AIMS: Literature regarding anticoagulants in older people affected by atrial fibrillation (AF) is limited to retrospective studies, poorly considering the importance of multidimensional frailty. The main objective of this study is to evaluate in hospitalised older persons with AF the benefit/risk ratio of the anticoagulant treatments, considering the severity of frailty, determined by the multidimensional prognostic index (MPI). METHODS: In this European, multicentre, prospective study, older hospitalised patients (≥65 years) with non-valvular AF were followed-up for 12 months. Anticoagulants' use at discharge ascertained using medical records. MPI was calculated using tools derived from comprehensive geriatric assessment, classifying participants in robust, pre-frail or frail. Mortality (primary outcome); vascular events, including ischemic heart disease or ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke or gastrointestinal bleedings (secondary outcomes). RESULTS: 2,022 participants (mean age 82.9 years; females 56.6%) were included. Compared with people not taking anticoagulants (n = 823), people using vitamin K antagonists (n = 450) showed a decreased risk of mortality (hazard ratio, HR = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.59-0.93), more pronounced in patients using direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) (n = 749) (HR = 0.46; 95% CI: 0.37-0.57). Only people taking DOACs reported a significantly lower risk of vascular events (HR = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.31-0.97). The efficacy of DOACs was present independently from frailty status. The risk of gastrointestinal bleedings and hemorrhagic stroke did not differ based on the anticoagulant treatments and by MPI values. CONCLUSIONS: Anticoagulant treatment, particularly with DOACs, was associated with reduced mortality in older people, without increasing the risk of hemorrhagic events, overall suggesting the importance of treating with anticoagulants older people with AF.

• MeSH
• antikoagulancia * terapeutické užití   škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• fibrilace síní * farmakoterapie   mortalita   komplikace   diagnóza   MeSH
• geriatrické hodnocení * MeSH
• hodnocení rizik MeSH
• křehkost * mortalita   diagnóza   MeSH
• křehký senior * statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• prospektivní studie MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• multicentrická studie MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

BACKGROUND: Literature suggests that different risks of mortality could influence physicians in prescribing or not anticoagulants in older patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI) can be considered a tool for the detection of multidimensional frailty. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate whether prescription patterns of oral anticoagulants exist, based on MPI values. METHODS: Older hospitalised patients (age ≥ 65 years) with non-valvular AF were included across 24 European centres. MPI was calculated using validated and standardised tools derived from a comprehensive geriatric assessment. Other functional and clinical information were collected to calculate indexes specific for haemorrhagic and thromboembolic risk in AF. RESULTS: Altogether, 2,012 participants affected by AF (mean age was 83.2 ± 7.5, range: 65-104 years), with a higher presence of women (57.0%), were included. Overall, 440 took vitamin K antagonists VKAs (22.0%), 667 (33.4%) direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), whilst 44.6% did not take any anticoagulant treatment. Prescription of anticoagulants was associated with MPI values, with people taking anticoagulants having lower mean MPI values. Anticoagulant therapy was not used in 53.1% of the group with the highest risk of mortality, compared with 32.3% of those in the group with the lowest mortality risk. People with higher scores in MPI were less frequently treated with anticoagulant therapy, after adjusting for several potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: The EURopean study of Older Subjects with Atrial Fibrillation (EUROSAF) suggested that almost half of the older persons with AF do not receive anticoagulants and that MPI is an important determinant in prescribing or not anticoagulants. Trial Registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02973984KEY POINTSAtrial fibrillation is a common condition in older people. The data regarding the use of anticoagulants is mainly derived from randomised controlled trials that do not include a sufficient number of older frail people.Our study suggests that a consistent part of older people affected by atrial fibrillation was not treated with anticoagulants, in particular, older frail patients; however, it is unclear if this choice is supported or not by evidence.The prognostic evaluation through the multidimensional prognostic index could be useful information for the choice in the prescription of anticoagulants in older people affected by atrial fibrillation.

• MeSH
• antikoagulancia terapeutické užití   MeSH
• aplikace orální MeSH
• cévní mozková příhoda * etiologie   prevence a kontrola   MeSH
• fibrilace síní * komplikace   diagnóza   farmakoterapie   MeSH
• lékařské předpisy MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• prognóza MeSH
• prospektivní studie MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• multicentrická studie MeSH
• pozorovací studie MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH