Table 2 Participant characteristics according to settings of admission

Age, years

80.4 ± 7.7^b,d

83.2 ± 7.1 ^a,c,d,e

80.8 ± 8.4 ^b,d

77.7 ± 7.2 ^a,b,c,e

80.7 ± 7.7 ^b,d

<0.001

Female gender, n (%)

153 (61.2)

679 (58.8)

72 (67.3)^e

81 (51.3)

97 (49.0)^c

0.005

Education, years

7.3 ± 3.7^b,e

6.5 ± 3.8 ^a

7.2 ± 4.5

7.0 ± 3.7

6.9 ± 3.4^a

0.004

ADL before admission, mean score

5 (1–6)^b

4 (1–6)^a,c,d,e

5 (3–6)^b

5 (2–6)^b

5 (2–6)^b

<0.001

 0 functions spared, n (%)

32 (12.8)

255 (22.1)

8 (7.5)

22 (13.9)

24 (12.1)

 1 function spared, n (%)

34 (13.6)

156 (13.5)

9 (8.4)

16 (10.1)

25 (12.6)

<0.001

 2 to 5 functions spared, n (%)

92 (36.8)

349 (30.2)

41 (38.3)

45 (28.5)

62 (31.3)

 6 functions spared, n (%)

92 (36.8)

394 (34.1)

49 (45.8)

75 (47.5)

87 (43.9)

Nutritional status, n (%)

 Well nourished

171 (68.4)^b,d

601 (52.1)^a,d,e

61 (57.0)^d

130 (82.3)^a,b,c

142 (71.7)^b

<0.001

 At risk of malnutrition

60 (24.0)^a

457 (39.6)^b,d,e

37 (34.6)^d

27 (17.1)^b,c

48 (24.2)^b

 Malnourished

19 (7.6)^d

96 (8.3)^d

9 (8.4)^d

1 (0.6)^a,b,c

8 (4.0)

Charlson index (excluding dementia)

1 (0–3) ^b,e

3 (1–5) ^a,c,d

1 (0–3) ^b,e

2 (1–3)^b,e

3 (1–4) ^a,c,d

<0.001

 Dementia, n (%)

50 (20.0)^d

304 (26.3)^d

18 (16.8)

60 (38.0)^a,b,e

33 (16.7) ^d

<0.001

No. drugs, on admission

5 (3–6)^e

5 (4–7)^c

4 (3–6)^b

5 (3–6)^e

6 (4–7)^a,d

<0.001

 Diuretics, n (%)

122 (48.8)^d

624 (54.1)^c,e

36 (33.6)^b

80 (31.6)^a,b,e

97 (49.0)^d

<0.001

 Antihypertensive, n (%)

157 (62.8)

723 (62.7)

62 (57.9)

99 (62.7)

139 (70.2)

0.228

 Antiplatelet drugs, n (%)

93 (37.2)^d

473 (41.0)^d

37 (34.6)^d

80 (31.6)^a,b,c,e

97 (49.0)^d

<0.001

 Antiarrhythmic drugs, n (%)

27 (10.8)

139 (12.0)

7 (6.5)

11 (7.0)

28 (14.1)

0.106

 Statins/lipid lowering drugs, n (%)

56 (22.4)

183 (15.9)^d

15 (14.0)

41 (25.9)^b

47 (23.7)

0.001

 Antidiabetics (including insulin), n (%)

34 (13.6)

227 (19.7)

18 (16.8)

30 (19.0)

47 (23.7)

0.082

 Antiulcer drugs, n (%)

166 (66.4)

783 (67.9)^d

74 (69.2)

87 (55.1)^b,e

140 (70.7)^d

0.017

 Antibiotics, n (%)

26 (10.4)^b,c,e

448 (38.8)^a,d

38 (35.5)^a,d

22 (13.9)^b,c,e

85 (42.9) ^a,d

<0.001

 Benzodiazepines, n (%)

74 (29.6)

259 (22.4)

25 (23.4)

51 (32.3)

44 (22.2)

0.018

 Antipsychotics, n (%)

29 (11.6)^d

163 (14.1)^d

10 (9.3)^d

42 (26.6)^a,b,c,e

19 (9.6)^d

<0.001

 Antidepressants, n (%)

60 (24.0)

226 (19.6)^d

22 (20.6)

50 (31.6)^b,e

32 (12.6)^d

0.003

 Antiepileptics, n (%)

24 (9.6)^c,d

61 (5.3)^d

0^a,d

34 (21.5)^a,b,c,e

6 (3.0)^d

<0.001

 AChE-I/memantine, n (%)

4 (1.6)

22 (1.9)^d

1 (0.9)

10 (6.3)^b

1 (1.0)

0.003

Feeding tubes (NT or PEG), n (%)

3 (1.2)

23 (2.0)

4 (3.7)

5 (3.2)

5 (2.5)

0.492

Venous catheter, n (%)

26 (10.4)^b,c,d,e

577 (50.0)^a,c,d,e

75 (70.1)^a,b,d

34 (21.5)^a,b,c,e

136 (68.7) ^a,b,d

<0.001

Urinary catheter, n (%)

28 (11.2)^b,c,d,e

364 (31.5)^a,c

66 (61.7)^a,b,d,e

35 (22.2)^a,c

46 (23.2)^a,c

<0.001

Physical restraints, n (%)

68 (27.2)^b

465 (40.3)^a

44 (41.1)

52 (32.9)

62 (31.1)

<0.001