Prevalence of renal insufficiency in hospitalised patients with venous thromboembolic events: a retrospective analysis based on 6,725 VTE patients.

Renal impairment (RI) is an important factor in the selection of anticoagulant therapy in venous thromboembolic event (VTE) patients. In particular, the risk of bleeding events is higher for VTE patients with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) below 30 mL/min. The aim of this study was to collect data on the prevalence of RI in hospitalised VTE patients in Germany. Furthermore, we investigated how renal function changed during inpatient treatment. We conducted a retrospective chart review in six German hospitals. All patients with a VTE diagnosis who were treated as inpatients from 2007-2011 were included. Patients were categorised according to their renal function. RI was estimated from serum creatinine values. Persistent RI was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of <30 mL/min over at least 72 hours. Renal function could be determined for 5,710 VTE patients. Of these 21.4% had an eGFR>90 mL/min, 38.1% had an eGFR of 60-89 mL/min, 17.3% had an eGFR of 45-59 mL/min, 12.5% had an eGFR of 30-44 mL/min, 7.2% had an eGFR of 15-29 mL/min and 3.6% of the VTE patients had end-stage renal disease. Persistent severe RI was observed in 74.8% of patients with an eGFR <30 mL/min. Overall, 40.6% of the VTE patients investigated had an eGFR <60 mL/min; 10.8% had an eGFR <30 mL/min. Almost three quarters of RI-VTE patients suffered from persistent severe RI. These results suggest that more than one in ten VTE patients is exposed to a high risk of accumulating anticoagulants; most of these RI patients also face an increased risk of mortality.

Time-trends in the epidemiology of peptic ulcer bleeding.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the introduction of effective medical treatment of peptic ulcer disease, bleeding is still a frequent complication. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the incidence and the risk profile of peptic ulcer haemorrhage have changed within a 10-year period. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a prospective epidemiological and observational study the incidence and risk profile of peptic ulcer haemorrhage in Düsseldorf, Germany were compared between two time periods (period A: 1.3.89-28.2.90 and period B: 1.4.99-31.3.2000), involving nine hospitals with both surgical and medical departments. Patients with proven peptic ulcer haemorrhage at endoscopy or operation were included in the study; those with bleeding under defined severe stress conditions were excluded. RESULTS: No differences in bleeding ulcer incidence were observed between periods A and B (51.4 per 100,000 person-years versus 48.7), or for duodenal ulcer (24.9 versus 25.7) or for gastric ulcer bleeding (26.5 versus 23.0). A marked increase in incidence rates was observed with increasing age. In period B, patients with bleeding ulcers were older (56% versus 41% 70 years or older), were usually taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (45% versus 27%) and were less likely to have a history of ulcer (25% versus 59%) compared with patients in period A. CONCLUSIONS: The persisting high incidence of peptic ulcer disease is a superimposing of two trends: a higher incidence in the growing population of elderly patient with a higher intake of NSAIDs and a lower incidence among younger patients due to a decrease in incidence and improved medical treatment.

[Fractionated stereotactically guided radiotherapy for pharmacoresistant epilepsy]. / Fraktionierte, stereotaktisch geführte Radiotherapie der pharmakoresistenten Epilepsie.

AIM: This prospective study evaluated the efficiency of fractionated stereotactically guided radiotherapy as a treatment of pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Inclusion criteria were patients aged between 17 and 65 years with one-sided temporally located focus, without sufficient epilepsy control by antiepileptic drugs or neurosurgery. Between 1997 and 1999, two groups of six patients each were treated with 21 Gy (7 times 3 Gy) and 30 Gy (15 times 2 Gy). Study end points were seizure frequency, intensity, seizure length and neuropsychological parameters. RESULTS: All patients experienced a marked reduction in seizure frequency. The mean reduction of seizures was 37% (range 9-77%, i. e. seizures reduced from a monthly mean number of 11.75 to 7.52) at 18 months following radiation treatment and 46% (23-94%, i. e. 0.2-23 seizures per month) during the whole follow-up time. Seizure length was reduced in five out of eleven patients and intensity of seizures in seven out of eleven patients. CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy was identified as safe and effective for pharmacoresistant epilepsy since a very good reduction of seizure frequency was observed. It is no substitute for regular use of antiepileptic drugs, but means an appropriate alternative for patients with contraindication against neurosurgery or insufficient seizure reduction after neurosurgery.