Short and medium-term outcomes in individuals hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction and multiple chronic conditions: The Worcester heart attack study.

Background: Multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) are common in patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We examined the association of 12 MCCs with the risk of a 30-day hospital readmission and/or dying within one year among those discharged from the hospital after an AMI. We also examined the five most prevalent pairs of chronic conditions in this population and their association with the principal study endpoints. Methods: The study population consisted of 3,294 adults hospitalized with a confirmed AMI at the three major medical centers in central Massachusetts on an approximate biennial basis between 2005 and 2015. Patients were categorized as ≤1, 2-3, and ≥4 chronic conditions. Results: The median age of the study population was 67.9 years, 41.6% were women, and 15% had ≤1, 32% had 2-3, and 53% had ≥4 chronic conditions. Patients with ≥4 conditions tended to be older, had a longer hospital stay, and received fewer cardiac interventional procedures. There was an increased risk for being rehospitalized during the subsequent 30 days according to the presence of MCCs, with the highest risk for those with ≥4 conditions. There was an increased, but attenuated, risk for dying during the next year according to the presence of MCCs. Individuals with diabetes/hypertension and those with heart failure/chronic kidney disease were at particularly high risk for developing the principal study outcomes. Conclusion: Development of guidelines that include complex patients, particularly those with MCCs and those at high risk for adverse short/medium term outcomes, remain needed to inform best treatment practices.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Use of Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Adults With Chronic Medical Conditions: BRFSS 2012-2020.

Introduction: People with chronic conditions and people with colorectal cancer (CRC) may share common risk factors; thus, CRC screening is important for people with chronic conditions. We examined racial and ethnic differences in the use of CRC screening among people with various numbers of chronic conditions. Methods: We included data on adult respondents aged 50 to 75 years from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 2012 through 2020. We categorized counts of 9 conditions as 0, 1, 2, 3, and ≥4. We classified self-reported CRC screening status as up to date or not. We used Poisson models to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (APRs) among the different counts of chronic conditions in 4 racial and ethnic groups: Hispanic adults with limited English proficiency (LEP), Hispanic adults without LEP, non-Hispanic Black adults, and non-Hispanic White adults. Results: Overall, 66.5% of respondents were up to date with CRC screening. The prevalence of being up to date increased with the number of chronic conditions. We found disparities among racial and ethnic groups. Hispanic respondents with LEP had lower rates than non-Hispanic White adults of being up to date with CRC screening across all counts of chronic conditions (APR for 0 conditions = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.64-0.71; APR for ≥4 conditions = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.79-0.91). Hispanic respondents without LEP with 0, 1, or 2 conditions were less likely than non-Hispanic White respondents to be up to date with CRC screening. We found no significant differences between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White respondents. Conclusion: We found disparities among Hispanic BRFSS respondents with LEP, who had lower rates than non-Hispanic White respondents of being up to date with CRC screening, regardless of the number of chronic conditions. Tailored interventions are needed to address these disparities and improve screening rates, particularly among Hispanic people.

Approach to Multimorbidity Burden Classification and Outcomes in Older Adults With Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: The optimal approach to classifying multimorbidity burden in assessing treatment-associated outcomes using real-world data remains uncertain. We assessed whether 2 measurement approaches to characterize multimorbidity influenced observed associations of ß-blocker use with outcomes in adults with heart failure (HF). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on adults with HF from 4 integrated health care delivery systems. Multimorbidity burden was characterized by either (1) simple counts of chronic conditions or (2) a weighted multiple chronic conditions score using data from electronic health records. We assessed the impact of these 2 approaches to characterizing multimorbidity on associations between exposure to ß-blockers and subsequent all-cause death, hospitalization for HF, and hospitalization for any cause. RESULTS: The study population characterized by a count of chronic conditions included 9988 adults with HF who had a mean (SD) age of 76.4 (12.5) years, with 48.7% women and 24.7% racial/ethnic minorities. The cohort characterized by weighted multiple chronic conditions included 10,082 adults with HF who had a mean (SD) age of 76.4 (12.4) years, 48.9% women, and 25.5% racial/ethnic minorities. The multivariable associations of risks of death or hospitalizations for HF or for any cause associated with incident ß-blocker use were similar regardless of how multimorbidity burden was characterized. CONCLUSIONS: Simple counts of chronic conditions performed similarly to a weighted multimorbidity score in predicting outcomes using real-world data to examine clinical outcomes associated with ß-blocker therapy in HF. Our findings challenge conventional wisdom that more complex measures of multimorbidity are always necessary to characterize patients in observational studies examining therapy-associated outcomes.

