A secondary analysis of atypical presentations of older patients with infection in the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital in Thailand

Abstract

Background: Classic symptoms of illness are often absent in older adults, delaying diagnosis and management, and resulting in unfavorable outcomes. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of atypical presentations by older Thai adults with infections in the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary care hospital, and to identify factors associated with atypical presentations in such patients. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of a retrospective cohort observational study of atypical presentations of patients aged ≥65 years in the ED using a subset of data first reported in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics in 2015;62:97-102. Results: The prevalence of atypical presentations was 35% of those with infectious diseases (64 of 183 cases). Pneumonia was the most common (30%). We identified 4 associated risk factors: complicated urinary tract infection (UTI) (odds ratio (OR) 4.54; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.75,11. 78; P = 0.002), cancer (OR 2.64; 95% CI 1.07, 6.53; P = 0.04), dementia (OR 6.66; 95% CI 1.47, 30.11; P = 0.01), and pulse rate >90 beats/min (OR 2.06; 95% CI 1.01, 4.22; P = 0.04). Infective diarrhea was protective (OR 0.27; 95% CI 0.09, 0.8; P = 0.02). Conclusions: Atypical presentations of infectious diseases by older Thai patients in the ED accounted for about one third of those with infectious disease. Associated risk factors were complicated UTI, cancer, dementia, and increased pulse rate. Older patients with these factors who have uncertain diagnoses should be considered for hospitalization because the absence of classic symptoms does not exclude life-threatening infections.