[Morbidity and mortality profile of hospitalized elderly patients]

The objectives of this study were to analyze the morbidity and mortality profile in elderly patients hospitalized in two teaching and two non-teaching hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Municipal Planning Area 2.2) in 1999, and to compare in-hospital mortality rates adjusted for differences in profile. Data were obtained from the National Hospital Database of the Unified National Health System (SIH/SUS). The logistic model included the variables age and primary diagnosis to calculate risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality rates. Hospital admissions of elderly patients (n = 7,584) represented 29.3% of a total of 25,928 hospitalizations that took place in these units. Senile cataract (7.8%) was the most frequent cause of hospitalization, followed by prostate hyperplasia (4.7%), congestive heart failure (2.9%), and complete atrioventricular block (2.8%). Non-teaching hospitals presented in-hospital mortality rates higher than teaching hospitals even after adjusting for case profile differences with regard to age and primary diagnosis. The use of SIH/SUS databases and the risk adjustment methodology represent an alternative for exploratory analysis of healthcare outcomes.