The change in the atrial fibrillation type as a prognosis marker in a community study: long-term data from AFBAR (Atrial Fibrillation in the BARbanza) study.

BACKGROUND: The aim is to describe the prognosis role of the change in the atrial fibrillation (AF) type in an unselected population of patients with AF currently attending primary care in a single health-service area in Galicia, north-western Spain. METHODS: AFBAR is a cohort study that was carried out by 35 primary care providers in 2008. Participants were followed up for a mean of 2.8 ± 0.7 years. 798 patients with the diagnosis of AF who presented at their clinics during a three-month period were recruited. Primary endpoint was mortality or hospital admission. RESULTS: 778 patients (413 male) were analyzed; mean age 74.8 years old. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor (76.5%). Permanent AF was diagnosed in 529 patients (68.0%). Change of AF status occurred in 76 patients (9.8%). During follow-up 52.1% of the patients underwent a primary endpoint and the overall survival was 83.4%. The following independent determinants of primary endpoint were identified: change in AF status (Hazard Ratio (HR) 1.41 (95%-confidence interval (CI) 1.04-1.92); p=0.026); previous heart failure (HR 1.28 (95%-CI 1.00-1.65); p=0.050); previous cardiovascular admission (HR 1.54 (95%-CI 1.16-2.03); p=0.002); stroke (HR 2.02 (95%-CI 1.35-3.03); p=0.001);ischemic heart disease (HR 1.28 (95%-CI 1.00-1.65); p=0.050); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR 1.28 (95%-CI 1.00-1.64);p=0.042); anemia (HR 1.37 (95% CI 1.08-1.75); p=0.010); or AF-related complications (HR 1.45 (95%-CI 1.18-1.78); p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The change in AF status showed to be an important prognosis marker for death or hospital admissions in a primary care cohort.

[Clinical features and prognosis of patients with chronic cerebrovascular disease (ICBAR study)]. / Características clínicas y pronóstico de pacientes con enfermedad cerebrovascular crónica (estudio ICBAR).

INTRODUCTION: Patients with cerebrovascular disease (CVD) are a group with a very high cardiovascular risk, in addition to that arising from their own vascular pathology, probably due to an inadequate control of risk factors and owing to the presence of comorbidities. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This research consisted in a multi-centre study involving the collaboration of 34 primary care physicians and recording of the features of 473 patients with a previous history of a CVD event that required hospitalisation. After a clinical follow-up of the cohort, hospital readmissions, mortality and causes were analysed. RESULTS: The mean age of patients (52% males) was 75 ± 10 years and the most prevalent risk factors were arterial hypertension (79%), dyslipidaemia (66%), obesity (43%) and diabetes (29%). Sixty-eight per cent of patients had been diagnosed with stroke and 32% with transient ischaemic attack. The mean amount of time elapsed since the first CVD event was 6.6 ± 5.5 years. Twenty-nine per cent of patients had a situation of dependence and only one third showed good blood pressure and lipid control. During a follow-up lasting 8.2 ± 2.3 months, 7.2% of patients suffered some kind of cardio-vascular event (death or hospitalisation), which independent determinants were found to be previous heart failure (hazard ratio, HR = 2.74; 95% confidence interval, CI 95% = 1.3-5.9); cardiomyopathy (HR = 3.32; CI 95% = 1.4-8.2); anaemia (HR = 3.09; CI 95% = 1.6-6.2); renal failure (HR = 2.4; CI 95% = 1.0-5.6); the situation of dependence (HR = 2.57; CI 95% = 1.3-5.7) and cardiovascular admissions over the past year (HR = 3.05; CI 95% = 1.5-5.6). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CVD followed up in the area of primary care present a high prevalence of arterial hypertension and little is done to control it. Their prognosis is conditioned by cardiovascular comorbidities and sequelae of their cerebro-vascular disease.

[Effect of the location of previous atherosclerotic disease on prognosis in diabetic patients. The Barbanza Diabetes Study]. / Impacto pronóstico de la localización de la enfermedad aterosclerosa previa en pacientes diabéticos. Estudio Barbanza-diabetes.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of different forms of atherosclerotic disease on prognosis in diabetic patients. METHODS: This multicenter prospective cohort study involved 1423 consecutive patients with diabetes mellitus who were recruited by 31 primary care physicians. The patients' characteristics were recorded and they were followed up for 45 +/- 10 months. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients (50% male) was 66 years, 64% had hypertension, 70% had dyslipidemia, and 26% had had a previous cardiovascular event. By the end of follow-up, 81 (6.2%) had died, 40 (3%) of whom due to cardiovascular causes, and 393 (30%) had been hospitalized, 179 (14%) of whom for cardiovascular disease. Multivariate analysis identified the following factors as independent predictors of mortality: age (hazard ratio [HR]=1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI],1.05-1.11), previous cardiovascular disease (HR=2.15; 95% CI, 1.12-4.14) and diuretic treatment (HR=3.40; 95% CI, 1.76-6.56), while the prescription of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin-receptor antagonist had a protective effect (HR=0.48; 95% CI, 0.25-0.93). Compared with diabetics without a previous cardiovascular event, the risk of a cardiovascular event during follow-up was greater in those with a history of either ischemic heart disease (HR=2.48; 95% CI, 1.51-4.07), cerebrovascular disease (HR=2.51; 95% CI, 1.28-4.92), or peripheral vascular disease (HR=1.46; 95% CI, 0.81-2.60). CONCLUSIONS: The increase in the risk of a cardiovascular event was similar in diabetics with ischemic heart disease and those with cerebrovascular disease. In both cases, the risk was more than double that in patients without a history of cardiovascular disease.

