A Randomized Trial of Convalescent Plasma in Covid-19 Severe Pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Convalescent plasma is frequently administered to patients with Covid-19 and has been reported, largely on the basis of observational data, to improve clinical outcomes. Minimal data are available from adequately powered randomized, controlled trials. METHODS: We randomly assigned hospitalized adult patients with severe Covid-19 pneumonia in a 2:1 ratio to receive convalescent plasma or placebo. The primary outcome was the patient's clinical status 30 days after the intervention, as measured on a six-point ordinal scale ranging from total recovery to death. RESULTS: A total of 228 patients were assigned to receive convalescent plasma and 105 to receive placebo. The median time from the onset of symptoms to enrollment in the trial was 8 days (interquartile range, 5 to 10), and hypoxemia was the most frequent severity criterion for enrollment. The infused convalescent plasma had a median titer of 1:3200 of total SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (interquartile range, 1:800 to 1:3200). No patients were lost to follow-up. At day 30 day, no significant difference was noted between the convalescent plasma group and the placebo group in the distribution of clinical outcomes according to the ordinal scale (odds ratio, 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52 to 1.35; P = 0.46). Overall mortality was 10.96% in the convalescent plasma group and 11.43% in the placebo group, for a risk difference of -0.46 percentage points (95% CI, -7.8 to 6.8). Total SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers tended to be higher in the convalescent plasma group at day 2 after the intervention. Adverse events and serious adverse events were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: No significant differences were observed in clinical status or overall mortality between patients treated with convalescent plasma and those who received placebo. (PlasmAr ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04383535.).

Validation of diagnoses of liver disorders in users of systemic azole antifungal medication in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: Liver disorders are important adverse effects associated with antifungal drug treatment. However, the accuracy of Clinical International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes in identifying liver disorders for register based research is not well-established. This study aimed to determine the positive predictive value (PPV) of the ICD-10 codes for identifying patients with toxic liver disease, hepatic failure, and jaundice among patients with systemic antifungal treatment. METHODS: Data from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register and the National Patient Register were utilized to identify adult patients who received systemic azole antifungal drugs and had a recorded diagnosis of toxic liver disease (K71.0, K71.1, K71.2, K71.6, K71.8, K71.9), hepatic failure (K72.0, K72.9), or jaundice (R17) between 2005 and 2016. The medical records of all included patients were reviewed. Prespecified criteria were used to re-evaluate and confirm each diagnosis, serving as the gold standard to calculate PPVs with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for each diagnostic group. RESULTS: Among the 115 included patients, 26 were diagnosed with toxic liver disease, 58 with hepatic failure, and 31 with jaundice. Toxic liver disease was confirmed in 14 out of 26 patients, yielding a PPV of 53.8% (95% CI 33.4-73.4%). Hepatic failure was confirmed in 26 out of 38 patients, resulting in a PPV of 62.1% (95% CI 48.4-74.5%). The highest PPV was found in jaundice, with 30 confirmed diagnoses out of 31, yielding a PPV of 96.8% (95% CI 83.3-99.9%). CONCLUSION: Among patients who received azole antifungal treatment and were subsequently diagnosed with a liver disorder, the PPV for the diagnosis of jaundice was high, while the PPVs for toxic liver disease and hepatic failure were lower.

Comparison of rivaroxaban and low molecular weight heparin in the treatment of cancer-associated venous thromboembolism: a Swedish national population-based register study.

