Time to benefit for stroke reduction after blood pressure treatment in older adults: A meta-analysis

Unleashing frailty from laboratory into real world: A critical step toward frailty-guided clinical care of older adults

Understanding patients' degree of frailty is crucial for tailoring clinical care for older adults based on their physiologic reserve and health needs ("frailty-guided clinical care"). Two prerequisites for frailty-guided clinical care are: (1) access to frailty information at the point of care and (2) evidence to inform decisions based on frailty information. Recent advancements include web-based frailty assessment tools and their electronic health records integration for time-efficient, standardized assessments in clinical practice. Additionally, database frailty scores from administrative claims and electronic health records data enable scalable assessments and evaluation of the effectiveness and safety of medical interventions across different frailty levels using real-world data. Given limited evidence from clinical trials, real-world database studies can complement trial results and help treatment decisions for individuals with frailty. This article, based on the Thomas and Catherine Yoshikawa Award lecture I gave at the American Geriatrics Society Annual Meeting in Long Beach, California, on May 5, 2023, outlines our group's contributions: (1) developing and integrating a frailty index calculator (Senior Health Calculator) into the electronic health records at an academic medical center; (2) developing a claims-based frailty index for Medicare claims; (3) applying this index to evaluate the effect of medical interventions for patients with and without frailty; and (4) efforts to disseminate frailty assessment tools through the launch of the eFrailty website and the forthcoming addition of the claims-based frailty index to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse. This article concludes with future directions for frailty-guided clinical care.

Age, sex, and multi-morbidity stratified mortality risk estimates for adults with cerebral palsy to inform clinical decision making

BACKGROUND

While research has provided key insights into mortality rates and risks for individuals with cerebral palsy (CP), clinically useable mortality risk estimates remain unreported for adults with CP, especially by key patient-level factors.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to generate clinically useable mortality risk estimates among adults with CP to inform clinical decision making.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study, using a fee-for-service Medicare database, identified adults ≥18-years-old with CP from 01/01/2008-12/31/2010 and followed through 12/31/2019 for death. Mortality risk at 1-, 3-, 5-, and 9-year intervals were selected based on common clinical length of time to reasonably benefit from preventive care. Sex-stratified analyses assessed risk estimates by narrow age group (18-25/26-34/35-44/45-54/55-64/65-74/≥75 years old) and multi-morbidity group (Whitney Comorbidity Index score 0-2/3/4-6/≥7).

RESULTS

Of 24,767 adults with CP, n = 12,962 were men (mean [SD] age = 48.3 [15.0] years) and n = 11,805 were women (age = 49.7 [15.8] years). Loss to follow-up was rare. 1-year risk was similar between men and women (3.4 % vs. 3.3 %), but increased slightly more for men than women through 9-years (30.1 % vs. 28.0 %). As expected, the mortality risk increased with older age and higher WCI scores. The probability of death (and survival) is presented per age and multi-morbidity group for men and women with CP.

CONCLUSIONS

Mortality risk estimates were reported at clinically relevant intervals by age, sex, and multi-morbidity status. This information can be used to weigh harm-to-benefit ratios of screening and treatment strategies based on mortality expectancy estimates.

Time to Benefit of Surgery vs Targeted Medical Therapy for Patients With Primary Aldosteronism: A Meta-analysis

CONTEXT

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is one of the most common causes of secondary hypertension, but the comparative outcomes of targeted treatment remain unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the clinical outcomes in patients treated for primary aldosteronism over time.

METHODS

Medline and EMBASE were searched. Original studies reporting the incidence of mortality, major adverse cardiovascular outcomes (MACE), progression to chronic kidney disease, or diabetes following adrenalectomy vs medical therapy were selected. Two reviewers independently abstracted data and assessed study quality. Standard meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects models to estimate relative differences. Time to benefit meta-analyses were conducted by fitting Weibull survival curves to estimate absolute risk differences and pooled using random-effects models.

