[Functional impact of hospitalization among elderly patients]

To describe functional capacity changes of elderly during hospitalization and to assess the correlation of these changes at the time of hospital discharge and sociodemographics and clinical variables.

There were studied 94 patients aged 65 to 94 years admitted to a geriatric-gerontological hospital unit of a school hospital. The first functional capacity evaluation (number of daily living activities impaired) of the elderly patients was carried out up to 24 hours after admission and the last one immediately after discharge. Routine therapeutic interventions were performed by an interdisciplinary health care team in the study period. Data was analyzed using Chi-square test (alpha< or = 0.05).

Of all patient studied, 25.6% improved their functional capacity, 34.0% had not had functional changes, 19.1% had worsened functionally, and 21.3% died during the study period. A significant correlation was seen between functional deterioration and cognitive deficits, delirium, and low functional capacity at admission.

Functional capacity is an important marker of health in hospitalized elderly. Functional improvement during hospitalization is associated to lesser impairment in daily activities at the time of admission and better clinical conditions.