BACKGROUND: Treating cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (CAT) with anticoagulation prevents recurrent venous thromboembolism (rVTE), but increases bleeding risk. OBJECTIVES: To compare incidence of rVTE, major bleeding, and all-cause mortality for rivaroxaban versus low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) in patients with CAT. METHODS: We developed a cohort study using Swedish national registers 2013-2019. Patients with CAT (venous thromboembolism within 6 months of cancer diagnosis) were included. Those with other indications or with high bleeding risk cancers were excluded (according to guidelines). Follow-up was from index-CAT until outcome, death, emigration, or end of study. Incidence rates (IR) per 1000 person-years with 95% confidence interval (CI) and propensity score overlap-weighted hazard ratios (HRs) for rivaroxaban versus LMWH were estimated. RESULTS: We included 283 patients on rivaroxaban and 5181 on LMWH. The IR for rVTE was 68.7 (95% CI 40.0-109.9) for rivaroxaban, compared with 91.6 (95% CI 81.9-102.0) for LMWH, with adjusted HR 0.77 (95% CI 0.43-1.35). The IR for major bleeding was 23.5 (95% CI 8.6-51.1) for rivaroxaban versus 49.2 (95% CI 42.3-56.9) for LMWH, with adjusted HR 0.62 (95% CI 0.26-1.49). The IR for all-cause mortality was 146.8 (95% CI 103.9-201.5) for rivaroxaban and 565.6 (95% CI 541.8-590.2) for LMWH with adjusted HR 0.48 (95% CI 0.34-0.67). CONCLUSIONS: Rivaroxaban performed similarly to LMWH for patients with CAT for rVTE and major bleeding. An all-cause mortality benefit was observed for rivaroxaban which potentially may be attributed to residual confounding. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05150938 (Registered 9 December 2021).

Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with multiple sclerosis who received SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and are under treatment with high-efficacy therapies in Argentina.

We aimed to evaluate the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in people with MS (PwMS) on high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (HET) included in the national MS registry in Argentina (RelevarEM). METHODS: Non-interventional, retrospective cohort study that collected information directly from RelevarEM. Adult PwMS who had been treated for at least 6 months with a HET (ocrelizumab, natalizumab, alemtuzumab, cladribine) who had received at least two doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines available in Argentina were included. Full course of vaccination was considered after the second dose of the corresponding vaccines. Cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported for the whole cohort by Kaplan-Meier survival curves (which is expressed in percentage) as well as incidence density (which is expressed per 10.000 patients/day with 95% CI). RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-eight PwMS were included. Most frequent first and second dose received was AstraZeneca vaccine, followed by Sputnik vaccine. Most frequent HETs used in included patients were cladribine in 79 (34.8%). We found an incidence density of breakthrough COVID-19 infection of 3.5 × 10.000 patients/day (95% CI 2.3-6.7) after vaccination in Argentina. We described the incidence rate after vaccination for every HET used, it being significantly higher for ocrelizumab compared with other HETs (p = 0.005). Only five patients presented a relapse during the follow-up period with no differences regarding the pre-vaccination period. CONCLUSIONS: We found an incidence density of breakthrough COVID-19 infection of 3.5 × 10.000 patients/day (95% CI 2.3-6.7) after vaccination in Argentina.

Association Between Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors Prevalent Use and COVID-19-Related Mortality: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND: Since the emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many efforts have been made to prevent and to treat the disease. In this line, the anti-inflammatory effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) as alternatives for treating chronic inflammatory diseases has been studied. There is previous evidence of the usefulness of these drugs for reducing COVID-19 impact. METHODS/PROCEDURES: We conducted a retrospective single-center cohort study of adult patients with a positive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for COVID-19, evaluating the association between SSRI use and in-hospital mortality. FINDINGS/RESULTS: Of 1689 included patients, 182 (10.8%) were exposed to SSRI. A total of 291 patients died during the hospitalization, representing an in-hospital mortality of 17.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 15.4%-19.0%): 44 (24.2%) of the exposed to SSRIs versus 247 (16.4%) of those not exposed to SSRIs (crude odds ratio [OR], 1.62; 95% CI, 1.12-2.34; P = 0.009). No independent effect of SSRIs on in-hospital mortality was found when applying either the inverse probability of treatment weighting (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.71-1.89; P = 0.56) or with conventional multivariable analysis 0.81 (95 % CI: 0.28-2.31, P = 0.69). IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: In the present retrospective study of patients hospitalized for COVID-19, prior use of SSRIs did not reduce mortality.

Bleeding events among patients concomitantly treated with direct oral anticoagulants and macrolide or fluoroquinolone antibiotics.

