Trends in function and postdischarge mortality in a medicine for the elderly rehabilitation center over a 10-year period.

OBJECTIVES: To ascertain trends in function and mortality after admission to a medicine for the elderly rehabilitation unit, and to analyze factors associated with these outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis of routinely collected clinical data during the period from January 1, 1999, to December 31, 2008. SETTING: Hospital-based medicine for the elderly rehabilitation unit. PARTICIPANTS: Patients (N=4449) admitted for rehabilitation after medical and surgical illness, stroke, and fractured neck of the femur. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Analysis of routinely collected clinical data: admission and discharge Barthel scores; indices of cognitive impairment, mental illness, swallowing and feeding difficulties. Discharge diagnoses, place of discharge, date of death, and discharge medications were analyzed, along with length of stay. Regression analysis of factors associated with improvement in Barthel score, place of discharge, and postdischarge mortality. RESULTS: Length of stay and admission Barthel scores were unchanged over the study period, but discharge Barthel scores improved from 13.5 (maximum score, 20) in 2002 to 14.8 in 2008 (P=.002 for trend). Discharge to home increased from 290 (61%) of 472 patients in 2001 to 290 (76%) of 382 patients in 2007 (P<.001 for trend). Age, admission Barthel score, cognitive impairment, problems with understanding, and problems with expression were independent predictors of the change in Barthel score between admission and discharge. The adjusted hazard ratio for postdischarge mortality in 2007 to 2008 compared with 1999 to 2000 was .76 (95% confidence interval, .63-.93). CONCLUSIONS: Functional and mortality outcomes improved over a 10-year period in this rehabilitation unit, despite similar Barthel scores on admission and equivalent lengths of stay.

Validation of an individualised quality of life measure in older day hospital patients.

BACKGROUND: To test the ease of use, reliability, responsiveness and construct validity of the Patient Generated Index, an individualised quality of life score, in older people attending a Medicine for Older People Day Hospital. METHODS: Prospective longitudinal study in patients attending a specialist Medicine for Older People Day Hospital in Scotland. The Patient Generated Index was administered at baseline, one week later, and at the end of Day Hospital attendance. Functional Limitations Profile, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score, Barthel index and global subjective impressions of change were also collected and compared with baseline scores and change in Patient Generated Index scores. Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients in subjects reporting no change in global quality of life; responsiveness was assessed using effect size and Guyatt coefficients in subjects reporting change in global quality of life. External validity was assessed via correlation with measures of physical function, comorbid disease and psychological state. RESULTS: 75 patients were enrolled, mean age 81 years. Mean completion time was 5.0 minutes at baseline. Reliability was moderate (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.72) but there were weak and inconsistent responses to change (effect sizes 0.02 to 0.15; Guyatt responsiveness coefficient 0.29). Patient Generated Index scores correlated with Functional Limitation Profile scores (r = 0.51, p < 0.001), baseline anxiety score (r = -0.25, P = 0.039) and baseline depression score (r = -0.37, P = 0.002) but displayed only weak, non-significant correlation with number of comorbid diseases (r = -0.22, P = 0.07), number of medications (r = -0.21, P = 0.08) and Barthel score (r = 0.09, p = 0.45). CONCLUSION: The Patient Generated Index appears moderately reliable and easy to complete, but is poorly responsive to change, limiting its usefulness in clinical practice or research.