PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Molaschi

Publications and source records attributed to M Molaschi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Home care for demented subjects: new models of care and home-care allowance.

This study on home care for demented patients is one of the finalized research projects sponsored by the Ministry of Health. The teams involved are: the Home Hospitalization Service (HHS) of S. Giovanni Battista Hospital of Torino, the "Azienda Sanitaria Locale n 20" (ASL 20) of Alessandria and Tortona and the "Presidio Ospedaliero Riabilitativo Fatebenefratelli" of San Maurizio Canavese (Torino). Aim of the study is to assess the feasibility and usefulness of taking care of elderly demented patients at home and to improve the quality of life of patients and their relatives, involving training experiences and economic help. The Geriatric Department of San Giovanni Battista Hospital started a randomized controlled study on 109 severely demented subjects admitted to the emergency room of the hospital. Fifty-three patients were transferred to the traditional geriatric ward and 56 to the HHS. The team of ASL 20 of Alessandria and Tortona selected and evaluated 45 elderly demented patients living at home. These subjects, stratified for their cognitive and functional impairment, were randomly allocated to two different groups: a group receiving an economic help for one year and a control group. In the first setting of research the degree of dementia was severe, mini mental state examination (MMSE) score was 10.0 +/- 5.2 for patients at home, and 10.5 +/- 6 for the second group. The majority of patients followed at home (78.6 %) were discharged, while only 47.2 % of the in-patients returned home (p < 0.001). Seventeen out of 53 patients (32.1 %) admitted to the traditional ward and only two of home-hospitalization patients had to be sent to nursing home (p <0.001). The 45 subjects evaluated by the team of ASL 20 were divided into two groups.Twenty-four subjects were allocated to receive a home care allowance. Their functional status was impaired. Their MMSE score was 12.6 +/- 5.4 and clinical dementia rating scale(CDR) score 2.7 +/- 0.9. A control group of 21 subjects (17 women and 4 men) showed similar characteristics as the previously described group.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Pet-therapy: a trial for institutionalized frail elderly patients.

Twenty-eight subjects with chronic age-related disabilities living in the nursing home"Istituto di Riposo per la Vecchiaia" in Torino were assigned to a pet-therapy intervention group, consisting of 3/week sessions of almost one-hour visit for 6 weeks with a little cat, of to a control group undergoing usual activity programs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of pet-therapy on nursing home inpatients. There were no differences in demographic or clinical characteristics and in mean duration of institutionalization between the two groups. Results showed that patients with animal interaction had improved depressive symptoms and a significant decrease in blood pressure values. The pet-therapy programs are desirable components of the multidisciplinary treatment for frail elderly patients in long-term care.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

A randomized controlled trial of a home hospital intervention for frail elderly demented patients: behavioral disturbances and caregiver's stress.

A Geriatric Home Hospitalization Service (GHHS) has been operating in Torino at S. Giovanni Battista Hospital since 1985. GHHS allows us to perform diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, which are usually made in hospital, also at home. GHHS team includes geriatricians, nurses, physiotherapists, social workers and counselors. Between February 1999 and April 2002, the GHH Service conducted a randomized controlled trial on 109 elderly, demented patients requiring admission to the Hospital Emergency Department (ED)for acute illnesses. Objective of the study was to identify the benefits of the care in a GHHScompared to a general medical ward (GMW) in reducing behavioral disturbances in elderly patients with advanced dementia and in lowering caregiver's stress. Patients were randomly assigned to GHHS (56 patients) or to GMW (53 patients). Both groups were examined using the same protocol and were evaluated on admission and on discharge. All patients had a severe form of dementia as shown by the clinical dementia rating (CDR) scale mean value (3.7 +/- 0.9) with an important functional impairment and a relevant degree of comorbidity.The main reasons for hospitalization were infections, cerebrovascular accidents and malnutrition. Mortality of total sample was 19.3 %, without significant differences in the two settings of care. On discharge, in GHHS patients there was a significant reduction of behavioral disturbances. The use of anti-psychotic drugs was significantly lower in GHHS patients compared to the GMW group (p < 0.001). The stress of caregivers on discharge was reduced only in GHHS group and not in the control ones. In conclusion, we can say that a GHHS continuous support allows us to reduce the family caregiver's stress. When treated at home, demented patients do not have to change their environment or routine and it is possible to have a better control on behavioral disturbances.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

[The dependence medical index (DMI): validation and comparison with the activity daily living and the instrumental activity daily living].

