Mini-Suffering State Examination scale: possible key criterion for 6-month survival and mortality of critically ill dementia patients

Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2007;24(6):470-4. doi: 10.1177/1049909107302304. Epub 2007 Sep 21.

Abstract

Six months of survival as a key criterion is extremely important for decision making in enrollment of critically ill patients to palliative settings. This was a prospective cohort study with 6 months of follow-up during a 24-month period performed in the Division of Geriatric Medicine in a tertiary general hospital. One-hundred three consecutively admitted, bedridden patients with end-stage dementia were evaluated. The Mini-Suffering State Examination scale was performed. Interrelations between the Mini-Suffering State Examination score at admission and 6-month survival and mortality were evaluated. A significant difference was proven among survival curves of subgroups of patients according to the mini scores (0-3, 4-6, 7-10). Survival was shorter and mortality higher in patients with a high Mini-Suffering State Examination score, as shown by the Kaplan-Meier method using the log rank (P=.001) and Breslow tests (P=.001). The Mini-Suffering State Examination scale is useful for predicting the last 6 months of survival and mortality of end-stage dementia patients.

Publication types

  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Attitude to Health
  • Critical Illness
  • Dementia* / complications
  • Dementia* / mortality
  • Family / psychology
  • Female
  • Geriatric Assessment / methods
  • Humans
  • Israel / epidemiology
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Nursing Assessment / methods
  • Nursing Assessment / standards
  • Nursing Evaluation Research
  • Pain / diagnosis*
  • Pain / etiology
  • Pain Measurement / methods*
  • Pain Measurement / standards
  • Palliative Care
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Prospective Studies
  • Severity of Illness Index*
  • Stress, Psychological / diagnosis*
  • Stress, Psychological / etiology
  • Survival Rate