Search

Background and Aims: Chronic hepatitis D (CHD) is a severe form of chronic viral hepatitis. The estimated hepatitis delta prevalence in Spain is around 5% of patients with hepatitis B. Reimbursement of new antiviral therapies (Bulevirtide, BLV) was delayed in our country until February 2024. We aimed to characterize the clinical profile of patients with HDV/HBV infection in Spain and current barriers in their management at the time of BLV approval., Method: Multicenter registry including patients with positive anti-HDV serology actively monitored in 30 Spanish centers. Epidemiological, clinical and virological variables were recorded at the start of follow-up and at the last visit., Results: We identified 329 anti-HDV patients, 41% were female with median age 51 years. The most common geographical origin was Spain (53%) and East Europe (24%). Patients from Spain were older and had HCV and HIV coinfection probably associated to past drug injection (p<0.01). HDV-RNA was positive in 138 of 221 assessed (62%). Liver cirrhosis was present at diagnosis in 33% and it was more frequent among viremic patients (58% vs 25%, p<0.01). After a median follow-up of 6 (3-12) years, 44 (16%) resolved infection (18 spontaneously and 26 after Peg-INF). An additional 10% of patients developed cirrhosis (n=137) during follow-up (45% had portal hypertension and 14% liver decompensation). Liver disease progression was associated to persisting viremia., Conclusion: One-third of the patients with CHD already have cirrhosis at diagnosis. Persistence of positive viremia is associated to rapid liver disease progression. Importantly, barriers to locally determine/quantify HDV-RNA were present., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most commonly identified virus associated with lower respiratory tract infections. The monoclonal antibody nirsevimab immunization campaign began in our country in October 2023., Methods: This study was conducted in the Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) of a tertiary care center in Madrid, Spain. The aim was to compare PED visits of patients eligible for immunization with nirsevimab who attended between weeks 40 and 52 of 2022 and 2023 and who had a confirmed diagnosis of RSV infection., Results: During the study period, 264 out of 765 patients with confirmed RSV infection who attended the PED were eligible for immunization with nirsevimab and were selected for our analysis. The PED attendance was 80.3% in 2022 and 19.7% in 2023. The number of RSV-positive cases increased from week 42 in both analyzed periods, with a peak of maximum incidence between weeks 46 and 48. In 2022, the morphology of the case curve in the group of children eligible for immunization was similar to the overall curve. However, in 2023, we did not observe a similar increase in cases among patients eligible for immunization., Conclusion: Immunization with nirsevimab during the 2023 RSV epidemic season had a beneficial effect, reducing the number of PED consultations for RSV infection., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background and Purpose: In Spain there is a lack of population data that specifically compare hospitalization for systolic and diastolic heart failure (HF). We assessed clinical characteristics, in-hospital mortality and 30-day cardiovascular readmission rates differentiating by HF type., Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of patients discharged with the principal diagnosis of HF from The National Health System' acute hospital during 2016-2019, distinguishing between systolic and diastolic HF. The source of the data was the Minimum Basic Data Set. The risk-standardized in-hospital mortality ratio and risk-standardized 30-day cardiovascular readmission ratio were calculated using multilevel risk adjustment models., Results: The 190,200 episodes of HF were selected. Of these, 163,727 (86.1%) were classified as diastolic HF and were characterized by older age, higher proportion of women, diabetes mellitus, dementia and renal failure than those with systolic HF. In the multilevel risk adjustment models, diastolic HF was a protective factor for both in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR]: 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75-0.83; P<.001) and 30-day cardiovascular readmission versus systolic HF (OR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.88-0.97; P=.002)., Conclusions: In Spain, between 2016 and 2019, hospitalization episodes for HF were mostly due to diastolic HF. According to the multilevel risk adjustment models, diastolic HF compared to systolic HF was a protective factor for both in-hospital mortality and 30-day cardiovascular readmission., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Chronic hepatitis E virus (HEV) in persons with immune impairment has a progressive course leading to a rapid progression to liver cirrhosis. However, prospective data on chronic HEV is scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for chronic HEV infection in subjects with immune dysfunction and elevated liver enzymes., Patients and Methods: CHES is a multicenter prospective study that included adults with elevated transaminases values for at least 6 months and any of these conditions: transplant recipients, HIV infection, haemodialysis, liver cirrhosis, and immunosuppressant