Exploring geriatricians' perspectives on aging biomarkers: A reflexive thematic analysis

IF 3.9 2区医学 Q2 GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY

Maturitas Pub Date : 2025-05-15 DOI:10.1016/j.maturitas.2025.108601

Lieke Kuiper , Roy Helthuis , Harmke Polinder-Bos , Lidwien Lemmens , Martijn Dollé , Eline Slagboom , Jeroen van Rooij , Monique Verschuren , Joyce van Meurs

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objectives

Aging biomarkers have been developed to identify people at higher risk of age-related decline. The objective of this study is to understand geriatricians' perspectives on aging biomarkers in order to facilitate their integration into geriatric medicine.

Study design

Using reflexive thematic analysis, this qualitative study explores the views of geriatricians on the potential role of aging biomarkers in clinical practice based on thirteen semi-structured interviews.

Main outcome measures

Geriatricians' views on the role, utility, and challenges of the use of aging biomarkers in geriatric medicine.

Results

Two main themes were developed: the complexity of geriatric medicine and the importance of trust in biomarkers. Clinicians highlighted the heterogeneity of the older patient population, noting that current assessments, such as the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), rely on the geriatricians' clinical judgment. While most participants saw potential for aging biomarkers to supplement the CGA in assessment of patients' resilience in recovery from invasive treatment, they emphasized the need to prove value beyond current treatment decisions. Furthermore, participants stressed the need for actionable, reliable, and context-specific tools. Concerns included the risk of oversimplifying the assessment of resilience, lack of applicability to the frail clinical population, and the ethical implications for both health care and society more broadly in the implementation of aging biomarkers.

Conclusions

This study emphasizes the importance of aligning biomarker development with the reality of geriatric medicine and clinicians' needs. Efforts from geriatricians, aging biomarker researchers, ethicists, and primary treating physicians are needed to successfully adopt aging biomarkers into geriatric medicine.

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探索老年病学家对衰老生物标志物的观点：反身性主题分析

目的：衰老生物标志物已被开发出来，用于识别与年龄相关的衰退风险较高的人群。本研究的目的是了解老年病医生对衰老生物标志物的看法，以促进其融入老年医学。研究设计采用反身性主题分析，本定性研究基于13个半结构化访谈，探讨了老年医生对衰老生物标志物在临床实践中的潜在作用的看法。主要结果测量：老年医学专家对衰老生物标志物在老年医学中的作用、效用和挑战的看法。结果探讨了老年医学的复杂性和信任生物标志物的重要性。临床医生强调了老年患者群体的异质性，指出当前的评估，如综合老年评估（CGA），依赖于老年医生的临床判断。虽然大多数参与者看到了衰老生物标志物在评估侵入性治疗后患者恢复能力方面补充CGA的潜力，但他们强调需要证明其价值超出当前的治疗决策。此外，与会者强调需要可操作、可靠和具体情况的工具。人们关注的问题包括过度简化弹性评估的风险，缺乏对虚弱临床人群的适用性，以及在实施衰老生物标志物时对医疗保健和社会的更广泛的伦理影响。结论本研究强调了将生物标志物的发展与老年医学的现实和临床医生的需求相结合的重要性。要成功地将衰老生物标志物应用到老年医学中，需要老年病学家、衰老生物标志物研究人员、伦理学家和初级治疗医生的努力。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Maturitas 医学-妇产科学

CiteScore

9.10

自引率

2.00%

发文量

142

审稿时长

40 days

期刊介绍： Maturitas is an international multidisciplinary peer reviewed scientific journal of midlife health and beyond publishing original research, reviews, consensus statements and guidelines, and mini-reviews. The journal provides a forum for all aspects of postreproductive health in both genders ranging from basic science to health and social care. Topic areas include:• Aging• Alternative and Complementary medicines• Arthritis and Bone Health• Cancer• Cardiovascular Health• Cognitive and Physical Functioning• Epidemiology, health and social care• Gynecology/ Reproductive Endocrinology• Nutrition/ Obesity Diabetes/ Metabolic Syndrome• Menopause, Ovarian Aging• Mental Health• Pharmacology• Sexuality• Quality of Life