Guía de práctica clínica para la prevención, el diagnóstico, el tratamiento y la rehabilitación de la falla cardiaca en población mayor de 18 años, clasificación B, C y D. Componente de rehabilitación cardiaca / Practice Guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of heart failure in a population greater than 18 years-old: B, C and D Classification. Cardiac rehabilitation component

Resumen Introducción: Los programas de rehabilitación cardiaca integran la realización de ejercicio supervisado con prevención secundaria y soporte sicosocial que permite mejorar la adherencia a medidas con impacto claro sobre la morbilidad y mortalidad en pacientes con falla cardiaca. Metodología: Para el desarrollo de la guía de práctica clínica basada en la evidencia se siguieron los pasos definidos en la Guía Metodológica para la Elaboración de Guías de Práctica Clínica con Evaluación Económica en el Sistema General de Seguridad Social en Salud Colombiano del Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social de Colombia. Resultados: Se establecen las recomendaciones para el desarrollo adecuado de un programa de rehabilitación cardiaca integral en pacientes con falla cardiaca, abordando aspectos de evaluación de capacidad funcional, efectividad y seguridad del ejercicio, dosificación, modalidad y rehabilitación en pacientes con dispositivos. Conclusión: La práctica de ejercicio en pacientes con falla cardíaca estable ha demostrado disminuir las hospitalizaciones, mejorar la calidad de vida y la capacidad funcional y ser seguro en aquellos a quienes se les ha implantado un dispositivo.

Abstract Introduction: Cardiac rehabilitation programs combine the performing of supervised exercise with secondary prevention and psycho-social support that helps to improve adherence to measures, with a clear impact on the morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure. Methodology: For the development of the evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, the steps followed were those defined in the Methodological Guidelines for the Preparation of Clinical Practice Guidelines with an Economic Assessment in the General Social Security System in Colombian Health by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Colombia. Results: Recommendations were established for the adequate development of an integrated cardiac rehabilitation program for patients with heart failure. The aspects approached included the assessment of functional capacity, effectivity and safety of the exercise, dosification, methodology, and rehabilitation in patients with devices. Conclusion: The practice of exercise in patients with stable heart has shown to reduce the number of hospital admissions, improve the quality of life and functional capacity. It has also shown to be safe in those that have a device implanted.

A systematic review of standard treatment guidelines in India

Background & objectives: Standard treatment guidelines (STGs) are the cornerstone to therapeutics. Multiple agencies in India develop STGs. This systematic review was conducted to find out STGs available in India, evaluate if these were as per World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for STGs and compare these with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. Information on legal authority and responsibility for formulating STGs was also sought. Methods: PRISMA guidelines were followed. Publications from PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for STGs using terms 'Standard Treatment Guidelines AND India'. Data from STGs were compiled in excel as per the WHO and authors' criteria for STGs and compared with NICE guidelines. Results: PubMed and Google Scholar search provided 56 publications (out of 1695 search results) mentioning 27 STGs. Google search and replies from authors led us 36 STGs, totalling to 63 STGs. No STG mentioned any specific period of revision, eight STGs were not evidence-based, 55 had some Indian references, 48 STGs were for single disease and the remaining multi-disease, three STGs did not include diagnostic criteria, 16 STGs did not give prescribing information of recommended treatment and 16 STGs provide no referral criteria for patients. Fifty five STGs did not mention level of health care. While NICE is a single legal authority in England and guidelines are as per WHO recommendations for STGs, in India although Acts and rules do not vest authority, National Health Systems Resource Center is generally designated responsible for STGs. Interpretation & conclusions: In India, although there are multiple STGs developed by various authorities and professionals for the same conditions, these fulfil WHO recommendations only partially. Authority with statutory duty collaborating with professional organizations, a standard methodology for adopting international guidelines, Indian data for evidence base, attention to local needs will help in developing better STGs and their acceptance.

