Geriatrics

Potentially inappropriate medications remain common at ED discharge in older adults

This cross-sectional study assessed how often potentially inappropriate medications are prescribed to older adults at emergency department discharge. The investigators quantified prescribing rates and identified the most frequently used high-risk drug classes in this setting. Findings underscore ED discharge as a critical point for medication review and deprescribing in geriatric patients. Geriatric teams should prioritize reconciliation and safer alternatives for newly prescribed agents before older adults leave the ED. 1

Long-term air pollution exposure accelerates disability progression and impedes recovery in aging adults

This HRS cohort (29 790 adults ≥50 years) linked 10-year residential air pollution exposures with transitions among mobility limitation and ADL disability states. Higher PM2.5, PM10-2.5, and NO2 were associated with increased hazards of moving from no limitation to functional limitation or ADL disability. Higher PM2.5 was also associated with reduced likelihood of recovering from functional limitation to healthy function. Ozone exposure showed an opposite pattern, with lower hazards of transitioning from no limitation to limitation in some models. Results support viewing air pollution as a modifiable risk for disability trajectories, relevant for counseling and policy advocacy in geriatric care. 2

Higher caffeinated coffee intake is associated with lower dementia risk and better cognition

This large US prospective analysis pooled the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study, including 131 821 adults without dementia at baseline. Over up to 43 years, higher caffeinated coffee intake was associated with substantially lower dementia incidence compared with the lowest intake quartile. Higher caffeinated coffee intake was also linked to lower prevalence of subjective cognitive decline. In the Nurses’ Health Study, higher caffeinated coffee consumption correlated with modestly better performance on telephone-based cognitive tests and global cognition measures. Decaffeinated coffee and tea were evaluated separately, clarifying that benefits were most consistent for caffeinated coffee intake. 3

Grip strength and chair-stand performance independently predict mortality in older women

This prospective cohort included 5472 ambulatory women aged 63 to 99 years followed for a mean of 8.4 years. Higher grip strength quartiles were associated with progressively lower all-cause mortality, even after adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, and behaviors. Faster chair-stand performance was similarly associated with lower mortality, with clear dose-response trends across quartiles. Associations persisted after accounting for accelerometer-measured physical activity, sedentary time, walking speed, and C-reactive protein. Strength testing adds prognostic information beyond activity levels and inflammation, supporting its use in routine geriatric assessments and targeting strength interventions. 4