title: High rate of anticoagulation therapy in oldest old subjects with atrial fibrillation: the Octabaix study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) in community-dwelling subjects aged 85 and to determine the anticoagulation therapy rate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-based survey of inhabitants aged 85 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 328 people born in 1924 and assigned to 7 primary health care teams.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sociodemographic variables, Barthel Index, the Spanish version of the Mini-Mental State Examination, Mini Nutritional Assessment, Charlson Index, social risk, quality of life, and prevalent chronic diseases were assessed. Permanent AF was determined by patient interview, treatment prescriptions, and clinical records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample included 202 women (61.6%) and 126 men. In 41 (12.5%) participants permanent AF was diagnosed; 25 (60.9%) were on anticoagulant oral therapy and 9 (21.9%) were receiving antiplatelet therapy. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, previous diagnosis of heart failure (P < .001, OR 4.170, 95% CI 1.927-9.024) and stroke history (P < .03, OR 2.439, 95% CI 1.101-5.401) were significantly associated with the diagnosis of permanent AF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AF is quite prevalent in 85-year-old subjects. A large percentage of patients with AF were receiving chronic anticoagulant therapy. The percentage of patients who were not receiving prophylactic treatment was low.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, Internal Medicine Service, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. fformiga@bellvitgehospital.cat
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Formiga
authors.forename: Assumpta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mimbrera
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Badia
authors.forename: Coral
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pujol
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants