MSI was found to be most sensitive. However, IHC with MLH1 promoter methylation analysis also performed well and is likely more cost-effective and efficient in the clinical setting. The pretest probability of LS is high in patients with MMR deficiency and warrants universal screening for LS.

Tumor site discordance in mismatch repair deficiency in synchronous endometrial and ovarian cancers

OBJECTIVES

For synchronous endometrial and ovarian cancers, most centers rely on mismatch repair testing of the endometrial cancer to identify Lynch syndrome, and neglect the ovarian tumor site completely. We examined the mismatch repair immunohistochemistry and microsatellite instability results from the endometrium and ovary to assess discordance between the tumor sites and between tests.

METHODS

30 women with newly diagnosed synchronous endometrial and ovarian cancer were prospectively recruited from three cancer centers in Ontario, Canada. Both tumor sites were assessed for mismatch repair deficiency by immunohistochemistry and microsatellite instability test; discordance in results between tumor sites and discordance between test results at each site was examined. Cases with discordant results had tumors sequenced with a targeted panel in order to reconcile the findings. All women underwent mismatch repair gene germline testing.

RESULTS

Of 30 patients, 11 (37%) were mismatch repair deficient or microsatellite instable at either tumor site, with 5 (17%) testing positive for Lynch syndrome. Mismatch repair immunohistochemistry expression was discordant between endometrial and ovarian tumor sites in 2 of 27 patients (7%) while microsatellite instability results were discordant in 2 of 25 patients (8%). Relying on immunohistochemistry or microsatellite instability alone on the endometrial tumor would have missed one and three cases of Lynch syndrome, respectively. One patient with Lynch syndrome with a PMS2 pathogenic variant was not detected by either immunohistochemistry or microsatellite instability testing. The rate of discordance between immunohistochemistry and microsatellite instability test was 3.8% in the ovary and 12% in the endometrium.

CONCLUSIONS

There was discordance in immunohistochemistry and microsatellite instability results between tumor sites and between tests within each site. Endometrial tumor testing with mismatch repair immunohistochemistry performed well, but missed one case of Lynch syndrome. Given the high incidence of Lynch syndrome (17%), consideration may be given to germline testing in all patients with synchronous endometrial and ovarian cancers.

Prevalence of Prefrailty and Frailty in South America: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies

OBJECTIVES

The present study aimed at investigating the prevalence of prefrailty and frailty in South American older adults according to the setting and region.

DESIGN

A literature search combining the terms "frailty", "South America" or a specific country name was performed on PubMed, EMBASE, Lilacs, and Scielo to retrieve articles published in English, Portuguese or Spanish on or before August 2019.

PARTICIPANTS

Older adults aged 60+ years from any setting classified as frail according to a validated scale were included in the study.

MEASUREMENTS

Frailty assessment by a validated scale.

RESULTS

One-hundred eighteen reports (98 performed from Brazil, seven from Chile, five from Peru, four from Colombia, two from Ecuador, one from Argentina, and one from Venezuela) were included in the study. The mean prevalence of prefrailty in South America was 46.8% (50.7% in older in-patients, 47.6% in the community, and 29.8% in nursing-home residents). The mean prevalence of frailty in South America was 21.7% (55.8% in nursing-home residents, 39.1% in hospitalized older adults, and 23.0% in the community).

CONCLUSIONS

Prefrailty and frailty are highly prevalent in South American older adults, with rates higher than those reported in Europe and Asia. In the community, almost one-in-two is prefrail and one-in-five is frail, while hospitalized persons and nursing-home residents are more frequently affected. These findings indicate the need for immediate attention to avoid frailty progression toward negative health outcomes. Our findings also highlight the need for specific guidelines for the management of frailty in South America.