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Background: Palliative Sedation (PS) at the end of life is practiced and perceived differently by health professionals depending on the geographical location in which they provide their health care. Taking into account this heterogeneity, it is necessary to expand knowledge and provide data on this clinical practice in different contexts and countries. On the other hand, the identification of factors associated with PS could help healthcare professionals, at an early stage, to identify patients more likely to require sedation. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence and characteristics related to PS in a specialised Palliative Care setting, as well as to analyse factors that could be associated with this procedure., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study including n = 533 patients who died during the study period in a Palliative Care Unit. Clinical and functional (Barthel and Palliative Performance Scale) variables and the level of complexity were collected. For each patient we assessed whether PS had been performed and, if so, we described the type of sedation, continuity and depth, refractory symptoms, medication used, informed consent and place of death. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyse the relationship between several independent variables and PS., Results: The prevalence of PS was 16.7% (n = 82). Most frequent refractory symptoms were delirium (36.1%), pain (31.9%) and dyspnoea (25%). Factors associated with having a higher odds of PS were having already started treatment with strong opioids (OR = 2.10; 95% CI = 1.16-3.90) and a lower dependency for activities of daily living (OR = 0.41; 95% CI = 0.23-0.70) on admission at PC. Informed consent for sedation was given mainly by representation and only in 19% of cases by the patient himself., Conclusions: Early opioid use and functional status act as factors associated with PS, becoming as clinical evaluations of particular interest during the disease trajectory, which could help to improve individualised care plans for patients at the end of life., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The present study was approved by the IRB Málaga Provincial Clinical Research Ethics Committee (project code EBR-SED-2017-1). Given the retrospective nature of the study and the adequate dissociation of the deceased patients’ personal data, the need for consent to participate was waived by this Ethics Committee. This decision was based on national regulations (Royal decree 957/2020 and Personal data protection Law 3/2018). The provisions of the Declaration of Helsinki, revised in 2013, regarding ethical principles for research on human beings, were fully complied with throughout this study. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).) more...

Background: Adherence is critical in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in order to achieve optimal benefit from therapy. However, patient compliance with the treatment remains a challenge., Objective: To evaluate, in a real-world clinical setting, caregiver preference and treatment compliance with twice-weekly versus daily transdermal rivastigmine patch in mild-to-moderate AD., Methods: 92 patients who had been treated with daily rivastigmine patch for at least six months prior to switching to twice-weekly patch were evaluated. The change in therapeutic regimen was decided by the treating physician in accordance with standard practice. Caregivers' satisfaction with daily rivastigmine patch was assessed at study entry. Caregiver's preference and satisfaction with twice-weekly patch as well as patient compliance were evaluated at weeks 12 and 24 using the Alzheimer's Disease Caregiver Preference Questionnaire., Results: A significantly higher proportion of caregivers expressed a preference for the twice-weekly patch over the daily patch ( p  < 0.001), and this preference was found to be associated with ease of use ( p  < 0.001), ease of following the schedule ( p  < 0.001), and ease of compliance ( p  < 0.001). Furthermore, caregivers were more satisfied with the twice-weekly patch ( p  < 0.0001). At 24 weeks, patient compliance was significantly better with the twice-weekly patch than with the daily patch ( p  = 0.002). Caregiver burden significantly improved at the end of the treatment ( p  = 0.003). No serious adverse events were reported., Conclusions: The twice-weekly rivastigmine patch offers a convenient and straightforward dosing regimen for caregivers, with potential to enhance adherence with treatment in AD patients without causing serious adverse events., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. more...

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of vortioxetine for improving depressive symptoms, cognitive performance, daily and global functioning in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) in real-world clinical practice. We retrospectively identified 46 AD patients who had received treatment for 12 months with vortioxetine. Drug effects were evaluated at baseline, 4, 8, and 12 months. The primary endpoint was change from baseline in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and in the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) to month 12. Cognitive and daily and global functioning changes were also evaluated. Significant baseline-to-endpoint improvement in depressive symptom severity was observed ( p < 0.0001). At month 12, the least-square mean (standard error) change score from baseline was -10.48 (±0.42) on the HDRS and -9.04 (±0.62) on the CSDD. Significant improvements in cognitive performance were observed for the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, the Letter Fluency Test, the Category Fluency Test, and the Trail Making Test-A. Patients also experienced significant improvements in daily and global functioning. Vortioxetine was safe and well tolerated. Patients with AD and MDD receiving vortioxetine showed meaningful improvements in depressive symptoms, cognitive performance, and daily and global functioning over the 12-month treatment period. more...

