Do physicians correctly calculate thromboembolic risk scores? A comparison of concordance between manual and computer-based calculation of CHADS2 and CHA2 DS2 -VASc scores.

BACKGROUND: Clinical risk scores, CHADS2 and CHA2 DS2 -VASc scores, are the established tools for assessing stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). AIM: The aim of this study is to assess concordance between manual and computer-based calculation of CHADS2 and CHA2 DS2 -VASc scores, as well as to analyse the patient categories using CHADS2 and the potential improvement on stroke risk stratification with CHA2 DS2 -VASc score. METHODS: We linked data from Atrial Fibrillation Spanish registry FANTASIIA. Between June 2013 and March 2014, 1318 consecutive outpatients were recruited. We explore the concordance between manual scoring and computer-based calculation. We compare the distribution of embolic risk of patients using both CHADS2 and CHA2 DS2 -VASc scores RESULTS: The mean age was 73.8 ± 9.4 years, and 758 (57.5%) were male. For CHADS2 score, concordance between manual scoring and computer-based calculation was 92.5%, whereas for CHA2 DS2 -VASc score was 96.4%. In CHADS2 score, 6.37% of patients with AF changed indication on antithrombotic therapy (3.49% of patients with no treatment changed to need antithrombotic treatment and 2.88% of patients otherwise). Using CHA2 DS2 -VASc score, only 0.45% of patients with AF needed to change in the recommendation of antithrombotic therapy. CONCLUSION: We have found a strong concordance between manual and computer-based score calculation of both CHADS2 and CHA2 DS2 -VASc risk scores with minimal changes in anticoagulation recommendations. The use of CHA2 DS2 -VASc score significantly improves classification of AF patients at low and intermediate risk of stroke into higher grade of thromboembolic score. Moreover, CHA2 DS2 -VASc score could identify 'truly low risk' patients compared with CHADS2 score.

Epidemiología del ictus cardioembólico y su asociación con la penetración de los ACOD en España: primer estudio poblacional 2005-2018 / Epidemiology of atrial fibrillation-related ischemic stroke and its association with DOAC uptake in Spain: first national population-based study 2005 to 2018

Introducción y objetivos: La prevalencia y la incidencia de la fibrilación auricular (FA), un importante factor de riesgo de ictus cardioembólico, han aumentado sustancialmente en los últimos años. Sin embargo, varios estudios europeos han observado una disminución en la tasa de ictus cardioembólico asociada con un aumento de la penetración de los anticoagulantes orales de acción directa (ACOD). Este estudio ecológico evalúa la asociación entre la penetración de los ACOD y la tasa de incidencia de ictus cardioembólicos en España. Métodos: Los datos se obtuvieron del Registro de Actividad Sanitaria Especializada del Ministerio de Sanidad de España (RAE-CMBD). Los ictus cardioembólicos se identificaron mediante códigos ICD. Las tasas de incidencia se estandarizaron por edad y se ajustaron a la población estándar europea de 2013. Se utilizaron modelos de regresión de Poisson para estimar la asociación entre la penetración de los ACOD y la tasa de ictus cardioembólico en pacientes de 65 o más años. Resultados: La tasa de incidencia ajustada (TI) del ictus cardioembólico aumentó desde 2005 (2,20/100.000 personas/año) hasta 2012 (2,67). A partir de 2012, tras la introducción de los ACOD para la prevención del ictus cardioembólico en España, la TI se ha mantenido constante o ha disminuido ligeramente (en 2018, 2,66). Los resultados del modelo de regresión de Poisson indican que la penetración de los ACOD tiene una influencia estadísticamente significativa en la tasa de ictus cardioembólicos de los mayores de 65 años (RDI=0,995; IC95%, 0,995-0,996). Conclusiones: Los resultados de este estudio muestran una asociación entre la penetración de los ACOD y una menor incidencia de ictus cardioembólicos. A pesar de que esta asociación no implica causalidad, indica que una mayor penetración de los ACOD podría llevar a un mayor beneficio clínico para los pacientes con FA en España (AU)

Introduction and objectives: The incidence and prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF), a major risk factor for stroke, has increased substantially in the past few years. However, several studies have reported a decline in AF-related stroke rates associated with higher uptake of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). This ecological study evaluated the association between DOAC uptake in Spain and the incidence rate (IR) of AF-related ischemic stroke. Methods: Data were obtained from the Registry of Activity of Specialized Healthcare of the Spanish Ministry of Health (RAE-MDS). AF-related ischemic strokes were identified using International Classification of Diseases codes. IR were age-standardized and adjusted to the 2013 European standard population. Poisson regression models were used to identify the association between DOAC uptake and AF-related ischemic stroke in patients aged ≥ 65 years. Results: Before the use of DOACs, the adjusted IR of AF-related ischemic stroke increased steadily from 2005 (IR=2.20 per 100 000 person/y) to 2012 (IR=2.67). Upon DOAC uptake in Spain from 2012 onwards for AF-related ischemic stroke prevention, the IR remained constant or decreased slightly (IR in 2018=2.66). Poisson regression showed that DOAC uptake was a significant predictor for the rate of AF-related ischemic stroke in patients older than 65 years (IRR=0.995; 95%CI, 0.995-0.996). Conclusions: This study shows an association between DOAC use and a reduced incidence of AF-related ischemic stroke. While this association is based on aggregate data and cannot demonstrate causality, these findings suggest that higher DOAC uptake could improve health outcomes in AF patients in Spain (AU)

[Arterial hypertension and disorders of hydrocarbon metabolism]. / Hipertensión arterial y alteraciones del metabolismo hidrocarbonado.

Abnormalities of glucose, insulin, and lipoprotein metabolism are common in patients with hypertension. This constellation of risk factors may be recognized at a young ages and is, at least in part, inheritable. Insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinemia may be primary events, and enhanced sympathetic activity and diminished adrenal medullary activity could be important links between the defect in insulin action and the development of hypertension and the associated metabolic abnormalities. But not all hypertensive patients have insulin resistance. It is possible that insulin resistance, and compensatory hyperinsulinemia have major roles in the regulation of blood pressure in susceptible subjects predisposed to hypertension by hereditary or environmental factors. Considerable evidence, both in experimental animal models and in humans, points to hypertension as being of critical importance in the pathogenesis of severe diabetic heart disease. In diabetic hypertensive cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease as well as structural and functional abnormalities are more pronounced than would be expected from either process alone. The hypertension increases the risk of diabetic nephropathy in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients. Microalbuminuria is a powerful predictor of mortality in these patients. It seems that angiotensin-converting-inhibitors have efficacy in postponing nephropathy in hypertensive non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients. In patients with hypertension and diabetes, additional clinical trials are required to identify the interventions that will most effectively reduce not only overall risk but also improve cardiovascular disease prognosis.

[Streptokinase-induced jaundice]. / Ictericia inducida por estreptocinasa.

Streptokinase is a thrombolytic agent used very frequently for the early treatment of acute myocardial infarction. A 35-year-old male with inferior acute myocardial infarction was admitted to the Coronary Care Unit and treated with systemic streptokinase. At the time of admission, he was a healthy male and he was not receiving any hepatotoxic agent. Six hours after thrombolysis, he developed high fever, painful hepatomegaly, jaundice and coluric urine. Leucocytosis with left deviation was observed in the hemogram and the liver function tests showed slight enzymatic elevation and hyperbilirubinemia. This condition was progressively improving and the patient was free of symptoms on the eighth day of evolution. Jaundice as secondary effect of streptokinase has been previously communicated in very few medical reports.

[Unstable angina in the elderly: clinical, profile, management and mortality at three months. The PEPA Registry Data]. / Angina inestable en el anciano: perfil clínico, manejo y mortalidad a los tres meses. Datos del registro PEPA.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Few reports in the literature have studied the characteristics and management of unstable angina in the elderly in Spain. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics and the use of diagnostic and therapeutic resources in patients > or = 70 years of age. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 1,551 patients > or = 70 years of age were included out of 4,115 included in the PEPA registry with a follow up of 90 days. These patients were compared with 2,564 < 70 years. RESULTS: In comparison, the elderly (76 +/- 5 years) versus the younger group (58 +/- 8.5 years) included a higher proportion of women (43 vs 27%), diabetics (30 vs 23%)and hypertensive patients (60 vs 49%) with a lower proportion (p < 0.001) of hypercholesterolemia (33 vs 43%), smoking (40 vs 60%) or family history (9 vs 17%). A previous history of angina (49 vs 35%) or infarction (38 vs31%) and comorbidity was found to be significantly more frequent in the elderly, with a worse previous functional class (NYHA > 2 out of 34 vs 15%). The elderly were treated with fewer invasive procedures (25 vs 44%) or catheterization (26 vs 36%) and they were more frequently controlled with medical treatment (86 vs 83%) although with a lower use of beta blockers (45 vs 53%). The mortality at 3 months was greater in the elderly (7.4 vs 3.0%;p < 0.005) with age being an independent predictor of bad prognosis. Cox multivariate analysis showed the age, ST segment depression, diabetes and heart failure on admission to be predictors of bad prognosis in the elderly. CONCLUSIONS: A different pattern is observed in cardiovascular risk factors with a more unfavorable clinical profile in elderly patients with unstable angina. The management of these patients is less aggressive and the mortality is greater. Diabetes, heart failure and ST segment depression on admission are independent predictors of bad prognosis in elderly patients.