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Pulse Pressure Predicts Mortality in Elderly Patients

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ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND

Pulse pressure (PP) values increase with age. The impact of PP on mortality in elderly patients has not been established.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effect of PP on mortality among very elderly hospitalized patients.

DESIGN

A prospective clinical study.

PARTICIPANTS AND MEASUREMENTS

The medical records of 420 inpatients aged >60 (187 males, mean age of 81.4 ± 7 years) hospitalized in an acute geriatric ward were reviewed. Patients were followed up for a mean of 3.46 ± 1.87 years. Mortality data were extracted from death certificates. Using relative operating characteristic (ROC) curves, we identified PP of 62.5 mmHg as a cutoff point. Subjects were categorized as having low PP (≤62.5 mmHg; N = 116) or high PP (>62.5 mmHg; N = 304).

MAIN RESULTS

The mortality rate was greater in patients with high PP than in those with low PP. During the follow-up, 201 patients died, 155 patients (51%) in the high PP group and 46 patients (39.7%) in the low PP group (p = 0.038). Pulse pressure was associated with all-cause mortality (HR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.19−2.38, p = 0.003) even after controlling for gender, age, diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation and heart rate.

CONCLUSION

High PP is an independent predictor of mortality among elderly hospitalized patients.

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Acknowledgments

None

Conflict of interest

None disclosed.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geriatric Ward, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikvah, Israel

    Avraham Weiss MD & Yichayaou Beloosesky MD

  2. Epidemiology and Research Unit, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel

    Mona Boaz PhD

  3. Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories, Department of Cardiology, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikvah, Israel

    Ran Kornowski Prof

  4. Internal Medicine D and Hypertension Unit, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Petah Tikvah, Israel

    Ehud Grossman Prof

  5. Department of Geriatrics, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikvah, 49100, Israel

    Avraham Weiss MD

Authors
  1. Avraham Weiss MD
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  2. Mona Boaz PhD
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  3. Yichayaou Beloosesky MD
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  4. Ran Kornowski Prof
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  5. Ehud Grossman Prof
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Avraham Weiss MD.

Additional information

This study was presented as a poster in the Second World Congress on Controversies to Consensus in Diabetes, Obesity and Hypertension (CODHy) held from 30 October 2008–2 November 2008 in Barcelona, Spain.

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Weiss, A., Boaz, M., Beloosesky, Y. et al. Pulse Pressure Predicts Mortality in Elderly Patients. J GEN INTERN MED 24, 893–896 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-009-1008-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-009-1008-7

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