THE SYSTEMATIC CORONARY RISK EVALUATION FOR THE PREVENTION OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES. A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW.

Introduction and Objective: The SCORE model predicts the ten-year risk of cardiovascular mortality but still it is unknown whether applying the SCORE in clinical practice subsequently improves cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes. Objective: to assess the effect of total cardiovascular risk estimation using the SCORE in preventing serious cardiovascular events in European adults without prior CVD. Methods: Data sources: eight bibliographical databases (2003 – August 2015), other internet sources and reference lists of articles were checked. This was supplemented by contact with the Board Members of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the authors of the SCORE model. Study eligibility criteria: all prospective studies in any language that examined the effect of using the SCORE on the clinical outcome (CVD death, major events and adverse outcomes) in an adult population. Two reviewers assessed the studies independently (titles, abstracts, full texts). Results and Conclusions: After removal of duplicates, 5256 records were screened and 14 full text papers considered. No eligible studies were identified. An extensive literature search revealed no randomized control trial or other prospective study that compared significant clinical outcomes between groups that used the SCORE and those who did not. The effect of using the SCORE (with or without subsequent intervention) on CVD death, all death, major CVD events like myocardial infarction and stroke, as well as adverse outcomes, is still unknown. There is a need to plan and perform a cluster randomised controlled trial that will evaluate the use of the SCORE on important outcomes.