Omecamtiv mecarbil in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, GALACTIC‐HF: baseline characteristics and comparison with contemporary clinical trials

Aims: The safety and efficacy of the novel selective cardiac myosin activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is tested in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC‐HF) trial. Here we describe the baseline characteristics of participants in GALACTIC‐HF and how these compare with other contemporary trials. Methods and Results: Adults with established HFrEF, New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA) ≥ II, EF ≤35%, elevated natriuretic peptides and either current hospitalization for HF or history of hospitalization/ emergency department visit for HF within a year were randomized to either placebo or omecamtiv mecarbil (pharmacokinetic‐guided dosing: 25, 37.5 or 50 mg bid). 8256 patients [male (79%), non‐white (22%), mean age 65 years] were enrolled with a mean EF 27%, ischemic etiology in 54%, NYHA II 53% and III/IV 47%, and median NT‐proBNP 1971 pg/mL. HF therapies at baseline were among the most effectively employed in contemporary HF trials. GALACTIC‐HF randomized patients representative of recent HF registries and trials with substantial numbers of patients also having characteristics understudied in previous trials including more from North America (n = 1386), enrolled as inpatients (n = 2084), systolic blood pressure < 100 mmHg (n = 1127), estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 528), and treated with sacubitril‐valsartan at baseline (n = 1594). Conclusions: GALACTIC‐HF enrolled a well‐treated, high‐risk population from both inpatient and outpatient settings, which will provide a definitive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy, as well as informing its potential future implementation

Cognitive Function with PCSK9 Inhibitors: A 24-Month Follow-Up Observational Prospective Study in the Real World—MEMOGAL Study

Introduction The cognitive safety of monoclonal antibody proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors (PCSK9i) has been established in clinical trials, but not yet in real-world observational studies. We assessed the cognitive function in patients initiating PCSK9i, and differences in cognitive function domains, to analyze subgroups by the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) achieved, and differences between alirocumab and evolocumab. Methods This has a multicenter, quasi-experimental design carried out in 12 Spanish hospitals from May 2020 to February 2023. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Results Among 158 patients followed for a median of 99 weeks, 52% were taking evolocumab and 48% alirocumab; the mean change from baseline in MoCA score at follow-up was + 0.28 [95% CI (− 0.17 to 0.73; p = 0.216)]. There were no significant differences in the secondary endpoints—the visuospatial/executive domain + 0.04 (p = 0.651), naming domain − 0.01 (p = 0.671), attention/memory domain + 0.01 (p = 0.945); language domain − 0.10 (p = 0.145), abstraction domain + 0.03 (p = 0.624), and orientation domain − 0.05 (p = 0.224)—but for delayed recall memory the mean change was statistically significant (improvement) + 0.44 (p = 0.001). Neither were there any differences in the three stratified subgroups according to lowest attained LDL-C level—0–54 mg/dL, 55–69 mg/dL and ≥ 70 mg/dL; p = 0.454—or between alirocumab and evolocumab arms. Conclusion We did not find effect of monoclonal antibody PCSK9i on neurocognitive function over 24 months of treatment, either in global MoCA score or different cognitive domains. An improvement in delayed recall memory was shown. The study showed no differences in the cognitive function between the prespecified subgroups, even among patients who achieved very low levels of LDL-C. There were no differences between alirocumab and evolocumab. Registration ClinicalTtrials.gov Identifier number NCT04319081Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer NatureS

Appropriateness of antiplatelet therapy for primary and secondary cardio- and cerebrovascular prevention in acutely hospitalized older people

