Portuguese Heart Failure Prevalence Observational Study (PORTHOS) rationale and design - A population-based study.

Introduction And Objectives: Current epidemiological data on heart failure (HF) in Portugal derives from studies conducted two decades ago. The main aim of this study is to determine HF prevalence in the Portuguese population. Using current standards, this manuscript aims to describe the methodology and research protocol applied.

[Management of Psoriasis by Family Physicians: Referral Algorithm and Shared Management with Dermatology].

Introduction: The implementation of models capable of improving referral quality, limiting the growth of waiting lists in hospitals, and ensuring the best possible treatment and follow-up of the psoriatic patient is of the utmost importance.

Material And Methods: A panel of Family Physicians and Dermatologists discussed and created a simple and effective algorithm of referral for patients with psoriasis.

Results: The proposed algorithm starts when the Family Physician suspects of psoriasis.

Effectiveness of a Referral Program for rheumatoid arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis Diagnosis at Primary Care Centers in Portugal - SIARA STUDY.

Objectives: Early diagnosis and treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and axial Spondylarthritis (axial SpA) can limit the impact of disease outcomes. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a referral program on the identification of patients with RA and axial SpA.

Methods: This was an observational, prospective, randomized (by clusters) study conducted in Portugal to evaluate the impact of the implementation of a set of referral support actions (RSA).

Inadequate pain relief among patients with primary knee osteoarthritis.

Background: Despite the widespread treatments for osteoarthritis (OA), data on treatment patterns, adequacy of pain relief, and quality of life are limited. The prospective multinational Survey of Osteoarthritis Real World Therapies (SORT) was designed to investigate these aspects.

Objectives: To analyze the characteristics and the patient reported outcomes of the Portuguese dataset of SORT at the start of observation.

For the improvement of Heart Failure treatment in Portugal - Consensus statement.

Heart failure is a syndrome with high prevalence, morbidity and mortality, but awareness of the disease is poor among the general public and policy makers. This document, which was prepared by a group of experts consisting of cardiologists, internists and general practitioners, aims to set out in detail the problem of heart failure in Portugal at several levels: burden of the disease, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring. To this aim, different aspects of the management of the various stages of the disease are identified and discussed in detail, covering both outpatients and hospitalized patients.

Inadequate pain relief among patients with primary knee osteoarthritis.

Background: Despite the widespread treatments for Osteoarthritis (OA), data on treatment patterns, adequacy of pain relief, and quality of life are limited. The prospective multinational Survey of Osteoarthritis Real World Therapies (SORT) was designed to investigate these aspects.

Objectives: To analyze the characteristics and the patient reported outcomes of the Portuguese dataset of SORT at the start of observation.

Patient's access to healthcare and treatment in rheumatoid arthritis: the views of stakeholders in Portugal.

Background: The access to healthcare and treatment by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, particularly to biologics, differs significantly among European countries.We aimed to explore the views and experiences of Portuguese healthcare stakeholders on key barriers which limit the access to treatment, and ultimately to biologics, by RA patients and to find potential solutions (leverage points) to overcome the identified barriers.

Methods: This was a qualitative research consisting of semi-structured face-to-face interviews with key stakeholders in RA framework.