Adhesion to the Mediterranean diet in diabetic patients with poor control. / Adherencia a la dieta mediterránea en pacientes diabéticos con mal control.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the relationship between the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the control of cardiovascular risk factors. METHOD: A descriptive, observational study was conducted on patients diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus type 2, with poor blood glucose control and a Body Mass Index greater than 25kg/m2. The relationship between the adherence to the Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular risk factors was evaluated before and after education about the Mediterranean diet. The patients were given a questionnaire on the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (the Mediterranean diet score), at the beginning of the study and at 6 month after having education about the Mediterranean diet in the Primary Care medical and nursing clinics. An analysis was carried out on the variables including, gender, age, weight, height, and Body Mass Index, as well as the analytical parameters of blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, total, HDL, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. The relationship between the primary variable, 'adherence to the Mediterranean diet', and the rest of the variables was calculated before and after the educational intervention. RESULTS: The initial 'adherence to the Mediterranean diet score' in the questionnaire was relatively low (6.22). Excess weight, as well as to have an elevated Body Mass Index are associated with a lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet, as well as low adherence to treatment (P<.00 and P<.02, respectively). The values of HDL cholesterol values increased with greater adherence (P<.04). Elevated LDL and total cholesterol are associated with a lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet (P<.01 and P<.05, respectively), similar to that of elevated triglycerides (P<.00). Elevated baseline blood glucose levels are also associated with low adherence to the Mediterranean diet (P<.04), as well as the increase in glycosylated haemoglobin (P<.06). Thus the cardiovascular risk increases with low adherence (P<.08). After the educational intervention, a moderate increase was observed in the adherence to the Mediterranean diet (a score of 6.84) as well as a notable improvement in the control of the cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with improved control of cardiovascular risk factors.

A pharmacoeconomic evaluation of statins in the treatment of hypercholesterolaemia in the primary care setting in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death and it has been shown that primary prevention with the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin) lipid-lowering drugs can reduce cardiovascular events. Acquisition costs vary between statins and this may be an important consideration in the overall cost effectiveness (CE) of different options. OBJECTIVE: To perform a CE study of the main statins used in Spain for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in patients with high cholesterol levels [corrected] STUDY DESIGN: The CE analysis was based on an open-label, prospective, naturalistic, randomised intervention study under usual care conditions in primary care settings in patients with high cholesterol levels (total cholesterol [TC] >240 mg/dL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C] >160 mg/dL) and one or more cardiovascular risk factors. The analysis was conducted from the perspective of the Spanish National Health System; the year of costing was 2001. PATIENTS: A total of 161 patients (49.7% males), mean age 65 +/- 10.3 years, without evidence of cardiovascular disease were included in the study. Of those, 82.1% were hypertensive, 37.1% had diabetes mellitus and 17.9% were smokers. INTERVENTIONS: Forty-eight patients received oral atorvastatin 10 mg/day, 32 received fluvastatin 40 mg/day, 44 received simvastatin 20 mg/day and 37 patients received pravastatin 20 mg/day for 6 months. MAIN MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: After 6 months, the therapeutic goals of LDL-C control, according to the recommendations of the Spanish Society of Arteriosclerosis--Consensus-2000, were reached in 62.5%, 43.8%, 45.5% and 40.5% of patients treated with atorvastatin, fluvastatin, simvastatin and pravastatin, respectively. The average CE ratio, expressed as the cost in euros (euro) per patient achieving the therapeutic goals, was euros 424.3 for atorvastatin, euros 503.5 for fluvastatin, euros 527.0 for simvastatin and euros 683.4 for pravastatin. The incremental CE ratios for atorvastatin versus fluvastatin and simvastatin were euros 238.9 and euros 149.5, respectively, per additional patient reaching therapeutic goals. Atorvastatin, fluvastatin and simvastatin all dominated pravastatin. CONCLUSIONS: All the statins studied have been shown to be effective for reducing both TC and LDL-C levels. In this study, atorvastatin was the most efficient drug, with the best CE ratio (cost per patient reaching therapeutic goals). Atorvastatin was more effective and less costly than pravastatin, and when compared with fluvastatin or simvastatin the additional cost per additional patient achieving therapeutic goals was

