Impact of dementia on 30-, 180-, and 365-day mortality during the first pandemic wave in older adults seen in spanish emergency departments diagnosed with or without COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether dementia is an independent predictor of death after a hospital emergency department (ED) visit by older adults with or without a COVID-19 diagnosis during the first pandemic wave. METHOD: We used data from the EDEN-Covid (Emergency Department and Elderly Needs during Covid) cohort formed by all patients ≥65 years seen in 52 Spanish EDs from March 30 to April 5, 2020. The association of prior history of dementia with mortality at 30, 180 and 365 d was evaluated in the overall sample and according to a COVID-19 or non COVID diagnosis. RESULTS: We included 9,770 patients aged 78.7 ± 8.3 years, 51.1% men, 1513 (15.5%) subjects with prior history of dementia and 3055 (31.3%) with COVID-19 diagnosis. 1399 patients (14.3%) died at 30 d, 2008 (20.6%) at 180 days and 2456 (25.1%) at 365 d. The adjusted Hazard Ratio (aHR) for age, sex, comorbidity, disability and diagnosis for death associated with dementia were 1.16 (95% CI 1.01-1.34) at 30 d; 1.15 at 180 d (95% CI 1.03-1.30) and 1.19 at 365 d (95% CI 1.07-1.32), p < .001. In patients with COVID-19, the aHR were 1.26 (95% CI: 1.04-1.52) at 30 days; 1.29 at 180 d (95% CI: 1.09-1.53) and 1.35 at 365 d (95% CI: 1.15-1.58). CONCLUSION: Dementia in older adults attending Spanish EDs during the first pandemic wave was independently associated with 30-, 180- and 365-day mortality. This impact was lower when adjusted for age, sex, comorbidity and disability, and was greater in patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

A 14-year review (2007-2020) of helminthiasis epidemiology in a hospital in Southern Madrid, Spain.

PURPOSE: Vast majority of helminth diseases remain neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), causing significant morbidity. The widespread and periodic distribution of antiparasitic drugs, remains the cornerstone for controlling these diseases. In Spain, most helminthiasis cases are imported, and suspicion and diagnosis have become increasingly important. Our primary objective is to present the epidemiological landscape of helminthiasis diagnoses within our facility, while also detailing the demographic characteristics of the affected population. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at the Hospital Universitario Severo Ochoa (HUSO) from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2020, encompassing all diagnosed cases of helminthiasis during this period. Comprehensive epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological data were gathered for all diagnosed patients. The study population comprised patients receiving treatment at the HUSO, as well as those receiving treatment at the Leganés and Fuenlabrada Primary Care Units. Subsequently, descriptive and comparative statistics were performed, comparing Spanish and foreign patients. RESULTS: During this period, a total of 952 patients were diagnosed with some form of helminthiasis. Among them, 495 were Spanish, and 457 were foreign. The total number of helminths identified, including patients with multiple infections, was 1,010. Significant differences were observed between Africans and Americans in terms of age distribution, with a higher prevalence among Africans in the 0-15 age range and among Americans in the 31-60 age range. Variations were noted in the distribution of helminths, with S. stercoralis significantly affecting Americans. For Spanish patients, the presence of Trichuris trichiura and S. stercoralis was significantly associated with eosinophilia, whereas among foreign patients, it was associated with Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides among others. Regarding symptoms, skin manifestations were more frequent among Spanish, while digestive were more common among foreigners. CONCLUSIONS: This study offers crucial epidemiological insights into helminth infections observed over time in a Madrid hospital. Although the prevalence of helminth infections has been decreasing, there is still a need for screening and diagnosing foreign patients.

Study EDEN-12: Analysis of access to intensive care units of patients older than 65 years requiring emergency hospitalization.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the age of an urgently hospitalized patient and his or her probability of admission to an intensive care unit (ICU). DESIGN: Observational, retrospective, multicenter study. SETTING: 42 Emergency Departments from Spain. TIME-PERIOD: April 1-7, 2019. PATIENTS: Patients aged ≥65 years hospitalized from Spanish emergency departments. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN VARIABLES OF INTEREST: ICU admission, age sex, comorbidity, functional dependence and cognitive impairment. RESULTS: 6120 patients were analyzed (median age: 76 years; males: 52%. 309 (5%) were admitted to ICU (186 from ED, 123 from hospitalization). Patients admitted to the ICU were younger, male, and with less comorbidity, dependence and cognitive impairment, but there were no differences between those admitted from the ED and from hospitalization. The OR for ICU-admission adjusted by sex, comorbidity, dependence and dementia reached statistical significance >83 years (OR: 0.67; 95%CI: 0.45-0.49). In patients admitted to the ICU from ED, the OR did not begin to decrease until 79 years, and was significant >85 years (OR: 0.56, 95%CI: 0.34-0.92); while in those admitted to ICU from hospitalization, the decrease began 65 years of age, and were significant from 85 years (OR: 0.55, 95%CI: 0.30-0.99). Sex, comorbidity, dependency and cognitive deterioration of the patient did not modify the association between age and ICU-admission (overall, from the ED or hospitalization). CONCLUSIONS: After taking into account other factors that influence admission to the ICU (comorbidity, dependence, dementia), the chances of admission to the ICU of older patients hospitalized on an emergency basis begin to decrease significantly after 83 years of age. There may be differences in the probability of admission to the ICU from the ED or from hospitalization according to age.

Prevalence of submicroscopic malaria infection in immigrants living in Spain.

