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P OSTER
A BSTRACTS
B47
The Impact of Cognitive Impairment on Mortality in Older Adults
with Heart Failure.
T. Gure, 1 C. Blaum, 1,3 J. Ha, 1 S. Hummel, 4 L. Min, 1,3 C. Cigolle, 6,3
A. Galecki, 1 K. Langa. 2,5 1. Geriatric & Palliative Medicine, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; 2. General Internal Medicine, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; 3. GRECC, VA Healthcare System, Ann
Arbor, MI; 4. Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor, MI; 5. VA Center for Practice Management & Outcomes
Research, VA Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI; 6. Family Medicine,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
Supported By: The National Institute on Aging (NIA) provides
funding for the Health and Retirement Study (U01 AG09740)
which is performed at the Institute for Social Research, University
of Michigan; NIA grants R01 AG027010 and R01 AG030155
(Langa); Ann Arbor VA Geriatric Research, Clinical and Education
Center (Blaum, Cigolle, and Min); NHLBI grant K23 HL109176
(Hummel); AHRQ grants R21 HS017621 and R21 HS 019459
(Min); NIA grant K08 AG031837 (Cigolle); NIA Diversity
Supplement award R01 AG027010-02S1 (Gure); John A. Hartford
Foundation Center of Excellence (Cigolle, Gure, and Min); the NIA
Claude D. Pepper Center Research Career Development Core
(Cigolle, Gure, and Min); National Center for Research Resources
UL1 RR024986 (Gure).
Background: Cognitive impairment (CI) is highly prevalent in
older adults with heart failure (HF), yet our understanding of the impact
of CI on mortality in this population is limited. We aimed to estimate
the risk of death over 4 yrs of follow-up in older adults with
HF, stratified by cognitive function. Methods: We used the 2004 wave
of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) linked to Medicare
claims. A HF case-finding algorithm identified HRS respondents
with highest likelihood of a HF diagnosis (“HF patients”). CI was assessed
using previously published HRS population-based screening
measures. Death was identified using the HRS data verified by National
Death Index. We tested the relationship between cognitive
function and mortality in HF patients using unweighted Kaplan-
Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazard models. Results:
Of 707 HF patients identified, 286 (42%) died over the 4 yr-period.
Survival of older HF patients was significantly influenced by their
cognitive status (p