Exploration into Uric and Cardiovascular Disease: Uric Acid Right for heArt Health (URRAH) Project, A Study Protocol for a Retrospective Observational Study.

The relevance of cardiovascular role played by levels of serum uric acid is dramatically growing, especially as cardiovascular risk factor potentially able to exert either a direct deleterious impact or a synergic effect with other cardiovascular risk factors. At the present time, it still remains undefined the threshold level of serum uric acid able to contribute to the cardiovascular risk. Indeed, the available epidemiological case studies are not homogeneous, and some preliminary data suggest that the so-called "cardiovascular threshold limit" may substantially differ from that identified as a cut-off able to trigger the acute gout attack. In such scenario, there is the necessity to clar…

Impact of Diabetes Mellitus and Its Comorbidities on Elderly Patients Hospitalized in Internal Medicine Wards: Data from the RePoSi Registry

Background: Currently, diabetes represents the seventh leading cause of death worldwide, with a significant economic burden. The number and severity of comorbidities increase with age, and are identified as important determinants that influence the prognosis. We aimed to investigate comorbidities and outcomes in a cohort of hospitalized elderly patients affected by diabetes. Methods: In this observational study, we retrospectively analyzed data collected from the REgistro dei pazienti per lo studio delle POlipatologie e politerapie in reparti della rete Simi (RePoSi) registry. Socio-demographic, clinical characteristics, and laboratory findings were considered. The association between varia…

Hyperglycemia at admission, comorbidities, and in-hospital mortality in elderly patients hospitalized in internal medicine wards: data from the RePoSI Registry

Abstract Aims The association between hyperglycemia at hospital admission and relevant short- and long-term outcomes in elderly population is known. We assessed the effects on mortality of hyperglycemia, disability, and multimorbidity at admission in internal medicine ward in patients aged ≥ 65 years. Methods Data were collected from an active register of 102 internal medicine and geriatric wards in Italy (RePoSi project). Patients were recruited during four index weeks of a year. Socio-demographic data, reason for hospitalization, diagnoses, treatment, severity and comorbidity indexes (Cumulative Illness rating Scale CIRS-SI and CIRS-CI), renal function, functional (Barthel Index), and cog…

Pain and Frailty in Hospitalized Older Adults

Introduction Pain and frailty are prevalent conditions in the older population. Many chronic diseases are likely involved in their origin, and both have a negative impact on quality of life. However, few studies have analysed their association. Methods In light of this knowledge gap, 3577 acutely hospitalized patients 65 years or older enrolled in the REPOSI register, an Italian network of internal medicine and geriatric hospital wards, were assessed to calculate the frailty index (FI). The impact of pain and some of its characteristics on the degree of frailty was evaluated using an ordinal logistic regression model after adjusting for age and gender. Results The prevalence of pain was 24.…

Antihypertensive treatment changes and related clinical outcomes in older hospitalized patients

Background: Hypertension management in older patients represents a challenge, particularly when hospitalized. Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the determinants and related outcomes of antihypertensive drug prescription in a cohort of older hospitalized patients. Methods: A total of 5671 patients from REPOSI (a prospective multicentre observational register of older Italian in-patients from internal medicine or geriatric wards) were considered; 4377 (77.2%) were hypertensive. Minimum treatment (MT) for hypertension was defined according to the 2018 ESC guidelines [an angiotensin-converting-enzyme-inhibitor (ACE-I) or an angiotensin-receptor-blocker (ARB) with a calciu…

Cardiovascular Health in Migrants. Current status and issues for prevention. A Collaborative Multidisciplinary Task Force Report

OBJECTIVES: To review information on cardiovascular health and migration, to stress the attention of researchers that much needs to be done in the collection of sound data in Italy and to allow policy makers identifying this issue as an important public health concern. BACKGROUND: In Italy, the rate of immigrants in the total number of residents increased from 2.5% in 1990 to 7.4% in 2010, and currently exceeds 10% in regions such as Lombardia, Emilia Romagna and Toscana. METHODS: A consensus statement was developed by approaching relevant Italian national scientific societies involved in cardiovascular prevention. Task force members were identified by the president and/or the boards of eac…

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 mo…

Clinical Severity, Age, and Sex Overcome Cardiometabolic Morbidities but Not Stroke as Predictors of Mortality in Elderly Inpatients: Data From the REgistro POliterapie Società Italiana di Medicina Interna Registry

Antipsychotic prescription and mortality in hospitalized older persons

Background: Recent scientific reports have shown that older persons treated with antipsychotics for dementia-related behavioural symptoms have increased mortality. However, the impact of these drugs prescribed during hospitalization has rarely been assessed. We aimed to investigate whether antipsychotics are associated with an increased risk of mortality during hospitalization and at 3-month follow-up in elderly inpatients. Methods: We analyzed data gathered during two waves (2010 and 2012) by the REPOSI (Registro Politerapie Società Italiana Medicina Interna). All new prescriptions of antipsychotic drugs during hospitalization, whether maintained or discontinued at discharge, were collect…

Kidney Disease Management in the Hospital Setting: A Focus on Inappropriate Drug Prescriptions in Older Patients

Aging with multimorbidity and polytherapy are the most significant factors that could led to inappropriate prescribing of contraindicated medications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prescriptions of contraindicated drugs in older adults in CKD and to identify their associated factors in a hospital context. An observational retrospective study was carried out considering all patients ≥65 years with at least one serum creatinine value recorded into the REPOSI register into 2010–2016 period. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was applied to identify CKD. A descriptive analysis was performed to compare demographic and clinica…

Implementation of the Frailty Index in hospitalized older patients: Results from the REPOSI register

Abstract Background Frailty is a state of increased vulnerability to stressors, associated to poor health outcomes. The aim of this study was to design and introduce a Frailty Index (FI; according to the age-related accumulation of deficit model) in a large cohort of hospitalized older persons, in order to benefit from its capacity to comprehensively weight the risk profile of the individual. Methods Patients aged 65 and older enrolled in the REPOSI register from 2010 to 2016 were considered in the present analyses. Variables recorded at the hospital admission (including socio-demographic, physical, cognitive, functional and clinical factors) were used to compute the FI. The prognostic impa…