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Fulltext Special consideration for pain management in the older person

Ong T, Thiam CN

Clin Med (Lond), 2022 Jul;22(4):295-297.
PMID: 35882494 DOI: 10.7861/clinmed.CM-2022-0273

Pain is common among older people. However, it remains underrecognised and under-treated. A comprehensive assessment of pain involves identifying its cause, establishing its severity, determining its impact on the person experiencing it and reviewing the person's response to treatment. Addressing their pain requires a different approach compared to a younger person because there is usually concomitant frailty, multimorbidity, polypharmacy, sensory deficits and cognitive impairment. This review will summarise a comprehensive approach to pain management in the older person.
Integration of a vertebral fracture identification service into a fracture liaison service: a quality improvement project

Ong T, Copeland R, Thiam CN, Cerda Mas G, Marshall L, Sahota O

Osteoporos Int, 2021 May;32(5):921-926.
PMID: 33170309 DOI: 10.1007/s00198-020-05710-8

Integration of a vertebral fracture identification service into a Fracture Liaison Service is possible. Almost one-fifth of computerised tomography scans performed identified an individual with a fracture. This increase in workload needs to be considered by any FLS that wants to utilise such a service.
INTRODUCTION: This service improvement project aimed to improve detection of incidental vertebral fractures on routine imaging. It embedded a vertebral fracture identification service (Optasia Medical, OM) on routine computerised tomography (CT) scans performed in this hospital as part of its Fracture Liaison Service (FLS).
METHODS: The service was integrated into the hospital's CT workstream. Scans of patients aged ≥ 50 years for 3 months were prospectively retrieved, alongside their clinical history and the CT report. Fractures were identified via OM's machine learning algorithm and cross-checked by the OM radiologist. Fractures identified were then added as an addendum to the original CT report and the hospital FLS informed. The FLS made recommendations based on an agreed algorithm.
RESULTS: In total, 4461 patients with CT scans were retrieved over the 3-month period of which 850 patients had vertebra fractures identified (19.1%). Only 49% had the fractures described on hospital radiology report. On average, 61 patients were identified each week with a median of two fractures. Thirty-six percent were identified by the FLS for further action and recommendations were made to either primary care or the community osteoporosis team within 3 months of fracture detection. Of the 64% not identified for further action, almost half was because the CT was part of cancer assessment or treatment. The remaining were due to a combination of only ≤ 2 mild fractures; already known to a bone health specialist; in the terminal stages of any chronic illness; significant dependency for activities of daily living; or a life expectancy of less than 12 months CONCLUSION: It was feasible to integrate a commercial vertebral fracture identification service into the daily working of a FLS. There was a significant increase in workload which needs to be considered by any future FLS planning to incorporate such a service into their clinical practice.
Fulltext Assessing Frailty in the General Medical Clinic of a Tertiary Hospital in Northern Malaysia: The FRAIL Scale or the Clinical Frailty Scale

Thiam CN, Ooi CY, Seah YK, Chuan DR, Looi I, Ch'ng ASH

Curr Gerontol Geriatr Res, 2021;2021:7570592.
PMID: 34394346 DOI: 10.1155/2021/7570592

Background: Frailty potentially influences clinicians' decision making on treatment provided they can select the appropriate assessment tools. This study aims to investigate the difference between the FRAIL scale and the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) in assessing frailty among community-dwelling older adults attending the General Medical Clinic (GMC) in Seberang Jaya Hospital, Penang, Malaysia.
Methods: The medical records of 95 older patients (age ≥ 65) who attended the GMC from 16 December 2019 to 10 January 2020 were reviewed. Frailty was identified using the FRAIL scale and the CFS. Patient characteristics were investigated for their association with frailty and their difference in the prevalence of frailty by the FRAIL scale and CFS.
Results: The CFS identified nonsignificant higher prevalence of frailty compared to the FRAIL scale (21/95; 22.1% vs. 17/95; 17.9%, ratio of prevalence = 1.235, p=0.481). Minimal agreement was found between the FRAIL scale and the CFS (Kappa = 0.272, p < 0.001). Three out of 5 components of the FRAIL scale (resistance, ambulation, and loss of weight) were associated with frailty by the CFS. Higher prevalence of frailty was identified by the CFS in those above 70 years of age. The FRAIL scale identified more patients with frailty in ischaemic heart disease patients.
Conclusion: Patient characteristics influenced the choice of the frailty assessment tool. The FRAIL scale and the CFS may complement each other in providing optimized care to older patients who attended the GMC.
Fulltext Incident sarcopenia in hospitalized older people: A systematic review

Wan SN, Thiam CN, Ang QX, Engkasan J, Ong T

PLoS One, 2023;18(8):e0289379.
PMID: 37531398 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289379

Hospitalization has been associated with the development of sarcopenia. This study aimed to examine the new incidences of hospital sarcopenia, associated risk factors and health outcomes, as defined by internationally recognized diagnostic criteria in hospitalized older people. Pre-defined search terms were run through five databases. Six studies that assessed sarcopenia on two separate time points during hospitalization on older inpatients were included. Prevalence of sarcopenia varied from 14.1% to 55% depending on diagnostic criteria and cut-off points used. New sarcopenia occurred between 12% to 38.7% patients following hospitalization. Risk factors were older age, longer duration of bed rest, lower baseline body mass index, cognitive impairment and activities of daily living disability. None of the studies reported health outcomes associated with newly developed sarcopenia in hospital.
Fulltext COVID-19 Infection among Older People Admitted to Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Thiam CN, Hasmukharay K, Lim WC, Ng CC, Pang GHM, Abdullah A, et al.

