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Published on: October 23, 2020
The association between geriatric syndromes and survival
Robert L Kane1, Tatyana Shamliyan, Kristine Talley
1School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA. kanex001@umn.edu
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|May 10, 2012
Summary
Seven common geriatric syndromes negatively impact survival in older adults, with malnutrition and impaired homeostasis being most influential. This information is more relevant for younger old individuals than the very old.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine
- Epidemiology of Aging
- Survival Analysis in Elderly Populations
Background:
- Geriatric syndromes are prevalent conditions affecting older adults.
- Understanding the impact of these syndromes on survival is crucial for geriatric care.
- Existing models may not accurately predict survival across all age groups within the elderly population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the association between eight common geriatric syndromes and survival in community-dwelling older adults.
- To compare the predictive value of geriatric syndromes on life expectancy across different age strata of the elderly.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of studies comparing survival in individuals with geriatric syndromes versus the general population.
- Inclusion of community-dwelling persons aged 65 and older.
- Analysis focused on seven identified geriatric syndromes: multiple comorbidities, cognitive impairment, frailty, disability, malnutrition, impaired homeostasis, and chronic inflammation.
Main Results:
- Seven geriatric syndromes were associated with poorer survival outcomes.
- Malnutrition and impaired homeostasis demonstrated a stronger negative association with survival than multiple comorbidities or frailty.
- Geriatric syndromes significantly predict mortality risk in younger old adults (65-74), but offer minimal predictive value for the very old (90+).
Conclusions:
- Information on geriatric syndromes is valuable for understanding survival in younger elderly individuals but less so for the oldest old.
- Complex survival models provide limited additional benefit over simpler, more easily calculated models for predicting survival in the elderly.
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