Función renal al ingreso como marcador pronóstico en pacientes hospitalizados por un primer episodio de insuficiencia cardíaca. Resultados del estudio PREDICE / Renal function at admission as a prognostic marker for patients hospitalised for a first episode of heart failure. Results of the PREDICE study

ANTECEDENTES Y OBJETIVO: La insuficiencia cardíaca (IC) es una enfermedad frecuente que deteriora la calidad de vida de los pacientes que la padecen y condiciona una elevada morbimortalidad. En los últimos años, se están desarrollando gran cantidad de trabajos para determinar qué factores influyen en el pronóstico de la IC. Sin embargo, son escasos los que evalúan el pronóstico de los pacientes hospitalizados por su primer episodio de IC. El objetivo de nuestro estudio es analizar el impacto pronóstico de la función renal en pacientes hospitalizados por un primer episodio de IC. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se recogió a 600 pacientes hospitalizados por un primer episodio de IC en 3hospitales españoles de tercer nivel. Se analizó el riesgo de mortalidad durante el primer año de seguimiento en función del grado de función renal en el momento del ingreso. RESULTADOS: Los pacientes con mayor grado de insuficiencia renal en el momento del ingreso presentaban edad más avanzada (p < 0,001) eran más frecuentemente mujeres (p = 0,01), presentaban un mayor grado de dependencia (p < 0,05) y mayor prevalencia de hipertensión arterial (p < 0,001), insuficiencia renal crónica (p < 0,001) y anemia (p < 0,001). En el análisis multivariante, el grado de insuficiencia renal al ingreso se mantuvo como predictor independiente de mayor riesgo de mortalidad durante el primer año de seguimiento. CONCLUSIONES: La presencia de insuficiencia renal en el momento del ingreso es un marcador de mal pronóstico en nuestra cohorte de pacientes hospitalizados por un primer episodio de IC

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Heart failure (HF) is a frequent condition that deteriorates quality of life and results in high morbidity and mortality. A considerable number of studies have been implemented in recent years to determine the factors that affect the prognosis of HF; however, few studies have assessed the prognosis of patients hospitalised for their first episode of HF. The aim of our study was to analyse the prognostic impact of renal function on patients hospitalised for a first episode of HF. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We recruited 600 patients hospitalised for a first episode of HF in 3 tertiary Spanish hospitals. We analysed the mortality risk during the first year of follow-up according to renal function at the time of admission. RESULTS: The patients with the highest degree of kidney failure at admission were older (P<.001), were more often women (p=.01) and presented a higher degree of dependence (P<.05), as well as a higher prevalence of arterial hypertension (P<.001), chronic renal failure (P<.001) and anaemia (P<.001). In the multivariate analysis, the degree of kidney failure at admission remained an independent predictor of increased mortality risk during the first year of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of kidney failure at admission was a marker of poor prognosis in our cohort of patients hospitalised for a first episode of HF

[Detection of adverse events in thyroid and parathyroid surgery using trigger tool and Minimum Basic Data Set (MBDS)]. / Detección de eventos adversos en la cirugía tiroidea y paratiroidea utilizando la herramienta trigger y el Conjunto Mínimo de Datos Básicos (CMBD).

OBJECTIVES: To compare the ability of the trigger tool) and the Minimum Basic Data Set (MBDS) in detecting adverse events (AE) in hospitalized surgical patients with thyroid and parathyroid disease. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional observational study, retrospective and cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2014 to April 2015 analysing retrospectively data on of patients submitted to thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy in order to detect AE through the identification of triggers (an event often associated to an AE) and the MBDS. triggers and AE were located by systematic review of clinical documentation. The MBDS was got from the data base. Once an AE was detected, it was characterized. RESULTS: 203 AE were identified in 251 patients, being the 90.04% detected by trigger tool and 10.34% by MBDS. 126 patients had at least one AE (50.2%). Without the cases in which uncontrolled pain was the only AE, the percentage of patients that suffering AE was 38.65%. 187 AE were considered preventable and 16 AE were considered unpreventable. The trigger tool and the MBDS demonstrated a sensitivity of 91.27 and 13.49%, a specificity of 4.8 and 100%, a positive predictive value of 49,15 and 100%, and a negative predictive value of 35.29 and 53.42%, respectively. The triggers with more predictive power in AE detection were «antiemetic administration¼ and «calcium administration¼. CONCLUSIONS: Trigger tool shows higher sensitivity for detecting AE than the MBDS. All the detected AE were considered low severity and most of them were preventable.

