Clinical characteristics and outcomes in extreme elderly (age ≥ 85 years) Japanese patients with atrial fibrillation

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasingly prevalent with age, and increasing age is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke. Oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy use in the extreme elderly (aged ≥ 85 years) is challenging. Methods The Fushimi AF Registry is a community-based prospective study of Japanese patients with AF (79 participating medical institutions in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan). Patient enrollment started in March 2011, and follow-up data were available for 3,304 patients as of July 2014. We compared clinical characteristics and outcomes between the extreme elderly group (n = 479 [14.5%]) and other age-groups. Results The extreme elderly group had a higher prevalence of major comorbidities and risk scores for stroke but received fewer OACs. After a mean follow-up of 2.0 years, end points in the extreme elderly group were as follows: all-cause death, 17.6; stroke/systemic embolism, 5.1; and major bleeding, 2.0 per 100 person-years. Extreme age was associated with a higher incidence of combined stroke/systemic embolism and all-cause death (hazard ratio [HR], 3.20; 95% CI, 2.66-3.84; P < .01) and higher incidences of stroke/systemic embolism (HR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.77-3.65; P < .01) and mortality (HR, 3.48; 95% CI, 2.84-4.25; P < .01) compared with other patients (aged ≤ 84 years). The incidence of major bleeding was not significantly different (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 0.78-2.36; P = .25). Conclusions In the present community-based prospective cohort, Japanese extreme elderly patients with AF had a higher incidence of stroke but similar major bleeding risks compared with the younger AF population.