Polypharmacy in older people: lessons from 10 years of experience with the REPOSI register.

As a consequence of population aging, we have witnessed in internal medicine hospital wards a progressive shift from a population of in-patients relatively young and mainly affected by a single ailment to one of ever older and more and more complex patients with multiple chronic diseases, followed as out-patients by many different specialists with poor integration and inevitably treated with multiple medications. Polypharmacy (defined as the chronic intake of five or more drugs) is associated with increased risks of drug-drug interactions and related adverse effects, prescription and intake errors, poor compliance, re-hospitalization and mortality. With this background, the Italian Society of Internal Medicine chose to start in 2008 a prospective register called REPOSI (REgistro POliterapie SIMI, Società Italiana di Medicina Interna) in internal medicine and geriatric hospital wards. The country wide register is an ongoing observatory on multimorbidity and polypharmacy in the oldest old, with the goal to improve prescription appropriateness and, thus to avoid potentially inappropriate medications. The main findings of the register, that has accrued so far, 7005 older patients throughout a 10 year period, are summarized herewith, with special emphasis on the main patterns of poor prescription appropriateness and related risks of adverse events

Polypharmacy in older people: lessons from 10 years of experience with the REPOSI register

reserved361siAs a consequence of population aging, we have witnessed in internal medicine hospital wards a progressive shift from a population of in-patients relatively young and mainly affected by a single ailment to one of ever older and more and more complex patients with multiple chronic diseases, followed as out-patients by many different specialists with poor integration and inevitably treated with multiple medications. Polypharmacy (defined as the chronic intake of five or more drugs) is associated with increased risks of drug-drug interactions and related adverse effects, prescription and intake errors, poor compliance, re-hospitalization and mortality. With this background, the Italian Society of Internal Medicine chose to start in 2008 a prospective register called REPOSI (REgistro POliterapie SIMI, Società Italiana di Medicina Interna) in internal medicine and geriatric hospital wards. The country wide register is an ongoing observatory on multimorbidity and polypharmacy in the oldest old, with the goal to improve prescription appropriateness and, thus to avoid potentially inappropriate medications. The main findings of the register, that has accrued so far, 7005 older patients throughout a 10 year period, are summarized herewith, with special emphasis on the main patterns of poor prescription appropriateness and related risks of adverse events.mixedMannucci PM, Nobili A, Pasina L; Tettamanti M, Franchi C, Corrao S, Marengoni A, Salerno F, Cesari M, Perticone F, Licata G, Violi F, Corazza GR, Franchi C, Cortesi L, Tettamanti M, Cortesi L, Ardoino I, Prisco D, Silvestri E, Cenci C, Emmi G, Biolo G, Zanetti M, Guadagni M, Zaccari M, Vanoli M, Grignani G, Pulixi EA, Bernardi M, Bassi SL, Santi L, Zaccherini G, Mannarino E, Lupattelli G, Bianconi V, Paciullo F, Nuti R, Valenti R, Ruvio M, Cappelli