Anastomic leak in colorectal cancer surgery. Development of a diagnostic index (DIACOLE).

BACKGROUND: We have obtained a diagnostic score (DIACOLE) in order to detect anastomotic leakage in the postoperative period of colorectal cancer surgery. METHODS: Systematic review to identify any symptoms and clinical or analytical signs associated with anastomotic leakage after colorectal cancer surgery and a meta-analysis of each of these factors. The DIACOLE score encompasses all factors that reached statistical significance in their respective meta-analyses. The value of each factor in the score was determined depending the Napierian logarithm of the odds ratios. The index was validated using collected data at our institution. RESULTS: We identified 13 potential signs and symptoms of anastomotic leakage to elaborate the DIACOLE score. The predictive power of the DIACOLE was validated in a case-control study, resulting in an Area Under Curve (AUC) of 0.911 and a 95% confidence interval. These values were considered indicative of a very good diagnostic score. CONCLUSIONS: If DIACOLE score is > 3.065, a blood count and re-evaluating the score daily are recommended. If the DIACOLE>5.436, a radiological test is advised. We have developed free software to obtain DIACOLE value.

[Clinical features and prognosis of patients with chronic cerebrovascular disease (ICBAR study)]. / Características clínicas y pronóstico de pacientes con enfermedad cerebrovascular crónica (estudio ICBAR).

INTRODUCTION: Patients with cerebrovascular disease (CVD) are a group with a very high cardiovascular risk, in addition to that arising from their own vascular pathology, probably due to an inadequate control of risk factors and owing to the presence of comorbidities. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This research consisted in a multi-centre study involving the collaboration of 34 primary care physicians and recording of the features of 473 patients with a previous history of a CVD event that required hospitalisation. After a clinical follow-up of the cohort, hospital readmissions, mortality and causes were analysed. RESULTS: The mean age of patients (52% males) was 75 ± 10 years and the most prevalent risk factors were arterial hypertension (79%), dyslipidaemia (66%), obesity (43%) and diabetes (29%). Sixty-eight per cent of patients had been diagnosed with stroke and 32% with transient ischaemic attack. The mean amount of time elapsed since the first CVD event was 6.6 ± 5.5 years. Twenty-nine per cent of patients had a situation of dependence and only one third showed good blood pressure and lipid control. During a follow-up lasting 8.2 ± 2.3 months, 7.2% of patients suffered some kind of cardio-vascular event (death or hospitalisation), which independent determinants were found to be previous heart failure (hazard ratio, HR = 2.74; 95% confidence interval, CI 95% = 1.3-5.9); cardiomyopathy (HR = 3.32; CI 95% = 1.4-8.2); anaemia (HR = 3.09; CI 95% = 1.6-6.2); renal failure (HR = 2.4; CI 95% = 1.0-5.6); the situation of dependence (HR = 2.57; CI 95% = 1.3-5.7) and cardiovascular admissions over the past year (HR = 3.05; CI 95% = 1.5-5.6). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CVD followed up in the area of primary care present a high prevalence of arterial hypertension and little is done to control it. Their prognosis is conditioned by cardiovascular comorbidities and sequelae of their cerebro-vascular disease.