AIM: The aim of this study was the validation of the dependence medical index (DMI), a disability medical assessment tool in the elderly. METHODS: Study sample included 1054 subjects aged 65 and over, consecutively admitted to the University Department of Geriatric Medicine of Turin, Italy. A total of 356 of these subjects was classified as dependent to activity of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) scales. Some conditions causing medical dependence were detected, such as strength and/or motility impairment, incontinence, pressure sores, disturbances in speech and communication, decline in sight and/or hearing, terminal illness (death expected within 6 months), need for multiple and complex therapies, episodic disorientation, dizziness with tendency to fall, use of the wheel-chair. The relationship between dependence and the DMI was studied by discriminant analysis. A scale was created using the discriminant scores of each 15 medical indications for disability. RESULTS: The discriminant model of DMI was validated by cross-validation statistical method: its application permitted to classify correctly 73.1% of the sample. The DMI permitted to classify the dependent subjects in variable percentages: from 67% (DMI score > or =1) to 90% (DMI score > or =7). The best ratio between specificity and sensibility was for score 4 to DMI. CONCLUSION: The conclusion is drawn that DMI can be used to detect and evaluate the disability for medical reasons in elderly people.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2001

[Assessment of cognitive and functional status in hospitalized elderly].

In 1745 elderly patients (971 men and 774 women), consecutively admitted to University Geriatric Ward in San Giovanni Battista Hospital of Torino, cognitive status (SPMSQ) was evaluated. Moderate-severe and mild cognitive impairment were respectively present in 26.8% and 15.8% of the sample. Subjects affected by moderate-severe cognitive impairment were older (80.7 +/- 8.0 yrs) than patients with mild deterioration (79.5 +/- 7.8 yrs) and patients without cognitive problems (75.3 +/- 8.3 yrs). The number of pathologies and the length of hospital stay were not related to severe cognitive impairment. Lower schooling was associated with cognitive alteration. Among subjects affected by moderate-severe cognitive deterioration 15.6% was living with assistance before hospitalization. The prevalence of functional impairment (ADL) was higher (70.9%) among patients with moderate-severe cognitive impairment. In-hospital mortality was higher (21.2%) among patients with moderate-severe cognitive deterioration.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1998

Is videopupillography useful in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease?

Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) reportedly exhibit greater pupillary dilation than healthy subjects in response to tropicamide. By means of videopupillography, we have found that the average basal pupillary diameter was greater in AD patients than in normal controls and that there is an inverse relationship between the average pupillary diameter and the maximal dilation obtained following tropicamide application in both groups. Pupillary response to tropicamide and videopupillography do not distinguish between Alzheimer's patients and controls.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Hypernatremic dehydration in the elderly on admission to hospital.

Dehydration is the most common cause of fluid and electrolyte disturbances in the elderly. This condition is related to the lack of increase in water intake in the presence of an increased fluid loss. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of hypernatremic dehydration in elderly patients admitted to the hospital. We retrospectively studied 2,894 subjects admitted to the acute ward of the Geriatric Section of the Department of Medical and Surgical Disciplines of the University of Torino from January 1990 to July 1995. Among them 84 (2.9%) patients, mean age 77.3 +/- 9.8 years, had serum sodium levels and blood urea nitrogen greater than 145 mEq/L and 25 mg/dL respectively with serum creatinine below 3 mg/dL. The prevalence of hypernatremic dehydration increases with age. Only 1.6% of the subjects under 65 years old are affected by this condition, against 5.3% of those over 85 years. The mortality rate observed during hospitalization is 29.8%. Mortality is positively related to serum sodium levels. We found mortality rates of 33.3% and 71.4% respectively in subjects with serum sodium levels from 151 to 153 mEq/L and in those with values over 154 mEq/L. Both serum sodium levels and age are independent risk factors for mortality (O.R. 1.31 and 1.07 respectively).

Aged↗
PubMed1997

A case-control study on lymphocytic subsets in elderly bearing a gastroenteric cancer.

