Does Serum Bilirubin Level Provide Information About Mortality in the Emergency Clinic ?

Aims: As the elderly population grows, so does the number of geriatric patients admitted to emergency departments. This highlights the need for new, accessible markers to assess mortality. This study investigates serum bilirubin as a potential marker.Methods: This retrospective study included 240 patients over 65 years old who presented to a university hospital emergency department over 3 months. Patients with trauma, liver or biliary tract diseases, or using hepatotoxic drugs were excluded.Results: Of the patients, 178 survived and 62 died within 30 days. Significant differences were observed between the two groups in direct bilirubin, age, albumin, lactate, BUN, and creatinine levels (p 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed BUN and lactate as independent predictors of mortality.Conclusion: Bilirubin levels, in addition to established markers like BUN and lactate, may be helpful in evaluating mortality risk in geriatric patients presenting to emergency departments.