Impact of specialized training for emergency department nurses screening or undetected HIV infection: the "Urgències VIHgila" project experience. / Impacto de una formación específica y generalizada de los profesionales de enfermería en el despistaje en urgencias de infección oculta por VIH: experiencia del proyecto "Urgències VIHgila".

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of specialized training for nurses on selective screening for undetected HIV infection in the emergency department. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The intervention group was comprised of 6 emergency departments that had been participating in a screening program (the "Urgències VIHgila" project) for at least 3 months. Nurses on all shifts attended training sessions that emphasized understanding the circumstances that should lead to suspicion of unidentified HIV infection and the need to order serology. Two studies were carried out: 1) a quasi-experimental pre-post study to compare the number of orders for HIV serology in each time period and measures of sensitivity, and 2) a case-control study to compare the changes made in the 6 hospitals where specialized training was provided (cases) vs 6 control hospitals in the HIV screening program where no training was given. RESULTS: A total of 280 HIV serologies were ordered for the 81015 patients (0.3%) attended during the period before training; 331 serologies were ordered for the 79620 patients in the period after training (0.4%). The relative increase in serologies was 20.3% (95% CI, 2.9% to 34.5%; P = .022). The relative increase in measures of sensitivity ranged between 19% and 39%, consistent with the main comparison. Serologies in the control group decreased between periods, from 0.9% to 0.8%, indicating a relative decrease of 15.7% (95% CI, -25.1% to -6.2%; P = .001). The absolute number of patients tested in the training group was 0.2% higher in the training hospitals (95% CI, 0.11% to 0.31%; P .001) than in the control hospitals. CONCLUSION: Training nurses to screen for undetected HIV infection in the emergency department increased the number of patients tested, according to the pre-post and case-control comparisons.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar el impacto de una formación específica para enfermería en el servicio urgencias (SU) sobre el despistaje selectivo de infección por VIH oculta. METODO: Participaron 6 SU adheridos al programa "Urgències VIHgila" con un mínimo de 3 meses y se realizaron sesiones formativas para los diferentes turnos. Las sesiones enfatizaban en qué circunstancias debía sospecharse infección oculta VIH y la necesidad de solicitar serología. Se realizaron dos estudios: 1) cuasiexperimental pre/post, que comparó la tasa de solicitudes VIH entre ambos periodos, con diversos análisis de sensibilidad; 2) caso-control, que comparó el cambio entre periodos de los 6 SU con formación (caso) con el cambio en otros 6 SU que no tuvieron formación (control). RESULTADOS: Se realizaron serologías de VIH a 280 de los 81.015 pacientes atendidos durante el periodo preintervención (0,3%) y a 331 de los 79.620 del periodo posintervención (0,4%). El incremento relativo fue del 20,3% (IC 95% de +2,9% a +34,5%; p = 0,022). Los análisis de sensibilidad mostraron incrementos relativos congruentes con el análisis principal (entre 19% y 39%). En el grupo control hubo descenso de solicitudes entre periodos, del 0,9% al 0,8% (descenso relativo del 15,7%, IC 95% de ­25,1% a­6,2%; p = 0,001). El grupo caso, en relación con el grupo control, tuvo un incremento absoluto de 0,2% (IC 95% de +0,11 a +0,31%, p 0,001) de pacientes testados. CONCLUSIONES: La formación de enfermería para despistaje de la infección VIH oculta en urgencias incrementa el número de pacientes investigados, tanto comparado con el periodo previo a la formación como comparado con SU sin formación específica para enfermería.

Analysis of the reasons for requesting HIV serology in the emergency department other than those defined in the targeted screening strategy of the "Urgències VIHgila" program and its potential inclusion in a future consensus document.

