Factors associated with mortality in hospitalized elders in an internal medicine department

Abstract

The aim of this prospective cohort study was to determine the factors associated with mortality in elders admitted to an Internal Medicine Department of a public hospital in Lima. During 2019, 360 patients over 60 years of age were consecutively evaluated by applying the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment tools and reviewing their medical records. During hospitalization, 45 (12.5%) died. There was a higher frequency of anemia (p=0.043), hypoal-buminemia (p=0.006), pressure ulcers (p=0.003), high comorbidity (p<0.001), functional dependence (p<0.001) and malnutrition (p=0.002) among deceased patients compared to non-deceased. In the multivariate model, the presence of delirium on admission was associated with a higher risk of hospital mortality (RR=3.64; 95% CI: 1.51-8.76, p=0.004). Additional studies are required in our country to assess the prognostic value of delirium and other geriatric syndromes on mortality and other adverse outcomes.