Efectividad de un nuevo modelo de derivación telefónica compartida entre atención primaria y atención hospitalaria

Aim

The purpose of this study is to find out whether telephone referral from Primary Health Care to Internal Medicine Consult manages to reduce waiting days as compared to traditional referral. This study also aims to know how acceptable is the telephone referral to general practitioners and their patients.

益胃汤加味方对原发性干燥综合征疲劳症状的影响

目的:探讨益胃汤加味对改善原发性干燥综合征(primary sj?rgren's syndrome,pSS)气阴两虚、瘀血阻络证患者疲劳症状及免疫学指标的治疗效果。方法:将116例原发性干燥综合征患者按照随机、对照、单盲法分为治疗组与对照组,每组58例。治疗组给予益胃汤加味方,每日1剂,2次/d;对照组给予硫酸羟氯喹200 mg/次,2次/d,两组均连续治疗24周。比较治疗前后两组患者中医证候疗效、中医疲劳症状积分、疲劳症状视觉模拟评分(visual analogue scale,VAS)以及类风湿因子(rheumatoid factor,RF)与血清免疫球蛋白G(immunoglobulin G,IgG)水平。结果:治疗后治疗组患者中医证候疗效优于对照组(Z=3. 712,P0. 05);治疗组中医疲劳积分与疲劳症状视觉模拟评分改善均优于对照组(P0. 05)。治疗6个月后,治疗组IgG水平较本组治疗前明显下降(P0. 05),与对照组组间比较差异无统计学意义。治疗后两组类风湿因子与本组治疗前比较均无明显下降。治疗组不良反应率1. 75%(1/57),对照组不良反应发生率为25. 49%(13/51)。结论:与硫酸羟氯喹相比,益胃汤加味方治疗pSS,可明显改善患者疲劳及总体症状,两者均可降低血清IgG,益胃汤加味方组疗效较硫酸羟氯喹更明显。两组药物对pSS患者RF水平均无明显影响。长期用药,益胃汤加味方治疗pSS较硫酸羟氯喹更为安全。     

Quality of Pulmonary Function Tests in Participants with Down Syndrome

IntroductionPeople with Down syndrome (DS) have high respiratory morbidity, evaluating their respiratory health with standardized, objective tests is desirable. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the technical quality of Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) to determine which ones are most suitable for this population.MethodsParticipants included children, teenagers and adults with DS, 5 years of age or older (n = 302). The technical quality of the impulse oscillometry system (IOS), forced spirometry, lung-diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DL_CO), and 6-min walk test (6MWT) were analyzed by age group. Capnography and pulse oximetry were included in the study. Technical quality was determined on the basis of current international PFTs standards.ResultsFifty-one percent of participants were males. A total of 184 participants (71%) who completed the IOS fulfilled the quality criteria, while 210 (70%) completed the 6MWT. Performance on forced spirometry and DL_CO was poor. All pulse oximetries and 96% percent heart rates obtained had good quality, but exhaled carbon dioxide (PetCO₂) and respiratory rate (RR) showed deficient repeatability.ConclusionsIOS appears to be the most reliable instrument for evaluating lung mechanics in individuals with DS.     

The opportunity costs of caring for people with dementia in Southern Spain

Objective

The aim of this paper is to study the opportunity costs (OC) that are involved in being a caregiver and to compare them with the direct costs assumed by the State and the families. We evaluate direct cost (those that imply a payment-out-of-pocket) and indirect cost (those that imply a dedication in time). We hypothesized that costs increase with the severity of the dementia, with the educational level and active occupational situation of caregiver. They are greater if the caregiver is male, but if the patient and caregiver cohabit they are reduced.