Cardiovascular disease risk in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a population in southern Spain.

To calculate overall 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk for patients with type 2 diabetes we applied the UKPDS and SCORE prediction models to data derived from clinical notes of 1846 patients (mean age 65.5 years; 55.8% women) with type 2 diabetes attending eight Primary-Care Centres serving a catchment population of 200,000 citizens in Andalusia. The results showed obesity and high blood pressure present in >50%, established CVD in 24%, retinopathy in 30%, and nephropathy in 17%. Mean HbAlc level was 7.3%. Compliance with therapeutic goals was 54% for systolic blood pressure <130 mmHg, 39% for HbA1c <7% and 9% for LDL cholesterol <2.58 mmol/L. Approximately 33% were receiving treatment with metformin, statins, renin-angiotensin system inhibitors and anti-aggregation agents. UKPDS risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) was 23% and 16% for stroke. The SCORE 10-year mortality risk was 5%. Correlation coefficient between the two models predicting CVD risk was 0.68 (p<0.001). We conclude that, despite the European consensus that CVD is low in Mediterranean countries, the CVD risk factors in the type 2 diabetes sub-population in southern Spain is relatively high. Specific measures of health-care intervention are needed if CVD-associated morbido-mortality rates in these diabetic patients are to be reduced.

[Quality of life in a population of asthmatic children]. / Calidad de vida en una población de niños asmáticos.

OBJECTIVES: To measure the quality of life of asthmatic children and to find their social and health situation. DESIGN: Transversal, descriptive study. SETTING: Cadiz health centre with a population of 3680 children. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty two children included in the asthma programme. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: The data were collected in 2004 from the clinical histories of the Andalusian Health Service and through personal interviews using the PAQLQ quality of life questionnaire. Social-demographic, clinical, service-use, and quality-of-life variables were collected. Version 11.0 of the SPSS programme was used for the analysis. RESULTS: There were more boys (65.4%). The social-demographic profile found that 80.6% were in nuclear families and 75% had absence of damp at home. The asthma background was 17.3% in fathers and 25% in mothers. Of active smokers, 57.7% were fathers and 42.3% were mothers. Mean annual consultations in primary care were 5.5+/-4.6 in total and 1.5+/-2.5 for asthma. The mean score on the quality-of-life questionnaire was 5.5+/-1.3, and in its various dimensions: restriction on physical activity, 5.3+/-1.6; symptoms, 5.5+/-1.3; and emotional aspects, 5.6+/-1.4. CONCLUSIONS: The population of asthmatic children included in the asthma programme have a good quality of life, especially in the emotional dimension. The social and health situation, clinical status and the quality-of-life score are very homogeneous.

Calidad de vida en una población de niños asmáticos / Quality of life in a population of asthmatic children

Objetivos. Medir la calidad de vida de los niños asmáticos y conocer su situación sociosanitaria. Diseño. Estudio descriptivo, transversal. Emplazamiento. Centro de salud de Cádiz con una población infantil de 3.680 niños. Participantes. En total, 52 niños incluidos en el programa de asma. Mediciones principales. Los datos se recogieron durante el año 2004 de las historias clínicas del Servicio Andaluz de Salud y mediante entrevista personal con el cuestionario de calidad de vida PAQLQ. Se recogieron variables sociodemográficas, clínicas, de utilización de servicios y de calidad de vida. El análisis se realizó mediante el programa SPSS versión 11.0. Resultados. Se observa una mayor prevalencia de varones (65,4%). El perfil sociodemográfico fue el tipo de familia nuclear (80,8%) y la ausencia de humedad en las viviendas (75%). En cuanto a los antecedentes asmáticos, se observaron en el 17,3% de los padres y en el 25% de las madres. Eran fumadores activos el 57,7% de los padres y el 42,3% de las madres. La media de consultas anuales en atención primaria fue 5,5 ± 4,6 totales y 1,5 ± 2,5 por asma. La puntuación media del cuestionario de calidad de vida fue 5,5 ± 1,3; la puntuación en sus distintas dimensiones fue: limitación de actividad física, 5,3 ± 1,6; síntomas, 5,5 ± 1,3, y aspectos emocionales, 5,6 ± 1,4. Conclusiones. La población de niños asmáticos incluidos en el programa de asma presenta una buena calidad de vida, especialmente en la dimensión emocional. La situación sociosanitaria, el estadio clínico y la puntuación de calidad de vida son muy homogéneos

Objectives. To measure the quality of life of asthmatic children and to find their social and health situation. Design. Transversal, descriptive study. Setting. Cadiz health centre with a population of 3680 children. Participants. Fifty two children included in the asthma programme. Main measurements. The data were collected in 2004 from the clinical histories of the Andalusian Health Service and through personal interviews using the PAQLQ quality of life questionnaire. Social-demographic, clinical, service-use, and quality-of-life variables were collected. Version 11.0 of the SPSS programme was used for the analysis. Results. There were more boys (65.4%). The social-demographic profile found that 80.6% were in nuclear families and 75% had absence of damp at home. The asthma background was 17.3% in fathers and 25% in mothers. Of active smokers, 57.7% were fathers and 42.3% were mothers. Mean annual consultations in primary care were 5.5±4.6 in total and 1.5±2.5 for asthma. The mean score on the quality-of-life questionnaire was 5.5±1.3, and in its various dimensions: restriction on physical activity, 5.3±1.6; symptoms, 5.5±1.3; and emotional aspects, 5.6±1.4. Conclusions. The population of asthmatic children included in the asthma programme have a good quality of life, especially in the emotional dimension. The social and health situation, clinical status and the quality-of-life score are very homogeneous