Differential characteristics in polypathological inpatients in internal medicine departments and acute geriatric units: the PLUPAR study.

AIM: To determine whether there are any differences between polypathological patients attended in Internal Medicine departments and acute Geriatric units. METHODS: A cross-sectional multicenter study was performed. Polypathological patients admitted to an internal medicine or geriatrics department and attended by investigators consecutively between March 1 and June 30, 2011 were included. Data of age, sex, living in a nursing residence or at home, diagnostic category, use of chronic medication, Charlson, Barthel and Lawton-Brody indexes, Pfeiffer questionnaire, delirium during last admission, need of a caregiver, and having a caregiver were gathered. The need of a caregiver was defined when the Barthel index was<60 or Pfeiffer questionnaire ≥ 3 errors. RESULTS: 471 polypathological patients, 337 from internal medicine and 144 from geriatrics units were included. Geriatrics inpatients were older and more frequently female. Cardiac (62.1% vs 49.6%; p=.01), digestive (8.3% vs 3.0%; p=.04) and oncohematological diseases (30.2% vs 18.8%; p=.01) were more frequent in patients of internal medicine units and neurological (66.2% vs 40.2%; p<.001) and locomotive ones (39.1% vs 20.4%; p<.001) in geriatrics inpatients. Charlson index was higher for internal medicine inpatients [4.0(2.1) vs 3.5(2.1); p=.04). Patients attended in geriatrics scored higher in Pfeiffer questionnaire [5.5(3.7) vs 3.8(3.3); p<.001], and lower in Barthel [38.8(32.5) vs 61.2(34.3); p=.001] and Lawton-Brody indexes [0.9(1.6) vs 3.0(2.9); p<.001], and more frequently needed a caregiver (87.8% vs 53.6%; p<.001) and had it. CONCLUSIONS: There are differences in disease profile and functional and cognitive situation between polypathological patients of internal medicine and geriatrics departments.

El fenómeno de las caídas en residencias e instituciones: revisión del Grupo de Trabajo de Osteoporosis, Caídas y Fracturas de la Sociedad Española de Geriatría y Gerontología (GCOF-SEGG) / Falls in nursing homes and institutions: Update by the Osteoporosis, Falls and Fractures Working Group of the Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (GCOF-SEGG)

Desde el Grupo de Trabajo de Osteoporosis, Caídas y Fracturas (GOCF) de la Sociedad Española de Geriatría y Gerontología (SEGG), se creó una comisión de trabajo con vistas a realizar una revisión de la evidencia en cuanto a la detección, los factores de riesgo y las herramientas de valoración de caídas, así como las pautas de actuación frente a las mismas en residencias e instituciones. Igualmente, se definen los distintos perfiles de usuarios de estas instituciones para efectuar una aproximación exhaustiva respecto a un fenómeno y a una subpoblación tan heterogéneos, ofreciendo una clasificación de riesgo y unas recomendaciones específicas de acuerdo a dicha clasificación(AU)

The Workshop on Osteoporosis, Falls and Fractures (GCOF) of The Spanish Geriatrics and Gerontology Society (SEGG) formed a committee in order to review the state of the art on the detection, risk factors and assessment tools for falls, and intervention protocols when falls occurs in nursing homes, long-term hospitals or medium-stay units. The different patient profiles are described in order to make a comprehensive approach to this heterogeneous topic and population, offering a risk classification and specific advice according to these categories(AU)

[Falls in nursing homes and institutions: update by the Osteoporosis, Falls and Fractures Working Group of the Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (GCOF-SEGG)]. / El fenómeno de las caídas en residencias e instituciones: revisión del Grupo de Trabajo de Osteoporosis, Caídas y Fracturas de la Sociedad Española de Geriatría y Gerontología (GCOF-SEGG).

The Workshop on Osteoporosis, Falls and Fractures (GCOF) of The Spanish Geriatrics and Gerontology Society (SEGG) formed a committee in order to review the state of the art on the detection, risk factors and assessment tools for falls, and intervention protocols when falls occurs in nursing homes, long-term hospitals or medium-stay units. The different patient profiles are described in order to make a comprehensive approach to this heterogeneous topic and population, offering a risk classification and specific advice according to these categories.