Severe Dementia and Adverse Outcomes of Nursing Home‐Acquired Pneumonia: Evidence for Mediation by Functional and Pathophysiological Decline

Abstract

The functional and pathophysiological consequences of progressive dementia account in part for increased 3-month mortality after pneumonia. Mid-term mortality is expected to be high only in the most severely demented patients and in less severely demented patients who aspirated or who lost weight. Implications for end-of-life decision-making and effectiveness of preventive and curative interventions are discussed.