Impacto pronóstico de la localización de la enfermedad aterosclerosa previa en pacientes diabéticos. Estudio Barbanza-diabetes / Effect of the location of previous atherosclerotic disease on prognosis in diabetic patients. The Barbanza Diabetes Study

Introducción y objetivos. Evaluar las diferencias pronósticas de las distintas formas de presentación de la enfermedad aterosclerosa en pacientes diabéticos. Métodos. Estudio multicéntrico de cohortes prospectivas, en el que participaron 31 médicos de atención primaria que registraron las características de 1.423 pacientes diabéticos que acudieron de forma consecutiva a sus consultas y fueron seguidos durante 45 ± 10 meses. Resultados. Pacientes (el 50%, varones) con media de edad de 66 años, el 64% hipertensos, el 70% dislipémicos y el 26% con eventos cardiovasculares previos. Tras el período de seguimiento, fallecieron 81 (6,2%) pacientes, 40 (3%) por causa cardiaca, y reingresaron 393 (30%), 179 (14%) por causa cardiovascular. En el análisis multivariable, resultaron determinantes independientes de mortalidad: la edad (hazard ratio [HR] = 1,08; inter-valo de confianza [IC] del 95%, 1,05-1,11), tener enfermedad cardiovascular (HR = 2,15; IC del 95%, 1,12-4,14) y seguir tratamiento con diuréticos (HR = 3,40; IC del 95%, 1,76-6,56), mientras que la prescripción de inhibidores de la enzima de conversión de angiotensina y/o antagonistas de los receptores de angiotensina II resultó factor protector (HR = 0,48; IC del 95%, 0,25-0,93). En comparación con diabéticos sin evento cardiovascular previo, el riesgo de tener una complicación cardiovascular fue superior en los pacientes con antecedentes de cardiopatía isquémica (HR = 2,48; IC del 95%, 1,51-4,07), enfermedad cerebrovascular (HR = 2,51; IC del 95%, 1,28-4,92) y enfermedad vascular periférica (HR = 1,46; IC del 95%, 0,81-2,60). Conclusiones. El incremento del riesgo de complicaciones cardiovasculares es semejante entre los diabéticos con cardiopatía isquémica y con enfermedad cerebrovascular y más del doble respecto a diabéticos sin afección cardiovascular evidente (AU)

Introduction and objectives. To assess the effect of different forms of atherosclerotic disease on prognosis in diabetic patients. Methods. This multicenter prospective cohort study involved 1423 consecutive patients with diabetes mellitus who were recruited by 31 primary care physicians. The patients' characteristics were recorded and they were followed up for 45 (10) months. Results. The mean age of the patients (50% male) was 66 years, 64% had hypertension, 70% had dyslipidemia, and 26% had had a previous cardiovascular event. By the end of follow-up, 81 (6.2%) had died, 40 (3%) of whom due to cardiovascular causes, and 393 (30%) had been hospitalized, 179 (14%) of whom for cardiovascular disease. Multivariate analysis identified the following factors as independent predictors of mortality: age (hazard ratio [HR]=1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.11), previous cardiovascular disease (HR=2.15; 95% CI, 1.12-4.14) and diuretic treatment (HR=3.40; 95% CI, 1.76-6.56), while the prescription of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin-receptor antagonist had a protective effect (HR=0.48; 95% CI, 0.25-0.93). Compared with diabetics without a previous cardiovascular event, the risk of a cardiovascular event during follow-up was greater in those with a history of either ischemic heart disease (HR=2.48; 95% CI, 1.51-4.07), cerebrovascular disease (HR=2.51; 95% CI, 1.28-4.92), or peripheral vascular disease (HR=1.46; 95% CI, 0.81-2.60). Conclusions. The increase in the risk of a cardiovascular event was similar in diabetics with ischemic heart disease and those with cerebrovascular disease. In both cases, the risk was more than double that in patients without a history of cardiovascular disease (AU)