[Mortality-associated factors in nonagenarian. The Nona-Santfeliu Study. Two years of follow-up].
OBJECTIVE
Few studies have prospectively evaluated predictors of mortality in the very elderly. This study has aimed to determine which factors could predict death in nonagenarians after two years of follow-up.


METHODS
176 nonagenarians were evaluated prospectively, 137 (74%) of whom lived in their own home and 49 (26%) of whom were institutionalized. Sociodemographic data were collected. Functional status was determined by the Lawton-Brody and the Barthel index, and cognition by the Spanish version of the Mental State Examination (MEC). The Charlson index was used to measure overall co-morbidity.


RESULTS
The sample consisted of 135 women (76.3%) and 41 men. Mean age was 93 +/- 3.2 years. Mean Barthel index was 60.8 +/- 30, Lawton index 2.1 +/- 2.2 and MEC 21 +/- 11. The mean of Charlson index was 1.4 +/- 1.7. Six-four patients had died after two years of follow-up (36.3%). Charlson index (oR 1.370, 95% Ci 1.113-1.686, p < 0.003), Lawton index (OR 0.750, 95% CI 0.586-0.960, p < 0.02) and MEC (OR 0.964, 95% CI 0.932-0.997, p < 0.003) were variables independently associated with death after 24 months of follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher comorbidity, incapacity to perform instrumental ADL at baseline and poor cognitive status are predictors of mortality after 2 years of follow-up in nonagenarians.
Formiga
F
F
Unidad de Geriatría, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, España. fformiga@bellvitgehospital.cat
Ferrer
A
A
Pérez-Castejón
J
J
Riera-Mestre
A
A
Chivite
D
D
Pujol
R
R
D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D013997:Time Factors