Renal function at admission as a prognostic marker for patients hospitalised for a first episode of heart failure. Results of the PREDICE study. / Función renal al ingreso como marcador pronóstico en pacientes hospitalizados por un primer episodio de insuficiencia cardíaca. Resultados del estudio PREDICE.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Heart failure (HF) is a frequent condition that deteriorates quality of life and results in high morbidity and mortality. A considerable number of studies have been implemented in recent years to determine the factors that affect the prognosis of HF; however, few studies have assessed the prognosis of patients hospitalised for their first episode of HF. The aim of our study was to analyse the prognostic impact of renal function on patients hospitalised for a first episode of HF. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We recruited 600 patients hospitalised for a first episode of HF in 3 tertiary Spanish hospitals. We analysed the mortality risk during the first year of follow-up according to renal function at the time of admission. RESULTS: The patients with the highest degree of kidney failure at admission were older (P<.001), were more often women (p=.01) and presented a higher degree of dependence (P<.05), as well as a higher prevalence of arterial hypertension (P<.001), chronic renal failure (P<.001) and anaemia (P<.001). In the multivariate analysis, the degree of kidney failure at admission remained an independent predictor of increased mortality risk during the first year of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of kidney failure at admission was a marker of poor prognosis in our cohort of patients hospitalised for a first episode of HF.

Comparación de la herramienta Trigger con el conjunto mínimo básico de datos (CMBD) para la detección de eventos adversos en cirugía general / Comparison of the 'Trigger' tool with the minimum basic data set for detecting adverse events in general surgery

Introducción. La cirugía supone una de las tareas de alto riesgo para la aparición de eventos adversos. El objetivo principal de este estudio fue comparar la efectividad de la herramienta Trigger frente al registro de altas de hospitales del Sistema Nacional de Salud en la detección de eventos adversos (EA) en pacientes hospitalizados en cirugía general y sometidos a intervención quirúrgica. Material y métodos. Estudio retrospectivo observacional y descriptivo sobre pacientes ingresados en cirugía general de un hospital de tercer nivel, sometidos a intervención quirúrgica durante el año 2012. La identificación de eventos adversos se llevó a cabo mediante una revisión de historias clínicas empleando una adaptación de la metodología Global Trigger Tool y una revisión del registro del conjunto mínimo básico de datos (CMBD) de los mismos pacientes. Una vez identificados los EA se les asignó una categoría de daño y se determinó el grado en que estos podrían haber sido evitados. Para determinar el poder discriminatorio de las herramientas se usaron el área bajo la curva (ROC). Para comparar ambas herramientas se realizó la prueba estadística Hanley y McNei. Resultados. La herramienta Trigger detectó el 89,9% de todos los EA, mientras que el registro CMBD detectó el 28,4% de ellos. La herramienta Trigger obtuvo más información sobre la naturaleza y características de los EA. La prevalencia de EA fue de 36,8%. El área bajo la curva de la herramienta Trigger fue de 0,89, el de la herramienta basada en el registro de CMBD fue de 0,66. Las diferencias mostradas fueron estadísticamente significativas (p<0,001). Conclusiones. La herramienta Trigger detecta 3 veces más eventos adversos que el registro CMBD. La prevalencia de eventos adversos en cirugía general fue más alta de la estimada en otros estudios (AU)

