Differences between women and men with intermittent claudication: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Intermittent claudication (IC) and its consequences have customarily been underestimated in women. Our study aimed to determine the differences on functional and quality-of-life issues between women and men in a large group of claudicants. METHODS: This study was an observational, cross-sectional, nonrandomized, multicenter study of 1,641 claudicants (406 women). Information was collected from patients' medical history, a physical examination, the ankle-brachial index (ABI), the Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ), and the European Quality of Life Questionnaire (EQ-5D). RESULTS: On average, women with IC were older than men with IC (70.0 vs. 67.8 years; p<0.001) and tended to have a different socio-occupational status. Women were more likely to be obese and less likely to smoke or have dyslipidemia (p<0.001). Women were notable for their greater prevalence of cardiac insufficiency (p=0.016) and arrhythmias (p<0.001) and a lower prevalence of ischemic cardiopathy and acute myocardial infarction (p<0.001). At the same time, there was a significantly higher level of osteoarticular diseases in women: arthrosis (p<0.001), arthritis (p<0.001), and lumbar pathology (p=0.006). All the symptoms evaluated that were associated with IC were more frequent in women (p<0.05). The mean ABI was similar in claudicant women and men. Conversely, the parameter estimates of the WIQ were significantly lower in women (by 4.3%, and 6.5%, respectively; p=0.003). Likewise, the EQ-5D score was 7% lower in women than in men (from 0.52 to 0.59; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Women claudicants have higher risk factors and more frequent cardiovascular comorbidity than men do. Women have a lower capacity for exercise and a poorer quality of life than male claudicants, despite having a similar ABI. These poorer outcomes in women can be partially explained by the presence of greater osteoarticular comorbidity.

Diabetes mellitus and intermittent claudication: a cross-sectional study of 920 claudicants.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes mellitus (DM) and intermittent claudication (IC) are frequently associated health conditions. Our hypothesis is that the nature, severity and quality of life (QoL) of patients with IC and DM are worse than those of claudicant patients without diabetes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional and multicentre study of 920 patients with IC, divided into two groups: diabetic (n = 477) and non-diabetic (n = 443). For each group, we examined clinical and biological characteristics (including levels of glucose and lipids), the ankle-brachial index (ABI), responses to the Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) and the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire. RESULTS: Compared with claudicant patients without diabetes, claudicants with diabetes were older (p < 0.001), more likely to be female (p = 0.006), with a higher BMI (p < 0.001), more likely to have a sedentary lifestyle (p < 0.001) and to be a non-smoker (p < 0.001). Claudicant patients with diabetes also had significantly more cardiovascular risk factors (p < 0.001), more frequent ischaemic cardiopathy (p = 0.023) and chronic renal failure (p = 0.002), and fewer prior ictus events (p = 0.003). No significant differences between groups were found with respect to blood pressure, levels of cholesterol or triglycerides. The mean ABI of diabetic-IC patients was slightly lower than IC patients without diabetes (p = 0.016). All WIQ subdomains scores were significantly lower (p < 0.001), indicating poorer walking ability, in claudicant and diabetic patients with compared with those without diabetes. The mean E5-QD global scores and the mean EQ-5D visual analogue scale in the whole series were 0.58 (SD = 0.21) and 55.04 (SD = 21.30), respectively. Both E5-QD scores were significantly lower, indicating poorer QoL, in claudicant patients with diabetes than claudicant patients without diabetes (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients with IC and DM had more risk cardiovascular factors, cardiovascular conditions, disability and worse haemodynamic status and QoL than claudicant patients without diabetes.

Validation of the Walking Impairment Questionnaire for Spanish patients.

