0000000000180612
AUTHOR
Carlo Sabbà
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 ‘Registro Politerapie SIMI’ 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 patie…
Multidimensional frailty and quality of life: data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Abstract Purpose Frailty has been found to be associated with poor quality of life (QoL) in older people, but data available are limited to cross-sectional studies. We therefore aimed to assess the association between multidimensional frailty, determined by Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI), with mortality and good QoL expectancy (GQoLE) in a large representative sample of older adults, over 10 years of follow-up. Methods In the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, using the data from 2004–2005 and 2014–2015, MPI was calculated using a weighted score of domains of comprehensive geriatric assessment, i.e., number of difficulties in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL…
What changed in the Italian internal medicine and geriatric wards during the lockdown
A total of 48 internal medicine or geriatric wards among the 93 adhering to the register REPOSI answered an online questionnaire aimed to investigate the characteristics and activities of converted and non-converted wards in the crucial period of the first wave of the epidemic, 22 February-4 May 2020
Multidimensional prognostic index (MPI) predicts successful application for disability social benefits in older people
Aim: The economic recognition of disability is of importance in daily practice, but the tools used in older people are still limited. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the multidimensional prognostic index (MPI) to identify frail older subjects to be submitted to civil invalidity application for disability benefits including Attendance Allowance (AA) indemnity, Carer’s Leave (Law 104) and/or Parking Card for people with disabilities. Methods: From March 2018 to January 2019, 80 older people were included. The MPI was calculated from comprehensive geriatric assessment information including eight different domains. Civil benefits included attendance allowance (AA) indemn…
Efficacy and safety of lomitapide in homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia: the pan-European retrospective observational study
Abstract Aims Lomitapide is a lipid-lowering agent indicated as an adjunct therapy for adult homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HoFH). This study evaluated the medium-term effectiveness and safety of lomitapide in a large cohort of HoFH patients in Europe. Methods and results In a multicentre retrospective, observational study including 75 HoFH patients treated with lomitapide in a real-world clinical setting from 9 European countries, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) changes, adverse events (AEs), and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were assessed. After a median 19 months (interquartile range 11–41 months) of treatment with a mean dosage of 20 mg of lomitapide…
Long-term efficacy of lipoprotein apheresis and lomitapide in the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH): a cross-national retrospective survey
Abstract Background Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) is a rare life-threatening condition that represents a therapeutic challenge. The vast majority of HoFH patients fail to achieve LDL-C targets when treated with the standard protocol, which associates maximally tolerated dose of lipid-lowering medications with lipoprotein apheresis (LA). Lomitapide is an emerging therapy in HoFH, but its place in the treatment algorithm is disputed because a comparison of its long-term efficacy versus LA in reducing LDL-C burden is not available. We assessed changes in long-term LDL-C burden and goals achievement in two independent HoFH patients’ cohorts, one treated with lomitapide in Ita…
Global perspective of familial hypercholesterolaemia: a cross-sectional study from the EAS Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration (FHSC)
Background The European Atherosclerosis Society Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration (FHSC) global registry provides a platform for the global surveillance of familial hypercholesterolaemia through harmonisation and pooling of multinational data. In this study, we aimed to characterise the adult population with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia and described how it is detected and managed globally. Methods Using FHSC global registry data, we did a cross-sectional assessment of adults (aged 18 years or older) with a clinical or genetic diagnosis of probable or definite heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia at the time they were entered into the registries. Dat…
Additional file 1 of Long-term efficacy of lipoprotein apheresis and lomitapide in the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH): a cross-national retrospective survey
Additional file 1: Table 1. Patients’ genotypes. All mutations were classified according to ACMG guidelines (Chora JR, Medeiros AM, Alves AC, Bourbon M. Analysis of publicly available LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9 variants associated with familial hypercholesterolemia: application of ACMG guidelines and implications for familial hypercholesterolemia diagnosis. Genet Med. 2018;20(6):591-598). For 3 Homozygous LDLR and 1 LDLRAP1 causing mutations were not available and the diagnosis was only on clinical base. *Double Heterozygote patient for mutations in both LDLR (c.373C>T) and PCSK9 (c.60_ 65dupGCTGCT) genes.
