Citations

Objectives To study the association between multi-morbidity percentiles, which is a measure of clinical aging, and interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Methods Participants 50 to 95 years of age from the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging were assigned age- and sex-specific multi-morbidity percentiles using look-up tables that were reported previously (n = 1646). Percentiles were divided into quintiles for analysis. Plasma IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α levels were measured in 1595 participants. Median inflammatory marker levels were compared across multi-morbidity quintiles using nonparametric tests. Results People with higher multi-morbidity percentiles had significantly higher IL-6 and TNF-α levels compared with those with lower multi-morbidity percentiles. Tests for trend across five multi-morbidity quintiles were significant among women for IL-6 and among participants 70 years of age or older for IL-6 and TNF-α. IL-10 was not associated with multi-morbidity percentiles. Conclusions Multi-morbidity percentiles may be a useful clinical index of biological age for future studies, particularly in women and people 70 years of age and older.

Background Persons who accumulate chronic conditions at a rate faster than their peers may experience accelerated aging and poor health outcomes, including functional limitations. Methods Adults aged ≥40 years who resided in Olmsted County, Minnesota on 1 January 2006 were identified. The prevalence of 21 chronic conditions was ascertained, and age-specific quartiles of the number of chronic conditions was estimated within 4 age groups: 40–54, 55–64, 65–74, and ≥75 years. Difficulty with nine patient-reported functional limitations (including basic and instrumental activities of daily living and mobility activities) were ascertained through 31 October 2018. Cox regression was used to model associations of chronic condition quartiles with new-onset functional limitations considered separately. We estimated absolute risk differences and hazard ratios stratified by age group, and adjusted for sex, race, ethnicity, marital status, education, and the residual effect of age. Results Among 39,624 persons (44.5% men, 93.2% white), the most common reported new functional limitations were difficulty with climbing stairs, walking, and housekeeping. For all functional limitations, the absolute risk differences were largest among the oldest age group (≥75 years). Approximately twofold increased hazard ratios were observed among those in the highest vs. lowest quartile for the three oldest age groups, and approximately threefold or higher hazard ratios were observed for persons aged 40-54 years. Conclusion Persons with increased accumulation of chronic conditions experience increased risks of developing functional limitations compared to their peers. These findings underscore the importance of assessing health status and of employing interventions to prevent and effectively manage multi-morbidity at all ages.

Abstract Introduction End‐of‐life care differs by serious illness diagnosis. Cancer and dementia are serious illnesses that have been associated with less intensive end‐of‐life health care use. It is not known how health care utilization varies in the presence of >1 serious illness. Methods We used the Rochester Epidemiology Project to identify persons living in a midwestern area who died on July 1, 2017–June 30, 2018 at age ≥65 years, and were seriously ill. We examined the number of emergency department (ED), hospital, and intensive care unit (ICU) stays in the last 6 months and the last 30 days of life. We used Poisson regression to determine the incidence rate ratio for ED, hospital, and ICU stay in the last 6 months and 30 days of life by number of serious illness diagnoses. For cancer and dementia, we examined the effect of an additional serious illness. Results We included a population of 1372 adults who were, on average, 84 years, 52% female, and 96% white. Approximately 41% had multiple serious illnesses. Compared to older adults with 1 serious illness diagnosis, rates of hospitalization, and ICU stay for adults with 2 or ≥3 serious illness diagnoses were at least 1.5 times higher in the last 6 months and the last 30 days of life. Rates of ED visits were significantly higher for older adults with 2 or ≥3 serious illness diagnoses in the last 6 months of life, but only higher for those with ≥3 versus 1 serious illness diagnosis in the last 30 days of life. For both cancer and dementia, rates of ED visits, hospitalization and ICU stay were lower for the condition alone than when an additional serious illness diagnosis was present. Conclusion Having multiple serious illnesses increases the risk of health care utilization at the end of life.

