BACKGROUND The impact of age on outcomes in cardiogenic shock (CS) is poorly described in the pre-hospital setting. We assessed the impact of age on outcomes of patients treated by emergency medical services (EMS).
METHODS This population-based cohort study included consecutive adult patients with CS transported to hospital by EMS. Successfully linked patients were stratified into tertiles by age (18-63, 64-77, and > 77 years). Predictors of 30-day mortality were assessed through regression analyses. The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality.
RESULTS A total of 3523 patients with CS were successfully linked to state health records. The average age was 68 ± 16 years and 1398 (40%) were female. Older patients were more likely to have comorbidities including pre-existing coronary artery disease, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and cerebrovascular disease. The incidence of CS was significantly greater with increasing age (incidence rate per 100,000 person years 6.47 95% CI: 6.1-6.8 in age 18-63 years, 34.34 32.4-36.4 in age 64-77 years, 74.87 70.6-79.3 in age > 77 years, P < 0.001). There was a step-wise increase in the rate of 30-day mortality with increasing age tertile. After adjustment, compared to the lowest age tertile, patients aged > 77 years had increased risk of 30-day mortality (adjusted hazard ratio = 2.26 95% CI: 1.96-2.60). Older patients were less likely to receive inpatient coronary angiography.
CONCLUSION Older patients with EMS-treated CS have significantly higher rates of short-term mortality. The reduced rates of invasive interventions in older patients underscore the need for further development of systems of care to improve outcomes for this patient group.
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