Telemedicine in sleep-related breathing disorders and treatment with positive airway pressure devices. Learnings from SARS-CoV-2 pandemic times.

The healthcare system currently faces new challenges, which are to be addressed by finding efficient alternatives. Such factors as the growth of world population, the increase in longevity, and the fact that some diseases which used to be deadly diseases have turned into chronic pathologies, cause the number of people in need for continuous medical care to rise. This results in a healthcare system crisis, which searches for solutions as telemedicine to address the needs of patients and control excessive medical spending. Telemedicine means remote medical assistance delivered by means of technological resources, which streamline the provision of medical care, thus increasing patient's access to healthcare and saving time and costs. As regards respiratory diseases, telemedicine is a tool that may provide for proper prevention, diagnosis, therapeutic education, monitoring of observance, and therapeutic efficacy, as well as for the early detection of exacerbations. Patients suffering from sleep-related respiratory disorders in need for positive airway pressure devices may be benefited by telemedicine to enhance positive pressure adherence and follow-up to treat their pathologies, thus providing for the delivery of remote care and follow-up, reducing costs, and increasing the chances of receiving attention from specialists in patients who live a long distance from such medical facilities. However, it is a challenging task to find a balance in the doctor-patient virtual relationship.

International Consensus Document on Obstructive Sleep Apnea. / Documento internacional de consenso sobre apnea obstructiva del sueño.

The main aim of this international consensus document on obstructive sleep apnea is to provide guidelines based on a critical analysis of the latest literature to help health professionals make the best decisions in the care of adult patients with this disease. The expert working group was formed primarily of 17 scientific societies and 56 specialists from a wide geographical area (including the participation of 4 international societies), an expert in methodology, and a documentalist from the Iberoamerican Cochrane Center. The document consists of a main section containing the most significant innovations and a series of online manuscripts that report the systematic literature searches performed for each section of the international consensus document. This document does not discuss pediatric patients or the management of patients receiving chronic non-invasive mechanical ventilation (these topics will be addressed in separate consensus documents).

Evaluación respiratoria y manejo de pacientes con obesidad candidatos a procedimientos quirúrgicos y cirugía bariátrica / Respiratory evaluation and management of obese patients who are candidates for surgical procedures and bariatric surgery

En el seno de la Sección de Sueño, Oxigenoterapia y Asistencia Ventilatoria de la Asociación Argentina de Medicina Respiratoria, se planteó el desarrollo de sugerencias para la exploración respiratoria del paciente con obesidad y definiciones sobre el manejo perioperatorio en cirugía bariátrica y procedimientos quirúrgicos electivos (cirugía no bariátrica). Esta iniciativa se basó en la necesidad de contar con lineamientos adaptados a la realidad local y discutida por expertos que se desempeñan en la realidad coyuntural cotidiana de nuestro país. La agenda se inició en agosto de 2020 en un grupo de revisión de la bibliografía y redacción. Revisores de diferentes provincias argentinas efectuaron una extensa valoración de la evidencia. Luego, un comité editorial realizo una revisión crítica del documento. Finalmente, todo el grupo debatió las sugerencias que se exponen como puntos clave. Este documento exhorta a cirujanos y clínicos a trabajar junto a especialistas respiratorios en la evaluación del riesgo, definición de la aptitud operatoria y corrección de trastornos funcionales y apneas del sueño. La cirugía en individuos con obesidad y la cirugía bariátrica, son procedimientos a los que se arriba luego de una evaluación exhaustiva de la situación clínica y funcional. La tarea multidisciplinaria y el tratamiento de las anormalidades detectadas pueden disminuir los riesgos perioperatorios. Pacientes con obesidad que requieren cirugía electiva con anestesia general deben ser evaluados mediante pruebas objetivas para confirmar la presencia de apneas del sueño y estar adecuadamente tratados con CPAP.

