Étude préliminaire du devenir des personnes âgées prises en charge par une équipe mobile de gériatrie : impact de la présence de troubles cognitifs Impact of cognitive decline on death, length of stay and orientation at discharge after a geriatric interdisciplinary team intervention

■ Elderly patients are often hospitalized in non geriatric acute care units. Cognitive decline is among their prognosis factors. Does the intervention of an interdisciplinary geriatric team allow to enhanced prognosis of patients? It was a descriptive study during 150 consecutive interventions of an interdisciplinary geriatric team. Prospective analysis of socio-demographics and medicals data, then of orientation after discharge. Description of cognitive decline (MMSE < 24) prevalence and analysis of characteristics of two patients groups: cognitive decline versus no cognitive decline. The prevalence of cognitive decline was 85%. When cognitive decline was present, dependency for instrumental activities of daily living, polypathology and psychopathology were more frequent. Length of stay, rate of death and home discharge were not pejorative, in comparison with patients with no cognitive decline. Impact of cognitive decline is not pejorative in patients for whom a geriatric team intervention has been required. More studies will be needed, because the benefits on prognosis specifically enhanced by the geriatric intervention remain unclear. The elderly hospitalized population with cognitive decline could represent a specific target for a geriatric team intervention evaluation.