S, Palazzuoli A, Olivieri O, Girelli D, Matteazzi T, Barbagallo M, Dominguez L, Cocita F, Beneduce V, Plances L, Zoli M, Lazzari I, Brunori M, Pasini FL, Capecchi PL, Palasciano G, Modeo ME, Di Gennaro C, Cappellini MD, Maira D, Di Stefano V, Fabio G, Seghezzi S, Mancarella M, Cesari M, Rossi PD, Damanti S, Clerici M, Conti F, Corazza GR, Miceli E, Lenti MV, Pisati M, Dominioni CC, Murialdo G, Marra A, Cattaneo F, Secchi MB, Ghelfi D, Anastasio L, Sofia L, Carbone M, Cipollone F, Guagnano MT, Angelucci E, Valeriani E, Mancuso G, Calipari D, Bartone M, Delitala G, Berria M, Muscaritoli M, Molfino A, Petrillo E, Zuccalà G, D'Aurizio G, Romanelli G, Marengoni A, Zucchelli A, Picardi A, Gentilucci UV, Gallo P, Dell'Unto C, Annoni G, Corsi M, Bellelli G, Zazzetta S, Mazzola P, Szabo H, Bonfanti A, Arturi F, Succurro E, Rubino M, Serra MG, Bleve MA, Gasbarrone L, Sajeva MR, Brucato A, Ghidoni S, Fabris F, Bertozzi I, Bogoni G, Rabuini MV, Cosi E, Manfredini R, Fabbian F, Boari B, De Giorgi A, Tiseo R, Paolisso G, Rizzo MR, Borghi C, Strocchi E, De Sando V, Pareo I, Sabbà C, Vella FS, Suppressa P, Agosti P, Schilardi A, Loparco F, Fenoglio L, Bracco C, Giraudo AV, Fargion S, Periti G, Porzio M, Tiraboschi S, Peyvandi F, Rossio R, Ferrari B, Colombo G, Monzani V, Savojardo V, Folli C, Ceriani G, Salerno F, Pallini G, Dallegri F, Ottonello L, Liberale L, Caserza L, Salam K, Liberato NL, Tognin T, Bianchi GB, Giaquinto S, Purrello F, Di Pino A, Piro S, Rozzini R, Falanga L, Spazzini E, Ferrandina C, Montrucchio G, Petitti P, Salmi R, Gaudenzi P, Violi F, Perri L, Landolfi R, Montalto M, Mirijello A, Guasti L, Castiglioni L, Maresca A, Squizzato A, Molaro M, Grossi A, Bertolotti M, Mussi C, Libbra MV, Dondi G, Pellegrini E, Carulli L, Perticone F, Colangelo L, Falbo T, Stanghellini V, De Giorgio R, Ruggeri E, Del Vecchio S, Salvi A, Leonardi R, Damiani G, Gabrielli A, Capeci W, Mattioli M, Martino GP, Biondi L, Pettinari P, Ghio R, Col AD, Minisola S, Colangelo L, Afeltra A, Marigliano B, Pipita ME, Castellino P, Blanco J, Zanoli L, Pignataro S, Saracco V, Fogliati M, Bussolino C, Mete F, Gino M, Cittadini A, Vigorito C, Arcopinto M, Salzano A, Bobbio E, Marra AM, Sirico D, Moreo G, Gasparini F, Prolo S, Pina G, Ballestrero A, Ferrando F, Berra S, Dassi S, Nava MC, Graziella B, Baldassarre S, Fragapani S, Gruden G, Galanti G, Mascherini G, Petri C, Stefani L, Girino M, Piccinelli V, Nasso F, Gioffrè V, Pasquale M, Scattolin G, Martinelli S, Turrin M, Sechi L, Catena C, Colussi G, Passariello N, Rinaldi L, Berti F, Famularo G, Patrizia T, Castello R, Pasino M, Ceda GP, Maggio MG, Morganti S, Artoni A, Del Giacco S, Firinu D, Losa F, Paoletti G, Montalto G, Licata A, Malerba V, Antonino L, Basile G, Antonino C, Malatino L, Stancanelli B, Terranova V, Di Marca S, Mecocci P, Ruggiero C, Boccardi V, Meschi T, Lauretani F, Ticinesi A, Minuz P, Fondrieschi L, Pirisi M, Fra GP, Sola D, Porta M, Riva P, Quadri R, Scanzi G, Mengoli C, Provini S, Ricevuti L, Simeone E, Scurti R, Tolloso F, Tarquini R, Valoriani A, Dolenti S, Vannini G, Tedeschi A, Trotta L, Volpi R, Bocchi P, Vignali A, Harari S, Lonati C, Cattaneo M, Nieves RD, Alberto MM, Pedro AR, Vanessa LP, Lara T, Xavier CV, Francesc F, Jesus DM, Esperanza BT, Esther DCB, Maria SP, Romero M, Blanca PL, Cristina LG, Victoria VGM, Saez L, Bosco J, Susana SB, Marta AG, Concepcion GB, Antonio