Declined Functional Status Prolonged Hospital Stay for Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Seniors

Among senior community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) survivors, functional status after hospitalization is often decreased. This study investigated the change of functional status affecting delayed discharge.

This retrospective observational study was conducted in two medical facilities from January 2016 to December 2018. Hospitalized CAP patients >64 years old were divided into two groups: an early group discharged ≤1 week after ending antibiotic treatment and a delayed group discharged >1 week after ending antibiotic treatment. The primary outcome was decline in functional status.

The early group comprised 170 patients and the delayed group comprised 155 patients (median age: 78 vs 82 years; p = 0.007). Distribution of the causative microorganisms and initial prescription of antibiotics showed no significant differences in the two groups (p=0.38; p=0.83, respectively) More patients showed decline in functional status in the delayed group than the early group (16 (9.4%) vs 49 (31.6%), p<0.001), even if rehabilitation was more frequently conducted (77 (45.3%) vs 118 (76.1%); p<0.001). Higher medical expenses were observed in the delayed group ($8631 vs $3817, respectively; p<0.001). Multivariable regression analysis of factors contributing delayed discharge revealed that decreased functional status, pneumonia severity index (PSI) categories, rehabilitation enrolled, aspiration and age were independently associated with delayed discharge (odds ratio 4.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.32-7.98; 2.34, 95% CI 1.43-3.82; 15.96, 95% CI 4.56-55.82 (PSI V vs II); 2.48, 95% CI 1.11-5.98; and 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.06; respectively).

Functional status decline was independently associated with extended hospitalization.