therapy. Anti-HEV IgG/IgM (Wantai ELISA) and HEV-RNA by an automated highly sensitive assay (Roche diagnostics) were performed in all subjects. In addition, all participants answered an epidemiological survey., Results: Three hundred and eighty-one patients were included: 131 transplant recipients, 115 cirrhosis, 51 HIV-infected subjects, 87 on immunosuppressants, 4 hemodialysis. Overall, 210 subjects were on immunosuppressants. Anti-HEV IgG was found in 94 (25.6%) subjects with similar rates regardless of the cause for immune impairment. HEV-RNA was positive in 6 (1.6%), all of them transplant recipients, yielding a rate of chronic HEV of 5.8% among solid-organ recipients. In the transplant population, only therapy with mTOR inhibitors was independently associated with risk of chronic HEV, whereas also ALT values impacted in the general model., Conclusions: Despite previous abnormal transaminases values, chronic HEV was only observed among solid-organ recipients. In this population, the rate of chronic HEV was 5.8% and only therapy with mTOR inhibitors was independently associated with chronic hepatitis E., (Copyright © 2023. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

Introduction: The effectiveness of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols in gastric cancer surgery remains controversial., Methods: Multicentre prospective cohort study of adult patients undergoing surgery for gastric cancer. Adherence with 22 individual components of ERAS pathways were assessed in all patients, regardless of whether they were treated in a self-designed ERAS centre. Each centre had a three-month recruitment period between October 2019 and September 2020. The primary outcome was moderate-to-severe postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes were overall postoperative complications, adherence to the ERAS pathway, 30 day-mortality and hospital length of stay (LOS)., Results: A total of 743 patients in 72 Spanish hospitals were included, 211 of them (28.4 %) from self-declared ERAS centres. A total of 245 patients (33 %) experienced postoperative complications, graded as moderate-to-severe complications in 172 patients (23.1 %). There were no differences in the incidence of moderate-to-severe complications (22.3% vs. 23.5%; OR, 0.92 (95% CI, 0.59 to 1.41); P = 0.068), or overall postoperative complications between the self-declared ERAS and non-ERAS groups (33.6% vs. 32.7%; OR, 1.05 (95 % CI, 0.70 to 1.56); P = 0.825). The overall rate of adherence to the ERAS pathway was 52% [IQR 45 to 60]. There were no differences in postoperative outcomes between higher (Q1, > 60 %) and lower (Q4, ≤ 45 %) ERAS adherence quartiles., Conclusions: Neither the partial application of perioperative ERAS measures nor treatment in self-designated ERAS centres improved postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing gastric surgery for cancer., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03865810., (Copyright © 2023 AEC. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To determine the diagnostic contribution of the absolute quantification of the myocardial deposit of 99m Tc-DPD in patients with cardiac amyloidosis due to transthyretin deposits (ATTR)., Materials and Methods: SPECT/CT was performed in 41 patients with positive scintigraphic results for ATTR cardiac amyloidosis. The patients were divided into two groups (Perugini grades 2 and 3) and the SUVmax at the level of the bone and both ventricles and the percentage of dose calculated in these areas were calculated. The Student's t-test was used to compare results and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to assess differential efficacy and establish discriminatory cut-off points between both groups of patients., Results: Statistically significant differences were observed in all the study variables, with the exception of bone SUV max . The differences with the greatest statistical power were observed in the variables SUV maxRV and the percentage of dose in both ventricles (p < 0.001). The cut-off point obtained for the variable SUVm axLV was 8.620 (sensitivity 87.9% and specificity 100%; AUC 0.966), while that of the variable SUV maxRV was 6.195 (sensitivity 81.8% and specificity 100%; AUC 0.955)., Conclusions: The absolute quantification of myocardial uptake of 99m Tc-DPD in the SPECT/CT images of patients with suspected cardiac amyloidosis due to transthyretin deposits represents a new diagnostic tool that allows adequate classification of patients according to the Perugini visual grading scale., (Copyright © 2023 Sociedad Española de Medicina Nuclear e Imagen Molecular. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Retrospective studies have suggested that long-term use of opioids can cause esophageal motility dysfunction. A recent clinical entity known as opioid-induced esophageal dysfunction (OIED) has been postulated. There is no data from prospective studies assessing the incidence of opioid-induced effects on the esophagus., Aim: Evaluate the incidence of OIED during chronic opioid therapy., Methods: From February 2017 to August 2018, all patients seen in the Pain Unit of the hospital, who started opioid treatment for chronic non-neoplastic pain and who did not present esophageal symptoms previously, were included. The presence of esophageal symptoms was assessed using the Eckardt score after 3 months and 1 year since the start of the study. In February 2021, the clinical records of all included patients were reviewed to assess whether esophageal symptoms were present and whether opioid therapy was continued. In patients presenting with esophageal symptoms, an endoscopy was performed and, if normal, a high-resolution esophageal manometry was performed. For a confidence level of 95%, a 4% margin of error and an estimated prevalence of 4%, a sample size of 92 patients was calculated., Results: 100 patients were included and followed while taking opioids, for a median of 31 months with a range between 4 and 48 months. Three women presented with dysphagia during the first 3 months of treatment, being diagnosed with esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction; type II and type III achalasia. The cumulative incidence of OIED was 3%; 95%-CI: 0-6%., Conclusions: Chronic opioid therapy in patients with chronic non-neoplastic pain is associated with symptomatic esophageal dysfunction., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the sources of information used by the Regional Population-based Registries of Rare Diseases (RRD) for Wilson's Disease identification in Spain; to calculate its prevalence and mortality; and to describe the sociodemographic characteristics of those affected., Method: Cross-sectional epidemiological study, period 2010-2015. Possible cases were identified by codes 275.1 (ICD-9-CM), E83.0 (ICD-10) and 905 (ORPHAcode) in: 15 participating RRD and the Rare Disease Patients Registry of the Carlos III Health Institute. The diagnoses were confirmed through a clinical documentation review. The positive predictive value (PPV) of the sources of information used by RRD and their combinations were obtained. The prevalence, mortality and the distribution of sociodemographic characteristics were calculated., Results: The Hospital Discharge Database (HDD) was the most used source by the RRD (PPV=39.4%), followed by the Orphan Drugs Registry (ODR) (PPV=81.9%). The Clinical History of Primary Care (PC) obtains PPV=55.9%. The combinations with highest PPV were the ODR with HDD (PPV=95.8%) and the ODR with PC (PPV=92.9%). 514 cases were confirmed, 57.2% men, with a median age of diagnosis of 21.3 years. The prevalence was 1.64/100,000 inhabitants in 2015 and mortality rate was 3.0%, being both higher in men., Conclusions: Incorporation of ODR and PC into the RRD is recommended, as its combination and ODR with HDD could be used as an automatic validation criterion for Wilson's disease. The prevalence obtained was similar to that of countries close to Spain., (Copyright © 2020 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Arterial calcification of infancy is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder with extremely poor prognosis characterized by extensive calcification of internal elastic lamina and thickened of intimal tissue of large and medium sized arteries., Case Report: We present the case of a newborn necropsy with hydrops and widespread cyanosis. The internal examination revealed heart enlargement due to occlusive calcification of the arteries., Discussion: The aim of the present report is to provide a correlation of clinical and pathological features. An update of genetic diagnosis is provided., (Copyright © 2019 Sociedad Española de Anatomía Patológica. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To describe the current situation regarding the specialized pharmaceutical service provision in nursing homes in Spain,  from a healthcare perspective reflecting activity, care and services  provided., Method: Observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study conducted between February-June 2018 through a survey aimed at all  Hospital Pharmacy Units in Spain. Once the initial version was assessed  by twelve evaluators whose healthcare assistance work were related to  nursing homes, an electronic form was designed, consisting on 10  dimensions and 66 questions. A piloting was carried out by six nursing  homes pharmacists. The results were analyzed descriptively. Results: The overall response rate was 29.7% (113 out of 380). Out of  all studied hospital pharmacy units, 46.0% (n = 52) served nursing  homes (9 as Nursing Homes Pharmacy Department) whose  characteristics defined a profile of pharmacy unit at hospital, public  ownership, consolidation in this activity, with great variability in the  number of centers and patients to be attended by service, and with the  pharmacist's partial dedication. In 51.3% of cases, nursing homes  professionals were represented at pharmacy and therapeutic  committees, while 38.5% were from pharmacy services who  participated in the selection of medical devices. Also, 67.4% performed  an integral management of the therapy. The study has also shown that  34.6% counted on assisted electronic prescription, while 88.5%  performed a pharmaceutical validation of the prescription prior to  dispensing, which in 71.2% of cases consisted of individualized unit  doses. It was found that 42.3% performed a third-level treatment  comprehensive review, and 25.0% participated in the interdisciplinary  nutritional assessment. It also showed that 34.6% actively participated  in either comprehensive geriatric assessment, or clinical cases in  interdisciplinary teams, and 