title: Role of comorbidities in caring for chronicly ill elderly patients with and without dementia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to highlight the presence of co-morbidities and their role in caring for chronicly ill patients with and without dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed on a group of 213 chronic patients. We used CIRS-G (Cumulative Illness Rating Scale in Geriatric Population) and IADL (Instrumental Activity Daily Living) scales. We compared the scores of severity and dependency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most frequent co-morbidities in the study group were cardiac, vascular, locomotor, sensory organs and metabolic diseases. For the study group, the highest medium score of severity according to the CIRS-G scale was represented by cardiovascular diseases. For patients with dementia, psychiatric, cardiac, vascular, metabolic, genitourinary, sensory organs and locomotion domains had the highest score of severity and dependency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The health status of chronic patients with and without dementia is characterized by multiple pathologies with various degrees of severity and dependency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, County Emergency Hospital, Brasov, Romania.
authors.forename: Minerva
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gurgu
authors.affiliation: Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Andreea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zamfirescu
authors.affiliation: Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Agripina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rascu
authors.affiliation: Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Aurel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romila
authors.affiliation: Emergency Hospital Floreasca, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Horia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gurgu
authors.affiliation: Transilvania University, Brasov, Romania.
authors.forename: Laurentiu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nedelcu
keywords: activities of daily living; chronic diseases; comorbidity; dementia