Medication cost-reducing behaviors in older adults with atrial fibrillation: The SAGE-AF study.

BACKGROUND: As patient prices for many medications have risen steeply in the United States, patients may engage in cost-reducing behaviors (CRBs) such as asking for generic medications or purchasing medication from the Internet. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to describe patterns of CRB, cost-related medication nonadherence, and spending less on basic needs to afford medications among older adults with atrial fibrillation (AF) and examine participant characteristics associated with CRB. METHODS: Data were from a prospective cohort study of older adults at least 65 years with AF and a high stroke risk (CHA2DS2VASc ≥ 2). CRB, cost-related medication nonadherence, and spending less on basic needs to afford medications were evaluated using validated measures. Chi-square and t tests were used to evaluate differences in characteristics across CRB, and statistically significant characteristics (P < 0.05) were entered into a multivariable logistic regression to examine factors associated with CRB. RESULTS: Among participants (N = 1224; mean age 76 years; 49% female), 69% reported engaging in CRB, 4% reported cost-related medication nonadherence, and 6% reported spending less on basic needs. Participants who were cognitively impaired (adjusted odds ratio 0.69 [95% CI 0.52-0.91]) and those who did not identify as non-Hispanic white (0.66 [0.46-0.95]) were less likely to engage in CRB. Participants who were married (1.88 [1.30-2.72]), had a household income of $20,000-$49,999 (1.52 [1.02-2.27]), had Medicare insurance (1.38 [1.04-1.83]), and had 4-6 comorbidities (1.43 [1.01-2.01]) had significantly higher odds of engaging in CRB. CONCLUSION: Although CRBs were common among older adults with AF, few reported cost-related medication nonadherence and spending less on basic needs. Patients with cognitive impairment may benefit from pharmacist intervention to provide support in CRB and patient assistance programs.

Adverse Events After Initiating Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor/Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker Therapy in Individuals with Heart Failure and Multimorbidity.

BACKGROUND: Current clinical practice guidelines recommend routine kidney function and serum potassium testing within 30 days of initiating angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) therapy. However, evidence is lacking on whether routine follow-up testing reduces therapy-related adverse events in adults with heart failure and if multimorbidity influences the association between laboratory testing and these adverse events. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study among adults with heart failure from 4 US integrated health care delivery systems. Multimorbidity was defined using counts of chronic conditions. Patients with outpatient serum creatinine and potassium tests in the 30 days after starting ACEI or ARB therapy were matched 1:1 to patients without follow-up tests. We evaluated the association of follow-up testing with 30-day all-cause mortality and hospitalization with acute kidney injury or hyperkalemia using Cox regression. RESULTS: We identified 3629 matched adults with heart failure initiating ACEI or ARB therapy between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2012. Follow-up testing was not significantly associated with 30-day all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.14; 1.39) and hospitalization with hyperkalemia (aHR 0.73, 95% CI, 0.33; 1.61). However, follow-up testing was significantly associated with hospitalization with acute kidney injury (aHR, 1.40, 95% CI, 1.01; 1.94). Interaction between multimorbidity burden and follow-up testing was not statistically significant in any of the outcome models examined. CONCLUSIONS: Routine laboratory monitoring after ACEI or ARB therapy initiation was not associated with risk of 30-day all-cause mortality or hospitalization with hyperkalemia across the spectrum of multimorbidity burden in a cohort of patients with heart failure.