46.2% counted on programs for the safe  use of medicines., Conclusions: The specialized pharmaceutical care at nursing homes is a reality, although it presents important differences in essential  aspects for the quality of the assistance provided. It is necessary to go  in-depth on the care model to be developed, as well as having a greater  involvement of pharmacy services to achieve a comprehensive and  person-centered care., (Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: In Europe, gastric adenocarcinoma (GADC) is commonly regarded as a disease of the elderly. This study aims to assess the proportion, characteristics, and survival of patients diagnosed with GADC under the age of 60., Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective, multicentric, and analytical study conducted at four tertiary Spanish hospitals. All patients diagnosed with GADC between 2008 and 2015 were included. Demographic, clinical, endoscopic, histologic, and survival data were retrieved. A multivariate analysis was performed to compare GADC in young (age≤60 years) and elderly patients., Results: A total of 1374 patients with GADC were included. The mean age was 74 years (SD:11.1); 62.2% were males. There were 177 patients under the age of 60 (12.9%, 95% CI: 11.2-14.8%). GADC was frequently encountered as a metastatic disease in both young and elderly patients (Stage IV: 45.7% and 41%, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, alcohol abuse, ASA functional status I-II, diffuse subtype, neoadjuvant, and palliative therapy were independently associated (P<0.05) with age ≤60 years. No differences were found in 2-year survival (GADC ≤60: 39% vs. 35%, P=0.45). Curative-intent surgery, TNM stage I-II, body mass index<30kg/m 2 , and better functional status at diagnosis were independent predictors of survival in GADC under the age of 60., Conclusions: One out of eight cases of GADC were diagnosed under the age of 60. Metastatic disease was frequent at diagnosis and overall survival was poor regardless of age. Factors associated with localized disease correlated with improved survival in younger patients. Our results underline the need for early diagnosis strategies in our country., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Abdominal wall transplantation has been consolidated as an alternative to primary abdominal wall closure in intestinal and multiple organ transplant recipients. Given that it is feasible to obtain the visceral graft and the abdominal wall graft from the same donor, abdominal wall transplantation could offer satisfactory outcomes and be easily coordinated. Non-vascularized fascia is one of the alternatives for abdominal wall closure in transplantation. We report two cases of non-vascularized fascia transplantation in intestinal and multivisceral transplants, respectively. Both donors were young (23 and 18 years old). Both recipients had endured multiple previous surgeries, and no surgical alternatives for primary wall repair could be offered. In both cases, a complete abdominal wall flap was retrieved from the donor, however, due to the characteristics of the recipient's abdominal wall defect, only non-vascularized fascia was used after removing skin and subcutaneous cellular tissue from the graft. Abdominal wall transplantation is an option to consider for abdominal wall closure in patients with multiple previous surgeries and no alternatives for primary wall repair., (Copyright © 2019 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine the main clinical and epidemiological features of bacterial gastroenteritis in our environment., Patients and Methods: An observational study of a Spanish population in 17 Autonomous Communities. Questionnaires of children with a stool positive culture to bacteria were collected over a one year period. A bivariate analysis was performed on the variables involved, as well as two multivariate models (for antibiotic treatment variables, and comparison Campylobacter/Salmonella)., Results: A total of 729 bacterial gastroenteritis episodes were recorded in the 17 Spanish autonomous regions, of which 41.2% were girls and 58.8% boys. The median age was 3.41 years old (interquartile range 1.55 to 6.72). The bacteria isolated were 59.9% Campylobacter, 31.8% non-Typhi Salmonella, 2.7% Aeromonas, 2.4% Yersinia, and 1.5% had more than one strain. Most infections (70%) were direct contacts, and food poisoning was less probable (25.9%). Salmonella is significantly less frequent than Campylobacter in children under the age of 3 years (adjusted OR 0.61; 95%CI: 0.43 to 0.86; P=.005), and Campylobacter is more frequent in rural areas (adjusted OR 1.48; 95%CI: 1.07 to 2.07; P=.012). Antibiotic was prescribed in 33.2% of cases. There was a greater significant difference if stools contained blood or mucus (adjusted OR 1.53; 95%CI: 1.04 to 2.27; P=.031), if the symptoms lasted more than 7days (adjusted OR 2.81; 95%CI: 2.01 to 3.93; P<.000), or if the child was admitted to hospital (adjusted OR 1.95; 95%CI: 1.08 to 3.52; P=.027)., Conclusions: The aetiology of bacterial diarrhoea in paediatrics is typical of that of a developed country. The transmission mechanism is mainly direct, and more cases than appropriate are treated with antibiotics., (Copyright © 2016 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Mucinous tumors of the appendix are a rare pathology, with a prevalence below 0.5%. Clinical presentation usually occurs during the sixth decade of life, and mucinous tumors can clinically mimic acute appendicitis. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical and demographic variables, therapeutic procedure and diagnosis of these tumors. We analyze the association between mucinous tumors and pseudomyxoma peritonei (PP), as well as the association with colorectal and ovarian tumors., Methods: A retrospective study was performed including patients who underwent an appendectomy between December 2003 and December 2014., Results: Seventy-two mucinous tumors of the appendix were identified among 7.717 patients reviewed, resulting in a prevalence of 0.9%. Mean age at presentation was 64 years, 62% patients were female and 38% males. An incidental diagnosis was made in 43% of patients. Mucinous tumors of low malignant potential were significantly related to the presence of pseudomyxoma peritonei, identified in 16 (22%) of the cases. We also observed an increased risk of ovarian mucinous tumors in patients with a diagnosis of appendiceal mucinous neoplasm. In our sample, 22 (30.5%) patients showed a synchronous or metachronous colorectal cancer., Conclusions: Appendiceal mucinous tumors are frequently an incidental finding. The diagnosis of mucinous tumors of low malignant potential is a factor associated with the development of pseudomyxoma peritonei. Histologic tumor grade and the presence of peritoneal dissemination will determine surgical treatment that can vary, from appendectomy to cytoreductive surgery., (Copyright © 2017 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective and Design: To evaluate the beneficial effects of exogenous NO and an inhibitor of the COX2, and their action levels in a model of SIRS/bacterial translocation (BT) induced by Zymosan A(®)., Material and Methods: Ninety Wistar rats were submitted to different treatments, and after 12h and 24h they were anaesthetized in order to collect blood, mesenteric lymph nodes, and kidney for subsequent biochemical analyses and microbiological examinations., Treatments: A nitric oxide donor, Molsidomine(®), was compared with a COX2 inhibitor, Celecoxib(®)., Methods: Zymosan A(®) was administered to Wistar rats. The animals were divided into 6 groups: one group for survival study, Group (1) No manipulation (BASAL); Group (2) vehicle of Zymosan A(®) given intraperitoneally (SHAM); Group I (control), with Zymosan A(®) (0.6g/kg) intraperitoneally; Group II (Molsidomine), with Molsidomine(®) (4mg/kg) through the penis dorsal vein, 30min prior to administration of the Zy(®) (0.6g/kg); Group III (Celecoxib), with Celecoxib(®) (400mg/kg) orally through a stomach tube, 6h prior to administration of the Zy (0.6g/kg)., Determinations: The parameters survival, bacterial translocation, renal function, neutrophil accumulation, oxygen free radicals (OFR), detoxifying enzymes, and cytokines were measured at different times after Zymosan administration., Results: The model established induced a mortality rate of 100% and generated BT and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in all samples. It also significantly increased all variables, with p<.001 for MPO and all pro-inflammatory cytokines, and p<.01 for all OFR. Treatment with Molsidomine reduced mortality to 0%, decreased BT, MPO, pro-inflammatory cytokines and OFR (p<.001) significantly and increased IL-10 and IL-6 production. Moreover, the Celecoxib(®) showed a lower capacity for SIRS regulation., Conclusions: The exogenous administration of NO prevented BT and controlled SIRS. Therefore these results suggest that Molsidomine could be used as a therapeutic strategy to protect against BT., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Randomized controlled trials provide the best scientific evidence for the efficacy of biological drugs in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, findings obtained from these trials might not be reproducible in clinical practice. This study aimed to estimate the percentage of patients with IBD treated with biologics who would have been eligible for randomized controlled trials, and to compare the theoretical efficacy of biological drugs with their effectiveness in clinical practice., Methods: We performed a retrospective multicenter study in 375 patients with IBD treated with anti-TNF agents and followed-up for 1 year. The eligibility criteria for the trial were taken from the ACCENT, SONIC, ACT, CLASSIC and CHARM trials. Eligible patients were included in a second analysis to compare results in clinical practice versus those hypothetically obtained if the patient had been included in a trial., Results: Only 45.6% of 375 patients would have been eligible for pivotal trials. One-year clinical benefit (remission or response) was similar for eligible and non-eligible cohorts (68.4% vs. 68.6%, P=.608). The clinical benefit was greater for current clinical practice than for a hypothetical trial situation (68.4% vs. 44.4%, P<.001) in eligible patients., Conclusion: More than half of patients with IBD treated with biologic drugs would not be represented in pivotal trials. The effectiveness of anti-TNF drugs in clinical practice exceeds their theoretical efficacy., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y AEEH y AEG. All rights reserved.)

