Evaluación cognitiva de los pacientes ancianos en el servicio de urgencias: Comparación entre instrumentos estándar, historia clínica y la percepción de los médicos / Cognitive assessment of elderly patients in the emergency department: A comparison between standard tools, medical records and physicians' perception

Introducción. Hemos evaluado la exactitud con la que los médicos juzgan la capacidad cognitiva de los pacientes ancianos en el servicio de urgencias. En particular hemos evaluado la validez de la impresión subjetiva que el médico tiene sobre la cognición de sus pacientes (comparando su juicio clínico con el resultado del S-IQCODE, un test de cribado de deterioro cognitivo) y la validez de los datos de la historia clínica (comparando la información cognitiva contenida en la historia con el resultado del S-IQCODE). Material y métodos. Estudio transversal sobre 101 pacientes ancianos seleccionados al azar de entre aquellos que acudieron al servicio de urgencias, sus médicos y sus familiares-informadores. El estudio se llevó a cabo en 4 grandes hospitales universitarios entre julio y noviembre de 2003. El antecedente de deterioro cognitivo recogido en la historia fue comparado con el resultado del S-IQCODE, mediante el índice de concordancia Kappa (k). Además la impresión que los médicos pudieran tener sobre la presencia de deterioro cognitivo en sus pacientes, también fue comparada con el S-IQCODE usando el coeficiente de concordancia k. Cada paciente y su informador fueron emparejados con un solo médico. Se realizó un análisis multivariado para detectar factores asociados a la impresión del médico sobre la cognición de su paciente. Resultados. La concordancia entre la información sobre deterioro cognitivo contenida en la historia y los resultados del S-IQCODE fue de 0,47 (IC95%: 0,05–0,88). La concordancia entre la opinión del médico y el S-IQCODE fue de 0,26 (IC95%: 0,06–0,45). El análisis multivariado mostró que la impresión que el médico tenía de la situación cognitiva del paciente, estaba ligada a la impresión del médico sobre la situación funcional de su paciente, más que a ningún otro factor relacionado con la salud del paciente. Conclusiones. La situación cognitiva de los pacientes ancianos no es bien evaluada por los médicos del servicio de urgencias(AU)

Introduction. We evaluated the accuracy of physician recognition of cognitive impairment in elderly patients in emergency departments (ED). In particular, we evaluated the accuracy of the subjective impression of the physician on patients' cognition (a comparison of the information obtained from the responsible physician with the S-IQCODE, a cognitive impairment screening test), and the accuracy of the medical records (a comparison of the information in the medical record with the S-IQCODE). Material and methods. Cross-sectional study on 101 elderly patients selected at random from those attending ED, their ED physicians, and family member-carer. The study was conducted in the ED of four tertiary university teaching hospitals in a city, from July through November 2003. Cognitive data shown in the patient's medical records were compared against the S-IQCODE obtained from the family member-carer, using the kappa (k) concordance index. The physicians’ impressions on the patients’ cognitive status were also compared against the S-IQCODE results, using the kappa (k) concordance index. Each patient and their family member-carer were paired with a single physician. A logistic regression model was constructed to identify factors associated with the physicians’ impressions of the patients’ cognitive capacity. Results. The concordance between information on cognitive decline from medical records and the results of the S-IQCODE, was 0.47 (IC95%: 0.05–0.88). Concordance between the physicians’ impression on the presence of cognitive impairment, and the S-IQCODE obtained from family member-carer was 0.26 (IC95% 0.06–0.45). The multivariate analysis demonstrated that the functional status of patients, as perceived by the physicians, were the variable that better explained the physicians’ impressions of patient cognitive function. Conclusions. The cognitive status of elderly patients is not properly assessed by emergency department physicians(AU)

[Cognitive assessment of elderly patients in the emergency department: a comparison between standard tools, medical records and physicians' perception]. / Evaluación cognitiva de los pacientes ancianos en el servicio de urgencias: comparación entre instrumentos estándar, historia clínica y la percepción de los médicos.

INTRODUCTION: We evaluated the accuracy of physician recognition of cognitive impairment in elderly patients in emergency departments (ED). In particular, we evaluated the accuracy of the subjective impression of the physician on patients' cognition (a comparison of the information obtained from the responsible physician with the S-IQCODE, a cognitive impairment screening test), and the accuracy of the medical records (a comparison of the information in the medical record with the S-IQCODE). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study on 101 elderly patients selected at random from those attending ED, their ED physicians, and family member-carer. The study was conducted in the ED of four tertiary university teaching hospitals in a city, from July through November 2003. Cognitive data shown in the patient's medical records were compared against the S-IQCODE obtained from the family member-carer, using the kappa (kappa) concordance index. The physicians' impressions on the patients' cognitive status were also compared against the S-IQCODE results, using the kappa (kappa) concordance index. Each patient and their family member-carer were paired with a single physician. A logistic regression model was constructed to identify factors associated with the physicians' impressions of the patients' cognitive capacity. RESULTS: The concordance between information on cognitive decline from medical records and the results of the S-IQCODE, was 0.47 (IC95%: 0.05-0.88). Concordance between the physicians' impression on the presence of cognitive impairment, and the S-IQCODE obtained from family member-carer was 0.26 (IC95% 0.06-0.45). The multivariate analysis demonstrated that the functional status of patients, as perceived by the physicians, were the variable that better explained the physicians' impressions of patient cognitive function. CONCLUSIONS: The cognitive status of elderly patients is not properly assessed by emergency department physicians.