MORTALITY FACTORS IN GERIATRICS WITH NON-TRAUMATIC ABDOMINAL PAIN AT THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine the factors affecting mortality in geriatric patients presenting with non-traumatic abdominal pain at the emergency department. Materials and Method: This cross-sectional, retrospective study included patients aged >= 65 years who presented with non-traumatic abdominal pain at the emergency department. The demographic characteristics, laboratory test results, and in-hospital course of the patients were examined. The relationship between mortality and the data obtained was analyzed at a 95% confidence level and with a p value of<0.05 considered statistically significant. The study was conducted following the approval of the ethics committee. Results: A total of 1110 patients were included and comprised 619 (55.8%) women; 719 (64.8%) were admitted to the general surgery clinic and 211 (19%) were operated on. Of those admitted to the general surgery clinic, 106 (9.5%) cases resulted in mortality. The cut-off value of age for mortality was 73 years [73.6% sensitivity, 40.4% specificity, and receiver operating characteristic - area under the curve (ROC-AUC) 0.581)]. A high lactate value (cut-off value 2.4) was associated with mortality (with 78.2% sensitivity, 68.8% specificity, and ROC-AUC 0.786). The most common predictors of mortality were perforation [odds ratio (OR)=20.7], ileus (OR=17.9), high lactate (OR=7.6), and hypocalcemia (OR=3.9). Conclusion: In geriatric patients who presented with abdominal pain at the emergency department, mortality, which increased at the age of over 73 years, was determined mainly by electrolyte and lactate values.