A study in BMCGeriatr demonstrates that animals can significantly impact the health and wellbeing of some care home residents. Care homes should consider how to encourage human-animal interactions for those in long-term care environments.
, presents the synthesised themes identified through the qualitative synthesis and indicates where the quantitative evidence is supportive. Sensory engagement describes the experience that pets and animals had on the senses; with the joy, pleasure and the comfort that the sight and touch of a living animal can bring, along with associated memories that they stir. The pooled evidence from the trial data lends some support to this showing pet therapy can help to reduce anxiety and depression.
Whilst there were some trials that reported increased engagement and interaction, through speech, eye contact and physical touch, which could potentially lead to or reflect connecting with others and/or maintaining self, there were an equal number of studies that reported no impact. This did not appear to be related to whether the resident was living with dementia or not, nor any specific aspect or length of intervention.
At the core of the conceptual model was the underpinning theme of the animal as a ‘living being’, and the kinship or connectedness that this meant to individual residents. Within human-animal interaction research, there is an implicit assumption that it is ‘something unusual, specific, or even unique about animals’ that brings about change []. In our conceptual model, the human-like quality of the animal underpinned the experiences of how pets and animals connected with the residents.
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Prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication use in older population: comparison of the Finnish Meds75+ database with eight published criteria - BMC GeriatricsBackground There are several national and international criteria available for identifying potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) for older people. The prevalence of PIM use may vary depending on the criteria used. The aim is to examine the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication use in Finland according to the Meds75+ database, developed to support clinical decision-making in Finland, and to compare it with eight other PIM criteria. Methods This nationwide register study consisted of Finnish people aged 75 years or older (n = 497,663) who during 2017–2019 purchased at least one prescribed medicine considered as a PIM, based on any of the included criteria. The data on purchased prescription medicines was collected from the Prescription Centre of Finland. Results The annual prevalence of 10.7–57.0% was observed for PIM use depending on which criteria was used. The highest prevalence was detected with the Beers and lowest with the Laroche criteria. According to the Meds75+ database, annually every third person had used PIMs. Regardless of the applied criteria, the prevalence of PIM use decreased during the follow-up. The differences in the prevalence of medicine classes of PIMs explain the variance of the overall prevalence between the criteria, but they identify the most commonly used PIMs quite similarly. Conclusion PIM use is common among older people in Finland according to the national Meds75+ database, but the prevalence is dependent on the applied criteria. The results indicate that different PIM criteria emphasize different medicine classes, and clinicians should consider this issue when applying PIM criteria in their daily practice.
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BMC Series blog Fatherhood and high-risk pregnancy: an under-researched area
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A low BUN/creatinine ratio predicts histologically confirmed acute interstitial nephritis - BMC NephrologyIntroduction In hospitalized patients with acute renal injury (AKI), acute tubulointerstitial nephritis (AIN) constitutes one of the leading etiologies. The objective of this study was to identify clinical and biochemical variables in patients with AKI associated with kidney biopsy-confirmed AIN. Methods For our prospective study, we recruited hospitalized patients aged 18 years and older who were diagnosed with AKI based on biochemical criteria. Prior to enrollment, each patient was assessed with a complete metabolic panel and a kidney biopsy. Results The study consisted of 42 patients (with a mean age of 45 years) and equal numbers of male and female patients. Diabetes and hypertension were the main comorbidities. Nineteen patients had histological findings consistent with AIN. There was a correlation between histology and the BUN/creatinine ratio (BCR) (r = -0.57, p = 0.001). The optimal Youden point for classifying AIN via a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was a BCR ≤ 12 (AUC = 0.73, p = 0.024). Additionally, in diagnosing AIN, BCR had a sensitivity of 76%, a specificity of 81%, a positive predictive value of 81%, a negative predictive value of 76%, and OR of 14 (95% CI = 2.6 to 75.7, p = 0.021). In the multivariable analysis, BCR was the sole variable associated with AIN. Conclusion A BCR ≤ 12 identifies AIN in patients with AKI. This study is the first to prospectively assess the relationship between renal biopsy results and BCR.
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Would you run a background check on your child’s new partner?\n\t\t\tLet our global subject matter experts broaden your perspective with timely insights and opinions you\n\t\t\tcan’t find anywhere else.\n\t\t
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Humza Yousaf is sworn in as Scotland's sixth first ministerHumza Yousaf has been lsworn in as Scotland’s sixth first minister, officially making him the country’s youngest leader and the first from a minority ethnic background.
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Humza Yousaf is sworn in as Scotland's sixth first ministerHumza Yousaf has been sworn in as Scotland’s sixth first minister, officially making him the country’s youngest leader and the first from a minority ethnic background.
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