Factors Associated With in-Hospital Mortality in a Geriatric Acute Care Unit in Yaoundé, Cameroon: A Cross-Sectional Study
Facteurs Associés à la Mortalité Hospitalière en Court Séjour Gériatrique à Yaoundé (Cameroun) : Une Étude Transversale Analytique
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18527295Keywords:
Acute Geriatric Care, Geriatric Epidemiology, Mortality, CameroonAbstract
RÉSUMÉ
Introduction. Dans les services de court séjour gériatrique, la mortalité hospitalière constitue un indicateur majeur de la qualité des soins et de la vulnérabilité des patients âgés hospitalisés. La présente étude visait à identifier les facteurs associés à la mortalité en court séjour gériatrique à l’Hôpital Central de Yaoundé. Méthodes. Nous avons mené une étude transversale analytique avec collecte rétrospective des données dans le service de gériatrie de l’Hôpital Central de Yaoundé. Nous avons inclus les dossiers des patients âgés de 65 ans et plus hospitalisés entre le 1er janvier 2022 et 31 décembre 2024. Les données sociodémographiques, cliniques, biologiques ainsi que le devenir hospitalier ont été collectées. Une analyse multivariée par régression logistique a été effectuée afin d’identifier les facteurs associés à la mortalité avec un seul de significativité P < 0,05. Résultats. Nous avons inclus 205 patients dont une majorité de femmes (59,5%) et un âge médian de 80 (74-85) ans. La plupart des patients vivaient en milieu urbain (86,9%) et en famille (98,1%). Les comorbidités étaient dominées par l’hypertension artérielle (57,6%), le diabète de type 2 (23,4%) et l’arthrose (23,4%). La perte d’indépendance fonctionnelle (59%), la dénutrition (49,5%) et la confusion mentale (40%) étaient les principaux syndromes gériatriques. Le taux mortalité était de 17%. En analyse univariée, les facteurs associés à la mortalité étaient : la dénutrition, la confusion mentale, les escarres, la présence d’un sepsis, d’un cancer, d’une pneumonie d’inhalation, d’une anémie, d’une hyperleucocytose, d’un syndrome inflammatoire et d’une hypernatrémie. La présence d’un sepsis était le seul facteur associé à la mortalité en analyse multivariée. Conclusion. La présence d’un sepsis était indépendamment associée à la mortalité au sein de ce groupe de patients admis en court séjour gériatrique au Cameroun. La prise en charge précoce des infections chez la personne âgée pourrait réduire la mortalité.
ABSTRACT
Introduction. In acute geriatric care units, in-hospital mortality is a key indicator of both quality of care and the vulnerability of hospitalized older adults. This study aimed to identify factors associated with mortality in the acute geriatric unit of the Yaoundé Central Hospital. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection in the geriatric unit of the Yaoundé Central Hospital. We included medical records of patients aged ≥ 65 years hospitalized between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024. Sociodemographic, clinical, and biological data as well as in-hospital outcomes were collected. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with mortality, with a significance threshold of P < 0.05. Results. A total of 205 patients were included, the majority of whom were women (59.5%), with a median age of 80 (74–85) years. Most patients lived in urban areas (86.9%) and with family (98.1%). The main comorbidities were hypertension (57.6%), type 2 diabetes (23.4%), and osteoarthritis (23.4%). Activities of daily living (ADLs) dependency (59%), malnutrition (49.5%), and delirium (40%) were the most common geriatric syndromes. The mortality rate was 17%. In univariate analysis, factors associated with mortality included malnutrition, delirium, pressure ulcers, sepsis, cancer, aspiration pneumonia, anemia, leukocytosis, inflammatory syndrome, and hypernatremia. In multivariate analysis, sepsis was the only factor independently associated with mortality. Conclusion. Sepsis was independently associated with mortality in this group of patients admitted to the acute geriatric unit in Cameroon. Early identification and management of infections in older adults may help reduce mortality.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Marie-Josiane Ntsama Essomba, Mikal Ange Makoumpo Sa’ah, Maurice Avodo Avodo2, Atoumane Faye, Régine Mylène Mballa M, Mamadou Coume, Madeleine Ngandeu
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