Introduction. Surgery is a high risk for the occurrence of adverse events (AE). The main objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of the Trigger tool with the Hospital National Health System registration of Discharges, the minimum basic data set (MBDS), in detecting adverse events in patients admitted to General Surgery and undergoing surgery. Material and methods. Observational and descriptive retrospective study of patients admitted to general surgery of a tertiary hospital, and undergoing surgery in 2012. The identification of adverse events was made by reviewing the medical records, using an adaptation of "Global Trigger Tool" ethodology, as well as the (MBDS) registered on the same patients. Once the AE were identified, they were classified according to damage and to the extent to which these could have been avoided. The area under the curve (ROC) were used to determine the discriminatory power of the tools. The Hanley and Mcneil test was used to compare both tools. Results. AE prevalence was 36.8%. The TT detected 89.9% of all AE, while the MBDS detected 28.48%. The TT provides more information on the nature and characteristics of the AE. The area under the curve was 0.89 for the TT and 0.66 for the MBDS. These differences were statistically significant (P<.001). Conclusions. The Trigger tool detects three times more adverse events than the MBDS registry. The prevalence of adverse events in General Surgery is higher than that estimated in other studies (AU)

[Comparison of the "Trigger" tool with the minimum basic data set for detecting adverse events in general surgery]. / Comparación de la herramienta Trigger con el conjunto mínimo básico de datos (CMBD) para la detección de eventos adversos en cirugía general.

INTRODUCTION: Surgery is a high risk for the occurrence of adverse events (AE). The main objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of the Trigger tool with the Hospital National Health System registration of Discharges, the minimum basic data set (MBDS), in detecting adverse events in patients admitted to General Surgery and undergoing surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational and descriptive retrospective study of patients admitted to general surgery of a tertiary hospital, and undergoing surgery in 2012. The identification of adverse events was made by reviewing the medical records, using an adaptation of "Global Trigger Tool" methodology, as well as the (MBDS) registered on the same patients. Once the AE were identified, they were classified according to damage and to the extent to which these could have been avoided. The area under the curve (ROC) were used to determine the discriminatory power of the tools. The Hanley and Mcneil test was used to compare both tools. RESULTS: AE prevalence was 36.8%. The TT detected 89.9% of all AE, while the MBDS detected 28.48%. The TT provides more information on the nature and characteristics of the AE. The area under the curve was 0.89 for the TT and 0.66 for the MBDS. These differences were statistically significant (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: The Trigger tool detects three times more adverse events than the MBDS registry. The prevalence of adverse events in General Surgery is higher than that estimated in other studies.

Mortalidad prematura cardiovascular y sus costes: 20 años de seguimiento del estudio DRECE / Costs resulting from premature mortality due to cardiovascular causes: a 20-year follow-up of the DRECE study

Objetivos. Las enfermedades cardiovasculares permanecen todavía como la principal causa de muerte en España. El estudio Dieta y Riesgo de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares en España (DRECE) se basa en una cohorte representativa de la población general española en la que se analizan los hábitos nutricionales y de vida estudiando su asociación con los patrones de morbimortalidad. Hemos estimado el impacto, en términos de pérdida de productividad, de la mortalidad prematura atribuida a las enfermedades cardiovasculares. Métodos. La pérdida de productividad atribuida a mortalidad prematura se calculó desde 1991, basándose en los años de vida y de vida laboral potencialmente perdidos. Resultados. Durante el seguimiento de 20años de una cohorte de 4.779 sujetos se produjeron 225 fallecimientos (hombres, 152). El 16% de las defunciones se atribuyó a enfermedades cardiovasculares. Los costes por pérdidas de productividad por mortalidad prematura superaron los 29 millones de euros. De ellos, 4 millones de euros (14% del coste total) se debieron a causas cardiovasculares. Conclusiones. La mortalidad prematura cardiovascular en la cohorte DRECE ha supuesto un importante coste social por pérdidas de productividad laboral (AU)