Age and Sex Differences and Temporal Trends in the Use of Invasive and Noninvasive Procedures in Patients Hospitalized With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background Few studies have examined age and sex differences in the receipt of cardiac diagnostic and interventional procedures in patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction and trends in these possible differences during recent years. Methods and Results Data from patients hospitalized with a first acute myocardial infarction at the major medical centers in the Worcester, Massachusetts, metropolitan area were utilized for this study. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine age (<55, 55-64, 65-74, and ≥75 years) and sex differences in the receipt of echocardiography, exercise stress testing, coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary interventions, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and trends in the use of those procedures during patients' acute hospitalization, between 2005 and 2018, while adjusting for important confounding factors. The study population consisted of 1681 men and 1154 women with an initial acute myocardial infarction who were hospitalized on an approximate biennial basis between 2005 and 2018. A smaller proportion of women underwent cardiac catheterization, percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery, while there were no sex differences in the receipt of echocardiography and exercise stress testing. Patients aged ≥75 years were less likely to undergo cardiac catheterization, percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery, but were more likely to receive echocardiography compared with younger patients. Between 2005 and 2018, the use of echocardiography and coronary artery bypass graft surgery nonsignificantly increased among all age groups and both sexes, while the use of cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention increased nonsignificantly faster in women and older patients. Conclusions We observed a continued lower receipt of invasive cardiac procedures in women and patients aged ≥75 years with acute myocardial infarction, but age and sex gaps associated with these procedures have narrowed during recent years.

Usefulness of Self-Reported Physical Activity and Clinical Outcomes in Older Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

Current guidelines encourage regular physical activity (PA) to gain cardiovascular health benefit. However, little is known about whether older adults with atrial fibrillation (AF) who engage in the guideline-recommended level of PA are less likely to experience clinically relevant outcomes. We did a retrospective study based on the data from Systemic Assessment of Geriatric Elements in AF (SAGE-AF) prospective cohort study. The study population consisted of older participants with AF (≥65 years) and a congestive heart failure, hypertension, age, diabetes, stroke vascular disease, age 65 to 75 and sex(CHA2DS2-VASc) score ≥2. PA was quantified by self-reported Minnesota Leisure Time PA questionnaire. Competing risk models were used to examine the association between PA level and clinical outcomes over 2 years while controlling for several potentially confounding variables. A total of 1,244 participants (average age 76 years; 51% men; 85% non-Hispanic White) were studied. A total of 50.5% of participants engaged in regular PA. Meeting the recommended level of PA was associated with lower mortality over 2 years (adjusted hazard ratio 0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.38 to 0.95) but was not associated with rates of stroke or major bleeding. In conclusion, older adults with AF who engaged in guideline-recommended PA are more likely to survive in the long term. Healthcare providers should promote and encourage engagement in PA and tailor interventions to address barriers of engagement.

Perception of atrial fibrillation symptoms: Impact on quality of life and treatment in older adults.

BACKGROUND: In managing older adults with atrial fibrillation (AF), their symptomatology impacts their well-being and may inform treatment decision-making. We examined AF symptom perception, its impact on quality of life (QoL), and its relation to treatment strategies in older adults with AF. METHODS: Data were obtained from older adults with AF enrolled in a multicenter study conducted at clinic sites in Massachusetts and Georgia between 2016 and 2018. Participants were stratified into three age groups: 65-74 (youngest-old), 75-84 (middle-old), and ≥85 (oldest). Perception of AF symptoms was assessed by participant self-report during their clinic visit and at study enrollment by the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-Life Questionnaire which assessed cardiac-specific and non-specific, non-cardiac AF symptoms and their impact on QoL. Treatment strategies (rate or rhythm control) utilized were ascertained from electronic medical records. RESULTS: Among the 1184 participants (mean age 75 years, 48% women, 86% Non-Hispanic White), 51% were aged 65-74 years, 36% were 75-84 years, and 13% were ≥ 85 years. The most commonly reported AF symptoms were non-specific, non-cardiac symptoms (fatigue, dyspnea, lightheadedness) with similar prevalence and impact on QoL in all age groups. Cardiac-specific AF symptoms (palpitations, irregular heartbeat, pause in heart activity) were less prevalent, but most commonly reported by the youngest participants (65-74 years), who endorsed considerable impact of these symptoms on their QoL. Overall, those who reported experiencing any AF symptoms during their clinic visit were more likely to have received rhythm compared with rate control (OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.18-2.04) with similar findings for all age groups except those aged ≥85 years. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a high prevalence of non-specific, non-cardiac symptoms among older adults with AF and that cardiac-specific AF symptoms may exert considerable impact on their QoL. The presence of any AF symptoms may drive more rhythm control in a majority of older adults.

