title: Awareness of hypertension and proteinuria in randomly selected patients in 11 Italian cities. A 2005 report of the National Kidney Foundation of Italy.
abstract: Arterial hypertension and proteinuria are risk factors for chronic kidney disease. A mobile clinic was parked in a central plaza of 11 Italian cities to check blood pressure (BP), prescribe antihypertensive drugs, assess for proteinuria, and provide awareness about hypertension. Among 3757 patients, 56% were hypertensive, 37% were not diabetic nor proteinuric with BP >or=140/90 mm Hg, 17% were diabetic or proteinuric with BP >or=130/80 mm Hg, and 11% were on treatment with BP at target. Among 1204 treated patients, 400 (33%) had controlled BP. Among all 2114 hypertensive patients, only 1344 (64%) were aware of their hypertension. Awareness was greater among treated patients at target (99%). As many as 523 (14%) patients had proteinuria >or=30 mg/dL. The authors conclude that awareness of people walking in the street about their BP and proteinuria is insufficient. Mobile screening clinics may increase public awareness and detection of hypertension and proteinuria in the general community and detect patients at risk for chronic kidney disease.
authors.affiliation: Fondazione Italiana del Rene (FIR) Onlus, Naples, Italy. andrea-galassi@libero.it
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galassi
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brancaccio
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cozzolino
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bellinghieri
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Buoncristiani
authors.forename: Fosco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cavatorta
authors.forename: Ludovica
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: D'Apice
authors.forename: Biagio
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Di Iorio
authors.forename: Loreto
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gesualdo
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gianni
authors.forename: Biagio
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ricciardi
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Andreucci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001364:Awareness; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D011379:Prognosis; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration