Criterios de gestión de activos tecnológicos de imagen cardiovascular

Adequate, updated and functional technology is essential in cardiology. In Spain, the economic scenario has strongly impacted technology renewal programs and obsolescence is a growing problem. The current report attempts to describe the current situation and the conditions that must concur to update, replace or adopt new technologies in the field of cardiology.Full English text available from: www.revespcardiol.org/en     

Calidad de vida y grado de satisfacción de pacientes postoperados de funduplicatura de Nissen laparoscópica

BackgroundToday, antireflux surgery has an established position in the management of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Some case series have shown good short-term results, but there is still little information regarding long-term results. Studies have recently focused on evaluating residual symptomatology and its impact on quality of life.ObjectivesTo determine the postoperative quality of life and degree of satisfaction in patients that underwent laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication.Patients and methodsA total of 100 patients (59 women and 41 men) were studied after having undergone laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. The variables analyzed were level of satisfaction, gastrointestinal quality of life index (GIQLI), residual symptoms, and the Visick scale.ResultsNo variation was found in relation to sex; 49 men and 51 women participated in the study. The mean age was 49 years. The degree of satisfaction encountered was: satisfactory in 81 patients, moderate in 3, and bad in 2 patients. More than 90% of the patients would undergo the surgery again or recommend it. The Carlsson score showed improvement at the end of the study (p < 0.05). In relation to the GIQLI, a median of 100.61 points ± 21.624 was obtained. Abdominal bloating, regurgitation, and early satiety were the most frequent residual symptoms. The effect on lifestyle measured by the Visick scale was excellent.ConclusionsThe level of satisfaction and quality of life obtained were comparable with reported standards; and the residual symptoms after antireflux surgery were easily controlled.     

Aplicación de un modelo de predicción de progresión de artritis reumatoide en pacientes con artritis indiferenciada

IntroductionDifferent prediction rules have been applied to patients with undifferentiated arthritis (UA) to identify those that progress to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The Leiden Prediction Rule (LPR) has proven useful in different UA cohorts.ObjectiveTo apply the LPR to a cohort of patients with UA of northeastern Mexico.MethodsWe included 47 patients with UA, LPR was applied at baseline. They were evaluated and then classified after one year of follow-up into two groups: those who progressed to RA (according to ACR 1987) and those who did not.Results43% of the AI patients developed RA. In the RA group, 56% of patients obtained a score ≤ 6 and only 15% ≥ 8. 70% who did not progress to RA had a score between 6 and ≤ 8. There was no difference in median score of LPR between groups, p = 0.940.ConclusionMost patients who progressed to RA scored less than 6 points in the LPR. Unlike what was observed in other cohorts, the model in our population did not allow us to predict the progression of the disease.     

Estrategias de curación de la infección por VIH

The disadvantages of the long-term administration of antiretroviral therapy as well as the huge number of affected persons have placed the cure of HIV as a primary goal of Public Health. HIV may persist in the organism by at least four mechanisms: a latently infected cellular reservoir, the persistent replication of HIV in spite of ART, anatomic sanctuaries, and the immune dysfunction. Several strategies directed against these mechanisms have been developed. With all this, a complete eradication of HIV has been achieved in a patient using the transplantation of haemopoietic stem cells that were resistant to HIV-infection, and there are examples of functional cure either spontaneously (elite controllers) or after antiretroviral therapy (post-treatment controllers). However, no strategies have been successful in reducing the reservoir size, nor in achieving constant, uniform remissions. The failure of isolated strategies makes it likely that the combination of several of them may be the future solution.     

Impacto de una intervención de Atención Primaria en el programa de detección precoz de cáncer colorrectal

AimTo assess the effectiveness of a telephonic interview performed by primary care professionals among non-participants in the first round of the colorectal cancer early detection programme in the basic urban health area Guineueta in Barcelona, Spain.Patients and methodsThe Primary Healthcare Team of La Guineueta contacted people who did not respond to the invitation to the first round of the colorectal cancer early detection programme using a standardised telephone call protocol. We analysed the impact of the intervention based on participation and diagnosed disease.ResultsWe made 3,327 phone calls to 2,343 people. After the intervention the participation rate was 54.9%, which meant an increase of 5.7% with respect to the participation in the usual protocol for the programme (49.2%). The intervention allowed 5 cancers, 2 high-risk neoplasms and 8 low- and intermediate-risk lesions to be diagnosed. An average of 9 phone calls was necessary to achieve the participation of one additional person.DiscussionThe telephonic intervention performed by primary care professionals has significantly increased the population participation rate and the detection of neoplasms with respect to the usual colorectal cancer early detection programme protocol.     

