Table 2. Characteristics of Participants.
| Characteristic | Participants, No. (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention (n = 265) | Control (n = 274) | |
| Age, mean (SD), y | 75.9 (7.3) | 78.0 (8.2) |
| Female | 124 (46.8) | 145 (52.9) |
| Living in community | 260 (98.1) | 258 (94.2) |
| Elective admission | 66 (24.9) | 26 (9.5) |
| Surgical procedure | 87 (32.8) | 29 (10.6) |
| Frailty index, mean (SD) | 0.2 (0.1) | 0.3 (0.2) |
| Charlson Comorbidity Index score, median (IQR) | 2.0 (1.0-3.0) | 2.0 (1.0-3.0) |
| Comorbidities | ||
| Hypertension | 152 (57.4) | 166 (60.6) |
| Chronic obstructive airway disease | 119 (44.9) | 102 (37.2) |
| Arthritis or rheumatic condition | 81 (30.6) | 83 (30.3) |
| Cancer | 76 (28.7) | 57 (20.8) |
| Arrhythmia | 68 (25.7) | 94 (34.3) |
| Type 1 or 2 diabetes | 56 (21.1) | 70 (25.5) |
| Peripheral vascular disease | 46 (17.4) | 39 (14.2) |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 34 (12.8) | 42 (15.3) |
| Heart failure | 30 (11.3) | 53 (19.3) |
| Previous myocardial infarction | 25 (9.4) | 40 (14.6) |
| No. of medications at admission, mean (SD) | 7.2 (4.4) | 8.1 (4.8) |
| Dependent in ≥1 basic ADL 2 wk before admission | 37 (14.0) | 81 (29.6) |
| Dependent in ≥1 instrumental ADL 2 wk prior to admission | 171 (64.5) | 194 (70.8) |
| Urinary incontinence 2 wk before admission | 40 (15.1) | 44 (16.1) |
| Fecal incontinence 2 wk before admission | 27 (10.2) | 32 (11.7) |
| Hospital admission in previous 12 mo | 113 (42.6) | 137 (50.0) |
| Fall in previous 6 mo | 88 (33.2) | 114 (41.6) |
| Malnutrition risk (Malnutrition Screening Tool score ≥2) | 96 (36.2) | 121 (44.2) |
| SPMSQ score at admission, mean (SD) | 8.2 (2.0) | 7.3 (2.4) |
Abbreviations: ADL, activities of daily living; SPMSQ, Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (a score of <8 represents cognitive impairment).