Aims: Antiplatelet therapy is recommended for the secondary prevention of cardio- and cerebrovascular disease, but for primary prevention it is advised only in patients at very high risk. With this background, this study aims to assess the appropriateness of antiplatelet therapy in acutely hospitalized older people according to their risk profile. Methods: Data were obtained from the REPOSI register held in Italian and Spanish internal medicine and geriatric wards in 2012 and 2014. Hospitalized patients aged ≥65 assessable at discharge were selected. Appropriateness of the antiplatelet therapy was evaluated according to their primary or secondary cardiovascular prevention profiles. Results: Of 2535 enrolled patients, 2199 were assessable at discharge. Overall 959 (43.6%, 95% CI 41.5–45.7) were prescribed an antiplatelet drug, aspirin being the most frequently chosen. Among patients prescribed for primary prevention, just over half were inappropriately prescribed (52.1%), being mainly overprescribed (155/209 patients, 74.2%). On the other hand, there was also a high rate of inappropriate underprescription in the context of secondary prevention (222/726 patients, 30.6%, 95% CI 27.3–34.0%). Conclusions: This study carried out in acutely hospitalized older people shows a high degree of inappropriate prescription among patients prescribed with antiplatelets for primary prevention, mainly due to overprescription. Further, a large proportion of patients who had had overt cardio- or cerebrovascular disease were underprescribed, in spite of the established benefits of antiplatelet drugs in the context of secondary prevention

Living alone as an independent predictor of prolonged length of hospital stay and non-home discharge in older patients.

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Risk factors for three-month mortality after discharge in a cohort of non-oncologic hospitalized elderly patients: Results from the REPOSI study

Background: Short-term prognosis, e.g. mortality at three months, has many important implications in planning the overall management of patients, particularly non-oncologic patients in order to avoid futile practices. The aims of this study were: i) to investigate the risk of three-month mortality after discharge from internal medicine and geriatric wards of non-oncologic patients with at least one of the following conditions: permanent bedridden status during the hospital stay; severely reduced kidney function; hypoalbuminemia; hospital admissions in the previous six months; severe dementia; ii) to establish the absolute risk difference of three-month mortality of bedridden compared to non-bedridden patients. Methods: This prospective cohort study was run in 102 Italian internal medicine and geriatric hospital wards. The sample included all patients with three-months follow-up data. Bedridden condition was defined as the inability to walk or stand upright during the whole hospital stay. The following parameters were also recorded: estimated GFR <= 29 mL/min/1.73 m(2); severe dementia; albuminemia << 2.5 g/dL; hospital admissions in the six months before the index admission. Results: Of 3915 patients eligible for the analysis, three-month follow-up were available for 2058, who were included in the study. Bedridden patients were 112 and the absolute risk difference of mortality at three months was 0.13 (CI 95% 0.08-0.19, p << 0.0001). Logistic regression analysis also adjusted for age, sex, number of drugs and comorbidity index found that bedridden condition (OR 2.10, CI 95% 1.12-3.94), severely reduced kidney function (OR 2.27, CI 95% 1.22-4.21), hospital admission in the previous six months (OR 1.96, CI 95% 1.22-3.14), severe dementia (with total or severe physical dependence) (OR 4.16, CI 95% 2.39-7.25) and hypoalbuminemia (OR 2.47, CI 95% 1.12-5.44) were significantly associated with higher risk of three-month mortality. Conclusions: Bedridden status, severely reduced kidney function, recent hospital admissions, severe dementia and hypoalbuminemia were associated with higher risk of three-month mortality in non-oncologic patients after discharge from internal medicine and geriatric hospital wards

Antibiotic use and associated factors in a large sample of hospitalised older people.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to assess (i) the prevalence of antibiotic use, (ii) factors associated with their use and (iii) the association with in-hospital mortality in a large sample of hospitalised older people in Italy. METHODS: Data were obtained from the 2010-2017 REPOSI register held in more than 100 internal medicine and geriatric wards in Italy. Patients aged ≥65 years with at least one antibiotic prescription during their hospitalisation were selected. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine factors associated with antibiotic use. RESULTS: A total of 5442 older patients were included in the analysis, of whom 2786 (51.2%) were prescribed antibiotics during their hospitalisation. The most frequently prescribed antibiotic class was β- lactams, accounting for 50% of the total prescriptions. Poor physical independence, corticosteroid use and being hospitalised in Northern Italy were factors associated with a higher likelihood of being prescribed antibiotics. Antibiotic use was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio=2.52, 95% confidence interval 1.82-3.48) also when accounting for factors associated with their use. CONCLUSION: Hospitalised older people are often prescribed antibiotics. Factors related to poor physical independence and corticosteroid use are associated with increased antibiotic use. Being prescribed antibiotics is also associated with an increased risk of in-hospital death. These results demand the implementation of specific stewardship programmes to improve the correct use of antibiotics in hospital settings and to reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance

Pattern of in-hospital changes in drug use in the older people from 2010 to 2016

Purpose: To assess the pattern of in-hospital changes in drug use in older patients from 2010 to 2016. Methods: People aged 65 years or more acutely hospitalized in those internal medicine and geriatric wards that did continuously participate to the REgistro POliterapie Società Italiana di Medicina Interna register from 2010 to 2016 were selected. Drugs use were categorized as 0 to 1 drug (very low drug use), 2 to 4 drugs (low drug use), 5 to 9 drugs (polypharmacy), and 10 or more drugs (excessive polypharmacy). To assess whether or not prevalence of patients in relation to drug use distribution changed overtime, adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) was estimated with log-binomial regression models. Results: Among 2120 patients recruited in 27 wards continuously participating to data collection, 1882 were discharged alive and included in this analysis. The proportion of patients with very low drug use (0-1 drug) at hospital discharge increased overtime, from 2.7% in 2010 to 9.2% in 2016. Results from a log-logistic adjusted model confirmed the increasing PR of these very low drug users overtime (particularly in 2014 vs 2012, PR 1.83 95% CI 1.14-2.95). Moreover, from 2010 to 2016, there was an increasing number of patients who, on polypharmacy at hospital admission, abandoned it at hospital discharge, switching to the very low drug use group. Conclusion: This study shows that in internal medicine and geriatric wards continuously participating to the REgistro POliterapie Società Italiana di Medicina Interna register, the proportion of patients with a very low drug use at hospital discharge increased overtime, thus reducing the therapeutic burden in this at risk population

Adherence to antithrombotic therapy guidelines improves mortality among elderly patients with atrial fibrillation: insights from the REPOSI study

