Martín J, et al. - Researchers conducted a prospective matched cohort study involving 195 elderly inpatients with dementia and 204 without dementia to assess their mortality during hospitalization and 3 months after discharge, and to identify variables that might predict their mortality. Participants completed questionnaires on premorbid basic (Barthel, BI) and instrumental activities of daily living (Lawton and Brody), quality of life (EuroQoL5-D; Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease), and burden of the caregiver (Zarit). Predictors of mortality for patients with dementia included: having complications during admission, age > 84 years, myocardial infarction, > 145 sodium, and lower BI. For patients without dementia, predictors of mortality comprised having lower BI, adverse events during hospitalization, older patient age, sodium > 145, no surgery during admission, and > 2 classes of medication at admission. The investigators recommended initiation of adequate nutritional support to optimize the clinical outcomes of these patients.