RESULTS

15 541 patients (16 studies) with PA were included. Surgery was consistently associated with an overall lower risk of death (hazard ratio [HR] 0.34, 95% CI 0.22-0.54) and MACE (HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.36-0.84) compared with medical therapy. Surgery was associated with a significantly lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure (HR 0.48 95% CI 0.34-0.70) and progression to chronic kidney disease (HR 0.62 95% CI 0.39-0.98), and nonsignificant reductions in myocardial infarction and stroke. In absolute terms, 200 patients would need to be treated with surgery instead of medical therapy to prevent 1 death after 12.3 (95% CI 3.1-48.7) months.

CONCLUSION

Surgery is associated with lower all-cause mortality and MACE than medical therapy for PA. For most patients, the long-term surgical benefits outweigh the short-term perioperative risks.

Clinical practice guidelines for diagnostic and treatment of the chronic heart failure

Chronic heart failure continues to be one of the main causes of impairment in the functioning and quality of life of people who suffer from it, as well as one of the main causes of mortality in our country and around the world. Mexico has a high prevalence of risk factors for developing heart failure, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity, which makes it essential to have an evidence-based document that provides recommendations to health professionals involved in the diagnosis and treatment of these patients. This document establishes the clinical practice guide (CPG) prepared at the initiative of the Mexican Society of Cardiology (SMC) in collaboration with the Iberic American Agency for the Development and Evaluation of Health Technologies, with the purpose of establishing recommendations based on the best available evidence and agreed upon by an interdisciplinary group of experts. This document complies with international quality standards, such as those described by the US Institute of Medicine (IOM), the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE), the Intercollegiate Network for Scottish Guideline Development (SIGN) and the Guidelines International Network (G-I-N). The Guideline Development Group was integrated in a multi-collaborative and interdisciplinary manner with the support of methodologists with experience in systematic literature reviews and the development of CPG. A modified Delphi panel methodology was developed and conducted to achieve an adequate level of consensus in each of the recommendations contained in this CPG. We hope that this document contributes to better clinical decision making and becomes a reference point for clinicians who manage patients with chronic heart failure in all their clinical stages and in this way, we improve the quality of clinical care, improve their quality of life and reducing its complications.

Evidence for Age Bias Contributing to Therapeutic Inertia in Blood Pressure Management: A Secondary Analysis of SPRINT

BACKGROUND

Despite evidence supporting the cardiovascular and cognitive benefits of intensive blood pressure management, older adults have the lowest rates of blood pressure control. We determined the association between age and therapeutic inertia (TI) in SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial), and whether frailty, cognitive function, or gait speed moderate or mediate these associations.

METHODS

We performed a secondary analysis of SPRINT of participant visits with blood pressure above randomized treatment goal. We categorized baseline age as <60, 60 to <70, 70 to <80, and ≥80 years and TI as no antihypertensive medication intensification per participant visit. Generalized estimating equations generated odds ratios for TI associated with age, stratified by treatment group based on nested models adjusted for baseline frailty index score (fit [frailty index, ≤0.10], less fit [0.10

RESULTS

Participants 60 to <70, 70 to <80, and ≥80 years of age had a higher prevalence of TI in both treatment groups versus participants <60 years of age (standard: 59.7%, 60.5%, and 60.1% versus 56.0%; 29 527 participant visits; intensive: 55.1%, 57.2%, and 57.8% versus 53.8%; 47 129 participant visits). The adjusted odds ratios for TI comparing participants ≥80 versus <60 years of age were 1.32 (95% CI, 1.14-1.53) and 1.25 (95% CI, 1.11-1.41) in the standard and intensive treatment groups, respectively. Adjustment for frailty, cognitive function, or gait speed did not attenuate the association or demonstrate effect modification (all Pinteraction, >0.10).

CONCLUSIONS

Older age is associated with greater TI independent of physical or cognitive function, implying age bias in hypertension management.