Fluoroquinolones and macrolides may, due to a potential drug-drug interaction, increase the concentration of any concomitantly administered direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) and thereby increase the risk of severe bleeding. However, clinical evidence for such an effect is scarce. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between the use of fluoroquinolones or macrolides and bleeding events in patients with concomitant DOAC use. This was a nationwide cohort study including 19 288 users of DOACs in 2008-2018 using information from Swedish national health registers. We compared the incidence of bleeding events associated with use of fluoroquinolones or macrolides using doxycycline as a negative control. Cox regression was used to calculate crude and adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) in time windows of various length of follow-up after the start of antibiotic use. The incidence rates for fluoroquinolones and macrolides ranged from 12 to 24 and from 12 to 53 bleeding events per 100 000 patients in the investigated time windows. The aHRs (95% confidence interval) for use of fluoroquinolones and macrolides were 1.29 (0.69-2.44) and 2.60 (0.74-9.08) at the concomitant window, 1.31 (0.84-2.03) and 1.79 (0.75-4.29) at 30 days, and 1.34 (0.99-1.82) and 1.28 (0.62-2.65) at 150 days, respectively. With regard to fluoroquinolones, the present study suggests that the risk of bleeding when combined with DOACs, if any, is small. Codispensation of macrolides in patients on DOACs was not associated with an increased risk of bleeding. However, due to the small number of macrolide users, the results must be interpreted with caution.

Norfloxacin prophylaxis effect on multidrug resistance in patients with cirrhosis and bacterial infections.

It is unclear whether norfloxacin predisposes to infections by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). We aimed to evaluate if patients with cirrhosis receiving norfloxacin prophylaxis at the time of the diagnosis of bacterial infections were more likely to present a multidrug-resistant isolate than those without prophylaxis. This is a cross-sectional study of hospitalized patients with cirrhosis and bacterial infections from Argentina and Uruguay (NCT03919032) from September 2018 to December 2020. The outcome variable was a multidrug-resistant bacterial infection. We used inverse probability of treatment weighting to estimate the odds ratio (OR) of norfloxacin on infection caused by MDROs considering potential confounders. Among the 472 patients from 28 centers, 53 (11%) were receiving norfloxacin at the time of the bacterial infection. Patients receiving norfloxacin had higher MELD-sodium, were more likely to have ascites or encephalopathy, to receive rifaximin, beta-blockers, and proton-pump inhibitors, to have a nosocomial or health-care-associated infection, prior bacterial infections, admissions to critical care units or invasive procedures, and to be admitted in a liver transplant center. In addition, we found that 13 (24.5%) patients with norfloxacin and 90 (21.5%) of those not receiving it presented infections caused by MDROs (adjusted OR 1.55; 95% CI: 0.60-4.03; p = 0.360). The use of norfloxacin prophylaxis at the time of the diagnosis of bacterial infections was not associated with multidrug resistance. These results help empiric antibiotic selection and reassure the current indication of norfloxacin prophylaxis in well-selected patients.Study registration number: NCT03919032.

Clinical and microbiological characteristics of bacterial infections in patients with cirrhosis. A prospective cohort study from Argentina and Uruguay.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: there is insufficient data regarding bacterial infections in patients with cirrhosis to support recommendations for empiric antibiotic treatments, particularly in Latin America. This study aimed to evaluate bacterial infection's clinical impact and microbiological characteristics, intending to serve as a platform to revise current practices. MATERIALS AND METHODS: multicenter prospective cohort study of patients with cirrhosis and bacterial infections from Argentina and Uruguay. Patient and infection-related information were collected, focusing on microbiology, antibiotic susceptibility patterns, and outcomes. RESULTS: 472 patients were included. Spontaneous bacterial infections and urinary tract infections (UTIs) were registered in 187 (39.6%) and 116 (24.6%) patients, respectively, representing the most common infections. Of the 256 culture-positive infections, 103 (40.2%) were caused by multidrug-resistant organisms (reaching 50% for UTI), and 181 (70.7%) received adequate initial antibiotic treatment. The coverage of cefepime and ceftriaxone was over 70% for the empirical treatment of community-acquired spontaneous infections, but ceftazidime´s coverage was only 40%. For all UTI cases and for healthcare-associated or nosocomial spontaneous bacterial infections, the lower-spectrum antibiotics that covered at least 70% of the isolations were imipenem and meropenem. During hospitalization, a second bacterial infection was diagnosed in 9.8% of patients, 23.9% required at least one organ support, and 19.5% died. CONCLUSIONS: short-term mortality of bacterial infections in patients with cirrhosis is very high, and a high percentage were caused by multidrug-resistant organisms, particularly in UTIs. The information provided might serve to adapt recommendations, particularly related to empirical antibiotic treatment in Argentina and Uruguay. The study was registered in Clinical Trials (NCT03919032).

Development and validation of nonattendance predictive models for scheduled adult outpatient appointments in different medical specialties.

INTRODUCTION: Nonattendance is a critical problem that affects health care worldwide. Our aim was to build and validate predictive models of nonattendance in all outpatients appointments, general practitioners, and clinical and surgical specialties. METHODS: A cohort study of adult patients, who had scheduled outpatient appointments for General Practitioners, Clinical and Surgical specialties, was conducted between January 2015 and December 2016, at the Italian Hospital of Buenos Aires. We evaluated potential predictors grouped in baseline patient characteristics, characteristics of the appointment scheduling process, patient history, characteristics of the appointment, and comorbidities. Patients were divided between those who attended their appointments, and those who did not. We generated predictive models for nonattendance for all appointments and the three subgroups. RESULTS: Of 2,526,549 appointments included, 703,449 were missed (27.8%). The predictive model for all appointments contains 30 variables, with an area under the ROC (AUROC) curve of 0.71, calibration-in-the-large (CITL) of 0.046, and calibration slope of 1.03 in the validation cohort. For General Practitioners the model has 28 variables (AUROC of 0.72, CITL of 0.053, and calibration slope of 1.01). For clinical subspecialties, the model has 23 variables (AUROC of 0.71, CITL of 0.039, and calibration slope of 1), and for surgical specialties, the model has 22 variables (AUROC of 0.70, CITL of 0.023, and calibration slope of 1.01). CONCLUSION: We build robust predictive models of nonattendance with adequate precision and calibration for each of the subgroups.

Hospitalization for venous thromboembolic disease management: a 10 years Registry in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the most frequent cause of preventable mortality in hospitalized patients and the third leading cause of mortality due to vascular diseases. We aim to describe patients with VTE who required hospitalization, their clinical characteristics, management and evolution after discharge. Prospective cohort which included patients with acute and symptomatic VTE who required hospitalization in a single tertiary center for their management in a 10 years´ period (between 2006 and 2016). Patients were included at the time of VTE diagnosis; we collected baseline characteristics, risk stratification and initial therapeutic approach. They were periodically, prospectively and systematically followed up to evaluate recurrence, bleeding and/or death. Time-to-event analysis was performed for these outcomes related to evolucion after discharge. 3457 confirmed VTE episodes were included for the analysis (1985 DVT, 930 PE and 542 DVT + DVT), corresponding to 3157 patients. Most were elderly, the median age was 68 years (SD 16) with a predominance of women 57% (1955). Most frequent predisposing factors were immobility (45%), active cancer (35%), recent surgery (33%), obesity (26%), recent hospitalization (22%) and previous VTE (21%). One-fourth of pulmonary embolism had sPESI 0 points. Mortality, recurrence and bleeding rates within 30 days were 14%, 10% and 5% respectively. High proportion of VTE require hospitalization for their management, even PE with low sPESI. Mortality and complication remain elevated. We encourage the development and maintenance of more VTE registries in Latin America, to fully understand local characteristics of this disease.

Subacromial Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections Decrease Pain and Improve Functional Outcomes in Patients With Refractory Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of subacromial platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections in patients with refractory rotator cuff tendinopathies based on pain improvement, functional outcomes, sleep disturbances, and return to sports to the same level as before the injury. METHODS: Between March 2019 and October 2019, 50 patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy refractory to conservative treatment were treated with one subacromial PRP injection in our institution. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed in all patients to confirm diagnosis. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to evaluate pain. Range of motion, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and the Constant score were used to assess functional outcomes. Eighty percent of the patients (40 of 50 patients) and 86% of the patients (43 of 50 patients) achieved a clinically significant improvement that exceeded the substantial clinical benefit for the ASES and Constant scores, respectively. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to assess sleep disorders. Return to sports was also evaluated. The mean follow-up was 12 months, and the mean (SD) age was 37.3 (9.3) years. RESULTS: All mobility parameters evaluated improved significantly after treatment. The VAS, ASES, and Constant scores showed statistical improvement after the injection (P < .001). Sleep disturbances were resolved in 86% of the patients. Of the 32 patients who practiced sports before the injury, 84% returned to sports and 78% returned to the same level. There were no complications associated with the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: In most patients with refractory rotator cuff tendinopathy, subacromial injections of leukocyte-rich PRP significantly decreased pain, improved functional outcomes, and resolved sleep disturbances. Moreover, most of the athletes returned to sports at the same level they had before the injury. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, prospective cohort study.

