[Predictive validity of Clinical Risk Groups in chronic patients in primary healthcare]. / Validez predictiva del Clinical Risk Groups en pacientes crónicos en el ambito de la atencion primaria.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse a prediction model for admissions and hospital emergencies based on Clinical Risk Groups, in a population of complex chronic patients demanding primary care. DESIGN: A multicentric retrospective observational study, of a cohort of chronic patients with comorbidity, from January until December 2013. PLACE: The study population was assigned to the Santa Pola and Raval health centres from the Health Department of Elche. PARTICIPANTS: Cohort of chronic patients with comorbidity, from January to December 2013. INTERVENTIONS: Data about the number of admissions, reasons and complexity level associated with the admission were collected by the review of medical records. MAIN MEASURES: To determine the level of complexity, the classification included in the chronicity strategy of the Valencian Community based on Clinical Risk Groups was used. RESULTS: Five hundred and four patients were recruited with a high complexity degree (N3) and 272 with moderate/low complexity (N1-N2). A higher comorbidity was observed in N3 patients with high complexity [Charlson 2.9 (DE 1.8) vs. 1.9 (DE 1.3); P<.001], and higher dependence degree for basic diary activities [Barthel 16.1 (n=81) vs. 7.3 (n=20); P<.001]. Association between the number of admissions [0.4 (DE 0.8) vs. 0.1 (DE 0.5); P<.001] and emergency visits [0.8 (DE 1.5) vs. 0.3 (DE 0.8), P<.001] was significatively higher in patients from N3 group than N1-N2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: The predictive capacity of CRG grouper showed high sensibility for the patient classification with a high degree of complexity. Its specificity and positive predictive value were lower for the association of the N3 complexity stratum.

[Spanish translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the ARMS-scale for measuring medication adherence in polypathological patients]. / Traducción y adaptación transcultural al español del cuestionario ARMS para la medida de la adherencia en pacientes pluripatológicos.

AIM: Translate the ARMS scale into Spanish ensuring cross-cultural equivalence for measuring medication adherence in polypathological patients. DESIGN: Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and pilot testing. LOCATION: Secondary hospital. MEASUREMENTS: (i)Forward and blind-back translations followed by cross-cultural adaptation through qualitative methodology to ensure conceptual, semantic and content equivalence between the original scale and the Spanish version. (ii)Pilot testing in non-institutionalized polypathological patients to assess the instrument for clarity. RESULTS: The Spanish version of the ARMS scale has been obtained. Overall scores from translators involved in forward and blind-back translations were consistent with a low difficulty for assuring conceptual equivalence between both languages. Pilot testing (cognitive debriefing) in a sample of 40 non-institutionalized polypathological patients admitted to an internal medicine department of a secondary hospital showed an excellent clarity. CONCLUSIONS: The ARMS-e scale is a Spanish-adapted version of the ARMS scale, suitable for measuring adherence in polypathological patients. Its structure enables a multidimensional approach of the lack of adherence allowing the implementation of individualized interventions guided by the barriers detected in every patient.

[Interventions for improving adherence to treatment in patients with multiple pathologies: overview of systematic reviews]. / Intervenciones para la mejora de la adherencia al tratamiento en pacientes pluripatológicos: resumen de revisiones sistemáticas.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the available scientific evidence regarding the efficacy of interventions aimed to enhance medication adherence in patients with multiple chronic conditions (PMCC). DESIGN: Overview of systematic reviews. DATA SOURCES: The following databases were consulted (September 2013): Pubmed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, CRD and WoS to identify interventions aimed to enhance medication adherence in PMCC, or otherwise, patients with chronic diseases common in the PMCC, or polypharmacy. STUDY SELECTION: Systematic reviews of clinical trials focused on PMCC or similar were included. They should compare the efficacy of any intervention aimed to improve compliance to prescribed and self-administered medications with clinical practice or other interventions. DATA EXTRACTION: Information about the study population, nature of intervention and efficacy in terms of improved adherence was extracted. RESULTS: 566 articles were retrieved of which 9 systematic reviews were included. None was specifically focused on PMCC but considered patients with chronic diseases common in the PMCC, patients with more than one chronic disease and polypharmacy. The overall effectiveness of interventions was modest without relevant differences between behavioural, educational and combined interventions. Some components of these interventions including patient counselling and regimen simplification appear to be effective tools in improving adherence in this population group. CONCLUSION: There is a large heterogeneity of interventions aimed to improve adherence with modest efficacy, none in PMCC.

[Pharmacological treatment conciliation methodology in patients with multiple conditions]. / Metodología de conciliación del tratamiento farmacológico en pacientes pluripatológicos.

OBJECTIVE: To carry out a bibliographic review in order to identify the different methodologies used along the reconciliation process of drug therapy applicable to polypathological patients. DESIGN: We performed a literature review. Data sources The bibliographic review (February 2012) included the following databases: Pubmed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Spanish Medical Index (IME). The different methodologies, identified on those databases, to measure the conciliation process in polypathological patients, or otherwise elderly patients or polypharmacy, were studied. Study selection Two hundred and seventy three articles were retrieved, of which 25 were selected. Data extraction Specifically: the level of care, the sources of information, the use of registration forms, the established time, the medical professional in charge and the registered variables such as errors of reconciliation. RESULTS: Most of studies selected when the patient was admitted into the hospital and after the hospital discharge of the patient. The main sources of information to be highlighted are: the interview and the medical history of the patient. An established time is not explicitly stated on most of them, nor the registration form is used. The main professional in charge is the clinical pharmacologist. Apart from the home medication, the habits of self-medication and phytotherapy are also identified. The common errors of reconciliation vary from the omission of drugs to different forms of interaction with other medicinal products (drugs interactions). CONCLUSIONS: There is a large heterogeneity of methodologies used for reconciliation. There is not any work done on the specific figure of the polypathological patient, which precisely requires a standardized methodology due to its complexity and its susceptibility to errors of reconciliation.

Simplified medication regimen and survival in polypathological patients. / Simplicidad del régimen de medicación y supervivencia en pacientes pluripatológicos.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if a more simplified medication regimen is associated with survival in polypathological patients. METHODS: Multicentre cohort study. We included polypathological patients admitted to internal medicine wards between March 1st and June 30rd, 2011. Patients that died during admission and readmissions were excluded. Data were collected about age, gender, home, comorbidity, Charlson, Barthel and Lawton-Brody indexes, Short Portable Mental State Questionnaire, socio-familial Gijón scale, admissions in the previous year, delirium, need of a caregiver and PROFUND index. The therapy complexity was measured with the Medication Regimen Complexity Index. The follow-up lasted 4-years. To determine the factors associated with mortality we performed a Cox proportional regression model. RESULTS: Overall 223 polypathological patients were included, with a mean age of 79.8 (8.6) years. Mean score in Medication Regimen Complexity Index was 32.0 (15.2). After 4 years, 161 (72.2%) patients died, 36 with a more simplified medication regimen. Age (HR 1.060, 95%CI 1.032-1.089; P<.001), neoplasms (HR 2.477, 95%CI 1.564-3.923; P<.001), and the number of admissions in the previous year (HR 1.251, 95%CI 1.100-1.423; P=.001) were independently associated with 4-year mortality, and Barthel index score (HR .991, 95%CI .983-0.998; P<.001) and a more simplified medication regimen (HR 0.634 95%CI 0.414-.970; p=.036) with lower mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In polypathological patients, the more simplified medication regimens are associated with a lower mortality.

Comparison between PROFUND and PALIAR indexes in polypathological patients with advanced non-oncologic chronic diseases. / Comparación de los índices PROFUND y PALIAR en pacientes pluripatológicos con enfermedad crónica no oncológica en fase avanzada.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To compare the discrimination power of PROFUND and PALIAR indexes for predicting mortality in polypathological patients with advanced non-oncologic chronic disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective multicentre cohort study. We included polypathological patients with advanced non-oncologic chronic disease, who were admitted to internal medicine departments between July 1st and December 31th, 2014. Data was collected from each patient on age, sex, categories of polypathology, advanced disease, comorbidity, functional and cognitive assessment, terminal illness symptoms, need for caregiver, hospitalisation in the past three and 12 months and number of drugs. We calculated the PROFUND and PALIAR indexes and conducted a 12-month follow-up. We assessed mortality with the Kaplan-Meier survival curves and the discrimination of indexes with the ROC curves. RESULTS: We included 213 patients with a mean (standard deviation) age of 83.0 (7.0) years, 106 (49.8%) of whom were female. Mortality at six months was 40.4% and at 12 months 50.2%. Deceased patients scored higher scores on the PROFUND [11.2(4.2) vs 8.5(3.9); P<.001] and PALIAR [6.7 (4.6) vs 3.6(3.1); p<0,001] indexes. The discrimination of PALIAR index at six months (under the curve area 0.734 95%CI 0.665-0.803) was higher than of PROFUND, and there was no difference at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: In polypathological patients with advanced non-oncologic chronic disease, the PALIAR index had better discrimination power than PROFUND index at 66 months and there were no differences at 12 months.

Complexity of the medication regimen for polypathological patients. / Complejidad del régimen de medicación en pacientes pluripatológicos.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the complexity of the therapeutic regimen for polypathological patients hospitalised in internal medicine departments. METHODS: A multicentre observational study included polypathological patients hospitalised in internal medicine departments. Patients who were readmitted or died were excluded. Data were collected on age, sex, residence, disease, Charlson, Barthel and Lawton-Brody indices, Pfeiffer questionnaire, Gijón scale, number of hospitalisations in the previous year, delirium, need for and availability of caregivers and the PROFUND index score. We calculated the therapeutic complexity with the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI). We considered a therapeutic regimen complex when the MRCI score was in the fourth quartile. To determine the factors associated with complexity, we constructed a logistic regression model. RESULTS: We included 233 polypathological patients, 52.9% of whom were women, with a mean age of 79.8 (SD: 8.6) years. The mean number of drugs consumed was 8.4 (SD: 3.3). The mean MRCI score was 30 (SD: 15.2). The MRCI score by quartiles was 0-20, 20.5-30, 30.5-42, 42.5-80. The respiratory diseases (OR: 4.185; 95%CI: 2.015-8.693; P<.001) were independently associated with increased therapeutic complexity, and the neurological diseases with permanent mental deficiency (OR: 0.265; 95%CI: 0.085-0.828; P=.022) were associated with less complexity. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with comorbidities are polymedicated and have complex therapeutic drug regimens. Respiratory diseases determine greater therapeutic complexity, while cognitive impairment determines a lower therapeutic complexity.

