Achievement of therapeutic goals and utilization of evidence-based cardiovascular therapies in coronary heart disease patients with chronic kidney disease.

To evaluate whether the presence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) influenced the rate of prescription of evidence-based cardiovascular preventive therapies and attainment of therapeutic goals in patients with stable coronary heart disease, 7,884 patients (mean age 65.4 years; 81.7% men; 22.4% with CKD) attended to in 1,799 primary-care centers and who had had a coronary event requiring hospitalization in the previous 6 months to 10 years were recruited. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated using the MDRD Study equation. Results indicated that patients with CKD received more diuretics (47.6% vs 32.8%; p = 0.034), calcium channel blockers (29.3% vs 23.2%, p = 0.027); and blockers of the angiotensin-renin system (76.4% vs 65.3%; p <0.001). The lower prescription rate of antiaggregants, beta blockers, and statins in subjects with CKD did not reach statistical significance in multivariate analysis. A lower percentage of subjects with CKD achieved good control of blood pressure (39.2% vs 65.4%; p <0.001) and glycosylated hemoglobin (43.9% vs 53.4%; p <0.001) relative to patients without CKD. Only 11.8% of patients with CKD had optimum control of all risk factors. Using multivariate analysis, the presence of CKD was inversely related to the degree of risk-factor control, especially in groups with low GFR. In conclusion, patients with stable coronary heart disease and CKD attended to in primary-care centers had poorer control of coronary heart disease risk factors than those with normal GFR despite receiving a similar rate of prescription of evidence-based cardiovascular disease preventive therapies.

[Occult chronic kidney disease in patients with stable coronary heart disease]. / Insuficiencia renal crónica oculta en pacientes con enfermedad coronaria estable.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) increases cardiovascular risk mainly in subjects with coronary heart disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of occult CKD (OCKD) in stable coronary heart disease patients and to study the factors associated in order to improve its detection. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Cross sectional study of 7,884 patients who had had a coronary event requiring hospitalization in the previous 6 months to 10 years. Glomerular filtration rate was estimated by means of the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) study equation. CKD was defined as a glomerular filtration rate lower than 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2), and OCKD when, in addition, serum creatinine was < 133 mmol/l in men and < 124 mmol/l in women. RESULTS: The mean age was 65.3 years, 73.7% male and 22.4% had CKD, 68.3% of them with normal serum creatinine. In subjects with OCKD the prevalence of risk factors and cardiovascular diseases associated was intermediate between subjects without CKD and subjects with CKD and high serum creatinine. Age, female sex, hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, cerebrovascular disease and peripheral artery disease were significantly and independently associated with OCKD in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Almost one in 4 subjects with stable coronary heart disease had CKD, most of them with normal serum creatinine, mainly women and older patients.

[Value of the ankle-brachial index in cardiovascular risk stratification of patients without known atherotrombotic disease. MERITO study]. / Modificación de la estratificación del riesgo vascular tras la determinación del índice tobillo-brazo en pacientes sin enfermedad arterial conocida. Estudio MERITO.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Peripheral arterial disease detected by measurement of ankle-brachial index enables the identification of asymptomatic patients with target organ damage. We have investigated the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (ankle-brachial index < 0.9), and its potential clinical-therapeutic impact, in patients without known atherotrombotic disease from internal medicine practices. PATIENTS AND METHOD: It was a multicenter, cross-sectional, observational study. Outpatients aged 50 through 80 years, with either diabetes or a SCORE risk estimation of at least 3%, were enrolled. RESULTS: A total of 1,519 subjects (58% men) were evaluated, 917 with diabetes (61%). The mean age (standard deviation) was 66.2 (8.3) years. The prevalence of an ankle-brachial index < 0.9 was 26.19%. In multiple logistic regressions the risk factors associated to an ankle-brachial index < 0.9 were age, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, macroalbuminuria, and heart rate. There was a significant relationship between the ankle-brachial index and the SCORE risk estimation. With respect to the therapeutic aims of the patients with an ankle-brachial index < 0.9, only 21% were taking antiplatelet drugs, 26% showed low density lipoproteins-cholesterol values < 100 mg/dl (53% < 130 mg/dl), and 16% displayed recommended blood pressure levels. CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of ankle-brachial is useful to reclassify as high risk a significant proportion of patients without known previous atherotrombotic disease. The ankle-brachial index should be incorporated into routine cardiovascular evaluation, particularly in subjects with diabetes or a score risk assessment > or = 3%.

