A Multicentre and stratified study of the attitude of medical students towards organ donation in Spain.

INTRODUCTION: Medical students represent a new generation of medical thought, and if they have a favourable attitude towards organ donation this will greatly encourage its promotion. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the attitude of medical students in Spanish universities towards the donation of their own organs and to determine the factors affecting this attitude. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Type of study: A sociological, interdisciplinary, multicentre, and observational study in Spain. STUDY POPULATION: Students studying a degree in medicine enrolled in Spain (n = 34,000). SAMPLE SIZE: A sample of 9598 students (confidence of 99% and precision of ±1%), stratified by geographical area and academic year. Instrument of measurement: A validated questionnaire of attitude towards organ donation and transplantation (PCID-DTO RIOS) was self-administered and completed anonymously. RESULTS: The questionnaire completion rate was 95.7% (n = 9.275). 80% were in favour of donation, 2% against and 18% were undecided. The following main variables were related to a favourable attitude: being of the female sex (Odds Ratio = 1.739); being in the sixth year of the degree (OR = 2.506); knowing a donor (OR = 1.346); having spoken about the subject with one's family (OR = 2.132) and friends (OR = 1.333); having a family circle that is in favour, more specifically, having a father (OR = 1.841), mother (OR = 2.538) or partner in favour (OR = 2.192); being a blood donor (OR = 2.824); acceptance of the mutilation of the body if it were necessary (OR = 2.958); and being an atheist or an agnostic (OR = 1.766). CONCLUSIONS: Spanish medical students generally have a favourable attitude towards organ donation, although 20% are not in favour.

Functional screening of Alzheimer risk loci identifies PTK2B as an in vivo modulator and early marker of Tau pathology.

A recent genome-wide association meta-analysis for Alzheimer's disease (AD) identified 19 risk loci (in addition to APOE) in which the functional genes are unknown. Using Drosophila, we screened 296 constructs targeting orthologs of 54 candidate risk genes within these loci for their ability to modify Tau neurotoxicity by quantifying the size of >6000 eyes. Besides Drosophila Amph (ortholog of BIN1), which we previously implicated in Tau pathology, we identified p130CAS (CASS4), Eph (EPHA1), Fak (PTK2B) and Rab3-GEF (MADD) as Tau toxicity modulators. Of these, the focal adhesion kinase Fak behaved as a strong Tau toxicity suppressor in both the eye and an independent focal adhesion-related wing blister assay. Accordingly, the human Tau and PTK2B proteins biochemically interacted in vitro and PTK2B co-localized with hyperphosphorylated and oligomeric Tau in progressive pathological stages in the brains of AD patients and transgenic Tau mice. These data indicate that PTK2B acts as an early marker and in vivo modulator of Tau toxicity.

Do Spanish Medical Students Understand the Concept of Brain Death?

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the level of understanding of the brain death concept among medical students in universities in Spain. METHODS: This cross-sectional sociological, interdisciplinary, and multicenter study was performed on 9598 medical students in Spain. The sample was stratified by geographical area and academic year. A previously validated self-reported measure of brain death knowledge (questionnaire Proyecto Colaborativo Internacional Donante sobre la Donación y Transplante de Organos) was completed anonymously by students. RESULTS: Respondents completed 9275 surveys for a completion rate of 95.7%. Of those, 67% (n = 6190) of the respondents understood the brain death concept. Of the rest, 28% (n = 2652) did not know what it meant, and the remaining 5% (n = 433) believed that it did not mean that the patient was dead. The variables related to a correct understanding of the concept were: (1) being older ( P < .001), (2) studying at a public university ( P < .001), (3) year of medical school ( P < .001), (4) studying at one of the universities in the south of Spain ( P = .003), (5) having discussed donation and transplantation with the family ( P < .001), (6) having spoken to friends about the matter ( P < .001), (7) a partner's favorable attitude toward donation and transplantation ( P < .001), and (8) religious beliefs ( P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Sixty-seven percent of medical students know the concept of brain death, and knowledge improved as they advanced in their degree.

Amoxicillin haptenates intracellular proteins that can be transported in exosomes to target cells.

BACKGROUND: Allergic reactions to ß-lactams are among the most frequent causes of drug allergy and constitute an important clinical problem. Drug covalent binding to endogenous proteins (haptenation) is thought to be required for activation of the immune system. Nevertheless, neither the nature nor the role of the drug protein targets involved in this process is fully understood. Here, we aim to identify novel intracellular targets for haptenation by amoxicillin (AX) and their cellular fate. METHODS: We have treated B lymphocytes with either AX or a biotinylated analog (AX-B). The identification of protein targets for haptenation by AX has been approached by mass spectrometry and immunoaffinity techniques. In addition, intercellular communication mediated by the delivery of vesicles loaded with AX-B-protein adducts has been explored by microscopy techniques. RESULTS: We have observed a complex pattern of AX-haptenated proteins. Several novel targets for haptenation by AX in B lymphocytes have been identified. AX-haptenated proteins were detected in cell lysates and extracellularly, either as soluble proteins or in lymphocyte-derived extracellular vesicles. Interestingly, exosomes from AX-B-treated cells showed a positive biotin signal in electron microscopy. Moreover, they were internalized by endothelial cells, thus supporting their involvement in intercellular transfer of haptenated proteins. CONCLUSIONS: These results represent the first identification of AX-mediated haptenation of intracellular proteins. Moreover, they show that exosomes can constitute a novel vehicle for haptenated proteins, and raise the hypothesis that they could provide antigens for activation of the immune system during the allergic response.

Medical students faced with related and unrelated living kidney donation: a stratified and multicentre study in Spain.

INTRODUCTION: The attitude of medical students towards living kidney donation (LKD) is of great interest given that they will become promoters of this technique in the near future. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the attitude of Spanish medical students towards related and unrelated LKD and to determine the factors affecting this attitude. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Type of study: A sociological, interdisciplinary, multicentre, and observational study. STUDY POPULATION: Medical students enrolled in Spain (n = 34.000). SAMPLE SIZE: A sample of 9598 students (99 % confidence and precision of ±1 %), stratified by geographical area and academic year. Measurement instrument: A validated questionnaire (PCID-DVR RIOS) was administered and completed anonymously. RESULTS: There was a completion rate of 95.7 % (n = 9275); 93 % (n = 8630) were in favour of related LKD, and 30 % (n = 2784) were in favour of unrelated LKD. The following factors were associated with this attitude: (1) age (p = 0.008); (2) sex (p < 0.001); (3) year of university degree (p < 0.001); (4) a belief that a transplant might be necessary in the future (p < 0.001); (5) attitude towards deceased organ donation (p < 0.001); (6) a willingness to accept a kidney from a living donor (p < 0.001); (7) attitude towards living liver donation (p < 0.001); (8) a partner's attitude towards donation (p < 0.001); (9) having spoken about the subject with one's family (p < 0.001), or friends (p < 0.001); (10) pro-social behaviour (p < 0.001); (11) the respondent's religious attitude (p < 0.001); and (12) fear of possible mutilation of the body after donation (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The attitude of medical students towards LKD is very favourable when it is the related kind of donation, and it is associated with factors of general knowledge about organ donation and transplantation and social interaction and religion.

Tau exon 2 responsive elements deregulated in myotonic dystrophy type I are proximal to exon 2 and synergistically regulated by MBNL1 and MBNL2.

The splicing of the microtubule-associated protein Tau is regulated during development and is found to be deregulated in a growing number of pathological conditions such as myotonic dystrophy type I (DM1), in which a reduced number of isoforms is expressed in the adult brain. DM1 is caused by a dynamic and unstable CTG repeat expansion in the DMPK gene, resulting in an RNA bearing long CUG repeats (n>50) that accumulates in nuclear foci and sequesters CUG-binding splicing factors of the muscle blind-like (MBNL) family, involved in the splicing of Tau pre-mRNA among others. However, the precise mechanism leading to Tau mis-splicing and the role of MBNL splicing factors in this process are poorly understood. We therefore used new Tau minigenes that we developed for this purpose to determine how MBNL1 and MBNL2 interact to regulate Tau exon 2 splicing. We demonstrate that an intronic region 250 nucleotides downstream of Tau exon 2 contains cis-regulatory splicing enhancers that are sensitive to MBNL and that bind directly to MBNL1. Both MBNL1 and MBNL2 act as enhancers of Tau exon 2 inclusion. Intriguingly, the interaction of MBNL1 and MBNL2 is required to fully reverse the mis-splicing of Tau exon 2 induced by the trans-dominant effect of long CUG repeats, similar to the DM1 condition. In conclusion, both MBNL1 and MBNL2 are involved in the regulation of Tau exon 2 splicing and the mis-splicing of Tau in DM1 is due to the combined inactivation of both.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation and aging: Effects on spatial learning and memory after sleep deprivation in Octodon degus.