none331noneProietti, Marco; Nobili, Alessandro; Raparelli, Valeria; Napoleone, Laura; Mannucci, Pier Mannuccio; Lip, Gregory Y. H.; Pasina, Luca; Franchi, Carlotta; Marcucci, Maura; Eldin, Tarek Kamal; Di Blanca, Maria Pia Donatella; Perticone, Francesco; Salerno, Francesco; Corrao, Salvatore; Prisco, Domenico; Silvestri, Elena; Cenci, Caterina; Emmi, Giacomo; Biolo, Gianni; Guarnieri, Gianfranco; Zanetti, Michela; Fernandes, Giovanni; Vanoli, Massimo; Grignani, Giulia; Casella, Gianluca; Bernardi, Mauro; Bassi, Silvia Li; Santi, Luca; Zaccherini, Giacomo; Mannarino, Elmo; Lupattelli, Graziana; Bianconi, Vanessa; Paciullo, Francesco; Nuti, Ranuccio; Valenti, Roberto; Ruvio, Martina; Cappelli, Silvia; Palazzuoli, Alberto; Salvatore, Teresa; Sasso, Ferdinando Carlo; Girelli, Domenico; Olivieri, Oliviero; Matteazzi, Thomas; Barbagallo, Mario; Plances, Lidia; Alcamo, Roberta; Licata, Giuseppe; Calvo, Luigi; Valenti, Maria; Zoli, Marco; Arnò, Raffaella; Pasini, Franco Laghi; Capecchi, Pier Leopoldo; Bicchi, Maurizio; Palasciano, Giuseppe; Modeo, Maria Ester; Peragine, Maria; Pappagallo, Fabrizio; Di Gennaro, Carla; Postiglione, Alfredo; Barbella, Maria Rosaria; De Stefano, Francesco; Cappellini, Maria Domenica; Fabio, Giovanna; Seghezzi, Sonia; De Amicis, Margherita Migone; Mari, Daniela; Rossi, Paolo Dionigi; Ottolini, Barbara Brignolo; Pugliese, Stefania; Lenti, Marco Vincenzo; Padula, Donatella; Murialdo, Giovanni; Marra, Alessio; Cattaneo, Federico; Secchi, Maria Beatrice; Ghelfi, Davide; Anastasio, Luigi; Sofia, Lucia; Carbone, Maria; Davì, Giovanni; Guagnano, Maria Teresa; Sestili, Simona; Mancuso, Gerardo; Calipari, Daniela; Bartone, Mosè; Meroni, Maria Rachele; Perin, Paolo Cavallo; Lorenzati, Bartolomeo; Gruden, Gabriella; Bruno, Graziella; Amione, Cristina; Fornengo, Paolo; Tassara, Rodolfo; Melis, Deborah; Rebella, Lara; Pretti, Vincenzo; Masala, Maristella Salvatora; Bolondi, Luigi; Rasciti, Leonardo; Serio, Ilaria; Fanelli, Filippo Rossi; Amoroso, Antonio; Molfino, Alessio; Petrillo, Enrico; Zuccalà, Giuseppe; Franceschi, Francesco; De Marco, Guido; Chiara, Cordischi; Marta, Sabbatini; Romanelli, Giuseppe; Delitala, Giuseppe; Chiesa, Deborah; Picardi, Antonio; Gentilucci, Umberto Vespasiani; Gallo, Paolo; Annoni, Giorgio; Corsi, Maurizio; Zazzetta, Sara; Bellelli, Giuseppe; Arturi, Franco; Succurro, Elena; Rubino, Mariangela; Sesti, Giorgio; Loria, Paola; Becchi, Maria Angela; Martucci, Gianfranco; Fantuzzi, Alessandra; Maurantonio, Mauro; Carta, Stefano; Atzori, Sebastiana; Serra, Maria Grazia; Bleve, Maria Antonietta; Gasbarrone, Laura; Sajeva, Maria Rosaria; Brucato, Antonio; Ghidoni, Silvia; Di Corato, Paola; Agnelli, Giancarlo; Marchesini, Emanuela; Fabris, Fabrizio; Carlon, Michela; Baritusso, Aldo; Manfredini, Roberto; Molino, Christian; Pala, Marco; Fabbian, Fabio; Boari, Benedetta; De Giorgi, Alfredo; Paolisso, Giuseppe; Rizzo, Maria Rosaria; Laieta, Maria Teresa; Rini, Giovanbattista; Mansueto, Pasquale; Pepe, Ilenia; Borghi, Claudio; Strocchi, Enrico; De Sando, Valeria; Sabbà, Carlo; Vella, Francesco Saverio; Suppressa, Patrizia; Valerio, Raffaella; Capobianco, Caterina; Fenoglio, Luigi; Bracco, Christian; Giraudo, Alessia