Esteatosis hepática no alcohólica y factores de riesgo cardiovascular en atención primaria / Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Primary Care

Varias circunstancias motivan el creciente interés por la esteatosis hepática no alcohólica (EHNA): la elevada prevalencia de la enfermedad en el mundo occidental, su capacidad de progresión a formas histológicas más agresivas y su asociación con enfermedades que incrementan el riesgo cardiovascular. Objetivo: analizar la relación de la esteatosis hepática no alcohólica con los factores de riesgo cardiovascular en pacientes con criterios de síndrome metabólico. Método: fue realizado un estudio descriptivo transversal con una muestra de 100 pacientes, con 2 o más factores de riesgo cardiovascular, con nula o baja ingesta de alcohol, que acudían a consulta de atención primaria. A los seleccionados se les solicitó analítica completa e interconsulta para ecografía de abdomen completo. Se evaluó si tenían esteatosis hepática; en caso de ser afirmativo, se estratificaba en 3 grados. Se recogieron las siguientes variables tanto cualitativas (sexo, antecedentes personales y familiares de diabetes, hipertensión arterial, dislipidemia, entre otros) y cuantitativas (edad, peso, talla, índice de masa corporal, tratamiento farmacológico, cifras de distintos parámetros analíticos, cifras de tensión arterial y perímetro abdominal). Resultados: participaron 100 pacientes, 56% de los cuales eran mujeres, con una edad media de 61,84 DE ± 9,5 años. Del total de sujetos del estudio, el 23 % no tenía esteatosis hepática no alcohólica; un 29% tenía esteatosis hepática leve; otro 29%, esteatosis hepática moderada; y el 19% restante, esteatosis hepática severa. En los hombres, el 82% presentó esteatosis hepática. De las mujeres, el 28,57% no presentó hígado graso. Un 22% tenía sobrepeso y un 38% de los pacientes eran obesos. Solo un 22% y un 18% tenían alteradas las cifras tensionales sistólica y diastólica, respectivamente. El 60% tenía una glucemia basal alterada. En cuanto a los parámetros lipídicos, el 36% tenía hipertrigliceridemia; el 41%, hipercolesterolemia, con un 65% de colesterol LDL alto y un 16% de colesterol HDL bajo. El 83% de los pacientes tenía 2 o más criterios de síndrome metabólico. Conclusiones: hay una estrecha relación entre la aparición de esteatosis hepática no alcohólica y los factores de riesgo cardiovascular en pacientes con síndrome metabólico, por lo que se recomienda que, ante la aparición de estos, se analice el hígado.

Several factors motivate the growing interest in this disease. They include the high prevalence of the disease in the Western world, its ability to progress to more aggressive histological forms, and its association with diseases that increase cardiovascular risk. Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with cardiovascular risk factors in patients with criteria for metabolic syndrome. Method: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study of 100 patients who had two or more cardiovascular risk factors, who did not consume alcohol or consumed only small amounts of alcohol, and who came to the primary care clinic. The patients selected underwent complete analyses including abdominal ultrasound. They were evaluated for hepatic steatosis, and, if they tested positive, it was stratified into three degrees. Among the qualitative variables used were sex, personal and family history of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and the quantitative variables included age, weight, height, body mass index, pharmacological treatment, numbers of different analytical parameters, blood pressure and abdominal perimeter.Results: There were 100 patients, 56% of whom were women. Patients’ mean age was 61.84 SD +/- 9.5 years. Of the total number of subjects in the study, 23% did not have NASH, 29% had mild hepatic steatosis, 29% had moderate hepatic steatosis and 19% had severe hepatic steatosis. Of the men in the study, 82% had hepatic steatosis. Of the women, 28.57% did not have fatty livers. 22% were overweight and 38% obese. Only 22% had altered the systolic blood pressure and and 18% had altered diastolic blood pressure. 60% had altered basal glycemia. 36% had hypertriglyceremia, 41% had hypercholesterolemia including 65% with high LDL cholesterol and 16% with low HDL cholesterol. 83% of the patients had two or more criteria for metabolic syndrome.Conclusions: There is a close relationship between the occurrence of NASH and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with metabolic syndrome, and it is advisable that the liver be analyzed.