Health benefit utilization and out-of-pocket expenses in outpatient care and hospitalizations: Baseline surveys of three primary care sites in the Philippines

Background@#The Philippine Primary Care Studies (PPCS) is a network of pilot studies that developed, implemented, and tested strategies to strengthen primary care in the country. These pilot studies were implemented in an urban, rural, and remote setting. The aim is to use the findings to guide the policies of the national health insurance program (PhilHealth), the main payor for individualized healthcare services in the country.@*Objective@#The objective of this report is to compare baseline outpatient benefit utilization, hospitalization, and health spending, including out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses, in three health settings (urban, rural, and remote). These findings were used to contextualize strategies to strengthen primary care in these three settings.@*Methods@#Cross-sectional surveys were carried out using an interviewer-assisted questionnaire on a random sample of families in the urban site, and a stratified random sample of households in the rural and remote sites. The questionnaire asked for out-patient and hospitalization utilization and spending, including the OOP expenses. @*Results@#A total of 787 families/households were sampled across the three sites. For outpatient benefits, utilization was low in all sites. The remote site had the lowest utilization at only 15%. Unexpectedly, the average annual OOP expenses for outpatient consults in the remote site was PhP 571.92/per capita. This is 40% higher than expenses shouldered by families in the rural area, but similar with the urban site. For hospital benefits, utilization was lowest in the remote site (55.7%) compared to 75.0% and 78.1% for the urban and rural sites, respectively. OOP expenses per year were highest in the remote site at PhP 2204.44 per capita, probably because of delay in access to healthcare and consequently more severe conditions. Surprisingly, annual expenses per year for families in the rural sites (PhP 672.03 per capita) were less than half of what families in the urban sites spent (PhP 1783.38 per capita). @*Conclusions@#Compared to families in the urban site and households in the rural sites, households in remote areas have higher disease rates and consequently, increased need for outpatient and inpatient health services. When they do get sick, access to care is more difficult. This leads to lower rates of benefit utilization and higher out-of-pocket expenses. Thus, provision of “equal” benefits can inadvertently lead to “inequitable” healthcare, pushing disadvantaged populations into a greater disadvantage. These results imply that health benefits need to be allocated according to need. Families in poorer and more remote areas may require greater subsidies.

Effectiveness and safety of ultra-low-dose spinal anesthesia versus perineal blocks in hemorroidectomy and anal fistula surgery: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background: Ultra-low-dose Spinal Anesthesia (SA) is the practice of employing minimal doses of intrathecal agents so that only the roots that supply a specific area are anesthetized. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness and safety of ultra-low-dose spinal anesthesia with that of Perineal Blocks (PB). Methods: A two-arm, parallel, double-blind randomized controlled trial comparing two anesthetic techniques (SA and PB) for hemorrhoidectomy and anal fistula surgery was performed. The primary outcomes were postoperative pain, complementation and/or conversion of anesthesia, and hemodynamic changes. Results: Fifty-nine patients were included in the final analysis. The mean pain values were similar in the first 48 h in both groups (p > 0.05). The individuals allocated to the SA group did not need anesthetic complementation; however, those in the PB group required it considerably (SA group, 0% vs. PB group, 25%; p = 0.005). Hemodynamic changes were more pronounced after PB: during all surgical times, the PB group showed lower MAP values and higher HR values (p < 0.05). Postoperative urinary retention rates were similar between both groups (SA group 0% vs. PB group 3.1%, p = 0.354). Conclusion: SA and PB are similarly effective in pain control during the first 48 h after hemorrhoidec-tomy and anal fistula surgery. Although surgical time was shorter among patients in the PB group, the SA technique may be preferable as it avoids the need for additional anesthesia. Furthermore, the group that received perineal blocks was under sedation with a considerable dose of propofol.

Use of complementary and alternative medicines in ENT outpatient department of tertiary care hospital in Southern Rajasthan

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is highly gaining popularity along with main treatment streams these days. Physicians cannot ignore this fact and should question and counsel patients about pros and cons of CAM for cure of different ailments. Aim and Objectives: The objective of the study was to know about use of CAM among patients visiting Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) outpatient department (OPD) in tertiary care hospital of Southern Rajasthan. Materials and Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in ENT OPD for 2 months. Two hundred and fifty patients were considered for the study. Semi-structured questionnaire was prepared and made to be filled by the patients during their visit to ENT OPD after taking informed consent. Various questions were asked like extent of use of alternative therapies, type of CAM used by the patients, patient’s knowledge about ADRs and drug interactions, reasons for which alternative medicine might have been used. Results: Among 250 patients, CAMs were used by 36 patients. The most common CAMs were either Ayurveda or Homoeopathy medicines or both. The majority of patients obtained their information from family and friends. Maximum patients used these alternative medicines for relief of cough and hoarseness of voice. Conclusion: The study throws light on use of alternative drug therapy and streams of medicine along with routine hospital treatment among patients visiting ENT OPD. This knowledge helps to understand about patients’ alternative approach to diseases, about self-medication, patient’s belief about different types of therapies and also ignorance of possible health hazards, side effects, and complications due to use of concomitant main and alternative medicines for treatment purposes.

