Response to: “Oldest Old With Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Noninvasive Ventilation: 2 Planets Approaching”
We are thankful for the interest in our work and for the stimulating comments on our study.1 We agree with the authors regarding the complex clinical conditions of the hospitalized oldest old, and our study population, with a mean age of 87 years, stressed out this aspect. High comorbidity, according to the Geriatric Index of Comorbidity (GIC), and functional impairment were found in almost three-quarters of patients, and almost half of them had a cognitive decline. The aim of our study was to investigate the most relevant predictors of in-hospital mortality and need for post-acute care among a wide range of clinical parameters taken next to or on admission.
Source: Journal of the American Medical Directors Association - Category: Health Management Authors: Francesco Spannella, Federico Giulietti, Piero Giordano, Riccardo Sarzani Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research