Dataset Information

Effect of angina under-recognition on treatment in outpatients with stable ischaemic heart disease.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Almost a third of outpatients with chronic coronary artery disease (CAD) report having angina in the prior month, which is frequently under-recognized by their cardiologists. Whether under-recognition is associated with less treatment escalation to control angina, and potential underuse of treatment, is unknown.

Methods and results

Patients with CAD from 25 US cardiology outpatient practices completed the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) prior to their clinic visit, and angina was categorized as daily, weekly, monthly and no angina. Cardiologists (n=155) independently quantified patients' angina, blinded to patients' SAQ scores. Under-recognition was defined as the physician reporting a lower category of angina frequency than the patient. Among 1257 patients with CAD, 411 reported angina in the past month, of whom 178 (43.3%) patients were under-recognized. Treatment escalation-defined as intensification (up-titration or addition) of antianginal medications, referral for diagnostic testing or revascularization, or hospital admission-occurred in 106 (25.8%) patients with angina. Patients with under-recognized angina were less likely to get treatment escalation than patients whose angina was appropriately recognized (8.4% vs 39.1%, P<0.001). In a hierarchical multivariable logistic regression model adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as the burden of angina, under-recognition remained strongly associated with a lack of treatment escalation (adjusted OR 0.10, 95% CI 0.04-0.21, P<0.001).

Conclusions

Under-recognition of angina in cardiology outpatient practices is associated with less aggressive treatment escalation and may lead to poorer angina control. Standardizing clinical recognition of angina using validated tools could reduce under-recognition of angina, facilitate treatment, and potentially improve outcomes.

SUBMITTER: Qintar M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5322471 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundThe purpose of the predictors for major cardiovascular outcomes in stable ischaemic heart disease (PREMAC) study is exploratory and hypothesis generating. We want to identify biochemical quantities which-conditionally on the values of available standard demographic, anamnestic, and biochemical data-may improve the prediction of cardiovascular outcomes and/or death in patients suffering from stable ischaemic heart disease. The candidate biochemical quantities include N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, YKL-40, osteoprotegerin, high-sensitive assay cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT), pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), cathepsin B, cathepsin S, soluble TNF receptor 1 and 2, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, endostatin, and calprotectin. As an extra objective, we also want to assess if skewness in these predictors may explain why the clarithromycin for patients with stable coronary heart disease (CLARICOR) trial found increased all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality on a brief clarithromycin regimen compared with placebo.MethodsBaseline data were obtained from the hospital files at five cardiology clinics covering the Copenhagen area. The CLARICOR trial included data from 4372 stable coronary artery disease patients recruited among such patients alive and diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina pectoris during 1993 to 1999 in Copenhagen and randomised during October 1999 to April 2000 to the CLARICOR trial of 14 days clarithromycin versus placebo.Initial follow-up lasted for 2.6 years, during which outcomes were collected through hospital and death registries and assessed by an adjudication committee. Corresponding register data later showed to produce similar results. The adjudicated outcomes were therefore replaced and augmented by register data on outcomes to cover 10 years of follow-up. Biochemical marker data were obtained from analysis of serum from the CLARICOR bio-bank collected at randomisation and stored at -80° C.Using Cox proportional hazard method, we will identify among the candidate biochemical quantities those which are significant predictors when used alone and in combination with the standard predictors as defined in the present study.DiscussionPatients who became stable during the period 1993 to 1999 and died before October 1999 are missing. The data from the placebo patients are nevertheless useful to identify new prognostic biomarkers in patients with stable coronary artery disease, and data from both trial groups are useful to assess important potential skewness between randomised groups. However, due to the potential selection bias, we do not feel that it is advisable to try to rank identified biochemical predictors relative to each other nor to use the results for predictive purposes.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00121550 Date of registration 13 July 2005Date of enrolment of first participant 12 October 1999.