Practical Geriatrics ›› 2022, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (1): 31-36.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1003-9198.2022.01.009

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Effects of sarcopenia complicated with cognitive impairment on poor prognosis of elderly patients after discharge

ZHANG Lu-yin, MO Yong-zhen, OUYANG Xiao-jun, WANG Jie, SHEN Xiao-xing, ZHU Hai-qiong, WANG Xiao-rong, CHEN Xian   

  1. Nursing Departement, Jiangsu Province Official Hospital, Nanjing 210024, China
  • Received:2021-03-09 Online:2022-01-20 Published:2022-01-25

Abstract: Objective To explore the relationship between sarcopenia complicated with cognitive impairment and adverse survival outcomes, such as fall, readmission,decline in self-care ability, decline in quality of life and death in the elderly who were followed up for 6 months after discharge. Methods A total of 116 subjects enrolled from October 2019 to January 2020 were followed up for 6 months. The subjects were divided into four groups according to their diagnosis: no sarcopenia and no cognitive impairment group (n=48), only sarcopenia group (n=19), only cognitive impairment group (n=28), and sarcopenia complicated with cognitive impairment group (n=21). The general data and outcomes of the four groups were compared and analyzed. Results The detection rate of sarcopenia, cognitive impairment and sarcopenia combined with cognitive impairment in hospitalized elderly patients was 34.38%, 42.24%, and 18.10% respectively. The subjects with sarcopenia and cognitive impairment presented with older age, higher serum level of CRP, and lower scores of physical activity, nutrition, quality of life and self-care ability (P<0.05). After 6-month follow-up, the change of basic activity of daily living after follow-up in the sarcopenia combined with cognitive impairment group was more significant than that in no sarcopenia and no cognitive impairment group and only sarcopenia group (P<0.05). Cox proportional hazards regression modle showed that after adjusting the confounding factors, sarcopenia combined with cognitive impairment was an independent factor affecting the readmission of the elderly patients within 6 months after discharge (HR=4.27,95%CI:1.01-18.02). Conclusions For the patients discharged from Departement of Geriatrics within 6 months, sarcopenia with cognitive impairment can predict the decline of self-care ability of daily life and increase the risk of readmission.

Key words: sarcopenia, cognitive impairment, hospitalized patients, aged, prognosis

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