The benefits of neuromodulatory procedures as a possible therapeutic application for cognitive rehabilitation have increased with the progress made in non-invasive modes of brain stimulation in aged-related disorders. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive method used to examine multiple facets of the human brain and to ameliorate the impairment in cognition caused by Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present study was designed to evaluate how a chronic TMS treatment could improve learning and memory functions after sleep deprivation (SD) in old Octodon degus. SD was executed by gently handling to keep the animals awake throughout the night. Thirty young and twenty-four old O. degus females were divided in six groups (control, acute and chronic TMS treatment). Behavioral tests included; Radial Arm Maze (RAM), Barnes Maze (BM) and Novel Object Recognition (NOR). Although learning and memory functions improved in young animals with only one session of TMS treatment, a significant improvement in cognitive performance was seen in old animals after 4 and 7days of TMS, depending on the task that was performed. No side effects were observed following, which showed therapeutic potential for improving age-related cognitive performance.

Machine learning models for the differential diagnosis of vascular parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease using [(123)I]FP-CIT SPECT.

PURPOSE: The study's objective was to develop diagnostic predictive models using data from two commonly used [(123)I]FP-CIT SPECT assessment methods: region-of-interest (ROI) analysis and whole-brain voxel-based analysis. METHODS: We included retrospectively 80 patients with vascular parkinsonism (VP) and 164 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) who underwent [(123)I]FP-CIT SPECT. Nuclear-medicine specialists evaluated the scans and calculated bilateral caudate and putamen [(123)I]FP-CIT uptake and asymmetry indices using BRASS software. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was used to compare the radioligand uptake between the two diseases at the voxel level. Quantitative data from these two methods, together with potential confounding factors for dopamine transporter availability (sex, age, disease duration and severity), were used to build predictive models following a tenfold cross-validation scheme. The performance of logistic regression (LR), linear discriminant analysis and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms for ROI data, and their penalized versions for SPM data (penalized LR, penalized discriminant analysis and SVM), were assessed. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in the ROI analysis after covariate correction between VP and PD patients in [(123)I]FP-CIT uptake in the more affected side of the putamen and the ipsilateral caudate. Age, disease duration and severity were also found to be informative in feeding the statistical model. SPM localized significant reductions in [(123)I]FP-CIT uptake in PD with respect to VP in two specular clusters comprising areas corresponding to the left and right striatum. The diagnostic predictive accuracy of the LR model using ROI data was 90.3 % and of the SVM model using SPM data was 90.4 %. CONCLUSION: The predictive models built with ROI data and SPM data from [(123)I]FP-CIT SPECT provide great discrimination accuracy between VP and PD. External validation of these methods is necessary to confirm their applicability across centres.

Hypersensitivity reactions to ß-lactams: relevance of hapten-protein conjugates.

ß-Lactams (BL) are the drugs most frequently involved in allergic reactions. They are classified according to their chemical structure as penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, carbapenems, and clavams. All BL antibiotics have a BL ring that is fused to a 5-member or 6-member ring (except in monobactams) and has 1, 2 or 3 side chains (except in clavams). Differences in chemical structure mean that a wide range of BLs are recognized by the immune system, and patients may experience clinical reactions to one BL while tolerating others. Diagnosis is based on skin and in vitro testing, although both display low sensitivity, possibly because they are based on drugs or drug conjugates that are not optimally recognized by the immune system. BLs are haptens that need to bind to proteins covalently to elicit an immune response. These drugs have a high capacity to form covalent adducts with proteins through nucleophilic attack of amino groups in proteins on the BL ring. Allergenic determinants have been described for all BLs, although benzylpenicillin is the most widely studied. Moreover, formation of BL-protein adducts is selective, as we recently demonstrated for amoxicillin, which mainly modifies albumin, transferrin, and immunoglobulin heavy and light chains in human serum. Given the complexity of BL allergy, understanding the immunological mechanisms involved and optimization of diagnostic methods require multidisciplinary approaches that take into account the chemical structures of the drugs and the carrier molecules, as well as the patient immune response.

