title: Impact of anaemia on mortality and its causes in elderly patients with acute coronary syndromes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prognostic impact of anaemia in the elderly with acute coronary syndromes has not been specifically analysed, and little information exists about causes of mortality in this setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively included consecutive patients with acute coronary syndromes. Anaemia was defined as haemoglobin < 130 g/L in men, and < 120 g/L in women. Primary outcome was mid-term mortality and its causes. Analyses were performed by Cox regression method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 2128 patients, of whom 394 (18.6%) were aged 75 years or older. Anaemia was more common in the elderly (40.4% vs 19.5%, p <0.001). Mean follow-up was 386 days. Anaemia independently predicted overall mortality (HR 1.47, 95% CI 1.05-2.06), cardiac mortality (HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.06-2.94) and non-cardiac mortality (HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.03-2.45) in the overall cohort. In young patients the association between anaemia and mortality was significant only for non-cardiac causes. The association between anaemia and mortality was not significant in the elderly (HR 1.08, 95% CI 0.71-1.63, p 0.736).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The impact of anaemia on cause specific of mortality seem to be different according to age subgroup. The association between anaemia and mortality was not observed in elderly patients from our series.
authors.affiliation: Coronary Care Unit, Heart Diseases Institute, Bellvitge University Hospital, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: aariza@bellvitgehospital.cat.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ariza-Solé
authors.affiliation: Geriatrics Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Bellvitge University Hospital, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Formiga
authors.affiliation: Coronary Care Unit, Heart Diseases Institute, Bellvitge University Hospital, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salazar-Mendiguchía
authors.affiliation: Coronary Care Unit, Heart Diseases Institute, Bellvitge University Hospital, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garay
authors.affiliation: Coronary Care Unit, Heart Diseases Institute, Bellvitge University Hospital, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Victòria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lorente
authors.affiliation: Coronary Care Unit, Heart Diseases Institute, Bellvitge University Hospital, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: José C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Salado
authors.affiliation: Coronary Care Unit, Heart Diseases Institute, Bellvitge University Hospital, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Elvira
authors.affiliation: Interventional Cardiology Unit, Heart Diseases Institute, Bellvitge University Hospital, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gómez-Lara
authors.affiliation: Interventional Cardiology Unit, Heart Diseases Institute, Bellvitge University Hospital, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Joan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gómez-Hospital
authors.affiliation: Interventional Cardiology Unit, Heart Diseases Institute, Bellvitge University Hospital, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cequier
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000740:Anemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002423:Cause of Death; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013030:Spain; D016019:Survival Analysis; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers
keywords: Acute Coronary Syndrome; Anaemia; Frail elderly; Mortality; Prognosis