title: Comparison of the clinical features and outcomes in two age-groups of elderly patients with atrial fibrillation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atrial fibrillation (AF) disproportionately affects older adults. However, direct comparison of clinical features, medical therapy, and outcomes in AF patients aged 65-74 and ≥ 75 years is rare. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the differences in clinical characteristics and prognosis in these two age-groups of geriatric patients with AF.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1,336 individuals aged ≥ 65 years from a Chinese AF registry were assessed in the present study: 570 were in the 65- to 74-year group, and 766 were in the ≥ 75-year group. Multivariable Cox hazards regression was performed to analyze the major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our population, the older group were more likely to have coronary artery disease, hypertension, previous stroke, cognitive disorder, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and the 65- to 74-year group were more likely to have valvular heart disease, left ventricular systolic dysfunction, or sleep apnea. The older patients had 1.2-fold higher mean CHADS2 (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥ 75 years, diabetes, stroke) scores, but less probability of being prescribed drugs. Compared with those aged 65-74 years, the older group had a higher risk of death (hazard ratio 2.881, 95% confidence interval 1.981-4.189; P<0.001) or MACE (hazard ratio 2.202, 95% confidence interval 1.646-2.945; P<0.001) at the 1-year follow-up. In multivariable Cox analyses, secondary AF diagnosis, a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and left ventricular systolic dysfunction were independent predictors of MACE in the older group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients aged ≥ 75 years had a worse prognosis than those aged 65-74 years, and were associated with a higher risk of both death and MACE.
authors.affiliation: Emergency and Intensive Care Center, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xing-Hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Emergency and Intensive Care Center, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yan-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Emergency and Intensive Care Center, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Emergency and Intensive Care Center, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Emergency and Intensive Care Center, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Emergency and Intensive Care Center, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Emergency and Intensive Care Center, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li-Tian
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Emergency and Intensive Care Center, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li-Sheng
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, Fu Xing Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Pingdu People's Hospital, Pingdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Peng-Fei
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, Sixth People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Dan
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Gu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: atrial fibrillation; geriatric patients; major adverse cardiac events (MACE); mortality