Increase in hospital care at the end of life: Retrospective analysis of the last 20 years of life of a cohort of patients.

BACKGROUND: There is an increasing need for end-of-life care due to society's progressive aging. This study aimed to describe how hospitalizations evolve long-term and in the last months life of a cohort of deceased patients. METHODS: The study population were those who died in one year who lived in a district in southern Spain. The number of hospital stays over the previous 20 years and number of contacts with the emergency department, hospitalization, outpatient clinics, and medical day hospital in the last three months of life were determined. The analyses were stratified by age, sex, and pattern of functional decline. RESULTS: The study population included 1773 patients (82.5% of all who died in the district). The hospital stays during the last 20 years of life were concentrated in the last five years (66%) and specially in the last six months (32%). Eighty percent had contact with the hospital during their last three months of life. The older group had the minimun of stays over the last 20 years and contacts with the hospital in the last months of life. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of hospitalizations occur at the end of life and these admissions represent a significant part of an acute-care hospital's activity. The progressive prolongation of life does not have to go necessarily along with a proportional increase in hospital stays.

[Hospital emergencies due to alcohol consumption in times of COVID-19 on the Costa del Sol (Spain)]. / Urgencias hospitalarias por consumo de alcohol en tiempos de la COVID-19 en la Costa del Sol.

OBJECTIVE: Alcohol consumption is a Public Health problem that impacts the health, social and economic spheres. The objectives of this study were to describe the characteristics of alcohol-related emergencies (ARI) in an area of high recreational tourism, and the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on this activity. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study of the period of ARI emergency activity in the Costa del Sol Hospital Area during the years 2019-2021 was carried out. A stratified descriptive analysis was performed according to the COVID-19 pandemic period, including the calculation of the incidence of ARI emergencies attended daily. Descriptive analysis was performed evaluating differences between the three periods using the Chi-Square test for qualitative variables, and the Kruskal-Wallis test for quantitative variables. RESULTS: During the study period, 479,204 hospital emergencies were recorded, of which 0.51% were identified as ARI emergencies, with an average of 2.2 per day. This figure ranged from 2.7 emergencies per day during Normality, 1 during Confinement and 2.1 during new normality. The rate of ARI emergencies for the period evaluated was 16.5 per 10,000 inhabitants/year. CONCLUSIONS: The patients treated for alcohol consumption in our series have a typical profile in terms of age (adult) and sex (male), although with a high relative weight of foreign patients. Restrictions due to confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic have a positive impact on the emergency care of ARI patients, although correlated with a generalised decrease in non-COVID-19 related care activity.

OBJECTIVE: El consumo de alcohol es un problema de Salud Pública que impacta en la esfera de la salud, tanto como a nivel social y económico. Fueron objetivos del presente estudio describir las características de las Urgencias hospitalarias relacionadas con consumo de alcohol (RCA) en una zona de alto turismo lúdico, y las implicaciones de la pandemia de la COVID-19 en dicha actividad. METHODS: Se realizó un estudio transversal descriptivo de periodo de la actividad de Urgencias RCA en el Área Hospitalaria Costa del Sol durante los años 2019 a 2021. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo estratificado según el periodo de la pandemia de la COVID-19, incluyendo el cálculo de la incidencia de Urgencias RCA atendidas diariamente. Se realizó análisis descriptivo evaluando diferencias entre los tres periodos mediante el test de Ji-Cuadrado para variables cualitativas, y el test de Kruskal-Wallis para las cuantitativas. RESULTS: En el periodo de estudio se registraron 479.204 Urgencias hospitalarias, de las cuales el 0,51% se identificaron como urgencia RCA, con un promedio de 2,2 diarias. Dicha cifra osciló entre 2,7 urgencias diarias en periodo de Normalidad, 1 durante el Confinamiento y 2,1 en periodo de nueva normalidad. La tasa de Urgencias RCA del periodo evaluado fue de 16,5 por cada 10.000 habitantes/año. CONCLUSIONS: Las personas atendidas por consumo de alcohol de nuestra serie tienen un perfil habitual en cuanto a edad (adulto) y sexo (varones), aunque con un peso relativamente elevado de pacientes extranjeros. Las restricciones por el confinamiento durante la pandemia por la COVID-19 tienen un impacto positivo en la atención urgente de pacientes RCA, aunque correlacionado con un descenso generalizado de la actividad asistencial no relacionada con la COVID-19.

