Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of study participants.
| Variable | Control (n = 57) | Intervention (n = 57) | p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women, n (%) | 30 (52.6) | 36 (63.2) | 0.255 |
| Mean age, years (SD) | 87.6 (5.7) | 87.9 (5.7) | 0.782 |
| Marital status, n (%) | 0.363 | ||
| - Unmarried, divorced, separated | 7 (12.3) | 7 (12.3) | |
| - Married | 17 (29.8) | 24 (42.1) | |
| - Widowed | 33 (57.9) | 26 (45.6) | |
| Type of co-existence, n (%) | 0.568 | ||
| - Alone | 12 (21.2) | 11 (19.3) | |
| - Spouse | 17 (29.8) | 24 (42.1) | |
| - Children or other relatives | 20 (35.1) | 15 (26.3) | |
| - Other caregivers | 8 (14.0) | 7 (12.3) | |
| Gijón's socio-family assessment, n (%) | 0.235 | ||
| - Good social status | 10 (17.5) | 5 (8.8) | |
| - Social risk | 34 (59.6) | 42 (73.7) | |
| - Social problem | 13 (22.8) | 10 (17.5) | |
| Place of provenance, n (%) | 0.508 | ||
| - Hospital | 51 (89.5) | 53 (93.0) | |
| - Primary care/Nursing home | 6 (10.5) | 4 (7.0) | |
| Illness trajectories, n (%) | 0.700 | ||
| - Dementia, frailty, neurological disease | 37 (64.9) | 34 (59.6) | |
| - Organic failure | 16 (28.1) | 20 (35.1) | |
| - Combined | 4 (7.0) | 3 (5.3) | |
| CCI, median (IQR) | 4.0 (3.0) | 4.0 (3.0) | 0.527 |
| No. of patients with ≥3 points CCI, n (%) | 43 (75.4) | 42 (73.7) | 0.830 |
| Diagnoses, n (%) | |||
| - Myocardial infarction | 9 (15.8) | 8 (14.0) | 0.793 |
| - Congestive heart failure | 26 (45.6) | 30 (52.6) | 0.454 |
| - Peripheral vascular disease | 4 (7.0) | 10 (17.5) | 0.087 |
| - Cerebrovascular accident | 19 (33.3) | 15 (26.3) | 0.413 |
| - Dementia | 30 (52.6) | 31 (54.4) | 0.851 |
| - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 14 (24.6) | 14 (24.6) | 1.000 |
| - Diabetes mellitus | 23 (40.4) | 20 (35.1) | 0.562 |
| - Moderate to severe chronic kidney disease | 27 (47.4) | 28 (49.1) | 0.851 |
| - Cancer without metastases | 7 (12.3) | 8 (14.0) | 0.782 |
| GDS ≥6, n (%) | 21 (36.8) | 20 (35.1) | 0.845 |
| Barthel index, median (IQR) | 40 (36) | 34 (63) | 0.664 |
| Barthel index ≤ 35, n (%) | 24 (42.1) | 30 (52.6) | 0.260 |
| Frail-VIG, mean (SD) | 0.50 (0.15) | 0.52 (0.12) | 0.368 |
| Frail-VIG >0.50, n (%) | 27 (47.4) | 34 (59.6) | 0.189 |
| Geriatric syndromes, n (%) | |||
| - Insomnia/anxietya | 40 (70.2) | 41 (71.9) | 0.836 |
| - Deliriumb | 10 (17.5) | 18 (31.6) | 0.082 |
| - Fallsc | 17 (29.8) | 22 (28.6) | 0.324 |
| - Pressure ulcers | 10 (17.5) | 16 (28.1) | 0.180 |
| - Disphagia | 22 (38.6) | 25 (43.9) | 0.568 |
| - Malnutrition (≥5% weight loss in the last 6 months) | 14 (24.6) | 17 (29.6) | 0.528 |
| Hospitalization in the last year, n (%) | 0.621 | ||
| - 0 | 23 (40.4) | 23 (40.4) | |
| - 1 | 21 (36.8) | 17 (29.8) | |
| - ≥2 | 13 (22.8) | 17 (29.8) | |
| Mean (SD) number of days between admission and hospital discharge | 23.9 (14.4) | 27.0 (11.9) | 0.225 |
| Medication use | |||
| - No. of regular medications, mean (SD) | 8.2 (3.5) | 9.0 (3.2) | 0.158 |
| - No. of patients with ≥10 regular medications, n (%) | 16 (28.1) | 24 (42.1) | 0.116 |
| STOPP Frail-defined PIMs, mean (SD) | 1.7 (1.4) | 2.0 (1.4) | 0.322 |
| No. of patients with ≥2 STOPPFrail-defined PIMs, n (%) | 27 (47.4) | 35 (61.4) | 0.132 |
| DBI, mean (SD) | 0.99 (0.82) | 1.22 (0.83) | 0.143 |
| No. of patients with ≥1 point DBI, n (%) | 27 (47.4) | 35 (61.4) | 0.132 |
| Total drug-drug interactions | |||
| - Severe drug-drug interactions, mean (SD) | 3.72 (3.85) | 4.35 (3.39) | 0.354 |
| - Moderate drug-drug interactions, mean (SD) | 1.88 (2.65) | 2.53 (2.44) | 0.176 |
| - Mild drug-drug interactions, mean (SD) | 1.60 (1.73) | 1.56 (1.43) | 0.906 |
| MRCI, mean (SD) | 28.1 (13.7) | 31.5 (11.5) | 0.158 |
| Autonomy to take medication, n (%) | 0.825 | ||
| - Self-management | 5 (9.1) | 4 (7.0) | |
| - Supervision | 13 (23.6) | 16 (28.1) | |
| - Dependent | 37 (67.3) | 37 (64.9) |
CCI, Charlson comorbidity index; DBI, drug burden index; Frail-VIG, frailty index based on comprehensive geriatric assessment; GDS, Reisberg's global deterioration scale; IQR, interquartile range; MRCI, medication regimen complexity index; PIM, potentially inappropriate medications; SD, standard deviation.
aNeed benzodiazepines or other psychotropics profile sedative for insomnia/anxiety. bDelirium or behavioral disorder that has required taking neuroleptics in the last 6 months. c≥2 falls or a fall requiring hospitalization in the last 6 months.