title: The HUGE formula (hematocrit, urea and gender): association with cardiovascular risk.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relationship between chronic renal failure (CFR) defined through HUGE (hematocrit, urea and gender) formula score and the patient's cardiovascular risk measured through cardiovascular disease antecedents such as ischemic cardiopathy, cerebrovascular disease and peripheral arterial disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 2,831 subjects. Mean age was 51.2±14.7 years and 53.5% were female. Serum creatinine, urea, hematocrit and 24h proteinuria were analyzed. HUGE score was calculated from gender, urea and hematocrit. GFR was estimated from uncalibrated serum creatinine using the abbreviated Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation (MDRD-4). UAE was measured in first morning urine sample.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using HUGE formula 2.2% (n = 61) of subjects had CRF. Of them, 12 (19.7%) had cardiovascular disease history. Among patients without CRF (n = 2770), 194 subjects had history of previous cardiovascular diseases (0.07%; p < 0.001 Square Chi test). Using the MDRD-4 formula 4.0% of subjects (n = 113) had a GFR < 60 ml/min. Of them, 18 (15.9%) had cardiovascular disease history. Among patients without CRF (n = 2718), 188 subjects had history of previous cardiovascular diseases (0.07%; p < 0.001 Square Chi test). Odd's ratio for cardiovascular diseases using HUGE definition of CRF was 3.25 (p = 0.001, Mantel-Haenszel test). CFR was associated to higher pulse pressure (PP) and increased urinary albumin excretion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant cardiovascular risk was associated to the diagnosis of CRF through HUGE formula. This relation was closer than the obtained using MDRD estimated GFR in spite of a bigger sample. HUGE formula seems to be a useful tool for diagnosing CRF and evaluate the cardiovascular risk of these patients.
authors.affiliation: University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain. nrrobles@yahoo.es
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Robles
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Felix
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Berges
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perez-Castán
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Zaro
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lozano
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Palacios
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garcia-Trigo
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tejero
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morcillo
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Hidalgo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000652:urine; D000465:Algorithms; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012306:Risk; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014508:Urea