Urgencias hospitalarias por consumo de alcohol en tiempos de la COVID-19 en la Costa del Sol / Hospital emergencies due to alcohol consumption in times of COVID-19 on the Costa del Sol (Spain)

Fundamentos: el consumo de alcohol es un problema de salud pública que impacta en la esfera de la salud, tanto como a nivel social y económico. Fueron objetivos del presente estudio describir las características de las urgencias hospitalarias relacionadas con consumo de alcohol (rca) en una zona de alto turismo lúdico, y las implicaciones de la pandemia de la covid-19 en dicha actividad .Métodos: se realizó un estudio transversal descriptivo de periodo de la actividad de urgencias rca en el área hospitalaria costa del sol durante los años 2019 a 2021. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo estratificado según el periodo de la pandemia de la covid-19, incluyendo el cálculo de la incidencia de urgencias rca atendidas diariamente. Se realizó análisis descriptivo evaluando diferencias entre los tres periodos mediante el test de ji-cuadrado para variables cualitativas, y el test de kruskal-wallis para las cuantitativas. Resultados: en el periodo de estudio se registraron 479.204 urgencias hospitalarias, de las cuales el 0,51% se identificaron como urgencia rca, con un promedio de 2,2 diarias. Dicha cifra osciló entre 2,7 urgencias diarias en periodo de normalidad, 1 durante el confinamiento y 2,1 en periodo de nueva normalidad. La tasa de urgencias rca del periodo evaluado fue de 16,5 por cada 10.000 habitantes/año. Conclusiones: las personas atendidas por consumo de alcohol de nuestra serie tienen un perfil habitual en cuanto a edad (adulto) y sexo (varones), aunque con un peso relativamente elevado de pacientes extranjeros. Las restricciones por el confinamiento durante la pandemia por la covid-19 tienen un impacto positivo en la atención urgente de pacientes rca, aunque correlacionado con un descenso generalizado de la actividad asistencial no relacionada con la covid-19.(AU)

Background: alcohol consumption is a public health problem that impacts the health, social and economic spheres. The objec-tives of this study were to describe the characteristics of alcohol-related emergencies (ari) in an area of high recreational tourism, and the implications of the covid-19 pandemic on this activity. Methods: a descriptive cross-sectional study of the period of ari emergency activity in the costa del sol hospital area during the years 2019-2021 was carried out. A stratified descriptive analysis was performed according to the covid-19 pandemic period, including the calculation of the incidence of ari emergencies attended daily. Descriptive analysis was performed evaluating differences between the three periods using the chi-square test for qualitative variables, and the kruskal-wallis test for quantitative variables. Results: during the study period, 479,204 hospital emergencies were recorded, of which 0.51% were identified as ari emergen-cies, with an average of 2.2 per day. This figure ranged from 2.7 emergencies per day during normality, 1 during confinement and 2.1 during new normality. The rate of ari emergencies for the period evaluated was 16.5 per 10,000 inhabitants/year. Conclusions: the patients treated for alcohol consumption in our series have a typical profile in terms of age (adult) and sex (male), although with a high relative weight of foreign patients. Restrictions due to confinement during the covid-19 pandemic have a positive impact on the emergency care of ari patients, although correlated with a generalised decrease in non-covid-19 related care activity.(AU)

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour in patients admitted with COPD: Associated factors.

