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Management of post‑acute COVID‑19 patients in geriatric rehabilitation

Key summary points Aim To describe a guidance on the management of post-acute COVID 19 patients in geriatric rehabilitation. Findings This guidance addresses general requirements for post-acute COVID-19 geriatric rehabilitation and critical aspects for quality assurance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the guidance describes relevant care processes and procedures divided in five topics: patient selection; admission; treatment; discharge; and follow-up and monitoring. Message This guidance is designed to provide support to care professionals involved in the geriatric rehabilitation treatment of post-acute COVID-19 patients.

Dietary resilience in patients with severe COPD at the start of a pulmonary rehabilitation program

Coexistence of malnutrition, frailty, physical frailty and disability in patients with COPD starting a pulmonary rehabilitation program

Background & aims: Malnutrition, frailty, physical frailty, and disability are common conditions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Insight in the coexistence and relations between these conditions may provide information on the nature of the relationship between malnutrition and frailty. Such information may help to identify required interventions to improve the patient's health status. We therefore aimed to explore whether malnutrition, frailty, physical frailty, and disability coexist in patients with COPD at the start of pulmonary rehabilitation. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, from March 2015 to May 2017, patients with COPD were assessed at the start of a pulmonary rehabilitation program. Nutritional status was assessed with the Scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) based Pt-Global app. Frailty was assessed by the Evaluative Frailty Index for Physical activity (EFIP), physical frailty by Fried's criteria, and disability by the Dutch version of World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS). These variables were dichotomized to determine coexistence of malnutrition, frailty, physical frailty, and disability. Associations between PG-SGA score and respectively EFIP score, Fried's criteria, and WHODAS score were analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficient. Two tailed P-values were used, and significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: Of the 57 participants included (age 61.2 ± 8.7 years), malnutrition and frailty coexisted in 40%. Malnutrition and physical frailty coexisted in 18%, and malnutrition and disability in 21%. EFIP score and PG-SGA score were significantly correlated (r = 0.43, P = 0.001), as well as Fried's criteria and PG-SGA score (r = 0.37, P = 0.005). Conclusions: In this population, malnutrition substantially (40%) coexists with frailty. Although the prevalence of each of the four conditions is quite high, the coexistence of all four conditions is limited (11%). The results of our study indicate that nutritional interventions should be delivered by health care professionals across multiple disciplines.

Blended Self-Management Interventions to Reduce Disease Burden in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Asthma

Abstract: Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma have a high prevalence and disease burden. Blended self-management interventions, which combine eHealth with face-to-face interventions, can help reduce the disease burden. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to examine the effectiveness of blended self-management interventions on health-related effectiveness and process outcomes for people with COPD or asthma. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, COCHRANE Library, Emcare, and Embase were searched in December 2018 and updated in November 2020. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias (ROB) 2 tool and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. Results: A total of 15 COPD and 7 asthma randomized controlled trials were included in this study. The meta-analysis of COPD studies found that the blended intervention showed a small improvement in exercise capacity (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.48; 95% CI 0.10-0.85) and a significant improvement in the quality of life (QoL; SMD 0.81; 95% CI 0.11-1.51). Blended intervention also reduced the admission rate (relative ratio [RR] 0.61; 95% CI 0.38-0.97). In the COPD systematic review, regarding the exacerbation frequency, both studies found that the intervention reduced exacerbation frequency (RR 0.38; 95% CI 0.26-0.56). A large effect was found on BMI (d=0.81; 95% CI 0.25-1.34); however, the effect was inconclusive because only 1 study was included. Regarding medication adherence, 2 of 3 studies found a moderate effect (d=0.73; 95% CI 0.50-0.96), and 1 study reported a mixed effect. Regarding self-management ability, 1 study reported a large effect (d=1.15; 95% CI 0.66-1.62), and no effect was reported in that study. No effect was found on other process outcomes. The meta-analysis of asthma studies found that blended intervention had a small improvement in lung function (SMD 0.40; 95% CI 0.18-0.62) and QoL (SMD 0.36; 95% CI 0.21-0.50) and a moderate improvement in asthma control (SMD 0.67; 95% CI 0.40-0.93). A large effect was found on BMI (d=1.42; 95% CI 0.28-2.42) and exercise capacity (d=1.50; 95% CI 0.35-2.50); however, 1 study was included per outcome. There was no effect on other outcomes. Furthermore, the majority of the 22 studies showed some concerns about the ROB, and the quality of evidence varied. Conclusions: In patients with COPD, the blended self-management interventions had mixed effects on health-related outcomes, with the strongest evidence found for exercise capacity, QoL, and admission rate. Furthermore, the review suggested that the interventions resulted in small effects on lung function and QoL and a moderate effect on asthma control in patients with asthma. There is some evidence for the effectiveness of blended self-management interventions for patients with COPD and asthma; however, more research is needed. Trial Registration: PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42019119894; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=119894

Changes in geriatric rehabilitation

Abstract Objective: To describe changes in the health service delivery process experienced by professionals, patients and informal caregivers during implementation of a national programme to improve quality of care of geriatric rehabilitation by improving integration of health service delivery processes. Study setting: Sixteen skilled nursing facilities. Study design: Prospective study, comparing three consecutive cohorts. Data collection: Professionals (elderly care physicians, physiotherapists and nursing staff) rated four domains of health service delivery at admission and at discharge of 1075 patients. In addition, these patients [median age 79 (Interquartile range 71–85) years, 63% females] and their informal caregivers rated their experiences on these domains 4 weeks after discharge. Principal findings: During the three consecutive cohorts, professionals reported improvement on the domain team cooperation, including assessment for intensive treatment and information transfer among professionals. Fewer improvements were reported within the domains alignment with patients’ needs, care coordination and care quality. Between the cohorts, according to patients (n = 521) and informal caregivers (n = 319) there were no changes in the four domains of health service delivery. Conclusion: This national programme resulted in small improvements in team cooperation as reported by the professionals. No effects were found on patients’ and informal caregivers’ perceptions of health service delivery.

Improvement in frailty status after pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The aim of this study, is to assess changes in prevalence and frailty score during pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in patients with COPD.