Palliative and hospice care for patients suffering severe or end-stage illness with projected short life expectancy.Such services aim to improve patients' quality of life through prognosticating,prevention and treatment of their ailment.The main components include evaluation and treatment of symptoms,pain control,family care,alleviating and treating patients' psychological burden and depression,and offering comfort and dignity.Hospice and palliative care are different from euthanasia,because they neither hasten nor delay the dying process.Instead,they focus on patients'physical and psychological needs and helping patients to maintain their independence and make their own choice.As a new medical subspecialty,palliative and hospice care are considered one of the important frontier in modern medicine.They employ a multi-disciplinary team approach,and the team members require special skill sets including those in communication and symptom management.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of malnutrition and nutritional support and interventions in geriatric inpatients.Methods The elderly patients (aged ≥ 65 years)from the geriatric demonstration ward were consecutively enrolled from July 2010 to January 2012.MiniNutritional Assessment-short form (MNA-SF) was performed after admission,and data of nutritional support were collected.Results A total of 179 patients were enrolled in this study.According to MNA-SF,42 cases (23.5％)were rated as malnutrition,and 55 cases (30.7％) were rated as at risk of malnutrition.Totally,45 patients received nutritional support.50.0％ (21/42) patients with malnutrition,and 29.1％ (16/55) patients at risk of malnutrition received nutritional support.As to the route of nutrition therapy,the ratio of the enteral to parenteral to combination of enteral and parental nutrition was 4.4 ∶ 1.0 ∶ 1.0.Conclusions The incidence of malnutrition is high in the geriatric inpatients,and routine nutritional risk screening and assessment are essential for the elderly patients.Nutritional support and other comprehensive treatment are in great need,and the enteral nutrition is appropriate and preferred.

Objective To prospectively analyze the impact of frailty on the short-term outcomes of coronary heart disease (CHD) and its related factors.Methods A total of 505 patients aged ≥65 years,with diagnosis of CHD in Cardiology Department and Geriatrics Department in our hospital were selected.Clinical data including geriatrics syndromes were collected by using Comprehensive Geriatrics Assessment (CGA).Frailty was defined according to the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS).The impact of the comorbid conditions on the risk was quantified by the coronary artery disease-specific index.Patients were followed up by clinic visit or telephone consultation.Following-up items included recurrence of all-cause mortality,recurrence of cardiovascular events,and unscheduled returned visit.The impact of frailty on the prognosis of coronary heart disease was analyzed by Cox regression.Results Of the 505 patients,221 patients (43.76％) were considered to be frail elderly,in whom 126 patients (24.95％) were assessed as moderately to severely frail elderly.The incidences of comorbidities and geriatrics syndrome including incontinence,fall history,visual impairment,hearing impairment,constipation,chronic pain,sleeping disorder,dental problems,anxiety or depression,and delirium were higher in frail patients than in non-frail patients[51.1％ (113/221) vs.30.6％ (87/ 284),31.2％ (69/221) vs.19.0％ (54/284),43.9％ (97/221) vs.29.9％ (85/284),49.3％ (109/221) vs.29.6％ (84/284),60.2％ (133/221) vs.33.8％ (96/284),62.0％ (137/221) vs.46.8％ (133/284),49.3％ (109/221) vs.37.7％ (107/284),79.2％ (175/221) vs.55.6％ (158/284),11.3％ (25/221) vs.6.0％ (17/284),2.7％ (6/221) vs.0 (0/284),x2=21.831,10.053,10.510,20.519,34.894,11.481,6.886,30.695,4.624,7.803,respectively,all P＜0.05].After adjusting for sex,age,severity of illness and other coexist factors,the Cox survival analysis showed that frailty was the independent risk predictor for the all-cause mortality and unscheduled return visit in CHD patients (HR=2.881 and 1.835,95％CI:1.591-5.215 and 1.458-2.311,both P＜0.001).Conclusions Comprehensive Geriatrics Assessment and Clinical Frail Scale are useful to evaluate the clinical features in elderly CHD patients.Frailty is the independent risk predictor for the short-term prognosis including all-cause mortality and unscheduled return visit in elderly CHD patients.