BACKGROUND: The Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) is a short, easy to complete, disease-specific questionnaire to assess intermittent claudication. A Spanish version of the WIQ for Hispanic Americans has recently been validated in Texas, but it needs to be validated for European Spanish people. PATIENTS AND METHODS: After translation and cultural adaptation of the WIQ, 920 patients with intermittent claudication (ankle brachial index < 0.9) completed two questionnaires (Spanish version of the WIQ and European Quality of Life 5 Dimension [EQ-5D]). The validity of the WIQ was determined by correlating WIQ and EQ-5D. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were determined using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha, respectively. RESULTS: The three domains of the WIQ were moderately correlated with the EQ-5D health outcome (r = 0.54 to 0.60; p < 0.001). Test-retest reliabilities ranged from ICC = 0.89 to 0.91 and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.92) was high. CONCLUSIONS: The Spanish version of the WIQ for European Spanish patients was valid and reproducible, suggesting that it could be used in Spanish patients with intermittent claudication.

El autocontrol de la terapia con cumarínicos es más eficiente que dabigatrán para prevenir ictus en fibrilación auricular no valvular en España. Respuesta / Self-management of vitamin K antagonists is more cost-effective than dabigatran for stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation in Spain. Response

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Conocimiento y aplicación en la práctica real del Documento de consenso S. E. N. -semFYC sobre la enfermedad renal crónica / Awareness and implementation in daily practice of the S. E. N. -semFYC consensus document on chronic kidney disease

Antecedentes: En el año 2007 la Sociedad Española de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria (semFYC) y la Sociedad Española de Nefrología (S.E.N.) realizaron un documento de consenso para disminuir la variabilidad en la práctica clínica en la detección, tratamiento y derivación de la enfermedad renal crónica (ERC). Objetivos: Evaluar a los dos años de su publicación el conocimiento, difusión, grado de acuerdo y aplicación del Documento de consenso S.E.N.-semFYC sobre la enfermedad renal crónica. Métodos: Estudio transversal, descriptivo y observacional realizado en 476 médicos, incluyendo médicos de Atención Primaria (AP) y nefrólogos, mediante encuesta de opinión. Resultados: De los 326 médicos de AP y 150 nefrólogos encuestados, 51,1 % y 89,6 % respectivamente conocían el Documento de consenso. El 70,8 % de los nefrólogos lo considera muy necesario, con alto grado de acuerdo con sus contenidos. Los médicos de AP valoran más su utilidad práctica (63,2 % AP vs. 52,1 % nefrólogos). El mayor grado de desconocimiento en AP (> 20 % de los encuestados) incluye recomendaciones sobre la idoneidad del estudio ecográfico en varones con ERC mayores de 60 años y sobre los criterios de derivación a Nefrología. El grado de aplicación de las recomendaciones entre ambos especialistas resulta muy (..) (AU)

Background: In 2007, the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (semFYC) and the Spanish Society of Nephrology (S.E.N.) created a consensus document in order to reduce the variability in clinical practices for the detection, treatment, and referral of cases of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Objectives: To evaluate the level of awareness, dissemination, agreement, and application of the S.E.N.-semFYC consensus document on chronic kidney disease. Method: Ours was a cross-sectional, descriptive, and observational study carried out among 476 primary health care doctors and nephrologists using a survey. Results: Of the 326 primary care doctors and 150 nephrologists surveyed, 51.1% and 89.6% respectively knew of the consensus document. A total of 70.8% of nephrologists considered the document to be highly necessary, and were very much in agreement with the content. Primary care (PC) doctors placed more value on the practical usefulness of the document (63.2% PC vs. 52.1% nephrologists). The sections that reported the greatest level of unfamiliarity among primary care doctors (>20% of those surveyed) included recommendations regarding the suitability of ultrasound examinations in male patients with CKD older than 60 years of age and in regards to the (..) (AU)