Within the Sleep, Oxygen Therapy and Ventilatory Assistance Section of the Argentine Association of Respiratory Medicine, we de velopment of recommendations for the respiratory exploration of patients with obesity and definitions on perioperative management in bariatric surgery and elective surgical procedures (surgery non bariatric). This initiative was based on the need to have guidelines adapted to the local reality and discussed by experts who work in the daily conjunctural reality of our country. The schedule was started in August 2020 in a literature review group. Reviewers from different Argentine provinces carried out an extensive assessment of the evidence. Then, an editorial committee performed a critical review of the document. Finally, the whole group discussed the suggestions that are presented as key points. This document encourages surgeons and clinicians to work close to respiratory specialists in assessing risk, defining operative competence, and revise functional disorders and sleep apnea. Surgery in obese individuals and bariatric surgery are procedures that are reached after a detailed evaluation about clinical and functional situation. The multidisciplinary team and the treatment of detected abnormalities can reduce perioperative risks. Obese patients who require elective surgery with general anesthesia should be evaluated by objective tests to confirm the presence of sleep apnea and be adequately treated with CPAP.

Gastric MALT Lymphoma with Biclonal Gammopathy and Bone Marrow Involvement Mimicking Multiple Myeloma.

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas are B-cell neoplasms that commonly affect the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, usually the stomach. In most cases, extranodal marginal zone lymphoma (ENMZL) is an indolent disease. Bone marrow involvement is common with MALT lymphoma accompanied by paraproteinemia; such involvement impels disease progression. Here, we present the case of an 82-year-old Hispanic patient with long-standing ENMZL in whom the gastric site responded to antibiotic treatment and Helicobacter pylori eradication, but the disease progressed over the years, with a biclonal gammopathy and bone marrow involvement with marked plasmacytic differentiation. In view of this, we suggest the routine evaluation of paraprotein in patients with ENMZL.

Tratamiento con presión positiva de la Apnea Obstructiva del Sueño. Posición de la Asociación Argentina de Medicina Respiratoria / Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea with Positive Pressure. Position of the Argentinian Association of Respiratory Medicine

La Sección de Sueño, Oxigenoterapia y Otros Tratamientos Crónicos Domiciliarios, de la Asociación Argentina de Medicina Respiratoria (AAMR) se planteó desarrollar en nuestro país un documento formal que exponga la base científica y costo económica de la cobertura del tratamiento del síndrome de apneas e hipopneas obstructivas durante el sueño (SAHOS). Esta iniciativa se basó en la necesidad de analizar la visión de expertos locales que se desempeñan en la realidad coyuntural cotidiana de nuestro país, para elaborar un documento informativo para miembros del equipo de salud. A su vez, exhorta a los diferentes actores del sistema a determinar pautas claras que sirvan de referencia para la generación de políticas públicas. La agenda se inició en septiembre de 2018 en un grupo de redacción. Luego, revisores de cinco provincias argentinas efectuaron una extensa valoración de la evidencia publicada. Para la edición final se realizó una reunión presencial de discusión y generación de consenso. Se plantearon como objetivos; actualizar la base científica que define al SAHOS como problema de salud de proporciones epidémicas con consecuencias demostrables en la salud, analizar los datos de costo-efectividad del tratamiento con CPAP para las formas moderadas a severas y leves con síntomas y unificar conceptos en relación con la calidad mínima necesaria en los tratamientos que se ofrecen. Finalmente, se analiza la situación en la Argentina sobre la base a datos publicados y se presenta una propuesta de mejora en tres niveles: social y económico, logístico-administrativo y clínico

The Sleep, Oxygen Therapy and Other Home Chronic Treatments Section of the Argentinian Association of Respiratory Medicine (AAMR, for its acronym in Spanish) proposed the development in our country of a formal document exposing the scientific and cost-economical foundation of the coverage for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). This initiative was based on the need to analyze the vision of local experts who work in the daily current reality of our country, in order to create an informative document for the members of the medical staff. In turn, it encourages the different members of the system to determine clear guidelines that could be used as reference for generating public policies. The agenda began in September, 2018 within a writing staff. Then, editors from five Argentinian provinces made a thorough assessment of published evidence. For the final edition, a face-to-face meeting was arranged to discuss and reach a consensus. The suggested objectives were: to update the scientific base that defines the OSAHS as a health problem of epidemic proportions with health consequences; to analyze cost-efficacy data of CPAP treatment for moderate to severe and mild-with-symptoms forms of the disease and to unify concepts in relation to the minimum necessary quality of treatments to be offered. Finally, the situation in Argentina is analyzed basing on published data, and a proposal is presented for improvement in three levels: social and economic, logistic-administrative and clinical.

