title: Does heart rate predict mortality in older, low-level care residents?
abstract: To determine whether abnormalities in heart rate (HR) were associated with long-term mortality in older, low-level care residents, 179 randomly selected persons aged 65 and older (mean, 83.2+/-7.0 [SD] years; 80% women) were prospectively assessed. At baseline, duplicate measurements of HR and blood pressure were recorded in the supine position and after standing. During the 5-year follow-up period, 97 (54%) participants died. Cox survival analysis revealed no association with total mortality when resting HR was analyzed as a continuous or categoric variable (< or = 60, 61-89, and > 90 bpm). However, HR > or = 90 bpm was associated with increased risk of dying in residents who used a walking aid (relative risk, 3.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-11.30; p=0.038). Postural HR change was not associated with mortality risk. The authors concluded that resting HR and postural change in HR are not significant predictors of 5-year mortality in older, low-level care residents, except in persons using a walking aid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, The Canberra Hospital and the Australian National University Medical School, Canberra ACT, Australia. alex.fisher@act.gov.au
authors.forename: Alexander A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Wichat
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Srikusalanukul
authors.forename: Marc M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Budge
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality; D009983:Orthopedic Equipment; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012112:Residential Facilities; D016019:Survival Analysis