title: Characterization of outpatients with systolic dysfunction in a Japanese community by total enumeration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of congestive heart failure (CHF) is increasing with the aging of the community. Management of patients with systolic dysfunction (SD) is important for prevention of CHF, but there is little information regarding the burden of SD on Japanese communities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In order to delineate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of SD patients, the medical records of patients from Sado Island were collected and summarized in 2003. From the 5 years prior to 2003, data for 497 patients were extracted. The mortality rate was significantly higher compared with the general population; and the total number of survivors had decreased to 410 by 2003. The proportion of SD patients in the general population increased sharply after the age of 65 years in males and 70 years in females, reaching 3.3% and 1.7% for men and women, respectively, in their 80 s. In 49% of the patients, the Charlson comorbidity index was > or = 2, whereas 24% of females led a solitary life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The total count of outpatients with SD is progressively increasing with age. These patients have multiple comorbidities, making the outcome of SD a poor one. The gender difference in disease characteristics and living conditions should be taken into consideration when establishing preventive strategies for CHF in Japanese communities.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, First Department of Internal Medicine, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Asahimachi, Niigata, Japan. okuray@med.niigata-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okura
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taneda
authors.forename: Mahmoud M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ramadan
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mitsuma
authors.forename: Komei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kashimura
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ishizuka
authors.forename: Kiminori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Haruo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hanawa
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: Yoshifusa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aizawa
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006306:Health Surveys; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D015995:Prevalence; D015996:Survival Rate; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality