Table 1 Patient characteristics at baseline

Sex (male)

259 (43.97)

131 (43.23)

128 (44.76)

Age, years (median, IQR)

83 [78–87]

83 [77–86]

84 [79–88]

Length of stay, days (median, IQR)

8 [5-12]

8 [5-12]

7 [5-11]

No. of medications at discharge (median, IQR)

9 [7-11]

9 [7-11]

9 [7-11]

No. of HAMC list drugs at discharge (median IQR)

4 [3-5]

4 [3-4]

4 [3-5]

Degree of dependence

  Independent or low dependence

361 (61.29)

179 (59.08)

182 (63.64)

  Moderate dependence

168 (28.52)

96 (31.68)

72 (25.17)

  Severe or total dependence

60 (10.19)

28 (9.24)

32 (11.19)

Comorbidities

  No. of comorbidities (median, IQR)

2 [1-3]

2 [1,2]

2 [1-3]

  Cognitive impairment

118 (20.03)

55 (18.15)

63 (22.03)

  Heart failure

233 (39.56)

113 (37.29)

120 (41.96)

  Chronic pulmonary disease

225 (38.20)

117 (38.61)

108 (37.76)

  Chronic kidney disease

141 (23.94)

61 (20.13)

80 (27.97)

  Chronic liver disease

30 (5.09)

18 (5.94)

12 (4.20)

  Diabetes

241 (40.92)

128 (42.24)

113 (39.51)

  Stroke

77 (13.07)

41 (13.53)

36 (12.59)

Primary admission diagnosis

  Heart disease

187 (31.75)

103 (33.99)

84 (29.37)

  Respiratory disease

57 (9.68)

30 (9.90)

27 (9.44)

  Kidney disease

5 (0.85)

4 (1.32)

1 (0.35)

  Gastrointestinal disease

28 (4.75)

17 (5.61)

11 (3.85)

  Neurological disease

23 (3.90)

14 (4.62)

9 (3.15)

  Liver or biliary disease

14 (2.38)

5 (1.65)

9 (3.15)

  Endocrine system (diabetes or electrolyte abnormalities)

10 (1.70)

5 (1.65)

5 (1.75)

  Infection

197 (33.45)

86 (28.38)

111 (38.81)

  Neoplasia (solid or haematological)

15 (2.55)

7 (2.31)

8 (2.80)

  Others

53 (9.00)

32 (10.56)

21 (7.34)

Risk of potentially avoidable readmission (HOSPITAL score)

  Low

362 (61.46)

185 (61.06)

177 (61.89)

  Intermediate

189 (32.09)

100 (33.00)

89 (31.12)

  High

38 (6.45)

18 (5.94)

20 (6.99)