•  
  •  
 

Authors

Sean Croughan, Mercy University Hospital, CorkFollow
Arina Kruis Dr, St Vincent's Hospital, DublinFollow
Kelly Ann Catherine Janssens Dr, St Michael's Hospital, DublinFollow
Pro Mukerjee Dr, University Hospital Kerry, TraleeFollow
Denys Shchetkovskyy Dr, University Hospital Limerick, LimerickFollow
Áine Mitchell Dr, Sligo University Hospital, SligoFollow
Mehmet Akif Karamercan Dr, Gazi University Hospital, AnkaraFollow
Zerrin Defne Dundar Dr, Necmettin Erbakan University, KonyaFollow
Anna Slagman Dr, Charite Universitatmedizin, BerlinFollow
Effie Polyzogopoulou Dr, Attikon University Hospital, AthensFollow
Sandor Somodi Dr, University of Debrecen, DebrecenFollow
Andrea Fabbri Dr, Azienda USL della Romagna, ForliFollow
Lars Peter Bjornsen Dr, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), TrondheimFollow
Wilma Beetge, University Hospital Limerick, Limerick
Said Laribi, Tours University Hospital, ToursFollow
Rebecca Ann Sealy, University College Cork, CorkFollow
Visnja Nesek Adam, Clinical Hospital Sveti Duh, ZagrebFollow
Comfort Adedokun Dr, University Hospital Limerick, LimerickFollow
Lucy Gibbons, St Vincent’s Hospital, DublinFollow
Pamela O’Brien, St Vincent's Hospital, DublinFollow
Jessica Lynch Dr, St Vincent's Hospital, DublinFollow
Laura Kenny, St Vincent's Hospital, DublinFollow
Conor Deasy Dr, Cork University Hospital, CorkFollow
John Ryan Dr, Cork University Hospital, CorkFollow
David Menzies Dr, St Vincent's Hospital, DublinFollow
John Cronin Dr, St Vincent's Hospital, DublinFollow
Vijay Narayanan Dr, University Hospital Limerick, LimerickFollow
Nurali Noorani Dr, University Hospital Limerick, LimerickFollow
Waslet Bakhshi Dr, Sligo University Hospital, SligoFollow
Ahmed Al Rasheed Ahmed Dr, Sligo University Hospital, SligoFollow
Rosa McNamara Dr, St Vincent's Hospital, DublinFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

0000-0002-2988-4052

Abstract

Introduction

Within Emergency Medicine, older adults represent a distinct population with unique needs and challenges. There is a scarcity of epidemiologic data on the requirements of Ireland’s older population for, and their utilisation of, emergency care networks. We sought to assess this deficit utilising data from the recently published European Geriatric Emergency Departments Registry Study (EGERS) dataset.

Methodology

A prospective, cohort study of older adult patients (≥65) presenting to Irish Emergency Departments over a 7-day period. The dataset was originally collected as part of the EGERS study. The Irish subpopulation was extracted, analysed in further detail, and compared to the remaining non-Irish population. Data on demographics, presenting complaint, vital signs, chronic medication and co-morbidities were compared. Outcome data including emergency department and hospital length of stay, ICU admission and mortality rate were also assessed.

Results

A total of 361 Irish patients were identified. Median (IQR) age was 77(71-82) and 193(53.5%) were male. The proportion of patients aged >85 was higher in the non-Irish population (24.0% vs 13.9%, RR 1.13, 95% CI 1.08-1.18).

The most common presenting complaints were falls (N=65, 18%), shortness of breath (N=51, 13.5%), chest pain (N=44, 11.7%) and abdominal pain (N=37, 9.8%). Multiple presenting complaints occurred in 69(19.1%) patients. Traumatic presenting complaints occurred in 67(18.6%) with 9(2.5%) patients reporting mixed traumatic and non-traumatic presentations.

The median (IQR) number of co-morbidities in the Irish population was 3 (2-5). Co-morbidities were more common in the Irish population (96.1% vs 89.5%, RR 1.07 95% CI 1.05-1.10), with dyslipidaemia, coronary artery disease, heart failure and asthma/COPD being significantly more frequent. Median (IQR) number of regular medications was 4 (2-6) and chronic medication usage was higher in the Irish population (92% vs 84%, RR 1.10, 95% CI 1.06-1.14). Disability and need for support services was high with 96 (27.8%) patients utilising home help services, while 85 (24.6%) reported previous falls.

Admission rates were high (N=186, 52.0%), with no differences between populations. There was no mortality difference between the groups. Irish patients were less likely to be admitted to ICU (2.2% vs 8.7%, RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.92-0.97).

Conclusions

Irish older adults attending emergency departments present in complex manner and demonstrated higher comorbidity than their European counterparts.

EGERS CodeBook.docx (28 kB)
Appendix - Codebook

STROBE checklist.docx (35 kB)
Appendix - Strobe Checklist

EGERS Proforma.pdf (506 kB)
Appendix - EGERS proforma

EGERS Consent Documents.pdf (762 kB)
Appendix - EGERS Consent

Share

COinS
 

Published

December 20th, 2024

 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.