PREVALENCE AND PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF GERIATRIC SYNDROMES IN ELDERLY PATIENTS IN INTERMEDIATE GERIATRIC REHABILITATION UNITS

Abstract

Background: The prevalence and prognostic value of geriatric syndromes in geriatric rehabilitation units is poorly understood. Objective: To determine the prevalence of geriatric syndromes in intermediate geriatric rehabilitation units and evaluate associations with outcomes and death during admission. Methods: Observational, longitudinal study of patients admitted to 10 intermediate geriatric rehabilitation units in 2015. Admission-to-discharge data were collected retrospectively from a shared minimum data set (CMBD-RSS). The geriatric syndromes considered were dementia, depression, immobility, urinary incontinence, faecal incontinence, instability, insomnia, acute confusional state, terminal illness and pressure ulcers. The main outcome measures were functional status on admission (assessed using the Resource Utilization Group Activities of Daily Living Scale), functional improvement between admission and discharge, length of stay and death during admission. Results: We analysed 5619 patients (mean age 80.2 years; 57.1% women). The mean number of syndromes was 2.3. The most prevalent syndromes were urinary incontinence (62%), dementia (35%), faecal incontinence (35%) and immobility (26%). The presence of each geriatric syndrome increased the risk of functional impairment at discharge (except in the case of insomnia) and of death during admission (except in the case of instability syndrome). Conclusions: Geriatric syndromes are very prevalent in intermediate geriatric rehabilitation units and indicate a lower probability of functional recovery and a greater probability of death during admission.