Hyperlipidemias: Hanon O

Duron E, Hanon O. · Broca Hospital, Paris, France. · Vasc Health Risk Manag. · Pubmed #18561512 links to  free full text

Abstract: Dementia is one of the most important neurological disorders in the elderly. Aging is associated with a large increase in the prevalence and incidence of degenerative (Alzheimer's disease) and vascular dementia, leading to a devastating loss of autonomy. In view of the increasing longevity of populations worldwide, prevention of dementia has turned into a major public health challenge. In the past decade, several vascular risk factors have been found to be associated with vascular dementia but also Alzheimer's disease. Some longitudinal studies, have found significant associations between hypertension, diabetus mellitus, and metabolic syndrome, assessed at middle age, and dementia. Studies assessing the link between hypercholesterolemia, atrial fibrillation, smoking, and dementia have given more conflicting results. Furthermore, some studies have highlighted the possible protective effect of antihypertensive therapy on cognition and some trials are evaluating the effects of statins and treatments for insulin resistance. Vascular risk factors and their treatments are a promising avenue of research for prevention of dementia, and further long-term, placebo-controlled, randomized studies, need to be performed.

Ducher M, Cerutti C, Marquand A, Mounier-Vehier C, Hanon O, Girerd X, Ader C, Juillard L, Fauvel JP, Anonymous00372. · E. Herriot Hospital, Claude Bernard University, Lyon, France. · J Nephrol. · Pubmed #15944997 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The DRASTIC model based on nine variables (age, gender, recent onset of hypertension, smoking status, body mass index (BMI), abdominal bruit, atherosclerosis, dyslipidemia and creatininemia) has been proposed to predict renal artery stenosis (RAS) occurrence. METHODS: In a prospective multicenter study, the clinical usefulness of the DRASTIC model was checked in 336 patients with two-drug resistant hypertension. RAS was excluded using at least color Doppler sonography. RAS was diagnosed using at least renal angiography. The statistical dependence (Z(Rho)) analysis was applied to investigate further the relationships between each variable and presence of RAS. Results: The prevalence of RAS (n=51) was 15%. The goodness-of-fit test that compared observed RAS to predicted RAS using the DRASTIC model was not significant. Accordingly, the multivariate logistic regression indicated that only three parameters (abdominal bruit, atherosclerotic vascular disease and BMI <25 kg/m2) were significantly linked to RAS. The Z(Rho) methodology revealed that calculated renal function <60 ml/min and age >58 yrs (median) were also significantly linked to RAS. No variable or combination of variables offered satisfactory positive predictive values for the RAS diagnosis. The combination of the five significantly linked variables had a negative predictive value of 98%, and allowed RAS detection with a sensitivity of 96%. In our population, RAS screening could have been avoided in 30% of our patients screened. CONCLUSIONS: The DRASTIC model was unsuitable for clinical use in our sample population. In our population, renal arteries were considered stenosis free with a probability of 98% in refractory hypertensive overweight patients, aged < or = 58 yrs, with satisfactory renal function and without both abdominal bruit and atherosclerotic vascular disease.

Marquand A, Hanon O, Fauvel JP, Mounier-Vehier C, Equine O, Girerd X. · Service de cardiologie, CHG de Fréjus-Saint-Raphaël. · Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss. · Pubmed #10989754 No free full text.

Abstract: PURPOSE: To perform an external validation of the clinical prediction rule established by Krijnen et al. (Ann Intern Med 1998; 129: 705-11) designed to identify renal artery stenoses (RAS) in hypertensive patients. METHODS: We included 102 patients with a refractory hypertension treated with at least two antihypertensive drugs. All subjects had the research of RAS by renal angiography, or angio-computed tomography, or doppler ultrasound. Probability to detect RAS was calculated with Krijnen's algorithm (Pre-test probability) from the following parameters: age, smoking status, diffuse atherosclerosis, recent hypertension (< 2 y), obesity (BMI > 25), abdominal bruit, hypercholesterolemia (> 6.5 mmol/L), creatinine. ROC curves were plotted for each pre-test probability value. A "post-test probability" was obtained from the likelihood ratio calculated at each pre-test probability level. RESULTS: RAS prevalence in this population was 49%. Area under the ROC curve was 0.79 and Youden index was maximal for a pre-test probability of 15%. Maximal likelihood ratio was obtained for a pre-test probability of 46%. Table shows post-test probability as a function of pre-test probability obtained with Krijnen's algorithm. [table: see text] CONCLUSION: Krijnen's algorithm is valid in a population of resistant hypertensives treated with a bi-therapy. This external validation obtained on a population with a high prevalence of RAS should also be tested on a population with a lower prevalence of SAR.