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of the overlap syndrome of dementia,depression and delirium coexistence in two or three of them (the 2D's or 3D's) in elderly patients,in order to raise awareness.Methods Clinical data of 16 patients aged ＞65 years diagnosed with the 2D's or 3D's admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2010 to 2014 were analyzed and relevant literatures were reviewed.Results Patients with the 2D's or 3D' s accounted for 10％ of the elderly demented patients and 3％ of the elderly depressive patients.16 patients [11 females and 5 males,median age 82 years and mean age (80±6) years] were enrolled,with 7 cases of dementia with depression,6 cases of delirium superimposed on dementia,2 cases of the 3D's,and 1 case of coexisting depression and incident delirium.The Charlson comorbidity index of the 16 patients was (3.0± 1.5).(4.0± 1.6) kinds of geriatric syndromes were found,and the most common were falls (62％),sleep disorders (56％),frailty (50％),polypharmacy (43 ％),and malnutrition (37％).Disability was identified in 14 (88％) patients on admission.Delirium was observed in 9 patients (56 ％),with 7 cases of hyperactive delirium and 2 cases of hypoactive delirium.Coexisting underlying dementia was identified after episodes of delirium in 6 cases.16 patients all received corresponding intervention during hospitalization period.During a mean follow-up period of (15±13) months,62 ％ of the patients had more impaired physical function (ADL score reduction≥ 1),and 43％ of the patients had more impaired cognitive function (MMSE score reduction≥3).Two patients were transferred to long-term care facilities and one patient died during follow-up.The readmission rate was 50％ within 1 year after discharge.Conclusions The domestic report of overlap syndrome of dementia,depression and delirium is rare.Patients with the coexistence of the 2D's or 3D's are more commonly combined with geriatric syndromes,which results in further cognitive and physical function impairment with a higher re-admission rate.We should pay attention to the follow-up in elderly patients with delirium for screening dementia.

Objective To investigate the correlation between FA value,ADC value and limb muscle strength score measured by magnetic resonance imaging in patients with ischemic stroke,aims to to analyze the clinical value of magnetic resonance imaging in limb muscle strength.Methods Twenty patients with acute cerebral infarction and treated from June 2015 to Junly 2016 were recruited from This hospital,and the simplified Fugl-Meyer motor function score was observed for all patients within 3 days.Tensor imaging examination was conducted to observe the distribution of nerve fiber bundles,FA value,ADC value changes.Results The FA value and ADC value of the infarct side were significantly different from those of the contralateral side(t=8.70,t=-18.70,P＜0.05);There were significant differences in FA value and ADC value between the infarcted ventricle hind limbs and the contralateral side of the infarcted ventricle(t=-5.16,t=-5.08,P＜0.05).The FA value of the infarcted ventral hind limbs had positive correlation with the simplified Fugl-Meyer motor function score(R=0.863,P=0.013).Conclusion FA value and ADC value of acute infarct and internal hindlimb are lower than FA value and ADC value of contralateral normal white matter.The FA value of internal capsule hind limbs is closely related to the simplified Fugl-Meyer motor function score.

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Objective To compare target dosimetric distribution and normal tissue radiation between different static intensity?modulated radiation therapy ( IMRT) plans and volumetric modulated arc therapy ( VMAT) and to identify the best IMRT plan for patients with primary mediastinal B?cell lymphoma ( PMBCL) . Methods A total of 16 patients ( 8 males and 8 females) with early?stage ( Ann?Arbor stageⅠ) PMBCL were enrolled in this study,with doses of 45 Gy for primary gross tumor volume ( PGTV) and 40 Gy for planning target volume (PTV).Four plans were designed for each patient,consisting of static IMRT (5F?IMRT,7F?IMRT,9F?IMRT) and VMAT,and the target dosimetric distribution,normal tissue radiation dose,and efficiency of each plan were evaluated. The difference of dose was analyzed by analysis of variance. Results The mean conformity index ( CI) and homogeneity index ( HI) for PGTV in 5F?,7F?,9F?IMRT and VMAT were 1. 01 and 1. 10, 1. 01 and 1. 10, 1. 01 and 1. 10, and 1. 01 and 1. 11 ( P= 0. 963 and 0. 843) ,respectively,while these two indices for PTV were 1. 04 and 1. 22,1. 03 and 1. 19,1. 03 and 1. 17, and 1. 08 and 1. 14( P=0. 964 and 0. 969) ,respectively. The parameters of volume and dose were similar on normal tissue ( P= 0. 192?1. 000 ) . The treatment time and number of monitor units in 9F?IMRT were significantly higher than those in other static IMRT plans and VMAT ( P=0. 000,0. 000) ,and among these plans,VMAT had the lowest number of monitor units ( 13 345. 0 MU) and the shortest treatment time ( 5. 9 min) . Conclusions The target volume coverage of 7F?and 9F?IMRT is better than that of 5F?IMRT and VMAT.For early?stage PMBCL,VMAT is not superior to IMRT in terms of dosimetry,especially with a larger area of low?dose radiation to the breast,but it is highly efficient in practice.

