Dr. N. N. Prem, Assistant Professor at the Department of Geriatrics was awarded gold medal at the 11th Annual Conference of Indian Academy of Geriatrics, GERICON 2013.

The gold medal was awarded for his paper titled Study of the Clinical Profile and Outcome of ICU Admissions in Geriatric Population: A Descriptive Study.

The conference was held during December 14 – 15, 2013 at Madras Medical College, Chennai.

“Intensive care unit admissions of elderly are on the rise. This study gave an overall clinical profile of elderly patients admitted in intensive care units which helped to identify variables that would determine the outcome and functional status of such patients,” stated Dr. Prem.

He elaborated further.

“We collected the data of elderly patients above 65 years of age, prospectively, who were admitted to medical ICU at Amrita during the study period of one and half years. The demographic profile, reason for ICU admission, interventions, survival from ICU, clinical outcome and functional status of survivors after a month were recorded.”

“Results showed that sepsis was the most common indication for ICU admission. Mortality in patients with irreversible conditions with mechanical ventilation was 84%. There were associations among reversibility, number of comorbidities, days in ICU, complications, intubation and mortality.”

Dr. Prem said that the study benefitted the health care team to decide whether an elderly patient require ICU admission or not.

“Management of the elderly in ICU can thus be more organized. Elderly patients will not have to suffer from unnecessary interventions and prolonged ICU stay.”

He gratefully acknowledged the support and guidance received from his mentors Dr. George Paul, Dr. Priya Vijayakumar and Dr. Sunil K. Senan., of the Department of Geriatrics.

Dr. Prem has to his credit several more awards at previous national-level conferences, for quiz competition, paper and poster presentations.

He secured second prize for quiz competition in KARGERICON, a geriatric conference, held at St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore. Dr. Prem was also awarded gold medal for his paper titled A Rare Case of Pyrexia in an Elderly at GERICON 2012 held at Jodhpur.

We congratulate him on this latest accolade!

December 17, 2013
School of Medicine, Kochi