FM, Hernandez MG, Borrego MP, Raquel PC, Florencia PR, Beatriz GO, Sara CG, Alfonso GC, Marta PM, Garcia SC, Alberto RC, Antonio AA, Montserrat GG, Ángel BRM, Manuel MJ, Ignacio NV, Lucía AS, Alfonso L, David RB, Iria IV, Monica RP.Mannucci, Pm; Nobili, A; Pasina, L; Tettamanti, M; Franchi, C; Corrao, S; Marengoni, A; Salerno, F; Cesari, M; Perticone, F; Licata, G; Violi, F; Corazza, Gr; Franchi, C; Cortesi, L; Tettamanti, M; Cortesi, L; Ardoino, I; Prisco, D; Silvestri, E; Cenci, C; Emmi, G; Biolo, G; Zanetti, M; Guadagni, M; Zaccari, M; Vanoli, M; Grignani, G; Pulixi, Ea; Bernardi, M; Bassi, Sl; Santi, L; Zaccherini, G; Mannarino, E; Lupattelli, G; Bianconi, V; Paciullo, F; Nuti, R; Valenti, R; Ruvio, M; Cappelli, S; Palazzuoli, A; Olivieri, O; Girelli, D; Matteazzi, T; Barbagallo, M; Dominguez, L; Cocita, F; Beneduce, V; Plances, L; Zoli, M; Lazzari, I; Brunori, M; Pasini, Fl; Capecchi, Pl; Palasciano, G; Modeo, Me; Di Gennaro, C; Cappellini, Md; Maira, D; Di Stefano, V; Fabio, G; Seghezzi, S; Mancarella, M; Cesari, M; Rossi, Pd; Damanti, S; Clerici, M; Conti, F; Corazza, Gr; Miceli, E; Lenti, Mv; Pisati, M; Dominioni, Cc; Murialdo, G; Marra, A; Cattaneo, F; Secchi, Mb; Ghelfi, D; Anastasio, L; Sofia, L; Carbone, M; Cipollone, F; Guagnano, Mt; Angelucci, E; Valeriani, E; Mancuso, G; Calipari, D; Bartone, M; Delitala, G; Berria, M; Muscaritoli, M; Molfino, A; Petrillo, E; Zuccalà, G; D'Aurizio, G; Romanelli, G; Marengoni, A; Zucchelli, A; Picardi, A; Gentilucci, Uv; Gallo, P; Dell'Unto, C; Annoni, G; Corsi, M; Bellelli, G; Zazzetta, S; Mazzola, P; Szabo, H; Bonfanti, A; Arturi, F; Succurro, E; Rubino, M; Serra, Mg; Bleve, Ma; Gasbarrone, L; Sajeva, Mr; Brucato, A; Ghidoni, S; Fabris, F; Bertozzi, I; Bogoni, G; Rabuini, Mv; Cosi, E; Manfredini, R; Fabbian, F; Boari, B; De Giorgi, A; Tiseo, R; Paolisso, G; Rizzo, Mr; Borghi, C; Strocchi, E; De Sando, V; Pareo, I; Sabbà, C; Vella, Fs; Suppressa, P; Agosti, P; Schilardi, A; Loparco, F; Fenoglio, L; Bracco, C; Giraudo, Av; Fargion, S; Periti, G; Porzio, M; Tiraboschi, S; Peyvandi, F; Rossio, R; Ferrari, B; Colombo, G; Monzani, V; Savojardo, V; Folli, C; Ceriani, G; Salerno, F; Pallini, G; Dallegri, F; Ottonello, L; Liberale, L; Caserza, L; Salam, K; Liberato, Nl; Tognin, T; Bianchi, Gb; Giaquinto, S; Purrello, F; Di Pino, A; Piro, S; Rozzini, R; Falanga, L; Spazzini, E; Ferrandina, C; Montrucchio, G; Petitti, P; Salmi, R; Gaudenzi, P; Violi, F; Perri, L; Landolfi, R; Montalto, M; Mirijello, A; Guasti, L; Castiglioni, L; Maresca, A; Squizzato, A; Molaro, M; Grossi, A; Bertolotti, M; Mussi, C; Libbra, Mv; Dondi, G; Pellegrini, E; Carulli, L; Perticone, F; Colangelo, L; Falbo, T; Stanghellini, V; De Giorgio, R; Ruggeri, E; Del Vecchio, S; Salvi, A; Leonardi, R; Damiani, G; Gabrielli, A; Capeci, W; Mattioli, M; Martino, Gp; Biondi, L; Pettinari, P; Ghio, R; Col, Ad; Minisola, S; Colangelo, L; Afeltra, A; Marigliano, B; Pipita, Me; Castellino, P; Blanco, J; Zanoli, L; Pignataro, S; Saracco, V; Fogliati, M; Bussolino, C; Mete, F; Gino, M; Cittadini, A; Vigorito, C; Arcopinto, M; Salzano, A; Bobbio, E; Marra, Am; Sirico, D; Moreo, G; Gasparini, F; Prolo, S; Pina, G; Ballestrero, A; Ferrando, F; Berra, S; Dassi, S; Nava, Mc; Graziella, B; Baldassarre, S; Fragapani, S; Gruden, G; Galanti, G; Mascherini, G; Petri, C; Stefani, L; Girino, M; Piccinelli, V; Nasso, F; Gioffrè, V; Pasquale, M; Scattolin, G; Martinelli, S; Turrin, M; Sechi, L; Catena, C; Colussi, G; Passariello, N; Rinaldi, L; Berti, F; Famularo, G; Patrizia, T; Castello, R; Pasino, M; Ceda, Gp; Maggio, Mg; Morganti, S; Artoni, A; Del