Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-5858/1510100
Elder Abuse: Characterization of a Population Hospitalized in CHUC
Antony Soares Dionísio, João Filipe Gomes and Manuel Teixeira Marques Veríssimo
Article Type: Original Research | First Published: October 22, 2020
The main purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of elder abuse in Portugal, more specifically in a central hospital in Coimbra and its impact on victims’ health. The analysis of the results concludes that 36% of the participants report experiencing at least one indicator of abuse. There is a relation between the number of abuse indicators and the female gender, low educational level, depressive symptoms, increased functional dependence and health status. Mistreatment in the elderly ...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-5858/1510099
Recurrent COVID-19 Viral Shedding in a Nursing Home Resident
Robert J Fischer, MD
Article Type: Case Report | First Published: September 30, 2020
Recurrent viral shedding (RVS) in COVID-19, between four and 31 days following a test of cure, has been noted in the medical literature. Here we describe a case of recurrent and protracted viral shedding in a nursing home patient admitted to the hospital. Following symptomatic COVID-19 and viral shedding for 36 days with subsequent test of cure, a further positive RT-PCR was obtained 45 days later when the formerly symptomatic patient was readmitted for urgent urinary tract surgery. The total ti...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-5858/1510098
Cochlear Implantation in Older Adults: Effectiveness and Expanded Indications
Nicholas J Thompson, MD, Margaret E Richter, BA, Margaret T Dillon, AuD, and Harold C Pillsbury, MD
Article Type: Review Article | First Published: September 30, 2020
Older adults who qualify for cochlear implantation demonstrate significant improvements in speech recognition and quality of life with cochlear implant use. Cochlear implantation is a safe and effective procedure for patients with hearing loss, with some additional medical considerations specific to older adult patients. The indications for cochlear implantation have expanded from cases of bilateral severe- to-profound hearing loss to cases of normal-to-moderate low-frequency hearing sensitivity...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-5858/1510097
Analysis of COVID-19 Outbreak in a Long-Term Care Facility of Italy: A Lesson for the Future
Andrea Ferrazza, Claudia Bellini, Ingrid Bordanzi, Marialuigia Praitano and Rita Vedovello
Article Type: Original Article | First Published: September 18, 2020
Long term care facilities are the homes of elderly people worldwide; due to vulnerability and rapid spread of infection (droplets or fomites) the risk of severe outcomes from outbreaks of COVID-19 is of concern. We analyzed data of cases from the beginning of the epidemic, confronting clinically suspected patients (absence of nasopharyngeal testing -T0) with symptomatic COVID-19 patients (availability of rRT-PCR testing - T1); all data were censored after complete nasopharyngeal swab SARS-CoV-2 ...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-5858/1510096
COVID-19 and Hospital-Acquired Delirium
Pooja Nair, Aileen Nguyen, Nishita Nigam and Abraham Kanal
Article Type: Perspective Piece | First Published: August 20, 2020
Delirium is a frequently encountered condition in hospital medicine and can be associated with extended hospitalizations as well as higher rates of morbidity and mortality, with significant impact on the elderly population. The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to increase the burden of delirium amongst hospitalized patients. Thus far, evidence-based interventions that have been shown to be effective in preventing and reducing the morbidity associated with this condition include early screening and ...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-5858/1510095
COVID-19 and Thrombocytopenia: Heparin or Sepsis-Induced?
Fabiana Tezza, MD, PhD, Angela Susana, MD, Jacopo Monticelli, MD, Lucia AC Leone, MD and Sofia Barbar, MD
Article Type: Case Report | First Published: July 22, 2020
About 40% of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients are asymptomatic but infectious. More common symptoms are fever, dry cough and dyspnea but some patients might experience also myalgia, diarrhea, anosmia and ageusia. Severe cases present a severe pneumonia that could exitate in an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) characterized by acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and bilateral lung infiltrates...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-5858/1510094
Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency in an Old Woman
Antoine Briantais, Margaux Froidefond, Julie Seguier, Laure Swiader and Jean Marc Durand
Article Type: Case Report | First Published: July 22, 2020
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common worldwide distributed hereditary red cells enzymatic defect, with a prevalence of 400 million affected subjects. It is a benign haematologic disorder, acute haemolytic crisis triggered by exposition to oxidative agents such as fava beans, drugs or infections might be its most common life-threatening clinical presentation. Although G6PD deficiency is X-linked recessive disorder, females are expected to have normal G6PD level. ...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-5858/1510093
Impact of Colonoscopy in Patients Older than 75 Years
Pallavi Shah, Alhareth Alsayed, Waseem Ahmed, Shreya Desai, Mohamed Shanshal and Janos Molnar
Article Type: Original Research | First Published: July 11, 2020
Current guidelines for colorectal cancer recommend starting screening at age 50 until 75 years. The primary objective was to compare survival in patients 50-74 years-old versus older patients. Retrospective chart reviews were performed on patients who underwent screening, diagnostic or surveillance colonoscopy at JAL FHCC. 213 patients were included with 51% of the patients aged 50-74 years and 49% aged 75 years or older. Survival time was higher in the younger group with mean survival time (MST...