Association between non-attendance to outpatient clinics and emergency department consultations, hospitalizations and mortality in a Health Maintenance Organization.

BACKGROUND: Non-attendance to scheduled medical appointments in outpatient clinics is a problem that affects patient health and health-care systems. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate association of non-attendance to scheduled appointments in outpatient clinics and Emergency Department (ED) visits, hospitalizations and mortality. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of outpatients enrolled in 2015 to 2016 in the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires HMO with over five scheduled appointments. Individual non-attendance proportion was obtained by dividing missed over scheduled appointment numbers in the 365 days prior to index date. Outcomes were evaluated with a Cox proportional-hazards or Fine and Gray model for competing risks. We adjusted by several variables. RESULTS: Sixty-five thousand two hundred sixty-five adults were included. Mean age was 63.6 years (SD 18.16), 29.9% male. Outpatients had average 10.18 (SD 5.59) appointments. Non-attendance the year before the index appointment had a median of 20%. A 10% increase in non-attendance was significantly associated with ED visits (asHR 1.19; 95%CI 1.08-1.32, P < .001) and all-cause mortality (aHR 7.57; 95%CI 4.88-11.73, P < .001). In the matched subcohort analysis we observed a crude significant association of non-attendance with ED visits (P < .001) and all-cause mortality (P < .001). DISCUSSION: Our findings show non-attendance could be a marker of health events that lead to emergency department evaluations and/or death.

Causes of appointment attendance, nonattendance, and cancellation in outpatient consultations at a university hospital.

BACKGROUND: Nonattendance to scheduled appointments in outpatient clinics is a frequent problem in ambulatory medicine with an impact on health systems and patients' health. The characterization of nonattendance is fundamental for the design of appropriate strategies for its management. AIMS: To identify causes of nonattendance of scheduled ambulatory medical appointments by adult patients. METHODS: Case and two controls study nested in a prospective cohort. A telephone-administered questionnaire was applied within the first 72 hours to identify the causes of attendance, nonattendance, or cancellation in patients who had a scheduled appointment to which they had been present, absent, or cancelled. RESULTS: A total of 150 absences (cases), 176 attendances, and 147 cancellations (controls) in a prospective cohort of 160 146 scheduled appointments (2012/2013) were included. According to self-reports in telephone interviews, the most frequent causes of nonattendance were forgetting 44% (66), unexpected competing events 15.3% (23), illness or unwellness 12% (18), work-related inconvenience 5.3% (8), transport-related difficulties 4.7% (4), and cause that motivated appointment scheduling already resolved 4.7% (4). DISCUSSION: The main cause of nonattendance is forgetting the scheduled appointment, but there is a proportion of different causes that do not respond to reminders but could respond to different strategies.

[Trends in the frequency of obesity and gestational diabetes in an eleven years period]. / Evaluación de la tendencia de diabetes gestacional en un período de 11 años en Buenos Aires, Argentina.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of gestational diabetes (GDM) is increasing along with obesity and gestational age. This prevalence varies in populations and with different guidelines used for the diagnoses. AIM: To estimate the change in prevalence of GDM and obesity in a period 11 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Analysis of pregnancies attended at an obstetrics ward of a general hospital between 2001 and 2018. Those women who were diabetic prior to their pregnancy were excluded from the analysis. Annual crude and adjusted prevalence using direct standardization by age were estimated. RESULTS: We analyzed 33,985 pregnancies. GDM screening was performed in 20,139 (59%), and 1,466 (7%) had GDM. In 2007 the crude and adjusted prevalence of GDM were 4.9 and 5.2%, respectively. The figures in 2018 were 8.8 and 8.5%, respectively, with an annual percentage of change (APC) of 6.9% (p < 0.001). The frequency of obesity also increased with an APC of 4.1% (p < 0.001). In women with GDM the APC of obesity was 4.6% (p < 0.001). There was also an increase in the frequency of screening, with a joinpoint in 2011. The APC of screening in the periods 2007-2011 and 2011-2018 were 16.6 and 2.9%, respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of GDM increased in this period of eleven years along with the prevalence of obesity.