Effect of switch from flash glucose monitoring to flash glucose monitoring with real-time alarms on hypoglycaemia in people with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

We aimed to evaluate the utility of the FreeStyle Libre 2 device for reducing time below range level 1 and level 2 compared with the Freestyle Libre device (without alarms) in people with type 1 diabetes mellitus. We conducted longitudinal observational follow-up study of a cohort of 100 people with type 1 diabetes mellitus who had switched from FreeStyle Libre to FreeStyle Libre 2 as part of routine clinical practice. Three months after switching to FreeStyle Libre 2, compared with results with FreeStyle Libre, there were a significant improvements in time below range level 1 (p = 0.02) and level 2 (p <0.001), time in range (p <0.001), time above range level 1 (p = 0.002), glucose management indicator (p= 0.04) and mean glucose (p= 0.04) during follow-up. Furthermore there was a significant direct association between age and change in TIR with a coefficient of 0.23, and a significant inverse association between age and change in TAR-1 with a coefficient of 0.11. Switching to a flash glucose monitoring system with alarms improves time below range, time in range and coefficient of variation in people with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Prevalence of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 using a rapid serological test in health workers of a Spanish Department of Health in Alicante (Spain) before the booster dose of the vaccine.

AIM: To study the prevalence of neutralizing antibodies in healthcare workers and healthcare support personnel after the administration of the second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In December 2021, we undertook a study in the Health Department in Orihuela, Alicante (Spain), which consists of 1500 workers. We collected demographic variables about the study participants, and we performed a "point-of-care" immunochromatography test to measure the presence of neutralizing antibodies (OJABIO® SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibody Detection Kit, manufactured by Wenzhou OJA Biotechnology Co., Ltd. Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China) before the administration of the third dose of the vaccine. RESULTS: We obtained complete information about 964 (64%) workers, which consisted of 290 men and 674 women. The average age was 45,8 years (min. 18, max. 68) and the average time since the last dose of the vaccine was 40,5 weeks (min. 1,71, max. 47,71). A total of 131 participants (13,5%) had suffered infection by SARS-CoV-2 confirmed using RT-PCR. The proportion of participants who showed presence of neutralizing antibodies was 38,5%. In the multivariable analysis, the time since the last dose of the vaccine (aOR week: 1,07; 95%CI: 1,04; 1,09) and previous infection by SARS-CoV-2 (aOR: 3,7; 95CI: 2,39; 5,63) showed a statistically significant association with the presence of neutralizing antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: The time since the administration of the last dose of the vaccine and the previous infection by SARS-CoV-2 determined the presence of neutralizing antibodies in 38,5% of the healthcare workers and support workers.

Differences between objective efficacy and perceived efficacy in patients with palmar hyperhidrosis treated with either botulinum toxin or endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy.

BACKGROUND: Moderate to severe palmar hyperhidrosis can disturb people's work and social and emotional lives. Botulinum toxin and sympathectomy are currently considered the most effective treatment options but few studies have analysed the concordance between efficacy and patient satisfaction in comparisons of these two types of treatments. OBJECTIVE: To assess the relation between efficacy and the satisfaction of patients with palmar hyperhidrosis treated with either botulinum toxin or endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective, observational study included all patients treated with either botulinum toxin or endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy in a single reference hospital in 2005-2010. Information was obtained from computerized medical records and a telephone survey about patients' educational and socio-economic level, awareness of treatment options, pre- and post-treatment severity of palmar hyperhidrosis, satisfaction and associated side effects. Predictors of efficacy and patient satisfaction with each treatment were analysed with ordinal and multinomial logistic regression models. RESULTS: Patients who underwent sympathectomy had more severe palmar hyperhidrosis but efficacy and patient satisfaction were greater compared with patients given botulinum toxin. The severity of the compensatory palmar hyperhidrosis was predictive of less satisfaction after sympathectomy. In the group treated with botulinum toxin, low socio-economic status, lack of information about treatment options, fewer sessions and a shorter anhidrotic effect were associated with less satisfaction. CONCLUSION: In studies of expectations regarding the outcome of palmar hyperhidrosis treatment, doctors should consider the factors that determine patient satisfaction in relation to the treatment options.

Predictions and estimations of colorectal cancer mortality, prevalence and incidence in Aragon, Spain, for the period 1998-2022.

