Factors associated with changes in activities of daily living from admission to discharge among older patients with pneumonia.

INTRODUCTION

It has not been fully elucidated that nutritional parameters affect the change of activities of daily living (ADL) during pneumonia treatment. This study assessed the impact of nutritional status, including erector spinae muscle (ESM) size on ADL changes from admission to discharge among older patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

METHODS

We retrospectively included patients (age: ≥65 years) who were admitted to the hospital for CAP and underwent chest computed tomography (CT) on admission. ADL was evaluated using the Barthel index, and patients were divided into the maintained or improved ADL group and the declined ADL group from admission through discharge. The ESM cross-sectional area was measured on a single-slice CT image. Logistic regression models were applied for assessing factors associated with changes in ADL.

RESULTS

A total of 523 patients hospitalized for CAP (median age 86 years) were evaluated. The declined group had significantly higher ADL levels on admission, a greater frequency of smoking history and malignancy, and a lower frequency of cerebrovascular disease and dementia. No significant difference in ESM size was observed between the groups. Multivariate analysis revealed that higher ADL levels on admission (odds ratio 1.034, interquartile range 1.026-1.043) and malignancy (3.002, 1.150-7.836) were associated with a decline in ADL, whereas cerebrovascular disease (0.579, 0.373-0.900) was related to improvement or maintenance of ADL.

CONCLUSIONS

Although nutritional status might not affect the change of ADL among older patients hospitalized with pneumonia, a cerebrovascular disease history may be a good predictor for ADL improvement.