Valentina; Testa, Elisa; Serraino, Cristina; Fargion, Silvia; Bonara, Paola; Periti, Giulia; Porzio, Marianna; Peyvandi, Flora; Tedeschi, Alberto; Rossio, Raffaella; Monzani, Valter; Savojardo, Valeria; Folli, Christian; Magnini, Maria; Gobbo, Giulia; Balduini, Carlo L.; Bertolino, Giampiera; Provini, Stella; Quaglia, Federica; Dallegri, Franco; Ottonello, Luciano; Liberale, Luca; Chin, Wu Sheng; Carassale, Laura; Caporotundo, Silvia; Traisci, Giancarlo; De Feudis, Lucrezia; Di Carlo, Silvia; Liberato, Nicola Lucio; Buratti, Alberto; Tognin, Tiziana; Bianchi, Giovanni Battista; Giaquinto, Sabrina; Purrello, Francesco; Di Pino, Antonino; Piro, Salvatore; Rozzini, Renzo; Falanga, Lina; Montrucchio, Giuseppe; Greco, Elisabetta; Tizzani, Pietro; Petitti, Paolo; Perciccante, Antonio; Coralli, Alessia; Salmi, Raffaella; Gaudenzi, Piergiorgio; Gamberini, Susanna; Semplicini, Andrea; Gottardo, Lucia; Vendemiale, Gianluigi; Serviddio, Gaetano; Forlano, Roberta; Masala, Cesare; Mammarella, Antonio; Basili, Stefania; Perri, Ludovica; Landolfi, Raffaele; Montalto, Massimo; Mirijello, Antonio; Vallone, Carla; Bellusci, Martino; Setti, Donatella; Pedrazzoli, Filippo; Guasti, Luigina; Castiglioni, Luana; Maresca, Andrea; Squizzato, Alessandro; Molaro, Marta; Bertolotti, Marco; Mussi, Chiara; Libbra, Maria Vittoria; Miceli, Andrea; Pellegrini, Elisa; Carulli, Lucia; Sciacqua, Angela; Quero, Michele; Bagnato, Chiara; Corinaldesi, Roberto; De Giorgio, Roberto; Serra, Mauro; Grasso, Valentina; Ruggeri, Eugenio; Salvi, Andrea; Leonardi, Roberto; Grassini, Chiara; Mascherona, Ilenia; Minelli, Giorgio; Maltese, Francesca; Gabrielli, Armando; Mattioli, Massimo; Capeci, William; Martino, Giuseppe Pio; Messina, Silvia; Ghio, Riccardi; Favorini, Serena; Col, Anna Dal; Minisola, Salvatore; Colangelo, Luciano; Afeltra, Antonella; Alemanno, Pamela; Marigliano, Benedetta; Castellino, Pietro; Blanco, Julien; Zanoli, Luca; Cattaneo, Marco; Fracasso, Paola; Amoruso, Maria Valentina; Saracco, Valter; Fogliati, Marisa; Bussolino, Carlo; Durante, Vittorio; Eusebi, Giovanna; Tirotta, Daniela; Mete, Francesca; Gino, Miriam; Cittadini, Antonio; Arcopinto, Michele; Salzano, Andrea; Bobbio, Emanuele; Marra, Alberto Maria; Sirico, Domenico; Moreo, Guido; Scopelliti, Francesco; Gasparini, Francesca; Cocca, Melissa; Nieves, Ramirez Duque; Alberto, Muela Molinero; Pedro, Abad Requejo; Vanessa, Lopez Pelaez; Lara, Tamargo; Xavier, Corbella Viros; Francesc, Formiga; Jesus, Diez Manglano; Esperanza, Bejarano Tello; Behamonte Esther, Del Corral; Maria, Sevil Puras; Romero, Manuel; Blanca, Pinilla Llorente; Cristina, Lopez Gonzalez-Cobos; Victoria, Villalba Garcia M.; Saez, Lopez; Bosco, Juan; Susana, Sanz Baena; Marta, Arroyo Gallego; Concepcion, Gonzalez Becerra; Antonio, Fernandez Moyano; Hernandez, Mercedes Gomez; Borrego, Manuel Poyato; Raquel, Pacheco Cuadros; Florencia, Perez Rojas; Beatriz, Garcia Olid; Sara, Carrascosa Garcia; Cervellera Alfonso, Gonzalez-Cruz; Marta, Peinado Martinez; Alberto, Ruiz Cantero; Antonio, Albarracín Arraigosa; Montserrat, Godoy Guerrero; Miguel Ángel, Barón Ramos; Manuel, Machin Jose; Ignacio, Novo Veleiro; Lucía, Alvela Suarez; Alfonso, Lopez; David, Rubal Bran; Iria, Iñiguez Vazquez; Monica, Rios Prego; On behalf of REPOSI