Background: Occupational therapy (OT) is an effective evidence-based intervention that positively influences stroke patients'independence recovery, leading to new opportunities for better quality of life outcomes., Objectives: To explore the effectiveness of an early OT intervention program (EOTIPS) in the process of hospital to home discharge after stroke in Spain., Material and Methods: We conducted a prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial that included 60 adults who suffered a stroke and were discharged home. Participants assigned to the experimental group (n = 30) were included in EOTIPS and compared with a control group (n = 30). Evaluations assessed quality of life (Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale [SAQOL-39]), functional independence (Modified Rankin Scale [mRS], Barthel Index [BI] and Stroke Impact Scale-16 [SIS-16]), perceptual-cognitive skills (Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA]), upper limb function (Fugl Meyer Assessment [FMA]), mobility (Berg Balance Scale [BBS] and Timed Up & Go [TUG]), communication skills (Communicative Activity Log [CAL]) and mood disorders (Beck Depression Inventory-II [BDI-II] and Hamilton Anxiety Scale [HAM-A]); they were completed within two weeks post-stroke and after three months follow-up. Statistical analysis included intent-to-treat analysis, considering all participants (dropouts as failures), and efficacy analysis, considering only end-of-treatment participants., Results: Participants in the intervention group showed a significant better evolution in the main outcome measure of quality of life (SAQOL-39 p = .029), as well as for independence (mRSp = .004), perceptual-cognitive skills (MoCA p = .012)and symptoms of depression (BDI-II p = .011) compared to the control group., Conclusions: EOTIPS was effective in improving quality of life, as well as enhancing perceptual-cognitive skills, independence and reducing levels of depression for patients who suffered a stroke in a Spanish cohort and could be considered as an applicable non-pharmacologic therapeutic tool that can lead to patients' positive outcomes after stroke. This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov with the identifier NCT04835363., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 García-Pérez et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.) more...

Caregivers of people who have suffered a stroke experience a great burden and may use disengagement coping strategies. We studied the influence of an early occupational therapy intervention programme in the process of hospital-to-home discharge after stroke (EOTIPS) in a Spanish cohort that improved patients' quality of life and caregivers' burden and coping strategies. EOTIPS was delivered by a single occupational therapist. We conducted a prospective randomised controlled trial that included 60 adults who suffered a stroke, of which 91.6% had a caregiver who agreed to be involved in their care ( n = 55). Evaluations assessed the caregivers' burden and coping strategies within two weeks post-stroke and after a three-month follow-up. Statistical analyses included intent-to-treat analysis (considering dropouts as failures) and efficacy analysis, considering only end-of-treatment participants. The caregivers in the intervention group showed a significantly better evolution in the main outcome measure of burden ( p = 0.019), as well as in the coping strategies of social support ( p = 0.037) and social withdrawal ( p ≤ 0.001), compared with the control group. EOTIPS was effective in improving the caregivers' burden and two coping strategies, and it could be considered as an applicable tool that can minimise the risk of suffering burden. more...

Introduction: This study may unveil novel insights into the interactions between neuropeptide Y receptor 1 (NPY1R) and galanin receptor 2 (GALR2), in the dentate gyrus of the dorsal hippocampus, shedding light on their role in neurogenesis and cognitive functions. Existing literature highlights the potential of these interactions in enhancing learning and memory, yet detailed mechanisms remain underexplored., Methods: Utilizing intracerebroventricular injections of GALR2 and NPY1R agonists in Sprague-Dawley male rats, we examined neurogenesis via markers PCNA and DCX, and memory consolidation through the object-in-place task over a three-week period., Results: Significant increases in NPY1R-GALR2 co-localization and neuroblast proliferation were observed, alongside enhanced memory consolidation. These findings suggest a synergistic effect of NPY1R and GALR2 activation on cognitive functions., Discussion: Our findings may foster the development of novel heterobivalent or multitargeting drugs, affecting NPY1R-GALR2 interaction, and suggest a future pharmacogical strategy for improving learning and memory found in many brain diseases. Further research is encouraged to explore these mechanisms in pathological models., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Beltran-Casanueva, Hernández-García, de Amo García, Blanco-Reina, Serrano-Castro, García-Casares, Fuxe, Borroto-Escuela and Narváez.) more...

