title: [Recognition of infections in elderly emergency patients].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elderly patients represent an increasing population in the emergency department (ED) and physicians often have to deal with multimorbidity and complexity. Infections are one of the major reasons for ED presentations of older patients and the main cause of mortality; however, infections are often difficult to diagnose in older patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article provides a review of important indicators for infections, diagnostic tools and limitations in elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search was carried out using PubMed in the period 1990-2015 and in addition own published data are presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infections in the elderly are difficult to assess in the emergency department due to atypical symptoms. Even subtle changes need to be recognized. For the diagnosis of infections in older ED patients unspecific symptoms, vital parameters, laboratory parameters, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin levels, cognitive function and functionality of the patient need to be taken into account.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Kardiologie und Angiologie I, Universitäts-Herzzentrum Freiburg, Freiburg, Deutschland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hortmann
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biomedizin des Alterns, Klinik für Geriatrie, Klinikum Nürnberg, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nürnberg, Deutschland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Singler
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik für Notfallmedizin und Internistische Intensivmedizin, Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversität, Prof. Ernst Nathan Str. 1, 90419, Nürnberg, Deutschland.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Geier
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik für Notfallmedizin und Internistische Intensivmedizin, Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversität, Prof. Ernst Nathan Str. 1, 90419, Nürnberg, Deutschland. michael.christ@klinikum-nuernberg.de.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christ
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D063189:Symptom Assessment / Q000379:methods; D055986:Vital Signs
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Biomarkers; Community-acquired infections; Delirium; Risk assessment; Sepsis