RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of treatment of infectious endocarditis (IE) via Self-administered Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (S-OPAT) supported by a shortening hospital admission program in a hospitalization-at-home unit (HAH), including a short review of the literature. METHODS: Ambispective cohort study of 57 episodes of IE in 54 patients treated in an HAH unit between 1988 and 2014 who receive S-OPAT after prior intra-hospital clinical stabilization. Characteristics of each episode of IE, safety and efficiency of the care model, were analyzed. RESULTS: Forty-three (76%) patients were males with a median age of 61 years (SD = 16.5). A total of 37 (65%) episodes affected the native valve (42% the aortic valve). In 75%, a micro-organism was isolated, of which 88% were Gram-positive bacteria. No deaths occurred during HAH program, clinical complications appeared in 30% of episodes, only 6 patients were re-admitted to hospital although no patient died. In the 12 months' follow-up 3 cases had a recurrence. The average cost of a day stay in HAH was 174 while in traditional cardiology hospitalization was 1100. The total average cost of treatment of each episode of IE managed entirely in hospital was calculated as 54,723. Application of the S-OPAT model based on HAH meant a cost reduction of 32.72%. CONCLUSIONS: In suitably selected patients, treatment of IE based on S-OPAT supported by a shortening hospital admission care program by means of referral to a HAH unit is a safe and efficient care model which entails a significant cost saving for the public healthcare system.
Assuntos
Antibacterianos/uso terapêutico , Endocardite Bacteriana/tratamento farmacológico , Serviços de Assistência Domiciliar/economia , Hospitalização/economia , Pacientes Ambulatoriais , Adulto , Idoso , Antibacterianos/administração & dosagem , Antibacterianos/economia , Comorbidade , Endocardite Bacteriana/economia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , EspanhaRESUMO
The safety and efficacy of treatment of infectious endocarditis (IE) was evaluated within a program of hospital-in-home (HIH) based on self-administered outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (S-OPAT). IE episodes (n=48 in 45 patients; 71% middle-aged males) were recruited into the HIH program between 1998 and 2012. Following treatment stabilization at the hospital they returned home for HIH in which a physician and/or a nurse supervised the S-OPAT. Safety and efficacy were evaluated as mortality, re-occurrence, and unexpected re-admission to hospital. Of the episodes of IE, 83.3% had comorbidities with a mean score of 2.3 on the Charlson index and 1.5 on the Profund index; 60.4% had pre-existing valve disease (58.6% having had surgical intervention); 8.3% of patients had suffered a previous IE episode; 62.5% of all episodes affected a native valve; 45.8% being mitral; 70.8% of infection derived from the community. In 75% of the episodes there was micro-organism growth, of which 83.3% were Gram positive. Overall duration of antibiotic treatment was 4.8 weeks; 60.4% of this time corresponding to HIH. Re-admission occurred in 12.5% of episodes of which 33.3% returned to HIH to complete the S-OPAT. No deaths occurred during HIH. One year after discharge, 2 patients had recurrence and 5 patients died, in 2 of whom previous IE as cause-of-death could not be excluded. In conclusion, the S-OPAT schedule of hospital-in-home is safe and efficacious in selected patients with IE.
Assuntos
Assistência Ambulatorial/métodos , Antibacterianos/administração & dosagem , Endocardite Bacteriana/tratamento farmacológico , Terapia por Infusões no Domicílio/métodos , Readmissão do Paciente/estatística & dados numéricos , Administração Intravenosa , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Antibacterianos/uso terapêutico , Estudos de Coortes , Endocardite/tratamento farmacológico , Feminino , Hospitalização , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estudos Prospectivos , Estudos Retrospectivos , Autoadministração , Espanha , Resultado do Tratamento , Adulto JovemRESUMO
AIMS: In congestive heart failure (CHF), arterial response is regulated by endothelial molecules. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether endothelial dysfunction (ED) was a predictor of outcome in a cohort of patients with heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS: Endothelial function was assessed in 242 patients with CHF by forearm reactive hyperaemia measured with intermittent venous occlusion plethysmography using a mercury strain gauge. The main endpoints were: 'total events' (death, heart attack, angina, stroke, NYHA class IV, or hospitalization due to heart failure) analysed using Cox regression for repeated events and 'death'. Patients were followed-up for 5 years. Post-hyperaemia forearm blood flow (PHFABF) was an independent predictor of total events [P = 0.01; hazard ratio [Exp(B)] 0.665, standard error (SE) 0.182]. Risk stratification by basal forearm blood flow (BFABF) showed that patients with basal blood flow above the median (3.03 mL min(-1) 100 mL(-1)) benefited from an increase in PHFABF, whereas in patients with a BFABF below the median, the increase in PHFABF did not diminish the risk of events. There was no relation between variations in PHFABF and death. CONCLUSION: Post-hyperaemia forearm blood flow, as a measure of ED, is an independent predictor of major events in patients with CHF. A BFABF below the median is more predictive of an increased risk of complications.