Objectives. Cardiovascular diseases are still the leading cause of death in Spain. The DRECE study (Diet and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Spain), based on a representative cohort of the Spanish general population, analyzed nutritional habits and lifestyle and their association with morbidity and mortality patterns. We estimated the impact, in terms of loss of productivity, of premature mortality attributed to cardiovascular diseases. Methods. The loss of productivity attributed to premature mortality was calculated from 1991, based on the potential years of life lost and the potential years of working life lost. Results. During the 20-year follow-up of a cohort of 4779 patients, 225 of these patients died (men, 152). Sixteen percent of the deaths were attributed to cardiovascular disease. The costs due to lost productivity by premature mortality exceeded 29 million euros. Of these, 4 million euros (14% of the total cost) were due to cardiovascular causes. Conclusions. Premature cardiovascular mortality in the DRECE cohort represented a significant social cost due to lost productivity (AU)

Costs resulting from premature mortality due to cardiovascular causes: A 20-year follow-up of the DRECE study. / Mortalidad prematura cardiovascular y sus costes: 20 años de seguimiento del estudio DRECE.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular diseases are still the leading cause of death in Spain. The DRECE study (Diet and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Spain), based on a representative cohort of the Spanish general population, analyzed nutritional habits and lifestyle and their association with morbidity and mortality patterns. We estimated the impact, in terms of loss of productivity, of premature mortality attributed to cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: The loss of productivity attributed to premature mortality was calculated from 1991, based on the potential years of life lost and the potential years of working life lost. RESULTS: During the 20-year follow-up of a cohort of 4779 patients, 225 of these patients died (men, 152). Sixteen percent of the deaths were attributed to cardiovascular disease. The costs due to lost productivity by premature mortality exceeded 29 million euros. Of these, 4 million euros (14% of the total cost) were due to cardiovascular causes. CONCLUSIONS: Premature cardiovascular mortality in the DRECE cohort represented a significant social cost due to lost productivity.

Capítulo 1. DRECE: introducción / No disponible

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Capítulo 2. El proyecto DRECE / No disponible

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Capítulo 4. DRECE II (1996). Evolución del perfil cardiovascular y morbilidad en poblaciones de riesgo / No disponible

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Capítulo 5. DRECE III (2004). Mortalidad y factores de riesgo cardiovascular / No disponible

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Capítulo 6. DRECE IV (2008). Hábitos alimentarios actuales y evolución de la dieta en la población española / No disponible

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Capítulo 7. Evolución de la dieta española / No disponible

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Composite anatomical-clinical-molecular prognostic model in non-small cell lung cancer.

The objective of the present study was to elaborate a survival model that integrates anatomic factors, according to the 2010 seventh edition of the tumour, node and metastasis (TNM) staging system, with clinical and molecular factors. Pathologic TNM descriptors (group A), clinical variables (group B), laboratory parameters (group C) and molecular markers (tissue microarrays; group D) were collected from 512 early-stage nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with complete resection. A multivariate analysis stepped supervised learning classification algorithm was used. The prognostic performance by groups was: areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (C-index): 0.67 (group A), 0.65 (Group B), 0.57 (group C) and 0.65 (group D). Considering all variables together selected for each of the four groups (integrated group) the C-index was 0.74 (95% CI 0.70-0.79), with statistically significant differences compared with each isolated group (from p = 0.006 to p < 0.001). Variables with the greatest prognostic discrimination were the presence of another ipsilobar nodule and tumour size > 3 cm, followed by other anatomical and clinical factors, and molecular expressions of phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (phospho-mTOR), Ki67cell proliferation index and phosphorylated acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase. This study on early-stage NSCLC shows the benefit from integrating pathological TNM, clinical and molecular factors into a composite prognostic model. The model of the integrated group classified patients with significantly higher accuracy compared to the TNM 2010 staging.

