In the article published by Baldeón-Martínez et al1 on depression in the elderly, the authors estimated a prevalence of depression of 14.2% in a probabilistic sample of 4917 people over 60 in our country. The factors associated with this diagnosis were female sex, lack of education, age over 75, live in rural areas and be poor. This study was carried out based on data from the Demographic and Family Health Survey (ENDES) 2017, using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) instrument for the diagnosis of depression. The study presents some strengths such as wide coverage, quality of sampling and detailed and updated information on respondents, especially in socio-demographic aspects.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with Frailty Syndrome (SF) in older adults residing in the district of Chaglla-Huánuco, located at 3000 meters above sea level. Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study of adults over 60 years of age living in a rural community in the Peruvian Andes. For the evaluation of the dependent variable, a modified version of Fried's criteria was used. The factors associated with SF were calculated using crude and adjusted prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), using a multiple Poisson regression model with robust variance. A p value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: 233 older adults were studied (median: 74, interquartile range: 70-79 years), 50.6% women. The prevalence of FS was 72.1%. The presence of depression (PR=1.77; 95%CI: 1.43-2.18, p <0.001) and female gender (PR=1.46; 95%CI: 1.16-1.81...

En el artículo publicado por Baldeón-Martínez et al sobre depresión en el adulto mayor, los autores estimaron una prevalencia de depresión de 14,2% en una muestra probabilística de 4917 personas mayores de 60 años de nuestro país. Los factores asociados a este diagnóstico fueron el sexo femenino, carecer de instrucción, edad mayor de 75 años, vivir en zona rural y ser pobre. Dicho estudio se realizó en base a los datos de la Encuesta Demográfica y de Salud Familiar (ENDES) 2017, utilizando para el diagnóstico de depresión el instrumento Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). El estudio presenta algunas fortalezas como la amplia cobertura, la calidad del muestreo y la información detallada y actualizada sobre los encuestados, sobre todo en los aspectos socio demográficos.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with Frailty Syndrome (SF) in older adults residing in the district of Chaglla-Huánuco, located at 3000 meters above sea level. Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study of adults over 60 years of age living in a rural community in the Peruvian Andes. For the evaluation of the dependent variable, a modified version of Fried's criteria was used. The factors associated with SF were calculated using crude and adjusted prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), using a multiple Poisson regression model with robust variance. A p value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: 233 older adults were studied (median: 74, interquartile range: 70-79 years), 50.6% women. The prevalence of FS was 72.1%. The presence of depression (PR=1.77; 95%CI: 1.43-2.18, p <0.001) and female gender (PR=1.46; 95%CI: 1.16-1.81...

En diferentes momentos de su vida Sir William Osler llamó a la neumonía como la "enemiga" o la "amiga del anciano", probablemente dependiendo del nivel funcional o la coexistencia de otros procesos patológicos en sus pacientes. 

En diferentes momentos de su vida Sir William Osler llamó a la neumonía como la "enemiga" o la "amiga del anciano", probablemente dependiendo del nivel funcional o la coexistencia de otros procesos patológicos en sus pacientes. 

Objetivo: Determinar la prevalencia del síndrome confusional agudo y los factores de riesgo para su aparición en pacientes ancianos admitidos en el servicio de emergencia de un hospital nacional. Material y métodos: Se estudiaron todos los pacientes mayores de 60 años admitidos por el servicio de emergencia del Hospital Nacional Hipólito Unanue de Lima (Perú), durante el periodo: enero - abril del 2000. Para el diagnóstico del síndrome confusional empleamos el Confusion Assessment Method. Fueron evaluadas diferentes variables clínicas y demográficas, función cognitiva con el test de Pfeiffer, nivel funcional con la escala de Katz, síntomas depresivos y estado nutricional. Se compararon los grupos de pacientes con y sin síndrome confusional utilizando un análisis multivariado de regresión logística. Resultados: De 110 pacientes hospitalizados, 47 (42.7%) presentaron...

Objetivo: Determinar los factores pronósticos de mortalidad, estancia hospitalaria prolongada y deterioro funcional en adultos mayores hospitalizados en el Departamento de Medicina Interna del Hospital Nacional Hipólito Unanue. Material y métodos: Estudio observacional, analítico, prospectivo, de cohortes. Se incluyeron 360 pacientes mayores de 60 años, admitidos durante el año 2019 y evaluados mediante la Valoración Geriátrica Integral. El desenlace combinado primario fue la ocurrencia de mortalidad o estancia hospitalaria prolongada. Como desenlaces secundarios se consideraron a la mortalidad, estancia prolongada y deterioro funcional durante la hospitalización. Se establecieron asociaciones mediante el cálculo del Riesgo Relativo (RR) con intervalos de confianza del 95% (IC). Las asociaciones ajustadas fueron calculadas en base a un modelo multivariado de regresión de Poiss...

