title: [Comorbidity in the elderly: a sample of 2373 hospitalized elderly patients].
abstract: The aim of this study was to discuss about prevalence and clinical rilevance of comorbidity in the elderly patients. Our sample included 2373 (mean age 77.8 +/- 8.5; 1302 men and 1071 woman) consecutively admitted to the University Department of Geriatric Medicine of Torino. We examined some demographic variables, cognitive and functional status, main pathologies. Severity of illness was assessed using the C.I.R.S. The coexistence of two or more diseases was 83%: cardiovascular and chronic pulmonary diseases were the most frequently recorded (respectively 68% and 27%). The comorbidity and severity indexes of C.I.R.S. were associated respectively with mortality (O.R. 1.78; C.I. 1.36 - 2.33) and length of hospital staying (O.R. 2.35; C.I. 1.19 - 4.65). Comorbidity is an important specific prognostic indicator for reliable risk stratification of older patients.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Geriatria, Dipartimento di Discipline Medico-Chirurgiche, Università, Azienda Ospedaliera San Giovanni Battista - Molinette, Torino.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zanocchi
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nicola
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corsinovi
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Francisetti
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amati
authors.forename: Flavio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cerrato
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ponte
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luppino
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Margolicci
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Molaschi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence