Skip to main content
Log in

Therapeutic management in ambulatory elderly patients with atrial fibrillation: The S.AGES cohort

  • Published:
The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Few epidemiologic studies have specifically focused on very old community dwelling population with atrial fibrillation (AF). The objectives of the AF-S.AGES cohort were to describe real-life therapeutic management of non-institutionalized elderly patients with AF according to age groups, i.e., 65–79 and ≥ 80 and to determine the main factors associated with anticoagulant treatment in both groups.

Methods

Observational study (N=1072) aged ≥ 65 years old, recruited by general practitioners. Characteristics of the sample were first evaluated in the overall sample and according to age (< 80 or ≥ 80 years) and to use of anticoagulant treatment at inclusion. Logistic models were used to analyze the determinants of anticoagulant prescription among age groups.

Results

Mean age was 78.0 (SD=6.5) years and 42% were ≥ 80 years. Nineteen percent had paroxysmal AF, 15% persistent, 56% permanent and 10% unknown type, 77% were treated with vitamin K antagonists (VKA), 17% with antiplatelet therapy with no differences between age groups. Rate-control drugs were more frequently used than rhythm-control drugs (55% vs. 37%, p < 0.001). VKA use was associated with permanent AF, younger age and cancer in patients ≥ 80 years old and with permanent AF and preserved functional autonomy in patients < 80 years old. Hemorrhagic scores were independently associated with non-use of VKA whereas thromboembolic scores were not associated with VKA use.

