Derivation and validation of a clinical prediction rule for sleep apnoea syndrome for use in primary care.

Background: Several clinical prediction rules (CPRs) are available for sleep apnoea-hypopnoea syndrome (OSAH), but they are difficult to apply in primary care (PC).

Aim: Derivation and validation of a CPR using simple measurements available in PC.

Design & Setting: A prospective study conducted in health centres from the area of influence of three Spanish hospitals.

Continuous positive airway pressure as treatment for systemic hypertension in people with obstructive sleep apnoea: randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To assess the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring values in a large number of patients with untreated systemic hypertension of new onset and obstructive sleep apnoea.

Design: Multicentre, double blind, randomised, placebo controlled trial.

Setting: Eleven general hospitals in Spain between 2004 and 2007.

BODE-Index vs HADO-score in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Which one to use in general practice?

Background: Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) is used to diagnose and establish a prognosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Using multi-dimensional scores improves this predictive capacity.Two instruments, the BODE-index (Body mass index, Obstruction, Dyspnea, Exercise capacity) and the HADO-score (Health, Activity, Dyspnea, Obstruction), were compared in the prediction of mortality among COPD patients.