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Key Words

• frailty
• functional status
• goals
• hypertension
• odds ratio

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MESH Headings

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Antihypertensive Agents/therapeutic use
• Antihypertensive Agents/pharmacology
• Blood Pressure/physiology
• Frailty/diagnosis
• Frailty/epidemiology
• Hypertension/diagnosis
• Hypertension/drug therapy
• Hypertension/epidemiology
• Risk Factors

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Grants

• K01 HL133468 NHLBI NIH HHS
• K24 AG080168 NIA NIH HHS
• K01 MD014158 NIMHD NIH HHS
• R01 AG065805 NIA NIH HHS
• R01 AG055606 NIA NIH HHS
• R38 HL143605 NHLBI NIH HHS
• R01 HL139837 NHLBI NIH HHS

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Affiliation(s)

Alexander R Zheutlin Department of Internal Medicine (A.R.Z.), Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City
Daniel K Addo Intermountain Healthcare Department of Population Health Sciences (D.K.A., J.A.J., C.G.D., J.S.H., T.G., A.P.B.), Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City
Joshua A Jacobs Intermountain Healthcare Department of Population Health Sciences (D.K.A., J.A.J., C.G.D., J.S.H., T.G., A.P.B.), Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City
Catherine G Derington Intermountain Healthcare Department of Population Health Sciences (D.K.A., J.A.J., C.G.D., J.S.H., T.G., A.P.B.), Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City
Jennifer S Herrick Intermountain Healthcare Department of Population Health Sciences (D.K.A., J.A.J., C.G.D., J.S.H., T.G., A.P.B.), Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences Center, Veterans Affairs, Salt Lake City Health Care System, Utah (J.S.H., A.P.B.)
Tom Greene Intermountain Healthcare Department of Population Health Sciences (D.K.A., J.A.J., C.G.D., J.S.H., T.G., A.P.B.), Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City
Eric L Stulberg Department of Neurology (E.L.S.), Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City
Dan R Berlowitz Department of Public Health, University of Massachusetts-Lowell (D.R.B.)
Jeff D Williamson Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine (J.D.W.), Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
Nicholas M Pajewski Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Division of Public Health Sciences (N.M.P.), Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
Mark A Supiano Geriatrics Division, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah Center on Aging, Salt Lake City (M.A.S.)
Adam P Bress Intermountain Healthcare Department of Population Health Sciences (D.K.A., J.A.J., C.G.D., J.S.H., T.G., A.P.B.), Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences Center, Veterans Affairs, Salt Lake City Health Care System, Utah (J.S.H., A.P.B.)

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Monitoring risk and preventing ischemic stroke in the very old

INTRODUCTION

Stroke is a significant cause of death, and the leading cause of severe long-term disability for individuals over 80 (the very old), yet few studies of such risk factors for ischemic stroke, or the known mitigation techniques, in this population, and the evidence base regarding risk modification strategies in this susceptible population can be inconsistent and incomplete. This article examines current guidelines and evidence regarding medical management, lifestyle changes, and psychosocial interactions that can contribute to the primary and secondary prevention of ischemic stroke in the very old.

AREAS COVERED

The authors conducted a literature search for ischemic stroke prevention and risk assessment in the elderly via PubMed. Furthermore, they describe current strategies for monitoring risk and preventing ischemic stroke in the elderly population.

EXPERT OPINION

Ischemic stroke poses a significant health risk to the elderly, with prevention relying on managing modifiable risk factors such as hypertension, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, and high cholesterol, as well as promoting healthy lifestyle choices like quitting smoking, regular physical activity and a heart-healthy diet. Healthcare providers must adopt a multifaceted approach, addressing individual and population-level factors while remaining vigilant in monitoring and managing risk factors to reduce the incidence and impact of stroke in older adults.

We have the technology: Why aren't better blood pressure data available from nursing home residents?

This editorial comments on the article by Liu et al. in this issue.