BACKGROUND: The importance of submicroscopic malaria infections in high-transmission areas could contribute to maintain the parasite cycle. Regarding non-endemic areas, its importance remains barely understood because parasitaemia in these afebrile patients is usually below the detection limits for microscopy, hence molecular techniques are often needed for its diagnosis. In addition to this, the lack of standardized protocols for the screening of submicroscopic malaria in immigrants from endemic areas may underestimate the infection with Plasmodium spp. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of submicroscopic malaria in afebrile immigrants living in a non-endemic area. METHODS: A prospective, observational, multicentre study was conducted. Afebrile immigrants were included, microscopic observation of Giemsa-stained thin and thick blood smears, and two different molecular techniques detecting Plasmodium spp. were performed. Patients with submicroscopic malaria were defined as patients with negative blood smears and detection of DNA of Plasmodium spp. with one or both molecular techniques. Demographic, clinical, analytical and microbiological features were recorded and univariate analysis by subgroups was carried out with STATA v15. RESULTS: A total of 244 afebrile immigrants were included in the study. Of them, 14 had a submicroscopic malaria infection, yielding a prevalence of 5.7% (95% confidence interval 3.45-9.40). In 71.4% of the positive PCR/negative microscopy cases, Plasmodium falciparum alone was the main detected species (10 out of the 14 patients) and in 4 cases (28.6%) Plasmodium vivax or Plasmodium ovale were detected. One patient had a mixed infection including three different species. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of submicroscopic malaria in afebrile immigrants was similar to that previously described in Spain. Plasmodium vivax and P. ovale were detected in almost a third of the submicroscopic infections. Screening protocols for afebrile immigrants with molecular techniques could be useful for a proper management of these patients.

Emerging and imported diseases diagnosed in the emergency department of a hospital in Madrid. / Enfermedades emergentes e importadas diagnosticadas en el servicio de urgencias de un hospital de Madrid.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of patients diagnosed with malaria, dengue fever, and Zika or chikungunya virus infections in a hospital emergency department. To describe the usefulness of the department's diagnostic resources. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Descriptive observational study of patients diagnosed with infectious tropical diseases on the basis of samples collected in the emergency department. RESULTS: The department diagnosed 4 cases of dengue fever, 7 cases of Zika virus infection, 7 of malaria, and 2 concomitant infections (malaria plus dengue fever and malaria plus chikungunya infection). CONCLUSION: Most patients with these infections were males and natives of areas where the diseases were endemic. Even when malaria is diagnosed early, the possibility of concomitant infection by other arboviruses must be ruled out. Serology is necessary to rule out Zika virus infection; polymerase chain reaction testing of urine and serum should be included.

OBJETIVO: Describir las características clínicas y epidemiológicas de los pacientes diagnosticados de malaria, dengue, zika y chikungunya en un servicio de urgencias hospitalario (SUH), así como el valor de diagnóstico de las técnicas de las que se disponen en el SUH. METODO: . Estudio descriptivo, observacional, en el que se incluyeron pacientes diagnosticados de enfermedades infecciosas tropicales a partir de pruebas solicitadas desde un SUH. RESULTADOS: Se diagnosticaron cuatro casos de dengue, siete casos de zika, tres casos de malaria y dos casos de coinfección (malaria + dengue y malaria + chikungunya). CONCLUSIONES: . La mayoría de los pacientes valorados son varones, nativos de zonas endémicas. Aunque se realice un diagnóstico precoz de malaria, es necesario descartar coinfección por distintos arbovirus. Para estudio de virus zika, hay que solicitar una prueba de PCR en orina, además de serología y PCR en suero.

Compresión medular por sarcoma granulocítico primario / Spinal cord compression due to nonleukemic granulocytic sarcoma

El sarcoma granulocítico (SG) es una lesión poco frecuente asociada a síndromes mielodisplásicos, mieloproliferativos o leucemias, aunque puede ser el primer hallazgo en un paciente previamente sano. Presentamos un SG que comenzó como compresión medular, en un paciente sin patología hematológica previa. Las imágenes radiológicas demostraron una lesión lítica en L1 que precisó cirugía urgente. Fue preciso realizar inmunohistoquímica de la muestra para llegar al diagnóstico. El aspirado medular no mostró evidencia de patología hematológica, siendo el SG la primera manifestación. El paciente recibió posteriormente tratamiento con quimioterapia y radioterapia, falleciendo 20 meses después del diagnóstico de una sepsis Pseudomonas aeruginosa intratratamiento de una leucemia mieloblástica. En resumen, el SG primario es un tumor infrecuente de difícil diagnóstico. Es necesario tener un alto grado de sospecha y solicitar amplios estudios inmunohistoquímicos para un diagnóstico correcto. El tratamiento debe ser precoz, agresivo e individualizado, ya que tiene mal pronóstico.

Granulocytic sarcoma (GS) is an infrequent lesion associated with myelodysplastic or myeloproliferative disorders or leukemia, although it may be the first finding in an otherwise healthy patient. A case of GS is described that presented as spinal cord compression, in a patient with no underlying hematological disorder. Imaging studies disclosed a single lytic lesion in L1, which required emergency surgery. Immunohistochemical staining of the surgical biopsy sample was needed for diagnosis. Bone marrow aspirate was unremarkable. The patient received chemo-radiotherapy, dying 20 months after diagnosis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis during treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia. In short, primary GS is an infrequent and difficult to diagnose tumor. A high degree of suspicion, along with extensive immunohistochemical studies are necessary for diagnosis. Treatment should be prompt, aggressive and individualized, since the prognosis is very poor.