AIM: To establish amongst a cohort of patients admitted with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease which factors were associated with their level of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior prior to the admission event. METHODS: Prospective observational cohort study. Nine Spanish hospitals participated. Patients were recruited consecutively. Variables relating to the patients' clinical baseline status were recorded, including the COPD Assessment test, the HADS anxiety-depression test, comorbidities and the Yale Physical Activity Survey. Data relating to admission and up to two months after discharge were also recorded. RESULTS: 1638 COPD patients were studied, with a mean age of 72.39 (SD 10.33), 76.56 % male, FEV1 49.41 % (SD19.19), Charlson index 2. The level of PA at baseline was 30.79 points (SD 22.43). Multivariable linear regression analysis identified the following as being associated with low PA: older age, obesity, higher level of hemoglobin, lower score of Barthel index, which means disability, health related quality of life (EuroQoL-5d and CAT) and dyspnea. Variables associated with sedentary behavior were: older age, presence of obstructive apnea syndrome, higher disability, presence of depressive symptoms and dyspnea. CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of hospitalized COPD patients, we have found several variables, some of them modifiable, associated with physical activity/inactivity and sedentary behavior.

Predictors of short-term COPD readmission.

COPD readmissions have a great impact on patients' quality of life and mortality. Our goal was to identify factors related to 60-day readmission. We conducted a prospective observational cohort study with a nested case-control study, with 60 days of follow-up after the index admission. Patients readmitted were matched, by age, baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 s and month at admission, with patients admitted in the same period but not readmitted at 2 months. Data were collected on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and health-related quality of life data at the index admission and events from discharge to readmission within 60 days. Conditional logistic (60-day readmission) and Cox (days to readmission) regression models were constructed. Both multivariable analyses identified the following as predictors: any admission in the preceding 2 months (OR: 2.366; HR: 1.918), hematocrit at ED arrival ≤ 35% (OR: 2.949; HR: 1.570), pre-existing cardiovascular disease (valvular disease or myocardial infarction) (OR: 1.878; HR: 1.490); NIMV at discharge (OR: 0.547; HR: 0.70); no appointment with a specialist after discharge (OR: 5.785; HR: 3.373) and patient-reported need for help at home (OR: 2.978; HR: 2.061). The AUC for the logistic model was 0.845 and the c-index for the Cox model was 0.707. EuroQol EQ-5D score before the admission was correlated with a lower risk of readmission (OR: 0.383; HR: 0.670). As conclusions, we have identified factors related to 60-day readmission and summarized the findings in easy-to-use scoring scales that could be incorporated into the daily clinical routine and may help establish preventive measures to reduce future readmissions.Registration: Clinical Trial Registration NCT03227211.

Which unscheduled return visits indicate a quality-of-care issue?

BACKGROUND: The rate of unscheduled return visits is often used as a quality-of-care indicator in EDs, although its validity is not yet fully established. Our aim was to identify the characteristics of return visits that may be attributed to problems in quality of care. METHODS: Retrospective paired review of medical charts in a random sample of return visits during the 72 hours following discharge from the ED in three hospitals of Andalusia, Spain in 2013. Charts were reviewed by senior medical physicians to determine which return visits reflected quality-of-care problems. Time frame for return visit, index and return visit acuity, disposition and diagnosis were compared with determine which variables were associated with a quality problem. Sensitivity and specificity for each variable to indicate a quality problem were determined. RESULTS: We studied the causes of 895 return visits, finding that 65 (7.3%) were due to inadequate quality of care in the index visit. Potentially avoidable return visits were more common in more severely ill patients, in those with greater severity in the return than in the index visit and in patients hospitalised after the return. The combination of this three variables presented sensitivity 66% and specificity 68% in identification of quality-related returns. CONCLUSIONS: The overall level of return visits cannot be considered a valid indicator of quality of care. However, certain specific variables, including the level of severity of the patient's condition or the discharge destination following the return visits, could be considered valid in this respect.

[Breast Reconstruction Post-Mastectomy in the Public Health System of Andalusia, Spain]. / Reconstrucción mamaria post-mastectomía en el sistema sanitario público de Andalucía.

