Brain natriuretic peptide usefulness in very elderly dyspnoeic patients: the BED study

International audienceAIMS:To evaluate the interest of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) for heart failure (HF) diagnosis in very old patients.METHODS AND RESULTS:A total of 383 patients aged 80 years or older, hospitalized in geriatrics care for dyspnoea, had a BNP measurement at the acute phase. Independent cardiologists blinded to BNP values classified the patients into cardiac vs. respiratory aetiology according to the European Society of Cardiology guidelines. Mean (SD) age was 88.5 (5.4) years, 66% (n = 254) of patients were women, 62% (n = 238) had cardiac dyspnoea and 38% (n = 145) had respiratory dyspnoea. The BNP levels were significantly higher in the cardiac group (median = 385.5 ng/L, interquartile range = 174.0-842.0) than in the respiratory group (median = 172.0 ng/L, interquartile range = 70.8-428.0; P < 0.001). On its own, BNP showed poor discriminative ability [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.68; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.62-0.73] for the diagnostic. In multivariate analysis, BNP remained independently associated with the cardiac aetiology after full-adjustment (odds ratio 1 log increase = 1.87; 95% CI 1.28-2.74), but did not improve the discrimination between the cardiac and the respiratory aetiologies (ΔAUC = 0.013, P = 0.16). In addition, although adding BNP to the other predictive covariates yielded a significant continuous NRI of 57.8% (95% CI 31.2-83.5%), the mean changes in individual predicted probabilities were too low (<3%) to be clinically relevant.CONCLUSION:In this population of very old patients with acute dyspnoea, despite being independently associated with the cardiac aetiology, BNP was not useful for better discriminating cardiac vs. respiratory origin.© 2016 The Authors. European Journal of Heart Failure © 2016 European Society of Cardiology

National survey on the management of heart failure in individuals over 80 years of age in French geriatric care units

International audienceTo evaluate the prevalence and management of heart failure (HF) in very old patients in geriatric settings. Methods Members of the French Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology throughout France were invited to participate in a point prevalence survey and to include all patients ≥80 years old, hospitalized in geriatric settings, with HF (stable or decompensated) on June 18, 2012. General characteristics, presence of comorbidities, blood tests and medications were recorded. Results Among 7,197 patients in geriatric institution, prevalence of HF was 20.5% (n = 1,478): (27% in acute care, 24.2% in rehabilitation care and 18% in nursing home). Mean age was 88.2 (SD = 5.2) and Charlson co morbidity score was high (8.49 (SD = 2.21)). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was available in 770 (52%) patients: 536 (69.6%) had a preserved LVEF (≥ 50%), 120 (15.6%) a reduced LVEF (< 40%), and 114 (14.8%) a midrange LVEF (40–49%). Prescription of recommended HF drugs was low: 42.6% (629) used Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACEI) or Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs), 48.0% (709) β-blockers, and 21.9% (324) ACEI or ARB with β-blockers, even in reduced LVEF. In multivariate analysis ACEI or ARBs were more often used in patients with myocardial infarction (1.36 (1.04–1.78)), stroke (1.42 (1.06–1.91)), and diabetes (1.54 (1.14–2.06)). β blockers were more likely used in patients with myocardial infarction (2.06 (1.54–2.76)) and atrial fibrillation (1.70 (1.28–2.28)). Conclusion In this large very old population, prevalence of HF was high. Recommended HF drugs were underused even in reduced LVEF. These results indicate that management of HF in geriatric settings can still be improved

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of 821 Older Patients With SARS-Cov-2 Infection Admitted to Acute Care Geriatric Wards

International audienceBackground: There is limited information describing the characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized older patients with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Methods: We conducted a multicentric retrospective cohort study in 13 acute COVID-19 geriatric wards, from March 13 to April 15, 2020, in Paris area. All consecutive patients aged ≥ 70 years, with confirmed COVID-19, were enrolled.Results: Of the 821 patients included in the study, the mean (SD) age was 86 (7) years; 58% were female; 85% had ≥ 2 comorbidities; 29% lived in an institution; and the median (interquartile range) Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL) score was 4 [2-6]. The most common symptoms at COVID-19 onset were asthenia (63%), fever (55%), dyspnea (45%), dry cough (45%) and delirium (25%). The in-hospital mortality was 31% (95% confidence interval [CI], 27 to 33). On multivariate analysis, at COVID-19 onset, the probability of in-hospital mortality was increased with male gender (odds ratio [OR], 1.85; 95% CI, 1.30 to 2.63), ADL score < 4 (OR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.25 to 2.70), asthenia (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.08 to 2.32), quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score ≥ 2 (OR, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.64 to 4.22) and specific COVID-19 anomalies on chest computerized tomography (OR, 2.60; 95% CI, 1.07 to 6.46).Conclusions: This study provides new information about older patients with COVID-19 who are hospitalized. A quick bedside evaluation at admission of sex, functional status, systolic arterial pressure, consciousness, respiratory rate and asthenia can identify older patients at risk of unfavorable outcomes

Plasma amyloid levels within the Alzheimer's process and correlations with central biomarkers

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