The increasing concern regarding chronic care, which is a consequence of the current demographic progression, and the need to decrease the costs associated with its care, places a focus on social care homes caring for highly dependent patients. Simultaneously, the residential facilities are progressing in order to care for fragile patients with increasingly complexity, even though, with some exceptions, it is in parallel with the healthcare system. Within this reality, pharmaceutical care is developing very differently in all the autonomic regions, and has become a reason for controversy. In this sense, diverse factors related with the patient care setting, but also linked to different pharmaceutical levels, make it difficult to implement a patient care model. Faced with this scenario, it seems reasonable to analyze the situation from the perspective of the healthcare requirements of the institutionalized persons in these facilities, and in terms of the patient care that we can and should provide; subsequently, and based on this, we should be able to propose the basic guidelines for developing an efficient model of pharmaceutical care integrated within this patient care setting., (Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objective: Previous studies in various countries have shown that the youngest school children in the same class-grade are more likely to be treated for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than their older classmates. The aim of this study is to determine in the Spanish setting whether younger relative age children in each grade have a higher prevalence of treatment for ADHD., Subjects and Methods: Population, observational, cross-sectional study in a health department, using prevalence data (November 2013) of treatment for ADHD in children aged 6-12 years. Data was obtained from the information systems of the Valencia Ministry of Health and multivariate models were used to estimate the prevalence ratio of treatment according to the month of birth of children in each grade., Results: Twenty thousand two hundred and thirty-seven children were included of whom 1.73% were treated for ADHD (boys: 2.70%; girls: 0.71%) in October 2013. The prevalence of treatment increased with age, in males, and in youngest children (born in the last months of each year). In the multivariate analysis, the prevalence of treatment in the youngest children (born in the months of August to December) was 2.5 to 3 times higher than in their older classmates (born in January)., Conclusions: The younger children relative to their classmates are more likely to be treated pharmacologically with methylphenidate and/or atomoxetine., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: to analyze the impact of Pharmacy Intervention (PI), within the healthcare team who manages elderly multi-pathological patients, regarding the evolution of Drug Related Problems (DRPs) and Negative Outcomes Associated with Medication (NOMs). To estimate the prevalence of DRPs, NOMs, and Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions (PIPs), and the drugs involved, considering the characteristics of their healthcare location., Method: multicenter, prospective study, on > 65-year-old patients with multiple pathologies, either institutionalized or hospitalized. The Pharmacist reviewed the chronic medication of the patient in order to detect DRPs and NOMs, and issued recommendations to the physician responsible for the patient, and this intervention was subsequently evaluated. DRPs and NOMs were classified according to the Third Consensus of Granada. The STOPP/START Criteria were used for PIP detection. The primary variables were: number of PIs conducted and accepted by the physician., Outcomes: 338 patients were included, and 326 (96.4%) presented some DRP. 1089 DRPs were detected, with 983 PIs suggested for their solution, and 651 (69.9%) of these were accepted. PIs solved 58.9% of DRPs, and an association was found between PI and the solution for the DRP (p < 0.001). PIs were more accepted in institutionalized than in hospitalized patients (p = 0.002), by physicians with a higher specialization (p < 0.001) and when they involved quantitative safety NOMs (p = 0.042). The STOPP/START Criteria detected 65% of PIPs, and more PIPs not associated with these criteria were found in institutionalized than in hospitalized patients (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: pharmacy Intervention within the multidisciplinary team can solve in a significant way both DRPs and NOMs in elderly multi-pathological patients, and thus help to improve the quality of their pharmacological therapy. This is the first multicenter clinical trial with these characteristics that has been conducted in Spain., (Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To describe the results of the off-label use of eltrombopag in patients with solid tumors and thrombocytopenia that limits chemotherapy., Methods: Retrospective observational study including all patients with solid tumors who were treated with eltrombopag for thrombocytopenia during the chemotherapy treatment between January 2012 and December 2014., Results: Six patients, with solid tumors and thrombocytopenia that limits chemotherapy treatment, received eltrombopag during the study and it was observed a decrease in the delay of chemotherapy cycles (4.83 ± 4.79 delayed cycles before starting eltrombopag vs 2.50 ± 4.32 delayed cycles during the treatment with eltrombopag, p=0.492) and an increase in the percentage of administrated dosage (89.29 ± 13.36% vs 91.43 ± 10.69%, p=0.682). Also, there was an increase in platelet nadir (55.29 ± 16.45x10⁹/L vs 76.14 ± 36.38x10⁹/L, p=0.248) without platelet transfusion support in any patient during treatment with eltrombopag., Conclusions: eltrombopag has resulted to be an alternative in the treatment of patients with thrombocytopenia that limits chemotherapy, clinical trials with more number or patients are needed to confirm these results., (Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.)