Consultas de demanda espontánea sobre trastornos del desarrollo en el Hospital Garrahan / Spontaneous consultations for developmental disorders at Garrahan Hospital

Introducción: Los trastornos del desarrollo (TD) constituyen un motivo de consulta muy frecuente en la práctica pediátrica. El Hospital Garrahan recibe por demanda espontánea al servicio de Mediano Riesgo (MR) consultas de cuidadores con preocupaciones sobre el desarrollo de los niños, niñas y adolescentes (NNyA). Allí son valorados por pediatras clínicos, quienes realizan la interconsulta al servicio de Clínicas Interdisciplinarias del Neurodesarrollo (CIND) según necesidad (representan el 10% del total de consultas en MR). El objetivo del trabajo es comparar las características de los pacientes de MR que fueron consultados al área de Maduración de CIND durante el bimestre marzo/abril de 2016, 2021 y 2022. Materiales y métodos: estudio retrospectivo, observacional y comparativo. Se revisaron las historias clínicas analizando las siguientes variables: edad, procedencia, contar con pediatra de cabecera, cobertura de salud, motivo de consulta y sospecha diagnóstica. Resultados: La cantidad de consultas aumentó por encima del 20%, con un descenso en la mediana de edad de alrededor de un año. Aproximadamente el 70% de los pacientes procedían del conurbano en los tres períodos. Observamos un descenso respecto al número de NNyA con seguimiento pediátrico y cobertura social. El lenguaje y la conducta fueron los motivos más frecuentes de consulta y la mayor sospecha diagnóstica fue el Trastorno del Espectro Autista (TEA). Conclusiones: Los datos observados pueden relacionarse con el impacto de la pandemia así como también con las condiciones socio-económicas de los últimos cinco años, con un mayor conocimiento acerca del desarrollo y un probable aumento de la prevalencia de los TD (AU)

Introduction: Developmental disorders (DD) are a frequent reason for consultation in pediatric practice. The Garrahan Hospital receives spontaneous consultations at the department of Intermediate Risk (IR) from caregivers with concerns about the development of children and adolescents. At the IR department, children and adolescents are evaluated by clinical pediatricians, who consult with specialists at the Interdisciplinary Neurodevelopmental Clinic (INDC) as needed (accounting for 10% of the total number of consultations at the IR department). The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics of IR patients who were consulted at the INDC during the bimonthly period March/April 2016, 2021, and 2022. Materials and methods: a retrospective, observational, and comparative study was conducted. Medical records were reviewed analyzing the following variables: age, provenance, having a primary care pediatrician, healthcare insurance, reason for consultation, and diagnostic suspicion. Results: The number of consultations increased by over 20%, with a decrease in median age of around one year. Approximately 70% of the patients came from Greater Buenos Aires in the three periods. A decrease in the number of children and adolescents with pediatric follow-up and a social health insurance was observed. Language and behavior disorders were the most frequent reasons for consultation and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was most often suspected. Conclusions: The observed data may be related to the impact of the pandemic as well as socio-economic conditions over the last five years, together with increased knowledge about development and a probable increase in the prevalence of ASD (AU)

Prevalencia de diabetes, características epidemiológicas y complicaciones vasculares / Prevalence of diabetes, epidemiological characteristics and vascular complications

Resumen Objetivo: Estimar la prevalencia de diabetes en atención ambulatoria y describir sus características epidemiológicas, comorbilidades y complicaciones vasculares relacionadas. Método: Corte transversal que incluyó la totalidad de adultos afiliados a la prepaga del Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires en marzo de 2019, Argentina. Resultados: La prevalencia global de diabetes resultó del 8.5% con intervalo de confianza del 95% (IC95%): 8.3-8.6 (12,832 de un total de 150,725 afiliados). El estrato etario con mayor prevalencia fue el grupo entre 65 y 80 años, con un 15.7% (IC95%: 15.3-16.1). Las personas con diabetes presentaban una media de edad de 70 años (desviación estándar: 14), el 52% eran mujeres, y los factores de riesgo cardiovasculares más frecuentemente asociados fueron: dislipidemia (88%), hipertensión arterial (74%) y obesidad (55%). En relación con el control metabólico, el 60% tenía al menos una hemoglobina glucosilada medida en el último año, siendo el 70% de estas menores al 7%. Casi el 80% tiene medido el colesterol vinculado a lipoproteínas de baja densidad (c-LDL) al menos una vez en los últimos dos años, de ellos el 55% presentaba un valor de c-LDL igual o menor a 100 mg/dl. Las complicaciones macrovasculares presentes en orden de frecuencia fueron: infarto agudo de miocardio (11%), accidente cerebrovascular (8%) y enfermedad vascular periférica (4%); mientras que las complicaciones microvasculares resultaron ser neuropatía diabética (4%) y retinopatía (2%). El 7% tuvo pie diabético, con menos del 1% de amputaciones. Conclusiones: La diabetes representa un problema prevalente, incluso en pacientes ancianos. Esta población sigue presentando un elevado riesgo cardiovascular, con escaso cumplimiento de objetivos terapéuticos.