Guías prácticas de diagnóstico y tratamiento del síndrome de apneas e hipopneas obstructivas del sueño: Actualización 2019: Sección Sueño, Oxigenoterapia y Tratamientos Crónicos Domiciliarios. Asociación Argentina de Medicina Respiratoria / Practical guides for diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apneas and hypopneas syndrome: 2019 update. Sleep, Oxygen Therapy and Chronic Home Treatments Section. Argentine Association of Respiratory Medicine

Las apneas del sueño constituyen uno de los trastornos respiratorios crónicos de mayor relevancia en la población general, por su prevalencia, los efectos que produce en los pacientes que las padecen y su impacto en la salud pública. En el año 2013 se publicaron las primeras Guías Prácticas de diagnóstico y tratamiento del síndrome de apneas e hipopneas obstructivas del sueño de la AAMR. Desde entonces se ha generado un volumen significativo de evidencia científica sobre estos trastornos, lo que ha motivado la actualización de estas Guías Prácticas. Un grupo de trabajo, conformado por profesionales entrenados y con experiencia en trastornos respiratorios del sueño, revisó la bibliografía y actualizó los conceptos vertidos en las guías 2013. En su desarrollo se define el cuadro, los criterios diagnósticos y de gravedad, los factores de riesgo, las formas de presentación y sus consecuencias. Se detalla la metodología diagnóstica, sus distintas variables e indicaciones y los requisitos técnicos para su validación e interpretación. Por último se desarrollan las alternativas terapéuticas, así como también aspectos prácticos de su implementación. El objetivo central fue generar una herramienta de divulgación científica, que determine pautas claras que sirvan de referencia para la formación de profesionales, la atención de pacientes con esta enfermedad y la generación de políticas públicas.

Sleep apnea is one of the most relevant chronic respiratory disorders in the general population, given its prevalence, the effects it produces in patients and their impact on public health. In 2013, the first Practical Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome of the AAMR were published. Since then, a significant volume of scientific evidence on these disorders has been generated, which has motivated the updating of these Practical Guidelines. A working group of trained professionals with experience in sleep breathing disorders reviewed the literature and updated the concepts included in the 2013 guidelines. Clinical aspects, diagnostic and severity criteria, risk factors, consequences and diagnostic strategy are addressed, as well as therapeutic alternatives and practical aspects of their implementation. The main objective was to generate practical guidelines that constitute a reference for the training of professionals, the care of patients with this disease and the generation of public policies.

Reliability of a Holter-based methodology for evaluation of sleep apnoea syndrome.

AIMS: Sleep apnoea has significant medical implications. A reliable non-invasive method (as a regular Holter system with a specific software) would be valuable for the screening of this condition in ambulatory patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 40 patients were divided into two groups: Group I, 20 patients with clinical suspicion of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and Epworth sleepiness score >or= 10 and Group II, 20 controls. In Group I, polysomnography was performed simultaneously with Holter (specific software to detect sleep apnoea). In Group II, Holter-based detection was utilized. A cutoff value of 10 for the apnoea-hypopnoea index (for polysomnography) or for the respiratory disturbance index (RDI) (for Holter) was considered abnormal. Sleep apnoea was confirmed by polysomnography in 14 patients (70%) in Group I. Holter recordings correctly identified OSA in 11 patients (r = 0.74 with polysomnography; P = 0.0002). Holter showed 78.5% sensitivity, 83.3% specificity, 91.6% positive predictive value, and 62.5% negative predictive value (with polysomnography as the gold standard). The RDI measured by Holter was 19.5 +/- 20 in Group I and 3.9 +/- 4.4 in controls (P < 0.005). The measurement between Holter and polysomnography (Bland and Altman method) showed good correlation (mean 4.7 with 39.4 and -30.1 SD) and a Pearson correlation coefficient (r) of 0.74 (P = 0.0002, 95% CI: 0.44-0.89). CONCLUSION: Holter-based software may constitute an accessible tool on initial suspicion of OSA.