Functional decline, mortality and institutionalization after 18 months in multimorbid older persons living in the community: the FUNCIPLUR longitudinal study.

Two-thirds of patients showed functional decline, died or were institutionalized. The factors associated with loss of function at 18 months were similar to those observed at 8 months, notably previous hospital admissions. These findings are important as they indicate functional decline and increasing care needs are potentially predictable/modifiable.