Conclusions

In this elderly AF outpatient population, use of anticoagulant therapy was higher even after 80 years than in previous studies suggesting that recent international guidelines are better implemented in the elderly population.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Heeringa J, van der Kuip DAM, Hofman A et al. Prevalence, incidence and lifetime risk of atrial fibrillation: the Rotterdam study. Eur Heart J. 2006;27:949–953.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Fuster V, Ryden LE, Cannom DS et al. ACC/AHA/ESC 2006 Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and the European Society of Cardiology Committee for Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to Revise the 2001 Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation): developed in collaboration with the European Heart Rhythm Association and the Heart Rhythm Society. Circulation. 2006;114:e257–354.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Camm AJ, Kirchhof P, Lip GYH et al. Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation: the Task Force for the Management of Atrial Fibrillation of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Eur Heart J. 2010;31:2369–2429.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Camm AJ, Lip GYH, De Caterina R et al. 2012 focused update of the ESC Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation: an update of the 2010 ESC Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation. Developed with the special contribution of the European Heart Rhythm Association. Eur Heart J. 2012;33:2719–2747.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Singer DE, Chang Y, Fang MC et al. The net clinical benefit of warfarin anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation. Ann Intern Med. 2009;151:297–305.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Mant J, Hobbs FDR, Fletcher K et al. Warfarin versus aspirin for stroke prevention in an elderly community population with atrial fibrillation (the Birmingham Atrial Fibrillation Treatment of the Aged Study, BAFTA): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2007;370:493–503.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Rash A, Downes T, Portner R et al. A randomised controlled trial of warfarin versus aspirin for stroke prevention in octogenarians with atrial fibrillation (WASPO). Age Ageing. 2007;36:151–156.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Ogilvie IM, Newton N, Welner SA et al. Underuse of oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation: a systematic review. Am J Med. 2010;123:638–645.e4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Becquemont L, Benattar-Zibi L, Bertin P et al. National observatory on the therapeutic management in ambulatory care patients aged 65 and over, with type 2 diabetes, chronic pain or atrial fibrillation. Therapie. 2013;68:265–283.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR. «Mini-mental state». A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. J Psychiatr Res. 1975;12:189–198.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Katz S, Ford AB, Moscowitz RW et al. Studies of Illness in the Age. The index of ADL: a Standardized Measure of the Biological and Psychosocial Function. JAMA. 1963;185:914–919.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Lawton MP, Brody EM. Assessment of older people: self-maintaining and instrumental activities of daily living. Gerontologist. 1969;9:179–186.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Yesavage JA, Brink TL, Rose TL et al. Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: a preliminary report. J Psychiatr Res. 1982–1983;17:37–49.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Gage BF, Waterman AD, Shannon W et al. Validation of clinical classification schemes for predicting stroke: results from the National Registry of Atrial Fibrillation. JAMA. 2001;285:2864–2870.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Lip GYH, Nieuwlaat R, Pisters R et al. Refining clinical risk stratification for predicting stroke and thromboembolism in atrial fibrillation using a novel risk factorbased approach: the euro heart survey on atrial fibrillation. Chest. 2010;137:263–272.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Gage BF, Yan Y, Milligan PE et al. Clinical classification schemes for predicting hemorrhage: results from the National Registry of Atrial Fibrillation (NRAF). Am Heart J. 2006;151:713–719.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Lip GYH, Frison L, Halperin JL et al. Comparative validation of a novel risk score for predicting bleeding risk in anticoagulated patients with atrial fibrillation: the HAS-BLED (Hypertension, Abnormal Renal/Liver Function, Stroke, Bleeding History or Predisposition, Labile INR, Elderly, Drugs/Alcohol Concomitantly) score. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;57:173–180.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Touze E, Cambou J, Ferrieres J et al. Antithrombotic management after an ischemic stroke in French primary care practice: results from three pooled cross-sectional studies. Cerebrovasc Dis. 2005;20:78–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Go AS, Hylek EM, Phillips KA et al. Prevalence of diagnosed atrial fibrillation in adults: national implications for rhythm management and stroke prevention: the AnTicoagulation and Risk Factors in Atrial Fibrillation (ATRIA) Study. JAMA. 2001;285:2370–2375.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Ghaswalla PK, Harpe SE, Slattum PW. Warfarin use in nursing home residents: results from the 2004 national nursing home survey. Am J Geriatr Pharmacother. 2012;10:25–36.e2.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Nabauer M, Gerth A, Limbourg T et al. The Registry of the German Competence NETwork on Atrial Fibrillation: patient characteristics and initial management. Europace. 2009;11:423–434.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Nieuwlaat R, Capucci A, Lip GYH et al. Antithrombotic treatment in real-life atrial fibrillation patients: a report from the Euro Heart Survey on Atrial Fibrillation. Eur Heart J. 2006;27:3018–3026.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Lip GYH, Laroche C, Dan GA et al. ‘Real-world’ antithrombotic treatment in atrial fibrillation: the EURObservational Research Programme Atrial Fibrillation General Pilot survey. Am J Med. 2014;:Forthcoming.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Cohen A, Dallongeville J, Durand-Zaleski I et al. Characteristics and management of outpatients with history of or current atrial fibrillation: the observational French EPHA study. Arch Cardiovasc Dis. 2010;103:376–387.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Kirchhof P, Ammentorp B, Darius H et al. Management of atrial fibrillation in seven European countries after the publication of the 2010 ESC Guidelines on atrial fibrillation: primary results of the PREvention oF thromboemolic events—European Registry in Atrial Fibrillation (PREFER in AF). Europace. 2013;:.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Friberg L, Hammar N, Ringh M et al. Stroke prophylaxis in atrial fibrillation: who gets it and who does not? Report from the Stockholm Cohort-study on Atrial Fibrillation (SCAF-study). Eur Heart J. 2006;27:1954–1964.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Go AS, Hylek EM, Phillips KA et al. Prevalence of diagnosed atrial fibrillation in adults: national implications for rhythm management and stroke prevention: the AnTicoagulation and Risk Factors in Atrial Fibrillation (ATRIA) Study. JAMA. 2001;285:2370–2375.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Hylek EM, Evans-Molina C, Shea C et al. Major hemorrhage and tolerability of warfarin in the first year of therapy among elderly patients with atrial fibrillation. Circulation. 2007;115:2689–2696.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Kyriazi V, Theodoulou E. Assessing the risk and prognosis of thrombotic complications in cancer patients. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2013;137:1286–1295.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Mant JWF, Richards SH, Hobbs FDR et al. Protocol for Birmingham Atrial Fibrillation Treatment of the Aged study (BAFTA): a randomised controlled trial of warfarin versus aspirin for stroke prevention in the management of atrial fibrillation in an elderly primary care population [ISRCTN89345269]. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2003;3:9.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Moroney JT, Tseng CL, Paik MC et al. Treatment for the secondary prevention of stroke in older patients: the influence of dementia status. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1999;47:824–829.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Consortia

Corresponding author

Correspondence to O. Hanon.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hanon, O., Vidal, J.S., Pisica-Donose, G. et al. Therapeutic management in ambulatory elderly patients with atrial fibrillation: The S.AGES cohort. J Nutr Health Aging 19, 219–227 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-015-0444-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-015-0444-9

Keywords

Navigation