Chronic nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation was independently associated with significantly lower MMSE scores and cognitive impairment in older patients compared to normal sinus rhythm.
Observational (n=255)
No
Is chronic nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation associated with cognitive impairment in older, nondemented patients?
Chronic nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation is independently associated with worse cognitive function in older, nondemented hospitalized patients.
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.
Sabatini et al. (Sat,) conducted a observational in Chronic nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation and cognitive impairment (n=255). Chronic nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation vs. Normal sinus rhythm was evaluated on Cognitive impairment (MMSE score). Chronic nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation was independently associated with significantly lower MMSE scores and cognitive impairment in older patients compared to normal sinus rhythm.