Survival in a residential home: an eleven-year longitudinal study.
The length of survival and various risk factors were studied utilizing 408 residents (141 men, 267 women) of a large residential home. The subjects, aged 68 years or more at entry, admitted between 1978 and 1983, were physically independent, continent, and non-diabetic. They were followed until December 31, 1988, by which time 78% had died. The multivariate proportional hazard analysis showed the following entry variables to have the indicated effects on relative mortality rate ratios: 5-years' higher age (+10%, NS), persistent bacteriuria (+13%, NS), abnormal ECG (+26%, NS), current smoking (+63%, P less than 0.01), mildly impaired mobility (+96%, P less than 0.001), higher levels of in-study systolic pressure in 10-mm Hg steps (-4%, NS), higher entry serum cholesterol in 1-mmol/L steps (-7%, NS), and higher hematocrit in 5% steps (-14%, P less than 0.02). Female sex was associated with a +25% (NS) rate ratio; socioeconomic status and body weight were without effect. These data highlight the relative importance of specific factors associated with survival of persons within retirement homes and indicate that: (1) the presence of mild impairment of mobility at entry is by far the strongest predictor of early death; (2) smoking and lower hematocrit also exert important adverse effects; and (3) certain "risk factors", ie elevated systolic blood pressure and serum cholesterol, have a minimal protective effect, if any, in this age group.
Dontas
A S
AS
Center of Studies of Age-Related Changes in Man, Athens, Greece.
Tzonou
A
A
Kasviki-Charvati
P
P
Georgiades
G L
GL
Christakis
G
G
Trichopoulos
D
D
D000368:Aged; D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000150:complications; D001835:Body Weight; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D015993:Life Tables; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D002784:Cholesterol