Conclusion Geriatric syndromes are important prognostic factors for postoperative complications .
Background Elective surgeries can be associated with significant harm to older adults .
The present study aim ed to identify the prognostic factors associated with the development of postoperative complications among older adults undergoing elective surgery .
Risk factors for nursing home placement following major nonemergent surgery.
PURPOSE To determine the association between self-reported exercise tolerance and the risk of unanticipated postoperative nursing home placement in adults undergoing major surgery . METHODS Consecutive community-dwelling adults ( N = 586 ) referred to a medical clinic for evaluation before undergoing major nonemergent surgery at a tertiary care academic medical center were prospect ively followed between 1995 and 1997 . The main outcome measure was unanticipated postoperative nursing home placement . RESULTS Overall , 12 % ( 40/324 ) of patients with poor preoperative  exercise tolerance ( inability to walk four blocks and climb two flights of stairs without symptomatic limitation ) had unanticipated nursing home placement compared with 4 % ( 10/262 ) of patients with good exercise tolerance . Patient and surgical characteristics associated with nursing home placement in univariate analyses included poor preoperative exercise tolerance , increasing age , living alone , history of heart failure , taking five or more preoperative medications , longer anesthesia duration , and orthopedic surgery . Patients who were married were at lower risk . After adjusting for all other patient and surgical factors , poor preoperative exercise tolerance ( odds ratio [ OR ] = 2.8 ; 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] : 1.3 to 6.2 ) and serious postoperative complications ( OR = 4.7 ; 95 % CI : 2.1 to 10.5 ) remained associated with postoperative nursing home placement . CONCLUSION Poor preoperative exercise tolerance was an independent predictor of unanticipated nursing home placement following major nonemergent surgery
Conclusion Geriatric syndromes are important prognostic factors for postoperative complications .
Background Elective surgeries can be associated with significant harm to older adults .
The present study aim ed to identify the prognostic factors associated with the development of postoperative complications among older adults undergoing elective surgery .