Risk Factors of High Burden Caregivers of Dementia Patients Institutionalized at Day-Care Centres.

We examined which variables are associated with day care centres utilization among caregivers of dementia patients. A cross-sectional analysis of socio-demographic variables, relationship with caring and psychological aspects was conducted in 58 informal caregivers with intense burden. 58.6 % used day care assistance and 41.4 % did not. The results showed the importance of the commitment between the caregiver and their family and friends. The use of day care services is independent of the age, gender, educational level, marital status, occupation and relationship with the patient. However, in the multivariate analysis the provision of help by families and friends predicted the use of day care assistance. The bivariate analysis showed a significant relationship between depressive symptoms and self-rated health with day care attendance. Screening the help provision from families and friends in caregivers of dementia patients with intense burden would be relevant to design interventions which delay their institutionalization and reduce costs.

Post-stroke shoulder pain subtypes classifying criteria: towards a more specific assessment and improved physical therapeutic care.

BACKGROUND: Post-stroke Shoulder Pain (PSSP) is a common stroke-related syndrome that prolongs hospitalization and diminishes quality of life. PSSP studies were unsuccessful in clarifying pathophysiological mechanisms. Therefore, cohort's studies with greater variety of the sample and larger follow-up period could provide additional clinical data and may improve medical care. OBJECTIVE: To classify people with PSSP and identify intergroup clinical differences, providing additional data useful for therapeutic care planning. METHODS: One thousand individuals with stroke were selected from all levels of one health Area and followed up during one year. Demographic data, stroke clinical characteristics, stroke-related symptoms and rehabilitation parameters were collected. The shoulder muscle impairment was used to group participants into three clinical profiles: severe muscular impairment, moderate muscular impairment and low muscular impairment groups. RESULTS: A total of 119 individuals were diagnosed with PSSP. The suggested classification criteria showed two groups that differed significantly in relation to the onset and duration of PSSP, presence of sensory and speech impairment, and spasticity. The outcomes did not firmly support the existence of a third suggested PSSP subtype. CONCLUSIONS: PSSP may vary in onset, clinical manifestations, severity and syndrome duration. These results highlight the course of different clinical profiles and require multidisciplinary management approaches.

[Clinical experience with lacosamide in Galicia: the GALACO study]. / Experiencia clinica con lacosamida en Galicia: estudio GALACO.

INTRODUCTION: Lacosamide is a sodium channel blocker antiepileptic drug authorized as an adjunctive therapy for focal seizures in adolescents and adults. AIM: To analyze the efficacy and safety of lacosamide in Galicia according to its use in daily clinical practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective observational study in patients who started treatment with lacosamide between January 2014 and June 2013 in 10 hospitals in Galicia, Spain. Its efficacy and safety at 3, 6 and 12 months after starting lacosamide was assessed. RESULTS: We included 184 patients with a mean age of 44.2 ± 17.4 years old; 56.5% (n = 104) were male; 173 patients constituted the efficacy population. Mean duration of epilepsy was 18.8 ± 15.5 years. Seizure frequency was 2.5 ± 1.6 episodes/month. After 12 months, 68.2% of patients (n = 118) had >= 50% improvement (responders) and among them, 54 (45.8% of responder patients) were seizure free. Twenty-three percent (n = 43) suffered from adverse events after 12 months, being dizziness (10.3%) and instability (3.3%) the most frequently reported. After the 12 month visit, 87.5% of patients (n = 161) continued treatment with lacosamide. CONCLUSIONS: Lacosamide provides a very good efficacy and safety profile for patients with focal refractory epilepsy. High percentage of responders may be related to a less refractory population compared to other daily clinical practice studies. It constitutes an attractive therapeutic option for the treatment of focal epilepsies.

TITLE: Experiencia clinica con lacosamida en Galicia: estudio GALACO.Introducción. La lacosamida es un fármaco antiepiléptico bloqueante de los canales de sodio, autorizado en adolescentes y adultos como tratamiento coadyuvante en crisis de inicio focal. Objetivo. Analizar los resultados de eficacia y seguridad de la lacosamida en Galicia en su uso de acuerdo con la práctica clínica habitual. Pacientes y métodos. Estudio retrospectivo observacional en pacientes que iniciaron tratamiento con lacosamida entre enero de 2013 y junio de 2014 en 10 hospitales de Galicia. Se evaluó su eficacia y seguridad a los 3, 6 y 12 meses del inicio del tratamiento. Resultados. Se incluyeron 184 pacientes con edad media de 44,2 ± 17,4 años; el 56,5% (n = 104) eran varones. Conforman la población de eficacia 173 pacientes. El tiempo medio de evolución de la epilepsia fue de 18,8 ± 15,5 años. La frecuencia de crisis era de 2,5 ± 1,6 episodios/mes. A los 12 meses, el 68,2% de los pacientes (n = 118) presentaba una mejoría igual o superior al 50% (pacientes respondedores) y, de ellos, 54 (el 45,8% de los respondedores) estaban libres de crisis. El 23,4% (n = 43) refirió efectos adversos a los 12 meses, principalmente mareos (10,3%) e inestabilidad (3,3%). Después de la visita de los 12 meses, continuaba con lacosamida el 87,5% de los pacientes (n = 161). Conclusiones. La lacosamida ofrece un perfil de eficacia y seguridad muy favorable para pacientes con epilepsia focal refractaria. El elevado porcentaje de respondedores podría atribuirse a una población de epilépticos menos refractarios que en otros estudios de práctica clínica. Constituye una opción terapéutica atractiva para el tratamiento de epilepsias de inicio focal.