Correction to: Influence of frailty on anticoagulant prescription and clinical outcomes after 1­year follow­up in hospitalised older patients with atrial fibrillation.

In the original publication, all the collaborator names were incorrectly tagged and published online. The correct given and family names for the collaborators names should list as follows.

Influence of frailty on anticoagulant prescription and clinical outcomes after 1-year follow-up in hospitalised older patients with atrial fibrillation.

Frailty is an important prognostic factor in older adults with cardiovascular diseases. We aim to describe the characteristics of elderly hospitalised frail patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and to assess the influence of frailty, along with other functional and health status variables on anticoagulation prescription, 1-year all-cause mortality, and the incidence of ischemic and bleeding complications. An observational, prospective multicentre study was carried out on patients with NVAF over the age of 75, who were admitted to the Internal Medicine departments in Spain. A total of 615 patients were evaluated (mean age 85.23 ± 5.16 years, 54.3% females, 48.3% frail). Frail patients had higher CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores, more comorbidities and worse functional status and cognitive impairment compared to non-frail. During hospitalisation, 58 (9.4%) patients died (12.5% frail, 6.6% non-frail, p = 0.01). Among the participants discharged, 69.8% received anticoagulants, 13% anti-platelets only and 16.9% no anti-thrombotics, with no difference by frailty status. Frailty is not a predictor of anticoagulant prescription at discharge (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.55-1.57), while functional dependency remains significantly associated (OR for severe dependency 0.44, 95% CI 0.23-0.82). After the 1-year follow-up, frail patients have a higher risk of death (HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.43-2.76). Among patients taking anticoagulants, the incidence of stroke and major bleeding is similar between frailty groups. In our study, frailty is related to worse global health status. It has no impact on antithrombotic prescription, nor is a predictor of AF complications, even though frail subjects have a higher mortality during hospitalisation and after 1-year follow-up.

Factors associated with discontinuing or not starting oral anticoagulant therapy in older hospitalized patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

AIM: To determine the factors associated with discontinuing or not starting oral anticoagulation (OA) therapy in older patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). METHODS: A prospective, multicenter cohort study was carried out of patients aged >75 years with NVAF hospitalized in internal medicine departments in Spain. For each patient, we recorded creatinine, hemoglobin and platelets levels, as well as CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores and the Charlson Comorbidity Index. We measured the ability to carry out basic activities of daily life with the Barthel Index, and the cognitive state with the Short Portable Mental Status questionnaire. RESULTS: We included 723 patients with NVAF, with a mean age of 84.8 years (SD 5.2 years); 390 (53.9%) of the patients were women. Before admission, 375 (51.9%) patients were treated with OA. Previously diagnosed NVAF (OR 4.099, 95% CI 1.824-9.211, P = 0.001), the number of errors in the Short Portable Mental Status questionnaire (OR 1.180, 95% CI 1.020-1.365, P = 0.026), peripheral arterial disease (OR 0.285, 95% CI 0.114-0.711, P = 0.007) and hemoglobin levels (OR 0.812, 95% CI 0.682-0.966, P = 0.019) were independently associated with not starting OA therapy at discharge. Of the 375 patients treated with OA at admission, 87 (23.2%) had their OA discontinued at discharge. The HAS-BLED score (OR 1.516, 95% CI 1.211-1.897, P < 0.001) and previous acute myocardial infarction (OR 0.327, 95% CI 0.121-0.883, P = 0.027) were associated with the discontinuation of OA. CONCLUSIONS: There are factors associated with discontinuing or not starting OA in older patients with NVAF, which often have no clinical justification. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1219-1224.

Antithrombotic treatment and characteristics of elderly patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation hospitalized at Internal Medicine departments. NONAVASC registry. / Características y tratamiento antitrombótico de los pacientes ancianos con fibrilación auricular no valvular hospitalizados en Medicina Interna. Registro NONAVASC.

BACKGROUND AND OBJETIVES: The prevalence of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) increases with the patient's age and is associated with high morbi-mortality rates. The main goal of this study was to describe the characteristics of hospitalized elderly patients with NVAF and to identify the clinical and functional factors which determine the use of different antithrombotic strategies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Observational, prospective, multicentre study carried out on patients with NVAF over the age of 75, who had been admitted for any medical condition to Internal Medicine departments. RESULTS: We evaluated 804 patients with a mean age of 85 years (range 75-101), of which 53.9% were females. The prevalence of risk factors and cardiovascular disease was high: hypertension (87.6%), heart failure (65.4%), ischemic cardiomyopathy (24.4%), cerebrovascular disease (22.4%) and chronic kidney disease (45%). Among those cases with previous diagnoses of NVAF, antithrombotic treatment was prescribed in 86.2% of patients: anticoagulants (59.7%), antiplatelet medication (17.8%) and double therapy (8.7%). The factors associated with the use of antithrombotic treatment were history of acute coronary syndrome and atrial fibrillation progression longer than one year. Older age, atrial fibrillation for less than one year, higher HAS-BLED scores and severe cognitive impairment were associated with the use of anti-platelet drugs. Permanent atrial fibrillation favoured the use of anticoagulants. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalized patients older than 75 years old with NVAF showed numerous comorbidities. The percentage of anticoagulation was small and 18% received only anti-platelet therapy. The patient's age, atrial fibrillation's progression time and the severity of the cognitive impairment influenced this therapy choice.

Factors associated with mortality in patients with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease hospitalized in General Medicine departments.

We aim to improve knowledge on risk factors that relate to mortality in subjects with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are hospitalized in General Medicine departments. In a cross-sectional multicenter study, by means of a logistic regression analysis, we assessed the possible association of death during hospitalization with the following groups of variables of participating patients: sociodemographic features, treatment received prior to admission and during hospitalization, COPD-related clinical features recorded prior to admission, comorbidity diagnosed prior to admission, clinical data recorded during hospitalization, laboratory results recorded during hospitalization, and electrocardiographic findings recorded during hospitalization. A total of 398 patients was included; 353 (88.7%) were male, and the median age of the patients was 75 years. Of these patients, 21 (5.3%) died during hospitalization. Only 270 (67.8%) received inhaled ß(2) agonists during hospitalization, while 162 (40.7%) received angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers. The median of predicted FEV(1) prior to admission was 42%. A total of 350 patients (87.9%) had been diagnosed with two or more comorbid conditions prior to admission. An association was found between increased risk of death during hospitalization and the previous diagnoses of pneumonia, coronary heart disease, and stroke. In conclusion, comorbidity is an important contributor to mortality among patients hospitalized in General Medicine departments because of COPD exacerbation.