OBJECTIVE: Breast reconstruction (BR) after mastectomy is widely recommended but there are significant variations in its application. The objective was to know the rate of BR in the Andalusian Public Health System (APHS), timing (immediate or delayed), surgical procedure, frequency of postoperative complications and their characteristics. METHODS: We used the Minimum Basic Data Set of the APHS with personal data and identification of hospitals encrypted. We selected discharges for breast cancer and mastectomy in 2010-2013 and related readmissions of the same patients in 2010-2014. BR rates were calculated according to patient age and type of mastectomy. Timing of BR (immediate or delayed) and surgical techniques used were described. Postoperative complications were analyzed in the initial episode and in readmissions occurring within a minimum period of 2 years. BR failures were specifically studied. RESULTS: We analyzed the information of 6,026 women, of which 4,412 met the inclusion criteria (basically, two years follow-up). The BR rate was 29% (22% immediate and 7% delayed) and reached 58% in women younger than 46 years. BR was performed by 27 of the 36 hospitals that practice mastectomies. Global percentage of postoperative complications was 18.6% for immediate BR, 12.1% for delayed BR and 7.9% for patients without BR. Failure occurred in 12.7% of immediate BR and 7.2% of delayed BR. CONCLUSIONS: In the Andalusian Public Health System the Breast reconstruction rate, is at a similar level to that reported nationally and in other countries.

OBJETIVO: La reconstrucción mamaria (RM) post-mastectomía está ampliamente recomendada pero hay importantes variaciones en su aplicación. El objetivo fue conocer la la frecuencia de complicaciones postoperatorias en el Sistema Sanitario Público de Andalucía (SSPA), el momento de su realización (inmediata o diferida), las técnicas aplicadas, la frecuencia de reingresos por complicaciones postoperatorias y sus características. METODOS: Se utilizó el Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos del SSPA con los datos identificativos de pacientes y hospitales encriptados. Se seleccionaron las altas por cáncer de mama y mastectomía de 2010-2013 y los reingresos relacionados de las mismas mujeres de 2010-2014. Se calcularon las tasas de RM según edad y tipo de mastectomía. Se describió el momento de su realización (inmediata o diferida) y las técnicas quirúrgicas empleadas. Las complicaciones postoperatorias se analizaron en el episodio inicial y en los reingresos ocurridos en un plazo mínimo de 2 años. Se hizo un análisis específico de los fallos de RM. RESULTADOS: Se analizó la información de 6.026 mujeres, de las que 4.412 cumplían los criterios de inclusión y tenían un seguimiento superior a 2 años. La tasa de realización de RM se situó en el 29% (22% inmediata y 7% diferida), alcanzando el 58% entre las mujeres menores de 46 años. Realizaron RM 27 de los 36 hospitales que practicaron mastectomías. El porcentaje global de complicaciones postoperatorias fue del 18,6% tras RM inmediata; 12,1% tras la diferida y 7,9% en mujeres sin RM. Se produjo fracaso de la RM en un 12,7% de las inmediatas y en 7,2% de las RM diferidas. CONCLUSIONES: La tasa de reconstrucción mamaria, la de reingresos y complicaciones en el SSPA se sitúa en un nivel similar al comunicado a nivel nacional y en otros países.

Reconstrucción mamaria post-mastectomía en el sistema sanitario público de Andalucía / Breast reconstruction post-mastectomy in the public health system of Andalucia, Spain

Fundamento: La reconstrucción mamaria (RM) post-mastectomía está ampliamente recomendada pero hay importantes variaciones en su aplicación. El objetivo fue conocer la la frecuencia de complicaciones postoperatorias en el Sistema Sanitario Público de Andalucía (SSPA), el momento de su realización (inmediata o diferida), las técnicas aplicadas, la frecuencia de reingresos por complicaciones postoperatorias y sus características. Métodos: Se utilizó el Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos del SSPA con los datos identificativos de pacientes y hospitales encriptados. Se seleccionaron las altas por cáncer de mama y mastectomía de 2010-2013 y los reingresos relacionados de las mismas mujeres de 2010-2014. Se calcularon las tasas de RM según edad y tipo de mastectomía. Se describió el momento de su realización (inmediata o diferida) y las técnicas quirúrgicas empleadas. Las complicaciones postoperatorias se analizaron en el episodio inicial y en los reingresos ocurridos en un plazo mínimo de 2 años. Se hizo un análisis específico de los fallos de RM. Resultados: Se analizó la información de 6.026 mujeres, de las que 4.412 cumplían los criterios de inclusión y tenían un seguimiento superior a 2 años. La tasa de realización de RM se situó en el 29% (22% inmediata y 7% diferida), alcanzando el 58% entre las mujeres menores de 46 años. Realizaron RM 27 de los 36 hospitales que practicaron mastectomías. El porcentaje global de complicaciones postoperatorias fue del 18,6% tras RM inmediata; 12,1% tras la diferida y 7,9% en mujeres sin RM. Se produjo fracaso de la RM en un 12,7% de las inmediatas y en 7,2% de las RM diferidas. Conclusiones: La tasa de reconstrucción mamaria, la de reingresos y complicaciones en el SSPA se sitúa en un nivel similar al comunicado a nivel nacional y en otros países (AU)

