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Differences in evaluation between geriatric and adult patients requiring pulmonary consultation

Unterschiede in der Evaluierung geriatrischer und erwachsener Patienten im Rahmen von pulmonologischen Konsiliaruntersuchungen

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Abstract

Objective

The main aim of the study was to investigate the effects of age in pulmonary consultation and to evaluate differences between geriatric and adult patients.

Material and methods

Consultation referrals to the clinic of chest diseases for patients from emergency, inpatient and outpatient clinics of a tertiary care general hospital between December 2010 and April 2011 were examined retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups, namely those aged 65 years and over (geriatric patients) and those under the age of 65 years (adults).

Results

Out of 272 patients 135 (49.6 %) were geriatric patients and 137 (50.4 %) were adult patients. The mean age of the geriatric patients and adults was 75.6 ± 7.1 years and 49.7 ± 11.8 years, respectively. While the geriatric patients showed a significantly higher presence of pathologies in chest radiography, respiratory complaints and concomitant diseases compared to the adult group, the respiratory function test results were lower. The complaint of shortness of breath was higher in the geriatric group compared to the adult group (71 % in geriatric patients and 59.1 % in adults). The most common diagnosis was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, 37 %) in the geriatric patients and asthma (27.7 %) in the adult patients. As to the results of consultations, treatment-oriented recommendations were given for 63 (46.6 %) geriatric patients and approval for operation was given for 75 (54.7 %) adult patients.

Conclusion

Consultants should take the age of patients into consideration during evaluation in order to achieve the most appropriate treatment plan for these patients and reduce the potential postoperative complications to a minimum.

Zusammenfassung

Ziel

Hauptzielsetzung der Studie war die Erforschung von möglichen Auswirkungen des Lebensalters eines Patienten bei einer pulmonologischen Konsiliaruntersuchung. Evaluiert werden sollten Unterschiede zwischen erwachsenen und geriatrischen Patienten.

Methoden

Vorgenommen wurden retrospektive Auswertungen von pulmonologischen Konsiliaruntersuchungen, die von einer Klinik der Tertiärversorgung (Notaufnahme, Ambulanzen und Stationen) zwischen 12/2010 und 04/2011 angefordert worden waren. Die Patienten wurden in 2 Gruppen aufgeteilt, Patienten >65 (geriatrische Gruppe) und <65 Jahre (Erwachsenengruppe).

Ergebnisse

Von 272 Patienten waren 135 (49,6 %) geriatrische und 137 (50,4 %) erwachsene Patienten; die Lebensalter lagen bei 75,6 ± 7,1 bzw. 49,7 ± 11,8 Jahren. Im Vergleich mit der Gruppe erwachsener Patienten zeigten sich im geriatrischen Kollektiv mehr Pathologien auf Thorax-Röntgenaufnahmen, ferner wurden mehr atemwegsbezogene Beschwerden sowie Begleiterkrankungen angegeben und die Lungenfunktionsuntersuchungen wiesen weniger gute Resultate auf. Das Symptom Kurzatmigkeit wurde im geriatrischen Kollektiv häufiger angegeben als in der Erwachsenengruppe (71 vs. 59,1 %). Die am häufigsten gestellten Diagnosen waren chronisch obstruktive Lungenerkrankung (COPD, 37 %) bei den geriatrischen und Asthma bei den erwachsenen Patienten (27,7 %). Nach den Konsiliaruntersuchungen wurden behandlungsorientierte Empfehlungen für 63 (46,6 %) der geriatrischen Patienten gegeben, und eine Operation wurde bei 75 (54,7 %) der Erwachsenengruppe befürwortet.

Schlussfolgerungen

Bei der Konsiliaruntersuchung sollte das Alter der Patienten berücksichtigt werden, um möglichst adäquate Therapiepläne erstellen zu können und potenzielle postoperative Komplikationen auf ein Minimum zu reduzieren

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pulmonology, Sifa University, 35020, İzmir, Turkey

    Gulistan Karadeniz MD

  2. Department of Pulmonology, Dicle University, 21020, Yenisehir/Diyarbakir, Turkey

    Melike Demir MD & Halide Kaya

  3. Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Hacettepe University, 06100, Ankara, Turkey

    Yusuf Yesil

  4. Anaesthesiology Reanimation Clinic, Kecioren Training and Research Hospital Ankara, Ankara, Turkey

    Semih Degerli

  5. Department of Pulmonology, Acibadem University, 34010, Istanbul, Turkey

    Derya Yenibertiz

Authors
  1. Gulistan Karadeniz MD
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  2. Melike Demir MD
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  3. Halide Kaya
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  4. Yusuf Yesil
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  5. Semih Degerli
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  6. Derya Yenibertiz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melike Demir MD.

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Conflict of interest

G. Karadeniz, M. Demir, H. Kaya, Y. Yesil, S. Dergeli and D. Yenibertiz declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

All studies on humans described in the present manuscript were carried out with the approval of the responsible ethics committee and in accordance with national law and the Helsinki Declaration of 1975 (in its current, revised form). Informed consent was obtained from all patients included in studies.

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Karadeniz, G., Demir, M., Kaya, H. et al. Differences in evaluation between geriatric and adult patients requiring pulmonary consultation. Z Gerontol Geriat 48, 641–646 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-015-0863-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-015-0863-6

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