Online health information seeking, low atrial fibrillation-related quality of life, and high perceived efficacy in patient-physician interactions in older adults with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Little is known about online health information-seeking behavior among older adults with atrial fibrillation (AF) and its association with self-reported outcomes. Objective: To examine patient characteristics associated with online health information seeking and the association between information seeking and low AF-related quality of life and high perceived efficacy in patient-physician interaction. Methods: We used data from the SAGE-AF (Systematic Assessment of Geriatric Elements in AF) study, which includes older participants aged ≥65 years with AF and a CHA2DS2-VASc risk score ≥2. To assess online health information seeking, participants who reported using the Internet were asked at baseline if they used the Internet to search for advice or information about their health in the past 4 weeks (not at all vs at least once). Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of Life and Perceived Efficacy in Patient-Physician Interactions questionnaires were used to examine AF-related quality of life (QOL) and patient-reported confidence in physicians. Logistic regression models were used to examine demographic and clinical factors associated with online health information seeking and associations between information seeking and low AF-related QOL (AFEQT <80) and high perceived efficacy for patient-physician interactions (PEPPI ≥45). Results: A total of 874 online participants (mean age 74.5 years, 51% male, 91% non-Hispanic White) were studied. Approximately 60% of participants sought health information online. Participants aged 74 years or older and those on anticoagulation were less likely, while those with a college degree were more likely, to seek online health information after adjusting for potential confounders. Participants who sought health information online, compared to those who did not, were significantly more likely to have a low AF-related QOL, but less likely to self-report confidence in patient-physician interaction (aOR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.15-2.13; aOR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.49-0.93, respectively). Conclusion: Clinicians should consider barriers to patient-physician interaction in older adults who seek health information online, encourage shared decision-making, and provide patients with a list of online resources for AF in addition to disease education plans to help patients manage their health.

The geriatrics research instrument library: A resource for guiding instrument selection for researchers studying older adults with multiple chronic conditions.

Background: After the passage of the 21st Century Cures Act in the U.S., the Inclusion Across the Lifespan policy eliminates upper-age limits for research participation unless risk justified. Broader inclusion will necessitate the use of reliable instruments in research that characterize the health status and function of older adults with multiple chronic conditions. As there is a plethora of such instruments, the Geriatrics Research Instrument Library (GRIL) was developed as freely available online resource of data collection instruments commonly used in gerontological research. GRIL has been revised and updated by the Advancing Geriatrics Infrastructure and Network Growth (AGING) Initiative, a joint endeavor of the Health Care Systems Research Network (HCSRN) and the Older Americans Independence Centers (OAICs). Methods: Extensive PubMed literature searches and domain expert feedback were utilized to inventory and update GRIL through the addition of instruments and compiling of instrument metadata. GRIL is hosted on the National Institute on Aging OAIC Coordinating Center website with a platform utilizing Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) and an Adobe ColdFusion application server. Tracking statistics are collected using Google Analytics. Results: Presently, GRIL includes 175 instruments across 18 domains, including instrument metadata such as instrument description, copyright information, completion time estimates, keywords, available translations, and a link and reference to the original manuscript describing the instrument. The GRIL website includes user-friendly features such as mobile platforming and resource links. Conclusions: GRIL provides a user-friendly public resource that facilitates clinical researchers in efficiently selecting appropriate instruments to measure clinical outcomes relevant to older adults across a full range of domains.

Association between risk of obstructive sleep apnea and cognitive performance, frailty, and quality of life among older adults with atrial fibrillation.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Geriatric impairments and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are prevalent among older patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Little is known about the association between OSA and geriatric impairments, including frailty, cognitive performance, and AF-related quality of life. The objective of this study was to examine the associations of OSA with frailty, cognitive performance, and AF-related quality of life among older adults with AF. METHODS: Data from the Systemic Assessment of Geriatrics Elements-AF study were used, which included AF participants 65 years and older and with a CHA2DS2-VASc ≥ 2. The STOP-BANG questionnaire was used to assess the risk of OSA. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the association between risk of OSA and geriatric impairments, adjusting for sociodemographic, geriatric, and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 970 participants (mean age 75 years; 51% male) were studied. Of the 680 participants without a medical history of OSA, 26% (n = 179) of participants had a low risk of OSA, 53% (n = 360) had an intermediate risk, and 21% (n = 141) had a high risk for OSA. Compared to those with low risk of OSA, participants with an intermediate or high risk of OSA were more likely to be frail (adjusted odds ratio = 1.67, 95% confidence interval: 1.08-2.56; adjusted odds ratio = 3.00, 95% confidence interval: 1.69-5.32, respectively) in the fully adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings identify a group of patients at high risk who would benefit from early screening for OSA. Future longitudinal studies are needed to assess the effect of OSA treatment on frailty, physical functioning, and quality of life among patients with AF. CITATION: Mehawej J, Saczynski JS, Kiefe CI, et al. Association between risk of obstructive sleep apnea and cognitive performance, frailty, and quality of life among older adults with atrial fibrillation. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(2):469-475.

Age, Multiple Chronic Conditions, and COVID-19: A Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Various patient demographic and clinical characteristics have been associated with poor outcomes for individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To describe the importance of age and chronic conditions in predicting COVID-19-related outcomes. METHODS: Search strategies were conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE. Daily alerts were created. RESULTS: A total of 28 studies met our inclusion criteria. Studies varied broadly in sample size (n = 21 to more than 17,000,000). Participants' mean age ranged from 48 years to 80 years, and the proportion of male participants ranged from 44% to 82%. The most prevalent underlying conditions in patients with COVID-19 were hypertension (range: 15%-69%), diabetes (8%-40%), cardiovascular disease (CVD) (4%-61%), chronic pulmonary disease (1%-33%), and chronic kidney disease (range 1%-48%). These conditions were each associated with an increased in-hospital case fatality rate (CFR) ranging from 1% to 56%. Overall, older adults have a substantially higher case fatality rate (CFR) as compared to younger individuals affected by COVID-19 (42% for those <65 vs 65% > 65 years). Only one study examined the association of chronic conditions and the risk of dying across different age groups; their findings suggested similar trends of increased risk in those < 65 years and those > 65 years as compared to those without these conditions. CONCLUSIONS: There has been a traditional, single-condition approach to consideration of how chronic conditions and advancing age relate to COVID-19 outcomes. A more complete picture of the impact of burden of multimorbidity and advancing patient age is needed.

Differences in Perceived and Predicted Bleeding Risk in Older Adults With Atrial Fibrillation: The SAGE-AF Study.

Background Little research has evaluated patient bleeding risk perceptions in comparison with calculated bleeding risk among oral anticoagulant users with atrial fibrillation. Our objective was to investigate underestimation of bleeding risk and to describe the characteristics and patient-reported outcomes associated with underestimation of bleeding risk. Methods and Results In the SAGE-AF (Systematic Assessment of Geriatric Elements in Atrial Fibrillation) study, a prospective cohort study of patients ≥65 years with atrial fibrillation, a CHA2DS2-VASc risk score ≥2 and who were on oral anticoagulant therapy, we compared patients' self-reported bleeding risk with their predicted bleeding risk from their HAS-BLED score. Among the 754 participants (mean age 74.8 years, 48.3% women), 68.0% underestimated their bleeding risk. Participants who were Asian or Pacific Islander, Black, Native American or Alaskan Native, Mixed Race or Hispanic (non-White) (adjusted OR [AOR], 0.45; 95% CI, 0.24-0.82) and women (AOR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.40-0.95) had significantly lower odds of underestimating their bleeding risk than respective comparison groups. Participants with a history of bleeding (AOR, 3.07; 95% CI, 1.73-5.44) and prior hypertension (AOR, 4.33; 95% CI, 2.43-7.72), stroke (AOR, 5.18; 95% CI, 1.87-14.40), or renal disease (AOR, 5.05; 95% CI, 2.98-8.57) had significantly higher odds of underestimating their bleeding risk. Conclusions We found that more than two-thirds of patients with atrial fibrillation on oral anticoagulant therapy underestimated their bleeding risk and that participants with a history of bleeding and several comorbid conditions were more likely to underestimate their bleeding risk whereas non-Whites and women were less likely to underestimate their bleeding risk. Clinicians should ensure that patients prescribed oral anticoagulant therapy have a thorough understanding of bleeding risk.

Temporal Trends and Patient Characteristics Associated with 30-Day Hospital Readmission Rates after a First Acute Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Limited data exist about relatively recent trends in the magnitude and characteristics of patients who are re-hospitalized after hospital admission for an acute myocardial infarction. This study examined trends in the frequency and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients readmitted to the hospital within 30 days after an initial acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 3116 individuals who were hospitalized for a validated first acute myocardial infarction in 6 study periods between 2003 and 2015 at the 3 major medical centers in central Massachusetts. RESULTS: The median age of our population was 67 years, and 42% were women. The risk of being readmitted to the hospital within 30 days after an initial acute myocardial infarction increased slightly during the most recent study years after controlling for potentially confounding factors. Overall, older adults and patients with previously diagnosed atrial fibrillation, heart failure, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease were at higher risk for being readmitted to the hospital than respective comparison groups. For those hospitalized in the most recent study years of 2011/2015, a higher risk of rehospitalization was associated with a previous diagnosis of chronic kidney disease, peripheral vascular disease, the presence of 3 or more chronic conditions, and having developed atrial fibrillation or heart failure during the patient's hospitalization for a first acute myocardial infarction. CONCLUSIONS: We identified several groups at higher risk for hospital readmission in whom enhanced surveillance efforts as well as tailored educational and treatment approaches remain needed.

Trends in the magnitude of chronic conditions in patients hospitalized with a first acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Among adults with heart disease, there is a high prevalence of concomitant chronic medical conditions. We studied patients with a first acute myocardial infarction to describe: sample population characteristics; trends of the most prevalent pairs of chronic conditions; and differences in hospital management according to burden of these morbidities. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients (n = 1,564) hospitalized with an incident AMI at the 3 major medical centers in central Massachusetts during 2005, 2011, and 2015 comprised the study population. Hospital medical records were reviewed to identify 11 more prevalent chronic conditions. The median age of this population was 68 years and 56% were men. The median number of previously diagnosed chronic conditions was 2. Patients hospitalized during 2015 were more likely to be younger than those hospitalized in the earliest study cohorts. The most common pairs of chronic conditions for those hospitalized in 2005 were: anemia-chronic kidney disease (31%), chronic kidney disease-heart failure (30%), and stroke-atrial fibrillation (27%). Among patients hospitalized during 2011, chronic kidney disease-heart failure (29%), hypertension-hyperlipidemia (27%), and hypertension-diabetes (27%) were the most common pairs whereas hypertension-hyperlipidemia (43%), diabetes-heart failure (30%), and chronic kidney disease-diabetes (23%) were the most frequent pairs recorded in 2015. There was a significant decrease in the odds of undergoing cardiac catheterization and a percutaneous coronary intervention in those with higher chronic disease burden in the most recent as compared to earliest study years. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the magnitude of chronic conditions in patients with AMI and the challenges of caring for this vulnerable population.