The aim of this work is to evaluate the differences in lymphocytic sub-classes between elderly patients with gastroenteric cancer and elderly patients with a non neoplastic disease. A group of 88 patients over 60, consecutively admitted to the III Division General Surgery for gastro-enteric cancer has been collected for the study, the control group consisted of 74 patients also over 60, consecutively admitted over the same period for benign abdominal diseases. In all patients the following data were measured: body mass index (BMI), white blood cells (WBC), total lymphocytes, total T lymphocytes (CD3+), helper T lymphocytes (CD4+), suppressor T lymphocytes (CD8+), CD4+/CD8+ ratio, B lymphocytes, CD5+ B lymphocytes, activated T lymphocytes (CD3+ HLA-DR+), CD4+ "naive" lymphocytes (CD4+ CD45 RA+), CD4+ "memory" lymphocytes (CD4+ CD45 RO+), NK lymphocytes (CD16+ 56+), red blood cells (RBC), total serum cholesterol, albumin, total serum proteins. The main lymphocytic subsets were on an average lower in the cancerous elderly group with respect to the non cancerous. As the tumour progressively increases in size (T), total lymphocytes significantly decrease, while CD4+ progressively decreases with nodal involvement (N). In the cancerous elderly, we found a lower immune response. The immune system appears to be less efficient also in association with tumor growth, especially when T and N get worse. The response of effector cells to the tumour seems not specific.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Site-specific relative risk of fractures in the institutionalized elderly.

A 3-year prospective study was performed to evaluate the incidence of fractures in institutionalized elderly and associated risk factors. A total of 197 subjects (47 males and 150 females, mean age 81.5 +/- 8.0 years) were included in the study. The annual fracture incidence was 7.8%. All hip fractures occurred in female subjects (annual incidence = 3.7%). As expected, the incidence of fractures is higher in walking subjects. In walking subjects (n = 128) logistic regression analysis showed falls [adjusted relative risk (RR) = 3.3; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3-8.4] and age (adjusted RR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.1-2.3) to be variables independently and significantly associated with fractures, after adjusting for baseline bone mineral density (BMD) and sex. Hip fractures were associated with age (RR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.1-2.3), and non-hip fractures with falls (RR = 4.1; 95% CI = 1.3-13.4). The importance of low BMD as a risk factor for fractures is reduced in the institutionalized elderly. However, other fracture-site-specific risk factors exert a greater influence.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed1995

[Changes in the electrocardiogram in the elderly patient. The limits between normality and pathology].

Normal electrocardiographic criteria in the elderly are not well defined. The prevalence of electrocardiographic abnormalities is three times higher in subjects over 85 years than in subjects 65-69 years old. With aging the heart rate does not vary during rest and sinus rhythm is prevalent, although sinus pauses, overall at night, are frequently seen. First degree atrio-ventricular block is present in 8.1%-19% of the elderly. 11% of subjects over 70 years suffer from left anterior hemiblock. 4.3% of subjects over 65 years and 7% of those over 85 present a right bundle branch block. 1.7% of subjects older than 65 years and 9% of those older than 85 are affected by a left bundle branch block. Atrial ectopic contractions are present in 8.8% of subjects over 60 years and in all older subjects. Atrial fibrillation is more common as age increases, being found in 2% of under 75s, in 5% of all subjects over this age, in 14% over 85 years and in 27% of patients hospitalized or institutionalized aged over 90 years. The prevalence of ventricular ectopic contractions varies from 76% in studies performed with baseline electrocardiogram to 96% in studies performed with portable monitoring electrocardiogram. Major ST-T wave alterations are present in 6.3%-13% of the elderly. In 340 patients over 80 years, hospitalized for diseases, other than cardiovascular, we found atrial fibrillation in 27.9% of subjects, ectopic beats in 26.2%, first degree atrioventricular block in 8.5%, right bundle branch block in 11.2%, left bundle branch block in 5.9%, left anterior hemiblock in 8.2%, ST-T wave alterations in 23.8% of the population.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Hemodynamic, hemorheologic, and hemocoagulative changes after treatment with picotamide in patients affected by peripheral arterial disease (PAD) of the lower limbs.

