[Cognitive-behavioral specialized units: predictive factors of readmissions within three months]

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are frequent and belong to the natural evolution of the disease. Specialized cognitive-behavioral units (Unités cognitivo-comportementales) were created, in France (plan Alzheimer 2008-2012), to cope with this problem. Despite a stay in such a unit, some patients have to be rehospitalized. The main aim of the current study was to highlight the predictive factors of readmissions.

Descriptive, retrospective study of demented patients ≥75 years, hospitalized between January 2010 and April 2011. We compared patients that had to be rehospitalized within 3 months (group 1), with the patients that did not need to be rehospitalized or after 3 months of time (group 2). Patients characteristics included: basic daily living activities (French GIR score), MMSE score, neuropsychiatric inventory score, type of BPSD, length of stay and antipsychotropic drugs.

Two hundred thirty-five patients were included including, 147 women (62.5%), with mean age of 82.74±7.13 years. SPCD was the main reason for hospitalization. Thirty patients (12.77%) belonged to group 1. The mean number of psychotropic treatments increased during the stay (p=0.02), particularly in group 2 (p=0.01). The NPI score decreased during the hospitalization in both groups. Linear regression analysis showed that behavioral type of symptoms (OR: 3.18; 95% CI 1.32-7.65) and association of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs (OR: 4.77; 95% CI 1.35-16.83) were significantly predictive of an early readmission. The risk of readmission also significantly decreased as the length of stay increased.

This work confirms the specificity and the need for such units. The results will help improving the outcome of demented patients with BPSD and treated with different antipsychotropic drugs.