Differential characteristics in polypathological inpatients in internal medicine departments and acute geriatric units: The PLUPAR study

• A cross-sectional multicenter study of polypathological patients in Spain is presented.
• Polypathology is more frequent in acute geriatrics units than in internal medicine departments.
• Cardiac, digestive and oncohematological diseases are more frequent among the internal medicine inpatients.
• Diseases of the nervous and locomotive systems among the geriatrics inpatients.

AimTo determine whether there are any differences between polypathological patients attended in Internal Medicine departments and acute Geriatric units.MethodsA cross-sectional multicenter study was performed. Polypathological patients admitted to an internal medicine or geriatrics department and attended by investigators consecutively between March 1 and June 30, 2011 were included. Data of age, sex, living in a nursing residence or at home, diagnostic category, use of chronic medication, Charlson, Barthel and Lawton–Brody indexes, Pfeiffer questionnaire, delirium during last admission, need of a caregiver, and having a caregiver were gathered. The need of a caregiver was defined when the Barthel index was < 60 or Pfeiffer questionnaire ≥ 3 errors.Results471 polypathological patients, 337 from internal medicine and 144 from geriatrics units were included. Geriatrics inpatients were older and more frequently female. Cardiac (62.1% vs 49.6%; p = .01), digestive (8.3% vs 3.0%; p = .04) and oncohematological diseases (30.2% vs 18.8%; p = .01) were more frequent in patients of internal medicine units and neurological (66.2% vs 40.2%; p < .001) and locomotive ones (39.1% vs 20.4%; p < .001) in geriatrics inpatients. Charlson index was higher for internal medicine inpatients [4.0(2.1) vs 3.5(2.1); p = .04). Patients attended in geriatrics scored higher in Pfeiffer questionnaire [5.5(3.7) vs 3.8(3.3); p < .001], and lower in Barthel [38.8(32.5) vs 61.2(34.3); p = .001] and Lawton–Brody indexes [0.9(1.6) vs 3.0(2.9); p < .001], and more frequently needed a caregiver (87.8% vs 53.6%; p < .001) and had it.ConclusionsThere are differences in disease profile and functional and cognitive situation between polypathological patients of internal medicine and geriatrics departments.