Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30477431›Full record

Observational studyBMC geriatrics2018

Health and frailty among older spousal caregivers: an observational cohort study in Belgium.

Florence Potier, Jean-Marie Degryse, Benoit Bihin, Florence Debacq-Chainiaux, Chantal Charlet-Renard, Henri Martens, Marie de Saint-Hubert

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC geriatrics, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
3.1field-weighted citation impact, top 9% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

31 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 62 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Florence PotierDepartment of Geriatrics, CHU Université Catholique de Louvain, 1, rue Dr G. Therasse, 5530 Mont-Godinne, Namur, Belgium. florence.potier@uclouvain.be.ORCID 0000-0003-1573-5731
Jean-Marie DegryseInstitute of Health and Society, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
Benoit BihinScientific Support Unit, CHU Université Catholique de Louvain, Namur, Belgium.
Florence Debacq-ChainiauxURBC, NAmur Research Institute for LIfe Sciences (NARILIS), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium.
Chantal Charlet-RenardGIGA Research Institute, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
Henri MartensGIGA Research Institute, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
Marie de Saint-HubertDepartment of Geriatrics, CHU Université Catholique de Louvain, 1, rue Dr G. Therasse, 5530 Mont-Godinne, Namur, Belgium.
UCLouvain · BEUniversity of Liège · BEUniversity of Namur · BE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAmong older couples, spouses are first in line to provide care, and they are key elements in the home support of dependent older persons. In this context, ensuring the health of these older spousal caregivers should be an important issue for all of the providers who care for older adults. The aim of this study was to longitudinally assess the health of older spousal caregivers considering frailty, nutrition, cognition, physical performance and mood disorders.

methodsIn this longitudinal, observational cohort study, participants were assessed at home in Wallonia, Belgium. At baseline, 82 community-dwelling spouses of older patients with cognitive deficits or functional impairment were assessed; 78 caregivers were assessed at follow-up (16 months). The clinical instruments used included Frailty Phenotype (Fried), the Mini Nutritional Assessment-short form (MNA-SF), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), clock drawing test, medications, Zarit Burden Index (ZBI), and Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA). Biological assessments included plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6), ultrasensitive C-reactive protein (CRP), cortisol, albumin and insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1).

resultsAmong caregivers, 54% were women, and the mean age was 80 years. Among care-receivers, 83% had cognitive impairment. Caregivers were more likely to be in a pre-frail stage. In one-third of the caregivers, the frailty status worsened. Transitions were observed between each of the states, except from frail to robust. In contrast to frailty, items including nutrition, cognitive status, SPPB and mood assessments were stable over time, with approximately 70% of the caregivers not experiencing significant change at follow-up. Caregiver experiences assessed with the Zarit Burden Interview and CRA were relatively stable over 16 months.

conclusionMany caregivers of geriatric patients are spouses who are old themselves. A failure in the health of the caregiver may anticipate an undesired care breakdown. Caregiver health and its determinants should be explored in future longitudinal studies that cover a longer time period.

Indexed as

Health StatusAgedAged, 80 and overBelgiumCaregiversCognitive DysfunctionCohort StudiesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesFrail ElderlyHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleNeuropsychological TestsNutritional StatusNutrition AssessmentBiomarkersCaregivingCognitionFrailtyNutrition

Identifiers

PMID30477431
PMCPMC6258488
OpenAlexW2902858140

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.