investigators, nullProietti, Marco; Nobili, Alessandro; Raparelli, Valeria; Napoleone, Laura; Mannucci, Pier Mannuccio; Lip, Gregory Y. H.; Pasina, Luca; Franchi, Carlotta; Marcucci, Maura; Eldin, Tarek Kamal; Di Blanca, Maria Pia Donatella; Perticone, Francesco; Salerno, Francesco; Corrao, Salvatore; Prisco, Domenico; Silvestri, Elena; Cenci, Caterina; Emmi, Giacomo; Biolo, Gianni; Guarnieri, Gianfranco; Zanetti, Michela; Fernandes, Giovanni; Vanoli, Massimo; Grignani, Giulia; Casella, Gianluca; Bernardi, Mauro; Bassi, Silvia Li; Santi, Luca; Zaccherini, Giacomo; Mannarino, Elmo; Lupattelli, Graziana; Bianconi, Vanessa; Paciullo, Francesco; Nuti, Ranuccio; Valenti, Roberto; Ruvio, Martina; Cappelli, Silvia; Palazzuoli, Alberto; Salvatore, Teresa; Sasso, Ferdinando Carlo; Girelli, Domenico; Olivieri, Oliviero; Matteazzi, Thomas; Barbagallo, Mario; Plances, Lidia; Alcamo, Roberta; Licata, Giuseppe; Calvo, Luigi; Valenti, Maria; Zoli, Marco; Arnò, Raffaella; Pasini, Franco Laghi; Capecchi, Pier Leopoldo; Bicchi, Maurizio; Palasciano, Giuseppe; Modeo, Maria Ester; Peragine, Maria; Pappagallo, Fabrizio; Di Gennaro, Carla; Postiglione, Alfredo; Barbella, Maria Rosaria; De Stefano, Francesco; Cappellini, Maria Domenica; Fabio, Giovanna; Seghezzi, Sonia; De Amicis, Margherita Migone; Mari, Daniela; Rossi, Paolo Dionigi; Ottolini, Barbara Brignolo; Pugliese, Stefania; Lenti, Marco Vincenzo; Padula, Donatella; Murialdo, Giovanni; Marra, Alessio; Cattaneo, Federico; Secchi, Maria Beatrice; Ghelfi, Davide; Anastasio, Luigi; Sofia, Lucia; Carbone, Maria; Davì, Giovanni; Guagnano, Maria Teresa; Sestili, Simona; Mancuso, Gerardo; Calipari, Daniela; Bartone, Mosè; Meroni, Maria Rachele; Perin, Paolo Cavallo; Lorenzati, Bartolomeo; Gruden, Gabriella; Bruno, Graziella; Amione, Cristina; Fornengo, Paolo; Tassara, Rodolfo; Melis, Deborah; Rebella, Lara; Pretti, Vincenzo; Masala, Maristella Salvatora; Bolondi, Luigi; Rasciti, Leonardo; Serio, Ilaria; Fanelli, Filippo Rossi; Amoroso, Antonio; Molfino, Alessio; Petrillo, Enrico; Zuccalà, Giuseppe; Franceschi, Francesco; De Marco, Guido; Chiara, Cordischi; Marta, Sabbatini; Romanelli, Giuseppe; Delitala, Giuseppe; Chiesa, Deborah; Picardi, Antonio; Gentilucci, Umberto Vespasiani; Gallo, Paolo; Annoni, Giorgio; Corsi, Maurizio; Zazzetta, Sara; Bellelli, Giuseppe; Arturi, Franco; Succurro, Elena; Rubino, Mariangela; Sesti, Giorgio; Loria, Paola; Becchi, Maria Angela; Martucci, Gianfranco; Fantuzzi, Alessandra; Maurantonio, Mauro; Carta, Stefano; Atzori, Sebastiana; Serra, Maria Grazia; Bleve, Maria Antonietta; Gasbarrone, Laura; Sajeva, Maria Rosaria; Brucato, Antonio; Ghidoni, Silvia; Di Corato, Paola; Agnelli, Giancarlo; Marchesini, Emanuela; Fabris, Fabrizio; Carlon, Michela; Baritusso, Aldo; Manfredini, Roberto; Molino, Christian; Pala, Marco; Fabbian, Fabio; Boari, Benedetta; De Giorgi, Alfredo; Paolisso, Giuseppe; Rizzo, Maria Rosaria; Laieta, Maria Teresa; Rini, Giovanbattista; Mansueto, Pasquale; Pepe, Ilenia; Borghi, Claudio; Strocchi, Enrico; De Sando, Valeria; Sabbà, Carlo; Vella, Francesco Saverio; Suppressa, Patrizia; Valerio, Raffaella; Capobianco, Caterina; Fenoglio, Luigi; Bracco, Christian; Giraudo, Alessia