Infarto de miocardio con elevación del segmento ST revascularizado. Tendencias temporales de los tratamientos contemporáneos y su impacto en los resultados / Revascularized ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Temporal trends in contemporary therapies and impact on outcomes

Introducción y objetivos Evaluar en pacientes con infarto agudo de miocardio con elevación del segmento ST (IAMCEST) sometidos a angioplastia primaria con qué ritmo se ha introducido en la práctica clínica (2010-2017) los tratamientos con stents farmacoactivos, ticagrelor, prasugrel y antiagregante plaquetario doble (TAPD) prolongado y su potencial impacto en el resultado a 2 años. Métodos Análisis retrospectivo de un registro prospectivo exhaustivo de 14.841 pacientes con IAMCEST sometidos a angioplastia primaria entre 2010 y 2017. Los eventos índice se obtuvieron del Registro de Código IAM de Cataluña y los eventos en el seguimiento, del conjunto mínimo de datos de altas hospitalarias. Se definió el TAPD a partir de la dispensación farmacéutica. Se evaluó el resultado a 24 meses. Las tendencias temporales de los factores de exposición y los resultados se analizaron mediante modelos de regresión. Resultados La edad> 65 años, la diabetes, la insuficiencia renal, la insuficiencia cardiaca previa y la necesidad de anticoagulación al alta fueron más frecuentes en periodos más tardíos (p <0,001). Entre 2010 y 2017 el implante de stents farmacoactivos aumentó del 31,1 al 69,8%; la prescripción de ticagrelor, del 0,1 al 28,6% y la de prasugrel, del 1,5 al 23,8%, y la media de meses consecutivos con TAPD, de 2 a 10 (p <0,001 en todos los casos). El análisis ajustado mostró una tendencia temporal a disminución del riesgo de la variable de resultado principal: el evento compuesto de muerte, infarto agudo de miocardio, ictus y nueva revascularización (reducción absoluta de la probabilidad, el 0,005% por trimestre; OR=0,995; IC95%, 0,99-0,999; p=0,028). Todos los componentes individuales excepto el ictus mostraron una reducción de la probabilidad, solo significativa para la aparición de nueva revascularización (AU)

Introduction and objectives To assess, in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who underwent primary percutaneous intervention, the pace of introduction in clinical practice (2010-2017) of drug-eluting stents (DES), ticagrelor, prasugrel, and prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) duration, and their potential impact on the risk of 2-year outcomes. Methods Prospective and exhaustive community-wide cohort of 14 841 STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous intervention between 2010 and 2017. Index episodes were obtained from the Catalan Codi IAM Registry, events during follow-up from the Minimum Data Set and DAPT were defined by pharmacy dispensation. Follow-up was 24 months. The temporal trend for exposures and outcomes was assessed using regression models. Results Age> 65 years, diabetes, renal failure, previous heart failure, and need for anticoagulation at discharge were more frequent in later periods (P <.001). From 2010 to 2017, the use of DES increased from 31.1% to 69.8%, ticagrelor from 0.1% to 28.6%, prasugrel from 1.5% to 23.8%, and the median consecutive months on DAPT from 2 to 10 (P <.001 for all). Adjusted analysis showed a temporal trend to a lower risk of the main outcome over time: the composite of death, acute myocardial infarction, stroke and repeat revascularization (absolute odds reduction 0.005% each quarter; OR, 0.995; 95%CI, 0.99-0.999; P=.028). The odds of all individual components except stroke were reduced, although significance was only reached for revascularization. Conclusions Despite a strong increase between 2010 and 2017 in the use and duration of DAPT and the use of ticagrelor, prasugrel and DES, there was no substantial reduction in major cardiovascular outcomes (AU)

[Comorbidity in mental health in patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]. / La comorbilidad en salud mental en los pacientes diagnosticados de enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica.

OBJECTIVE: Anxiety and depression play an important role in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, although there are a limited number of studies that have attempted to determine their relationship with exacerbations, and even less have tried to quantify the number of associated exacerbations. The aim of this study was to determine the risk of exacerbations associated with anxiety and depression in patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted that analysed the factors associated with exacerbations in 512 patients over a 2-year period. The exacerbations that required antibiotics and/or systemic corticosteroids were defined as moderate, and those that required hospital admission, as severe. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was applied to each patient, and the number of exacerbations during follow-up were quantified. RESULTS: The prevalence of anxiety/depression at the beginning of the study was 15.6%. During the 2 years of follow-up, the mean number of exacerbations was 2.21. The patients that also had anxiety/depression at the beginning of the study had a higher mean number of exacerbations (2.8; P=.001). Anxiety/depression was associated with an increased number of moderate-severe exacerbations in the adjusted analysis (IRRa=1.48). The other risk factors associated with a higher mean number of exacerbations were, a history of a previous severe exacerbation (IRRa=1.50; obesity (IRRa=1.27); overweight (IRRa=1.23); FEV1 ≤ 77% (IRRa=0.84); and more dyspnoea (IRRa=1.14). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with anxiety/depression have a greater number of exacerbations, and have a 48% higher risk of suffering an exacerbation compared to those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with no anxiety/depression.

