Table 1.
Baseline comparison of intervention and control group patients. Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise
| Characteristic | Intervention group (n=429) | Control group (n=426) |
|---|---|---|
| Female | 262 (61.1) | 272 (63.8) |
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 85.4 (4.0) | 85.5 (4.0) |
| Living alone | 263 (61.3) | 268 (62.9) |
| Mean (SD) abbreviated mental test | 8.9 (1.6) | 8.9 (1.5) |
| Mean (SD) daily drugs | 6.0 (2.7) | 5.8 (2.3) |
| Mean (SD) total drugs | 6.4 (2.8) | 6.3 (2.5) |
| Monitored dose system* | 81 (19.8) | 71 (17.4) |
| Social class (I, II, IIInm)† | 170 (42.6) | 163 (41.4) |
| Mean (SD) length of baseline admission (days) | 13.6 (14.6) | 13.4 (15.3) |
| Mean (SD) days from recruitment to discharge | 1.7 (3.9) | 1.8 (7.0) |
| Baseline diagnosis | ||
| Cardiovascular (total): | 134 (31.2) | 144 (33.8) |
| Myocardial infarction/angina | 57 (13.3) | 65 (15.3) |
| Heart failure | 38 (8.9) | 34 (8.0) |
| Musculoskeletal (total): | 61 (14.2) | 65 (15.3) |
| Fracture | 37 (8.6) | 40 (9.4) |
| Gastrointestinal (total) | 47 (11.0) | 54 (12.7) |
| Respiratory (total): | 48 (11.2) | 49 (11.5) |
| COPD/asthma | 15 (3.5) | 13 (3.1) |
| Lower respiratory tract infection | 16 (3.7) | 22 (5.2) |
| Neurological: | 40 (9.3) | 25 (5.9) |
| Stroke/transient ischaemic attack | 16 (3.7) | 14 (3.3) |
| Senility/dementia | 16 (3.7) | 6 (1.4) |
| Genitourinary | 17 (4.0) | 16 (3.8) |
| Cancer (total) | 15 (3.5) | 7 (1.6) |
| Other or unclassified | 67 (15.6) | 66 (15.5) |
COPD=chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
*
Monitored dose system data available for only 817 patients (409 intervention and 408 control).
†
Employment details available for only 793 patients (399 intervention and 394 control).