The Multidimensional Prognostic Index Predicts Falls in Older People: An 8-Year Longitudinal Cohort Study of the Osteoarthritis Initiative
Objectives: Falls are associated with several negative outcomes. Early identification of those who are at risk of falling is of importance in geriatrics, and comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) seems to be promising in this regard. Therefore, the present study investigated whether the multidimensional prognostic index (MPI), based on a standard CGA, is associated with falls in the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI). Design: Longitudinal, 8 years of follow-up. Setting and participants: Community-dwelling older people (≥65 years of age) with knee osteoarthritis or at high risk for this condition. Methods: A standardized CGA including information on functional, nutritional, mood, comorbiditi…
Hospital Care of Older Patients With COPD: Adherence to International Guidelines for Use of Inhaled Bronchodilators and Corticosteroids
Abstract Objectives We aimed to analyze the prevalence and impact of COPD in older patients hospitalized in internal medicine or geriatric wards, and to investigate adherence to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines, associated clinical factors, and outcomes. Design Data were obtained from REgistro POliterapie SIMI (REPOSI), a prospective multicenter observational registry that enrolls inpatients aged ≥65 years. Setting and Participants Older hospitalized patients enrolled from 2008 to 2016 with a diagnosis of COPD. Measures We evaluated adherence to the 2018 GOLD guidelines at admission and discharge, by examining the prescription of inhaled bronchodi…
Efficacy of Long-Term Treatment of Autosomal Recessive Hypercholesterolemia With Lomitapide: A Subanalysis of the Pan-European Lomitapide Study
Backgroundand aim: Autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia (ARH) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) metabolism caused by pathogenic variants in the LDLRAP1 gene. Like homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, ARH is resistant to conventional LDL-lowering medications and causes a high risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVDs) and aortic valve stenosis. Lomitapide is emerging as an efficacious therapy in classical HoFH, but few data are available for ARH.Results: This is a subanalysis carried out on nine ARH patients included in the Pan-European Lomitapide Study. The age at starting lomitapide was 46 (interquartile range (IQR), 39.0–65.5) y…
Efficacy of Lomitapide in the Treatment of Familial Homozygous Hypercholesterolemia: Results of a Real-World Clinical Experience in Italy
Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HoFH) is a rare form of inherited dyslipidemia resistant to conventional cholesterol-lowering medications so that lipoprotein apheresis (LA) is usually required. Lomitapide has been approved for the treatment of HoFH. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits of lomitapide in HoFH patients followed with the usual clinical care. Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HoFH) is a rare form of inherited dyslipidemia resistant to conventional cholesterol-lowering medications so that lipoprotein apheresis (LA) is usually required. Lomitapide has been approved for the treatment of HoFH. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits of lo…
Appropriateness of oral anticoagulant therapy prescription and its associated factors in hospitalized older people with atrial fibrillation
Aims: Although oral anticoagulants (OACs) are effective in preventing stroke in older people with atrial fibrillation (AF), they are often underused in this particularly high-risk population. The aim of the present study was to assess the appropriateness of OAC prescription and its associated factors in hospitalized patients aged 65 years or older. Methods: Data were obtained from the retrospective phase of Simulation-based Technologies to Improve the Appropriate Use of Oral Anticoagulants in Hospitalized Elderly Patients With Atrial Fibrillation (SIM-AF) study, held in 32 Italian internal medicine and geriatric wards. The appropriateness of OAC prescription was assessed, grouping patients …
Pattern of comorbidities and 1-year mortality in elderly patients with COPD hospitalized in internal medicine wards: data from the RePoSI Registry
Currently, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) represents the fourth cause of death worldwide with significant economic burden. Comorbidities increase in number and severity with age and are identified as important determinants that influence the prognosis. In this observational study, we retrospectively analyzed data collected from the RePoSI register. We aimed to investigate comorbidities and outcomes in a cohort of hospitalized elderly patients with the clinical diagnosis of COPD. Socio-demographic, clinical characteristics and laboratory findings were considered. The association between variables and in-hospital, 3-month and 1-year follow-up were analyzed. Among 4696 in-patient…
Drug Prescription and Delirium in Older Inpatients: Results From the Nationwide Multicenter Italian Delirium Day 2015-2016
Objective This study aimed to evaluate the association between polypharmacy and delirium, the association of specific drug categories with delirium, and the differences in drug-delirium association between medical and surgical units and according to dementia diagnosis. Methods Data were collected during 2 waves of Delirium Day, a multicenter delirium prevalence study including patients (aged 65 years or older) admitted to acute and long-term care wards in Italy (2015-2016); in this study, only patients enrolled in acute hospital wards were selected (n = 4,133). Delirium was assessed according to score on the 4 "A's" Test. Prescriptions were classified by main drug categories; polypharmacy w…
Adherence to antithrombotic therapy guidelines improves mortality among elderly patients with atrial fibrillation: insights from the REPOSI study
Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a substantial risk of thromboembolism and mortality, significantly reduced by oral anticoagulation. Adherence to guidelines may lower the risks for both all cause and cardiovascular (CV) deaths. Methods: Our objective was to evaluate if antithrombotic prophylaxis according to the 2012 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines is associated to a lower rate of adverse outcomes. Data were obtained from REPOSI; a prospective observational study enrolling inpatients aged ≥65 years. Patients enrolled in 2012 and 2014 discharged with an AF diagnosis were analysed. Results: Among 2535 patients, 558 (22.0 %) were discharged with a diagnos…
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 …
Prevalence of use and appropriateness of antidepressants prescription in acutely hospitalized elderly patients.