Background: Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are present in most people with dementia (PwD), including Alzheimer's disease. There is consensus that non-pharmacological therapies represent the first line of treatment to address BPSD., Objective: We explore the efficacy of the use of a rocking chair (Nordic Sensi® Chair, NSC) in the treatment of BPSD in nursing home residents with moderate and severe dementia., Methods: We carried out a 16-week randomized, single-blind, controlled, clinical trial with PwD admitted to nursing homes. Participants were assigned to a treatment group (n = 40) that received three times a week one session per day of 20 minutes in the NSC and a control group (n = 37). The Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home (NPI-NH) was used as primary efficacy outcome. Occupational distress for the staff was evaluated using the NPI-NH Occupational Disruptiveness subscale (NPI-NH-OD). Statistical analyses were conducted by means of a Mixed Effects Model Analysis., Results: Treatment with the NSC was associated with a beneficial effect in most of BPSD, as reflected by differences between the treatment and control group on the NPI-NH total score (mean change score -18.87±5.56 versus -1.74±0.67, p = 0.004), agitation (mean change score -2.32±2.02 versus -0.78±1.44, p = 0.003) and irritability (mean change score -3.35±2.93 versus -1.42±1.31, p = 0.004). The NPI-NH-OD total score also improved the most in the treatment group (mean change score -9.67±7.67 versus -7.66±6.08, p = 0.003)., Conclusions: The reduction in overall BPSD along with decreased caregiver occupational disruptiveness represent encouraging findings, adding to the potential of nonpharmacological interventions for nursing home residents living with dementia. more...

(1) Background: In health care and in society at large, sarcopaenia is a disorder of major importance that can lead to disability and other negative health-related events. Our study aim is to determine the prevalence of sarcopaenia among older people attended in primary care and to analyse the factors associated with this age-related clinical condition; (2) Methods: A multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted of 333 community-dwelling Spanish adults aged 65 years or more. Sociodemographic, clinical, functional, anthropometric, and pharmacological data were collected. Sarcopaenia was defined following European Working Group on Sarcopaenia in Older People (EWGSOP) criteria; (3) Results: Sarcopaenia was present in 20.4% of the study sample, and to a severe degree in 6%. The intensity of the association between sarcopaenia and frailty was weak-moderate (Cramer V = 0.45). According to the multinomial logistic regression model performed, sarcopaenia was positively associated with age and with the presence of psychopathology (OR = 2.72; 95% CI = 1.30-5.70) and was inversely correlated with body mass index (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.67-0.80; (4) Conclusions: Sarcopaenia commonly affects community-dwelling older persons and may be associated with age, body mass index, and psychopathology. The latter factor may be modifiable or treatable and is therefore a possible target for intervention. more...

Frailty is an age-related clinical condition that typically involves a deterioration in the physiological capacity of various organ systems and heightens the patient's susceptibility to stressors. For this reason, one of the main research goals currently being addressed is that of characterising the impact of frailty in different settings. The main aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of Fried's frailty phenotype among community-dwelling older people and to analyse the factors associated with frailty. In this research study, 582 persons aged 65 years or more participated in this cross-sectional study that was conducted at primary healthcare centres in Málaga, Spain. Sociodemographic, clinical, functional and comprehensive drug therapy data were compiled. The relationship between the independent variables and the different states of frailty was analysed by using a multinomial logistic regression model. Frailty was present in 24.1% of the study sample (95% CI = 20.7-27.6) of whom 54.3% were found to be pre-frail and 21.6% were non-frail. The study variable most strongly associated with frailty was the female gender (OR = 20.54, 95% CI = 9.10-46.3). Other factors found to be associated with the state of frailty included age, dependence for the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), polymedication, osteoarticular pathology and psychopathology. This study confirms the high prevalence of frailty among community-dwelling older people. Frailty may be associated with many factors. Some of these associated factors may be preventable or modifiable and, thus, provide clinically relevant targets for intervention. This is particularly the case for depressive symptoms, the clinical control of osteoarthritis and the use of polypharmacy. more...