Different prognostic value of silent peripheral artery disease in type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic subjects with stable cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVE: ABI is a good predictor of morbidity and mortality in diabetic subjects with no known cardiovascular disease. However, its prognostic value in diabetic patients with prior coronary or cerebrovascular disease has not previously been evaluated. METHODS: Multicenter, prospective study of 1 year of follow-up, in 1096 patients (73.6 years, 65% males, 45.4% with diabetes) with cardiovascular disease and without known peripheral arterial disease. The main outcome measure was the first occurrence of a major cardiovascular event (non-fatal acute coronary syndrome, non-fatal stroke, revascularization procedure, or cardiovascular death). Secondary endpoints included major cardiovascular events, cardiovascular death and death from any cause. RESULTS: Prevalence of an abnormal ABI (<0.9 or >1.4) was 38.2% in diabetic and 26.8% in non-diabetic subjects. There were 150 major cardiovascular events (38.3/1000 person-years in diabetics vs. 30.6/1000 person-years in non-diabetics subjects, p=0.012) and 60 cardiovascular deaths (11.8/1000 person-years in diabetics vs. 10.7/1000 person-years in non-diabetics subjects, p=0.156). Patients with abnormal ABI had a higher rate of vascular complications. There was a significant interaction between ABI and diabetes. In non-diabetic patients, an abnormal ABI was associated with an increase risk of the primary endpoint (HR 2.71; 95% CI 1.54-4.76), cardiovascular mortality (HR 4.62; 95% CI 1.47-14.52) and total mortality (HR 2.80; 95% CI 1.08-7.27). These associations were not observed in patients with diabetes. CONCLUSION: In patients with cardiovascular disease, ABI is a good predictor of risk of recurrent cardiovascular events and death, only in non-diabetic subjects.

Gender differences in evidence-based pharmacological therapy for patients with stable coronary heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Women have a higher morbidity and mortality than men after an acute coronary event. We analyzed the prescription rates of evidence-based pharmacological therapies for patients with stable coronary heart disease and whether there were any differences with respect to gender. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study evaluated 8817 patients, 26.3% women, receiving attention from 1799 family doctors in primary care centers (PCC) throughout Spain, and who had had a coronary event requiring hospitalization in the previous 6 months to 10 years. RESULTS: Mean age was 65.4 years and a mean time-lapse since hospitalization of 37.4 months. In the overall population, prescription medications were: antiplatelet drugs in 80.5% of patients, 79% statins, 66% blockers of the angiotensin-renin system (BARS) and 47% beta-blockers. Males received less cardiovascular disease medications than females (4.3+/-1.5 versus 4.6+/-1.6, respectively; p<0.001), but when adjusted for risk factors the significance was lost (p=0.231). Following adjustment for risk factors and for co-morbidities, the use of diuretics was significantly higher in women while beta-blockers and statins were higher in men. The triple combination of antithrombotics, beta-blockers and statins was used in 41.4% (43.8% males versus 34.6% females; p<0.001) while 24.3% used this triple combination plus a BARS; without significant difference between the genders. CONCLUSIONS: An important percentage of patients with stable coronary disease, particularly women, attended-to in primary care do not receive medications that have been shown to decrease the morbido-mortality of cardiovascular disease.

