Subsyndromal delirium and its determinants in elderly patients hospitalized for acute medical illness.

Background: In older individuals, acute medical illnesses and admission to hospital are often associated with a deterioration of cognitive status, also in the absence of dementia and full-blown delirium. We evaluated the prevalence of subsyndromal delirium (SSD) and its correlates in a sample of elderly medical inpatients.

Methods: From 763 consecutive inpatients, 325 participants with known dementia or delirium were excluded, whereas 438 (mean age: 80.

Discharge diagnosis and comorbidity profile in hospitalized older patients with dementia.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the principal discharge diagnosis and related comorbidity in hospitalized older patients affected by dementia.

Methods: Data from 51,838 consecutive computerized discharge records of the St. Anna University Hospital (Ferrara, Italy) were analyzed.

Prior antiplatelet drug use and short-term mortality in older patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Some studies suggest that previous treatment with antiplatelet agents (AA) might reduce ischemic stroke severity and improve outcomes in terms of clinical deficits or mortality. We evaluated the effect of the prior chronic use of AA on short-term (30 days) mortality in a sample of consecutive patients with AIS. Four hundred thirty-nine older patients (>65 years) with "major" AIS (modified Rankin scale ≥ 3) consecutively admitted to the University ward of Internal Medicine or Geriatrics were enrolled.