Table 1 Patients’ characteristics and circumstances of the first evaluation by Palliative Care Consultation Team (N = 744)

Men

385

(51.7)

Age, mean (SD)

72.4

(15.1)

 Short term inpatient unit

570

(77.0)

  Time from admission (days), median (Q1-Q3)

7

(3–16)

 Outpatient clinic

57

(7.7)

 Medical consultation

33

(4.5)

 Rehabilitation services

71

(9.6)

 Long term inpatient unit

9

(1.2)

 Cancer

504

(68.2)

 Polypathology

70

(9.5)

 Cardiovascular

39

(5.3)

 Neurovascular

30

(4.1)

 Other neurologic

27

(3.7)

 Respiratory

20

(2.7)

 Renal

12

(1.6)

 Other

37

(5.0)

 Oncology/Haematology/Radiotherapy

167

(23.1)

 Gastroenterology and hepatology

130

(18.0)

 Geriatrics

129

(17.8)

 Internal Medecine

77

(10.7)

 Pneumology

68

(9.4)

 Neurology

29

(4.0)

 Cardiology

29

(4.0)

 Other

94

(13.0)

 PS^b ≥ 3 and/or Karnofsky ≤ 50 (n = 681) ^a

538

(79.0)

 Albumin, g/L, median (Q1-Q3) (n = 367) ^a

27

(23–33)

 Bed sores

95

(12.8)

 Swallowing disorders

201

(27.0)