Geriatrics (Basel), 2021 Mar 08;6(1).
PMID: 33800304 DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics6010025

(1) Background: Older people with COVID-19 infection report worse clinical outcomes. There is a paucity of local data and this study aimed to describe the clinical progression of older people admitted to a university hospital in Malaysia with COVID-19 infection. (2) Methods: Older people (≥60 years) admitted with COVID-19 infection confirmed with RT-PCR from 27 February 2020-25 May 2020 were included in this study. Data on patient characteristics, hospital treatment, and inpatient outcomes were collected via hospital-held electronic medical records. Analysis was done to describe the cohort and identify factors associated with inpatient mortality. (3) Results: 26 participants were included (mean age 76.2 years, female 57.7%). All had at least one comorbid condition and half were frail. About 19.2% had non-respiratory (atypical) symptoms; 23.1% had a severe disease that required intensive care unit monitoring; 46.2% were given COVID-19 targeted therapy. Inpatient mortality and overall complication rates were 23.1% and 42.3%, respectively. Delirium on presentation and lower Ct-value were associated with mortality. (4) Conclusions: Older people with COVID-19 infection have severe infection and poor hospital outcomes. Vigilant hospital care is necessary to address their multimorbidity and frailty, along with appropriate treatment for their infection.
Fulltext Establishing the measurement and psychometrics of medical student feedback literacy (IMPROVE-FL): A research protocol

Mohd Noor MN, Cockburn JG, Foong CC, Thiam CN, Abdul Aziz YF, Hong WH, et al.

PLoS One, 2024;19(11):e0313332.
PMID: 39509428 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313332

Current feedback models advocate learner autonomy in seeking, processing, and responding to feedback so that medical students can become feedback-literate. Feedback literacy improves learners' motivation, engagement, and satisfaction, which in turn enhance their competencies. However, there is a lack of an objective method of measuring medical student feedback literacy in the empirical literature. Such an instrument is required to determine the level of feedback literacy amongst medical students and whether they would benefit from an intervention. Therefore, this research protocol addresses the methodology aimed at the development of a comprehensive instrument for medical student feedback literacy, which is divided into three phases, beginning with a systematic review. Available instruments in health profession education will be examined to create an interview protocol to define medical students' feedback literacy from the perspectives of medical students, educators, and patients. A thematic analysis will form the basis for item generation, which will subsequently undergo expert validation and cognitive interviews to establish content validity. Next, we will conduct a national survey to gather evidence of construct validity, internal consistency, hypothesis testing, and test-retest reliability. In the final phase, we will distribute the instrument to other countries in an international survey to assess its cross-cultural validity. This protocol will help develop an instrument that can assist educators in assessing student feedback literacy and evaluating their behavior in terms of managing feedback. Ultimately, educators can identify strengths, and improve communication with students, as well as feedback literacy and the feedback process. In conclusion, this study protocol outlined a systematic, evidence-based methodology to develop a medical student feedback literacy instrument. This study protocol will not only apply to medical and local cultural contexts, but it has the potential for application in other educational disciplines and cross-cultural studies.
Development of a Malaysian potentially inappropriate prescribing screening tool in older adults (MALPIP): a Delphi study

Chang CT, Chan HK, Cheah WK, Tan MP, Ch'ng ASH, Thiam CN, et al.

J Pharm Policy Pract, 2023 Oct 19;16(1):122.
PMID: 37858273 DOI: 10.1186/s40545-023-00630-4

INTRODUCTION: Polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) are common among older adults. To guide appropriate prescribing, healthcare professionals often rely on explicit criteria to identify and deprescribe inappropriate medications, or to start medications due to prescribing omission. However, most explicit PIM criteria were developed with inadequate guidance from quality metrics or integrating real-world data, which are rich and valuable data source.
AIM: To develop a list of medications to facilitate appropriate prescribing among older adults.
METHODS: A preliminary list of PIM and potential prescribing omission (PPO) were generated from systematic review, supplemented with local pharmacovigilance data of adverse reaction incidents among older people. Twenty-one experts from nine specialties participated in two Delphi to determine the list of PIM and PPO in February and March 2023. Items that did not reach consensus after the second Delphi round were adjudicated by six geriatricians.
RESULTS: The preliminary list included 406 potential candidates, categorised into three sections: PIM independent of diseases, disease dependent PIM and omitted drugs that could be restarted. At the end of Delphi, 92 items were decided as PIM, including medication classes, such as antacids, laxatives, antithrombotics, antihypertensives, hormones, analgesics, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and antihistamines. Forty-two disease-specific PIM criteria were included, covering circulatory system, nervous system, gastrointestinal system, genitourinary system, and respiratory system. Consensus to start potentially omitted treatment was achieved in 35 statements across nine domains.
CONCLUSIONS: The newly developed PIM criteria can serve as a useful tool to guide clinicians and pharmacists in identifying PIMs and PPOs during medication review and facilitating informed decision-making for appropriate prescribing.