Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF GERIATRICS AND GERONTOLOGY, cilt.8, sa.1, ss.31-37, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus, TRDizin)
Objective: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a frequent arrhythmia in older adults; geriatric syndromes, which are prevalent in this population, may influence AF outcomes. This study aimed to uncover the independent associations between AF and key geriatric syndromes in a real-world outpatient population. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study examined patients aged 65 years or older who underwent comprehensive geriatric assessment at a tertiary-care outpatient clinic between 2012 and 2024. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to examine the associations between AF and geriatric syndromes. Results: In 1251 patients the mean age was 75.7 +/- 6.8 years, and 68.5% were female. AF prevalence was 11.5% (n = 145). Patients with AF (those who had a current diagnosis of AF or in whom AF was newly detected during routine annual ECG screening) were older (mean age 77.9 +/- 7.4 years) and were predominantly female (73.1%). AF was significantly more prevalent in patients with frailty (p < 0.001), polypharmacy (defined as >= 5 drugs; p < 0.001), and constipation (p = 0.039). In multivariate analysis, advanced age [odds ratio (OR): 1.041, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.011-1.072; p = 0.007], frailty (OR: 2.029, 95% CI: 1.337-3.080; p < 0.001), and polypharmacy (OR: 2.961, 95% CI: 1.789-4.900; p < 0.001) were independently associated with AF. Conclusion: AF in older adults is not an isolated cardiac event but an indicator of broader geriatric vulnerability. Our findings indicate important associations between frailty, polypharmacy, and AF. These results underscore the critical need to shift from rhythm-focused care to a holistic, geriatric-centered approach in managing older adults with AF.