Background: Breast reconstruction (BR) after mastectomy is widely recommended but there are significant variations in its application. The objective was to know the rate of BR in the Andalusian Public Health System (APHS), timing (immediate or delayed), surgical procedure, frecuency of postoperative complications and their characteristics. Methods: We used the Minimum Basic Data Set of the APHS with personal data and identification of hospitals encrypted. We selected discharges for breast cancer and mastectomy in 2010-2013 and related readmissions of the same patients in 2010-2014. BR rates were calculated according to patient age and type of mastectomy. Timing of BR (immediate or delayed) and surgical techniques used were described. Postoperative complications were analyzed in the initial episode and in readmissions occurring within a minimum period of 2 years. BR failures were specifically studied. Results: We analyzed the information of 6,026 women, of which 4,412 met the inclusion criteria (basically, two years follow-up). The BR rate was 29% (22% immediate and 7% delayed) and reached 58% in women younger than 46 years. BR was performed by 27 of the 36 hospitals that practice mastectomies. Global percentage of postoperative complications was 18.6% for immediate BR, 12.1% for delayed BR and 7.9% for patients without BR. Failure occurred in 12.7% of immediate BR and 7.2% of delayed BR (AU)

Causas de los retornos durante las 72 horas siguientes al alta de urgencias / Causes of 72-hour return visits to hospital emergency departments

Objetivo: La tasa de retornos a urgencias (RU) se ha propuesto como indicador de calidad asistencial en servicios de urgencias hospitalarios (SUH). Nuestro objetivo fue conocer las causas de los RU y la proporción de RU relacionados con problemas de calidad asistencial en la urgencia previa. Método: Estudio observacional transversal con auditoría de historias clínicas sobre una muestra aleatoria de RU durante las 72 horas siguientes al alta de un SUH de tres hospitales que prestan atención a casi un millón de habitantes de la provincia de Málaga. Revisión independiente por pares y asignación de la causa del RU según una clasificación estandarizada. Resultados: Se analizó una muestra de 1.075 RU, de los que 895 cumplían los criterios de inclusión. Las causas de RU más frecuentes fueron la persistencia o progresión de la enfermedad (48,8%), la aparición de un nuevo problema no relacionado (9,3%) y la derivación a otro hospital por no disponer del especialista necesario (8,6%). Las causas se agruparon en 14,5% atribuibles al paciente, 15,2% a los profesionales sanitarios, 9,2% a la organización del sistema y 61,1% a la enfermedad. Conclusiones: La mayor parte de los RU se debe a la evolución de la enfermedad que motivó la urgencia inicial y solo una pequeña proporción se relaciona con errores en el diagnóstico o tratamiento de la urgencia previa (AU)

Background and objective: The return-visit rate has been suggested as a measure of emergency department quality of care. We aimed to identify the reasons for emergency revisits and the percentage of returns related to problems with quality of care in the previous visit. Methods: Cross-sectional observational study of clinical records for a random sample of unscheduled returns within 72 hours of discharge from the emergency departments of 3 hospitals attending a population of nearly 3 million in the Spanish province of Malaga. The records were reviewed by 2 data collectors, who assigned a reason for revisits according to a standardized classification. Results: A sample of 1075 emergency revisits were reviewed; 895 met the inclusion criteria. The most common reasons for revisits were the persistence or progression of disease (48.8%), an unrelated new problem (9.3%), and referral from a hospital that did not have the required specialized service (8.6%). Reasons attributable to the patient accounted for 14.5% of the revisits; 15.2% were attributable to health care staff errors, 9.2% to system organization, and 61.1% to the disease process. Conclusions: Most emergency department revisits are related to the progression of the disease that led to the first visit. Only a small percentage can be linked to diagnostic or treatment errors in the previous visit (AU)

[Causes of 72-hour return visits to hospital emergency departments]. / Causas de los retornos durante las 72 horas siguientes al alta de urgencias.

