The factors that effect mortality in 65 years or older patients admitted to the emergency service with an i̇nfection

The Factors That Effect Mortality in 65 Years or Older Patients Admitted to The Emergency Service with An İnfection Aim: In this study, we aimed at determining the risk factors that effect mortality in 65 years or older patients admitted to the emergency care with a suspected infection or an infection and diagnosed with an infectious disease. For this purpose, we investigated patient's vital signs, disease signs, source of infection, length of staying at hospital, length of staying at emergency service, mortality related scores, laboratory data, treatment and prognosis. Materials and Method: From a total of 2665 patients, 65 years or older and admitted between September 1 2014 and May 31 2015; a total of 448 patients who are admitted with an infection or clinically suspected of having an infection and transferred to any other department or ICU are included in this study. Results: The rate of emergency care admissions with an infectious etiology was found as 17%. Average age of patients was 76±8 with 180 (40%) of them being female and 268 (60%) of them being male. Mortality rate was found as 23%. Cox regression analysis concluded that for 65 years or older patients, risk factors that effected mortality were; septic shock, cardiac disease and presence of malignancy, absence of COPD/Asthma, higher pCO2 and lower HCO3 at the time of admission to the emergency service. Conclusion: In patients admitted to the emergency service with any infectious disease; higher pCO2 , lower HCO3 , absence of COPD/Asthma, cardiac disease and presence of malignancy, being in septic shock at the time of admission are the risk factors that increase hospital mortality. Key Words: Emergency service, infection, mortality, risk factors, old patient