Objective: To determine the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with positive attitudes towards sexuality in older adults seen in the outpatient clinic of the Hipólito Unanue National Hospital from september to december, 2021. Methods: Cross-sectional analytical observational study, which included 227 adult patients over 60 years of age from the outpatient clinic of the HNHU geriatrics service attended by teleconsultation. Attitudes towards sexuality were measured by applying the Questionnaire of Attitudes towards Sexuality in Older Adults, dividing the result into positive and negative attitudes. Results: 86.3% of older adults have a positive attitude towards sexuality, the age of 60 to 79 years was presented in 73% of these patients, higher education was higher in the group with positive attitude (47%), 53.6% of the patients with a positive attitude reported ...

Dear editor,Palliative Care (PC) aims to improve the quality of life and alleviate the suffering of patients with serious and incurable conditions. With the aging of the population and the higher prevalence of chronic diseases, the number of people in need of this care has increased. PC is multidimensional and interdisciplinary; and can be provided at different levels of care by both general practitioners and specialists. Therefore, adequate training in this discipline must be required during the medicine degree to allow the development of the necessary skills for its application in medical practice.

Objetivo: Determinar los factores asociados al síndrome de fragilidad (SF) en los adultos mayores atendidos en el consultorio externo de Geriatría del Hospital Nacional Hipólito Unanue (Lima-Perú) durante el mes de febrero del 2019. Materiales y métodos: se realizó un estudio observacional, analítico, transversal. Para la detección del SF se empleó el cuestionario de FRAIL. Se recogieron datos demográficos y clínicos, se realizó una valoración funcional, cognitiva, afectiva, nutricional y social, de los pacientes incluidos en el estudio, utilizando los componentes de la valoración geriátrica integral. Se obtuvieron medidas de frecuencia, de asociación y de significancia estadística, entre la variable dependiente SF y las variables independientes. Se calcularon los OR con IC al 95%, considerándose un valor p < 0,05 como estadísticamente significativo. Resultados: de ...

Objectives: To identify the prevalence and factors associated with the Burnout Syndrome (BOS) in physicians of the Hipólito Unanue National Hospital in Lima-Peru, during 2018. Material and methods: Observational, transversal and analytical study. The initial study population was constituted by 252 doctors. A sample was selected by the stratified random sampling technique. Different socio-demographic and labor variables were recorded through an anonymous survey. For the diagnosis of BOS, the Maslach Burnout Inventory was used. The variables associated were determined by means of a logistic regression model. A value of p <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Out of 150 doctors surveyed, 23 (15.3%) showed results compatible with BOS. Sixty-five (43.3%) of the respondents reached a high level of emotional exhaustion, 69 (46%) a high level of depersonalization, and 6...

Objetivo: Determinar los factores asociados al síndrome de fragilidad (SF) en los adultos mayores atendidos en el consultorio externo de Geriatría del Hospital Nacional Hipólito Unanue (Lima-Perú) durante el mes de febrero del 2019. Materiales y métodos: se realizó un estudio observacional, analítico, transversal. Para la detección del SF se empleó el cuestionario de FRAIL. Se recogieron datos demográficos y clínicos, se realizó una valoración funcional, cognitiva, afectiva, nutricional y social, de los pacientes incluidos en el estudio, utilizando los componentes de la valoración geriátrica integral. Se obtuvieron medidas de frecuencia, de asociación y de significancia estadística, entre la variable dependiente SF y las variables independientes. Se calcularon los OR con IC al 95%, considerándose un valor p < 0,05 como estadísticamente significativo. Resultados: de ...

Background: Late-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is rare and affects older adults. Case report: A 71-year-old woman is reported with generalized weakness and muscle strength loss, which increased suddenly after a hemorrhagic stroke. The patient presented a torpid evolution for six months. The diagnosis of late-onset SLE was confirmed with antinuclear antibodies (+) and compliance with criteria for SLE and neurolupus, with significant improvement after two weeks of treatment. We made a rapid systematic review and found few similar cases with peripheral neuropathy. Conclusion: It is necessary to consider late-onset SLE with peripheral neuropathy in older adults with muscle weakness, as an atypical clinical presentation and the need for confirmatory tests.

Cross-sectional studies are epidemiological design which can be considered as descriptive or analytical designs depending on the general objective. This is a quickly and economical design and allows to calculate the prevalence of a condition. Also, the relationship of temporality between the exposition and the outcome is being measured simultaneously on a unique period, not being possible to identify a directionality in the temporality. When there is an analytic objective, the association measure used is the Prevalence Ratio (PR), specially when the prevalence of the outcome is more or equal to 10% or the Odds Ratio (OR) when that prevalence is lower. To quantify this association different regression models like Binomial log or Poisson log can be used, including generalized lineal models. If the association measure is OR, the most common used model is the multiple logistic regression.

Cross-sectional studies are epidemiological design which can be considered as descriptive or analytical designs depending on the general objective. This is a quickly and economical design and allows to calculate the prevalence of a condition. Also, the relationship of temporality between the exposition and the outcome is being measured simultaneously on a unique period, not being possible to identify a directionality in the temporality. When there is an analytic objective, the association measure used is the Prevalence Ratio (PR), specially when the prevalence of the outcome is more or equal to 10% or the Odds Ratio (OR) when that prevalence is lower. To quantify this association different regression models like Binomial log or Poisson log can be used, including generalized lineal models. If the association measure is OR, the most common used model is the multiple logistic regression.