[Characteristics and one-year outcomes in elderly patients hospitalised with heart failure and preserved, mid-range and reduced ejection fraction]. / Características y resultados tras un año en pacientes ancianos ingresados con insuficiencia cardiaca y fracción de eyección reducida, intermedia o conservada.

INTRODUCTION: The latest European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure (HF) guidelines define three types of HF according to the ejection fraction (EF): HF with reduced EF (HFrEF) when EF<40%, HF with mid-range EF (HFmrEF), when EF 40-49%, and HF with preserved EF (HFpEF) when EF≥50%. The objective of this study was to analyse the characteristics and results of elderly patients hospitalised with HF according to the new classification using EF. METHODS: A prospective study was carried out with 531 HF patients aged ≥75 years classified according to EF, and admitted in the geriatric wards of 6 hospitals in Spain. An analysis was performed on the demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as well as the morbidity and mortality at one year of follow-up. RESULTS: As regards EF, 17.1% had HFrEF, 10% had HFmrEF, and 72.9% had HFpEF. Patients with HFmrEF were more similar to those with HFrEF in terms of a younger age, predominance of men, and previous admission due to HF. This was also the case with the use of drugs for neurohormonal blockade. Patients with HFrEF (compared to those with HFmrEF and HFpEF), had higher mortality (35.2%, 24.5%, and 25.6%, respectively), more readmissions for HF (17.6%, 15.1%, and 14.5%, respectively), and more events (61.5%, 45.3%, and 52.5%, respectively), although there were no significant differences. There were also no differences observed in the survival analysis between the EF groups and the time-dependent outcome variables. CONCLUSIONS: In elderly patients hospitalised with HF, those classified as HFmrEF did not show any clear differences with respect to those with HFrEF or HFpEF. There were no differences in terms of morbidity and mortality.

Safety of Direct Oral Anticoagulants and Vitamin K Antagonists in Oldest Old Patients: A Prospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: The safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in oldest old patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in daily clinical practice has not been systematically assessed. This study examined the safety of DOACs and dicumarol (a vitamin K antagonist) in NVAF geriatric patients. DESIGN: Prospective study from January 2010 through June 2015, with follow-up through January 2016. SETTING: Geriatric medicine department at a tertiary hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 554 outpatients, 75 years or older, diagnosed of NVAF and starting oral anticoagulation. MEASUREMENTS: The main outcome was bleeding, which was classified into major (including those life-threatening) and nonmajor episodes. Statistical analyses were performed with Cox regression. RESULTS: A total of 351 patients received DOACs and 193 dicumarol. Patients on DOACs were older, with more frequent comorbidities, mobility limitation and disability in activities of daily living, as well as higher mortality, than those treated with dicumarol. The incidence of any bleeding was 19.2/100 person-years among patients on DOACs and 13.7/100 person-years on dicumarol; corresponding figures for major bleeding were 5.2 for those on DOACs, and 3.3 for those on dicumarol. In crude analyses, hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for any bleeding, and for mayor bleeding in patients on DOACs vs dicumarol were 1.60 (1.04-2.44) and 2.22 (0.88-5.59), respectively. Excess risk of bleeding associated with DOACs vs dicumarol disappeared after adjustment for clinical characteristics, so that corresponding figures were 1.19 (0.68-2.08) and 1.01 (0.35-2.93). Results did not vary across subgroups of high-risk patients. CONCLUSION: In very old patients with NVAF, the higher risk of bleeding associated with DOACs vs dicumarol could be mostly explained by the worse clinical profile of patients receiving DOACs. Risk of bleeding was rather high, and warrants close clinical monitoring.

Health Literacy and Health Outcomes in Very Old Patients With Heart Failure.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Health literacy (HL) has been associated with lower mortality in heart failure (HF). However, the results of previous studies may not be generalizable because the research was conducted in relatively young and highly-educated patients in United States settings. This study assessed the association of HL with disease knowledge, self-care, and all-cause mortality among very old patients, with a very low educational level. METHODS: This prospective study was performed in 556 patients (mean age, 85 years), with high comorbidity, admitted for HF to the geriatric acute-care unit of 6 hospitals in Spain. About 74% of patients had less than primary education and 71% had preserved systolic function. Health literacy was assessed with the Short Assessment of Health Literacy for Spanish-speaking Adults questionnaire, knowledge of HF with the DeWalt questionnaire, and HF self-care with the European Heart Failure Self-Care Behaviour Scale. RESULTS: Disease knowledge progressively increased with HL; compared with being in the lowest (worse) tertile of HL, the multivariable beta coefficient (95%CI) of the HF knowledge score was 0.60 (0.01-1.19) in the second tertile and 0.87 (0.24-1.50) in the highest tertile, P-trend = .008. However, no association was found between HL and HF self-care. During the 12 months of follow-up, there were 189 deaths. Compared with being in the lowest tertile of HL, the multivariable HR (95%CI) of mortality was 0.84 (0.56-1.27) in the second tertile and 0.99 (0.65-1.51) in the highest tertile, P-trend = .969. CONCLUSIONS: No association was found between HL and 12-month mortality. This could be partly due to the lack of a link between HL and self-care.