Hepatitis B is currently an excellent indication for liver transplantation due to the highly effective strategies of prophylaxis and treatment for recurrent hepatitis B infection. The combined administration of low-dose hepatitis B hyperimmune gamma globulin and a nucleoside/nucleotide analogue with a high genetic barrier to resistance, such as entecavir (except for patients with lamivudine resistance) or tenofovir, represents the standard for the prophylaxis of recurrent hepatitis B infection and is used in most centers. The drawbacks of long-term administration of hyperimmune gamma globulin have led to research on regimens in which this agent is withdrawn after a certain amount of time in combination treatment, a strategy that appears to be safe in patients with undetectable viremia at the time of liver transplantation if the patients adhere to the treatment. In recent years, there has also been research into regimens of gamma-globulin-free prophylaxis, based only on the administration of oral antiviral drugs, which appear to be safe if antivirals with a high genetic barrier to resistance are used. Hepatitis B prophylaxis should be maintained indefinitely; therefore, the total withdrawal of prophylaxis is not an accepted strategy at present in daily clinical practice if not in the context of a clinical trial., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.)

Intestinal perineuriomas are uncommon tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. In this study, we analyzed the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features of nine colonic perineuriomas. Five patients were women and four were men (median age 59.5 years and 64 years, respectively). All lesions were smaller than 1cm and were located intramucosally, mainly in the distal colon. Immunohistochemical techniques for Glut-1, claudin-1 and EMA were especially useful in characterizing these lesions., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. and AEEH y AEG. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of insulin analogues versus human insulin in pregnant women with pregestational diabetes., Patients and Methods: We collected data on pregnant women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who were attended at the Diabetes and Pregnancy Unit between January 1998 and April 2008 (N=351). Two hundred and forty one patients were treated with regular insulin and NPH and 110 were treated with different combinations of insulins including an insulin analogue (most of them with NPH and lispro)., Results: There was no significant difference in terms of congenital malformation rate between groups (3.3% and 3.6%). The group on insulin analogue had slightly higher mean HbA1c during the first trimester than the group on human insulin (6.6 [1.0]% vs 6.9 [1.1]%; P=0,022) and needed smaller insulin doses during whole pregnancy. Severe hypoglycaemia was significantly less frequent among women treated with a rapid insulin analogue (2.3 vs 10.0%; P=0,025). Neonatal hypoglycaemia was significantly more frequent in the group treated with a rapid insulin analogue (34.9 vs 23.6%; P=0.043) due to the concomitant use of an insulin pump. Other obstetric and neonatal variables were not different between the two groups., Conclusion: Our study shows that insulin analogues are safe during pregnancy in women with pregestational diabetes mellitus. Overall, glycaemic control, maternal and foetal outcome were similar to those with human insulin. The main advantage with respect to human insulin was to importantly reduce maternal severe hypoglycaemia., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.)