[Undertriage as quality of care parameter in an emergency department]. / Medición del subtriaje como indicador de calidad y seguridad en un servicio de urgencias.

BACKGROUND: Undertriage or the underestimation of the urgency of the condition of a person arriving in an emergency department (ED) represents a measure of quality care. AIM: To estimate the prevalence of undertriage in a high complexity hospital of Argentina; to describe characteristics and mortality of these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All consultations admitted to the ED during 2014 were analyzed. Those assigned to a lower level of admission risk (classified as Emergency Severity Index -ESI- 3 to 5) but required hospitalization in intensive care units (ICU) as the first hospitalization place were considered as an undertriage. A random sample of correctly categorized admissions (ESI 1 or 2), who were subsequently hospitalized in the ICU, was selected as a comparison group. RESULTS: The global undertriage prevalence was 0.30% (316/104,832). Among patients admitted to the ICU, the prevalence was 21% (316/1,461; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 19-24). The 316 patients whose severity was underestimated had a median age of 73 years, and admitted between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. in a greater proportion. Overall hospital mortality was 8.9% (95% CI 6.78-11.38), and all deaths occurred after the patient was transferred from the emergency room. There were no differences in mortality between patients with correct triage or undertriage (11 and 7% respectively, p = 0.09). No differences were observed either in the total number of critical interventions during care in the first 24 hours. Significant differences were observed in requirements for mechanical ventilation (11 and 4% respectively, p = 0.01), orotracheal intubation (10 and 5% respectively p = 0.01) and non-invasive ventilation (8 and 4% respectively, p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Undertriage rate in this series was low, but it can be improved.

Nonattendance rates of scheduled outpatient appointments in a university general hospital.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to estimate nonattendance to scheduled medical ambulatory appointments rates globally and by subgroups. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: We designed a retrospective cohort of all adult outpatients over 18 years old who requested at least one scheduled ambulatory medical appointment from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2016. SETTING: Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires is a university general hospital in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It includes an integrated health care network that is formed by two high complexity hospitals and 22 primary care centers. RESULTS: The age median was 60.4 years, and 31.33% of the appointments were scheduled by men; 2 526 549 appointments fulfilled selection criteria, belonging to 348 420 patients. The global nonattendance rate was 27.84% (95% CI, 27.79-27.9). The nonattendance rate to general practitioner appointments was 25.53% (95% CI, 25.42-25.63); to clinical specialties, 27.78% (95% CI, 27.68-27.87); and to surgical specialties, 29.31% (95% CI, 29.23-29.4). CONCLUSIONS: Because of the consistent variability of nonattendance in different settings, it is strongly recommended that local estimates are used in the design of effective interventions to improve adherence with outpatient healthcare scheduled appointments.

Mean platelet volume as a prognostic factor for venous thromboembolic disease.

BACKGROUND: Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a risk factor for cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. AIM: To evaluate the association between high MPV and 90-day mortality after an episode of venous thromboembolism (VTE). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective cohort of 594 patients with a median age of 73 years (58% women) with a first episode VTE, included in an institutional Thromboembolic Disease registry between 2014 and 2015. MPV values were obtained from the automated blood cell count measured at the moment of VTE diagnosis. Volumes ≥ 11 fL were classified as high. All patients were followed for 90 days to assess survival. RESULTS: The main comorbidities were cancer in 221 patients (37%), sepsis in 172 (29%) and coronary artery disease in 107 (18%). Median MPV was 8 fl (8-9), brain natriuretic peptide 2,000 pg/ml (1,025-3,900) and troponin 40 pg/ml (19.5-75). Overall mortality was 20% (121/594) during the 90 days of follow-up. Thirty three deaths occurred within 7 days and 43 within the first month. The loss of patients from follow-up was 5% (28/594) at 90 days. Mortality among patients with high MP was 36% (23/63). The crude mortality hazard ratio (HR) for high MPV was 2.2 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.4-3.5). When adjusted for sepsis, oncological disease, heart disease, kidney failure and surgery, the mortality HR of high MPV was 2.4 (CI95% 1.5-3.9) in the VTE group, 2.3 (CI95% 1.5-4.4) in the deep venous thrombosis group, and 2.9 (CI95% 1.6 -5.6) in the pulmonary embolism group. CONCLUSIONS: High MPV is an independent risk factor for mortality following an episode of VTE.

[Prevalence of pain among patients admitted to a clinical hospital]. / Prevalencia de dolor en la internación en un hospital de alta complejidad de Argentina.

BACKGROUND: Pain prevalence during hospital admission is variable, with estimates ranging from 32 to 77%. AIM: To determine pain prevalence during admission to a clinical hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients admitted to medical and surgical wards were interrogated about the presence of pain within 48 to 72 hours after admission. Subjective pain was analyzed using a scale ranging from 0 to 10. Data was analyzed separately for medical, surgical, and obstetrical patients. RESULTS: A total of 736 patients aged 18 to 94 years (416 women) were recruited. Pain prevalence at 48 hours after admission was 56% (95% confidence intervals (CI (52.7 to 60.1). Pain prevalence in medical, surgical and obstetric patients was 37% (95% CI 31.4 to 42.1), 70% (95% CI 64.5 to 75.5) and 77% (95% CI 68.6 to 84), respectively. The median pain intensities in medical, surgical, and obstetrical patients were 7 (interquartile range (IQR) 6-8), 7 (IQR 5-8) y 7 (IQR 5-8), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of pain among patients admitted to the hospital is high, especially in obstetric and surgical units.

Interstage Assessment of Remnant Liver Function in ALPPS Using Hepatobiliary Scintigraphy: Prediction of Posthepatectomy Liver Failure and Introduction of the HIBA Index.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate interstage liver function in associating liver partition and portal vein occlusion for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) using hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) and whether this may help to predict posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF). BACKGROUND: ALPPS remains controversial given the high rate of liver-related mortality after stage 2. HBS combined with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) accurately estimates future liver remnant function and may be useful to predict PHLF. METHODS: Between 2011 and 2016, 20 of 39 patients (51.3%) underwent SPECT-HBS before ALPPS stage 2 for primary (n = 3) or secondary liver tumors (n = 17) at the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires (HIBA). PHLF was defined by the International Study Group of Liver Surgery criteria, 50-50 criteria, or peak bilirubin >7 mg/dL. Grade A PHLF was excluded, as it requires no change in clinical management. Receiver-operating characteristic curves were used to determine cutoff for HBS parameters. RESULTS: Interstagely, 3 HBS parameters differed significantly between patients with (n = 4) and without PHLF (n = 16) after stage 2. Among these, the HIBA-index best predicted PHLF, with a cutoff value of 15%. The risk of PHLF in patients with cutoff <15% was 80%, whereas no patient with cutoff ≥15% developed PHLF. CONCLUSIONS: Interstage HBS could help to predict clinically significant PHLF after ALPPS stage 2. An HIBA-index cutoff of 15% seemed to give the best diagnostic performance. Although further studies are needed to confirm our findings, the routine application of this noninvasive low-cost examination could facilitate decision-making in institutions performing ALPPS.

Trends in liver transplantation for hepatitis C in a country with reduced access to direct-acting antiviral agents.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis is a leading indication for liver transplantation (LT) worldwide. Access to effective HCV treatment is inequitable globally. We aimed to analyze whether the introduction of effective HCV treatment caused an impact in LT trends in a middle-income country. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of all adult patients who were listed/received a LT in Argentina for HCV, alcohol-related liver disease (ALD), or autoimmune hepatitis/primary biliary cirrhosis (AIH/PBC) from 2007 to 2017. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to identify changes in the cumulative incidence rates in waiting list (WL) registration, WL mortality, and LT. RESULTS: Liver transplantation WL for HCV increased significantly between 2007 and 2014, with an annual percentage change (APC) +7.8%, P = .01, followed by a downward slope from 2014 to 2017 with an APC -9.8%, P = .1. There were no significant changes in WL mortality. LT trends remained stable. LT for HCV without MELD exception points for HCC decreased (APC -6.6%, P = .01), whereas LT for HCV with HCC exception points increased (APC +11.1, P = .01) during the study period. CONCLUSION: Waiting list and LT for HCV without HCC decreased, whereas LT for HCV and HCC increased; this may be related to selective antiviral treatment access for patients with advanced fibrosis.