OBJECTIVES: The return-visit rate has been suggested as a measure of emergency department quality of care. We aimed to identify the reasons for emergency revisits and the percentage of returns related to problems with quality of care in the previous visit. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional observational study of clinical records for a random sample of unscheduled returns within 72 hours of discharge from the emergency departments of 3 hospitals attending a population of nearly 3 million in the Spanish province of Malaga. The records were reviewed by 2 data collectors, who assigned a reason for revisits according to a standardized classification. RESULTS: A sample of 1075 emergency revisits were reviewed; 895 met the inclusion criteria. The most common reasons for revisits were the persistence or progression of disease (48.8%), an unrelated new problem (9.3%), and referral from a hospital that did not have the required specialized service (8.6%). Reasons attributable to the patient accounted for 14.5% of the revisits; 15.2% were attributable to health care staff errors, 9.2% to system organization, and 61.1% to the disease process. CONCLUSION: Most emergency department revisits are related to the progression of the disease that led to the first visit. Only a small percentage can be linked to diagnostic or treatment errors in the previous visit.

OBJETIVO: La tasa de retornos a urgencias (RU) se ha propuesto como indicador de calidad asistencial en servicios de urgencias hospitalarios (SUH). Nuestro objetivo fue conocer las causas de los RU y la proporción de RU relacionados con problemas de calidad asistencial en la urgencia previa. METODO: Estudio observacional transversal con auditoría de historias clínicas sobre una muestra aleatoria de RU durante las 72 horas siguientes al alta de un SUH de tres hospitales que prestan atención a casi un millón de habitantes de la provincia de Málaga. Revisión independiente por pares y asignación de la causa del RU según una clasificación estandarizada. RESULTADOS: Se analizó una muestra de 1.075 RU, de los que 895 cumplían los criterios de inclusión. Las causas de RU más frecuentes fueron la persistencia o progresión de la enfermedad (48,8%), la aparición de un nuevo problema no relacionado (9,3%) y la derivación a otro hospital por no disponer del especialista necesario (8,6%). Las causas se agruparon en 14,5% atribuibles al paciente, 15,2% a los profesionales sanitarios, 9,2% a la organización del sistema y 61,1% a la enfermedad. CONCLUSIONES: La mayor parte de los RU se debe a la evolución de la enfermedad que motivó la urgencia inicial y solo una pequeña proporción se relaciona con errores en el diagnóstico o tratamiento de la urgencia previa.

Ethnic differences in the use of intrapartum epidural analgesia.

BACKGROUND: Obstetric epidural analgesia (EA) is widely applied, but studies have reported that its use may be less extensive among immigrant women or those from minority ethnic groups. Our aim was to examine whether this was the case in our geographic area, which contains an important immigrant population, and if so, to describe the different components of this phenomenon. METHODS: Cross-sectional observational study. SETTING: general acute care hospital, located in Marbella, southern Spain. Analysis of computer records of deliveries performed from 2004 to 2010. Comparison of characteristics of deliveries according to the mothers' geographic origins and of vaginal deliveries noting whether EA was received, using univariate and bivariate statistical analysis and multiple logistic regression (MLR). RESULTS: A total of 21,034 deliveries were recorded, and 37.4% of these corresponded to immigrant women. EA was provided to 61.1% of the Spanish women and to 51.5% of the immigrants, with important variations according to geographic origin: over 52% of women from other European countries and South America received EA, compared with around 45% of the African women and 37% of the Asian women. These differences persisted in the MLR model after adjusting for the mother's age, type of labor initiation, the weight of the neonate and for single or multiple gestation. With the Spanish patients as the reference category, all the other countries of origin presented lower probabilities of EA use. This was particularly apparent for the patients from Asia (OR 0.38; 95%CI 0.31-0.46), Morocco (OR 0.49; 95%CI 0.43-0.54) and other Africa (OR 0.55; 95%CI 0.37-0.81). CONCLUSIONS: We observed a different use of EA in vaginal deliveries, according to the geographic origin of the women. The explanation for this involves a complex set of factors, depending both on the patient and on the healthcare staff.

