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The comprehensive geriatric assessment incorporates an evaluation of the Geriatric 5M “multicomplexity,” which (1) expands upon the conventional assessment of symptoms, diseases, and medications; (2) considers the biopsychosocial situation; and (3) includes an analysis of prognosis, values and preferences, and ability to function independently. For many clinical interventions, harms occur with the interventions or shortly thereafter, and benefits may not occur until years later; such interventions are generally contraindicated when life expectancy is less than the time until benefit. Comprehensive assessment is warranted before major clinical decisions are made (eg, whether major surgery should be performed, or whether a patient should be admitted to the hospital). In hospitalized patients, comprehensive assessment improves survival and increases the number of people who return home.
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ASSESSMENT OF PROGNOSIS
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When an older person’s life expectancy is longer than 10 years (ie, 50% of similar persons live longer than 10 years), it is reasonable to consider effective tests and treatments such as they are considered in younger persons. When life expectancy is less than 10 years (and especially when it is much less), choices of tests and treatments should be made based on their ability to affect a clinical outcome that is valued by the patient in the context of their estimated life expectancy (Figure 4–1). The relative benefits and harms of tests and treatments often change as prognosis worsens and net benefit (benefits minus harms) diminishes.
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When an older person’s clinical situation is dominated by a single disease process (eg, metastatic lung cancer), prognosis can be estimated well with a disease-specific instrument. Even in this situation, however, prognosis generally worsens with age (especially over age 90 years) and with the presence of serious age-related conditions, such as dementia, malnutrition, or functional impairment.
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When the clinical situation is not dominated by a single disease process, prognosis can be estimated initially by considering basic demographic and health elements (Figure 4–1). For example, less than 25% of men aged 95 will live 5 years, whereas nearly 75% of women aged 70 will live 10 years. The prognosis for older persons living at home can be estimated by considering age, sex, comorbid conditions, and function. The prognosis is worse for older persons discharged from the hospital than for those living at home and can be estimated by considering sex, comorbid conditions, and function at discharge. A compilation of indices with online calculators that allow for estimating prognosis in multiple clinical settings can be found at ePrognosis (http://eprognosis.ucsf.edu).
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Social determinants of health are important factors that impact health outcomes and prognosis. As part of the comprehensive assessment, asking about socioeconomic status, food security, access to ...