Comorbidity and cost burden among ischemic stroke inpatients aged 60 years and older in middle-high-income region in China: a multicenter cross-sectional study

This study identified three prevalent comorbidity clusters in the study population: cardio-metabolic, diabetes-mediated multi-organ injury, and malnutrition-infection-anemia clusters. From the perspective of healthcare cost, pulmonary infection, hypoproteinemia, and anemia might represent the principal cost-intensive clusters of comorbidity, especially in those aged ≥80 years. The persistent cost-age gradient necessitates risk-stratified resource allocation. Implementation of geriatric-specific comorbidity control protocols, particularly targeting the identified clusters with high costs, may optimize both clinical outcomes and healthcare economics in aging populations.