Cross-sectional study of the association between empathy and burnout and drug prescribing quality in primary care.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess whether burnout and empathy levels among general practitioners (GPs) might influence prescribing performance assessed using pharmaceutical prescription quality standard indicators. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional descriptive study of 108 GPs from 22 primary care centers in Lleida, Spain, and of centralized data corresponding to 183 600 patients under their care. The study was conducted between May and July 2014. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Burnout and empathy were measured using the Spanish versions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Jefferson Scale for Physician Empathy, and prescribing quality was measured using the Catalan Pharmaceutical Prescription Quality Standard (EQPF). Normal distribution of scores was verified using the Chi-square and Kolmogorov-Smirnov-Lilliefors tests. The effect of each of the variables was evaluated using crude odds ratios. RESULTS: Older GPs scored significantly higher in the EQPF (P < 0.05). High empathy scores were positively associated with high EQPF scores. GPs with low burnout also performed better in the EQPF. CONCLUSIONS: More empathic, less burned-out, older GPs showed better prescribing performance according to quality indicators. However, further studies are needed to evaluate other factors influencing prescribing habits. The promotion of communication skills may increase empathy and reduce burnout, thus benefiting patients.

A pragmatic approach for mortality prediction after surgery in infective endocarditis: optimizing and refining EuroSCORE.

OBJECTIVE: To simplify and optimize the ability of EuroSCORE I and II to predict early mortality after surgery for infective endocarditis (IE). METHODS: Multicentre retrospective study (n = 775). Simplified scores, eliminating irrelevant variables, and new specific scores, adding specific IE variables, were created. The performance of the original, recalibrated and specific EuroSCOREs was assessed by Brier score, C-statistic and calibration plot in bootstrap samples. The Net Reclassification Index was quantified. RESULTS: Recalibrated scores including age, previous cardiac surgery, critical preoperative state, New York Heart Association >I, and emergent surgery (EuroSCORE I and II); renal failure and pulmonary hypertension (EuroSCORE I); and urgent surgery (EuroSCORE II) performed better than the original EuroSCOREs (Brier original and recalibrated: EuroSCORE I: 0.1770 and 0.1667; EuroSCORE II: 0.2307 and 0.1680). Performance improved with the addition of fistula, staphylococci and mitral location (EuroSCORE I and II) (Brier specific: EuroSCORE I 0.1587, EuroSCORE II 0.1592). Discrimination improved in specific models (C-statistic original, recalibrated and specific: EuroSCORE I: 0.7340, 0.7471 and 0.7728; EuroSCORE II: 0.7442, 0.7423 and 0.7700). Calibration improved in both EuroSCORE I models (intercept 0.295, slope 0.829 (original); intercept -0.094, slope 0.888 (recalibrated); intercept -0.059, slope 0.925 (specific)) but only in specific EuroSCORE II model (intercept 2.554, slope 1.114 (original); intercept -0.260, slope 0.703 (recalibrated); intercept -0.053, slope 0.930 (specific)). Net Reclassification Index was 5.1% and 20.3% for the specific EuroSCORE I and II. CONCLUSIONS: The use of simplified EuroSCORE I and EuroSCORE II models in IE with the addition of specific variables may lead to simpler and more accurate models.

Risk factors for exacerbation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Although acute exacerbations are key events in the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), their frequency and the factors associated with acute exacerbation are not fully known. OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and risk factors of very frequent exacerbations in COPD (⩾3 per year). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a cohort study to analyse acute exacerbation and associated factors in 512 primary care patients during a 2-year follow-up, variables of interest were collected for each patient. Acute exacerbation was defined as an event that required antibiotics and/or systemic steroids (moderate) or hospital admission (severe). Odds ratios (OR) were used to determine factors associated with exacerbation. RESULTS: Incidence of exacerbation was 61.7% in the first year of follow-up and 63.9% in the second year. During the first year, the factors associated with very frequent exacerbation were previous hospital admission (OR 1.69), dyspnoea (moderate [OR 2.86] and severe-very severe [OR 5.83]) and the Charlson Index (OR 1.19); during the second year, associated factors were female sex (OR 4.17), history of previous hospital admissions (OR 2.90), smoking (smoker/ex-smoker) (OR 2.00) and forced vital capacity (OR 0.98). CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of exacerbation is high in COPD patients. Previous admission for exacerbation is a strong predictor and can identify patients at risk.

The profile of general practitioners (GPs) who publish in selected family practice journals.

BACKGROUND: Providing support for research is one of the key issues in the ongoing attempts to improve Primary Care. However, when patient care takes up a significant part of a GP's time, conducting research is difficult. In this study we examine the working conditions and profile of GPs who publish in three leading medical journals and propose possible remedial policy actions. FINDINGS: The authors of all articles published in 2006 and 2007 in three international Family Medicine journals - Annals of Family Medicine, Family Practice, and Journal of Family Practice - were contacted by E-mail. They were asked to complete a questionnaire investigating the following variables: availability of specific time for research, time devoted to research, number of patients attended, and university affiliation. Only GPs were included in the study. Three hundred and ten relevant articles published between 2006 and 2007 were identified and the authors contacted using a survey tool. 124 researchers responded to our questionnaire; 45% of respondents who were not GPs were excluded. On average GPs spent 2.52 days per week and 6.9 hours per day on patient care, seeing 45 patients per week. Seventy-five per cent of GPs had specific time assigned to research, on average 13 hours per week; 79% were affiliated to a university and 69% held teaching positions. CONCLUSIONS: Most GPs who publish original articles in leading journals have time specifically assigned to research as part of their normal working schedule. They see a relatively small number of patients. Improving the working conditions of family physicians who intend to investigate is likely to lead to better research results.