Table 1 Prespecification of predictor variables for a mortality risk prediction tool among hospitalized patients with dementia with initial degrees of freedom allocation

Sociodemographic factors

 Age

Continuous

5-knot spline: valid range: 65 to 105 years

4

 Sex

Categorical

Male; female

1

 Living status

Categorical

5 categories: home, independent; home, home care; nursing home; rehabilitation; chronic hospital

4

Comorbidities

 Cerebrovascular disease

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Heart failure

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Cardiovascular disease

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Arrhythmia

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Cardiac arrest

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Asthma

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Pneumonia

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Pneumonitis

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Adult respiratory distress syndrome

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Interstitial lung disease

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Respiratory failure

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Gastrostomy site infection

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Liver cirrhosis

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Urinary tract infection

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Fecal incontinence

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Urinary incontinence

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Renal failure

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Decubitus ulcer

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Parkinson’s disease

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Multiple sclerosis

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Osteoporosis

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Fracture

Categorical

Yes; no

1

Malignancy

 Lip, oral cavity, pharynx

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Digestive organs

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Respiratory, intrathoracic organs

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Skin

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Mesothelium, soft tissue

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Breast

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Female genital organs

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Male genital organs

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Urinary tract

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Central nervous system

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Endocrine glands

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Bone

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Unspecified

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Blood

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Multiple

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Sepsis

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Diabetes mellitus

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Hypertension

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Peripheral arterial disease

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Shock

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Mood disorder

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Schizophrenia

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Complication from benzodiazepine

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Complication from antipsychotic

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Fall

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 vChronic kidney disease

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Rheumatoid arthritis

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Polypharmacy

Categorical

Yes; no

1

Previous interventions

 Heart resuscitation

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Mechanical ventilation lasting ≥ 96 h

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Mechanical ventilation lasting < 96 h

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Dialysis

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Cardioversion

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Chemotherapy

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Radiotherapy

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Tracheostomy

Categorical

Yes; no

1

Functional status

 Hospital Frailty Risk Score

Continuous

5-knot spline: valid range 0 to 99

4

 Dysphasia and aphasia

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Dysarthria and anarthria

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Dysphagia

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Dependence on wheelchair

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Blindness

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Hearing loss

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Hospital-based occupational therapy consultation in past 3 years

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Hospital-based physiotherapy consultation in past 3 years

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Hospital-based social worker consultation in past 3 years

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Hospital-based speech language pathology consultation in past 3 years

Categorical

Yes; no

1

Nutritional status

 Weight

Continuous

5-knot spline

4

 Height

Continuous

5-knot spline

4

 Parenteral nutrition

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Feeding tube

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Anorexia

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Abnormal weight loss

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Volume depletion

Categorical

Yes; no

1

Admission information

 Admitting service

Categorical

15 categories: General internal medicine; Cardiology; Gastroenterology; Palliative care; Medical oncology; General surgery; Cardiovascular surgery; Neurosurgery; Orthopedic surgery; Plastic surgery; Thoracic surgery; Trauma; Urology; Gynecology; Psychiatry

14

 Admission urgency

Categorical

3 categories: elective; urgent, without ambulance; urgent, with ambulance

2

 Admission directly to ICU

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Urgent 30-day readmission

Categorical

Yes; no

1

 Previous healthcare utilization

 ED visits in past 12 months

Ordinal

7 categories: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 + 

6

 Admissions by ambulance in past 12 months

Ordinal

4 categories: 0, 1, 2, 3 + 

3

 Hospital-based palliative care in past 3 years

Categorical

Yes; no

1