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[Centenarian patients attended at a general hospital]
R Rabuñal Rey1, R Monte Secades, M T Rigueiro Veloso
1Servicio de Medicina Interna, Complexo Hospitalario Xeral-Calde, Lugo, Spain.
Insights
Emergency hospital care for centenarians is increasing. While generally healthy, these elderly patients face a high mortality risk during admission, requiring specialized attention.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Emergency Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Centenarian patients increasingly require emergency hospital care.
- Understanding their social and medical status is crucial for healthcare planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the social and medical characteristics of centenarian patients needing emergency care.
- To compare admission and mortality rates of centenarians with those of patients over 65.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of emergency department visits for patients over 100 years old.
- Comparison of admission and mortality data with a geriatric cohort (patients >65 years).
Main Results:
- 51 consultations from 41 centenarian patients (mean age 101.2 years) over 8 years.
- Increasing trend in consultations (p=0.008). Most lived rurally with families.
- Common conditions: prostatic syndrome, heart failure, COPD. 20% had dementia.
- 64% required admission; 20.5% mortality rate.
- Heart failure and acute cerebrovascular accident were leading discharge diagnoses.
Conclusions:
- Expect a rise in hospital care demand for centenarians.
- Centenarians present with acceptable health but high in-hospital mortality risk.
Background:
To report the social and medical situation of centenarian patients who required emergency hospital care during the last 8 years.
Method:
Retrospective study of patients aged over 100 years attended at the Emergency Department of a general hospital. The percentages of admissions and mortality rates were then compared with those among patients aged over 65.
Results:
A total of 51 consultations from 41 patients were recorded, with a mean age of 101.2 years. The number of consultations increased gradually with time (p = 0.008). Ninety-three percent of patients lived with their families, predominantly in the rural setting. The most prevalent conditions included the prostatic syndrome (among males), heart failure and chronic obstruction to the airflow. Only 20% of patients had dementia. Sixty-four percent of consultations required hospital admission, with a mortality rate of 20.5% in this group of patients. The most common discharge diagnoses were heart failure and acute cerebrovascular accident.
Conclusions:
A gradual increase in hospital care is likely to be excepted among centenarians, who have an acceptable health status, although with a high risk of mortality during hospital admission.