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Association between vitamin D deficiency and long hospital stay in geriatric acute care unit: results from a pilot cohort study

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Abstract

Finding a biomarker of long length-of-stay (LOS) would provide a simple solution to target frail older inpatients at such risk. The aim of this study was to determine whether serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) deficiency, defined as serum concentration <25 nmol/L, was associated with long LOS among inpatients admitted to a geriatric acute care unit. Three hundred and six older inpatients (mean age 84.6 ± 6.4 years, 61.8 % women) were consecutively included in this longitudinal prospective cohort study. Patients were separated into two groups according to LOS tertiles: highest tertile (≥14 days; n = 120) versus the other two tertiles combined (<14 days; n = 186). Serum 25OHD deficiency (58.3 vs. 38.7 %, P = 0.001) and the prevalence of male gender (58.3 vs. 28.5 %, P < 0.001) were higher among inpatients with the highest LOS compared with those with lower LOS. Serum 25OHD deficiency [odds ratio (OR) = 2.22, P = 0.001 for unadjusted model; OR = 1.87, P = 0.012 for fully adjusted model) and male gender (OR = 2.87, P < 0.001 for unadjusted model; OR = 2.64, P = 0.001 for full model) were associated with a high LOS. Vitamin D deficiency and male gender were risk factors for a long LOS in this pilot study. Using these risk factors to identify inpatients at risk of long LOS may be helpful in adapting early care plans, and thus improving inpatients’ health and shortening LOS.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all patients included in the present study. This study was supported by the “Gérontopôle des Pays de la Loire”.

Conflict of interest

Prof. Beauchet had served as an unpaid consultant for Ipsen Pharma company and as a board member for Gériatrie, Psychologie et Neuropsychiatrie du Vieillissement. He has no relevant financial interest in this manuscript. Dr. Launay, Dr. Maunoury, Dr. de Decker, Prof. Fantino reports no conflicts of interest. Dr. Annweiler had served as an unpaid consultant for Ipsen Pharma company, and serves as an editor for the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and for Gériatrie, Psychologie et Neuropsychiatrie du Vieillissement. He has no relevant financial interest in this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UPRES EA 4638, University of Angers, UNAM, Angers, France

    Olivier Beauchet & Cédric Annweiler

  2. Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Angers University Hospital, 49933, Angers cedex 9, France

    Olivier Beauchet, Cyrille P. Launay, Bruno Fantino & Cédric Annweiler

  3. Angers University Memory Clinic, Angers, France

    Olivier Beauchet, Cyrille P. Launay, Bruno Fantino & Cédric Annweiler

  4. UNAM, Le Mans, France

    Franck Maunoury

  5. Department of Geriatrics, Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France

    Laure de Decker

Authors
  1. Olivier Beauchet
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  2. Cyrille P. Launay
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  3. Franck Maunoury
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  4. Laure de Decker
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  5. Bruno Fantino
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  6. Cédric Annweiler
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Olivier Beauchet.

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Beauchet, O., Launay, C.P., Maunoury, F. et al. Association between vitamin D deficiency and long hospital stay in geriatric acute care unit: results from a pilot cohort study. Aging Clin Exp Res 25, 107–109 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-013-0010-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-013-0010-4

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