Awareness and implementation in daily practice of the S.E.N.-semFYC consensus document on chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: In 2007, the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (semFYC) and the Spanish Society of Nephrology (S.E.N.) created a consensus document in order to reduce the variability in clinical practices for the detection, treatment, and referral of cases of chronic kidney disease (CKD). OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the level of awareness, dissemination, agreement, and application of the S.E.N.-semFYC consensus document on chronic kidney disease. METHOD: Ours was a cross-sectional, descriptive, and observational study carried out among 476 primary health care doctors and nephrologists using a survey. RESULTS: Of the 326 primary care doctors and 150 nephrologists surveyed, 51.1% and 89.6% respectively knew of the consensus document. A total of 70.8% of nephrologists considered the document to be highly necessary, and were very much in agreement with the content. Primary care doctors placed more value on the practical usefulness of the document (63.2% AP vs. 52.1% nephrologists).The sections that reported the greatest level of unfamiliarity among primary care doctors (>20% of those surveyed) included recommendations regarding the suitability of ultrasound examinations in male patients with CKD older than 60 years of age and in regards to the criteria for patient referral to the nephrology department. The level of application of the recommendations set forth in the document varied widely between the two specialties, with greater compliance among nephrologists. Age, sex, field of medicine, professional experience, the population treated, and health care workload were not significantly associated with differences in awareness, perceived need, or application of the consensus document. CONCLUSIONS: This survey demonstrates that the level of implementation of the S.E.N.-sem- FYC consensus document for CKD has much room for improvement, above all among primary care physicians. The application of this consensus document can improve clinical practice. Several critical aspects have been identified in the evaluation and referral of patients with CKD that must be addressed through the establishment of strategies for disseminating information and continued training for the scientific societies involved in treating these patients.

Análisis coste-efectividad de dabigatrán para la prevención de ictus y embolia sistémica en fibrilación auricular no valvular en España / Cost-effectiveness of dabigatran for stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation in Spain

Introducción y objetivos. Análisis coste-efectividad de dabigatrán para la prevención de ictus y embolia sistémica por fibrilación auricular no valvular en España, según la perspectiva del Sistema Nacional de Salud. Métodos. Adaptación de un modelo de Markov secuencial que simula la historia natural de la enfermedad para una cohorte de 10.000 pacientes con fibrilación auricular no valvular a lo largo de su vida. Los comparadores son warfarina en un primer escenario y el patrón de prescripción habitual (el 60% con antagonistas de la vitamina K, el 30% con ácido acetilsalicílico y el 10% no tratados) en el segundo. Se realizaron análisis de sensibilidad determinístico y probabilístico. Resultados. En ambos escenarios dabigatrán disminuyó los eventos sufridos y consiguió ganancias en cantidad y calidad de vida. La razón coste-efectividad incremental de dabigatrán comparado con warfarina fue de 17.581 euros/año de vida ajustado por calidad ganado y de 14.118 euros/año de vida ajustado por calidad ganado respecto al patrón de prescripción habitual. Se demostró eficiencia en subgrupos. Incorporando los costes sociales al análisis, dabigatrán es una estrategia dominante (más efectiva y de menor coste). El modelo demostró ser robusto. Conclusiones. Desde la perspectiva del Sistema Nacional de Salud, dabigatrán resulta una estrategia eficiente para la prevención de ictus en pacientes con fibrilación auricular no valvular en comparación con warfarina y con el patrón de prescripción habitual; en ambas comparaciones realizadas, los valores de la razón coste-efectividad incremental estuvieron por debajo del umbral de 30.000 euros/año de vida ajustado por calidad. Desde la perspectiva de la sociedad, dabigatrán sería además una estrategia dominante que aporta más efectividad y menores costes que las dos alternativas (AU)

Introduction and objectives. Assessment of the cost-effectiveness of dabigatran for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation in Spain, from the perspective of the National Health System. Methods. Adaptation of a Markov chain model that simulates the natural history of the disease over the lifetime of a cohort of 10 000 patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Model comparators were warfarin in a first scenario, and a real world prescribing pattern in a second scenario, in which 60% of the patients were treated with vitamin K antagonists, 30% with acetylsalicylic acid, and 10% received no treatment. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Results. Dabigatran reduced the occurrence of clinical events in both scenarios, providing gains in quantity and quality of life. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for dabigatran compared to warfarin was 17581 euros/quality-adjusted life year gained and 14118 euros/quality-adjusted life year gained when compared to the real world prescribing pattern. Efficiency in subgroups was demonstrated. When the social costs were incorporated into the analysis, dabigatran was found to be a dominant strategy (ie, more effective and less costly). The model proved to be robust. Conclusions. From the perspective of the Spanish National Health System, dabigatran is an efficient strategy for the prevention of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation compared to warfarin and to the real-world prescribing pattern; incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were below the 30 000 euros/quality-adjusted life year threshold in both scenarios. Dabigatran would also be a dominant strategy from the societal perspective, providing society with a more effective therapy at a lower cost compared to the other 2 alternatives (AU)

Cost-effectiveness of dabigatran for stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation in Spain.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Assessment of the cost-effectiveness of dabigatran for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation in Spain, from the perspective of the National Health System. METHODS: Adaptation of a Markov chain model that simulates the natural history of the disease over the lifetime of a cohort of 10,000 patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Model comparators were warfarin in a first scenario, and a real world prescribing pattern in a second scenario, in which 60% of the patients were treated with vitamin K antagonists, 30% with acetylsalicylic acid, and 10% received no treatment. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: Dabigatran reduced the occurrence of clinical events in both scenarios, providing gains in quantity and quality of life. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for dabigatran compared to warfarin was 17,581 euros/quality-adjusted life year gained and 14,118 euros/quality-adjusted life year gained when compared to the real world prescribing pattern. Efficiency in subgroups was demonstrated. When the social costs were incorporated into the analysis, dabigatran was found to be a dominant strategy (ie, more effective and less costly). The model proved to be robust. CONCLUSIONS: From the perspective of the Spanish National Health System, dabigatran is an efficient strategy for the prevention of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation compared to warfarin and to the real-world prescribing pattern; incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were below the 30,000 euros/quality-adjusted life year threshold in both scenarios. Dabigatran would also be a dominant strategy from the societal perspective, providing society with a more effective therapy at a lower cost compared to the other 2 alternatives. Full English text available from:www.revespcardiol.org.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of rosuvastatin vs generic atorvastatin in Spain.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to carry out a long-term cost-effectiveness analysis of rosuvastatin compared with generic atorvastatin in the treatment of patients at high cardiovascular (CV) risk (≥ 5% Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation [SCORE]) and patients with prior cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Spain. METHODS: The efficacy data from the Statin Therapies for Elevated Lipid Levels compared Across doses to Rosuvastatin (STELLAR) study were used to simulate achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol targets with different doses of rosuvastatin and generic atorvastatin for an initial period of 1 year. A Markov model was used to estimate the number of CV complications, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and healthcare costs (lipid-lowering treatment and CV events) for up to 20 years after initial treatment. The analysis was carried out from the perspective of the Spanish National Health System, with costs (in year 2010 euros) and effects being discounted at 3% per year. RESULTS: Compared with generic atorvastatin, rosuvastatin was cost-effective (cost per QALY gained of less than €30,000) for the primary prevention of CV events in high-risk patients in most sub-groups analyzed. In patients with prior CVD, rosuvastatin was cost-effective in all sub-groups of men and most sub-groups of women. Key limitations of this study were the need to extrapolate data from a single trial to long-term modeled outcomes and the absence of other treatment options in the analysis. CONCLUSIONS: For the treatment of dyslipidemic patients with high CV risk, rosuvastatin is more effective than generic atorvastatin in terms of survival and quality-of-life adjusted survival, with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios within the range generally used in Spain, in most sub-populations defined by various combinations of CV risk factors.

Guía Europea de Prevención Cardiovascular en la Práctica Clínica. Adaptación española del CEIPC 2008 / European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice. CEIPC (Comité Español Interdisciplinario para la Prevención Cardiovascular) 2008 Spanish Adaptation

Presentamos la adaptación española realizada Cardiovasculares 2008. Esta guía recomienda el por el Comité Español Interdisciplinario para la modelo SCORE de riesgo bajo para valorar el Prevención Cardiovascular (CEIPC) de la Guía riesgo cardiovascular. El objetivo es prevenir la Europea de Prevención de las Enfermedades mortalidad y la morbilidad debidas a las enfermedades cardiovasculares (ECV) mediante el tratamiento de sus factores de riesgo en la práctica clínica. La guía hace énfasis en la prevención primaria y en el papel del médico y el personal de enfermería de atención primaria en la promoción de un estilo de vida cardiosaludable, basado en el incremento de los grados de actividad física, la adopción de una alimentación saludable y, en los fumadores, el abandono del tabaco. La meta terapéutica para la presión arterial es en general < 140/90 mmHg; pero en pacientes con diabetes mellitus, enfermedad renal crónica o ECV el objetivo es 130/80 mmHg. El colesterol debe mantenerse por debajo de 200 mg/dl (colesterol unido a lipoproteínas de baja densidad [cLDL] < 130 mg/dl); en los pacientes con ECV o diabetes mellitus el objetivo es cLDL < 100 mg/dl (80 mg/dl si factible en individuos de riesgo muy alto). En pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 y en pacientes con síndrome metabólico se debe reducir el peso y aumentar la actividad física y, en su caso, utilizar los fármacos indicados, para alcanzar los objetivos del índice de masa corporal y de perímetro de cintura. El objetivo en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 debe ser alcanzar una hemoglobina glucosilada < 7%. La amplia difusión de las guías y el desarrollo de los programas destinados a favorecer su implantación, en los que se identifiquen barreras y se busquen soluciones, son objetivos prioritarios del CEIPC, como uno de los medios fundamentales para trasladar las recomendaciones establecidas a la práctica clínica diaria (AU)

The present CEIPC Spanish adaptation of the European Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice 2008. This guide recommends the SCORE model for risk evaluation. The aim is to prevent premature mortality and morbidity due to CVD by means of dealing with its related risk factors in clinical practice. The guide focuses on primary prevention and emphasizes the role of the nurses and primary care doctors in promoting a healthy life style, based on increasing physical activity, changing dietary habits, and not smoking. The therapeutic goal is to achieve a Blood Pressure < 140/90 mmHg, but in patients with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or definite CVD, the objective is < 130/80 mmHg. Serum cholesterol should be < 200 mg/dl and cLDL < 130 mg/dl, although in patients with CVD or diabetes, the objective is < 100 mg/dl (80 mg/dl if feasible in very high-risk patients). Patients with type 2 diabetes and those with metabolic syndrome must lose weight and increase their physical activity, and drugs must be administered whenever applicable, with the objective guided by body mass index and waist circumference. In diabetic type 2 patients, the objective is glycated haemoglobin < 7%. Allowing people to know the guides and developing implementation programs, identifying barriers and seeking solutions for them, are priorities for the CEIPC in order to put the recommendations into practice (AU)

Evaluación y tratamiento de la hipertensión arterial en España. Documento de consenso / No disponible

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[European Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice: CEIPC 2008 Spanish adaptation]. / Guía europea de prevención cardiovascular en la práctica clínica: Adaptación española del CEIPC 2008.

We present the Spanish adaptation from the CEIPC of the European Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice 2008. This guide recommends the SCORE model for risk evaluation. The aim is to prevent premature mortality and morbidity due to CVD by means of dealing with its related risk factors in clinical practice. The guide focuses on primary prevention and emphasizes the role of the nurses and primary care medical doctors in promoting a healthy life style, based on increasing physical activity, change dietary habits, and non smoking. The therapeutic goal is to achieve a Blood Pressure <140/90 mmHg, but among patients with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or definite CVD, the objective is <130/80 mmHg. Serum cholesterol should be <200 mg/dl and cLDL <130 mg/dl, although among patients with CVD or diabetes, the objective is <100 mg/dl (80 mg/dl if feasible in very high-risk patients). Patients with type 2 diabetes and those with metabolic syndrome must lose weight and increase their physical activity, and drugs must be administered whenever applicable, with the objective guided by BMI -body mass index- and waist circumference. In diabetic type 2 patients, the objective is glycated haemoglobin <7%. Allowing people to know the guides and developing implementation programs, identifying barriers and seeking solutions for them, are priorities for the CEIPC in order to put the recommendations into practice.