title: Predictors of survival within 2 years of inpatient rehabilitation among older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Restoring functional independence in elderly people with disabilities is one of the main purposes of a geriatric rehabilitation unit. However, the rehabilitation period may also represent a useful circumstance to identify predictors of long-term health outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate a broad spectrum of characteristics in geriatric patients admitted to a rehabilitation unit in order to identify possible predictors of long-term survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional and prospective study was carried out in an Evaluation and Rehabilitation unit in Northern Italy. 243 persons aged 65 or older were enrolled over a period of 12 months (2007-8) and followed for 2 years. Possible predictors of survival were identified among a large spectrum of demographic, clinical (Charlson Index, lab data), nutritional (Mini-Nutritional Short-Form, bio-impedance analysis), and respiratory (spirometry) features. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between patients' characteristics and survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  189 (86.3%) participants were alive after 2 years of follow-up. Younger age, better functional status at discharge, a lower Charlson Index score, higher hemoglobin and albumin values at discharge, lower basal fasting glucose, creatinine, TNF-α levels, and extra-cellular water, as well as higher cholesterol, vital capacity (VC), and inspiratory capacity were significantly associated with survival. In the multivariate model, higher VC (OR=6.2; 95%CI=1.6-24.6) and albumin (OR=3.7; 95%CI=1.2-11.8) were associated with survival, whereas the Charlson Index and male gender showed an inverse correlation (OR=0.77; 95%CI=0.60-0.99 and OR=0.23; 95%CI=0.10-0.95, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VC was identified as one of the best predictors of survival along with higher albumin and lower Charlson Index score within 2 years of inpatient rehabilitation among older adults.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, Spedali Civili, Department of Medical and Surgery Sciences, University of Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nicosia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonometti
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Ghisla
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cossi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Romanelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marengoni
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012709:Serum Albumin; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D012709:Serum Albumin