PURPOSE: Many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) exclude patients who have multiple comorbidities. The aim of this study was to illustrate the prevalence of comorbidities among patients followed up in primary care who would have met the inclusion criteria of selected RCTs focusing on treatment of a particular condition. We used hypertension as an example of a particular chronic condition. METHODS: We used an existing database of 980 patients (660 women) that was representative of a population consulting primary care family doctors and that contained information about all chronic conditions. We randomly selected 5 RCTs that focused on patients with hypertension. The inclusion and exclusion criteria used in each of the 5 RCTs were applied (1 study at a time) to the patients in our database. The patients from our data set who met the inclusion criteria of a given RCT were considered eligible for that RCT. RESULTS: Of the patients from our data set who were eligible for each of the RCTs, 89% to 100% had multiple chronic conditions. The mean number of chronic conditions of patients eligible for each RCT ranged from 5.5 +/- 3.3 to 11.7 +/- 5.3. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study suggest that RCTs targeting a chronic medical condition such as hypertension could find that, in a sample taken from family practice, most eligible patients have comorbid conditions. Whether these patients are sampled or excluded should be reported. Research results intended to be applied in medical practice should take the complex reality of effective treatment of these patients into consideration.
PURPOSE: Many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) exclude patients who have multiple comorbidities. The aim of this study was to illustrate the prevalence of comorbidities among patients followed up in primary care who would have met the inclusion criteria of selected RCTs focusing on treatment of a particular condition. We used hypertension as an example of a particular chronic condition. METHODS: We used an existing database of 980 patients (660 women) that was representative of a population consulting primary care family doctors and that contained information about all chronic conditions. We randomly selected 5 RCTs that focused on patients with hypertension. The inclusion and exclusion criteria used in each of the 5 RCTs were applied (1 study at a time) to the patients in our database. The patients from our data set who met the inclusion criteria of a given RCT were considered eligible for that RCT. RESULTS: Of the patients from our data set who were eligible for each of the RCTs, 89% to 100% had multiple chronic conditions. The mean number of chronic conditions of patients eligible for each RCT ranged from 5.5 +/- 3.3 to 11.7 +/- 5.3. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study suggest that RCTs targeting a chronic medical condition such as hypertension could find that, in a sample taken from family practice, most eligible patients have comorbid conditions. Whether these patients are sampled or excluded should be reported. Research results intended to be applied in medical practice should take the complex reality of effective treatment of these patients into consideration.
Authors: Linda P Fried; Luigi Ferrucci; Jonathan Darer; Jeff D Williamson; Gerard Anderson Journal: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci Date: 2004-03 Impact factor: 6.053
Authors: John W Beasley; Terry H Hankey; Rodney Erickson; Kurt C Stange; Marlon Mundt; Marguerite Elliott; Pamela Wiesen; James Bobula Journal: Ann Fam Med Date: 2004 Sep-Oct Impact factor: 5.166
Authors: Nadia A Khan; Finlay A McAlister; Norman R C Campbell; Ross D Feldman; Simon Rabkin; Jeff Mahon; Richard Lewanczuk; Kelly B Zarnke; Brenda Hemmelgarn; Marcel Lebel; Mitchell Levine; Carol Herbert Journal: Can J Cardiol Date: 2004-01 Impact factor: 5.223
Authors: L Hansson; A Zanchetti; S G Carruthers; B Dahlöf; D Elmfeldt; S Julius; J Ménard; K H Rahn; H Wedel; S Westerling Journal: Lancet Date: 1998-06-13 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Karine Toupin April; Jacinthe Bisaillon; Vivian Welch; Lara J Maxwell; Peter Jüni; Anne Ws Rutjes; M Elaine Husni; Jennifer Vincent; Tania El Hindi; George A Wells; Peter Tugwell Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2019-05-27