Omalizumab and unmet needs in severe asthma and allergic comorbidities in Japanese children

Childhood asthma is one condition within a family of allergic diseases, which includes allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergy, among others. Omalizumab is an anti-IgE antibody therapy that was approved in Japan for children with asthma and added to the Japanese pediatric asthma guidelines in 2017. This review highlights the Japanese clinical perspectives in pediatric allergic asthma, and consideration for allergic comorbidities, and reflects on omalizumab clinical trials in progress to present comprehensive future opportunities.

Therapeutic guidelines for antimicrobial use in chronic suppurative otitis media for a tertiary care hospital in Sub Himalayan region

Background: The battle against micro-organisms, in their role as primary cause of the disease and infective complications of medical and surgical techniques, has not decreased in spite of modern antimicrobial therapy. Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is a disease with worldwide prevalence having potentially serious long term effects. The disease remains an important global public health problem leading to hearing impairment, and due to wide spread irrational use microbial resistance is very common to these antibiotics, thereby leading to treatment failure. Hence it is important to know the type of bacteria and their sensitivity pattern so that appropriate antibiotics may be given for treatment and prevention of complications.Methods: 428 patients of otitis media were enrolled from ENT OPD of Tertiary Care Hospital. Ear swab was taken from diagnosed cases of CSOM and culture and sensitivity were done.Results: The microbiology of the swab showed no growth in (25.4%) of samples. Staphylococcus aureus (26%) and Pseudomonas (25%) were the main organisms isolated. Staphylococcus aureus isolated was sensitive to vancomycin, clindamycin, cefixime, gentamicin and cefipime in descending order. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was sensitive to ceftazidime, imipenem, piperacillin, gentamicin, cefipime. In the present study Staph. aureus and Pseudomonas were the predominant bacteria, it is suggested to undertake a gram staining in all patients. If gram positive organisms are isolated it is suggested that presumptive treatment should be directed against Staphylococcus aureus and if gram negative then against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Such a treatment is not only likely to be effective but will also go a long way in preventing emergence of drug resistance.Conclusions: The antimicrobial therapy should be based on locally determined microbiological isolates and local sensitivity patterns to a particular antimicrobial agent. The presumptive antimicrobial therapy should therefore be directed against these organisms.

Effectiveness of Conventional Drug Therapy of Plaque Psoriasis in the Context of Consensus Guidelines: A Prospective Observational Study in 150 Patients

BACKGROUND: Evidence for superior outcome by adhering to therapy guidelines is imperative to their acceptance and adaptation for the optimal management of disease variants. OBJECTIVE: Comparative study of prospective outcomes in simultaneous consideration of independent variables in groups of 150 patients of plaque psoriasis either treated adhering to or in digression of standard guidelines. METHODS: The psoriasis area severity index (PASI) and the dermatology life quality index (DLQI), prior to and after three months of uninterrupted therapy were examined in treatment groups among 150 patients. Recovery rates of 75% or more in PASI were compared. Independent variables were also examined for their bearing on the outcome. RESULTS: The vast majority was early onset disease phenotype. All three treatment regimens when administered in adherence to the guidelines yielded significantly superior rates of defined recovery both in PASI and DLQI. Compromise of the therapeutic outcome appeared in high stress profiles, obesity, female sex and alcohol, tobacco or smoking habit. CONCLUSION: Conventional drug therapy of plaque psoriasis yields superior outcome by adhering to the consensus guidelines. Psychiatric address to stress must be integral and special considerations for phenotypic/syndromic variants is emphasized for effective therapy of psoriasis.

Optimal Time of Initiating Adjuvant Chemotherapy After Curative Surgery in Colorectal Cancer Patients

PURPOSE: Adjuvant chemotherapy is routinely recommended for locally advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). There are very few data for the optimal starting date of adjuvant chemotherapy after the surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of earlier adoption of adjuvant chemotherapy after curative surgery for stage III CRC. METHODS: In this study, 159 patients with stage III CRC, who had undergone a curative resection, were enrolled retrospectively. Patients were categorized into 3 groups representing different timings to initiate the chemotherapy; less than 2 weeks (group 1), 3 to 4 weeks (group 2), and more than 5 weeks (group 3). The overall survival rate (OS) and the relapse-free survival rate (RFS) were analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: The 5-year OSs of the patients were 73.7% in group 1, 67.0% in group 2, and 55.2% in group 3. The 5-year RFSs of the patients were 48.8% in group 1, 64.7% in group 2, and 57.1% in group 3. There were no significant differences in either the OS or the RFS (P = 0.200, P = 0.405). CONCLUSION: Starting chemotherapy earlier than 6 weeks after surgery does not show any significant difference. Thus, although adjuvant chemotherapy should preferably begin within 6 weeks, the starting date should not necessarily be hastened, and the patient's general condition should be taken into consideration.

