Outcomes and predicting factors of mortality among newly admitted female medical inpatients.

ABSTRACT

Outcomes and predicting factors of mortality were studied in a consecutive series of 190 female medical patients admitted with acute illness to the Department of Medicine. Most of the patients were admitted from the Emergency Department. Twenty seven patients (14.2%) died. Seventy per cent of the patients who died, died during the first week of hospitalisation. Nearly 10 per cent of the patients who did not die, stayed in the hospital for longer than 4 weeks. At the time of home discharge, 20 patients (12.3%) had a Barthel ADL Index score less than 12, 19 patients (11.7%) had urinary incontinence, 16 patients (9.8%) had faecal incontinence, and only 103 patients (63.2%) could walk independently. The elderly patients had a significantly higher disability level at the time of home discharge than the younger patients. Independent predicting factors of mortality among this population study were "history of acute confusion", "systolic blood pressure < 100", "hematocrit < 30 per cent", "platelet < 100,000", and "a low Chula Mental Test score". Implementation of auditing and quality assurance in every acute-care hospitals is recommended.