Ultrasound-guided versus blind interventions in patellar tendon lesions: a cadaveric study.

PURPOSE: The present study aims to analyze the accuracy of injections aimed to hit the proximal and depth part of the patellar tendon "target point" in patellar tendinopathy, comparing ultrasound-guided or non-ultrasound-guided (blind) injections. METHODS: A cadaver randomized study was carried out. Injections were performed under ultrasound control, as well as blinded. There were 26 knees from fresh cadavers and injections were placed by 26 practitioners with experience in the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound and injection treatment. Each participant performed 6 ultrasound-guided and 6 blind punctures in different cadaveric specimens. This provided 312 injections that were analyzed in 2 different anatomical cuts, thus providing a database of 624 measurements for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were observed (p < 0.0001) in the distance from the target point between the ultrasound-guided and the non-guided infiltrations. The "unguided" injections were considered to have been performed on average 10 mm away from the target point compared to the "ultrasound-guided" injections. The ultrasound-guided injections obtained an accuracy of 74.36% while the "non-ultrasound-guided" injections obtained an accuracy of 11.54% (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The use of ultrasound to guide the positioning of injections on the dorsal side of the proximal patellar tendon had a significantly higher accuracy compared to blind injections. The finding provides knowledge of importance for injection treatment.

Clinical relevance of pharmacist intervention in an emergency department.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical relevance of pharmacist intervention on patient care in emergencies, to determine the severity of detected errors. Second, to analyse the most frequent types of interventions and type of drugs involved and to evaluate the clinical pharmacist's activity. METHODS: A 6-month observational prospective study of pharmacist intervention in the Emergency Department (ED) at a 400-bed hospital in Spain was performed to record interventions carried out by the clinical pharmacists. We determined whether the intervention occurred in the process of medication reconciliation or another activity, and whether the drug involved belonged to the High-Alert Medications Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) list. To evaluate the severity of the errors detected and clinical relevance of the pharmacist intervention, a modified assessment scale of Overhage and Lukes was used. Relationship between clinical relevance of pharmacist intervention and the severity of medication errors was assessed using ORs and Spearman's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: During the observation period, pharmacists reviewed the pharmacotherapy history and medication orders of 2984 patients. A total of 991 interventions were recorded in 557 patients; 67.2% of the errors were detected during medication reconciliation. Medication errors were considered severe in 57.2% of cases and 64.9% of pharmacist intervention were considered relevant. About 10.9% of the drugs involved are in the High-Alert Medications ISMP list. The severity of the medication error and the clinical significance of the pharmacist intervention were correlated (Spearman's ρ=0.728/p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this single centre study, the clinical pharmacists identified and intervened on a high number of severe medication errors. This suggests that emergency services will benefit from pharmacist-provided drug therapy services.

Educational intervention to improve adherence to the Mediterranean diet among parents and their children aged 1-2 years. EniM clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational programme on healthy alimentation, carried out in day-care centres and aimed at the parents of children from 1 to 2 years of age, regarding the acquisition of healthy eating habits among themselves and their children. DESIGN: We performed a multicentre, multidisciplinary, randomized controlled study in a community setting. SETTING: The EniM study (nutritional intervention study among children from Mataró) was performed in twelve day-care centres in Mataró (Spain). Centres were randomized into a control group (CG) and an intervention group (IG). IG received four or five educational workshops on diet, CG did not have workshops. SUBJECTS: Children, not exclusively breast-fed, from 1 to 2 years of age, in the participating day-care centres and the persons responsible for their alimentation (mother or father). RESULTS: Thirty-five per cent of the IG did not attend the minimum of three workshops and were excluded. The CG included seventy-four children and seventy-two parents and the IG seventy-five children and sixty-seven parents. Both groups were comparable at baseline. Basal adherence to the Mediterranean diet was 56·4 % in parents (Gerber index) and 7·7 points in children (Kidmed test). At 8 months, Mediterranean diet adherence had improved in the IG by 5·8 points in the Gerber index (P=0·01) and 0·6 points in the Kidmed test (P=0·02) compared with the CG. CONCLUSIONS: This educational intervention performed in parents at the key period of incorporation of a 1-2-year-old child to the family table showed significant increases in adherence of the parents to the Mediterranean diet, suggesting future improvement in different indicators of health and an expected influence on the diet of their children.

Falsos positivos en el despistaje de metadona en orina secundarios a tapentadol / False positives in urine methadone screening secondary to tapentadol

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[Analysis of the concordance of antibiotic treatment for patients with severe sepsis in emergencies]. / Análisis de la concordancia del tratamiento antibiótico de pacientes con sepsis grave en Urgencias.