Prognostic stratification and healthcare approach in patients with multiple pathologies. / Estratificación pronóstica y abordaje asistencial de los pacientes pluripatológicos.

Polypathological patients constitute a prevalent, fairly homogeneous population, which is characterised by high clinical complexity, substantial vulnerability and significant resource consumption, in addition to high mortality and the need for comprehensive, coordinated care. It is particularly important to establish a reliable prognosis in these patients. It is also extremely useful for professionals involved in the decision-making process for patients and their families in vital planning and their preferences, for strategic health planning in management fields, and for clinical research, by facilitating their incorporation into clinical trials and other intervention studies. Two prognostic instruments stand out in terms of suitability for polypathological patients: PROFUND and PROFUNCTION. The former faithfully stratifies the risk of dying at 12 months and four years and the latter, the risk of suffering a significant functional deterioration at 12 months. In terms of the healthcare approach in patients with multiple pathologies, creating and executing a consensual, personalised action plan that is adapted to the patient's reality is encouraged. The plan will consider the prognosis, and the evidence and viability of interventions; its ultimate aim will be to ensure the synergy and alignment of the health team's goals and strategies with peoples' values and preferences, in order to achieve a more proactive health model focused on supporting patients in their ability to manage their illnesses. In the personalised action plan, the main areas of intervention are: health promotion and prevention; patient and caregiver activation and self-management; activation of a social support network and social support; optimisation of pharmacotherapy; rehabilitation, functional and cognitive preservation measures; and anticipated decision planning.

[Reliability of the PROFUND index to predict 4-year mortality in polypathological patients]. / Utilidad del índice PROFUND para predecir la mortalidad a los 4 años en pacientes pluripatológicos.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the usefullness of the PROFUND index to assess the risk of global death after 4 years in polypathological patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Multicenter prospective cohort (Internal Medicine and Geriatrics) study. Polypathological patients admitted between March 1st and June 30th 2011 were included. For each patient, data concerning age, sex, living at home or in a nursing residence, polypathology categories, Charlson, Barthel and Lawton-Brody indexes, Pfeiffer questionnaire, socio-familial Gijon scale, delirium, number of drugs, hemoglobin and creatinine values were gathered, and the PROFUND index was calculated. The follow-up lasted 4 years. RESULTS: We included 441 patients, 324 from Internal Medicine and 117 from Geriatrics, with a mean age of 80.9 (8.7) years. Of them, 245 (55.6%) were women. Heart (62.7%), neurological (41.4%) and respiratory (37.3%) diseases were the most frequent. Geriatrics inpatients were older and more dependants and presented greater cognitive deterioration. After 4 years, 335 (76%) patients died. Mortality was associated with age, dyspnoea, Barthel index<60, delirium, advanced neoplasia and≥4 admissions in the last year. The area under the curve of the PROFUND index was 0.748, 95% CI 0.689-0.806, P<.001 in Internal Medicine and 0.517, 95% CI 0.369-0.666, P=.818 in Geriatrics patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The PROFUND index is a reliable tool for predicting long-term global mortality in polypathological patients from Internal Medicine but not from Geriatrics departments.

Adaptation of the Palliative Prognostic Index in patients with advanced medical conditions.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the accuracy of the Palliative Prognostic Index (PPI) in patients with advanced medical diseases and to recalibrate it in order to adapt it to the profile of these patients. METHODS: Multicenter, prospective, observational study that included patients with one or more advanced medical diseases. Calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit) and discriminative power (ROC and area under the curve [AUC]) of PPI were analyzed in the prediction of mortality at 180 days. Recalibration was carried out by analyzing the scores on the PPI of each quartile upward of dying probability. Accuracy of PPI was compared with that obtained for the Charlson index. RESULTS: Overall mortality of the 1.788 patients was 37.5%. Calibration in the prediction of mortality was good (goodness of fit with P=.21), the prognostic probabilities ranging from 0-0,25 in the first quartile of risk and from 0,48-0,8 in the last quartile. Discriminative power was acceptable (AUC=69; P=.0001). In recalibrated groups, mortality of patients with 0/1-2/2.5-9.5/≥10 points was 13, 23, 39 and 68%, respectively. Sensitivity (S) and negative predicative value (NPF) of the cutoff point above 0 points were 96 and 87%, respectively; while specificity (sp) and positive predictive value (PPV) of the cutoff point above 9.5 points were 95 and 68%. Calibration of the Charlson index was good (P=.2), and its discriminative power (AUC=.52; P=.06) was suboptimal. CONCLUSIONS: PPI can be a useful tool in predicting 6-month survival of patients with advanced medical conditions.