Predictors of rehospitalization among elderly patients admitted to a rehabilitation hospital: the role of polypharmacy, functional status, and length of stay.

OBJECTIVES: Rehospitalizations for elderly patients are an increasing health care burden. Nonetheless, we have limited information on unplanned rehospitalizations and the related risk factors in elderly patients admitted to in-hospital rehabilitation facilities after an acute hospitalization. SETTING: In-hospital rehabilitation and aged care unit. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Elderly patients 65 years or older admitted to an in-hospital rehabilitation hospital after an acute hospitalization between January 2004 and June 2011. MEASUREMENTS: The rate of 30-day unplanned rehospitalization to hospitals was recorded. Risk factors for unplanned rehospitalization were evaluated at rehabilitation admission: age, comorbidity, serum albumin, number of drugs, decline in functional status, delirium, Mini Mental State Examination score, and length of stay in the acute hospital. A multivariable Cox proportional regression model was used to identify the effect of these risk factors for time to event within the 30-day follow-up. RESULTS: Among 2735 patients, with a median age of 80 years (interquartile range 74-85), 98 (4%) were rehospitalized within 30 days. Independent predictors of 30-day unplanned rehospitalization were the use of 7 or more drugs (hazard ratio [HR], 3.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.62-9.54; P = .002) and a significant decline in functional status (56 points or more at the Barthel Index) compared with the month before hospital admission (HR 2.67, 95% CI: 1.35-5.27; P = .005). Additionally, a length of stay in the acute hospital of 13 days or more carried a twofold higher risk of rehospitalization (HR 2.67, 95% CI: 1.39-5.10); P = .003). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of unplanned rehospitalization was low in this study. Polypharmacy, a significant worsening of functional status compared with the month before acute hospital admission, and hospital length of stay are important risk factors.

Are fluctuations in motor performance a diagnostic sign of delirium?

BACKGROUND: Although delirium is known as a mental disorder, recent evidence suggests that it is associated with short- and long-term impairment of functional status. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether a pattern of fluctuations in motor performance are a diagnostic sign of delirium. DESIGN: Case-controlled study with prospective evaluations of 4 groups of patients. SETTING: Department of Rehabilitation and Aged Care. METHODS: Fifteen patients with incident delirium alone (Del group) and 15 patients with incident delirium superimposed on dementia (DSD group) were compared with 15 patients with neither delirium nor dementia (No Del-No Dem group) and 15 patients with dementia but no delirium (Dem group), respectively. Eligibility criteria were age 65 years or older, ability on admission to maintain sitting position for at least 10 minutes, and absence of visual/hearing impairment or delirium on admission. All patients underwent a multidimensional assessment on admission and serial evaluations of motor performance using Trunk Control Test (TCT) and Tinetti scale. These assessments were fixed at 5 different times, coincident with admission (T(0)), predelirium (T(1)), onset of delirium (T(2)), resolution of delirium (T(3)), and discharge (T(4)). RESULTS: Patients in the Dem, DSD, and Del groups were significantly more impaired at T(0) in cognitive and functional status and motor performance compared with No Del-No Dem patients. At T(1) all groups improved, although in different ways. At T(2) only in the Del and DSD groups, but not in the others, there was a pattern of decline in TCT and Tinetti scores (P < .0005 at t test for pair comparison for both tests) and a specular pattern of improvement at T(3) (P < .0005 at t test for pair comparison for both tests). Patients in the Del and DSD groups had the poorest attentive and executive performances at T(2), which significantly improved at T(3). In No Del-No Dem and Dem groups, attentive and executive functions did not change from T(2) to T(3.) CONCLUSION: Patients with delirium exhibit a pattern of fluctuating motor performance that is chronologically related with the onset and the end of delirium, ie, they decline when delirium develops and improve when delirium ends. This pattern seems to be typical of delirium, as it is appreciable in subjects with dementia developing delirium but not in patients with dementia alone. A fluctuation of motor performance should be considered a diagnostic sign of delirium.

Clinical instability as a predictor of negative outcomes among elderly patients admitted to a rehabilitation ward.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of clinical instability (CI) and delirium on admission to a rehabilitation unit on clinical and functional outcomes (death, transfer to acute care, poor functional recovery) at discharge, in a population of elderly patients. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: Rehabilitation and Aged Care Unit (RACU). PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 583 consecutively and firstly admitted elderly patients. MEASUREMENTS: On admission, all patients underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment including sociodemographics, cognitive and depressive symptoms, nutritional status, physical health, and functional status. CI was recorded for all patients on admission, assessing 5 vital signs (temperature, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation). Delirium was assessed daily with the Confusion Assessment Method. RESULTS: Patients were on average old (mean age: 77.8 +/- 9.8), predominantly female (68.6%), with mild cognitive deterioration (MMSE: 22.1 +/- 6.3) and depressive symptoms (GDS: 5.9 +/- 3.5). They had moderate comorbidity (means CIRS: 3.1 +/- 1.9), and functional impairment both before (Barthel Index pre-admission: 84.5 +/- 19.2; IADL: 3.3 +/- 3.0) and on admission (Barthel Index: 55.8 +/- 27.5). On admission, 136 (23.3%) patients were classified as clinically unstable: 76 (13%) had either CI or delirium, and 60 (10.3%) had CI associated to delirium. At discharge, 26 patients were transferred to acute care hospitals, and 14 died. Transfer to acute care occurred in more than 10% of patients with almost one altered condition (CI or delirium), and in one fifth of patients with the association of CI and delirium. In-RACU death was observed only in this latter group. Functional recovery at discharge was significantly higher in stable patients than in patients with CI and/or delirium. CONCLUSIONS: CI and delirium are useful prognostic markers of adverse clinical and functional outcomes in a population of elderly subjects admitted to a rehabilitative unit.