Vigilancia tras resección de pólipos de colon y de cáncer colorrectal. Actualización 2018

There is limited scientific evidence available to stratify the risk of developing metachronous colorectal cancer after resection of colonic polyps and to determine surveillance intervals and is mostly based on observational studies. However, while awaiting further evidence, the criteria of endoscopic follow-up needs to be unified in our setting. Therefore, the Spanish Association of Gastroenterology, the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine, the Spanish Society of Digestive Endoscopy, and the Colorectal Cancer Screening Group of the Spanish Society of Epidemiology, have written this consensus document, which is included in chapter 10 of the “Clinical Practice Guideline for Diagnosis and Prevention of Colorectal Cancer. 2018 Update”.Important developments will also be presented as regards the previous edition published in 2009. First of all, situations that require and do not require endoscopic surveillance are established, and the need of endoscopic surveillance of individuals who do not present a special risk of metachronous colon cancer is eliminated. Secondly, endoscopic surveillance recommendations are established in individuals with serrated polyps. Finally, unlike the previous edition, endoscopic surveillance recommendations are given in patients operated on for colorectal cancer. At the same time, it represents an advance on the European guideline for quality assurance in colorectal cancer screening, since it eliminates the division between intermediate risk group and high risk group, which means the elimination of a considerable proportion of colonoscopies of early surveillance. Finally, clear recommendations are given on the absence of need for follow-up in the low risk group, for which the European guidelines maintained some ambiguity.     

Metodología de presentación de los resultados de progresión radiológica en estudios clínicos

Recent clinical trials that evaluate treatment effectiveness in rheumatoid arthritis assess clinical response and progression of structural damage to joints by calculating radiographic progression over a given time period. In this article, we review three important features that have recently been developed in the methodology of scoring progression: presentation of radiographic data in clinical trials, following the preliminary guideline of van der Heijde, established in 2002, and additional new concepts such as estimated yearly progression rates and probability plots.     

Manifestaciones neurológicas de la enfermedad de Behçet: descripción de un caso y revisión de la literatura

Neurological involvement in Behçet's disease is rare, especially at the onset. It can present in the form of parenchymal changes or as damage to the vascular structures in its nonparenchymal form. The coexistence of both kinds of manifestations in the same patient is exceptional. We report the case of a 32-year-old patient with a history of deep venous thrombosis, who was being treated for holocranial headache, apathy, and oral and genital ulcers. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed hyperintense lesions in the basal ganglia and white matter, and the vascular study evidenced venous thrombosis of the left transverse sinus. After confirming the diagnosis of Behçet's disease with parenchymal and nonparenchymal cerebral involvement, immunosuppressive and corticosteroid therapy was started, resulting in the remission of the symptoms.     

Evaluación de la precisión diagnóstica del sistema Cobas 6800 para la detección de los niveles de viremia del virus de la hepatitis C a partir de muestras de gotas de sangre seca en papel de filtro

IntroductionBecause hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is curable in the majority of cases, the diagnosis of all infected patients has become a priority. In difficult-to-diagnose populations, simpler diagnostic methods are required such as the use of dried blood spots (DBS) as an alternative to blood drawn by venipuncture (VP). Before being able to include it as a HCV diagnostic detection method within the Spanish National Health System, the diagnostic accuracy of standard hospital equipment must be evaluated.MethodologyDBS samples were evaluated in vitro and in a field test after being processed in the Cobas 6800 system, establishing a correlation with the result by VP. Performance with different viral loads and intra-assay variability was compared.ResultsIn samples with a viral load of > 3 log₁₀ IU/ml, viraemia was detected in all cases when at least two blood spot elutions were used (94 detections out of 95 spot elutions). The performance with 2 spots was lower in samples with < 3 log₁₀ IU/ml (7/20). Correlation between VP and DBS viraemia was excellent (maximum with 2 spots, r² = 0.906, P < .001) with a coefficient of variation of 0.05%. In routine clinical practice with specimens from screened subjects (n = 61), excellent diagnostic accuracy was also observed.ConclusionViral load detection using DBS of at least two spots is a reliable method for HCV diagnosis. The standardisation of the method is feasible and our results support the incorporation of this diagnostic tool in Spain's Public Health System.     

Impacto pronóstico y factores predictores de la recuperación de la fracción de eyección en pacientes con miocardiopatía dilatada alcohólica

Introduction and objectives

Recovery of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) has been described in alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) after a period of alcohol withdrawal. Nevertheless, the prognostic impact of LVEF recovery in ACM and its determinants have not been studied. We sought to define the role of LVEF improvement in the long-term outcome of ACM and to identify predictors of LVEF recovery in these patients.

Diagnóstico serológico de parotiditis epidémica: valor de la titulación de IgG específica

Introduction

The aim of this study was to evaluate a cut-off point of the titration of IgG by ELISA in the diagnosis of mumps.

Implantación y evaluación de una prestación de gastroscopia precoz para pacientes con dispepsia y datos de alarma en Atención Primaria

Introduction

Dyspepsia is a common disorder in both Primary (PC) and Specialised Care (SC). Gastroscopy is recommended at the start of the study if there are warning signs, although it is not always available in PC.