Advancing cross-national planning and partnership: Proceedings from the International Multimorbidity Symposium 2019.

The International Multimorbidity Symposium was held in November 2019 at Western University to achieve three main objectives: to discuss progress and findings from various jurisdictions; to facilitate collaboration through group discussion to identify strategies to move multimorbidity research forward; and to create concrete plans to ensure advances in multimorbidity research and knowledge can be achieved through cross-national partnership. This event included keynote presentations, elevator pitch presentations and breakout sessions and there was a total of 35 attendees from eight countries, representing diverse disciplines and training levels. The overall themes arising from the event were: the importance of integrating the study and management of multimorbidity from both the primary care and public health perspectives; meaningful engagement and collaboration with patients and caregivers to understand key dimensions of multimorbidity; the considerable benefit of collaborative international partnerships; and the need to spread and scale innovations for health care systems that can better respond to the complex needs of patients and caregivers who are living with multimorbidity. Finally, it was well-acknowledged among the attendees that expanding the collaboration and discussion among international colleagues via in-person and virtual events will be important to move multimorbidity research forward.

Multimorbidity, physical frailty, and self-rated health in older patients with atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Holistic care models emphasize management of comorbid conditions to improve patient-reported outcomes in treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). We investigated relations between multimorbidity, physical frailty, and self-rated health (SRH) among older adults with AF. METHODS: Patients (n = 1235) with AF aged 65 years and older were recruited from five medical centers in Massachusetts and Georgia between 2015 and 2018. Ten previously diagnosed cardiometabolic and 8 non-cardiometabolic conditions were assessed from medical records. Physical Frailty was assessed with the Cardiovascular Health Study frailty scale. SRH was categorized as either "excellent/very good", "good", and "fair/poor". Separate multivariable ordinal logistic models were used to examine the associations between multimorbidity and SRH, physical frailty and SRH, and multimorbidity and physical frailty. RESULTS: Overall, 16% of participants rated their health as fair/poor and 14% were frail. Hypertension (90%), dyslipidemia (80%), and heart failure (37%) were the most prevalent cardiometabolic conditions. Arthritis (51%), anemia (31%), and cancer (30%), the most common non-cardiometabolic diseases. After multivariable adjustment, patients with higher multimorbidity were more likely to report poorer health status (Odds Ratio (OR): 2.15 [95% CI: 1.53-3.03], ≥ 8 vs 1-4; OR: 1.37 [95% CI: 1.02-1.83], 5-7 vs 1-4), as did those with more prevalent cardiometabolic and non-cardiometabolic conditions. Patients who were pre-frail (OR: 1.73 [95% CI: 1.30-2.30]) or frail (OR: 6.81 [95% CI: 4.34-10.68]) reported poorer health status. Higher multimorbidity was associated with worse frailty status. CONCLUSIONS: Multimorbidity and physical frailty were common and related to SRH. Our findings suggest that holistic management approaches may influence SRH among older patients with AF.

Clinically Meaningful Change in Quality of Life and Associated Factors Among Older Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

