Clinical characteristics, management, and one-year risk of complications among patients with heart failure with and without type 2 diabetes in Spain.

OBJECTIVE: This work aims to describe the clinical characteristics and therapeutic management and to determine cardiovascular outcomes after one year of follow-up in a contemporaneous population with heart failure (HF) with and without type 2 diabetes in Spain. These factors were also analyzed in the DAPA-HF-like population (patients who met most inclusion criteria of the DAPA-HF trial) and in patients treated with SGLT2 inhibitors at baseline. METHODS: This work is an observational, retrospective, population-based study using the BIG-PAC database. The index date was January 1, 2019. People aged ≥ 18 years who received care for HF in 2019 were selected. Events that occurred in 2019 were analyzed. RESULTS: We identified 21,851 patients with HF (age 78.0 ± 11.3 years, 53.0% men, 50.9% with HF with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, 44.5% in NYHA functional class II). HF prevalence was 1.88% and incidence was 2.83 per 1,000 person-years. Regarding HF treatments, 66.1% were taking renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, 69.4% beta blockers, 31.2% aldosterone antagonists, and 7.5% sacubitril/valsartan. During the year of follow-up, 29.8% had HF decompensation which led to hospitalization (mean time to first event of 120.9 ± 72.5 days), 12.3% died, and 8.1% died during hospitalization. Events were more common among patients with type 2 diabetes. Hospitalizations for HF were more common in the DAPA-HF-like population. CONCLUSIONS: In Spain, the population with HF is elderly and has many comorbidities. Approximately half of patients have HF with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. There is room for improvement in HF management, particularly through the use of drugs that reduce both HF hospitalization and mortality, in order to reduce the burden of HF.

[Comparison of surgical techniques for rotator cuff injury: cost-result]. / Comparación de técnicas quirúrgicas para la lesión del manguito de los rotadores: costo-resultado.

INTRODUCTION: Currently, to manage rotator cuff injury (RCI), there is a tendency to replace mini-open (MO) surgery with arthroscopy, but results and costs are controversial. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the cost-result of surgical techniques for RCI. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A partial economic evaluation of cost-result type was performed on 113 patients with RCI surgically operated by mini-open technique (n = 6), or arthroscopy (n = 91), or both (n = 16). Direct costs included: hospital stay, days of work disability, surgery, implants (anchors), medical assessments, laboratory and imaging. One-year shoulder functionality was evaluated with Constant-Murley scale (EscC-M). RESULTS: The MO technique was the most economical (X = $42,950.60 MXN) and the most expensive was the arthroscopy + MO with anchors (X = $89,594.80 MXN); with a non-significant difference in shoulder functionality (EscC-M = 56.33 ± 7.0 vs. 64.25 ± 9.0 points, respectively) (p 0.05; Kruskal-Wallis; post hoc Mann-Whitney). Difference of $46,644.1 MXN between techniques corresponded to 7.92 points. There was a mild relationship between the technique and the functionality of shoulder (rs = 0.26; p = 0.005; Spearman). CONCLUSION: The mini-open technique showed best cost-result, with similar functionality in shoulder to that obtained with the more expensive technique.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Actualmente, para manejar la ruptura del manguito de los rotadores (LMR), se prefiere la artroscopía sobre técnicas abiertas (mini-open [MO]), con resultados y costos controversiales. OBJETIVO: Analizar el costo-resultado de las técnicas quirúrgicas para la LMR. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se realizó una evaluación económica parcial de tipo costo-resultado a 113 pacientes con LMR intervenidos mediante técnica mini-open (n = 6) o artroscopía (n = 91) o ambas (n = 16). Los costos directos incluyeron: estancia, días de incapacidad laboral, cirugía, implantes (anclas), valoraciones médicas, laboratorio e imagen. Se evaluó la funcionalidad del hombro a un año mediante la escala de Constant-Murley (EscC-M). RESULTADOS: La técnica MO fue la más económica (X = $42,950.60 MXN) y la más costosa fue la artroscopía + MO con anclas (X = $89,594.80 MXN); con una diferencia no significativa en la funcionalidad del hombro (EscC-M = 56.33 ± 7 vs 64.25 ± 9 puntos, respectivamente) (p 0.05; Kruskal-Wallis; post hoc Mann-Whitney). Una diferencia de $46,644.10 MXN entre técnicas correspondió a 7.92 puntos. Hubo relación leve entre la técnica y la funcionalidad del hombro (rs = 0.26; p = 0.005; Spearman). CONCLUSIÓN: La técnica mini-open mostró mejor costo-resultado, con una ganancia en la funcionalidad de hombro similar a la que se obtiene con la técnica más costosa.

Economic impact of vitamin D treatment on chronic kidney disease patients.