The current treatment approach for patients in palliative care (PC) requires a health model based on shared and individualised care, according to the degree of complexity encountered. The aims of this study were to describe the levels of complexity that may be present, to determine their most prevalent elements and to identify factors that may be related to palliative complexity in advanced-stage cancer patients. An observational retrospective study was performed of patients attended to at the Cudeca Hospice. Socio-demographic and clinical data were compiled, together with information on the patients' functional and performance status (according to the Palliative Performance Scale (PPS)). The level of complexity was determined by the Diagnostic Instrument of Complexity in Palliative Care (IDC-Pal©) and classified as highly complex, complex or non-complex. The impact of the independent variables on PC complexity was assessed by multinomial logistic regression analysis. Of the 501 patients studied, 44.8% presented a situation classed as highly complex and another 44% were considered complex. The highly complex items most frequently observed were the absence or insufficiency of family support and/or caregivers (24.3%) and the presence of difficult-to-control symptoms (17.3%). The complex item most frequently observed was an abrupt change in the level of functional autonomy (47.6%). The main factor related to the presence of high vs. non-complexity was that of performance status (odds ratio (OR) = 10.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.81-40.52, for PPS values < 40%). However, age was inversely related to high complexity. This study confirms the high level of complexity present in patients referred to a PC centre. Determining the factors related to this complexity could help physicians identify situations calling for timely referral for specialised PC, such as a low PPS score. more...

The main aim of this study was to determine the association of various clinical, functional and pharmacological factors with the physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) summary components of the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of community-dwelling older adults. Design: Cross-sectional study. Patients and setting: Sample of 573 persons aged over 65 years, recruited at 12 primary healthcare centres in Málaga, Spain. Sociodemographic, clinical, functional, and comprehensive drug therapy data were collected. The main outcome was HRQoL assessed on the basis of the SF-12 questionnaire. A multinomial logistic regression model was constructed to study the relationship between independent variables and the HRQoL variable, divided into intervals. The average self-perceived HRQoL score was 43.2 (± 11.02) for the PCS and 48.5 (± 11.04) for the MCS. The factors associated with a poorer PCS were dependence for the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), higher body mass index (BMI), number of medications, and presence of osteoarticular pathology. Female gender and the presence of a psychopathological disorder were associated with worse scores for the MCS. The condition that was most strongly associated with a poorer HRQoL (in both components, PCS and MCS) was that of frailty (odds ratio (OR) = 37.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 8.96-156.22, and OR = 20.95, 95% CI = 7.55-58.17, respectively). It is important to identify the determinant factors of a diminished HRQoL, especially if they are preventable or modifiable. more...

Purpose: To comparatively assess the prevalence rates of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) obtained by the former and latest versions of American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria (AGS BC) and screening tool of older person's potentially inappropriate prescriptions (STOPP), and analyze the factors of influence on PIM., Methods: Cross-sectional study including 582 community-dwelling older adults over the age of 65. Sociodemographic, clinical, functional, and comprehensive drug therapy data were collected. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients receiving at least one PIM., Results: A total of 3626 prescriptions were analyzed. PIMs were detected in 35.4% and 47.9% of patients according to the STOPP v1 and the 2012 AGS BC, respectively. This percentage rose to 54% when 2015 AGS BC were used and reached 66.8% with STOPP v2. The kappa coefficient between STOPP v2 and its former version was lower than the one between the updated Beers Criteria and their former version (0.41 vs 0.85). The agreement was good (0.65) between both latest criteria. The number of medications, psychological disorders, and insomnia were predictors of PIM. A novel finding was that bone and joint disorders increased the odds for PIM by 78%., Conclusions: The 2015 AGS BC showed high sensitivity and good applicability to the European older patients. Both updated tools identified some pharmacological groups (benzodiazepines, PPIs, and opioids, among others) and certain health problems (insomnia, psychological disorders, and osteoarticular diseases) as factors of influence on PIM. Based on these findings, interventions aimed at promoting appropriate use of medications should be developed. more...

