[Deterioration of general condition: a "geriatric syndrome"?].

INTRODUCTION: Deterioration of general condition (DGC) is a common cause of admission in geriatrics. Except some French textbooks which define DGC as a clinical pattern that associates asthenia, anorexia and wheigt loss, we did not find a consensus to define this entity.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the clinical pattern that covers DGC as a cause of admission in an acute geriatric unit.

METHODS: Analyse of 747 medical charts of patients consecutively admitted between April 2006 and September 2008. The admission's complaints of patients were identified with a particular focus on the triad asthenia, anorexia and weight loss.

RESULTS: Two hundred eleven patients (28%) were admitted during this period for DGC. Among them, 38% had at least one of the complaints that characterizes the concept of DGC (asthenia, anorexia, weight loss), 2% had three complaints, 8% had at least two and 28% one. Among patients referred for DGC, 45% were admitted for one or more geriatric problems and 53% for complaints of medico-surgical condition.

DISCUSSION: The lack of consistency in the clinical picture of patients admitted for DGC does not say whether it's a real syndrome. In geriatrics, however it could represent an expression of frailty.