Abstract Objective: To estimate prevalence of diabetes in outpatient care and to describe its epidemiological characteristics, comorbidities, and related vascular complications. Methods: Observational cross-sectional study which included all adults affiliated from a private insurance health plan on March 2019, at Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, from Argentina. Results: The global prevalence of diabetes resulted in 8.5% with 95% CI 8.3-8.6 (12,832 out of a total of 150,725 affiliates). The age stratum with the highest prevalence was the group between 65 and 80 years old with 15.7% (95% CI 15.3-16.1). People with diabetes had a mean age of 70 years (SD 14), 52% were women, and the most frequently associated cardiovascular risk factors were: dyslipidaemia (88%), arterial hypertension (74%) and obesity (55%). In relation to metabolic control, 60% had at least one glycosylated hemoglobin measured in the last year, 70% of which were less than 7%. Almost 80% have LDL measured at least once in the last 2 years, 55% of them had an LDL value equal to or less than 100 mg/dl. The macrovascular complications present in order of frequency were: acute myocardial infarction (11%), cerebrovascular accident (8%) and peripheral vascular disease (4%); while the microvascular complications were found to be diabetic neuropathy (4%) and retinopathy (2%). 7% had diabetic foot, with less than 1% amputations. Conclusion: Diabetes represents a prevalent problem, even in elderly patients. This population continues to present a high cardiovascular risk, with little compliance with therapeutic goals.

Estudo transversal sobre ausências de pacientes em consultas médicas agendadas em ambulatórios de hospital terciário / Cross-sectional Study On Patient Absences In Medical Consultations Scheduled In Outpatient Clinics Of Tertiary Hospital / Estudio Transversal Sobre Ausencias de Pacientes Em Citas Médicas Programadas Em Pacientes Ambulatorios de Hospitales Terciarios

Objetivo: Analisar variáveis relacionadas ao agendamento de consultas ambulatoriais que não se realizaram pela ausência dos pacientes. Métodos: Estudo transversal produzido em hospital público terciário de referência para o Sistema Único de Saúde. Foram sorteados aleatoriamente 493 pacientes, e a amostra final totalizou 317 pacientes que faltaram a consultas médicas. Variáveis investigadas: recebimento de mensagens via celular informando a data da consulta, intervalo entre a data do agendamento e da consulta e a realização de reagendamento. Os dados foram oriundos de relatórios informatizados de faltosos a consultas agendadas e entrevistas telefônicas. Análises estatísticas realizadas no programa SAS® for Windows, versão 9.3. Resultados: 49.8% dos pacientes informaram não terem recebido mensagem lembrando sobre a data da consulta. O tempo entre o agendamento e a data da consulta ficou entre 180 e 365 dias para 36,6% dos pacientes. Reagendaram a consulta 24,6% dos pacientes. Conclusão: É necessário ampliar procedimentos para prevenção de faltas às consultas, independentemente do tempo entre o agendamento e a consulta. (AU)

Objective: To analyze variables related to the scheduling of outpatient appointments that did not take place due to patient no-show. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary public referral hospital providing services to the Brazilian Unified Health System. A total of 493 patients were randomly selected, and the final sample totaled 317 no-show patients. Variables investigated: receipt of messages via cell phones informing the appointment date, interval between the scheduling date and the appointment date, and rescheduling. Data were obtained from computerized reports regarding absenteeism from scheduled appointments and telephone interviews. Statistical analyses were performed using the SAS® for Windows software, version 9.3. Results: 49.8% of patients reported not having received a message reminding them of the appointment dates. The interval between scheduling and the appointment dates was from 180 to 365 days for 36.6% of patients. A total of 24.6% of patients rescheduled their appointments. Conclusion: It is necessary to expand procedures to prevent missed appointments regardless of the time between scheduling and the appointment. (AU)

Objetivo: Analizar variables relacionadas con la programación de consultas externas que no se realizaron por ausencia del paciente. Métodos: Estudio transversal realizado en un hospital público terciario de referencia del Sistema Único de Salud. Se seleccionó aleatoriamente a 493 pacientes y la muestra final fue de 317 pacientes que faltaron a las citas médicas. Variables investigadas: recepción de mensajes vía celular informando la fecha de la cita, intervalo entre la cita y la fecha de la cita y reprogramación. Los datos provienen de informes computarizados de ausencias n citas programadas y entrevistas telefónicas. Análisis estadísticos realizados en SAS® para Windows versión 9.3. Resultados: En el 49.8% de los pacientes informaron no haber recibido un mensaje recordando la fecha de la cita. Conclusión: Es necesario ampliar los procedimientos para evitar citas perdidas independientemente del tiempo entre citas y citas. (AU)