Effects of picotamide on platelet activity and on some hemorheologic, coagulative, and hemodynamic parameters were investigated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study for eighteen months. Twenty patients, average age 61.5 +/- 9.6 (SD) years, with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) at functional stage 2 of the Fontaine classification and with intermittent claudication for at least six months were studied. Ten patients received tablets of picotamide, 300 mg three times a day, and 10 subjects received three identical placebo tablets each day. Similar atherosclerotic disease risk factors were present in both groups. Picotamide induced a significant decrease of plasma viscosity, fibrinogen, and beta-thromboglobulin and an increase of amplitude of the photoplethysmographic wave.

Arterial Occlusive Diseases↗
PubMed1994

[Neuropsychologic symptoms of primary hyperparathyroidism in the elderly. Report of a clinical case].

Primary hyperparathyroidism is a not uncommon disease in the elderly. A prevalence of 3% for women and 1% for men is reported in subjects aged 65 years and over. Routine serum calcium determination and parathyroid hormone radioimmuno-assay allow to make an early diagnosis in still asymptomatic subjects. In the elderly the clinical features of the disease are often aspecific presenting with psychiatric and/or neuromuscular and/or cardiovascular disorders. This report refers to a 75 year-old woman admitted to our Department with a suspicion of senile dementia. She was affected by loss of memory, hallucinations, nausea, loss of appetite, mild polydipsia and polyuria. The patient was dependent in one activity of daily living (Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living, ADL) and partially dependent in instrumental activities of daily living (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, IADL). The Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) showed mild mental impairment and mild depression. Routine biochemical screening revealed a significant hypercalcemia. Parathormon assay and parathyroid scintigram were performed to confirm the diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism. After treatment of dehydratation and hypercalcemia, parathyroidectomy was performed: a single parathyroid adenoma was found and removed. On discharge the patient was lucid and able to carry out all ADLs and IADLs.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

[The relationships between the lipoprotein profile and rheological-coagulation parameters in patients with hyperlipoproteinemia type II].

The aim of the study was to evaluate the direct influence of lipid parameters (total and HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and total lipids) on the rheologic-coagulative pattern. We studied blood rheological properties--blood (BV), plasmatic (PV), and seric (SV) viscosity, whole blood (WBF) and red cell (RCF) filterability--and some coagulative factors--fibrinogen (Fib), levels of clotting factor VII (fVIIc) and VIII (fVIIIc) activity--in 156 men aged 40-54 years; 87 patients had type II hyperlipoproteinemia (46 type IIa and 41 type IIb) and 69 were normolipemic controls. Smokers, patients with arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus or cardiovascular clinical manifestations were excluded. Type IIb hyperlipoproteinemic patients had increased blood viscosity (shear rate 225 sec-1, p. less than 0.01), which was positively correlated with triglycerides and fibrinogen concentration. Levels of fibrinogen, fVIIc and fVIIIc activity did not differ significantly in hyperlipemic patients and controls, although fVIIc activity and fibrinogen were both positively related with lipid parameters. These data suggest that, in absence of other major risk factors, the alterations of the rheologic-coagulative pattern are mainly dependent on the severity of the lipid disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Hemorheologic and coagulative pattern in hypercholesterolemic subjects treated with lipid-lowering drugs.

The effects on the coagulative and rheologic pattern of two lipid-lowering drugs, bezafibrate and simvastatin, were studied in 36 hypercholesterolemic subjects. Patients were randomly divided into two groups (18 subjects each) and received bezafibrate R 400 mg/day or simvatatin 10-40 mg/day over a twelve week period. Besides a decrease in plasma fibrinogen and fibrinopeptide A (p less than 0.001 both), bezafibrate induced a reduction of factor VIIc and VIIIc activity (p less than 0.001 both), while antithrombin 3 activity was increased (p less than 0.001) and the hemorheologic pattern was greatly improved (p less than 0.001). Simvastatin caused a slight decrease in factor VIIIc activity and a moderate reduction of beta-thromboglobulin. The efficacy of bezafibrate in reducing the activation of the coagulative cascade and improving the hemorheologic pattern has been confirmed; the peculiar triglycerides- and fibrinogen-lowering effect of the drug, not observed with simvastatin, could be responsible for these modifications.

Adult↗