Background: The Escarval-Risk study aims to validate cardiovascular risk scales in patients with hypertension, diabetes or dyslipidemia living in the Valencia Community, a European Mediterranean region, based on data from an electronic health recording system comparing predicted events with observed during 5 years follow-up study. Methods/Design: A cohort prospective 5 years follow-up study has been designed including 25000 patients with hypertension, diabetes and/or dyslipidemia attended in usual clinical practice. All information is registered in a unique electronic health recording system (ABUCASIS) that is the usual way to register clinical practice in the Valencian Health System (primary and secondary care). The system covers about 95% of population (near 5 million people). The system is linked with database of mortality register, hospital withdrawals, prescriptions and assurance databases in which each individual have a unique identification number. Diagnoses in clinical practice are always registered based on IDC-9. Occurrence of CV disease was the main outcomes of interest. Risk survival analysis methods will be applied to estimate the cumulative incidence of developing CV events over time. Discussion: The Escarval-Risk study will provide information to validate different cardiovascular risk scales in patients with hypertension, diabetes or dyslipidemia from a low risk Mediterranean Region, the Valencia Community.

This study analyzed the prevalence, costs and economic impact of chronic kidney disease CKD in patients with T2D in a Spanish Health District using real-world data. Observational cross-sectional study in adult patients with T2D was through data extracted from the information systems of the Valencia Clínico–La Malvarrosa Health District in the year 2015. Patients were stratified with the KDIGO classification for CKD. Additionally, patients were assigned to Clinical Risk Groups (CRGs) according to multimorbidity. Direct costs of primary and specialized care, and medication were estimated. The prevalence of T2D in the database population (n = 28,345) was 10.8% (mean age (SD) = 67.8 years (13.9); 51.5% male). Up to 14.935 patients (52.6%) had data on kidney function. According to the KDIGO classification, 66.2% of the patients were at low risk of CKD, 20.6% at moderately increased risk, 7.9% at high risk, and 5.2% at very high risk. The average healthcare costs associated with these four risk groups were EUR 3437, EUR 4936, EUR 5899 and EUR 7389, respectively. The large number of T2D patients with CKD in the early stages of the disease generated a significant increase in direct healthcare costs. The economic impact could be mitigated by early and comprehensive therapeutic approaches.

Pharmaceutical expenditure is undergoing very high growth, and accounts for 30% of overall healthcare expenditure in Spain. In this paper we present a prediction model for primary health care pharmaceutical expenditure based on Clinical Risk Groups (CRG), a system that classifies individuals into mutually exclusive categories and assigns each person to a severity level if s/he has a chronic health condition. This model may be used to draw up budgets and control health spending.

Aims: This study assessed the impact of acute hemoglobin (Hb) falls in heart failure (HF) patients. Methods: HF patients with repeated Hb values over time were included. Falls in Hb greater than 30% were considered to represent an acute episode of anemia and the risk of hospitalization and all-cause mortality after the first episode was assessed. Results: In total, 45,437 HF patients (54.9% female, mean age 74.3 years) during a follow-up average of 2.9 years were analyzed. A total of 2892 (6.4%) patients had one episode of Hb falls, 139 (0.3%) had more than one episode, and 342 (0.8%) had concomitant acute kidney injury (AKI). Acute heart failure occurred in 4673 (10.3%) patients, representing 3.6/100 HF patients/year. The risk of hospitalization increased with one episode (Hazard Ratio = 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19–1.43), two or more episodes (HR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.14–2.23, and concurrent AKI (HR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.27–2.03). A total of 10,490 patients have died, representing 8.1/100 HF patients/year. The risk of mortality was HR = 2.20 (95% CI 2.06–2.35) for one episode, HR = 3.14 (95% CI 2.48–3.97) for two or more episodes, and HR = 3.20 (95% CI 2.73–3.75) with AKI. In the two or more episodes and AKI groups, Hb levels at the baseline were significantly lower (10.2–11.4 g/dL) than in the no episodes group (12.8 g/dL), and a higher and significant mortality in these subgroups was observed. Conclusions: Hb falls in heart failure patients identified those with a worse prognosis requiring a more careful evaluation and follow-up.

A study to evaluate the impact of a combined intervention (in-class and on-line training courses, a practicum and economic incentives) to improve anti-osteoporosis treatment and to improve recordkeeping for specific information about osteoporosis.