Fernandez and Lapane listed risk factors associated with mortality for nursing home residents with Parkisnon's disease. These can help to identify a patient who may benefit from more aggressive management. The authors are from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Patient selection: nursing home resident diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
Demographic factors associated with an increased risk of mortality:
(1) advanced age (>= 85 years)
(2) male gender
(3) Caucasian race
Impairments associated with increased risk of mortality:
(1) severe cognitive impairment
(2) severe functional impairment
(3) severe visual impairment
Concurrent diseases associated with increased risk of mortality:
(1) diabetes mellitus
(2) decubital ulceration
(3) congestive heart failure (CHF)
(4) pneumonia
Aspiration pneumonia was an important cause of death, suggesting feeding difficulties and poor nutrition would be a risk factors as well.
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