Objective To construct a rating scale on the knowledge,attitude,and practice of geriatrics for 8-year clinical medical students and undergraduate nursing students,and to test the reliability and validity of the scale.Methods The Knowledge,Attitude,Practice(KAP)theory was used as a guided framework,relative literatures were reviewed,and topics for question answering were discussed by experts group.Then,a questionnaire was initially constructed.Five methods,including discrete trend method,Cronbach coefficient,t-test,correlation analysis,and factor analysis,were used to screen the attitude and practice items.The knowledge items were evaluated by experts.Items with over three exclusion criteria were deleted when combining the literal questions.The construct validity of the integrated scale was assessed by factor analysis.A pilot research was conducted by 100 eight-year medical students and nursing undergraduates selecting question entries,and the reliability and validity of the scale were examined.Results The scale consisted of three dimensions.A 43-item initiate questionnaire on the scale included 13 items for knowledge,11 for attitude,and 19 for practice.Two knowledge items were deleted according to expert evaluation.Seven items with more than three exclusion criteria were deleted after statistical analyses.Eventually,34 items were included in the questionnaire.The Cronbach α coefficient of the questionnaire was 0.702.And three common factors were extracted according to exploratory factor analysis.Conclusions The reliability and validity of Geriatrics Knowledge,Attitude and Practice scale for eight year medical students and nursing undergraduates are acceptable,but the knowledge items should be recomposed.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between urinary 8-oxo-7, 8-dihydroguanosine(8-oxo-Gsn)and physical function in community-dwelling elderly people.Methods:A total of 210 community-dwelling elderly people aged 75 years and over were enrolled in this cross-sectional analysis.According to the scores of short physical performance battery(SPPB), subjects were divided into three groups: the high performance group(summary score 10-12), the intermediate performance group(summary score 7-9)and the low performance group(summary score 0-6). All participants received a comprehensive geriatric assessment.Urinary 8-oxo-dGsn, serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP)and white blood cell count were measured.The correlation between urinary 8-oxo-Gsn and physical function was analyzed by using Pearson correlation analysis and the ordered Logistic regression model.Results:The scores of activities of daily living(ADL), instrumental activities of daily living(IADL), grip strength and gait speed were lower in the low performance group than in the other two groups( H=47.002, 110.902, F=11.962, 235.952, all P<0.001). Levels of urinary 8-oxo-Gsn and serum hs-CRP were higher in the low performance group than in the other two groups( F=23.780 and 13.259, both P<0.001). There was no significant difference in levels of urinary 8-oxo-dGsn or white blood cell count between the three groups(both P>0.05). Urinary 8-oxo-Gsn was negatively correlated with gait speed, grip strength and SPPB score( r=-0.559, -0.302 and-0.450, all P<0.001)and was positively correlated with the time of five-times-sit-to-stand test( r=0.290, P<0.001). Adjusting for age, gender and Charlson comorbidity index, the ordered Logistic regression analysis showed that elevated levels of urinary 8-oxo-Gsn( OR=1.38, 95% CI: 1.06-1.77, P<0.05)and hs-CRP( OR=1.23, 95% CI: 1.04-1.48, P<0.05)decreased physical function. Conclusions:Urinary 8-oxo-Gsn is independently associated with the decline of physical function in community-dwelling elderly adults, suggesting that the oxidative stress level is increased in the elderly with poor physical function.