OBJECTIVE: estimate colorectal cancer incidence and prevalence in, based on mortality and survival data from the period 1998-2007, and provide projections of incidence, prevalence and mortality until the year 2022. METHODS: general and colorectal cancer mortality rates were obtained from the National Statistics Institute and survival data was obtained from the EUROCARE study. Estimations were carried out through the program MIAMOD. The joinpoint program was used to quantify the annual change expected in the projections. RESULTS: in men, an increase in prevalence is expected, from 237.2 (Crude Rate - CR = 303.5) to 237.7 (CR = 412.7) per 100.000 inhabitants/year in 2022. Incidence rates would increase from 48.2 (CR = 61.6) in 2007 to 55.2 (CR = 83.1), and mortality would increase from 22.7 (CR = 29.4) to 26.0 (CR = 39.6) when comparing 2007 and women, a reduction in prevalence is expected from 181.5 (CR = 268.3) to 167.9 (CR = 286.2) cases per 100,000 inhabitants/year. Incidence would change from 25.0 (CR = 38.0) in 2007 to 22.7 (CR = 39.2), and for mortality there is also an expected decrease, from 11.3 (CR =18.0) to 10.3 (CR = 18.5). CONCLUSION: the projections indicate that colorectal cancer in follows an increasing trend in incidence, mortality and prevalencein men, in opposition to corresponding decreasing trends in women.These projections must be considered in order to plan more effective prevention and treatment measures.

Development of a leakage monitoring system in isolated limb perfusion with portable gamma camera. / Desarrollo de un protocolo de monitorización de fuga en perfusión de miembro aislado con gammacámara portátil.

Isolated limb perfusion (ILP) is a method for treating unresectable lesions of limbs in patients with melanoma or sarcoma by using high doses of tumor necrosis factor alpha and melphalan. These high doses can result in high systemic toxicity if there is a drug leak from the isolated circulation of the limb to the systemic. This makes it imperative to monitor the leakage rate (F[%]) during the infusion, currently performed with radiotracers. The objective of this work was to develop a leakage monitoring protocol as accurate as possible to ensure safe ILP. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We built a phantom with 3compartments (body, limb and precordial area) and a high sensitivity collimator fitted to a portable gammacamera. We simulate ILP with scheduled leaks every 10minutes from 1% to 9% (theorical F[%]). We mesured F(%) using 2equation: one is the proposed in the literature and another corrected by decay of the radioisotope. We test the optimal radiopharmaceutical doses to minimize the detector dead time error and compare F(%) mesured by both equations regarding the theoretical F(%). The leakage monitoring protocol was used in 17 ILP of 16 patients and an analysis of the recorded data was performed. RESULTS: We found significant differences between F(%) mesured using the first equation and theoretical F(%), obtaining results very adjusted to the theorical after applying the decay correction. CONCLUSIONS: The decay correction of the radioisotope is a simple manner to carry out the procedure more safely, reducing the error in the calculation of F(%).

History of mental disorder in an ICU and referrals to psychiatry. / Antecedente de trastorno mental en la UCI e interconsulta a psiquiatría.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of patients with mental disorders (MD) admitted to the ICU. To compare the clinical characteristics according to the presence of psychiatric history. To review the relevance of the consultations made to Psychiatry. DESIGN: Retrospective descriptive study. SETTING: ICU of the General Hospital of the Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Deu, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. PATIENTS: Patients admitted between January 2016 and June 2018. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Severity level (APACHEII), reason for admission, days of admission, days of mechanical ventilation, psychiatric history and reason for psychiatric consultation. RESULTS: A total of 1,247 patients were included; 194 (15.5%) met MD criteria, their mean age being younger (59 vs 68, P<.001) and with a lower mean score on the APACHEII scale (12 vs 14, P≤.003). There were 64 consultations to Psychiatry (5.1% of admissions), 59 of which were in patients with TM (92.1%). Regarding the reasons for the consultation, 22.6% were for attempted suicide, 61.3% for pharmacological adjustment, 11.3% to rule out mental disorder, and 4.8% for competence assessment. The probability of a consultation being carried out while it was indicated was 89.1%, while the probability of not carrying it out when it was not indicated was 99.4%. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the need to expand the specific recommendations for consultation to Psychiatry, beyond the assessment after a suicide attempt, since a large percentage (77.5%) of the pertinent consultations were for other reasons.

Treatment with amisulpride of addicted patients to psychoactive substances and psychotic symptoms.