Establishment and evaluation of “integration of drug storage and dispensing”intelligent drug validity management system in outpatient pharmacy / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To build an “integration of drug storage and dispensing” intelligent drug validity management system in outpatient pharmacy， and to evaluate the effect of this system. METHODS The information technology was used to connect the drug information in the primary storage， the intelligent secondary storage and the rapid dispensing machine； an “integration of drug storage and dispensing” intelligent drug validity management system was constructed. At the same time， the implementation effects of drug validity management system in outpatient pharmacy of our hospital were evaluated one year before and after the construction of the system. RESULTS By using information technology， intelligent closed-loop management of batch number and expiration date information throughout the entire process of drug circulation in outpatient pharmacy of our hospital had been achieved， making it easy to track and trace drug information. After the establishment of the intelligent system， the time spent on managing drug validity every month was reduced from 103 people·h to 8 people·h； the number of near-expired drugs per month had decreased from （30.67±1.10）types to （17.67±1.17）types（P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS The intelligent drug validity management system in outpatient pharmacy based on the mode of “integration of drug storage and dispensing” makes the drug validity management in the outpatient pharmacy more scientific， reasonable and efficient.

Effect of clinical pharmaceutical care on our outpatient service of Traditional Chinese Medicine pharmacy / 药学实践杂志

Objective To explore the role of clinical pharmaceutical care in outpatient service of traditional Chinese medicine. Methods Two hundred patients who were not taking medicines for the first time (had received routine medication explanations) and had made an appointment for the next outpatient TCM service were randomly selected for questionnaire survey during July to October, 2021. After the intervention of clinical pharmacy care, the questionnaire survey was conducted again, and the results of the questionnaire survey of patients before and after the clinical pharmacy care were compared. Results After clinical pharmacy intervention, the scores of eight questions in the questionnaire were significantly improved (except for the awareness of taking drugs, P values of the other seven items were all <0.05). Conclusion The development of TCM clinical pharmaceutical care could effectively improve patients' safety awareness of medication safety. The patients' awareness of the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine and medication compliance had also been significantly improved. The awareness of pharmacists role in patients was enhanced. The outpatient pharmaceutical care of Traditional Chinese Medicine was effectively improved, which is important to rational drug use.

Factors Related to the Content of Consultation in the Cancer Nursing Outpatient Department of a Designated Cancer Care Hospital

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to clarify the factors related to the content of consultation in the cancer nursing outpatient department of Gunma University Hospital. Method: A retrospective survey was conducted with 1084 cases, excluding the unknown cases, from 1308 consultations in FY2019. Survey items included age, gender, consulter, number of uses, treatment status, consultation content, etc. We conducted χ2 tests, and binomial logistic regression analysis between the content of the consultation and the attributes of the user. Results: The treatment-related content was associated with the following factors: 70s or older, family/relatives only, presence of recurrence/metastasis, first use, pre-treatment, urinary organs, uterine/ovary, and unknown primary. The body-related content was associated with the following factors: under treatment, post-treatment, no recurrence/metastasis, and digestive organs. The mental health-related content was associated with 30s or younger, 40s–60s, patient only, and second time or more. The social aspects-related content was associated with the following factors: patient only, family/relatives only, no recurrence/metastasis, and breast. Conclusion: The results reveal that associated factors differ by consultation content. These findings can be used to prepare for consultation based on the relevant associated factors.

Survey on the current situation and influencing factors of humanistic care ability of outpatient and emergency nurses in tertiary Grade A hospitals in Zhengzhou City / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective: To investigate the humanistic care consciousness and ability of outpatient and emergency nurses in tertiary Grade A hospitals in Zhengzhou City. Methods: In June 2021, a total of 345 outpatient and emergency nurses from 6 tertiary Grade A hospitals in Zhengzhou City were selected as the survey objects by random number table method. The humanistic care ability of outpatient and emergency nurses was investigated. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the related factors influencing the humanistic care ability of outpatient and emergency nurses. Results: The total score of humanistic care ability of outpatient and emergency nurses in Zhengzhou tertiary Grade A hospital was (194.18±30.53). The scores of humanistic care ability of outpatient and emergency nurses with different gender, age, educational background, professional title, length of service, night shift frequency, marital status, children's status, employment patterns and average monthly household income were significantly different (P<0.05). Regression analysis showed that education background, length of service, professional title and night shift frequency were independent influencing factors for outpatient and emergency nurses' humanistic care ability (β=0.243, 0.139, 0.163, -0.126, P<0.05) . Conclusion: At present, the humanistic care ability of outpatient and emergency nurses in tertiary Grade A hospitals in Zhengzhou City is still low. Education, length of service, professional title and night shift frequency are independent influencing factors affecting the humanistic care ability of nurses.

