Original Articles
Vol. 8 No. 1 (2014)
https://doi.org/10.4081/itjm.2014.394

Clinical characteristics of very old patients hospitalized in internal medicine wards for heart failure: a sub-analysis of the FADOI-CONFINE Study Group

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Received: 30 May 2013
Published: 17 March 2014
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very old patients, Internal Medicine, heart failure, therapy.
Internal Medicine

Authors

Paolo Biagi
chipama@libero.it
Internal Medicine, Hospital of Montepulciano (SI), Italy.
Roberto Nardi
Internal Medicine C, Maggiore Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
Concetta Isabella Baldo
Research Department FADOI Foundation, Milano, Italy.
Giovanni Scanelli
Internal Medicine, Arcispedale Sant'Anna, Ferrara, Italy.
Domenico Panuccio
Internal Medicine B, Maggiore Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
Andrea Bonanome
Internal Medicine, S. Giovanni and S. Paolo Hospital, Venezia, Italy.
Fabio Miserocchi
Internal Medicine, Hospital of Valdagno (VI), Italy.
Luigi Lusiani
Internal Medicine, Hospital of Castelfranco Veneto (TV), Italy.
Erminio Bonizzoni
Institute of Medical Statistics and Biometry, University of Milano, Italy.
Mauro Campanini
Internal Medicine, AOU Maggiore della Carità, Novara, Italy.
Carlo Nozzoli
Department of Internal Medicine, AOU Careggi, Firenze, Italy.
Giorgio Vescovo
Internal Medicine, Hospital San Bortolo, Vicenza, Italy.
on behalf of the FADOI-CONFINE Study Group
, Italy.
The incidence and prevalence of chronic heart failure are increasing worldwide, as is the number of very old patients (>85 years) affected by this disease. The aim of this sub-analysis of the multicenter, observational CONFINE study was to detect clinical and therapeutic peculiarities in patients with chronic heart failure aged >85 years. We recruited patients admitted with a diagnosis of chronic heart failure and present in the hospital in five index days, in 91 Units of Internal Medicine. The patients' clinical characteristics, functional and cognitive status, and the management of the heart failure were analyzed. A total of 1444 subjects were evaluated, of whom 329 (23.1%) were over 85 years old. Signs and symptoms of chronic heart failure were more common in very old patients, as were severe renal insufficiency, anemia, disability and cognitive impairment. The present survey found important age-related differences (concomitant diseases, cognitive status) among patients with chronic heart failure, as well as different therapeutic strategies and clinical outcome for patients over 85 years old. Since these patients are usually excluded from clinical trials and their management remains empirical, specific studies focused on the treatment of very old patients with chronic heart failure are needed.

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Supporting Agencies

Financial Support,
the study was partially supported by an unrestricted grant from Bayer Italy without involvement in study design,
management,
analysis and reporting

How to Cite



Clinical characteristics of very old patients hospitalized in internal medicine wards for heart failure: a sub-analysis of the FADOI-CONFINE Study Group. (2014). Italian Journal of Medicine, 8(1), 19-28. https://doi.org/10.4081/itjm.2014.394

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