INTRODUCTION: There is ever more available information on the effectiveness of second-generation antipsychotic drugs used in addictive behaviour patients with psychotic symptoms. Due to its characteristics, Amisulpride is a medicine that can be considered as a valid therapeutic option to treat this group of patients. OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of Amisulpride to treat patients with addictive behaviours, and the associated morbidity. METHOD: An experimental, prospective study was conducted. A total of 97 ambulatory patients, who were initiating, or already receiving, treatment at the Addictive Behaviours Unit in Paterna, Valencia (Spain), were selected to take part in the study. Inclusion criteria included female and male patients, diagnosed of missusing any of the following substances: alcohol, heroine, cocaine or cannabis, who having overcome the detoxification phase, presented one or more of the following symptoms: paranoid ideas, hostility, severe irritative or impulsive behaviours, interpersonal sensitivity, and hearing or visual allucinations. An initial dose of Amisulpride, standardized in two ranges (100-300 mg y >/= 400 mg) was used. It was progressively increased according to the clinical response. Four assessments were conducted at months 0, 3, 6 and 9. RESULTS: Out of a total of 97 patients, 14 were excluded due to violation of the protocol. Twenty patients dropped out and 63 completed the follow-up period. Mean Amilsupride daily dose was 493.5 ± 197.1 mg In those patients who completed the treatment, an overall improvement in their psychological distress, a decreased in craving and an improvement in their psychological and social functioning were found. CONCLUSION: Treatment with Amisulpride seems to be effective in patients who are on different addictive substances, and its associated morbidity, both at a short and a medium period of time.

Information About Donation and Organ Transplantation Among Spanish Medical Students.

INTRODUCTION: Health professionals are asked to promote health, especially organ transplantation; however, they do not always have specific training. OBJECTIVE: To analyze information about donation and organ transplantation among Spanish medical students. METHOD: The population under study is medical students in Spanish universities using the database of the International Donor Collaborative Project, stratified by geographic area and academic year (n = 9275). The instrument used is the attitude questionnaire for organ donation for "PCID-DTO-Ríos" transplantation, validated with an explained variance of 63.203% and α = 0.834. The Student t test was applied together with the χ2 test, complemented by an analysis of the remainders, and Fisher's exact test was applied. RESULTS: Of the students, 74% indicate that they have received information from university professors about organ transplant. Concerning specific issues with the donation, it is notable that only 66.7% (n = 6190) know and accept the concept of brain death as the death of a person. However, only 22% consider themselves as having good information, and 35.3% indicate that their information is scarce or void. Students indicate having received information about transplant from other extra-university sources, such as television and Internet (80.9%), books and magazines (73.2%), and the press (66.9%). From the information obtained in the sociofamilial field, 60.7% have obtained information from the family and 58.1% from friends. Of this information, 9% has been negative from friends, 7.5% from family, 6% from the Internet and television, and 4% from university professors. CONCLUSION: Spanish medical students believe they have little information about organ transplantation and have received negative information.

Are Medical Students of Non-Spanish Nationality Studying in Spain as Sensitized to Transplantation as Those of Spanish Nationality?

INTRODUCTION: Awareness of organ donation among Spanish doctors and medical students is very positive. However, the emerging group of professionals of non-Spanish nationality studying in Spain has not been analyzed. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the differences in the attitudes toward the different types of donation among medical students, according to their nationality. METHODS: The population under study is medical students in Spanish universities using the database of the International Collaborative Donor Project, stratified by geographic area and academic year. Groups under study include students of non-Spanish nationality as group 1 (n = 1570) and students of Spanish nationality as Group 2 (n = 7705). Instruments are validated questionnaires of attitude toward donation "PCID-DTO-Ríos," "PCID-DVR-Ríos," "PCID-DVH-Ríos," and "PCID-XenoTx-Ríos." RESULTS: The attitude toward the donation of own organs after death is similar in both groups (P = .703). Non-Spaniards are 79.2% in favor compared to 79.6% of Spaniards. Living kidney donation, both unrelated (33.3% vs 29.3% in favor; P = .001) and related (91.2% vs 89, 6% in favor; P = .047), is more favorable among non-Spanish students. There are no differences regarding non-related living liver donation (29.7% vs 29.3% in favor; P = .063), but there are differences in the results for related living liver donation (94.1% vs 88%; P < .001). The attitude toward xenotransplantation of organs is similar (80.8% vs 80.8%; P = .999). CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of the donation of organs among Spanish medical students is similar to non-Spanish students studying in Spain, except the attitude toward living donation.