Sub-clinical vascular disease in type 2 diabetic subjects: relationship with chronic complications of diabetes and the presence of cardiovascular disease risk factors.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the association between a low ankle-brachial index (ABI), chronic complications of diabetes, and the presence of traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors in subjects with type 2 diabetes but without known cardiovascular disease. METHODS: We included diabetic subjects (n=923; 52% male; age range 50-85 years) without clinical evidence of coronary, cerebrovascular, or peripheral artery disease (PAD). A history of nephropathy, retinopathy, or neuropathy was collected from the medical records. A 12-lead electrocardiogram and ABI measurements were conducted on all study participants. RESULTS: The mean duration of diabetes was 9.6 years. Prevalence of a low ABI (<0.9) was 26.2%. Multivariate analysis indicated that factors significantly associated with a low ABI were age (OR: 1.06; 95%CI: 1.033-1.084; p<0.001), plasma triglyceride concentration (OR: 1.002; 95%CI: 1.001-1.004; p=0.006), duration of diabetes (OR: 1.029; 95%CI: 1.008-1.051; p=0.007), and smoking habit (OR: 1.755; 95%CI: 1.053-2.925; p=0.03). The presence of nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy, left ventricular hypertrophy, left bundle branch block, and atrial fibrillation were all associated with a low ABI, but only renal disease remained significant after adjusting for age, duration of diabetes, and cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSION: A low ABI is highly prevalent in subjects with diabetes and is related to age, duration of diabetes, smoking habit, and hypertriglyceridemia. Although chronic complications are frequently associated with a low ABI, only renal damage is independently associated with peripheral artery disease.

Relationship between ankle-brachial index and chronic kidney disease in hypertensive patients with no known cardiovascular disease.

Both decreased GFR and albuminuria are associated with an elevated prevalence of peripheral artery disease. However, the combined effects of these alterations previously were not evaluated. Patients with hypertension and with no known vascular disease (n = 955; mean age 66 yr; 56% male) were selected from internal medicine outpatient clinics throughout Spain. Cardiovascular risk factors, urinary albumin excretion, and the ankle-brachial index (ABI) were assessed in all participants. GFR was estimated according to the Cockroft-Gault equation. Of the study population, 62% had diabetes, 23.8% had a GFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2, and 43.8% had albuminuria. The prevalence of ABI <0.9 was greater in patients with a GFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 (37.4 versus 24.3%; P < 0.0001) and in those who had albuminuria (32.2 versus 23.3%; P = 0.001). In patients with both alterations, the prevalence of ABI <0.9 was 45.7%. Multivariate analysis indicated that the factors that were associated independently with low ABI were age (odds ratio [OR] 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03 to 1.08; P < 0.0001), triglyceride concentration (OR 1.003; 95% CI 1.001 to 1.005; P = 0.001), presence of albuminuria (OR 1.61; 95% CI 1.18 to 2.20; P = 0.003), smoking habit (OR 1.72; 95% CI 1.13 to 2.63; P = 0.012), and a GFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 (OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.01 to 2.17; P = 0.049). In patients with hypertension and without known vascular disease, reduced GFR and albuminuria are associated independently with an ABI <0.9. Their combined presence characterizes a subgroup of the population who have an elevated prevalence of peripheral artery disease and could benefit from early diagnosis and treatment.

Insuficiencia renal crónica oculta en pacientes con enfermedad coronaria estable / Occult chronic kidney disease in patients with stable coronary heart disease

FUNDAMENTO Y OBJETIVO: La presencia de insuficiencia renal crónica (IRC) aumenta el riesgo de enfermedadcardiovascular, especialmente en los pacientes con enfermedad coronaria. El objetivode este estudio ha sido examinar la prevalencia de IRC oculta (IRCO) en pacientes con enfermedadcoronaria estable e investigar los factores asociados a ella para favorecer su detección.PACIENTES Y MÉTODO: Se ha realizado un estudio transversal en el que participaron 7.884 sujetosque habían ingresado por un episodio coronario entre 6 meses y 10 años antes. Se calculó elfiltrado glomerular según la ecuación abreviada del estudio Modification of Diet in Renal Disease(MDRD). Se consideró IRC cuando el filtrado glomerular era menor de 60 ml/min/1,73 m2 eIRCO cuando además la creatinina sérica era inferior a 133 mmol/l en varones y a 124 mmol/len mujeres.RESULTADOS: La edad media de la población estudiada era 65,3 años y el 73,7% eran varones.Presentaba IRC un 22,4%, de los que el 68,3% tenía cifras de creatinina normales. En los pacientescon IRCO la prevalencia de factores de riesgo y enfermedades cardiovasculares asociadasera intermedia entre aquellos sin IRC y entre los que presentaban IRC con creatinina elevada.La edad, el sexo femenino, la presencia de hipertensión arterial, diabetes, insuficienciacardíaca, enfermedad cerebrovascular y enfermedad arterial periférica se asociaron de manerasignificativa e independiente con la presencia de IRCO en el análisis multivariante.CONCLUSIONES: Casi uno de cada 4 pacientes con enfermedad coronaria estable presenta IRC, lamayoría de ellos con creatinina normal, siendo especialmente frecuente en las mujeres y con elaumento de la edad

