Chronic kidney disease increases cardiovascular unfavourable outcomes in outpatients with heart failure

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chronic heart failure (CHF) has a high morbidity and mortality. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has consistently been found to be an independent risk factor for unfavorable cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. Early intervention on CKD reduces the progression of CHF, hospitalizations and mortality, yet there are very few studies about CKD as a risk factor in the early stages of CHF. The aims of our study were to assess the prevalence and the prognostic importance of CKD in patients with systolic CHF stages B and C.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a prospective cohort study, dealing with prognostic markers for CV endpoints in patients with systolic CHF (ejection fraction ≤ 45%).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>CKD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m²and CV endpoints as death or hospitalization due to CHF, in 12 months follow-up. Eighty three patients were studied, the mean age was 62.7 ± 12 years, and 56.6% were female. CKD was diagnosed in 49.4% of the patients, 33% of patients with CHF stage B and 67% in the stage C. Cardiovascular endpoints were observed in 26.5% of the patients. When the sample was stratified into stages B and C of CHF, the occurrence of CKD was associated with 100% and 64.7%, respectively, of unfavorable CV outcomes. After adjustments for all other prognostic factors at baseline, it was observed that the diagnosis of CKD increased in 3.6 times the possibility of CV outcomes (CI 95% 1.04-12.67, p = 0.04), whereas higher ejection fraction (R = 0.925, IC 95% 0.862-0.942, p = 0.03) and serum sodium (R = 0.807, IC 95% 0.862-0.992, p = 0.03) were protective.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In this cohort of patients with CHF stages B and C, CKD was prevalent and independently associated with increased risk of hospitalization and death secondary to cardiac decompensation, especially in asymptomatic patients.</p

Adherence to drug therapy in kidney disease

Non-adherence to drug therapy has not been extensively studied in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The objective of the present study was to identify determinants of non-adherence to drug therapy in patients with CKD, not on dialysis. A prospective cohort study involving 149 patients was conducted over a period of 12 months. Adherence to drug therapy was evaluated by the self-report method at baseline and at 12 months. Patients who knew the type of drug(s) and the respective number of prescribed pills in use at the visit preceding the interview were considered to be adherent. Patients with cognitive decline were assessed by interviewing their caregivers. Mean patient age was 51 ± 16.7 years. Male patients predominated (60.4%). Univariate analysis performed at baseline showed that non-adherence was associated with older age, more pills taken per day, worse renal function, presence of coronary artery disease, and reliance on caregivers for the administration of their medications. In multivariate analysis, the factors that were significantly associated with non-adherence were daily use of more than 5 pills and drug administration by a caregiver. Longitudinal evaluation showed an increase in non-adherence over time. Medication non-adherence was lower (17.4%) at the baseline period of the study than after 1 year of the study (26.8%). Compared to the baseline period, the percentage of adherent patients who became non-adherent (22%) was lower than the percentage of non-adherent patients who became adherent (50%). In CKD patients not on dialysis, non-adherence was significantly associated with the number of pills taken per day and drug administration by third parties. Adherence is more frequent than non-adherence over time

Utility values for glaucoma in Brazil and their correlation with visual function

Ricardo Augusto Paletta Guedes,1&ndash;3 Vanessa Maria Paletta Guedes,1&ndash;3 Sirley Maria Freitas,2 Alfredo Chaoubah1 1Federal University of Juiz de Fora, 2Paletta Guedes Ophthalmological Center, 3Santa Casa de Miseric&oacute;rdia Hospital, Juiz de Fora, Brazil Purpose: We sought to identify the utility values in a group of Brazilian patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and to assess its impact on visual acuity (VA) and mean deviation index values. Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional study of consecutive patients with POAG, who were interviewed using three methods for obtaining utility values: time trade-off (TTO), standard gamble anchored at risk of death (SG1), and standard gamble anchored at risk of blindness (SG2). Visual function variables (VA and mean deviation index in the better eye) and sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, race, and educational level) were also obtained for statistical analysis. Results: The mean age (&plusmn; standard deviation) of the study population (n=227) was 65.7 (&plusmn;15.1) years. Mean utility values for the entire population were 0.82 from TTO, 0.90 from SG1, and 0.93 from SG2 (P&lt;0.0001). Age, race, and sex had no influence on the utility values. Higher education tended to predict higher values by TTO, but not by SG1 or SG2. Visual function variables had an influence on utility values. The more advanced the visual loss, whether measured by VA or perimetry, in the better eye, the lower the utility values by all three methods. Conclusion: We obtained utility values for Brazilian patients with POAG, as well as specific values for different levels of vision loss. Keywords: primary open-angle glaucoma, visual acuity, quality of life, utility, disease severit

