Echocardiography and Electrocardiography in Detecting Atrial Cardiomyopathy: A Promising Path to Predicting Cardioembolic Strokes and Atrial Fibrillation.

(1) Background: Atrial cardiomyopathy constitutes an intrinsically prothrombotic atrial substrate that may promote atrial fibrillation and thromboembolic events, especially stroke, independently of the arrhythmia. Atrial reservoir strain is the echocardiography marker with the most robust evidence supporting its prognostic utility. The main aim of this study is to identify atrial cardiomyopathy by investigating the association between left atrial dysfunction in echocardiography and P-wave abnormalities in the surface electrocardiogram. (2) Methods: This is a community-based, multicenter, prospective cohort study. A randomized sample of 100 patients at a high risk of developing atrial fibrillation were evaluated using diverse echocardiography imaging techniques, and a standard electrocardiogram. (3) Results: Significant left atrial dysfunction, expressed by a left atrial reservoir strain < 26%, showed a relationship with the dilation of the left atrium (p < 0.001), the left atrial ejection fraction < 50% (p < 0.001), the presence of advanced interatrial block (p = 0.032), P-wave voltage in lead I < 0.1 mV (p = 0.008), and MVP ECG score (p = 0.036). (4) Conclusions: A significant relationship was observed between left atrial dysfunction and the presence of left atrial enlargement and other electrocardiography markers; all of them are non-invasive biomarkers of atrial cardiomyopathy.

Repeated serum creatinine measurement in primary care: Not all patients have chronic renal failure.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of kidney failure in patients from a primary care centre in a basic healthcare district with laboratory availability allowing serum creatinine measurements. DESIGN: An observational descriptive cross-sectional study. DATA SOURCES: A basic healthcare district serving 23,807 people aged ≥ 18 years. RESULTS: Prevalence of kidney failure among 17,240 patients having at least one laboratory measurement available was 8.5% (mean age 77.6 ± 12.05 years). In 33.2% of such patients an occult kidney failure was found (98.8% were women). Prevalence of chronic kidney failure among 10,011 patients having at least 2 laboratory measurements available (≥ 3 months apart) was 5.5% with mean age being 80.1 ± 10.0 years (most severely affected patients were those aged 75 to 84); 59.7% were men and 76.3% of cases were in stage 3. An occult kidney failure was found in 5.3% of patients with women being 86.2% of them (a glomerular filtration rate<60 ml/min was estimated for plasma creatinine levels of 0.9 mg/dl or higher). CONCLUSIONS: Comparison of present findings to those previously reported demonstrates the need for further studies on the prevalence of overall (chronic and acute) kidney failure in Spain in order to estimate the real scope of the disease. Primary care physicians play a critical role in disease detection, therapy, control and recording (in medical records). MDRD equation is useful and practical to estimate glomerular filtration rate.

Repetición de la medición de creatinina sérica en atención primaria: no todos tienen insuficiencia renal crónica / Repeated serum creatinine measurement in primary care: Not all patients have chronic renal failure

Objetivo: Evaluar la prevalencia de la insuficiencia renal en los pacientes de un centro médico de un área básica de salud que disponen de determinaciones analíticas de creatinina sérica. Diseño: Estudio descriptivo observacional transversal. Fuentes de datos: Área básica de salud con 23.807 usuarios de ≥18 años de edad. Resultados: La prevalencia de la insuficiencia renal entre los 17.240 pacientes que disponían de, al menos, una analítica fue del 8,5%, con una media de edad de 77,6±12,05 años. Un 33,2% de los afectados presentaba una insuficiencia renal oculta, siendo un 98,8% mujeres. La prevalencia de la insuficiencia renal crónica entre los 10.011 pacientes que disponían de al menos 2 analíticas separadas por ≥ de 3 meses fue del 5,5%, siendo su media de edad de 80,1±10,0 años (el grupo más afectado fue el de 75 a 84 años), un 59,7% hombres, y un 76,3% de los casos con estadio 3. Un 5,3% de los afectados presentaban una insuficiencia renal oculta, el 86,2% de estos eran mujeres (se calculaba un filtrado glomerular < 60ml/min ya con niveles de creatinina plasmática de 0,9mg/dl). Conclusiones: La comparación de los resultados actuales con los previos reportados pone de manifiesto la necesidad de realizar nuevos estudios de prevalencia de la insuficiencia renal global, crónica y oculta en España para poder valorar el alcance real de la enfermedad. El médico de atención primaria juega un papel fundamental en la detección, tratamiento, control y registro de la enfermedad (en la historia clínica). La fórmula MDRD resulta útil y práctica para estimar el filtrado glomerular (AU)

Objective: To assess the prevalence of kidney failure in patients from a primary care centre in a basic healthcare district with laboratory availability allowing serum creatinine measurements. Design: An observational descriptive cross-sectional study. Data sources: A basic healthcare district serving 23,807 people aged ≥ 18 years. Results: Prevalence of kidney failure among 17,240 patients having at least one laboratory measurement available was 8.5% (mean age 77.6±12.05 years). In 33.2% of such patients an occult kidney failure was found (98.8% were women). Prevalence of chronic kidney failure among 10,011 patients having at least 2 laboratory measurements available (≥ 3 months apart) was 5.5% with mean age being 80.1±10.0 years (most severely affected patients were those aged 75 to 84); 59.7% were men and 76.3% of cases were in stage 3. An occult kidney failure was found in 5.3% of patients with women being 86.2% of them (a glomerular filtration rate<60ml/min was estimated for plasma creatinine levels of 0.9mg/dl or higher). Conclusions: Comparison of present findings to those previously reported demonstrates the need for further studies on the prevalence of overall (chronic and acute) kidney failure in Spain in order to estimate the real scope of the disease. Primary care physicians play a critical role in disease detection, therapy, control and recording (in medical records). MDRD equation is useful and practical to estimate glomerular filtration rate (AU)