DNR Orders Linked to Increased Mortality in Older Adults

A retrospective cohort study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society used propensity score matching to investigate the effect of the presence and timing of do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders on short-term outcomes among hospitalized persons 65 and older, reports HealthDay News . Data was included for 1,347 subjects in the DNR group and 9,182 in the no-DNR group. The researchers determined the DNR group had significantly longer stays and were more likely to be discharged to hospice and to die. A significant difference in average length of stay was observed for those who had a DNR written within 24 hours of admission compared to those who had a DNR written more than 24 hours after admission. Subjects with early DNR were less likely to spend time in intensive care, receive a palliative care consultation, be restrained, have an order for nothing by mouth, have a bladder catheter, or die in the hospital. In addition, they were more likely to be sent home. "Further studies are necessary to better understand the presence and timing of DNR orders in hospitalized older adults," the authors note.