title: Acute medical unit comprehensive geriatric assessment intervention study (AMIGOS).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many older people presenting to Acute Medical Units (AMU) are discharged after only a short stay (< 72 hours), yet many re-present to hospital or die within 1 year. Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment may improve patient outcomes for this group.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients aged > 70 years and scoring positive on a risk screening tool ('Identification of Seniors At Risk') who are discharged within 72 hours of attending an AMU with a medical crisis, recruited prior to discharge. Sample size is 400. Carers of participants will also be recruited.
  
  
  METHODS
  Assessment on the AMU and further out-patient management by a specialist physician in geriatric medicine. Assessment and further management will follow the principles of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment, providing advice and support to primary care services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multi-centre, individual patient randomised controlled trial comparing intervention with usual care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Follow up is by postal questionnaire 90 days after randomisation, and data will be entered into the study database by a researcher blind to allocation. The primary outcome is the number of days spent at home (for those admitted from home), or days spent in the same care home (if admitted from a care home). Secondary outcomes include mortality, institutionalisation, health and social care resource use, and scaled outcome measures, including quality of life, disability, mental well-being. Carer strain and well being will also be measured at 90 days.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparisons of outcomes and costs, and a cost utility analysis between the intervention and control groups will be carried out.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ISRCTN: ISRCTN21800480.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rehabilitation & Ageing, University of Nottingham, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG72UH, UK. judi.edmans@nottingham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Judi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Edmans
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Conroy
authors.forename: Rowan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harwood
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Rachel A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Philippa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bradshaw
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Franklin
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gladman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D018401:Sample Size