During recent years, increasing recognition has been given to the endocrine action that vitamin D has on the extraskeletal system, and its deep involvement in CKD. This has meant that many vitamin D compounds (both nutritional and active) have been made available, with an important cost reduction. This review looks at the evidence available regarding the usefulness of different types of vitamin D (nutritional and active) for patients with stage 3-5 CKD and those undergoing dialysis. Emphasis is given to its usefulness to control hyperparathyroidism and its impact on morbidity and mortality. We also analysed pharmacoeconomic studies that have been published which compare active vitamin D metabolites. From this review, we are able to conclude that there is still not enough scientific evidence to be able to prefer one active vitamin D over another. In the meantime, doctors should follow the recommendations given in clinical practice guidelines, always taking into account their personal experience with patients. Furthermore, they must consider the economic impact that their treatment decisions may have.

[Have we forgotten the most important thing to prevent bacteremias associated with tunneled hemodialysis catheters?]. / ¿Hemos olvidado lo más importante para prevenirlas bacteriemias en pacientes portadores de catéterespara hemodiálisis?

Bacteremia associated with tunneled central venous catheters (CVC) is a major complication in hemodialysis patients. Strategies that aim to prevent catheter-related bacteremia (CRB), ranging from the application of topical antibiotics to the use of different catheter-lock solutions, have been studied, but limited interest has been shown about following standardization of aseptic care and maintenance of CVC by experienced staff. This study reports CRB incidence obtained with a strict infection prophylaxis protocol based on universal precautions against infection adopted in our Unit by qualified nursing hemodialysis staff. During a period of 20 months, 32 patients received 42 CVC. There were 2 CRB, with an incidence of 0.24 CRB/1000 days-catheter. This study shows that an optimal catheter-use management reduces the incidence of CRB to excellent rates. The use of a protocol directed to vigorously protect the catheter at the time of usage by specialized teams is critically important and is highly recommended.

Poor bisphosphonate adherence for treatment of osteoporosis increases fracture risk: systematic review and meta-analysis.

UNLABELLED: Systematic review of adherence to bisphosphonates for the treatment of osteoporosis finds suboptimal levels of persistence and compliance. Poor bisphosphonate compliance increases fracture risk. INTRODUCTION: The objectives of the study were to measure the persistence and compliance with bisphosphonates for the treatment of osteoporotic patients, and to estimate the influence of compliance on fracture risk. METHODS: A systematic review of bisphosphonate adherence in clinical practise provided new evidence to perform a meta-analysis of the means of bisphosphonate persistence and compliance, with a subsequent meta-analysis of fracture risk comparing poorly versus highly compliant patients. RESULTS: Fifteen articles, totalling 704,134 patients, met our inclusion criteria. Most of the patients were postmenopausal women treated with bisphosphonates. The 3.95% of the patients received hormone replacement therapy, but the rest received bisphosphonates. The meta-analysis of five articles totalling 236,540 patients, who were followed for 1 year, provided a pooled persistence mean of 184.09 days. The meta-analysis of five articles, totalling 234,737 patients, who were also followed for 1 year, provided a pooled medication possession ratio mean of 66.93%. The meta-analysis of six articles, totalling 171,063 patients, who were followed for varying periods of time between 1 and 2.5 years, provided a pooled 46% increased fracture risk in non-compliant patients versus compliant patients. The increased fracture risk was lower for non-vertebral (16%) and hip (28%) than for clinical vertebral fractures (43%). CONCLUSIONS: Persistence and compliance are suboptimal for postmenopausal women undergoing bisphosphonate therapy for osteoporosis. The clinical consequence of this low compliance is an increased risk of fracture, which is lower for non-vertebral than for clinical vertebral fractures.

Severe cardiac phenotype of Berardinelli-Seip congenital lipodystrophy in an infant with homozygous E189X BSCL2 mutation.

Berardinelli-Seip congenital lipodystrophy (BSCL) is a rare autosomal recessive condition associating insulin resistance, absence of subcutaneous fat and muscular hypertrophy. Disease-causing mutations have been described in AGPAT2 and BSCL2 genes. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a classical late (third decade) complication which has only been occasionally described in childhood. We report on a 4-month-old Chinese male infant who presented with a severe BSCL "cardiac" phenotype comprising heart failure, hypertension and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

[Is chronic kidney disease (CKD) a problem of great epidemiological relevance?]. / ¿Es la Enfermedad Renal Crónica (ERC) un problema de gran relevancia epidemiológica?

In this article some of the novelties published in 2007 on epidemiological aspects of chronic kidney disease are reviewed. Specifically, some studies on the suitability of current methods for measurement of glomerular filtration rate, the estimated current prevalence of chronic kidney disease and the influence of age and NSAIDs on progression of this disease are discussed. Finally, various recent publications on the role of chronic kidney disease as a cardiovascular risk factor are summarized.