DEMENTIA AND LENGTH OF STAY FOR ELDERLY P ATIENTS IN INTERNAL-MEDICINE UNITS

Dementia is frequently observed in elderly patients admitted in Intern al Medicine Units, Study of prospective data allowed comparison betwee n 199 demented patients and 601 non demented ones, for life conditions , hospitalization parameters, way of discharge and associated diseases . Age and sex ratio are equal, Demented patients live more frequently in geriatric institutions and require more often nurse care at home. F or them, social care is more frequent during hospitalization. There is no significant differences for mean duration of stay, discharge in st ep down unit and mortality. In both groups the predictive factors for the duration of stay are the need for social care during hospitalizati on and the number of comorbidities, In patients with degenerative deme ntia, hypertension and cardiopathies are less frequent than among othe rs patients. These data suggest that adequate care, including social c are, may produce the same duration of stay and way of discharge for de mented and non demented elderly patients in Internal Medicine Units.