Diferencias en las presiones del canal anal y la sensibilidad rectal en pacientes con incontinencia anal, estreñimiento crónico y sujetos sanos / No disponible

Introducción: Existe gran variabilidad en los hallazgos manométricos entre pacientes con incontinencia anal (IA) y sujetos sanos. La correlación entre las presiones del canal anal y la IA no es exacta por el amplio rango de valores normales. Objetivos: Estudio prospectivo para evaluar diferencias en las presiones del canal anal y en la sensibilidad rectal en pacientes con IA, estreñimiento crónico (EC) y sujetos sanos. Material y métodos: Noventa y cuatro pacientes con IA, 36 pacientes con EC y 15 sujetos sanos. Se obtuvieron: edad, sexo, presión de reposo, longitud del canal anal (LCA), presión de máxima contracción voluntaria (PMCV), duración de la contracción voluntaria, primera sensación, sensación de urgencia y máximo volumen tolerado (MVT). Estudio estadístico: test de Kruskal-Wallis, test de Mann-Whitney, regresión logística multinomial. Resultados: Se encontraron diferencias significativas en la edad (p < 0,001), la presión de reposo (p < 0,001), la LCA (p < 0,001) y la PMCV (p < 0,01) en el grupo de IA con respecto a los otros dos grupos. El volumen para la primera sensación fue significativamente más bajo en los sujetos sanos que en los otros dos grupos (p < 0,05). El volumen de urgencia y el MVT fueron menores en el grupo con IA con respecto a los otros dos grupos (p < 0,001). En el análisis multivariante la edad, la presión de reposo y el volumen de la primera sensación y de la urgencia aumentan el riesgo relativo de IA. Conclusiones: La mayor edad, la disminución presión basal del canal anal y la alteración del umbral sensorial rectal aumentan el riesgo de IA(AU)

Introduction: There exist a great variability in the manometric findings between patients with anal incontinence (AI) and healthy subjects. The correlation between the pressures of the anal canal and the AI is not exact by the wide rank of normal values. Objectives: Prospective study to evaluate differences in the pressures of the anal canal and in rectal sensitivity in patients with AI, chronic constipation (CC) and healthy subjects. Material and methods: Ninety four patients with AI, 36 patients with CC and 15 healthy subjects were included. The following data were obtained: age, sex, resting pressure, anal canal length (ACL), squeeze maximum pressure (SMP), squeeze pressure duration (SPD), first sensation, urge and maximum tolerated volume (MTV). Statistical study: test of Kruskal-Wallis, test of Mann-Whitney, and multinomial logistic regression test. Results: There were significant differences in the resting pressure (p < 0.001), the ACL (p < 0.001) and the SMP (p < 0.01) in the group of AI with respect to the other two groups. The volume for the first sensation was significantly lower in the healthy subjects than that in the other two groups (p < 0.05). The urge volume and the MVT were smaller in the group with AI with respect to the other groups (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis the age, the resting pressure and the volume for the first sensation and urge increase the relative risk for AI. Conclusions: The greater age, the decrease in anal canal resting pressure and the alteration of rectal sensation increase the risk for AI(AU)

Documento de Consenso interdisciplinar para el tratamiento de la fibromialgia / Interdisciplinary Consensus Document for the treatment of fibromyalgia

