[AI-CARE: a multicentric study on unstable angina. Methodology and preliminary data of a project on the improvement of health care quality in Emilia-Romagna]

Recent Italian legislative directives have focused on lowering health-service costs and improving the quality of health care. The AI-CARE study on unstable angina represents the initial observational step in a survey on health-care quality in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna.This study was performed to identify the processes usually involved in the management of patients with unstable angina admitted to a regional cardiology department. The consumption of health service resources and the clinical events related to angina were evaluated.AI-CARE is an observational, descriptive and prospective study. Between 15/3/95 and 15/6/95, the patients admitted consecutively to 25 cardiology units for unstable angina, as diagnosed on a clinical basis, were enrolled in the study. A six-week follow-up was provided. The data regarding demographics, history, entry electrocardiogram, symptoms, examinations, treatment and outcome were recorded on a detailed personal questionnaire. The participating centers have been divided according to complexity of organization: 18 with intensive care unit as level I, five with hemodynamic laboratory as level II and two with cardiosurgery as level III. Mortality, myocardial infarction, revascularization procedures and readmissions for angina were considered clinical events.We recruited 463 patients. At discharge, 411 patients were affected with unstable angina while other 40 developed non-Q wave infarctions. The final study population comprised 451 patients. The mean age was 68 years (range 61-76). There were 316 men (69%, mean age 68) and 135 women (mean age 72). All 451 patients were stratified according to the Braunwald classification: IIIB in 66.9%, IIIC in 9.9%, IB in 9.9%. Mean hospital stay was 10 +/- 6 days, while mean stay in intensive care units was 4.3 +/- 2.9 days. Medical treatment included antiplatelet agents (89%), nitrates i.v. (81%), nitrates per os (86%), heparin (55%) and beta-blockers (47%). The most common non-invasive test performed was echocardiogram (70% of patients), Holter ECG and exercise stress testing (19%). Selective coronary arteriography was performed in 50% of patients (23% during the first 10 days). Additionally, 32% of patients underwent revascularization. During follow-up, ten patients (2.21%) had a myocardial infarction, nine patients (1.99%) died and 49 patients (10.8%) were readmitted for angina.This study indicates that in spite of the poor use of diagnostic procedures (especially coronary arteriography) and myocardial revascularization, mortality and morbidity were relatively low. Our data are similar to the results of the recent Italian EARISA study but differ greatly from the results of foreign studies. Consequently, further observation of our study population is needed.