[The early use of sepsis scores to predict respiratory failure and mortality in non-ICU patients with COVID-19]. / Utilidad de las escalas de sepsis para predecir el fallo respiratorio y la muerte en pacientes con COVID-19 fuera de las Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos.

This observational retrospective study aimed to investigate the usefulness of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), Quick SOFA (qSOFA), National Early Warning Score (NEWS), and quick NEWS in predicting respiratory failure and death among patients with COVID-19 hospitalized outside of intensive care units (ICU). We included 237 adults hospitalized with COVID-19 who were followed-up on for one month or until death. Respiratory failure was defined as a PaO2/FiO2 ratio ≤ 200 mmHg or the need for mechanical ventilation. Respiratory failure occurred in 77 patients (32.5%), 29 patients (12%) were admitted to the ICU, and 49 patients (20.7%) died. Discrimination of respiratory failure was slightly higher in NEWS, followed by SOFA. Regarding mortality, SOFA was more accurate than the other scores. In conclusion, sepsis scores are useful for predicting respiratory failure and mortality in COVID-19 patients. A NEWS score ≥ 4 was found to be the best cutoff point for predicting respiratory failure.

Update on the imaging diagnosis of otosclerosis. / Actualización en el diagnóstico radiológico de la otosclerosis.

Otosclerosis is a primary osteodystrophy of the temporal bone that causes progressive conductive hearing loss. The diagnosis is generally clinical, but multidetector CT (MDCT), the imaging technique of choice, is sometimes necessary. The objective of this article is to systematically review the usefulness of imaging techniques for the diagnosis and postsurgical assessment of otosclerosis, fundamentally the role of MDCT, to decrease the surgical risk.

The early use of sepsis scores to predict respiratory failure and mortality in non-ICU patients with COVID-19.

This observational retrospective study aimed to investigate the usefulness of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), Quick SOFA (qSOFA), National Early Warning Score (NEWS), and quick NEWS in predicting respiratory failure and death among patients with COVID-19 hospitalized outside of intensive care units (ICU). We included 237 adults hospitalized with COVID-19 who were followed-up on for one month or until death. Respiratory failure was defined as a PaO2/FiO2 ratio ≤200mmHg or the need for mechanical ventilation. Respiratory failure occurred in 77 patients (32.5%), 29 patients (12%) were admitted to the ICU, and 49 patients (20.7%) died. Discrimination of respiratory failure was slightly higher in NEWS, followed by SOFA. Regarding mortality, SOFA was more accurate than the other scores. In conclusion, sepsis scores are useful for predicting respiratory failure and mortality in COVID-19 patients. A NEWS score ≥4 was found to be the best cutoff point for predicting respiratory failure.

Utilidad de las escalas de sepsis para predecir el fallo respiratorio y la muerte en pacientes con COVID-19 fuera de las Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos / The early use of sepsis scores to predict respiratory failure and mortality in non-ICU patients with COVID-19

El presente estudio retrospectivo observacional tiene como objetivo analizar la utilidad de las escalas SOFA (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment), qSOFA (Quick SOFA), NEWS (National Early Warning Score ) y Quick NEWS para predecir el fallo respiratorio y la muerte en pacientes con COVID-19 atendidos fuera de la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI). Se incluyeron 237 adultos con COVID-19 hospitalizados seguidos durante un mes o hasta su fallecimiento. El fallo respiratorio se definió como un cociente PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 200 mmHg o la necesidad de ventilación mecánica. Setenta y siete pacientes (32,5%) desarrollaron fallo ventilatorio; 29 (12%) precisaron ingreso en UCI, y 49 fallecieron (20,7%). La discriminación del fallo ventilatorio fue algo mayor con la puntuación NEWS, seguida de la SOFA. En cuanto a la mortalidad, la puntuación SOFA fue más exacta que las otras escalas. En conclusión, las escalas de sepsis son útiles para predecir el fallo respiratorio y la muerte en COVID-19. Una puntuación ≥ 4 en la escala NEWS sería el mejor punto de corte para predecir fallo respiratorio (AU)

This observational retrospective study aimed to investigate the usefulness of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), Quick SOFA (qSOFA), National Early Warning Score (NEWS), and quick NEWS in predicting respiratory failure and death among patients with COVID-19 hospitalized outside of intensive care units (ICU). We included 237 adults hospitalized with COVID-19 who were followed-up on for one month or until death. Respiratory failure was defined as a PaO2/FiO2 ratio ≤ 200 mmHg or the need for mechanical ventilation. Respiratory failure occurred in 77 patients (32.5%), 29 patients (12%) were admitted to the ICU, and 49 patients (20.7%) died. Discrimination of respiratory failure was slightly higher in NEWS, followed by SOFA. Regarding mortality, SOFA was more accurate than the other scores. In conclusion, sepsis scores are useful for predicting respiratory failure and mortality in COVID-19 patients. A NEWS score ≥ 4 was found to be the best cutoff point for predicting respiratory failure (AU)

[Acute mastoiditis in children. A retrospective study and literature review]. / Mastoiditis aguda infantil. Estudio retrospectivo y revisión de la literatura.

