Centenarians: Reasons for hospital admissions

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Hi All, The below PDF-available at apater@... describes the reasons

centenarians went to the hospital. Only two or 5% went for heart disease

(angina/chest pain) and one of cancer (pancreatic). Not very serious

reasons were present.

Cheers, Al.

Characteristics of Centenarians Admitted to a Community Teaching Hospital –

223-4

Mark A. Marinella, Noah , and J. Markert

Southern Medical Journal Vol 95. No 2. February 2002

ABSTRACT

Background. The “oldest old” are the most rapidly growing segment of

society, and clinicians will increasingly encounter this age group in this

century.

Methods. To describe the characteristics of a special subgroup of the

oldest old, the centenarians, we conducted a retrospective case series

analysis of all patients 100 years of age and above admitted to a large

community teaching hospital.

Results. Thirty-nine patients with a mean age of 101.3 years were admitted

a total of 57 times during the 5-year study period. The main reasons for

admission were hip fracture, stroke, and urinary tract infection. Patients

admitted from nursing facilities were taking more medications than community

dwelling patients, and patients who were confused on admission were more

likely to be readmitted. Only 2 patients died.

Conclusions. Polypharmacy is common in centenarians, especially in

institutionalized patients, and confusion may be a useful predictor of

subsequent readmission. In-hospital mortality, however, is low in this

population.

Alan Pater, Ph.D.; Faculty of Medicine; Memorial University; St. 's, NL

A1B 3V6 Canada; Tel. No.: (709) 777-6488; Fax No.: (709) 777-7010; email:

apater@...