Table 4 Baseline characteristics at the index admission in the study cohorts

Age, mean (sd)

84 (7.8)

84.8 (7.7)

82.9 (7.9)

83.5 (8.2)

84.3 (8.1)

82.1 (8.1)

Civil status, n (%)

n = 8076

n = 5061

n = 3015

 Married

–

–

–

2321 (29)

919 (18)

1399 (46)

 Unmarried

–

–

–

834 (10)

480 (9)

354 (12)

 Divorced

–

–

–

1672 (21)

1103 (22)

569 (19)

 Widow, Widower

–

–

–

3260 (40)

2559 (51)

696 (23)

n = 8071

n = 5059

n = 3012

 Living alone

–

–

–

4903 (61)

3565 (70)

1338 (44)

Education, n (%)

n = 7840

n = 4920

n = 2920

 Primary

–

–

–

1723 (22)

1152 (23)

571 (20)

 Lower secondary

–

–

–

998 (13)

792 (16)

206 (7)

 Upper secondary

–

–

–

2840 (36)

1692 (34)

1148 (39)

 Post-secondary

–

–

–

1523 (19)

960 (20)

563 (19)

 Higher post-secondary

–

–

–

756 (10)

324 (7)

432 (15)

Continent of birth, n (%)

n = 8080

n = 5064

n = 3016

 Sweden

–

–

–

6677 (83)

4134 (82)

2543 (84)

 Other Nordic countries

–

–

–

602 (7)

442 (9)

159 (5)

 Other Europe

–

–

–

532 (7)

330 (6)

202 (7)

 Outside Europe

–

–

–

270 (3)

158 (3)

112 (4)

Number of diagnoses, m (sd)

4.1 (1.7)

4 (1.7)

4.3 (1.8)

4.6 (1.8)

4.5 (1.8)

4.9 (1.9)

Number of continuous medications, m (sd)

6.7 (3.8)

6.8 (3.8)

6.4 (3.8)

8.6 (4.2)

8.6 (4.2)

8.6 (4.1)

 Other clinic/hospital

3423 (51)

2196 (51)

1227 (51)

5404 (67)

3333 (66)

2071 (69)

 Home

3073 (46)

1984 (46)

1089 (45)

2631 (32)

1706 (34)

925 (30)

 Nursing home

214 (3)

130 (3)

84 (4)

56 (1)

31 (1)

25 (1)

Discharged to:

n = 6708

n = 4310

n = 2398

 Other clinic/hospital

346 (5)

224 (5)

122 (5)

505 (6)

284 (6)

221 (7)

 Home

4728 (71)

3063 (71)

1665 (69)

6215 (77)

3844 (78)

2271 (75)

 Nursing home

1355 (20)

880 (21)

475 (20)

1215 (15)

775 (15)

440 (15)

 Deceased

279 (4)

143 (3)

136 (6)

151 (2)

64 (1)

87 (3)

Length of stay, m(sd)

10.1 (7.2)

10 (6.6)

10.3 (8.1)

9.1 (5.7)

9.1 (5.5)

9.1 (6)

Nutrition (MNA-SF), n (%)

n = 6573

n = 4234

n = 2339

n = 7926

n = 4963

n = 2963

 Malnutrition

2025 (31)

1335 (32)

690 (29)

2266 (29)

1406 (28)

860 (29)

 Risk of malnutrition

3371 (51)

2160 (51)

1211 (52)

4289 (54)

2727 (55)

1562 (53)

 Normal

1177 (18)

739 (17)

438 (19)

1371 (17)

830 (17)

541 (18)

Pressure ulcer (Norton), n (%)

n = 6588

n = 4240

n = 2348

n = 7982

n = 5004

n = 2978

 Risk

2108 (32)

1368 (32)

740 (32)

2144 (27)

1340 (27)

804 (27)

Fall risk (Downton), n (%)

n = 6654

n = 4271

n = 2383

n = 7997

n = 5001

n = 2986

 Risk

5330 (80)

3416 (80)

1914 (80)

6854 (86)

4291 (86)

2563 (86)

Kidney function, n (%)

n = 3651

n = 2252

n = 1399

 Normal

–

–

–

273 (7)

146 (6)

127 (9)

 Mild

–

–

–

1766 (48)

1110 (49)

656 (47)

 Moderate

–

–

–

1110 (30)

705 (31)

405 (29)

 Severe

–

–

–

485 (13)

284 (13)

201 (14)

 End stage

–

–

–

17 (2)

7 (1)

10 (1)

n = 3086

n = 1910

n = 1176

n = 3651

n = 2252

n = 1399

 Creatinine, mg/dL

99 (63)

89 (52)

116 (74)

98 (59)

88 (46)

116 (73)

n = 3037

n = 1881

n = 1156

n = 3561

n = 2208

n = 1353

 Sodium, mEq/L

139 (4)

138.6 (4)

139.1 (4)

139 (4)

138.5 (3.9)

139 (4.2)

n = 130

n = 79

n = 51

n = 3618

n = 2241

n = 1377

 Potassium, mg/dL

4 (0.4)

4 (4)

4 (2)

4 (0.5)

4 (0.4)

4 (0.5)

n = 3019

n = 1855

N = 1164

n = 3590

n = 2179

n = 1411

 Hemoglobin, g/L

117 (16)

116 (15)

118 (17)

115 (15)

114 (14)

116 (17)

n = 1806

n = 1047

n = 759

n = 3422

n = 2095

n = 1327

 C-reactive protein, mg/L

47 (52)

43 (47)

52 (57)

42 (44)

39 (39)

47 (51)

Physical examinations, m (sd)

n = 6033

n = 3874

n = 2159

n = 7552

n = 4737

n = 2815

 Blood pressure, Systolic

128 (20)

129 (20)

125 (19)

125 (17)

127 (17)

123 (17

n = 6030

n = 3872

n = 2158

n = 7548

n = 4734

n = 2814

 Blood pressure, Diastolic

69 (11)

69 (11)

69 (11)

68 (10)

68 (10)

68 (10)

n = 4435

n = 2826

n = 1609

n = 6058

n = 3821

n = 2237

 Saturation

94 (4)

94 (3.8)

98 (4.1)

95 (3)

95 (3.3)

96 (3.4)

n = 726

n = 450

n = 276

n = 7554

n = 4722

n = 2832

 Body temperature

36.5 (0.6)

37 (0.5)

36 (0.6)

36.7 (0.5)

36.7 (0.48)

36.6 (0.51)

n = 6617

n = 4254

n = 2363

 Katz Index, md (q1-q3)

6 (2–10)

6 (2–10)

6 (2–10)

–

–

–

n = 5092

n = 3284

n = 1808

 Barthel index, md (q1-q3)

–

–

–

70 (45–85)

70 (45–85)

70 (45–85)

n = 5112

n = 3252

n = 1860

 Rivermead mobility index, md (q1-q3)

–

–

–

7 (4–9)

7 (4–9)

7 (4–10)