Visit of minors in an intensive care unit. What is the opinion of health staff? / Visita de los menores de edad en una unidad de cuidados intensivos. ¿Qué opina el personal sanitario?

AIM: To determine the opinion of healthcare staff (HS) on the presence of minors in an adult intensive care unit. METHOD: Transversal descriptive research study in an adult intensive care unit with 62 people, between September/December 2017. The Knutsson questionnaire was used with 10 closed questions with space for comments, and 2 open questions. Selection of the respondents was by means of convenience sampling. Descriptive statistics with absolute frequencies and percentages. Chi-squared-test or Fisher. Significance p<.05. RESULTS: 61 questionnaires were collected: 70.5% nursing staff (NS). Fifty percent of medical staff (MS) would restrict the entry of 0 to 6-year old minors versus 76.2% NS (p=.04). Of the MS, 16.7% would restrict the visits of minors between the ages of 7 and 12 versus 46.5% NS (p=.02). Seventy-five percent of HS thought that minors' access could entail a risk of infection for the children. Of the survey respondents, 60% believed that the environment could intimidate the minor, and 66.7% thought that the patient's condition could affect the child. They would permit 0-6-year-old minors to access the ICU if the patient was dying (70.6% MS/41% NS, p=.04), awake and alert (77.8% MS/57.5% NE) and close relatives (parents) (66.7% MS/60% NS). CONCLUSIONS: HS support minors visiting an adult adult intensive care unit if they are>6 years old. HS show a more positive attitude towards visits in special circumstances such as close relatives, awake patient, and death regardless of their age. The reasons for restriction of visits are: environment, patient's condition and risk of infection. NS show a less positive attitude in relation to visits.

Analysis of a nurses' knowledge survey on the use of physical restraint in intensive care units. / Análisis de una encuesta sobre conocimientos en contenciones mecánicas de las enfermeras de unidades de críticos.

OBJECTIVES: To determine nurses' knowledge level regarding physical restraint use in intensive care units and its associated factors. METHOD: A cross-sectional multicentre study was carried out in 12 critical care units of 8 hospitals in Spain (n=354 nurses). An 'ad-hoc' knowledge survey was developed, and their content was validated by experts. The survey obtained a test-retest stability of ICC=.71 (95% CI: .57-.81) in a previous pilot study. A final 8-item tool was designed. Sociodemographic and professional variables from the participants were collected; as well as structural and clinical variables from the units analyzed. A descriptive and association analysis between variables was performed. A p-value <.05 was deemed statistically significant. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty nurses answered the survey (70.62%). Mean age of the participants was 36.80 (SD 9.54) with 10.75 (SD 8.38) years of professional experience in critical care. Seventy-three point six percent had never received previous training about physical restraints. Knowledge mean value was 4.21 (SD 1.39) (range 0-8). Knowledge level was associated with the referral hospital (p<.001). Nurses with a higher knowledge level are more likely to work in units with informed consent sheets for physical restraint use (p<.001); flexible family visiting (p<.001); analgo-sedation protocol (p=.011), and units in which nurses had autonomy to manage analgo-sedation (p<.001). Individual sociodemographic and professional data was not associated with knowledge level. CONCLUSIONS: Further training regarding physical restraint use is needed for critical care nurses. The work environment where nursing care is given has a great influence on nurses' knowledge level about this intervention.

Effects of polymorphism rs3123554 in the cannabinoid receptor gene type 2 (CB2R) on metabolic and adiposity parameters after weight loss with two hypocaloric diets.

BACKGROUND: The role of CB2R gene variants on weight loss after a dietary intervention remained unclear. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to analyze the effects of rs3123554 of CB2R receptor gene on metabolic and adiposity parameters after two different hypocaloric diets in obese subjects. DESIGN: A Caucasian population of 280 obese patients was enrolled. Patients were randomly allocated during 3 months to one of two diets (Diet I - moderate in carbohydrate. Vs Diet II - normal in carbohydrate). RESULTS: In both genotype groups (GG vs GA + AA), body weight, body mass index (BMI), fat mass, waist circumference and systolic blood pressure decreased after diet I and II. The decrease of these parameters was higher in non A allele carriers than A allele carriers. Pre- and post-dietary intervention, body weight, BMI, fat mass and waist circumference were higher in A allele carriers than non A allele carriers. In non A allele carriers, the decrease of glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR and Interleukin-6 levels was higher than A allele carriers after both diets. CONCLUSION: Carriers of the minor allele of rs3123554 variant of CB2R gene loose less body weight during two different hypocaloric diets. The improvement of metabolic parameters was better in no A allele carriers than A allele carriers.

Incidence of moisture-associated skin damage in an intensive care unit. / Incidencia de lesiones cutáneas asociadas a la humedad en una unidad de cuidados intensivos.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of moisture-associated skin damage (MASD) in the nappy area, identify predisposing factors and know the preventive measures and nursing records. METHOD: Descriptive longitudinal study (June 2014-April 2015) in a general ICU. Patients whose stay >48hours and without skin lesions were included. The skin was assessed daily until the appearance of MASD, discharge or a maximum of 14 days. Demographics, stay, MASD type, incontinence, number and consistency of stools, obesity, Braden scale and prevention were recorded. RESULTS: 145 patients (66.2% male) were studied, median age was 69 (P25=56.5, P75=76) and median length of stay was five days (P25=3, P75=11.25), 29.9% were obese. Incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) was detected in 26.2% and intertriginous dermatitis (ITD) in 15.9%. MASD was recorded in 23.8%. The variables causing IAD to develop were faecal incontinence, number of stools, liquid stools, and stay. Those for ITD were obesity and score on the Braden scale. Multivariate analysis selected faecal incontinence (OR=5.4, CI95%: 1.1-26) and the number of stools (OR=1.1, CI95%:1.0-1.2) as independent variables for developing IAD and obesity (OR=2.8, CI95%:1.0-8.2) and Braden (OR=0.8, CI95%:0.7-1.0) for developing ITD. Prevention to 23.8% of obese and 42.9% of incontinent was performed. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high incidence in MASD. Faecal incontinence and higher number of stools are the risk factors for developing IAD. Obesity and a lower score on the Braden scale may affect susceptibility to ITD. Recording of MASD and its prevention in patients at risk is insufficient.