Depression is often under-recognized in older patients, even if antidepressants (AD) are commonly prescribed, with a prevalence of use that increase with ageing [ 1 ]. Nevertheless, even if a diagnosis of depression is established, inappropriate treatment can occur [ 2 ]. Beers criteria are the most widely screening tools used to detect inappropriate prescription of drugs in people aged 65 years or more [ 3 ]. Since 2010, attempts to adapt the Beers' criteria have been made in Europe [ 4 , 5 ]. Tricyclic drugs are the ADs to be always avoided in the elderly, owing to their anticholinergic side effects, such as cognitive impairment, delirium, urinary retention and falls [ 3 ]. Selective sero…
Appropriateness of oral anticoagulant therapy prescription and its associated factors in hospitalized older people with atrial fibrillation
Aims Although oral anticoagulants (OACs) are effective in preventing stroke in older people with atrial fibrillation (AF), they are often underused in this particularly high-risk population. The aim of the present study was to assess the appropriateness of OAC prescription and its associated factors in hospitalized patients aged 65 years or older. Methods Data were obtained from the retrospective phase of Simulation-based Technologies to Improve the Appropriate Use of Oral Anticoagulants in Hospitalized Elderly Patients With Atrial Fibrillation (SIM-AF) study, held in 32 Italian internal medicine and geriatric wards. The appropriateness of OAC prescription was assessed, grouping patients in…
Prevalence of multidimensional frailty and pre-frailty in older people in different settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Frailty is a common condition in older people. The epidemiological data available, however, are mainly based on the physical frailty phenotype. An extensive literature has suggested that frailty should be identified using a multidimensional approach. Based on these recommendations, we estimated the prevalence of frailty and pre-frailty in the older population, using the multidimensional prognostic index (MPI), a common tool for defining multidimensional frailty. We searched several databases until 10th May 2021 for studies reporting the prevalence of frailty according to MPI values. MPI was categorized, where possible, in < 0.33 (robustness), 0.33–0.66 (pre-frailty) and > 0.66 (frailt…
Heart failure and chronic kidney disease in a registry of internal medicine wards
Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between heart failure (HF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in tertiary care centers using the clinical records of patients enrolled in internal medicine departments.Patients and methods: We used the clinical records of 1380 elderly patients to identify patients with a history of HF and CKD using admission ICD codes and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) formulas. Magnitude and strength of such associations were investigated by univariable and multivariable analysis.Results: Of the 1380 patients enrolled, 27.9% had HF (age 80 ± 7, BMI 27 ± 6 kg/m2) and 17.4% CKD (age 81 ± 7, BMI 26.8 ± 6 kg/m2). Both groups were signific…
Additional file 2 of Long-term efficacy of lipoprotein apheresis and lomitapide in the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH): a cross-national retrospective survey
Additional file 2: Figure 1. LDL-C burden according to lomitapide or LA treatment. A Box plot graphs represent the median values of cumulative LDL-C burden in the Lomitapide cohort (dark grey) and in the LA cohort (light grey). For the total LDL-C burden calculation see Methods. P values are adjusted for age at follow-up, untreated LDL-C values and gender. B, C Box plot graphs represent the median values of TC and LDL-C burden at baseline and on-treatment. For baseline and on-treatment TC or LDL-C burden calculation see Methods. Δ% represents TC and LDL-c percent reduction from baseline and is reported with the respective statistical significance. B shows data form Lomitapide cohort whereas…