Antecedentes. La elevada prevalencia y enorme impacto clínico y social de la fibromialgia, junto a la complejidad de su tratamiento, exigen consensos de actuación que sirvan de guía a los profesionales de la salud. Aunque existían algunos documentos similares en nuestro idioma, la mayoría habían sido realizados desde la perspectiva de una única disciplina. Objetivo. Desarrollar un consenso sobre el tratamiento de la fibromialgia realizado por representantes seleccionados y avalados por las principales sociedades médicas que intervienen en su tratamiento (reumatología, neurología, psiquiatría, rehabilitación y medicina de familia), así como representantes de las asociaciones de pacientes. Por otra parte, se enfatizó la comprensión de la enfermedad no como un trastorno homogéneo, sino como la suma de diferentes subtipos clínicos, con características sintomáticas específicas y necesidades terapéuticas distintas. Este abordaje representaba una necesidad percibida por los clínicos y una novedad respecto a consensos previos. Método. Se revisaron las diferentes clasificaciones clínicas que se han propuesto en fibromialgia, así como la evidencia científica de los tratamientos utilizados en esta enfermedad. Para la selección de la clasificación empleada y para la realización de las recomendaciones terapéutica, se emplearon algunas de las técnicas habituales para realizarlos consensos (grupo nominal y brainstorming). Conclusión. La clasificación de Giesecke de la fibromialgia en 3 subgrupos parece ser la que cuenta con mayor evidencia científica y la más útil para el clínico. La guía ofrece una serie de recomendaciones generales para todos los pacientes con fibromialgia. Pero, además, para cada subgrupo existen una serie de recomendaciones específicas de tipo farmacológico, psicológico y de modificación del entorno, que permitirán un abordaje personalizado del paciente con fibromialgia en dependencia de sus características clínicas individuales (dolor, depresión, niveles de catastrofización, etc) (AU)

Backgrounds. The elevated prevalence and enormous clinical and social impact of fibromyalgia, together with the complexity of its treatment, require action consensuses that guide health care professionals. Although there are some similar documents in our language, most have been made from the perspective of a single discipline. Objective. To develop a consensus on the treatment of fibromyalgia made by selected representatives and supported by the principal medical associations that intervene in its treatment (rheumatology, neurology, psychiatry, rehabilitation and family medicine) and representatives of the associations of patients. On the other hand, understanding the disease not as a homogenous disorders but also as the sum of different clinical subtypes, having specific symptomatic characteristics and different therapeutic needs is stressed. This approach represented a need perceived by the clinicians and a novelty regarding previous consensuses. Methods. The different clinical classifications proposed in fibromyalgia and the scientific evidence of the treatments used in this disease were reviewed. For the selection of the classification used and performance of the therapeutic recommendations, some of the usual techniques to obtain the consensus (nominal group and brainstorming) were used. Conclusion. The classification of Giesecke of fibromyalgia into 3 subgroups seems to have the greatest scientific evidence and the most useful for the clinician. The guide offers a series of general recommendations for all the patients with fibromyalgia. However, in addition, for each subgroup, there are a series of specific pharmacological and psychological-type recommendations and those of modification of the environment, which will make it possible to have a personalized approach to the patient with fibromyalgia in accordance with their individual clinical characteristics (pain, catastrophizing levels, etc.) (AU)

Differences in the pressures of canal anal and rectal sensitivity in patients with fecal incontinence, chronic constipation and healthy subjects.

INTRODUCTION: There exists a great variability in the manometric findings between patients with anal incontinence (AI) and healthy subjects. The correlation between the pressures of the anal canal and the AI is not exact by the wide rank of normal values. OBJECTIVES: Prospective study to evaluate differences in the pressures of the anal canal and in rectal sensitivity in patients with AI, chronic constipation (CC) and healthy subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety four patients with AI, 36 patients with CC and 15 healthy subjects were included. The following data were obtained: age, sex, resting pressure, anal canal length (ACL), squeeze maximum pressure (SMP), squeeze pressure duration (SPD), first sensation, urge and maximum tolerated volume (MTV). Statistical study: test of Kruskal-Wallis, test of Mann-Whitney, and multinomial logistic regression test. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the resting pressure (p < 0.001), the ACL (p < 0.001) and the SMP (p < 0.01) in the group of AI with respect to the other two groups. The volume for the first sensation was significantly lower in the healthy subjects than that in the other two groups (p < 0.05). The urge volume and the MVT were smaller in the group with AI with respect to the other groups (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis the age, the resting pressure and the volume for the first sensation and urge increase the relative risk for AI. CONCLUSIONS: The greater age, the decrease in anal canal resting pressure and the alteration of rectal sensation increase the risk for AI.

Malignancy after liver transplantation: cumulative risk for development.