Compulsão alimentar periódica: aspecto negligenciado na abordagem de pacientes com síndrome metabólica

A obesidade, um dos principais componentes da síndrome metabólica frequentemente associa-se à compulsão alimentar periódica (CAP). O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a presença da CAP em mulheres com SM e a possível associação com parâmetros sociodemográficos, clínicos e comportamentais. Em estudo transversal foram selecionados 124 indivíduos com SM, distribuídos em dois grupos: Grupo 1 (ausência de CAP) e Grupo 2 (presença de CAP). A avaliação clínica incluiu medidas de peso e altura, circunferência da cintura e pressão arterial de consultório. Foram também avaliados parâmetros comportamentais, como presença de compulsão alimentar periódica, nível de atividade física, consumo de álcool, imagem corporal, sintomas depressivos e qualidade de vida. A avaliação laboratorial incluiu as dosagens de glicose e insulina, hormônio tiroestimulante, perfil lipídico e taxa de filtração glomerular estimada. Aplicou-se análise estatística através dos testes Qui Quadrado e t de Student. A média de idade das participantes foi 41±10,9 anos e a totalidade da amostra apresentava obesidade abdominal, com média da circunferência da cintura de 110±11,0 cm, 70% eram hipertensas, com média de Pressão Arterial Sistólica de 133±13,0 mmHg e Pressão Arterial Diastólica de 89±11,0 mmHg. Além disso, 95% eram sedentárias, 7% eram fumantes, 12% faziam uso nocivo do álcool, 98% declararam insatisfação com a imagem corporal e 62% apresentavam depressão. Observou-se presença de CAP em 57% das mulheres avaliadas. Houve associação entre CAP e idade, com predomínio na faixa etária entre 20 a 39 anos (p=0,010) e entre CAP e qualidade de vida (p=0,039). Quanto aos parâmetros laboratoriais, não foi observada diferença significativa entre os grupos. Em conclusão, a presença de CAP foi achado frequente em indivíduos com SM, sendo observada associação da CAP com faixa etária mais jovem e com pior qualidade de vida.Palavras-chave: Obesidade; Síndrome metabólica; Transtorno da compulsão alimentar.

Quality of life of glaucoma patients under medical therapy with different prostaglandins

Ricardo Augusto Paletta Guedes,1&amp;ndash;3 Vanessa Maria Paletta Guedes,1&amp;ndash;3, Sirley Maria Freitas,2 Alfredo Chaoubah11Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil; 2Paletta Guedes Ophthalmological Center, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil; 3Santa Casa de Miseric&amp;oacute;rdia Hospital, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, BrazilPurpose: To assess the quality of life of glaucoma patients under medical therapy with different prostaglandin analogs.Methods: A cross-sectional study of consecutive glaucoma patients was designed. We assessed the patients&amp;#39; quality of life through the Brazilian 25-question version of the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire, comprising 12 subscales (general health, general vision, ocular pain, near vision, distance vision, social function, mental health, role limitations, dependency, driving, color vision, and peripheral vision) and a total composite score. Clinical features, including current medical treatment, were obtained from each patient&amp;#39;s medical record. Three groups of patients were identified according to the prostaglandin in use: bimatoprost, latanoprost, or travoprost. The main outcome measures were: mean score in each subscale and mean total composite score.Results: The mean total composite score for the whole group was 70.60. The bimatoprost, latanoprost, and travoprost groups had the following mean composite scores, respectively: 56.56, 77.36, and 71.08 (P = 0.001, analysis of variance [ANOVA]). Latanoprost and travoprost results were similar, and both were superior to bimatoprost. Most subscales had similar results. The subscale with the lowest score for all groups was general health. Groups were homogenous and comparable.Conclusion: There is a difference in the quality of life between glaucoma patients using prostaglandin analogs. It seems that bimatoprost users have lower QoL when compared to latanoprost and travoprost users.Keywords: glaucoma, medical treatment, prostaglandin analogs, quality of lif