Geriatric Syndromes: Clinical, Research, and Policy Implications of a Core Geriatric Concept

By S. Inouye, Stephanie A. Studenski, M. Tinetti, G. Kuchel. Journal of The American Geriatrics Society, 2007

1,760 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Geriatricians have embraced the term “geriatric syndrome,” using it extensively to highlight the unique features of common health conditions in older people. Geriatric syndromes, such as delirium, falls, incontinence, and frailty, are highly prevalent, multifactorial, and associated with substantial morbidity and poor outcomes. Nevertheless, this central geriatric concept has remained poorly defined. This article reviews criteria for defining geriatric syndromes and proposes a balanced approach of developing preliminary criteria based on peer‐reviewed evidence. Based on a review of the literature, four shared risk factors—older age, baseline cognitive impairment, baseline functional impairment, and impaired mobility—were identified across five common geriatric syndromes (pressure ulcers, incontinence, falls, functional decline, and delirium). Understanding basic mechanisms involved in geriatric syndromes will be critical to advancing research and developing targeted therapeutic options, although given the complexity of these multifactorial conditions, attempts to define relevant mechanisms will need to incorporate more‐complex models, including a focus on synergistic interactions between different risk factors. Finally, major barriers have been identified in translating research advances, such as preventive strategies of proven effectiveness for delirium and falls, into clinical practice and policy initiatives. National strategic initiatives are required to overcome barriers and to achieve clinical, research, and policy advances that will improve quality of life for older persons.

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/9ad7407f1d999e87a7734dd99cb8bffb3eecdfa2

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Citations in the corpus

• European Society for Swallowing Disorders – European Union Geriatric Medicine Society white paper: oropharyngeal dysphagia as a geriatric syndrome (2016, unknown): “Common risk factors Five geriatric syndromes (pressure ulcers, incontinence, falls, functional decline, and delirium) have been shown to share at least two risk factors: functional dependency and cognitive dependency.(7) OD has been shown to be more prevalent in hospitalized older patients with func”
• Sarcopenia, Dynapenia, and the Impact of Advancing Age on Human Skeletal Muscle Size and Strength; a Quantitative Review (2012, background): “Dysfunctions in multiple systems, often at distant sites, contribute synergistically to these syndromes; the relative contributions can be difficult to establish (Inouye et al., 2007).”
• Malnutrition in Older Adults—Recent Advances and Remaining Challenges (2021, background): “This predisposes malnourished older adults to the risk of developing the so-called geriatric syndromes which have been described as multifactorial syndromes typical in higher age [29].”
• Risk factors for falls among older adults: a review of the literature. (2013, background): “[15] Inouye SK, Studenski S, Tinetti ME, Kuchel GA.”
• Sarcopenia: European consensus on definition and diagnosis (2010, background): “Delirium, falls and incontinence are examples of geriatric syndromes [4].”
• World guidelines for falls prevention and management for older adults: a global initiative (2022, unknown): “We will not cover all components of a CGA, for which there is guidance elsewhere [49], but we do note the important associations of falls with other geriatric syndromes [50] and conditions, the management of which may be important for some individuals.”