Practice guidelines for the implementation of a quality program in thromboprophylaxis and treatment management in patients with venous thromboembolic disease

BACKGROUND

Venous thromboembolic disease is a major cause of morbidity and hospital mortality worldwide. Although exact figures are unknown in Mexico, achieving uniformity of criteria among the specialties involved in the prophylaxis and treatment will offer a clearer picture and contribute to a more rational and interdisciplinary approach in order to improve the quality of care for patients and increase the level of awareness of this entity.

DISCUSSION

For the preparation of this document, a total of 11 medical specialists from Mexico City and the interior of the country met along with a highly experienced professional from Chicago, IL, USA with wide experience in the field and knowledge of methodology for the development of a management algorithm for prophylaxis in at-risk patients of venous thromboembolic disease. The expert group met in plenary working sessions, managed uniform criteria and reached consensus agreement by issuing a series of useful recommendations for the care of patients with venous thromboembolism in Mexican hospitals.

CONCLUSIONS

In Mexico there is the need to develop and disseminate guidelines on thromboprophylaxis and treatment of venous thromboembolic disease because of the wide disparity of views or simple misinformation, leading to diagnostic and treatment behaviors unique to each institution.

[Risk stratified in the National Registry of Acute Coronary Syndromes at the IMSS]

OBJECTIVE

to identify prognostic factors in the National Registry of Acute Coronary Syndromes.

METHODS

patients in medical care units with acute ischemic coronary syndrome (AICS) according to the criteria of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/European Society of Cardiology, considering the GRACE score (GS) were studied.

RESULTS

there were 2389 patients, 28.9 % women and 71.1 % men, mean age 63 ± 11.7 years; with AICS with ST-segment elevation (69.11 %) and 30.89 % with AICS without ST elevation. The average of GS was 168. A GS > 150 points in patients with AICS without ST elevation was associated with recurrent ischemia or angina (RR = 1.4, p = 0.05), left ventricular failure (RR = 3.1, p < 0.0001), stroke (RR = 2.9, p = 0.004) and arrhythmias (RR = 2.7, p < 0.0001). The patients with AICS with ST-segment elevation were associated with death (RR = 1.6, p = 0.01), reinfarction (RR = 1.7, p = 0.001), recurrent ischemia (RR = 1.2, p = 0.04), left ventricular failure (RR = 3.4, p < 0.001), stroke (RR = 3.9, p < 0.001) and arrhythmias (RR = 2.3, p < 0.001). Fibrinolytic therapy was used in 40.2 %. There was a negative correlation between GS and fibrinolytic therapy (r -0.04, p = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

the AICS with ST-segment elevation is more frequent and have a high GS.

Relation of Antimyocardium Antibodies to Mortality in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND

Antimyocardium antibodies (AMA) have been observed in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). At present it is unknown if these AMA play a role in the pathogenesis of acute or chronic myocardial damage or if they are only produced as a result of tissue destruction, disappearing later without clinical manifestations. However, some studies have shown that patients with AMI and AMA have higher possibilities of presenting heart failure and death. The aim of the present study was to determine if there is an association (odds ratio, OR) between AMA and death in patients with AMI.

METHODS

The design was a cross-sectional study. One hundred patients with acute myocardial infarction were recruited consecutively at the Coronary Care Unit of the Hospital de Especialidades at La Raza National Medical Center, IMSS, Mexico City. IgG antimyocardium antibodies were identified using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique (ELISA).

RESULTS

Of the 100 patients studied, 81 were males and 19 females, with an average age of 58 +/- 11 years. Of the population studied, 44% showed AMA. It was observed that patients with positive AMA had an OR for heart failure of 3.40 (CI 95% 0.97-12.5, p = 0.06) and for death of 7.94 (CI 95%, 1.49-56.1, p = 0.003). This variable was analyzed with other confounding variables using logistic regression, and an OR of 11.8 (CI 95% 1.63-86.3, p = 0.001) was obtained.

CONCLUSIONS

AMAs were an independent predictive factor for mortality in patients with AMI.

[Antibodies against Chlamydophila in patients with acute myocardial infarction and coronary risk and their association with mortality]

OBJECTIVE

The primary aim of this study was to determine whether antibodies against Chlamydophila pneumoniae in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and coronary risk factors are associated with death.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 patients hospitalized in the Coronary Unit of Centro Medico La Raza Hospital of the Mexican Institute of Social Security, between 1999 and 2000. Subjects were males and females older than 18 years, diagnosed with AMI and coronary risk. Antibodies against Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Chlamydophila psitacii and Chlamydia trachomatis were measured using an indirect microinmunofluorescence assay. In addition, blood samples from 33 patients from the original group were taken when the patients were discharged from the hospital,and 3 months after their myocardial infarction. Data analysis consisted of geometric means and standard deviations as well as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Seventy percent of patients presented antibodies against Chlamydophila pneumoniae. Antibodies against Chlamydophila psittaci and Chlamydia trachomatis were not identified. No statistically significant association was found between antibodies and death in these patients with coronary risk factors and AMI. In the subgroup of 33 individuals 25 had antibodies against Chlamydophila pneumoniae and in 83% of them antibodies decreased three months after the AMI event.

CONCLUSIONS

Even though patients with coronary risk factors and AMI had an increased seropositivity for Chlamydophila pneumoniae it was not significantly associated with death.