Atrial fibrillation in patients on haemodialysis in Andalusia. Prevalence, clinical profile and therapeutic management.

Unlabelled: Atrial fibrillation (AF) represents an important social and healthcare problem. There is wide variability in the prevalence of this arrhythmia in studies analysing patients on haemodialysis (HD).

Objective: To investigate the prevalence, clinical profile and therapeutic management of patients with AF on HD in Andalusia.

Valvular calcifications at the start of dialysis predict the onset of cardiovascular events in the course of follow-up.

Objective: To analyse the presence of VC at the start of dialysis and its relationship with events and/or death from cardiovascular causes in the course of follow-up.

Methods: In the study, we included patients who started dialysis between November 2003 and September 2007. In the first month of treatment, we assessed the presence of VC by Doppler echocardiography, along with demographic factors and risk factors for cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, stroke, atrial fibrillation (AF), and cardiac dimensional and functional electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters.

Incidence of acute myocardial infarction in the evolution of dialysis patients.

Background: Although the estimated frequency of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients on dialysis is very high, there is considerable variation in the studies published to date regarding the rate of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in these patients.

Objective: To establish the incidence of AMI and to analyse the characteristics and consequences of this entity on the clinical progression of incident dialysis patients.

Methods: We recorded AMI in the patients treated in our dialysis unit between 01/01/1999 and 31/12/07.

Ischaemic stroke in incident dialysis patients.

Background: Despite the high frequency of cardiovascular disease among the population on dialysis, there are few studies on ischaemic stroke and associated factors. The objective of the present study is to assess the prevalence of ischaemic stroke at the start of dialysis, its incidence in the course of follow-up and possible factors associated in its presentation.

Methods: All patients in our dialysis programme between 1 January 1999 and 31 December 2005 were included in the study and followed up until death, transplant, transfer out of our catchment area, or conclusion of the study on 31 December 2008.

[Incidence and risk factors for non-traumatic lower extremity amputation in hemodialysis patients].

Background And Aims: The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence and risk factors for non-traumatic lower extremity amputation (LEA) in patients on haemodialysis (HD).

Methods: We investigated our HD population attending our clinic between Jan 1988 and Dec 2002, who had had LEA. Uni- and multivariate analyses were used to determine association of LEA with demographic characteristics such as diabetes, hypertension, smoking, myocardial infarction, stroke, dyslipidaemia, haematocrit, urea, creatinine, calcium, phosphorous, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and albumin levels.