BACKGROUND: Solid organ recipients are at high risk to develop malignancies due to the complex interactions of several factors, constituting a major cause of late death after transplantation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed an historic cohort of adult liver recipients from cadaveric donors (multiorgan recipients excluded) performed from 1986-2002 with a minimum follow-up of 36 months. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess cumulative risk to develop malignancy and survival analyses. RESULTS: Among the 528 patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) with a mean follow-up of 2400 days, 98 developed cancer among which 25% were skin malignancies. Sixty-seven patients developed at least 1 noncutaneous malignancy, an overall incidence of 12.7%. Eighteen percent suffered from posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease; 14%, lung cancer; 4%, Kaposi's sarcoma; 7%, genitourinary malignancies; and 17%, oropharyngeal or laryngeal cancer. The cumulative patient risks to develop noncutaneous malignancies at 5, 10, and 15 years posttransplantation were 9% (confidence interval [CI]: 0.06-0.11), 18% (CI: 0.14-0.23), and 25% (CI: 0.18-0.31), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: OLT recipients are at higher risk to develop malignancies after transplantation, reaching a cumulative risk of 25% at 15 years. Long-term surveillance measures and screening programs must be seriously conducted for selected groups.

Control of diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes in primary care. The gap between guidelines and reality in Spain.

To evaluate the level and factors affecting control of diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes (TYPE 2 DM) patients. Multicentre cross-sectional study: a sample of 430 primary care practices across Spain selected 1907 type 2 diabetic patients. The first five consecutive ambulatory patients with TYPE 2 DM were eligible for the inclusion into the survey. Patients were free of known cardiovascular disease (CVD). Control criteria were defined based on 2002 American Diabetes Association (ADA) clinical practice recommendations. A total of 1907 patients (51% women) aged 63 +/- 9 years. Smoking prevalence was 22.6%, 50.6% had levels of A1c < 7%. Mean blood pressure (BP) was 148 +/- 17/86 +/- 10 mmHg. Only 7.8% have achieved the target of BP < 130/80 mmHg. Among the 1180 patients (65%) treated for hypertension, this target was attained in only 4.4% of patients. A measurement for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was available in 1669 patients (88%). Only 5.9% of patients achieved the target of LDL < 100 mg/dl. Among the 638 patients (41.6%) on drug treatment for dyslipidaemia, this target was attained in only 5.6% of patients. Among type 2 diabetic patients in Spain the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors is high. Control of glycaemia, smoking, BP and LDL are far from optimal despite the widespread use of guidelines for the management of diabetes and CVD. The application of published recommendations needs to be reinforced.

Causes of ischemic stroke in young adults, and evolution of the etiological diagnosis over the long term.

BACKGROUND: Causes of ischemic stroke in young adults (15-45 years) are diverse, but undetermined etiology is common in a majority of studies. AIMS: The present series study aims to evaluate causes and changes in the etiological diagnosis of ischemic stroke in young adult patients admitted to a tertiary medical center over a period of 27 years. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with a first-ever stroke in the age range of 15-45 years who were admitted to the '12 de Octubre' University Hospital between 1974 and 2002. RESULTS: 272 young adults with ischemic stroke were identified. The etiological diagnoses were: undetermined in 36% of patients, large-artery atherosclerosis in 21%, cardioembolism in 17%, non-atherosclerotic vasculopathy in 17%, and other specific etiologies in 9%. While in the first study period (1974-1988) 45% of patients were diagnosed with uncertain etiology, in the last period (1989-2002) only 26% were diagnosed with cryptogenic stroke (45% with two or more potential etiologies identified; 45% with no identified cause despite complete evaluation, and 10% with incomplete evaluation). CONCLUSIONS: The etiological diagnosis of stroke in young adults has changed over time as a result of improvements in diagnostic workup. While cryptogenic stroke was the most frequent diagnosis in the past, today specific causes (non-atherosclerotic vasculopathy, large-artery atherosclerosis, cardioembolism and hematological disorder) are identified in the majority of patients.