Can barthel index predict mortality in geriatric patients admitted to the emergency department with a high fever? [Barthel indeksi yüksek ateş yakinmasi ile acil servise başvuran geriatri hastalarinda mortaliteyi öngörebilir mi?]

Introduction: Physical functional capacity decreases in geriatric patients owing to age and disease. In current practice, objective parameters to evaluate physical functional capacity in geriatric patients are rarely used in departments providing acute care, such as emergency departments. In our study, we aimed to determine whether the degree of change in basal admission Barthel Index scores has a prognostic significance for patients presenting with high fever. Materials and Method: Patients over 64 years of age without a history of or requirement for an emergency response and a tympanic membrane temperature ?37.2°C were included. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to their change of Barthel Index scores: >30 (major), 5–30 (minor) and no change. Results: The study population comprised 218 patients. Statistically significant differences were found among basal Barthel Index scores and those obtained at admission and 1 month later in surviving patients and between basal and admission Barthel Index scores in patients who died (p30 (major change) (p=0.011). No difference was found in the proportions of survivors and non-survivors in patients with minor changes and no change. Conclusions: Fever increases physical dependency in geriatric patients. Situations that result in a serious increase in functional dependency during admission may be related to short-term mortality in geriatric patients. © 2015, Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved