Caffeine exposure is not associated with increased AF risk. Low-dose caffeine may have a protective effect.

BackgroundThe percentage of time during which the patients have the INR within the target values (i.e. Time in Therapeutic Range [TTR]) is a measure of anticoagulation quality with Vitamin K Antagonists (VKA). To evaluate the quality of anticoagulation using TTR according to the Rosendaal method, we performed an observational, retrospective study. We included all outpatients who attended the cardiology anticoagulation clinic of a Portuguese hospital (2011–2013), whose target INR was 2.0-3.0.Results377 VKA-treated patients were evaluated. Of these, 72.4% had non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Patients were followed for a mean period of 471 days. The mean TTR was 60.3% (SD 19.3%) and 44.3% of the patients had a mean TTR < 60%. Patients were at high risk of bleeding (INR > 4.5) and at high thrombotic risk (INR < 1.5) during, respectively, 1.7% and 4.7% of the time.ConclusionsAnticoagulation control needs to be improved. These results are informative for all stakeholders: patients, health care professionals, and policymakers.

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Information regarding cognitive abilities in earlier stages of life is essential to ascertain if and to what extent these may have declined. When unavailable, clinicians rely on estimate methods. One of the contemporary methods used worldwide combines performance on irregular word reading test with demographics since it has shown to provide reliable estimates of premorbid ability. Hence, a reading test portuguese irregular word reading test (TeLPI) was developed, filling an important gap in the neuropsychological evaluation of Portuguese speakers. Using 46 irregular, infrequent Portuguese words, TeLPI was validated against Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)-III (N = 124), and regression-based equations were determined to estimate premorbid IQ considering TeLPI scores and demographic variables. TeLPI scores accounted for 63% of the variance of WAIS-III Full-Scale IQ, 62% of Verbal IQ, and 47% of Performance IQ and thus were considered valid for premorbid intelligence estimation.

It is crucial that children with FLE and those with a longer active duration of epilepsy are closely monitored to allow the early identification and evaluation of cognitive problems, in order to establish adequate and timely school intervention plans.