Morbimortalidad cardiovascular asociada al índice tobillo-brazo en la población general / Cardiovascular morbidity-mortality associated to ankle-brachial index in the general population

Antecedentes y objetivos. Un índice tobillo-brazo (ITB) anormal se asocia con un elevado riesgo de enfermedad cardiovascular. El objetivo del estudio fue investigar la asociación entre un ITB bajo con el riesgo de muerte de causa cardiovascular en una población atendida en un centro de salud. Pacientes y métodos. Participaron 1.361 voluntarios de entre 60 y 79 años sin enfermedad arterial periférica conocida, reclutados en una consulta de atención primaria. Se les hizo una historia clínica, una exploración física, un análisis de sangre y se les determinó el ITB. Cuatro años después se contactó con ellos y se les interrogó sobre problemas cardiovasculares acaecidos durante ese periodo. Las causas de los ingresos o de las muertes se confirmaron en las historias clínicas del centro de salud y/o del hospital de zona. Resultados. Se consiguió información sobre la evolución clínica de 1.300 participantes (edad media 69,6 años; un 38,2% eran varones). El seguimiento medio fue de 49,8 meses. Hubo 13 muertes de causa cardiovascular y 49 eventos cardiovasculares mayores. Un ITB bajo basal (<0,9) se asoció con un significativo mayor riesgo de muerte cardiovascular (riesgo relativo ajustado 6,83; intervalo de confianza 95%: 1,36-34,30; p=0,020), así como con un mayor riesgo de eventos cardiovasculares (riesgo relativo ajustado 2,42; intervalo de confianza 95%: 0,99-5,91; p=0,051). El ITB alto (>1,4) o incompresible no se asoció con un mayor riesgo cardiovascular. Conclusiones. En población general seguida en un centro de salud, un ITB bajo se asocia con un mayor riesgo de muerte cardiovascular (AU)

Background and objectives. Abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI) is associated with a high risk of cardiovascular disease. This study has aimed to investigate the association between low ABI and risk of cardiovascular death in a general population attended in a primary care center. Patients and methods. A total of 1,361 volunteers aged between 60 and 79 years without any evidence of peripheral artery disease who attended a primary care center participated in the study. They underwent a complete physical examination, together with standard blood tests and ABI was determined. The participants were contacted by telephone 4 years later and asked about any cardiovascular problems for that period. Causes of death and hospitalization were confirmed in the medical records in the primary care center and/or hospital. Results. Information was obtained about the clinical evolution of 1,300 participants (mean age 69.9 years, 38.2% men). Mean follow-up was 49.8 months. There were 13 cardiovascular death and 49 major cardiovascular events. Low ABI (<0.9) was associated with a significant higher risk of cardiovascular death (adjusted relative risk 6.83; 95% confidence interval 1.36-34.30, P=.020), and with a higher risk of major cardiovascular events (adjusted relative risk 2.42; 95% confidence interval 0.99-5.91, P=.051). High or uncompressible ABI was not associated with higher cardiovascular risk. Conclusions. A low ABI was associated with higher risk of cardiovascular death in the general population followed-up in a primary care center (AU)

Cardiovascular morbidity-mortality associated to ankle-brachial index in the general population.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI) is associated with a high risk of cardiovascular disease. This study has aimed to investigate the association between low ABI and risk of cardiovascular death in a general population attended in a primary care center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 1,361 volunteers aged between 60 and 79 years without any evidence of peripheral artery disease who attended a primary care center participated in the study. They underwent a complete physical examination, together with standard blood tests and ABI was determined. The participants were contacted by telephone 4 years later and asked about any cardiovascular problems for that period. Causes of death and hospitalization were confirmed in the medical records in the primary care center and/or hospital. RESULTS: Information was obtained about the clinical evolution of 1,300 participants (mean age 69.9 years, 38.2% men). Mean follow-up was 49.8 months. There were 13 cardiovascular death and 49 major cardiovascular events. Low ABI (<0.9) was associated with a significant higher risk of cardiovascular death (adjusted relative risk 6.83; 95% confidence interval 1.36-34.30, P=.020), and with a higher risk of major cardiovascular events (adjusted relative risk 2.42; 95% confidence interval 0.99-5.91, P=.051). High or uncompressible ABI was not associated with higher cardiovascular risk. CONCLUSIONS: A low ABI was associated with higher risk of cardiovascular death in the general population followed-up in a primary care center.

Systemic lupus erythematosus in Europe at the change of the millennium: lessons from the "Euro-Lupus Project".

The "Euro-Lupus Cohort" is composed by 1000 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that have been followed prospectively since 1991. These patients have been gathered by a European consortium--the "Euro-Lupus Project Group". This consortium was originated as part of the network promoted by the "European Working Party on SLE", a working group created in 1990 in order to promote research in Europe on the different problems related to this disease. The "Euro-Lupus Cohort" provides an updated information on the SLE morbidity and mortality characteristics in the present decade as well as defines several clinical and immunological prognostic factors.

Lessons from the "Euro-Lupus Cohort".

The "Euro-Lupus Cohort" is composed by 1,000 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that have been followed prospectively since 1991. These patients have been gathered by a European consortium - the "Euro-Lupus Project Group". This consortium was originated as part of the network promoted by the "European Working Party on SLE", a working group created in 1990 in order to promote research in Europe on the different problems related to this disease. The "Euro-Lupus Cohort" provides an updated information on the SLE morbidity and mortality characteristics in the present decade as well as defines several clinical and immunological prognostic factors.

Un paciente con anemia

La anemia se define como la disminución de la concentración de hemoglobina por debajo de unos límites considerados normales para un determinado grupo de individuos de la misma edad, sexo y condiciones medioambientales. La existencia de un síndrome anémico es uno de los problemas diagnósticos más frecuentes en la práctica clínica y, en ocasiones, puede resultar una tarea difícil. Con este trabajo se pretende proporcionar unas pautas a seguir en el estudio del paciente anémico (AU)

Aterosclerosis e infección

La aterosclerosis es la principal causa de mortalidad en los países desarrollados y representa el 20 por ciento de la mortalidad global en el mundo. En los últimos años la investigación se ha centrado en aspectos etiopatogénicos encaminados a comprender mejor el fenómeno aterosclerótico y a encontrar posibles nuevas dianas terapéuticas. Paralelamente al desarrollo de la teoría de la inflamación se han encontrado diferentes asociaciones entre aterosclerosis y determinadas infecciones.En este trabajo se analizan las diferentes evidencias en favor y en contra de la asociación aterosclerosis e infección por medio de estudios seroepidemiológicos, patológicos, modelos animales y ensayos de intervención terapéutica (AU)