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a low-grade vascular tumor, with four main variants, one of which is fairly prevalent in HIV-infected patients. Mucocutaneus and lymph node involvement is characteristic. The gastrointestinal tract is involved in 40% of patients, but rectal and anal canal involvement is exceptional. We report the case of a 39-year-old HIV-infected man with an unusual presentation of KS with colorectal and anal canal involvement in the absence of cutaneous disease. The patient was treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy and systemic chemotherapy, with partial response. Local radiation therapy of the rectum produced local remission., (.)

Objective: The objective of this study is to describe patients referred for urological examination by their primary health care centres according to ethnicity and the disorders in question. The area selected for this study is the Raval Sur neighborhood in the city of Barcelona which has a high immigrant population. This will enable us to understand the health needs of an emerging population which is gaining considerable importance in many Spanish cities, at least where the specialty of urology is concerned., Patients and Methods: Prospective study of all patients who visited the urology division at Barcelona's Raval Sur Specialty Centre during 2007. The chosen population consisted of all patients visiting the urology division for the first time., Results: We studied 247 patients, of whom 124 were Spanish, 75 South Asian, 27 Americans, 11 Africans and 10 from other countries. The average age was higher in Spanish patients: 57.86 +/- 17.85 years compared with 37.54 +/- 11.07 years for other nationalities. Both groups were predominantly male. Statistical differences for prostate symptoms were observed between patient groups:, these symptoms were present in 32.4% of Spanish patients, 7.95% of South Asians,17.2% of Americans and 9.1% of Africans. Significant differences were also seen in the PSA increase, affecting 15.2% of Spaniards, with no cases in other groups. Sexual functional pathology was only a motive for examination in the South Asian group, with 56.8% of patients. Phymosis and vasectomy surgery were the reasons for consultation in 9.8% of Spaniards, 2.7% of South Asians, 25% of Americans and were not required by any patient of African origin. Lower back pain was also observed in 0.7% of Spaniards, 1.35% of South Asians and 18.2% of Africans, but in none of the American patients. Gross haematuria was present in 5.1% of Spaniards, 3.4% of Americans, 18.2% of Africans and in no South Asian patients., Conclusions: The most common reason for consultation in the Spanish patient group was prostatic hypertrophy, American patients requested phymosis surgery or surgical sterilization, and South Asians visited for different sexual pathologies, which affected 56.8% of patients in this group. There were no significant differences in the number ofadditional examinations or in in the number of visits required for diagnosis between the different ethnic groups. One problem that we noted was the missed appointment rate for some patients, which is twice as high in the immigrant group as among Spanish patients and highest in the African and South Asian groups.

Protein-losing enteropathy is characterized by excessive leaking of serum proteins into the gastrointestinal tract, as a result of disease progression in several diseases. We report the case of a 17-year-old-woman with hypoproteinemia, generalized edema and serosal effusions diagnosed as protein-losing enteropathy due to right ventricular failure secondary to previous surgical damage. All previously described therapies were ineffective in curing or relieving the disease or its symptoms, and the patient was listed for heart transplantation. During the 7-month period on the waiting list, the patient was managed as an outpatient, with fortnightly albumin infusions and intravenous furosemide administration, which allowed her a better quality of life during that period, avoiding further admissions.

Objective: The characteristics of the 36 item Medical Outcome Short Form Health Study Survey (SF-36) questionnaire, designed as a generic indicator of health status for the general population, allow it to be self-administered or used in personal or telephone interviews. The main objective of the study was to compare the telephone and self-administered modes of SF-36 for a population from Girona (Spain)., Methods: A randomized crossover administration of the questionnaire design was used in a cardiovascular risk factor survey. Of 385 people invited to participate in the survey, 351 agreed to do so and were randomly assigned to two orders of administration (i.e., telephone-self and self-telephone); 261 completed both questionnaires. Scores were compared between administration modes using a paired t test. Internal consistency and agreement between modalities were analyzed by respectively applying Chronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients. The effect of the order of administration on the test-retest difference was analyzed by one-way ANOVA for repeated measurements., Results: Physical function, physical role and social functioning received significantly lower scores when the self-administered questionnaire was used prior to the telephone survey. When the initial survey was conducted by telephone, all Chronbach's alpha coefficients (except social functioning) scored over 0.70 in the self-administered modality. The intraclass correlation coefficient ranged from 0.41 to 0.83 for the telephone-self order and from 0.32 to 0.73 for the self-telephone order. No clinically significant effect was observed for the order of application., Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that the telephone-administration mode of SF-36 is equivalent to and as valid as the self-administered mode.