10. LGBTQ-friendly Healthcare Provider / 医学教育

In October 2020, we started the "Marutto Inclusive Hospital Implementation Project" with volunteers. The purpose of the project is to create a medical institution where "everyone can feel at ease." Currently, the main activity of the project is to make visible what medical institutions can do as SOGI-conscious healthcare providers. This paper describes the contents of the "Implementation Support Tool," a resource to support such efforts, the results of its use, and specific actions. We hope that this report will serve as a catalyst for healthcare professionals working in busy clinical settings to begin SOGI-conscious initiatives, and to make their medical institutions LGBTQs-friendly and safe.

Correlation between atmospheric nitrogen oxides and nitrogen dioxide acute exposure and outpatient visits of pediatric respiratory diseases / 预防医学

Objective @#To examine the association between acute exposure to traffic-related air pollutants (TRAP) NOX and NO2 and outpatient visits of pediatric respiratory diseases. @*Methods @#Data regarding outpatient visits to Department of Respiratory Diseases of Beijing Children's Hospital from 2015 to 2020 were collected, and the concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NOX), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and other TRAP were collected from the surveillance sites assigned by the Peking University Health Science Center. A time-stratified case-crossover design was employed, and a conditional logistic regression model was created to examine the association between NOX and NO2 acute exposure and outpatient visits of pediatric respiratory diseases. @*Results @#The daily mean outpatient visits of pediatric respiratory diseases were 571 (interquartile range, 554) person-times among children at ages of 0 to 14 years in Beijing Children's Hospital from 2015 to 2020, and the daily mean outpatient visits for upper respiratory tract infections (URI), bronchitis, and pneumonia were 265 (interquartile range, 282), 143 (interquartile range, 178) and 128 (interquartile range, 120) person-times, respectively. The daily mean concentrations of atmospheric NOX and NO2 were 67.8 (interquartile range, 50.7) and 49.3 (interquartile range, 30.7) μg/m3, respectively. Conditional logistic regression analysis showed the largest lagged effect of NOX and NO2 on pediatric respiratory diseases at cumulative lags of 0 to 7 days. An increase in NOX concentrations by an interquartile range resulted in the excess risks of URI, bronchitis and pneumonia by 6.87% (95%CI: 6.37%-7.38%), 7.25% (95%CI: 6.51%-7.99%), and 5.51% (95%CI: 4.69%-6.33%), and an increase in NO2 concentrations by an interquartile range resulted in excess risks of URI, bronchitis and pneumonia by 5.71% (95%CI: 5.12%-6.31%), 5.32% (95%CI: 4.51%-6.14%), and 4.83% (95%CI: 3.91%-5.75%), respectively. NOX and NO2 presented a more remarkable effect on outpatient visits of pediatric respiratory diseases among children at ages of over 5 years. @*Conclusion @#NOx and NO2 acute exposure may increase the outpatient visits of pediatric respiratory diseases.

Effects of intensive pharmaceutical intervention led by clinical pharmacists on the risk of ischemic stroke in hypertensive patients / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To explore the effects of intensive pharmaceutical intervention led by clinical pharmacists on hypertension patients with medium and high risk of ischemic stroke. METHODS The hypertension outpatients with medium and high risk of ischemic stroke， who were assessed by the modified Framingham stroke scale in Zhengzhou People’s Hospital from Oct. 2019 to Apr. 2020， were randomly divided into control group and intervention group， with 200 cases in each group. Patients in the control group received conventional treatment without pharmaceutical intervention； on the basis of conventional treatment， patients in the intervention group received 12-month intensive pharmaceutical intervention （grading management of compliance+ regular follow-up， involving medication education and guidance， blood glucose， blood pressure， blood lipid management and healthy life guidance） provided by clinical pharmacists. The blood glucose indexes， blood lipid indexes， blood pressure compliance rate， medication compliance， 10-year stroke risk and stroke incidence were compared between two groups at baseline and 12 months after enrollment. RESULTS After 12 months of enrollment， the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） in intervention group was significantly lower than that in the same group at baseline， and the levels of fasting blood glucose， glycosylated hemoglobin， total cholesterol and LDL-C in intervention group were significantly lower than those in control group at the same time points （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. The compliance rate of blood pressure and medication compliance in intervention group were significantly higher or better than those in control group （P＜0.01）. There were 12 and 15 patients in control group and intervention group turned into low-risk ones respectively， and the proportion of high-risk patients in intervention group was significantly lower than that in control group（P＜0.01）， while the proportion of medium-risk patients was significantly higher than that in control group（P＜0.05）； the incidence of stroke in intervention group was significantly lower than that in control group （1.0% vs. 4.5%， P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS The pharmaceutical intensive intervention led by clinical pharmacists can reduce blood glucose and blood lipid levels of hypertensive outpatients， improve their blood pressure compliance rate and medication compliance， and help reduce the risk of stroke.

Comparison of efficacy，safety and economics of bid-winning and original Moxifloxacin hydrochloride tablets in the treatment of outpatient community-acquired pneumonia / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy， safety and economics of bid-winning and original Moxifloxacin hydrochloride tablets in the treatment of outpatient community-acquired pneumonia （CAP）. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted to screen and include CAP outpatients during the period of January to December 2021 in Lianyungang First People’s Hospital. They were divided into generic drug group （1 058 cases） and bid-winning drug group （1 121 cases） according to the drug source. Two groups were respectively given original and bid-winning Moxifloxacin hydrochloride tablets， 0.4 g each time， once a day. The efficacy indexes （clinical effective rate， remission time， treatment course， revisiting rate） and safety indexes （allergy， nervous system symptoms， etc.） were compared between the two groups； and the influence factors of clinical treatment failure were analyzed with multi-factor modified Poisson regression model. The economic indicators of the two drugs [quantity， consumption sum， defined daily doses （DDDs）， defined daily dose cost （DDDc）， price ratio， replacement rate] were compared. RESULTS There were no significant differences in the clinical effective rate， treatment course， revisiting rate， the incidence of nervous system symptoms and Q-T interval prolongation between the two groups （P＞0.05）. The remission time of original drug group was significantly shorter than that of bid-winning drug group， and the incidence of total adverse drug reaction， allergy reaction， gastrointestinal symptom reaction and hyperglycemia were significantly lower than those in bid-winning drug group（P＜0.05）. Multivariate Poisson regression analysis showed that bid-winning drug did not increase the risk of clinical treatment failure in CAP outpatients [RR＝1.132， 95%CI （0.883， 1.542）， P＝0.327]. However， antibiotic exposure history， more than 2 items of abnormal clinical manifestations and auxiliary examination all increased the risk of clinical treatment failure （P＜0.05）. Compared with before the implementation of centralized volume-based procurement policy， the quantity and DDDs of Moxifloxacin hydrochloride tablets increased significantly， while the consumption sum decreased significantly， DDDc of bid-winning drug decreased significantly， the price ratio of it to original drug decreased to 0.117， and the replacement rate increased to 69.44% after the implementation of centralized volume- based procurement policy. CONCLUSIONS Compared with original drug， bid-winning Moxifloxacin hydrochloride tablet shows reliable efficacy and obvious price advantage in the treatment of outpatient CAP， but the incidence of adverse drug reactions is higher.

Association between airborne particulate matter（PM 2.5） concentration and the incidence of allergic rhinitis in Shanghai / 临床耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective:To explore the impact of PM 2.5 concentration in Shanghai on the incidence of allergic rhinitis（AR） in the population, and provide strategies for early warning and prevention of AR. Methods:Collect daily average concentrations of atmospheric pollutants monitored in Shanghai from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019, and clinical data of AR patients from five hospitals in Shanghai during the same period. We used a time-series analysis additive Poisson regression model to analyze the correlation between PM 2.5 levels and outpatient attendance for AR patients. Results:During the study period, a total of 56 500 AR patients were included, and the daily average concentration of PM 2.5 was（35.28±23.07）μg/m³. There is a correlation between the concentration of PM 2.5 and the number of outpatient attendance for AR cases. There is a positive correlation between the daily average number of outpatient for AR and levels of PM 2.5 air pollution（（P<0.05）） . We found that every 10 μg/m³ increase in PM 2.5, the impact of on the number of AR visits was statistically significant on the same day, the first day behind, and the second day behind, with the strongest impact being the exposure on the same day. Every 10 μg/m³ increases in PM 2.5, the number of outpatient visits increased by 0.526% on the same day（95%CI 1.000 50-1.010 04）. Conclusion:The atmospheric PM 2.5 concentration in Shanghai is positively correlated with the number of outpatient for AR, and PM 2.5 exposure is an independent factor in the onset of AR. This provides an important theoretical basis for AR.

Mode establishment and preliminary clinical application of anterior cervical surgery in outpatient setting / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To establish the mode of anterior cervical surgery in outpatient setting, and evaluate its preliminary effectiveness.@*METHODS@#A clinical data of patients who underwent anterior cervical surgery between January 2022 and September 2022 and met the selection criteria was retrospectively analyzed. The surgeries were performed in outpatient setting ( n=35, outpatient setting group) or in inpatient setting ( n=35, inpatient setting group). There was no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05) in age, gender, body mass index, smoking, history of alcohol drinking, disease type, the number of surgical levels, operation mode, as well as preoperative Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, visual analogue scale score of neck pain (VAS-neck), and visual analogue scale score of upper limb pain (VAS-arm). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, total hospital stay, postoperative hospital stay, and hospital expenses of the two groups were recorded; JOA score, VAS-neck score, and VAS-arm score were recorded before and immediately after operation, and the differences of the above indexes between pre- and post-operation were calculated. Before discharge, the patient was asked to score satisfaction with a score of 1-10.@*RESULTS@#The total hospital stay, postoperative hospital stay, and hospital expenses were significantly lower in the outpatient setting group than in the inpatient setting group ( P<0.05). The satisfaction of patients was significantly higher in the outpatient setting group than in the inpatient setting group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in operation time and intraoperative blood loss ( P>0.05). The JOA score, VAS-neck score, and VAS-arm score of the two groups significantly improved at immediate after operation when compared with those before operation ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the improvement of the above scores between the two groups ( P>0.05). The patients were followed up (6.67±1.04) months in the outpatient setting group and (5.95±1.90) months in the inpatient setting group, with no significant difference ( t=0.089, P=0.929). No surgical complications, such as delayed hematoma, delayed infection, delayed neurological damage, and esophageal fistula, occurred in the two groups.@*CONCLUSION@#The safety and efficiency of anterior cervical surgery performed in outpatient setting were comparable to that performed in inpatient setting. Outpatient surgery mode can significantly shorten the postoperative hospital stay, reduce hospital expenses, and improve the patients' medical experience. The key points of the outpatient mode of anterior cervical surgery are minimizing damage, complete hemostasis, no drainage placement, and fine perioperative management.

