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Risk factors for hospitalized gastrointestinal bleeding among older persons. Cardiovascular Health Study Investigators.

TitleRisk factors for hospitalized gastrointestinal bleeding among older persons. Cardiovascular Health Study Investigators.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2001
AuthorsKaplan, RC, Heckbert, SR, Koepsell, TD, Furberg, CD, Polak, JF, Schoen, RE, Psaty, BM
JournalJ Am Geriatr Soc
Volume49
Issue2
Pagination126-33
Date Published2001 Feb
ISSN0002-8614
KeywordsActivities of Daily Living, Age Distribution, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal, Anticoagulants, Aspirin, Cardiovascular Diseases, Female, Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage, Hospitalization, Humans, Incidence, Male, Multivariate Analysis, Predictive Value of Tests, Proportional Hazards Models, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, Smoking, United States
Abstract<p><b>OBJECTIVES: </b>We sought to estimate the incidence of hospitalization for upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding among older persons and to identify independent risk factors.</p><p><b>DESIGN: </b>Prospective cohort study.</p><p><b>SETTING: </b>The Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS).</p><p><b>PARTICIPANTS: </b>5,888 noninstitutionalized men and women age 65 years or older in four U.S. communities enrolled in the CHS.</p><p><b>MEASUREMENTS: </b>Gastrointestinal bleeding events during the period 1989 through 1998 were identified using hospital discharge diagnosis codes and confirmed by medical records review. Risk-factor information was collected in a standardized fashion at study baseline and annually during follow-up.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>Among CHS participants (mean baseline age 73.3 years, 42% male), the incidence of hospitalized gastrointestinal bleeding was 6.8/1,000 person-years. In multivariate analyses, advanced age, male sex, unmarried status, cardiovascular disease, difficulty with daily activities, use of multiple medications, and use of oral anticoagulants were independent risk factors. Compared with nonsmokers, subjects who smoked more than half a pack per day had a multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 2.14 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.22-3.75) for upper gastrointestinal bleeding and a multivariate-adjusted HR of 0.21 (95% CI = 0.03-1.54) for lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Aspirin users did not have an elevated risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (HR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.52-1.11), and users of other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs had a HR of 1.54 (95 % CI = 0.99-2.36). Low ankle-arm systolic blood pressure index was associated with higher risk of gastrointestinal bleeding among subjects with clinical cardiovascular disease but not among those without clinical cardiovascular disease.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION: </b>This study identifies risk factors for gastrointestinal bleeding, such as disability, that may be amenable to modification. The findings will help clinicians to identify older persons who are at high risk for gastrointestinal bleeding.</p>
DOI10.1046/j.1532-5415.2001.49032.x
Alternate JournalJ Am Geriatr Soc
PubMed ID11207865
Grant ListAG09556 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85079 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85080 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States