Valentina; Testa, Elisa; Serraino, Cristina; Fargion, Silvia; Bonara, Paola; Periti, Giulia; Porzio, Marianna; Peyvandi, Flora; Tedeschi, Alberto; Rossio, Raffaella; Monzani, Valter; Savojardo, Valeria; Folli, Christian; Magnini, Maria; Gobbo, Giulia; Balduini, Carlo L.; Bertolino, Giampiera; Provini, Stella; Quaglia, Federica; Dallegri, Franco; Ottonello, Luciano; Liberale, Luca; Chin, Wu Sheng; Carassale, Laura; Caporotundo, Silvia; Traisci, Giancarlo; De Feudis, Lucrezia; Di Carlo, Silvia; Liberato, Nicola Lucio; Buratti, Alberto; Tognin, Tiziana; Bianchi, Giovanni Battista; Giaquinto, Sabrina; Purrello, Francesco; Di Pino, Antonino; Piro, Salvatore; Rozzini, Renzo; Falanga, Lina; Montrucchio, Giuseppe; Greco, Elisabetta; Tizzani, Pietro; Petitti, Paolo; Perciccante, Antonio; Coralli, Alessia; Salmi, Raffaella; Gaudenzi, Piergiorgio; Gamberini, Susanna; Semplicini, Andrea; Gottardo, Lucia; Vendemiale, Gianluigi; Serviddio, Gaetano; Forlano, Roberta; Masala, Cesare; Mammarella, Antonio; Basili, Stefania; Perri, Ludovica; Landolfi, Raffaele; Montalto, Massimo; Mirijello, Antonio; Vallone, Carla; Bellusci, Martino; Setti, Donatella; Pedrazzoli, Filippo; Guasti, Luigina; Castiglioni, Luana; Maresca, Andrea; Squizzato, Alessandro; Molaro, Marta; Bertolotti, Marco; Mussi, Chiara; Libbra, Maria Vittoria; Miceli, Andrea; Pellegrini, Elisa; Carulli, Lucia; Sciacqua, Angela; Quero, Michele; Bagnato, Chiara; Corinaldesi, Roberto; De Giorgio, Roberto; Serra, Mauro; Grasso, Valentina; Ruggeri, Eugenio; Salvi, Andrea; Leonardi, Roberto; Grassini, Chiara; Mascherona, Ilenia; Minelli, Giorgio; Maltese, Francesca; Gabrielli, Armando; Mattioli, Massimo; Capeci, William; Martino, Giuseppe Pio; Messina, Silvia; Ghio, Riccardi; Favorini, Serena; Col, Anna Dal; Minisola, Salvatore; Colangelo, Luciano; Afeltra, Antonella; Alemanno, Pamela; Marigliano, Benedetta; Castellino, Pietro; Blanco, Julien; Zanoli, Luca; Cattaneo, Marco; Fracasso, Paola; Amoruso, Maria Valentina; Saracco, Valter; Fogliati, Marisa; Bussolino, Carlo; Durante, Vittorio; Eusebi, Giovanna; Tirotta, Daniela; Mete, Francesca; Gino, Miriam; Cittadini, Antonio; Arcopinto, Michele; Salzano, Andrea; Bobbio, Emanuele; Marra, Alberto Maria; Sirico, Domenico; Moreo, Guido; Scopelliti, Francesco; Gasparini, Francesca; Cocca, Melissa; Nieves, Ramirez Duque; Alberto, Muela Molinero; Pedro, Abad Requejo; Vanessa, Lopez Pelaez; Lara, Tamargo; Xavier, Corbella Viros; Francesc, Formiga; Jesus, Diez Manglano; Esperanza, Bejarano Tello; Behamonte Esther, Del Corral; Maria, Sevil Puras; Romero, Manuel; Blanca, Pinilla Llorente; Cristina, Lopez Gonzalez-Cobos; Victoria, Villalba Garcia M.; Saez, Lopez; Bosco, Juan; Susana, Sanz Baena; Marta, Arroyo Gallego; Concepcion, Gonzalez Becerra; Antonio, Fernandez Moyano; Hernandez, Mercedes Gomez; Borrego, Manuel Poyato; Raquel, Pacheco Cuadros; Florencia, Perez Rojas; Beatriz, Garcia Olid; Sara, Carrascosa Garcia; Cervellera Alfonso, Gonzalez-Cruz; Marta, Peinado Martinez; Alberto, Ruiz Cantero; Antonio, Albarracín Arraigosa; Montserrat, Godoy Guerrero; Miguel Ángel, Barón Ramos; Manuel, Machin Jose; Ignacio, Novo Veleiro; Lucía, Alvela Suarez; Alfonso, Lopez; David, Rubal Bran; Iria, Iñiguez Vazquez; Monica, Rios Prego; On behalf of REPOSI investigators, Nul

Prevalence and Determinants of the Use of Lipid-Lowering Agents in a Population of Older Hospitalized Patients: the Findings from the REPOSI (REgistro POliterapie Societ\ue0 Italiana di Medicina Interna) Study

Background: Older patients are prone to multimorbidity and polypharmacy, with an inherent risk of adverse events and drug interactions. To the best of our knowledge, available information on the appropriateness of lipid-lowering treatment is extremely limited. Aim: The aim of the present study was to quantify and characterize lipid-lowering drug use in a population of complex in-hospital older patients. Methods: We analyzed data from 87 units of internal medicine or geriatric medicine in the REPOSI (Registro Politerapie della Societ\ue0 Italiana di Medicina Interna) study, with reference to the 2010 and 2012 patient cohorts. Lipid-lowering drug use was closely correlated with the clinical profiles, including multimorbidity markers and polypharmacy. Results: 2171 patients aged >65\ua0years were enrolled (1057 males, 1114 females, mean age 78.6\ua0years). The patients treated with lipid-lowering drugs amounted to 508 subjects (23.4%), with no gender difference. Atorvastatin (39.3%) and simvastatin (34.0%) were the most widely used statin drugs. Likelihood of treatment was associated with polypharmacy ( 655\ua0drugs) and with higher Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS) score. At logistic regression analysis, the presence of coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, and hypertension were significantly correlated with lipid-lowering drug use, whereas age showed an inverse correlation. Diabetes was not associated with drug treatment. Conclusions: In this in-hospital cohort, the use of lipid-lowering agents was mainly driven by patients\u2019 clinical history, most notably the presence of clinically overt manifestations of atherosclerosis. Increasing age seems to be associated with lower prescription rates. This might be indicative of cautious behavior towards a potentially toxic treatment regimen

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\ua0=\ua00.002), had a higher Short Blessed Test (SBT; p\ua0=\ua00.022) and a lower Barthel Index (p\ua0=\ua00.047). Polypharmacy (p\ua0=\ua00.001), heart failure (p\ua0=\ua00.005) and diabetes (p\ua0=\ua00.016) were more prevalent among these patients. Median CHA2DS2-VASc score was higher among rate-control-managed patients (p\ua0=\ua00.001). SBT [odds ratio (OR) 0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.94\u20131.00, p\ua0=\ua00.037], diabetes (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.26\u20130.87, p\ua0=\ua00.016) and polypharmacy (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.34\u20130.99, p\ua0=\ua00.045) 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\ua0=\ua00.89; and 15.9 vs. 14.1%, p\ua0=\ua00.70, 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