The Report-AGE project: a permanent epidemiological observatory to identify clinical and biological markers of health outcomes in elderly hospitalized patients in Italy

Background: Italy is expected to experience the largest growth in persons ≥65 years (>20 % by 2020). This demographic shift allows for geriatric research on predictive clinical and biological markers of outcomes related to frailty, re-hospitalization and mortality. Aims: To describe rationale and methods of the Report-AGE study project of acute care patients in Italian National Research Center on Aging (INRCA) research hospitals. Methods: Report-AGE study is a large observational study on health conditions and outcomes of hospitalized elderly patients (≥65 years). The primary objective of the study is to create a high-level data resource of demographics, comprehensive geriatric assessments, clinical and diagnostic information, as well as biological and molecular markers in all older patients admitted to INRCA Hospitals. Assessments in physical and nutritional parameters, co-morbid health conditions, and associations with frailty parameters are ongoing in older hospitalized adults following an acute event. Study collection began in September 2011. Results: Up to date, there are 3479 patients ≥65 years (mean age: 85 ± 7years) with 1543 men and 1936 women enrolled. Data have been recorded regarding functional and clinical parameters before, during hospital admission and at discharge. Data collection for primary outcome analyses related to re-hospitalization and mortality is estimated for September 2016. Discussion: This study aims at collecting precise clinical data, comprehensive geriatric assessment, risk factors, and biological data from acute care patients. Data will also be used to identify mechanisms underlying frailty in this specific population. Conclusion: This study provides a descriptive epidemiological collection of the health conditions of older in-patients.