The frailty syndrome is associated with adverse health outcomes in very old patients with stable heart failure: A prospective study in six Spanish hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Most studies on the association between the frailty syndrome and adverse health outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF) have used non-standard definitions of frailty. This study examined the association of frailty, diagnosed by well-accepted criteria, with mortality, readmission and functional decline in very old ambulatory patients with HF. METHODS: Prospective study with 497 patients in six Spanish hospitals and followed up during one year. Mean (SD) age was 85.2 (7.3) years, and 79.3% had LVEF >45%. Frailty was diagnosed as having ≥3 of the 5 Fried criteria. Readmission was defined as a new episode of hospitalisation lasting >24h, and functional decline as an incident limitation in any activity of daily living at the 1-year visit. Statistical analyses were performed with Cox and logistic regression, as appropriate, and adjusted for the main prognostic factors at baseline. RESULTS: At baseline, 57.5% of patients were frail. The adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for mortality among frail versus non-frail patients was 1.93 (1.20-3.27). Mortality was higher among patients with low physical activity [1.64 (1.10-2.45)] or exhaustion [1.83 (1.21-2.77)]. Frailty was linked to increased risk of readmission [1.66 (1.17-2.36)] and functional decline [odds ratio 1.67 (1.01-2.79)]. Slow gait speed was related to functional decline [odds ratio 3.59 (1.75-7.34)]. A higher number of frailty criteria was associated with a higher risk of the three study outcomes (P trend<0.01 in each outcome). CONCLUSIONS: Frailty was associated with increased risk of 1-year mortality, hospital readmission and functional decline among older ambulatory patients with HF.

The frailty syndrome and mortality among very old patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis under different treatments.

BACKGROUND: The role of frailty as a prognostic factor in non-selected patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (SAS) is still uncertain. This study aims to examine the association between the frailty syndrome and mortality among very old patients with symptomatic SAS, and to assess whether the association varies with the type of SAS treatment. METHODS AND RESULTS: Prospective study of 606 patients aged ≥75years with symptomatic SAS, recruited from February 2010 to January 2015, who were followed up through June 2015. At baseline, frailty was defined as having at least three of the following five criteria: muscle weakness, slow gait speed, low physical activity, exhaustion, and unintentional weight loss. Statistical analyses were performed with multivariate Cox regression. At baseline, 49.3% patients were frail. During a mean follow-up of 98weeks, 35.3% of patients died. The hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of mortality among frail versus non-frail patients was 1.83 (1.33-2.51). The corresponding results were 1.58 (1.09-2.28) among patients under medical treatment, 3.06 (1.25-7.50) in those with transcatheter aortic valve replacement, and 1.97 (0.83-4.67) in those with surgical aortic valve replacement, p for interaction=0.21. When the frailty criteria were considered separately, mortality was also higher among patients with slow gait speed [1.52 (1.05-2.19)] or low physical activity [1.35 (1.00-1.85)]. CONCLUSIONS: Frailty is associated with increased mortality among patients with symptomatic SAS, and this association does not vary with the type of SAS treatment. Future studies evaluating the benefits of different treatments in SAS patients should account for baseline frailty.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment and 2-year mortality in elderly patients hospitalized for heart failure.

BACKGROUND: In older adults hospitalized for heart failure, a poor score on a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is associated with worse prognosis during hospitalization and at 1 month after discharge. However, the association between the CGA score and long-term mortality is uncertain. METHODS AND RESULTS: This is a prospective study of 487 patients aged ≥75 years admitted for decompensated heart failure. At discharge, a CGA score (range, 0-10) was calculated based on limitation in activities of daily living, mobility limitation, comorbidity, cognitive decline, and previous medication use. The analysis of the association between the CGA score and 2-year subsequent mortality was performed with Cox regression and adjusted for the main confounders. A 1-point increase in the CGA score was associated with a 19% higher mortality (hazard ratio, 1.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-1.27). Results were similar regardless of age, sex, left ventricular ejection fraction, and the coexistence of atrial fibrillation, ischemic heart disease, or hypertensive cardiopathy. All components of the CGA score showed a consistent association with higher death risk: the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of mortality was 1.78 (1.25-2.54) with ≥3 versus 0 limitations in activities of daily living, 1.36 (1.0-1.86) with moderate or severe versus no or mild limitation in mobility, 1.98 (1.29-3.03) with a ≥5 versus ≤1 score on the Charlson index, 2.48 (1.84-3.34) with previous cognitive decline, and 1.77 (0.99-3.18) in those using ≥8 versus ≤3 medications. CONCLUSIONS: The score on a simple CGA is associated with long-term mortality in older patients hospitalized for heart failure.