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. 2000 Apr;48(4):387-90.
doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2000.tb04695.x.

Atrial fibrillation and cognitive disorders in older people

T Sabatini  1 , G B Frisoni, P Barbisoni, G Bellelli, R Rozzini, M Trabucchi
Affiliations

Atrial fibrillation and cognitive disorders in older people

T Sabatini et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2000 Apr.

Abstract

Objectives: To find a correlation between chronic nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation (CNRAF) and cognitive impairment in a group of older, nondemented patients.

Setting: Acute Care Unit for the Elderly, Poliambulanza Hospital, Brescia (Italy).

Methods: Two hundred fifty-five hospital in-patients older than 70 years (42 with CNRAF and 213 controls with normal sinus rhythm) were assessed by complete clinical history, physical examination, ECG, serum albumin levels, APACHE II score, mental status (Mini-Mental State Exam [MMSE] and Geriatric Depression Score [GDS]), functional status (Barthel Index and instrumental activities of daily living [IADL]), number of prescribed drugs, and comorbidity (Charlson Index).

Results: The group of patients with CNRAF had MMSE scores significantly lower than that of the reference group with normal sinus rhythm. Chronic nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation retained an independent relation to cognitive impairment also after adjusting for those variables associated with mental decline in univariate models (GDS, IADL, and APACHE II scores).

Conclusions: The results of this study support the relationship between nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation and impaired cognitive function. Independent of etiopathogenetic mechanisms (thromboembolic or hemodynamic hypotheses), prevention of cognitive impairment in older persons should take into account the treatment of atrial fibrillation and its consequences.

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Comment in

  • Editor's note.
    Applegate W, Graney M. Applegate W, et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2000 Nov;48(11):1539. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2000. PMID: 11083346 No abstract available.
  • Regarding atrial fibrillation and cognitive function in older people.
    Cheng TO. Cheng TO. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2001 Jan;49(1):98. doi: 10.1046/j.1532-5415.2001.49017-6.x. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2001. PMID: 11207855 No abstract available.
  • In re atrial fibrillation and cognitive impairment.
    Belmin J, Medjahed S, Sibony-Prat J, Salashour M. Belmin J, et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2001 Jan;49(1):98-9. doi: 10.1046/j.1532-5415.2001.49017-8.x. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2001. PMID: 11207857 No abstract available.
  • In re atrial fibrillation.
    Park HL, Gray CS, O'Connell JE, Thomson RG. Park HL, et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2001 Jan;49(1):99-100. doi: 10.1046/j.1532-5415.2001.49017-10.x. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2001. PMID: 11207858 No abstract available.

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