Complications in immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy.

OBJECTIVES: Immediate post-mastectomy breast reconstruction (IBR) is a procedure that has proven advantages, but it also entails risks. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for reconstruction failure. METHODS: A review was made of all the IBR carried out at a general hospital from 2002 to 2009. Retrospective information was obtained about postoperative complications and the characteristics of patients and treatments applied. The minimum follow-up period was 9 months. Cox's regression analysis was performed on the variables related to the reconstruction failure requiring the removal of the prosthesis, with an explanatory model in which all the study variables were introduced and a predictive model that contained only the variables known before the intervention. RESULTS: A total of 115 IRB interventions carried out on 112 women with breast cancer were analyzed. The mean follow-up period was 25.5 months. In sixty cases (52.2 percent), there were no complications; in sixteen cases (13.9 percent) minor complications appeared, and in 39 (33.9 percent) the complications were moderate. In twenty-six cases (22.6 percent), a reconstruction failure occurred. Cox's regression model revealed that the reconstruction failures were related to the patient's age (Hazard Ratio 1.08), to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (HR 6.24) and to postoperative tamoxifen (HR 3.10). The predictive model included the age of the patient (HR 1.05) and the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (HR 5.11). CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of the patients receiving IBR developed reconstruction failure. Multivariate analysis identified three variables related to this complication, two of which were known before the intervention.

Geographical variations in the benefit of applying a prioritization system for cataract surgery in different regions of Spain.

BACKGROUND: In Spain, there are substantial variations in the utilization of health resources among regions. Because the need for surgery differs in patients with appropriate surgical indication, introducing a prioritization system might be beneficial. Our objective was to assess geographical variations in the impact of applying a prioritization system in patients on the waiting list for cataract surgery in different regions of Spain by using a discrete-event simulation model. METHODS: A discrete-event simulation model to evaluate demand and waiting time for cataract surgery was constructed. The model was reproduced and validated in five regions of Spain and was fed administrative data (population census, surgery rates, waiting list information) and data from research studies (incidence of cataract). The benefit of introducing a prioritization system was contrasted with the usual first-in, first-out (FIFO) discipline. The prioritization system included clinical, functional and social criteria. Priority scores ranged between 0 and 100, with greater values indicating higher priority. The measure of results was the waiting time weighted by the priority score of each patient who had passed through the waiting list. Benefit was calculated as the difference in time weighted by priority score between operating according to waiting time or to priority. RESULTS: The mean waiting time for patients undergoing surgery according to the FIFO discipline varied from 1.97 months (95% CI 1.85; 2.09) in the Basque Country to 10.02 months (95% CI 9.91; 10.12) in the Canary Islands. When the prioritization system was applied, the mean waiting time was reduced to a minimum of 0.73 months weighted by priority score (95% CI 0.68; 0.78) in the Basque Country and a maximum of 5.63 months (95% CI 5.57; 5.69) in the Canary Islands. The waiting time weighted by priority score saved by the prioritization system varied from 1.12 months (95% CI 1.07; 1.16) in Andalusia to 2.73 months (95% CI 2.67; 2.80) in Aragon. CONCLUSION: The prioritization system reduced the impact of the variations found among the regions studied, thus improving equity. Prioritization allocates the available resources within each region more efficiently and reduces the waiting time of patients with greater need. Prioritization was more beneficial than allocating surgery by waiting time alone.

Association between long travel and venous thromboembolic disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies.