OBJECTIVES: Antibiotic treatment is vital in patients with severe sepsis/septic shock. The objectives were to assess the degree of concordance between antibiotic prescribed in emergencies and post requirements; to relate it to health outcomes (mortality) and to analyze the reasons for disagreement. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective descriptive study of antibiotic treatment prescribed in emergencies and the subsequent treatment in patients with criteria of severe sepsis/septic shock in 2013. We collected patient demographic characteristics, infectious focus, antibiotic prescribed from emergencies and subsequent changes. It was considered concordant if there were no changes, if there were changes, but the initial antibiotic was right and suspensions for end of treatment. Mortality and evolution were analyzed. RESULTS: Six hundred patients were included. A 60% experienced changes respect to the antibiotic treatment initiated in emergencies (87.6% justified), with a degree of overall antibiotic concordance of 47.5% The mortality rate at end-point was 9.83%, with no statistically significant relationship with the degree of concordance (OR=0.864 (0.503-1.484)/χ2=0.28; p=0.597). Reasons for change of antibiotic: clinical outcome (17.96%), change of spectrum (35.03%), de-escalation (41.32%), sequential therapy (8.68%). An 11% required ICU admission. Clinical outcomes: resolution of the disease (79.2%), readmission after 30 days (7.7%) and transfer to health centers (4.5%). The median hospital stay was 7 days. CONCLUSIONS: The degree of concordance antibiotic was quite high, and the mortality rate was lower than that described in the literature, without relating to the discordance. The presence of concordance was associated with fewer readmissions and ICU admissions. The main reasons for disagreement were inadequate spectrum selection and change after microbiological crops.

Análisis de la concordancia del tratamiento antibiótico de pacientes con sepsis grave en Urgencias / Analysis of the concordance of antibiotic treatment for patients with severe sepsis in emergencies

Objetivos. El tratamiento antibiótico resulta de vital importancia en pacientes con sepsis grave/shock séptico. Los objetivos fueron evaluar el grado de concordancia entre la prescripción de antibióticos realizada en urgencias y prescripciones posteriores; relacionarlo con resultados en salud (mortalidad) y analizar los motivos de discordancia. Material y métodos. Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo del tratamiento antibiótico prescrito desde urgencias y el prescrito posteriormente en pacientes con criterios de sepsis grave/shock séptico en el año 2013. Se recogieron características demográficas, foco infeccioso, antibiótico prescrito desde urgencias y los cambios posteriores, considerándose concordante cuando no había cambio, si había cambio pero el antibiótico inicial era correcto y suspensiones por fin de tratamiento. Se analizó mortalidad y evolución del cuadro. Resultados. Se incluyeron 600 pacientes. El 60% sufrió cambio de tratamiento antibiótico respecto al iniciado en urgencias (87,6% justificados), con un grado de concordancia antibiótica global del 47,5%. La tasa de mortalidad al final del estudio fue 9,83%, no encontrándose relación estadísticamente significativa con el grado de concordancia (OR=0,864 (0,503-1,484)/X2=0,28, p=0,597). Motivos de cambio de antibiótico: evolución clínica (17,96%), cambio de espectro (35,03%), desescalada (41,32%), terapia secuencial (8,68%). El 11% requirió ingreso en Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI). Evoluciones clínicas: resolución del cuadro (79,2%), reingreso antes de 30 días (7,7%) y traslado a centros sociosanitarios (4,5%). La mediana de estancia hospitalaria fue 7 días. Conclusiones. El grado de concordancia antibiótica resultó bastante alto y la tasa de mortalidad inferior a la descrita en la literatura, sin relacionarse con la discordancia. La presencia de concordancia se asoció a menos reingresos e ingresos en UCI. Los principales motivos de discordancia fueron selección del espectro inadecuado y el cambio tras cultivos microbiológicos (AU)

Objectives. Antibiotic treatment is vital in patients with severe sepsis/septic shock. The objectives were to assess the degree of concordance between antibiotic prescribed in emergencies and post requirements; to relate it to health outcomes (mortality) and to analyze the reasons for disagreement. Material and methods. Retrospective descriptive study of antibiotic treatment prescribed in emergencies and the subsequent treatment in patients with criteria of severe sepsis/septic shock in 2013. We collected patient demographic characteristics, infectious focus, antibiotic prescribed from emergencies and subsequent changes. It was considered concordant if there were no changes, if there were changes, but the initial antibiotic was right and suspensions for end of treatment. Mortality and evolution were analyzed. Results. Six hundred patients were included. A 60% experienced changes respect to the antibiotic treatment initiated in emergencies (87.6% justified), with a degree of overall antibiotic concordance of 47.5% The mortality rate at endpoint was 9.83%, with no statistically significant relationship with the degree of concordance (OR=0.864 (0.503-1.484)/χ2=0.28; p=0.597). Reasons for change of antibiotic: clinical outcome (17.96%), change of spectrum (35.03%), de-escalation (41.32%), sequential therapy (8.68%). An 11% required ICU admission. Clinical outcomes: resolution of the disease (79.2%), readmission after 30 days (7.7%) and transfer to health centers (4.5%). The median hospital stay was 7 days. Conclusions. The degree of concordance antibiotic was quite high, and the mortality rate was lower than that described in the literature, without relating to the discordance. The presence of concordance was associated with fewer readmissions and ICU admissions. The main reasons for disagreement were inadequate spectrum selection and change after microbiological crops (AU)