Evaluation of the Hospital Pathway for Frail Elderly Patients Hospitalised for Pathologies Leading to Medical Decompensation

NCT06873256 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2024-CHITS-011
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 310
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

People aged over 75 account for 25% of emergency department visits in the Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur region. Depending on the facility, around 50% of these patients are discharged home without being hospitalised. Yet the scientific literature highlights the frequent deterioration in the physical and mental state of the elderly during a visit to the emergency department: discomfort on the stretcher, waiting, loneliness and disorientation are the causes, and therefore increase co-morbidity. Very few studies have been carried out to date to compare the impact on frailty risk factors of direct admission to hospital versus admission via emergency service for a frail elderly population. Studies are usually based on a population aged over 75 as the sole criterion, which no longer corresponds to the definition of a frail elderly person. What's more, there are major challenges in coordinating hospital and outpatient care to optimise resources. The aim is to assess whether the creation of new care pathways, requiring considerable human and financial resources, will improve the care of frail elderly people. In order to assess the benefits of the systems set up at the hospital this study will compare the outcome of frail elderly people (≥ 75 years old with a geriatric score ≥ 8) hospitalised for medical decompensation pathologies according to their mode of admission, the management of their dependency and their accessibility to the attending physician, whether in individual accommodation or in an Residential Establishment for Dependent Elderly People. This is a regional multicentre, observational, prospective and retrospective study looking at the future of frail elderly people hospitalised at the hospital during 2024/2025 (from 01/09/2024 to 01/03/2025). The study will be conducted retrospectively, including patients hospitalised since 1st September 2024, and prospectively, including patients over time until the end of the inclusion period (01/03/2025). Patients will be followed for 90 days after hospitalisation, i.e. data will be collected until 01/06/2025. Justification of the public interest This research could make it possible to identify new protective factors against deterioration in the frail elderly, other than direct admission to a hospital ward, which would require fewer human and material resources, such as an Mobile Geriatric Team or a stay in a Short-Term Hospitalization Unit. If direct admissions lead to fewer patients being admitted back to hospital, this could encourage existing medical and surgical specialties outside geriatrics and support geriatric assessment. Lastly, this research would make it possible to draw up an inventory of the frailty of the elderly in the Toulon conurbation, in order to optimise the screening of frail elderly people in conjunction with the territorial care coordination west var region. Data collection begins as soon as the frail elderly person is hospitalised and continues for up to 90 days after the start of hospitalisation (retrospectively and prospectively).

Conditions

Frail Elderly People Hospitalized

Keywords

Elderly person; Weakness; Addressing; Nursing home; 911

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• The main objective was to assess the 90-day morbidity and mortality of frail elderly people hospitalized, depending on their mode of hospitalization.

  The primary endpoint was early re-hospitalization or death within 90 days, depending on the mode of hospitalization (short-term hospital unit, direct admissions and passage via the emergency department).

  3 months

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• To assess the 30-day morbidity and mortality of frail elderly people hospitalized according to their mode of hospitalization.

  1 month

• Evaluate the prognosis of frailty at a distance, based on the presence of a Mobile Geriatric Team during hospitalization and on the implementation of an assistance plan in conjunction with a hospital social worker, enabling a safe return home.

  1 month

• Evaluate the prognosis of frailty at a distance, based on the presence of a Mobile Geriatric Team during hospitalization and on the implementation of an assistance plan in conjunction with a hospital social worker, enabling a safe return home.

  3 months

• For the sub-group of patients referred from nursing homes, assess the time between the last General Practitioner referral and hospitalization.

  1 year before hospitalization

• Evaluate the proportion of frail patients who have been specifically identified by the territorial care coordination teams prior to hospitalization.

  1 year before hospitalization

Study Arms (1)

Frail patients hospitalized for medical decompensation

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 75 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Frail elderly people hospitalized

You may qualify if:

• Patient aged ≥ 75 years;
• Patient cared for at the Intercommunal Hospital Center of Toulon-La Seyne sur Mer (Sainte Musse and Georges Sand hospitals) between 01/09/2024 and 01/03/2025 and presenting a geriatric score ≥ 8 (score defined by multidisciplinary work);
• Patient requiring hospitalisation for medical decompensation.

You may not qualify if:

• Patient with acute pathologies requiring admission to the intensive care unit;
• Patient whose care is in the field of traumatology in isolation;
• Patient's refusal to take part in the research.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Toulon La Seyne sur Mer: lead

Study Sites (1)

Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal Toulon-La Seyne sur Mer

Toulon, Var, 83100, France

Location

Related Links

• The predictive validity of frailty status for hospitalization and mortality. In: The predictive validity of the state of frailty for hospitalization and mortality. Toulouse: The 2016 Gerontological Year; 2016. p. 49 49.Brun M. C3S Coordination Support Sc
• Report of the Hospital and Elderly Persons Workshop
• ICOPE - A program to prevent addiction \[Internet\]. 2023 \[cited 2024 Sep 22\].
• Elderly people in the emergency room: a more fragile health requiring longer care: Studies and results 2017; N°1008 Electronic ISSN 1146-9129.
• Hospital emergencies in 2023: what organizations for patient care? Studies and results 2024 N°1305; Electronic ISSN 1146-9129.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Asthenia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Marc FOURNIER, MD

  Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal Toulon- La Seyne sur mer

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: OTHER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 21, 2025
• First Posted: March 12, 2025
• Study Start: February 28, 2025
• Primary Completion: July 24, 2025
• Study Completion: July 24, 2025
• Last Updated: November 20, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

FR (1)