Purpose: In the last decades, different criteria have been developed for detecting inappropriate prescription in older patients. In Spain, translations and adaptations of international lists are available but it would be necessary a national list which could cope with the peculiarities of our health system, existing pharmaceutical market, and prescription habits. We propose in this project the creation of a Spanish potentially inappropriate drugs list which could be applicable in our clinical scenario., Methods: We use a Delphi method involving 25 experts from different backgrounds (Clinical Pharmacology, Geriatrics, Rational Use of Drugs and Pharmacy, Primary Care and Pharmacoepidemiology, and Pharmacovigilance) that were asked to participate in two-round questionnaires. For analysis, current recommendations of Worth and Pigni were applied, and every statement was classified into one of three groups: strong, moderate, or low agreement. Statements with strong agreement were accepted to be part of the inadequate prescription list. Moderate agreement statements were selected to enter the second questionnaire, and statements with low agreement were further analyzed to determine if it was due to heterogeneity or due to dispersion in the answers., Results: The first questionnaire consisted of 160 proposed sentences, of which 106 reached a high agreement, 32 a moderate agreement, and 22 a low agreement. All sentences proposed in the second questionnaire reached a strong agreement. The total accepted sentences were 138., Conclusions: We offer a list of inadequate prescription in older patients adapted to the Spanish pharmacopeia and according to the prescription habits in our environment. more...

Background & Aims: There have been increasing reports of liver injury associated with use of herbal and dietary supplements, likely due to easy access to these products and beliefs among consumers that they are safer or more effective than conventional medications. We aimed to evaluate clinical features and outcomes of patients with herbal and dietary supplement-induced liver injuries included in the Spanish DILI Registry., Methods: We collected and analyzed data on demographic and clinical features, along with biochemical parameters, of 32 patients with herbal and dietary supplement-associated liver injury reported to the Spanish DILI registry from 1994 through 2016. We used analysis of variance to compare these data with those from cases of liver injury induced by conventional drugs or anabolic androgenic steroid-containing products., Results: Herbal and dietary supplements were responsible for 4% (32 cases) of the 856 DILI cases in the registry; 20 cases of DILI (2%) were caused by anabolic androgenic steroids. Patients with herbal and dietary supplement-induced liver injury were a mean age of 48 years and 63% were female; they presented a mean level of alanine aminotransferase 37-fold the upper limit of normal, 28% had hypersensitivity features, and 78% had jaundice. Herbal and dietary supplement-induced liver injury progressed to acute liver failure in 6% of patients, compared with none of the cases of anabolic androgenic steroid-induced injury and 4% of cases of conventional drugs. Liver injury after repeat exposure to the same product that caused the first DILI episode occurred in 9% of patients with herbal and dietary supplement-induced liver injury vs none of the patients with anabolic androgenic steroid-induced injury and 6% of patients with liver injury from conventional drugs., Conclusion: In an analysis of cases of herbal and dietary supplement-induced liver injury in Spain, we found cases to be more frequent among young women than older patients or men, and to associate with hepatocellular injury and high levels of transaminases. Herbal and dietary supplement-induced liver injury is more severe than other types of DILI and re-exposure is more likely. Increasing awareness of the hepatoxic effects of herbal and dietary supplements could help physicians make earlier diagnoses and reduce the risk of serious liver damage., (Copyright © 2018 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.) more...

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to describe the extent and profile of off-label prescriptions, to evaluate the level of evidence supporting these indications, to assess the research activity in these conditions, and to determine to what extent these were authorized as new indications five years after the application., Methods: A cross-sectional study including all applications conducted in the Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía in Córdoba during 2010., Analysis:  level of evidence according to the criteria by SIGN-NICE (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) and CEBM (Centre for Evidence-based Medicine), registered clinical trials (source: ClinicalTrials.gov), and review of product specifications and monthly newsletters from the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices., Results: There were 190 applications for off-label prescription for 82 different indications. The most requested medications were: tacrolimus, mycophenolate, colistimethate and everolimus; the immunosuppressant group had the highest number of uses for non-approved indications. Out of the applications, 52.4% were based on some clinical trial, while the rest had a low level of evidence (observational studies and case reports). We have found on-going clinical trials for 67% of the indications, but new indications in their product specifications have only been authorized for nine drugs (bevacizumab, deferasirox, everolimus, lenalidomide, methotreate, sildenafil, sorafenib, raltegravir and tenofovir)., Conclusions: We have detected a major volume of off-label prescription without good supporting evidence, which identifies these indications and medications as interesting research lines, but that require follow-up in terms of effectiveness and costs., (Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.) more...

Emerging and changing evidence made it necessary to update STOPP-START criteria, and version 2 was published recently. In this study the objectives were to determine the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication prescribing (PIM) in primary care using STOPP versions 1 (v1) and 2 (v2), as well as 2012 AGS Beers criteria, and analyze the factors associated with inappropriate prescribing according to STOPP/START v2. A cross-sectional study was carried out including community-dwelling older adults over the age of 65. Sociodemographic, clinical, functional and comprehensive drug therapy data were collected. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients receiving at least one PIM. This variable was measured using three tools: STOPP v1, 2012 AGS Beers criteria and STOPP v2. Similarly, the percentage of patients receiving at least one potential prescribing omission (PPO) was calculated using START versions 1 and 2. A total of 1,615 prescriptions were reviewed. The median number of medications per patient was 7.1 drugs (±3.8). The prevalence of elderly people exposed to polypharmacy (≥5 medications) was 72.9%, whereas 28.4% of the participants took ≥10 drugs regularly. PIM were present in 18.7%, 37.3% and 40.4% of participants, according to the STOPP v1, 2012 Beers criteria and STOPP v2, respectively. According to STOPP v2, the number of medications taken (OR: 1.14, 1.06-1.25), the presence of a psychological disorder (OR: 2.22, 1.13-4.37) and insomnia (OR: 3.35, 1.80-6.32) were risk factors for taking a PIM. The prevalence of PPOs was 34.7% and 21.8% according to version 1 and 2, respectively. In conclusion, STOPP-START criteria have been remarkably modified, which is evidenced by the different prevalence rates detected using version 2, as compared to version 1. In fact, the level of agreement between version 1 and the updated version is only moderate. Special attention should be paid on benzodiazepines, which keep being the most frequent PIM., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. more...

Introduction and Objectives: Ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of death and one of the top 4 causes of burden of disease worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate age-period-cohort effects on mortality from ischemic heart disease in Andalusia (southern Spain) and in each of its 8 provinces during the period 1981-2008., Methods: A population-based ecological study was conducted. In all, 145 539 deaths from ischemic heart disease were analyzed for individuals aged between 30 and 84 years who died in Andalusia in the study period. A nonlinear regression model was estimated for each sex and geographical area using spline functions., Results: There was an upward trend in male and female mortality rate by age from the age of 30 years. The risk of death for men and women showed a downward trend for cohorts born after 1920, decreasing after 1960 with a steep slope among men. Analysis of the period effect showed that male and female death risk first remained steady from 1981 to 1990 and then increased between 1990 and 2000, only to decrease again until 2008., Conclusions: There were similar age-period-cohort effects on mortality in all the provinces of Andalusia and for Andalusia as a whole. If the observed cohort and period effects persist, male and female mortality from ischemic heart disease will continue to decline., (Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.) more...

Purpose: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of polypharmacy and potential prescribing omissions (PPO) and their related factors in community-dwelling elderly patients and to examine any possible relationship between these two concepts., Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out including patients 65 years of age or over living on the island of Lanzarote (Spain). Sociodemographic, clinical and functional variables were collected, together with full data on drug therapy. The percentage of patients receiving ≥5 medications (polypharmacy) and the percentage of patients receiving at least one PPO according to Screening Tool to Alert doctors to Right Treatment (START) criteria (underprescription) were the two primary endpoints., Results: A total of 1844 medications were prescribed to the 407 patients included in our study. The overall prevalence of polypharmacy was 45 %. The risk factors associated with polypharmacy were comorbidity (OR 1.98, 95 % CI 1.63-2.44), limitations in activities of daily living (ADL; OR 3.0, 95 % CI 1.51-6.11), and being prescribed a drug in the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification (ATC) C group (OR 7.92, 95 % CI 4.10-16.25) or in the N group (OR 3.80, 95 % CI 2.25-6.55). START criteria identified a total of 303 PPO in 170 (41.8 %) subjects. The risk of PPO increased by 60 % for every additional point in the Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR 1.60, 95 % CI 1.35-1.91). Polypharmacy also independently predicted the odds of at least one PPO according to START criteria (OR 2.19, 95 % CI 1.36-3.55)., Conclusion: Our findings show high rates of polypharmacy and PPO, as well as a clear relationship between these two concepts. more...

