allison

In Drug Discovery Today a recent study evaluated whether “a shift in the drug discovery paradigm is necessary to improve efficacy, side-effects or positively impact quality of life in the elderly with chronic pain.” The authors found that chronic pain among older adults can be “influenced by co-morbid diseases (e.g. diabetes, cancer, depression, Alzheimer's disease, etc.), changes in physiological competency (e.g. drug metabolism/elimination)” or mental cognition. Full Story

The authors of a recent study published in Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics aimed to develop a modified version of the Assessment of Pain in Elderly People with Communication Impairment (PACSLAC-J) and evaluate the validity and reliability of the scale for use in older patients with dementia. The authors used the PACSLAC-J  to assess pain behaviors among 117 older adults with dementia and found that “patients who stated they experienced pain had higher scores than did patients who stated they had no pain during movement (i.e. walking, raising arms).” Full Story

A recent study published in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage examined whether osteoarthritis (OA) associated with back pain effects physical mobility and joint pain among older adults. The study consisted of 252 older adults (mean age =67) who underwent computed tomography (CT) scans to assess joint OA and spinal disk pain. The authors conclude that “each additional joint with severe OA conferred with greater odds of back pain.” Full Story

A recent study published in Drugs and Aging explored “patterns of non-opioid, weak opioid and strong opioid use prior to initiation of oxycodone for non-cancer pain in a predominantly older adult population.” The authors evaluated analgesic use 12 months prior to incident oxycodone prescriptions for non-cancer pain among 10,791 older adults. The authors found that “oxycodone was frequently initiated for non-cancer pain without first trialing other analgesics.” Full Story

The authors of a recent study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society investigated the effects of a twice-weekly multitarget stepping (MTS) task combined with a multicomponent exercise program on stepping accuracy, gaze behavior, fall risk factors, and fall rates among older adults. The study consisted of 264 community dwelling older adults 65 and older who were randomized into an MTS group (n = 132) and a control group (n = 132). The authors found that Participants who performed MTS tests combined with a multicomponent exercise program showed greater improvements in stepping accuracy, and reported less frequent falls rates. Full Story

The authors of a recent study published in Pain Medicine “conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate the association between acculturation and the prevalence, intensity, and functional limitations of pain in older Hispanic adults in the United States.” The study consisted 18,593 English and Spanish-speaking Hispanic and non-Hispanic White individuals who were interviewed for the Health and Retirement Study during 1998-2008. The authors found that “pain prevalence and intensity were not related to acculturation after adjusting for sociodemographic factors.” Full Story

A recent study published in the Journal of Pain examined “whether older adults are less likely to receive analgesics during pre-hospital care.” The authors “analyzed all ambulance transports in 2011 in the state of North Carolina and compared the administration of any analgesic or an opioid among older adults (aged 65 and older) versus adults aged 18 to 64.” The authors found that “older adults were generally less likely to receive pain treatment. However, older women with severe pain were more likely to receive treatment than younger women with severe pain.” Full Story

A recent study published in Gerontologist examined the characteristics associated with the likelihood of nursing home admission for community-dwelling older adults residing in disadvantaged neighborhoods.  The study consisted of 993 physically impaired older adults age 65 and older from various neighborhoods (poverty level, middle class, upper class). The authors conclude that “physical impairment was associated with nursing home admissions for older adults living in highly disadvantaged neighborhood environments in contrast to older adults living in less disadvantaged neighborhood environments, where no association was observed.” Full Story

A recent study published in Pain evaluated knee pain among older adults (mean age=65.4) with osteoarthritis and how their pain conditions affect their spouses’ ability to sleep.  The study consisted of “138 patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and their spouses who completed baseline interviews and a 22-day diary assessment.” The authors found that “patient pain was more strongly related to less refreshing sleep for spouses who were in a close relationship” and that “findings illustrate that chronic pain may place the spouse’s health at risk and suggest an important target for couple-oriented interventions.” Full Story

A recent study published in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society examined the severity of dental caries among older adults in the last year of life. The study consisted of 1,216 older adults aged 65 and older who attended a community-based geriatric dental clinic. The authors found that, “Individuals who could maintain oral hygiene independently had a low level of caries at the end of life, however, dental caries had increased before functionally dependent individuals entered their last year of life.” Full Story