Recomendaciones para el uso de agentes biológicos en psoriasis / Recommendations for the use of biological agents in psoriasis

La psoriasis es una enfermedad crónica que afecta al 1%-2% de la población, produce importante deterioro de la calidad de vida y puede asociarse a complicaciones metabólicas y articulares severas. Existen múltiples agentes sistémicos para el manejo de los casos moderado-severos; sin embargo, la mayoría no puede utilizarse de manera continua o prolongada y los estudios han demostrado que un alto porcentaje de pacientes está disconforme con sus tratamientos. Los agentes biológicos representan una poderosa herramienta en el tratamiento de la psoriasis; no obstante, los riesgos asociados y sus costos hacen necesario restringir su uso. Debido a estas consideraciones, diferentes sociedades dermatológicas en el mundo han desarrollado guías clínicas de consenso para el manejo de estos agentes en psoriasis. El presente artículo resume las recomendaciones de las sociedades Alemana (2007), Americana (2008), Española (2009) y Británica (2009) de Dermatología y los principales ensayos clínicos de cada uno de los agentes biológicos disponibles para el tratamiento de la psoriasis, y pretende entregar algunas directrices para la utilización de estos agentes en el medio nacional.

Psoriasis is a chronic disease that affects 1%-2% of the population, causes serious deterioration in the quality of life and may be associated with severe metabolic and joint complications. There are numerous systemic agents for the management of moderate-severe cases, however, most of them cannot be used in a continuous or prolonged way, and studies have shown a high percentage of dissatisfaction with those treatments. Biologics represent a powerful tool in the treatment of psoriasis, however, associated risks and costs make it necessary to restrict their use. Because of this, different dermatological societies around the world have developed clinical guidelines for the management of these agents in psoriasis. This article summarizes the recommendations of the German (2007), American (2008), Spanish (2009) and British (2009) Dermatology Societies, as well as the main clinical trials of biologics for the treatment of Psoriasis, and attempts to provide some guidelines for the use of these agents in our country.

Protocolo clínico e diretrizes terapêuticas para uso de hidroxiureia na doença falciforme / Clinical protocol and therapeutic guidelines for the use of hydroxyurea in sickle cell disease

Hidroxiureia (HU) constitui o avanço mais importante no tratamento de pacientes com doença falciforme (DF). Fortes evidências confirmam a eficácia da HU em pacientes adultos diminuindo os episódios de dor intensa, hospitalização, número de transfusões e síndrome torácica aguda. Embora a evidência da eficácia do tratamento com HU em crianças não seja tão forte, os recentes resultados são encorajadores. Os dados atuais em relação aos riscos a curto e longo prazos da terapia com HU em adultos são aceitáveis comparado aos riscos dos pacientes não tratados com HU. Neste artigo, apresentamos revisão detalhada sobre os principais aspectos quanto à eficácia, efetividade, toxicidade e barreiras ao uso de HU em pacientes com DF e propomos um protocolo clínico e diretrizes terapêuticas para o uso de HU em pacientes com DF.

Hydroxyurea (HU) is an important major advance in the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD). Strong evidence supports the effectiveness of HU in adults; severe painful episodes, hospitalizations, number of blood transfusions, and acute chest syndrome are reduced. Although the evidence of its effectiveness in the treatment of children is not as strong, the emerging data is encouraging. Current data on the risks of both short- and long-term HU therapy in adults are acceptable when compared to the risks of untreated SCD. In this article, we present a detailed review of the main aspects of the efficacy, effectiveness, toxicity, and barriers to the use of HU for SCD and propose a clinical protocol and therapeutic guidelines for the use of HU in patients with SCD.