The term "economy-class syndrome" defines an infrequent episode of venous thromboembolism (VTED) related to a long travel, namely by plane. However, this relation has not clearly been demonstrated by investigators. We carried out a systematic review and a meta-analysis of cases-control studies that had studied this topic. We realised a systematic review of the literature and selected all the case-control studies published. Two authors carried out a methodological evaluation according to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network items (concordance was analysed by weighted kappa index), and a systematic analysis of the potential biases of each study was assessed. We carried out the meta-analysis with the data extracted from the studies. We recovered eight cases-control studies. The relation between the antecedent of a long travel and subsequent VTED varied from OR = 1.1 to OR = 4.0 and was found to be significant in four studies. The studies were highly heterogeneous in methodology and so the results obtained about the relation between the long travel and the VTED and the score at SIGN50. Two meta-analysis were carried out: only with travels by plane in which the relation was not significant (OR = 1.21; CI 95%, 0.95-1.55) and with all types of transport, with a slightly significant relation (OR = 1.46; CI95%, 1.24-1.72). We may deduce from this systematic review that there does exist a weak association between episodes of VTED and a long travel, but not by plane specifically. The heterogeneity and the methodological quality of the studies published preclude of more robust conclusions.

Geographic variability of fatal road traffic injuries in Spain during the period 2002-2004: an ecological study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study is to describe the inter-province variability of Road Traffic Injury (RTI) mortality on Spanish roads, adjusted for vehicle-kilometres travelled, and to assess the possible role played by the following explicative variables: sociodemographic, structural, climatic and risk conducts. METHODS: An ecological study design was employed. The mean annual rate of RTI deaths was calculated for the period 2002-2004, adjusted for vehicle-kilometres travelled, in the 50 provinces of Spain. The RTI death rate was related with the independent variables described above, using simple and multiple linear regression analysis with backward step-wise elimination. The level of statistical significance was taken as p < 0.05. RESULTS: In the period 2002-2004 there were 12,756 RTI deaths in Spain (an average of 4,242 per year, SD = 356.6). The mean number of deaths due to RTI per 100 million vehicle-kilometres (mvk) travelled was 1.76 (SD = 0.51), with a minimum value of 0.66 (in Santa Cruz de Tenerife) and a maximum of 3.31 (in the province of Lugo). All other variables being equal, a higher proportion of kilometres available on high capacity roads, and a higher cultural and education level were associated with lower death rates due to RTI, while the opposite was true for the rate of alcohol consumers and the road traffic volume of heavy vehicles. The variables included in the model accounted for 55.4% of the variability in RTI mortality. CONCLUSION: Adjusting RTI mortality rates for the number of vehicle-kilometres travelled enables us to identify the high variability of this cause of death, and its relation with risk factors other than those inherent to human behaviour, such as the type of roads and the type of vehicles using them.

Estimation of the real population and its impact on the utilisation of healthcare services in Mediterranean resort regions: an ecological study.

BACKGROUND: The demographic structure has a significant influence on the use of healthcare services, as does the size of the population denominators. Very few studies have been published on methods for estimating the real population such as tourist resorts. The lack of information about these problems means there is a corresponding lack of information about the behaviour of populational denominators (the floating population or tourist load) and the effect of this on the use of healthcare services. The objectives of the study were: a) To determine the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) ratio, per person per day, among populations of known size; b) to estimate, by means of this ratio, the real population in an area where tourist numbers are very significant; and c) to determine the impact on the utilisation of hospital emergency healthcare services of the registered population, in comparison to the non-resident population, in two areas where tourist numbers are very significant. METHODS: An ecological study design was employed. We analysed the Healthcare Districts of the Costa del Sol and the island of Menorca. Both are Spanish territories in the Mediterranean region. RESULTS: In the two areas analysed, the correlation coefficient between the MSW ratio and admissions to hospital emergency departments exceeded 0.9, with p < 0.001. On the basis of MSW generation ratios, obtained for a control zone and also measured in neighbouring countries, we estimated the real population. For the summer months, when tourist activity is greatest and demand for emergency healthcare at hospitals is highest, this value was found to be double that of the registered population. CONCLUSION: The MSW indicator, which is both ecological and indirect, can be used to estimate the real population in areas where population levels vary significantly during the year. This parameter is of interest in planning and dimensioning the provision of healthcare services.