OBJECTIVE: To review our experience and results in the diagnosis and treatment of acute mastoiditis, a pathology with an increasing incidence in the recent years. METHODS: The study reviewed 49 pediatric patients diagnosed and treated of acute mastoiditis between 1994 and 2003 in our hospital. We summarize epidemiologic, laboratory and clinical features. RESULTS: The mean age was 2.5 years. Seventy-five percent of cases were in autumn and winter months and nearly twenty-five percent had been diagnosed in the last year. S. pneumoniae was the most commonly isolated pathogen (28.6%), although a sterile result was the most frequent (38.1%). Twenty-four patients (48.9%) required surgical treatment. Only five patients (10.2%) developed complications. CONCLUSIONS: Acute mastoiditis is a pathology with an important incidence and is generally the consequence of an untreated otitis or an insufficient treatment. Due to the low number of complications, we can not estimate through statistical analysis valid markers like predictors for complication.

Actualización en el diagnóstico radiológico de la otosclerosis / Update on the imaging diagnosis of otosclerosis

La otosclerosis es una otodistrofia primaria del hueso temporal que produce una hipoacusia de transmisión progresiva. El diagnóstico es generalmente clínico, pero en ocasiones es necesaria la realización de una tomografía computarizada multidetector (TCMD), que es la técnica de imagen de elección. El objetivo de este artículo es realizar una actualización sistemática de la utilidad de las técnicas de imagen en el diagnóstico y la valoración posquirúrgica de la otosclerosis, fundamentalmente del papel de la TCMD, con el fin de disminuir el riesgo quirúrgico (AU)

Otosclerosis is a primary osteodystrophy of the temporal bone that causes progressive conductive hearing loss. The diagnosis is generally clinical, but multidetector CT (MDCT), the imaging technique of choice, is sometimes necessary. The objective of this article is to systematically review the usefulness of imaging techniques for the diagnosis and postsurgical assessment of otosclerosis, fundamentally the role of MDCT, to decrease the surgical risk (AU)

Mastoiditis aguda infantil. Estudio retrospectivo y revisión de la literatura / Acute mastoiditis in children. A retrospective study and literature review

Objetivo: Revisar en nuestro centro la experiencia y resultados en el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la mastoiditis aguda infantil, una patología que ha experimentado un sensible incremento de su incidencia en los últimos años. Material y método: Realizamos un estudio retrospectivo de 49 pacientes menores de 16 años diagnosticados y tratados de mastoiditis aguda entre los años 1994 y 2003 en nuestro hospital. Se analizan diversas variables epidemiológicas, analíticas y clínicas. Resultados: La edad media de los pacientes fue de dos años y medio. El 75% de los casos se produjeron en los meses de otoño e invierno y casi la cuarta parte han sido diagnosticados en el último año. El microorganismo más prevalente fue el S. pneumoniae en un 28,6% de los cultivos estudiados, aunque lo más frecuente (38,1%) fue un resultado estéril de la muestra. Veinticuatro de los pacientes (48,9%) precisaron tratamiento quirúrgico ante la mala evolución clínica. Se presentaron complicaciones en tan sólo cinco pacientes (10,2%). Conclusiones: La mastoiditis aguda sigue siendo una patología con una incidencia importante en nuestro medio y en la cual debemos pensar ante una OMA de mala evolución o que recibe tratamiento antibiótico inadecuado. No ha sido posible realizar análisis estadísticos significativos de variables predictivas de una complicación debido al bajo número de estas

Objective: To review our experience and results in the diagnosis and treatment of acute mastoiditis, a pathology with an increasing incidence in the recent years. Methods: The study reviewed 49 pediatric patients diagnosed and treated of acute mastoiditis between 1994 and 2003 in our hospital. We summarize epidemiologic, laboratory and clinical features. Results: The mean age was 2.5 years. Seventy- five percent of cases were in autumn and winter months and nearly twenty-five percent had been diagnosed in the last year. S. pneumoniae was the most commonly isolated pathogen (28.6%), although a sterile result was the most frequent (38.1%). Twenty-four patients (48.9%) required surgical treatment. Only five patients (10.2%) developed complications. Conclusions: Acute mastoiditis is a pathology with an important incidence and is generally the consequence of an untreated otitis or an insufficient treatment. Due to the low number of complications, we can not estimate through statistical analysis valid markers like predictors for complication