Association Between Intrinsic Capacity and Hospital Admission Among Older Adults in the Emergency Department

This prospective cohort study assessed the impact of intrinsic capacity on hospital admissions among older adults after an Emergency Department (ED) visit. Assessing 1132 patients according to WHO’s Integrated Care for Older People guidelines between March 1 and August 30, 2022, we found that 784 (69.26%) were admitted. The admission group demonstrated significantly lower intrinsic capacity scores (mean ± SD, 2.92 ± 1.29) compared to the discharge group (3.44 ± 1.23; p < .001). Multivariable logistic regression showed that higher intrinsic capacity scores were associated with lower odds of admission (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.71–0.92; p < .001). Notably, patients with malnutrition had significantly higher odds of admission (OR = 3.12; 95% CI: 2.16–4.50; p < .001). These findings underscore the importance of integrating the intrinsic capacity assessment with traditional clinical indicators in the emergency care of older adults.