title: Geriatric Syndromes in Older Surgical Patients: A Literature Review.
abstract: With the ageing of the population, surgical wards are caring for an increased proportion of older patients. Geriatric syndromes are common in older hospitalised medical and hip fracture patients and are important predictors of poor outcomes in these groups, however the extent of presenting and hospital acquired geriatric syndromes in other older inpatients is less clear. This systematic literature review aimed to identify the proportion of patients aged 60 or older, cared for in usual-care surgical wards, who presented with and/or developed geriatric syndromes. Observational studies in English were identified through searches in CINAHL and Medline databases from 1985-2012. Studies of hip fracture patients and those requiring surgical intensive care (eg cardiac surgery) were excluded. The review included 25 studies. The majority of studies reported on the incidence of post-operative delirium, which ranged from 2% to 51% and varied with the type of surgery. The prevalence of depression at pre-admission screening varied from 9% to 29%. No studies reported on functional decline. Estimates of falls, malnutrition, pressure ulcers and urinary incontinence were limited by the small number of studies. These findings indicate the need for further studies to improve the understanding of geriatric syndromes in older surgical patients in usual-care wards.
authors.affiliation: Mrs Prue McRae, Safety and Quality Unit, Block 7, Level 7, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland 4029, Australia, Phone: 61 7 36465450, Fax: 61 7 36461406, Email: Prudence_McRae@health.qld.gov.au.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: McRae
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mudge
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Peel
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Walker