Rivaroxabana em Pacientes Ambulatoriais com COVID-19 Leve ou Moderada: Fundamentação e Desenho do Estudo CARE (CARE - Coalition COVID-19 Brazil VIII) / Rivaroxaban in Outpatients with Mild or Moderate COVID-19: Rationale and Design of the Study CARE (CARE - Coalition COVID-19 Brazil VIII)

Resumo Fundamento Estudos anteriores revelaram alto risco de eventos tromboembólicos arteriais e venosos como consequência de danos virais diretos do SARS-CoV-2 em células endoteliais e um meio procoagulante devido ao aumento de biomarcadores como o D-dímero, fibrinogênio, fator VIII. Foram realizados ensaios controlados randomizados de terapias antitrombóticas em pacientes internados, no entanto, poucos estudos avaliaram o papel da tromboprofilaxia no ambiente ambulatorial. Objetivo Avaliar se a profilaxia antitrombótica com rivaroxabana reduz o risco de eventos trombóticos venosos ou arteriais, suporte ventilatório invasivo e morte em pacientes ambulatoriais com COVID-19. Métodos O estudo CARE é um ensaio randomizado, aberto, multicêntrico e controlado por rivaroxabana 10 mg uma vez por dia durante 14 dias ou tratamento local padrão isolado, para a prevenção de resultados adversos, registrado no Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04757857). Os critérios de inclusão são adultos com infecção confirmada ou suspeita do SARS-CoV-2, com sintomas leves ou moderados, sem indicação de hospitalização, no prazo de 7 dias após o início dos sintomas e um fator de risco de complicação da COVID-19 (>65 anos, hipertensão, diabetes, asma, doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica ou outras doenças pulmonares crônicas, tabagismo, imunossupressão ou obesidade). O desfecho primário composto inclui tromboembolismo venoso, necessidade de ventilação mecânica invasiva, eventos cardiovasculares agudos maiores e mortalidade no prazo de 30 dias após a randomização, sendo avaliado segundo o princípio da intenção de tratar. Todos os pacientes assinaram termo de consentimento. Foi estabelecido um nível de significância de 5% para todos os testes estatísticos. Resultados Os principais desfechos trombóticos e hemorrágicos, hospitalizações e mortes serão avaliados centralmente por um comitê de eventos clínicos independente, sob a condição cega para a alocação dos grupos de tratamento. Conclusão O estudo CARE fornecerá informação relevante e contemporânea sobre o possível papel da tromboprofilaxia em pacientes ambulatoriais com COVID-19.

Abstract Background Previous studies have demonstrated a high risk of arterial and venous thromboembolic events as a consequence of direct viral damage to endothelial cells by SARS-CoV-2 and a procoagulant milieu due to increased biomarkers, such as D-dimer, fibrinogen, and factor VIII. Although randomized controlled trials of antithrombotic therapies have been conducted in hospitalized patients, few have evaluated the role of thromboprophylaxis in an outpatient setting. Objective To assess whether antithrombotic prophylaxis with rivaroxaban reduces the risk of venous or arterial thrombotic events, invasive ventilatory support, and death in COVID-19 outpatients. Methods The COVID Antithrombotic Rivaroxaban Evaluation (CARE) study, a multicenter, randomized, open-label, controlled trial of rivaroxaban 10 mg once daily for 14 days or local standard treatment alone to prevent adverse outcomes, is registered in clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04757857). The inclusion criteria are adults with confirmed or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection and mild or moderate symptoms without indication for hospitalization, within 7 days of symptom onset, and 1 risk factor for COVID-19 complication (> 65 years, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other chronic lung diseases, smoking, immunosuppression, or obesity). The primary composite endpoint, which includes venous thromboembolism, invasive mechanical ventilation, major acute cardiovascular events, and mortality within 30 days of randomization, will be assessed according to the intention-to-treat principle. All patients will provide informed consent. A significance level of 5% will be used for all statistical tests. Results Major thrombotic and bleeding outcomes, hospitalizations, and deaths will be centrally adjudicated by an independent clinical events committee blinded to the assigned treatment groups. Conclusion The CARE study will provide relevant and contemporary information about the potential role of thromboprophylaxis in outpatients with COVID-19.

