Inaccuracy of standard geriatric scores in nonagenarians following hospitalization for various spinal pathologies

Demographic trends make it incumbent on spine surgeons to recognize the special challenges involved in caring for older patients. The aim of this study was to identify variables that may predict early mortality in geriatric patients over the age of 90 following elective hospitalization for various spinal pathologies. Retrospective analyses of all patients over the age of 90 years, which were electively treated between 2006 and 2016 at out department for various spinal conditions, were performed. Patient characteristics, type of treatment, and comorbidities were analyzed with regard to the 30-day mortality rate. Twenty-six patients were identified. Mean age was 93 years (range 91–97), 19 (73%) were female. Eighteen (69%) patients were treated operatively. Mean hospital stay was 13 days (range 2–51). Seventeen (65%) patients were on anticoagulation therapy. Mean Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was 5.3 (range 1–11); mean diagnosis count (DC) was 8.3 (range 2–17); mean Geriatric Index of Comorbidity (GIC) was 2.8 (range 1–4); and mean comorbidity-polypharmacy score (GPS) was 13.3 (range 5–23). The 30-day mortality rate was 16.7% in the surgically treated group compared with 12.5% in the conservatively treated group (p = 0.9), anticoagulation therapy (p = 0.91), gender (p = 0.49), length of hospital stay (p = 0.33), GIC (p = 0.54), CCI (p = 0.74), GPS (p = 0.82), and DC (p = 0.65) did not correlate with the 30-day mortality rate. Cause of death was pulmonary embolism in two cases and unknown in one case. Thirty-day mortality rate in patients over 90 years old with degenerative spinal diseases is relatively high regardless of the treatment modality. Standard geriatric prognostic scores seem less reliable for these patients.