Multimorbidity patterns and their relationship to mortality in the US older adult population

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245053
• Publication Date: 2021-01-20T19:43:16Z
• Authors: D. Diane Zheng; David A. Loewenstein; Sharon L. Christ; Daniel J. Feaster; Byron L. Lam; Kathryn E. McColl...; Rosie E. Curiel-Cid; David J. Lee
• Keywords: National Death Index; Chronic condition

Background Understanding patterns of multimorbidity in the US older adult population and their relationship with mortality is important for reducing healthcare utilization improving health. Previous investigations measured as counts conditions rather than specific combination conditions. Methods This cross-sectional study longitudinal follow-up employed latent class analysis (LCA) to develop clinically meaningful subgroups participants aged 50 different combinations 13 chronic from National Health Interview Survey 2002–2014. Mortality linkage Death Index was performed through December 2015 166,126 participants. Survival analyses were conducted assess relationships between LCA classes all-cause cause mortalities. Results identified five groups primary characteristics: “healthy” (51.5%), “age-associated conditions” (33.6%), “respiratory (7.3%), “cognitively impaired” (4.3%) “complex cardiometabolic” (3.2%). Covariate-adjusted survival indicated had highest a Hazard Ratio (HR) 5.30, 99.5% CI [4.52, 6.22]; followed by (3.34 [2.93, 3.81]); condition” (2.14 [1.87, 2.46]); (1.81 [1.66, 1.98]). Patterns strongly associated underlying death. The reported similar number compared but significantly higher (3.8 vs 3.7 conditions, HR = 1.56 [1.32, 1.85]). Conclusion We demonstrated that method effective classifying subgroup. Specific including cognitive impairment depressive symptoms have substantial detrimental impact on adults. numbers experienced adults not always proportional risk. Our findings provide valuable information identifying high risk facilitate early intervention treat reduce mortality.