Assuntos
Endotélio Vascular/patologia , Antebraço/irrigação sanguínea , Insuficiência Cardíaca/diagnóstico , Hiperemia/diagnóstico , Cardiografia de Impedância , Intervalos de Confiança , Feminino , Indicadores Básicos de Saúde , Insuficiência Cardíaca/complicações , Insuficiência Cardíaca/tratamento farmacológico , Insuficiência Cardíaca/mortalidade , Hemodinâmica , Humanos , Estimativa de Kaplan-Meier , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prognóstico , Modelos de Riscos Proporcionais , Estudos Prospectivos , Medição de Risco , Fatores de Risco , Estatística como Assunto , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Intravenous administration of loop diuretics induces venodilation before the diuretic response. We investigated whether furosemide and torasemide exert a dilatory effect on arteries and veins mediated by endothelial release of nitric oxide. METHODS: We performed intermittent venous occlusion plethysmography to study forearm blood flow and dorsal hand-vein distension in response to furosemide and torasemide infusion in hypertensive patients and healthy controls. RESULTS: Furosemide increased venodilation from 0.56 +/- 0.09 to 0.88 +/- 0.06 (P=0.000) in control subjects and from 0.49 +/- 0.10 to 0.75 +/- 0.12 (P=0.000) in hypertensive patients. Torasemide increased venodilation from 0.46 +/- 0.06 to 0.70 +/- 0.11 (P=0.007) in control subjects and from 0.48 +/- 0.09 to 0.67 +/- 0.12 (P = 0.03) in hypertensive patients. Co-infusion of the Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitor (L-NMMA)-blocked this venodilation, and the action was reversed with L-arginine. There were no significant changes in the arterial bed. CONCLUSIONS: Furosemide and torasemide induce a similar dose-response curve venodilation, but they have no effect on the arterial bed. Hypertensive patients show a smaller venous endothelium-dependent response than healthy controls. The venodilation induced by both diuretics requires release of nitric oxide.
Assuntos
Diuréticos/farmacologia , Endotélio Vascular/efeitos dos fármacos , Antebraço/irrigação sanguínea , Mãos/irrigação sanguínea , Hipertensão/fisiopatologia , Vasodilatadores , Adulto , Artérias/efeitos dos fármacos , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Endotélio Vascular/metabolismo , Feminino , Furosemida/farmacologia , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Óxido Nítrico/biossíntese , Óxido Nítrico Sintase Tipo III/antagonistas & inibidores , Pletismografia , Fluxo Sanguíneo Regional/efeitos dos fármacos , Sulfonamidas/farmacologia , Torasemida , Veias/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Aspergillus fumigatus endocarditis is one of the rarest and severest complications in cardiological patients. We describe a patient with an intracardial pacemaker who was diagnosed as having Aspergillus fumigatus endocarditis. Postmortem examination showed a large, Aspergillus-infected thrombus encased in the right ventricle, pulmonary trunk and main pulmonary branches.
Assuntos
Aspergilose/etiologia , Aspergillus fumigatus , Endocardite/etiologia , Marca-Passo Artificial/efeitos adversos , Infecções Relacionadas à Prótese/etiologia , Idoso , Endocardite/microbiologia , Feminino , HumanosRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that nitroglycerin improves biological markers of arterial inflammation in patients with peripheral vascular disease. BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which there is an increase in active inflammation markers such as C-reactive protein and other factors released by endothelial cells. Nitroglycerin acts by a chemical liberation of nitric oxide. We have previously published the results from several controlled clinical trials confirming an anti-inflammatory action of nitroglycerin. METHODS: Forty patients with peripheral vascular disease entered a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study for 6 weeks. Twenty-one patients were treated with continuous application of a transdermal nitroglycerin patch (15 mg/24 hours) on the anterior face of the thigh. Venous blood samples were obtained before treatment and 2 and 6 weeks after. We measured plasma levels of C-reactive protein, cGMP (also intraplatelet cGMP), E-selectin, ICAM, VCAM-1, IL-6, and nitrites/nitrates. RESULTS: No biological parameter was modified in the placebo group. On the contrary, nitroglycerin significantly reduced plasma levels of C-reactive protein and sE-selectin and increased the levels of intraplatelet cGMP. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this preliminary study show that nitroglycerin has an anti-inflammatory action in patients with peripheral vascular disease. This may provide a new therapeutic approach to understanding the efficacy of nitrovasodilators in the improvement of atherosclerotic syndromes.