Background Among older patients with atrial fibrillation, there are limited data examining clinically meaningful changes in quality of life (QoL). We examined the extent of, and factors associated with, clinically meaningful change in QoL over 1-year among older adults with atrial fibrillation. Methods and Results Patients from cardiology, electrophysiology, and primary care clinics in Massachusetts and Georgia were enrolled in a cohort study (2015-2018). The Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-Life questionnaire was used to assess overall QoL and across 3 subscales: symptoms, daily activities, and treatment concern. Clinically meaningful change in QoL (ie, difference between 1-year and baseline QoL score) was categorized as either a decline (≤-5.0 points), no clinically meaningful change (-5.0 to +5.0 points), or an increase (≥+5.0 points). Ordinal logistic models were used to examine factors associated with QoL changes. Participants (n=1097) were on average 75 years old, 48% were women, and 87% White. Approximately 40% experienced a clinically meaningful increase in QoL and 1 in every 5 patients experienced a decline in QoL. After multivariable adjustment, women, non-Whites, those who reported depressive and anxiety symptoms, fair/poor self-rated health, low social support, heart failure, or diabetes mellitus experienced clinically meaningful declines in QoL. Conclusions These findings provide insights to the magnitude of, and factors associated with, clinically meaningful change in QoL among older patients with atrial fibrillation. Assessment of comorbidities and psychosocial factors may help identify patients at high risk for declining QoL and those who require additional surveillance to maximize important clinical and patient-centered outcomes.

Impact of comorbid conditions on disease-specific quality of life in older men and women with atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Older persons with atrial fibrillation (AF) experience significant impairment in quality of life (QoL), which may be partly attributable to their comorbid diseases. A greater understanding of the impact of comorbidities on QoL could optimize patient-centered care among older persons with AF. OBJECTIVE: To assess impairment in disease-specific QoL due to comorbid conditions in older adults with AF. METHODS: Patients aged ≥ 65 years diagnosed with AF were recruited from five medical centers in Massachusetts and Georgia between 2015 and 2018. At 1 year of follow-up, the Quality of Life Disease Impact Scale-for Multiple Chronic Conditions was used to provide standardized assessment of patient self-reported impairment in QoL attributable to 34 comorbid conditions grouped in 10 clusters. RESULTS: The mean age of study participants (n = 1097) was 75 years and 48% were women. Overall, cardiometabolic, musculoskeletal, and pulmonary conditions were the most prevalent comorbidity clusters. A high proportion of participants (82%) reported that musculoskeletal conditions exerted the greatest impact on their QoL. Men were more likely than women to report that osteoarthritis and stroke severely impacted their QoL. Patients aged < 75 years were more likely to report that obesity, hip/knee joint problems, and fibromyalgia extremely impacted their QoL than older participants. CONCLUSIONS: Among older persons with AF, while cardiometabolic diseases were highly prevalent, musculoskeletal conditions exerted the greatest impact on patients' disease-specific QoL. Understanding the extent of impairment in QoL due to underlying comorbidities provides an opportunity to develop interventions targeted at diseases that may cause significant impairment in QoL.

Age Differences in the Chief Complaint Associated With a First Acute Myocardial Infarction and Patient's Care-Seeking Behavior.

BACKGROUND: This study set out to describe age differences in patient's chief complaint related to a first myocardial infarction and how the "typicality" of patient's acute symptoms relates to extent of prehospital delay. METHODS: The medical records of 2586 residents of central Massachusetts hospitalized at 11 greater Worcester medical centers with a first myocardial infarction on a biennial basis between 2001 and 2011 were reviewed. RESULTS: The average age of the study population was 66.4 years, 39.6% were women, 40.2% were diagnosed with a ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and 72.0 % presented with typical symptoms of myocardial infarction, namely acute chest pain or pressure. Patients were categorized into 5 age strata: >55 years (23%), 55-64 years (20%), 65-74 years (19%), 75-84 years (22%), and ≥85 years (16%). The lowest proportion (11%) of atypical symptoms of myocardial infarction was observed in patients <55 years, increasing to 17%, 28%, 40%, and 51% across the respective age groups. The most prevalent chief complaint reported at the time of hospitalization was chest pain, but the proportion of patients reporting this symptom decreased from the youngest (83%) to the oldest patient groups (45%). There was a slightly increased risk of prehospital delay across the different age groups (higher in the oldest old) in those who presented with atypical, rather than typical, symptoms of myocardial infarction. CONCLUSIONS: The present results provide insights to the presenting chief complaint of patients hospitalized with a first myocardial infarction according to age and the relation of symptom presentation to patient's care-seeking behavior.