BACKGROUND AND OBJETIVE: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) increases cardiovascular risk mainly insubjects with coronary heart disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence ofoccult CKD (OCKD) in stable coronary heart disease patients and to study the factors associatedin order to improve its detection.PATIENTS AND METHOD: Cross sectional study of 7,884 patients who had had a coronary event requiringhospitalization in the previous 6 months to 10 years. Glomerular filtration rate was estimatedby means of the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) study equation. CKD wasdefined as a glomerular filtration rate lower than 60 ml/min/1.73 m2, and OCKD when, in addition,serum creatinine was < 133 mmol/l in men and < 124 mmol/l in women.RESULTS: The mean age was 65.3 years, 73.7% male and 22.4% had CKD, 68.3% of them withnormal serum creatinine. In subjects with OCKD the prevalence of risk factors and cardiovasculardiseases associated was intermediate between subjects without CKD and subjects with CKDand high serum creatinine. Age, female sex, hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, cerebrovasculardisease and peripheral artery disease were significantly and independently associatedwith OCKD in the multivariate analysis.CONCLUSIONS: Almost one in 4 subjects with stable coronary heart disease had CKD, most ofthem with normal serum creatinine, mainly women and older patients

Modificación de la estratificación del riesgo vascular tras la determinación del índice tobillo-brazo en pacientes sin enfermedad arterial conocida. Estudio MERITO / Value of the ankle-brachial index in cardiovascular risk stratification of patients without known atherotrombotic disease. MERITO study

Fundamento y objetivos: La detección de enfermedad arterial periférica mediante el índice tobillo-brazo (ITB) permite identificar a pacientes asintomáticos con lesión establecida. Investigamos la prevalencia de enfermedad arterial periférica (ITB < 0,9) en pacientes de consultas de medicina interna y su potencial repercusión terapéutica. Pacientes y método: Se ha realizado un estudio multicéntrico, transversal y observacional, en el que se incluyó a pacientes de entre 50 y 80 años de edad sin enfermedad arterial conocida, que presentaban diabetes mellitus o una puntuación de SCORE del 3% o mayor. Resultados: Se evaluó a 1.519 pacientes (un 58% varones), con una edad media (desviación estándar) de 66,2 (8,3) años, de los cuales el 61% presentaba diabetes. Del total de la muestra, el ITB fue menor de 0,9 en el 26,19%, sin diferencias entre diabéticos (26,22%) y no diabéticos (26,15%). En el análisis multivariante, los parámetros que se asociaron a un ITB menor de 0,9 fueron la edad, la macroalbuminuria, el consumo de tabaco, la frecuencia cardíaca y el sedentarismo. Se objetivó una relación significativa entre las categorías de riesgo establecidas por la fórmula SCORE y el ITB. Considerando a los pacientes con un ITB menor de 0,9, sólo el 21% recibía medicación antiagregante, el 26% presentaba cifras de colesterol unido a lipoproteínas de baja densidad menores de 100 mg/dl (un 53% con concentraciones inferiores a 130 mg/dl) y el 16% tenía controlada la presión arterial. Conclusiones: La determinación del ITB permite reclasificar en alto riesgo a una significativa proporción de pacientes sin enfermedad arterial previa conocida. El ITB debe incluirse en la evaluación sistemática del riesgo vascular, al menos en los pacientes con diabetes o una puntuación SCORE del 3% o mayor

Background and objectives: Peripheral arterial disease detected by measurement of ankle-brachial index enables the identification of asymptomatic patients with target organ damage. We have investigated the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (ankle-brachial index = 3%