Background: The aim of this article is to evaluate the age-period-cohort effects on mortality from cerebrovascular disease in Andalusia (southern Spain) as a whole and in each of its 8 provinces during the period 1981-2008., Methods: A population-based ecologic study was conducted. In all, 145,867 deaths were analyzed for individuals between the ages of 15 and 84 years who died in Andalusia in the period of study. A nonlinear regression model was estimated for each gender group and geographic area. The effects of age, year of death, and birth cohort were parameterized using spline smoothing functions., Results: There is an upward trend in mortality from the age of 25 years. The risk of death was downward for cohorts born after 1896, decreasing after 1970 with steep slope. The analysis of the period effect showed that death rate first declined from 1981 to 1995 and then increased between 1995 and 2000, only to decrease again until 2008., Conclusions: There is a similar age-period-cohort effect on male and female mortality from cerebrovascular disease in all the provinces of Andalusia and for Andalusia as a whole. A significant reduction of male and female mortality has been observed during the last decade., (Copyright © 2014 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.) more...

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and related factors through a comparative analysis of the Screening Tool of Older Person's Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions (STOPP), the 2003 Beers criteria, and the 2012 AGS update of the Beers criteria., Design: Cross-sectional., Setting: Primary care., Participants: Community-dwelling persons aged 65 and older who live on the island of Lanzarote, Spain (N = 407)., Measurements: Sociodemographic characteristics; independence in activities of daily living; cognitive function; Geriatric Depression Scale; clinical diagnoses; and complete data on indication, dosage, and length of drug treatments. One thousand eight hundred seventh-two prescriptions were examined, and the rate of PIMs was assessed with the three criteria. The primary endpoint was the percentage of participants receiving at least one PIM. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the factors related to PIMs., Results: Potentially inappropriate medications were present in 24.3%, 35.4%, and 44% of participants, according to the 2003 Beers criteria, STOPP, and 2012 Beers criteria, respectively. The profile of PIMs was also different (the most frequent being benzodiazepines in both Beers criteria lists and aspirin in the STOPP). The number of drugs was associated with risk of prescribing PIMs in all three models, as was the presence of a psychological disorder in the 2003 Beers criteria (odds ratio (OR) = 2.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.26-3.40) and the 2012 Beers criteria (OR = 2.91, 95% CI = 1.83-4.66). The kappa for degree of agreement between STOPP and the 2012 Beers criteria was 0.35 (95% CI = 0.25-0.44)., Conclusion: The 2012 Beers criteria detected the highest number of PIMs, and given the scant overlapping with the STOPP criteria, the use of both tools may be seen as complementary., (© 2014, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2014, The American Geriatrics Society.) more...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the age-period-cohort effects on lung cancer mortality in Andalusia (southern Spain) as a whole as well as in each of its eight provinces during the period between 1981 and 2008. A population-based ecological study was conducted. In all, 74 255 deaths from lung cancer were analysed for individuals aged between 40 and 84 years who died in Andalusia during the period of study. A nonlinear regression model was estimated for both sexes and each geographical area. The effects of age, year of death and birth cohort were parameterized using B-spline smoothing functions. There is an upward trend in mortality by age until around the age of 75 years, from which point the trend turns downwards for men and remains stable for women. The analysis of the cohort effect revealed a steady fall in the lung cancer mortality risk for male generations born after 1950. The mortality risk for women is increasing for the generations born after 1932. The death rates for men declined from 1995 until the end of the study period. For women, the death rates increased from the end of the 1990s. There is a similar age-period-cohort effect on lung cancer mortality in all the provinces of Andalusia and for Andalusia as a whole. If the current trends continue, it can be expected that these effects will continue to reduce male mortality and increase female mortality. more...