Giacco, S; Firinu, D; Losa, F; Paoletti, G; Montalto, G; Licata, A; Malerba, V; Antonino, L; Basile, G; Antonino, C; Malatino, L; Stancanelli, B; Terranova, V; Di Marca, S; Mecocci, P; Ruggiero, C; Boccardi, V; Meschi, T; Lauretani, F; Ticinesi, A; Minuz, P; Fondrieschi, L; Pirisi, M; Fra, Gp; Sola, D; Porta, M; Riva, P; Quadri, R; Scanzi, G; Mengoli, C; Provini, S; Ricevuti, L; Simeone, E; Scurti, R; Tolloso, F; Tarquini, R; Valoriani, A; Dolenti, S; Vannini, G; Tedeschi, A; Trotta, L; Volpi, R; Bocchi, P; Vignali, A; Harari, S; Lonati, C; Cattaneo, M; Nieves, Rd; Alberto, Mm; Pedro, Ar; Vanessa, Lp; Lara, T; Xavier, Cv; Francesc, F; Jesus, Dm; Esperanza, Bt; Esther, Dcb; Maria, Sp; Romero, M; Blanca, Pl; Cristina, Lg; Victoria, Vgm; Saez, L; Bosco, J; Susana, Sb; Marta, Ag; Concepcion, Gb; Antonio, Fm; Hernandez, Mg; Borrego, Mp; Raquel, Pc; Florencia, Pr; Beatriz, Go; Sara, Cg; Alfonso, Gc; Marta, Pm; Garcia, Sc; Alberto, Rc; Antonio, Aa; Montserrat, Gg; Ángel, Brm; Manuel, Mj; Ignacio, Nv; Lucía, As; Alfonso, L; David, Rb; Iria, Iv; Monica, Rp

Choice and Outcomes of Rate Control versus Rhythm Control in Elderly Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Report from the REPOSI Study

Background: Among rate-control or rhythm-control strategies, there is conflicting evidence as to which is the best management approach for non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) in elderly patients. Design: We performed an ancillary analysis from the \u2018Registro Politerapie SIMI\u2019 study, enrolling elderly inpatients from internal medicine and geriatric wards. Methods: We considered patients enrolled from 2008 to 2014 with an AF diagnosis at admission, treated with a rate-control-only or rhythm-control-only strategy. Results: Among 1114 patients, 241 (21.6%) were managed with observation only and 122 (11%) were managed with both the rate- and rhythm-control approaches. Of the remaining 751 patients, 626 (83.4%) were managed with a rate-control-only strategy and 125 (16.6%) were managed with a rhythm-control-only strategy. Rate-control-managed patients were older (p = 0.002), had a higher Short Blessed Test (SBT; p = 0.022) and a lower Barthel Index (p = 0.047). Polypharmacy (p = 0.001), heart failure (p = 0.005) and diabetes (p = 0.016) were more prevalent among these patients. Median CHA2DS2-VASc score was higher among rate-control-managed patients (p = 0.001). SBT [odds ratio (OR) 0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.94\u20131.00, p = 0.037], diabetes (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.26\u20130.87, p = 0.016) and polypharmacy (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.34\u20130.99, p = 0.045) were negatively associated with a rhythm-control strategy. At follow-up, no difference was found between rate- and rhythm-control strategies for cardiovascular (CV) and all-cause deaths (6.1 vs. 5.6%, p = 0.89; and 15.9 vs. 14.1%, p = 0.70, respectively). Conclusion: A rate-control strategy is the most widely used among elderly AF patients with multiple comorbidities and polypharmacy. No differences were evident in CV death and all-cause death at follow-up