Awake prone positioning does not reduce the risk of intubation in COVID-19 treated with high-flow nasal oxygen therapy: a multicenter, adjusted cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Awake prone positioning (awake-PP) in non-intubated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients could avoid endotracheal intubation, reduce the use of critical care resources, and improve survival. We aimed to examine whether the combination of high-flow nasal oxygen therapy (HFNO) with awake-PP prevents the need for intubation when compared to HFNO alone. METHODS: Prospective, multicenter, adjusted observational cohort study in consecutive COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) receiving respiratory support with HFNO from 12 March to 9 June 2020. Patients were classified as HFNO with or without awake-PP. Logistic models were fitted to predict treatment at baseline using the following variables: age, sex, obesity, non-respiratory Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, APACHE-II, C-reactive protein, days from symptoms onset to HFNO initiation, respiratory rate, and peripheral oxyhemoglobin saturation. We compared data on demographics, vital signs, laboratory markers, need for invasive mechanical ventilation, days to intubation, ICU length of stay, and ICU mortality between HFNO patients with and without awake-PP. RESULTS: A total of 1076 patients with COVID-19 ARF were admitted, of which 199 patients received HFNO and were analyzed. Fifty-five (27.6%) were pronated during HFNO; 60 (41%) and 22 (40%) patients from the HFNO and HFNO + awake-PP groups were intubated. The use of awake-PP as an adjunctive therapy to HFNO did not reduce the risk of intubation [RR 0.87 (95% CI 0.53-1.43), p = 0.60]. Patients treated with HFNO + awake-PP showed a trend for delay in intubation compared to HFNO alone [median 1 (interquartile range, IQR 1.0-2.5) vs 2 IQR 1.0-3.0] days (p = 0.055), but awake-PP did not affect 28-day mortality [RR 1.04 (95% CI 0.40-2.72), p = 0.92]. CONCLUSION: In patients with COVID-19 ARF treated with HFNO, the use of awake-PP did not reduce the need for intubation or affect mortality.

Bugs, hosts and ICU environment: countering pan-resistance in nosocomial microbiota and treating bacterial infections in the critical care setting.

ICUs are areas where resistance problems are the largest, and these constitute a major problem for the intensivist's clinical practice. Main resistance phenotypes among nosocomial microbiota are (i) vancomycin-resistance/heteroresistance and tolerance in grampositives (MRSA, enterococci) and (ii) efflux pumps/enzymatic resistance mechanisms (ESBLs, AmpC, metallo-betalactamases) in gramnegatives. These phenotypes are found at different rates in pathogens causing respiratory (nosocomial pneumonia/ventilator-associated pneumonia), bloodstream (primary bacteremia/catheter-associated bacteremia), urinary, intraabdominal and surgical wound infections and endocarditis in the ICU. New antibiotics are available to overcome non-susceptibility in grampositives; however, accumulation of resistance traits in gramnegatives has led to multidrug resistance, a worrisome problem nowadays. This article reviews microorganism/infection risk factors for multidrug resistance, suggesting adequate empirical treatments. Drugs, patient and environmental factors all play a role in the decision to prescribe/recommend antibiotic regimens in the specific ICU patient, implying that intensivists should be familiar with available drugs, environmental epidemiology and patient factors.

Bugs, hosts and ICU environment: countering pan-resistance in nosocomial microbiota and treating bacterial infections in the critical care setting.

ICUs are areas where resistance problems are the largest, and they constitutes a major problem for the intensivist's clinical practice. Main resistance phenotypes among nosocomial microbiota are: i) vancomycin-resistance/heteroresistance and tolerance in grampositives (MRSA, enterococci) and ii) efflux pumps/enzymatic resistance mechanisms (ESBLs, AmpC, metallobetalactamases) in gramnegatives. These phenotypes are found at different rates in pathogens causing respiratory (nosocomial pneumonia/ventilator-associated pneumonia), bloodstream (primary bacteremia/catheter-associated bacteremia), urinary, intraabdominal and surgical wound infections and endocarditis in the ICU. New antibiotics are available to overcome non-susceptibility in grampositives; however, accumulation of resistance traits in gramnegatives has lead to multidrug resistance, a worrisome problem nowadays. This article reviews by microorganism/infection risk factors for multidrug resistance, suggesting adequate empirical treatments. Drugs, patient and environmental factors all play a role in the decision to prescribe/recommend antibiotic regimens in the specific ICU patient, implying that intensivists should be familiar with available drugs, environmental epidemiology and patient factors.

La altitud como factor de riesgo para defectos deL tubo neuraL (DTN) / Altitude as a risk factor for neural tube defects (NTD)

Objetivo: determinar si la altura es un factor de riesgo para defectos del tubo neural (DTN) al comparar las prevalencias de defectos del tubo neural entre hospitales que utilizan la metodología del Estudio Colaborativo Latinoamericano de Malformaciones Congénitas (ECLAMC) en las ciudades de Cali y Bogotá.Metodología: se realizó un estudio transversal haciendo uso de la base de datos del ECLAMC del Hospital Universitario del Valle (HUV) de la ciudad de Cali; Hospital Simón Bolívar, Clínica Emmanuel, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio y Clínica David Restrepo de la ciudad de Bogotá. La población en estudio fue la de los recién nacidos en dichas instituciones entre febrero del 2004 y marzo del 2005. Se estimó la razón de prevalencias entre las ciudades.Resultados: en el HUV de Cali se registraron 7.201 nacimientos entre febrero 2004 y marzo del 2005, dentro de los cuales se identificaron 21 casos de recién nacidos con DTN, para una prevalencia de 29,2 por cada 10.000 nacidos. En Bogotá la suma total de nacimientos registrados en las cuatro instituciones, fue de 15.239, y se identificaron nueve recién nacidos con DTN, para una prevalencia de seis por cada 10.000 nacidos. Se observó una diferencia estadísticamente significativa en general, para todos los DTN (RP: 4,94; 95 por ciento IC: 2,26 - 10,78), siendo marcada para anencefalia (RP: 8,46; 95 por ciento IC: 1,80 - 39,85) y para espina bífida (RP: 3,81; 95 por ciento IC: 1,28 - 11,36).Conclusiones: la prevalencia de los DTN es mayor en ciudades con altitud menor de 2.000 m sobre el nivel del mar, hallazgo acorde con lo reportado en la literatura.

Evaluation of a pharmacology educational activity based on a research project: a randomized, controlled and blind analysis of medical students' perceptions.

An experimental model of teaching/learning involving the formulation, execution and presentation of results of a research project has been developed and introduced as part of a Basic Pharmacology course for medical students at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). The perceptions of the students who participated in the experimental model were evaluated and compared with those who participated in a traditional model of practical activity. An 18-point questionnaire evaluated students' perceptions of aspects of the course itself (such as its duration and organization), personal response characteristics (such as entertainment, interest and effort required) and the current and future utility of the activities which had been carried out. A randomized, double-controlled and double-blind study compared experimental (n = 110) and control groups (n = 63). Students pertaining to the experimental group reported deeper satisfaction and greater participation in the activity. They evaluated more positively the utility of the educational activity for their future profession and more frequently considered that they had acquired useful skills or attitudes. Members of the experimental group recognized that they had invested more time and effort than those of the control group. No differences related to organization, support received and attitudes of teachers were observed between groups. In conclusion, a transitional intervention from traditional models towards PBL-based medical education was favourably evaluated by the participants. The activity was received with deeper satisfaction when compared with a traditional model of practical activity in Pharmacology.

Evaluación de los procedimientos de programación y presupuesto de las regiones y subregiones de salud / Evaluation of procedures for programming and budgeting of health regions and subregions

El presente informe está organizado en cuatro capítulos. En el capítulo I se reseñan el marco conceptual y la metodología aplicada. En el capítulo II se describen los procedimientos de programación y presupuesto que se aplican en las SRS y en las dependencias del MINSA. En el capítulo III se analiza la capacidad de gestión de las SRS y su relación con los procedimientos de programación y presupuesto. Finalmente, en el capítulo IV, se presentan algunos elementos que se espera contribuyan a la mejora de los procedimientos de programación y presupuesto y al desarrollo del sector