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Published on: September 30, 2020
[Assessment of comorbidity in elderly]
Oscar Rosas-Carrasco1, Eduardo González-Flores, Ana M Brito-Carrera
1Instituto de Geriatría, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital General de México, Mexico. oscar_rosas_c@hotmail.com
Revista Medica Del Instituto Mexicano Del Seguro Social
|June 28, 2011
Summary
This review compares key comorbidity assessment tools for elderly health research. The Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatric (CIRS-G) and others show good predictive value for mortality and functional impairment in older adults.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Clinical Medicine
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Comorbidity assessment is crucial in elderly healthcare.
- Existing instruments require evaluation for clinical utility and clinimetric properties.
- Researchers need guidance on selecting appropriate tools for geriatric studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and compare major comorbidity assessment instruments for elderly health research.
- To evaluate the structure, clinical utility, and clinimetric properties of selected tools in older patients.
- To provide insights for researchers selecting comorbidity indices in geriatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search on Medline using relevant keywords.
- Expert evaluation by geriatric and internal medicine physicians.
- Analysis of four main comorbidity indices: Charlson's, Geriatric Index of Comorbidity, Kaplan-Feinstein's, and CIRS-G.
Main Results:
- All reviewed indices demonstrated adequate clinimetric properties.
- The Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatric (CIRS-G) requires a skilled clinician for accurate assessment.
- All indices showed good predictive value for functional impairment and mortality in the elderly.
Conclusions:
- The choice of comorbidity index depends on the specific research context.
- These validated tools aid in understanding comorbidity burden in older adults.
- Further research may refine the application of these instruments in diverse geriatric settings.
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