ABSTRACT
OBJETIVO: Determinar si el cuidado de los pacientes con un moderado grado de dependencia ingresados en una unidad de prevención del deterioro funcional (UPDF) era superior al cuidado en una unidad convencional (UC) en términos de deterioro funcional y estancia media. MÉTODOS: Estudio retrospectivo, controlado, de intervención en un solo centro, que compara el tratamiento agudo en una UPDF y en plantas convencionales. Se incluyeron 466 pacientes ancianos con un grado moderado de dependencia (Barthel 30-70), mayores de 75 años. De estos, 280 pacientes formaron parte del grupo de intervención y 186 del grupo control. Los resultados primarios fueron la pérdida de funcionalidad achacable al ingreso (medida por pérdida de deambulación y continencia urinaria) y las diferencias en la duración de la estancia. RESULTADOS: Los pacientes ingresados en la UPDF presentaron un menor deterioro funcional determinado por la pérdida de la continencia urinaria (2,1% de pacientes en UPDF vs. 9,7% en UC; p < 0,01) y la pérdida de la capacidad de deambular (2,1% de pacientes en UPDF vs. 25,3% en UC; p < 0,01). Los pacientes ingresados en la UPDF tuvieron una estancia media más corta (7,4 vs. 8,5; p < 0,05), con un día menos de estancia que los pacientes en la UC. CONCLUSIÓN: La atención aguda de pacientes ancianos con un grado moderado de dependencia en una UPDF se asoció de forma independiente con un menor deterioro funcional y una menor estancia
AIM: To determine whether the care of patients with moderate dependency who were hospitalised in a functional impairment prevention unit (FIPU) was superior to that of a conventional unit (CU) in terms of functional impairment and mean stay. METHODS: We conducted a single-centre, retrospective, controlled intervention study that compared acute treatment in an FIPU and in conventional wards. The study included 466 elderly patients with moderate dependence (Barthel index, 30-70) and older than 75 years. Of these, 280 were included in the intervention group and 186 in the control group. The primary outcomes were loss of functionality attributable to the hospitalisation (measured by the loss of ambulation and urinary continence) and differences in the length of stay. RESULTS: The patients hospitalised in the FIPU showed less functional impairment as determined by the loss of urinary continence (2.1% of the FIPU patients vs. 9.7% of the CU patients; p<.01) and the loss of walking ability (2.1% vs. 25.3%; p<.01). The patients hospitalised in the FIPU had a shorter mean stay (7.4 vs. 8.5 days; p<.05), with 1 day less of stay than the CU patients. CONCLUSION: The acute care of elderly patients with moderate dependency in an FIPU was independently associated with less functional decline and shorter stays
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Disabled Persons/rehabilitation , Geriatric Assessment/methods , Disability Evaluation , Hospitalization , Severity of Illness Index , Length of Stay , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
AIM: To determine whether the care of patients with moderate dependency who were hospitalised in a functional impairment prevention unit (FIPU) was superior to that of a conventional unit (CU) in terms of functional impairment and mean stay. METHODS: We conducted a single-centre, retrospective, controlled intervention study that compared acute treatment in an FIPU and in conventional wards. The study included 466 elderly patients with moderate dependence (Barthel index, 30-70) and older than 75 years. Of these, 280 were included in the intervention group and 186 in the control group. The primary outcomes were loss of functionality attributable to the hospitalisation (measured by the loss of ambulation and urinary continence) and differences in the length of stay. RESULTS: The patients hospitalised in the FIPU showed less functional impairment as determined by the loss of urinary continence (2.1% of the FIPU patients vs. 9.7% of the CU patients; p<.01) and the loss of walking ability (2.1% vs. 25.3%; p<.01). The patients hospitalised in the FIPU had a shorter mean stay (7.4 vs. 8.5 days; p<.05), with 1 day less of stay than the CU patients. CONCLUSION: The acute care of elderly patients with moderate dependency in an FIPU was independently associated with less functional decline and shorter stays.
ABSTRACT
Anecdotal data have suggested that retention of HIV-infected patients with immune recovery in longitudinal studies may be difficult as they resume normal activities. This study evaluated risk factors for attrition among patients with AIDS in a cohort study in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Patients with AIDS enrolled in the Longitudinal Study of Ocular Complications of AIDS were evaluated every three months with demographic, clinical and laboratory data collected. Lost to follow-up was defined as any patient who missed all study visits and could not be contacted for 12 consecutive months, who had not died and who did not re-enter the study at a later date. Of the 1,052 patients studied, 77 (7.3%) were lost to follow-up (rate = 0.03/person year). In the multivariate analysis, factors associated with attrition were CD4+ T-cell count category (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.03; 95%CI: 1.01, 4.24; P = 0.05 for CD4+ count < or = 50 cells/microL and HR = 1.96; 95%CI: 1.12, 3.40; P = 0.02 for CD4+ count 51-200 cells/microL) and detectable HIV viral load (HR = 1.29; 95%CI: 1.07, 1.53; P < 0.001 for HIV viral load >400 copies/mL). These data suggest that patients with compromised immunologic status are at an increased risk for being lost to follow-up.
