[Use of hypotonic fluids in the prescription of maintenance intravenous fluid therapy]. / Uso de sueros hipotónicos en la prescripción de la fluidoterapia intravenosa de mantenimiento.

INTRODUCTION: Isotonic fluids, in most cases, are the safest way to dispense fluids intravenously. The aim of this study was to determine the prescription of maintenance intravenous fluids and to study possible associated factors. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A descriptive, cross-sectional, multi-centre study was performed. A questionnaire was sent nationwide to several healthcare providers via an on-line survey, sent by email through different Medical Scientific Societies, and the Official Spanish Medical Association, between December 2016 and December 2017. RESULTS: A total of 487 questionnaires were received, of which 456 were submitted by paediatricians. More than one quarter (28.95%) (95% CI; 24.77-33.13) of the paediatricians usually dispense hypotonic fluids and 81.14% (95% CI; 77.54-84.74) prescribe infusion rates based on the Holliday and Segar protocol. The general profile of paediatricians who prescribe hypotonic fluids intravenously in Spain are medical residents, paediatricians working in paediatric non-intensive care units, in private hospitals, and those who recognise that no consensus exists among their direct work colleagues regarding this subject. CONCLUSIONS: More than twenty-five per cent of all paediatricians in our country continue to use hypotonic fluids as maintenance intravenous fluid therapy. There might be several potential factors associated to this. These kind of studies provide evidence of the great difficulties in transferring scientific knowledge to clinical practice.

[Prevalence erectile dysfunction in patients with hypertension]. / Prevalencia de disfunción eréctil en pacientes con hipertensión arterial.

BACKGROUND: Erectile dysfunction (ED), defined as the consistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance, is closely associated with hypertension. We assessed the prevalence of ED in patients with hypertension at the primary care level. We analyzed factors associated with ED in these patients. We also worked out the relationship between cardiovascular disease risks and ED. PATIENTS AND METHOD: This transversal multicenter study was carried out in educational primary care centers. A total of 512 patients with hypertension completed the International Index of Erectile Function in its abridged form (IIEF-5). Their known cardiovascular risk factors, comorbidity, toxic habits and hypertension history were taken form their medical records. RESULTS: Of 512 patients, 5 were not included in the study because of incomplete data in the IIEF-5 questionnaire. Mean age was 63.36 years (range 30 to 86). The prevalence of erectile dysfunction was 46.5%. Correlation of ED with age [OR = 1.05 (1.028-1.075)], diabetes mellitus [OR = 2.06 (1.247-3.406)] and ischemic heart disease [OR = 3.15 (1.429-6.947)] did reach statistical significance (p < 0.05). A linkage with cardiovascular disease risks, as worked out by the Framingham study, was not found. CONCLUSIONS: We observe a high prevalence of ED in patients with hypertension.