Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Maite Artés

Publications and source records attributed to Maite Artés.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

[Non-randomized evaluation studies (TREND)].

Nonrandomized intervention trials are needed when randomized clinical trials cannot be performed. To report the results from nonrandomized intervention studies transparently, the TREND (Transparent Reporting of Evaluations with Nonrandomized Designs) checklist should be used. This implies that nonrandomized studies should follow the remaining methodological tools usually employed in randomized trials and that the uncertainty introduced by the allocation mechanism should be explicitly reported and, if possible, quantified.

Authorship↗

Drug utilization study in patients with Crohn's disease in Spain.

OBJECTIVE: To discover the therapeutic strategies for Crohn's disease used in Spain and to analyse the factors associated with the use of each treatment. DESIGN: Observational, cross-sectional study of patients with Crohn's disease who attended hospitals in Spain. METHODS: Two structured questionnaires were used, one completed by gastroenterologists about demographic clinical data and disease activity, and the other a telephone interview with the patients to obtain epidemiological and drug utilization data. RESULTS: A total of 635 patients from 39 hospitals were included. Aminosalicylates (77%) and corticosteroids (41%) were the most commonly used drugs. Monotherapy was used in 52% of the patients and was associated with less severe disease and relapse. Aminosalicylate use was associated with relapse and associated inversely with use of immunosuppressors. Corticosteroid use was associated with relapse, disease activity, and emergency visit frequency, and associated inversely with perianal disease. Use of immunosuppressors was associated with perianal disease, chronic active disease, and routine visit frequency, and associated inversely with aminosalicylate use. Antibiotic use was associated with relapse, perianal disease, chronic active disease and hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Aminosalicylates, corticosteroids and a combination of both drugs are the drugs used most frequently against Crohn's disease in Spain. Gender, age, clinical pattern and location were not associated with the type of drug used either in monotherapy or in combined therapy.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

[Effect of antihypertensive therapy on pulse pressure].

BACKGROUND: Pulse pressure (difference between systolic and diastolic pressure) is an important prognostic factor for cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in elderly hypertensives. However, data regarding the effect of antihypertensive treatment on pulse pressure (PP) are scarce. In the present study, we evaluate the effect of six classes of antihypertensive drugs on PP in an elderly hypertensive cohort. PATIENTS AND METHOD: It was an open, prospective and multicenter study performed by primary care physicians. 857 hypertensive patients (54% women) with a mean age of 68 years were included. Antihypertensive treatment (any antihypertensive drug used in monotherapy) was freely assigned by investigators and then grouped in classes for analysis. Blood pressure was measured by a validated oscillometric device using a standardized protocol. RESULTS: ACE inhibitors were the mostly used class of antihypertensive drugs (27.8%). We found no differences between drug classes in PP reduction. Likewise, no differences were observed regarding the effect on systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure. The percentage of adverse reactions was low (6.3%). When effects on PP reduction and adverse reactions were pooled together, angiotensin receptor blockers emerged as the antihypertensive drug class with the best profile. CONCLUSIONS: Antihypertensive drugs do not differ substantially in their ability to reduce PP. Although PP is considered as an important prognostic factor for cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, the present results do not strengthen its usefulness as a distinctive marker of antihypertensive drug classes.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Quality of life in functional dyspepsia.

Our purpose was to assess the quality of life of functional dyspepsia patients using the SF-36 generic scale and the Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale (GSRS). In all, 328 dyspeptic patients were included in a multicenter, prospective, observational study. Both scales were filled out at baseline and one and three months after a prokinetic agent was given as a single-drug therapy. A total of 250 patients completed the study. An improvement in all SF-36 dimensions was observed, although the final scores were lower than the population reference values. Physical role (27% change), emotional role (20%), and physical pain (16%) dimensions showed the greater change. The GSRS total and domain scores also showed significant decreases. The best predictors of quality of life improvement were certain basal symptoms, drug compliance, and the absence of idiopathic dyspepsia. In conclusion, both the generic and the specific scales provide useful and sensitive measures of quality of life in functional dyspepsia patients on single-drug treatment.

Adolescent↗