AbstractBackgroundThough infrequent, incomplete left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) may result from residual leaks. Percutaneous closure has been described though data is limited.MethodsWe compiled a registry from four centers of patients undergoing percutaneous closure of residual leaks following LAAC via surgical means or with the Watchman device. Leak severity was classified as none (no leak), mild (1–2 mm), moderate (3–4 mm), or severe (≥5 mm). Procedural and clinical success was defined as the elimination of leak or mild residual leak at the conclusion of the procedure or follow‐up, respectively.ResultsOf 72 (age 72.2 ± 9.2 years; 67% male) patients, 53 had undergone prior LAAC using the Watchman device and 19 patients surgical LAAC. Mean CHADS2‐VA2Sc score was 4.0 ± 1.8. The median leak size was 5 mm, range: 2–13). A total of 13 received Amplatzer Vascular Plug‐II, 18 received Amplatzer Duct Occluder‐II and 40 patients received coils. One underwent closure using a 21 mm‐Watchman. Procedural success was 94%. Zero surgical and nine Watchman patients (13%) had a residual leak at procedural‐end (five mild, three moderate, and one severe)—only one patient had no reduction in leak size. Overall leak size reduction was 94%. Two (3%) had intraoperative pericardial effusion. There were no device embolizations, device‐related thrombi, or procedural deaths. Clinical success was maintained at 94%. Two had cerebrovascular accidents—at 2 days (transient ischemic attack) and 10 months postprocedure. Two had major bleeding outside the 30‐day periprocedural window.ConclusionPercutaneous closure of residual leaks following left atrial appendage closure is feasible and associated with good outcomes. The procedural risk appears to be satisfactory.

Linked article: This is a mini commentary on Panayotes Demakakos et al., pp. 1482–1490 in this issue. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/1471‐0528.17088

Background: In 2007, the American Heart Association (AHA) infective endocarditis (IE) prevention guidelines recommended that antibiotic prophylaxis before invasive dental procedures for the “moderate risk” (MR) group, which represented the bulk of patients who were to receive prophylaxis before 2007, be eliminated. This decision was met with much concern among some healthcare providers and that concern persists today. We therefore evaluated dental office records in Olmsted County (OC), Minnesota to determine whether patients included in the MR group continue to receive antibiotic prophylaxis despite the 2007 AHA recommendations. Methods: Eligible patients include all adult (≥18 years) residents of OC, classified as having MR cardiac condition for IE (i.e. mitral valve prolapse [MVP], bicuspid aortic valve [BAV], hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy [HOCM], acquired valvular dysfunction [AVD]), with at least one dental visit between January 1, 2005 and June 1, 2015. Eight dental offices located within OC were sampled to identify both dental procedures and whether antibiotic prophylaxis was administered according to AHA guidelines. Results: We identified 334 MR patients. Approximately 62% of MR patients received antibiotic prophylaxis prior to the change in AHA guidelines in 2007. There was a decrease to 7% post-2007 AHA guidelines (P<.001). The magnitude of decline was greater among visits for dental cleanings (from 63% to 6%), as compared to other invasive procedures (57% to 11%; P=0.003) (Figure 1). AVD was the most common cardiac condition (85%), followed by MVP (8%), and BAV (4%). Conclusion: Following publication of the 2007 AHA IE prevention guidelines, there was a rapid, 9-fold decrease in antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with MR cardiac conditions who underwent invasive dental procedures in OC. These data are also critical as we attempt to evaluate the impact, if any, of this practice on the incidence of IE due to viridans group streptococci.

Abstract Context While adrenal adenomas have been linked with cardiovascular morbidity in convenience samples of patients from specialized referral centers, large-scale population-based data are lacking. Objective To determine the prevalence and incidence of cardiometabolic disease and assess mortality in a population-based cohort of patients with adrenal adenomas. Design Population-based cohort study. Setting Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA. Patients Patients diagnosed with adrenal adenomas without overt hormone excess and age- and sex-matched referent subjects without adrenal adenomas. Main outcome measure Prevalence, incidence of cardiometabolic outcomes, mortality. Results (Adrenal adenomas were diagnosed in 1004 patients (58% women, median age 63 years) from 1/01/1995 to 12/31/2017. At baseline, patients with adrenal adenomas were more likely to have hypertension [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.96, 95% CI 1.58-2.44], dysglycemia (aOR 1.63, 95% CI 1.33-2.00), peripheral vascular disease (aOR 1.59, 95% CI 1.32-2.06), heart failure (aOR 1.64, 95% CI 1.15-2.33), and myocardial infarction (aOR 1.50, 95% CI 1.02-2.22) compared to referent subjects. During median follow-up of 6.8 years, patients with adrenal adenomas were more likely than referent subjects to develop de novo chronic kidney disease [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.46, 95% CI 1.14-1.86], cardiac arrhythmia (aHR 1.31, 95% CI 1.08-1.58), peripheral vascular disease (aHR 1.28, 95% CI 1.05-1.55), cardiovascular events (aHR 1.33, 95% CI 1.01-1.73), and venous thromboembolic events (aHR 2.15, 95% CI 1.48-3.13). Adjusted mortality was similar between the 2 groups. Conclusion Adrenal adenomas are associated with an increased prevalence and incidence of adverse cardiometabolic outcomes in a population-based cohort.