Prevalência das Dermatoses Atendidas no Mutirão Dermatológico de um Ambulatório Universitário / Prevalence of Dermatoses Treated in the Dermatological Task Force of a University Outpatient Clinic

As dermatoses referem-se às patologias que acometem a pele e seus anexos, sendo, muitas delas, manifestações iniciais de distúrbios subjacentes. O exame dermatológico indica diversas alterações e lesões cutâneas, possibilitando melhor acurácia diagnóstica dentro da variedade de doenças que acometem a pele. As afecções na dermatologia impactam na qualidade de vida do paciente, elevando riscos para transtornos psicossociais e depressão. Porém, existe negligência nas políticas públicas de saúde relacionadas a essas patologias, devido à subestimação das suas taxas de morbimortalidade e letalidade. O objetivo desse estudo se baseia no levantamento de dados estatísticos a respeito das principais afecções dermatológicas. É um estudo transversal prospectivo, cujos dados foram coletados, por meio de anamnese e exame físico, no ambulatório do Centro Universitário São Camilo (PROMOVE), em novembro/2021, em São Paulo. Foram atendidos 92 pacientes, sendo o CID primário L70 ("acne vulgar") o mais prevalente, seguido pelos CIDs L81 ("outros transtornos de pigmentação"), D21 ("neoplasias benignas do tecido conjuntivo e de tecidos moles") e L20 ("dermatite atópica"), respectivamente. Com base na distribuição das doenças dermatológicas por idade, os DALYs (Disability Adjusted Life Years) atingem o pico entre 10 e 20 anos, devido à acne. Isto explica o fato da ser uma doença de grande impacto psicológico, principalmente nesta faixa etária. Dessa maneira, essas informações podem auxiliar no alinhamento de políticas de prevenção; conscientização do médico generalista acerca das principais dermatopatologias, incentivando o início de tratamentos para doenças como acne e dermatite atópica; diagnósticos precoces e consequente melhora da qualidade de vida.

Dermatoses refer to pathologies that affect the skin and its appendages, many of which are initial manifestations of underlying disorders. Dermatological examination indicates various skin changes and lesions, enabling better diagnostic accuracy within the variety of diseases that affect the skin. Conditions in dermatology impact the patient's quality of life, increasing risks for psychosocial disorders and depression. However, there is negligence in public health policies related to these pathologies, due to the underestimation of their morbidity, mortality and lethality rates. The goal of this study is based on the collection of statistical data regarding the main dermatological conditions. It is a prospective cross-sectional study, whose data were collected, through anamnesis and physical examination, at the outpatient clinic of São Camilo University Center (PROMOVE), in November/2021, in São Paulo. 92 patients were treated, with primary ICD L70 ("acne vulgaris") being the most prevalent, followed by ICDs L81 ("other pigmentation disorders"), D21 ("benign neoplasms of connective tissue and soft tissue") and L20 ("atopic dermatitis"), respectively. Based on the distribution of dermatological diseases by age, DALYs (Disability Adjusted Life Years) peak between 10 and 20 years old, due to acne. This explains the fact that it is a disease with a great psychological impact, especially in this age group. In this way, this information can help align prevention policies; general practitioner awareness of the main dermatopathologies, encouraging the initiation of treatments for diseases such as acne and atopic dermatitis; early diagnoses and consequent improvement in quality of life.

Predictive Factors of Tolerance in Office Hysteroscopy - a 3-Year Analysis from a Tertiary Center

Abstract Objective Pain is the primary limitation to performing hysteroscopy. We aimed to evaluate the predictive factors of low tolerance to office hysteroscopic procedures. Methods Retrospective cohort study of the patients who underwent office hysteroscopy from January 2018 to December 2020 at a tertiary care center. Pain tolerance to office-based hysteroscopy was subjectively assessed by the operator as terrible, poor, moderate, good, or excellent. Categorical variables were compared with the use of the Chi-squared test; an independent-samples t-test was conducted to compare continuous variables. Logistic regression was performed to determine the main factors associated with low procedure tolerance. Results A total of 1,418 office hysteroscopies were performed. The mean age of the patients was 53 ± 13.8 years; 50.8% of women were menopausal, 17.8% were nulliparous, and 68.7% had a previous vaginal delivery. A total of 42.6% of women were submitted to an operative hysteroscopy. Tolerance was categorized as terrible or poor in 14.9% of hysteroscopies and moderate, good, or excellent in 85.1%. A terrible or poor tolerance was more frequently reported in menopausal women (18.1% vs. 11.7% in premenopausal women, p = 0.001) and women with no previous vaginal delivery (18.8% vs. 12.9% in women with at least one vaginal birth, p = 0.007). Low tolerance led more often to scheduling a second hysteroscopic procedure under anesthesia (56.4% vs. 17.5% in reasonable-to-excellent tolerance, p < 0.0005). Conclusion Office hysteroscopy was a well-tolerated procedure in our experience, but menopause and lack of previous vaginal delivery were associated with low tolerance. These patients are more likely to benefit from pain relief measures during office hysteroscopy.