title: [Prevalence of depressive symptoms in hospitalized elderly medical patients].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depressive symptoms in hospitalized patients are very common, and they have been related to higher mortality. The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms in hospitalized elderly patients and its relationship to various diseases, as well as their functional and mental status and mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 115 patients over 64 years of age were prospectively studied. The validated Spanish version of the Geriatric Depression Scale of Yesavage (15-item version) was used. Patients were considered to have depressive symptoms if ≥6 points were obtained. The demographic characteristics, the Charlson comorbidity index, the diagnosis at admission, the functional status assessed by the Barthel and Lawton-Brodie index, the mental capacity assessed by the Pfeiffer questionnaire, the length of the hospital stay, and hospital mortality were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the 115 patients studied, with a mean age of 70.5 years, 71 (61.7%) were female. Depressive symptoms were observed in 46 patients (40%, 95% CI:34.8-43.9). Patients who died showed a significantly higher score on the Yesavage scale (P=.04). The multivariate analysis showed a significantly independent association between depressive symptoms and functional capacity (P=.026), mental status (P=.021), renal failure (P=.001), liver disease (P=.018), and osteoarthritis (P=.017), but losing the previously seen significant association with diabetes (P=.43).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of depressive symptoms in hospitalized elderly patients is high, and is associated with the diagnoses of renal failure, liver disease and osteoarthritis, with a higher comorbidity and especially with a poorer functional capacity.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España; Departamento de Ciencias Médicas y Quirúrgicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España. Electronic address: acondemar@telefonica.net.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Conde Martel
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hemmersbach-Miller
authors.forename: Basilio J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Anía Lafuente
authors.forename: Natacha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sujanani Afonso
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serrano-Fuentes
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: Actividades de la vida diaria; Activities of daily living; Ancianos hospitalizados; Comorbidity; Comorbilidad; Depressive symptoms; Hospitalized elderly; Incapacidad; Incapacity; Prognosis; Pronóstico; Síntomas depresivos