OBJECTIVE: To describe other reasons for requesting HIV serology in emergency departments (ED) other than the 6 defined in the SEMES-GESIDA consensus document (DC-SEMES-GESIDA) and to analyze whether it would be efficient to include any of them in the future. METHODS: Review of all HIV serologies performed during 2 years in 20 Catalan EDs. Serologies requested for reasons not defined by the DC-SEMES-GESIDA were grouped by common conditions, the prevalence (IC95%) of seropositivity for each condition was calculated, and those whose 95% confidence lower limit was >0.1% were considered efficient. Sensitivity analysis considered that serology would have been performed on 20% of cases attended and the remaining 80% would have been seronegative. RESULTS: There were 8044 serologies performed for 248 conditions not recommended by DC-SEMES-GESIDA, in 17 there were seropositive, and in 12 the performance of HIV serology would be efficient. The highest prevalence of detection corresponded to patients from endemic countries (7.41%, 0.91-24.3), lymphopenia (4.76%, 0.12-23.8), plateletopenia (4.37%, 1.20-10.9), adenopathy (3.45%, 0.42-11.9), meningoencephalitis (3.12%, 0.38-10.8) and drug use (2.50%, 0.68-6.28). Sensitivity analysis confirmed efficiency in 6 of them: endemic country origin, plateletopenia, drug abuse, toxic syndrome, behavioral-confusional disorder-agitation and fever of unknown origin. CONCLUSION: The DC-SEMES-GESIDA targeted HIV screening strategy in the ED could efficiently include other circumstances not previously considered; the most cost-effective would be origin from an endemic country, plateletopenia, drug abuse, toxic syndrome, behavioral-confusional-agitation disorder and fever of unknown origin.

Feasibility of a selective targeted strategy of HIV testing in emergency departments: a before-after study.

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: The rates of hidden infection and late diagnosis of HIV still remain high in Western countries. Missed diagnostic opportunities represent the key point in changing the course of the epidemic. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and results of implementation of a selective strategy to test for HIV in the emergency department (ED) in patients with six pre-defined medical situations: sexually transmitted infections, herpes zoster, community-acquired pneumonia, mononucleosis syndrome, practice of chemsex (CS) or request of post-exposure prophylaxis. DESIGN: This quasi-experimental longitudinal study evaluated the pre- and post-implementation results of HIV testing in the six aforementioned clinical scenarios. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: Patients attended 34 Spanish EDs. INTERVENTION OR EXPOSURE: The intervention was an intensive educational program and pathways to facilitate and track orders and results were designed. We collected and compared pre- and post-implementation ED census and diagnoses, and HIV tests requested and results. OUTCOME MEASURES AND ANALYSIS: The main outcome was adherence to the recommendations. Secondary outcomes were to evaluate the effectiveness of the program by the rate of positive test and the new HIV diagnoses. Differences between first and second periods were assessed. The magnitude of changes (absolute and relative) was expressed with the 95% confidence interval (CI). MAIN RESULTS: HIV tests increasing from 7080 (0.42% of ED visits) to 13 436 (relative increase of 75%, 95% CI from 70 to 80%). The six conditions were diagnosed in 15 879 and 16 618 patients, and HIV testing was ordered in 3393 (21%) and 7002 (42%) patients (increase: 97%; 95% CI: 90-104%). HIV testing significantly increased for all conditions except for CS. The positive HIV test rates increased from 0.92 to 1.67%. Detection of persons with undiagnosed HIV increased from 65 to 224, which implied a 220% (95% CI: 143-322%) increase of HIV diagnosis among all ED comers and a 71% (95% CI: 30-125%) increase of positive HIV tests. CONCLUSION: Implementation of a strategy to test for HIV in selective clinical situations in the ED is feasible and may lead to a substantial increase in HIV testing and diagnoses.

Detección en urgencias de infección por VIH en pacientes que consultan por condiciones potencialmente relacionadas con infección oculta: Resultados iniciales del programa “Urgències VIHgila” / Emergency detection of HIV infection in patients consulting for conditions potentially related to occult infection: Initial results of the “Urgències VIHgila” program

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of unknown HIV infection in patients who consulted in hospital emergency services (ED) for conditions defined in the SEMES-GESIDA Consensus Document (DC), evaluate the efficiency of its im-plementation and investigate the efficiency of HIV serology determination in other conditions. Methods: Results were reviewed in 10 Catalan EDs for 12 months (July-21-June-22) after implementing CD recommendations: request HIV serology in case of suspected sexually transmitted infection, chemsex, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), mononucleosis syndrome, community pneumonia (18-65 y-o) or herpes zoster (18-65 y-o). Other reasons for request were included. Prevalence (%) of global seropositivity and for each circumstance was calculated, with a 95% confidence interval (95%CI). The efficient strategy was considered if the lower limit of the CI95%>0.1%. Results: A total of5,107 HIV serologies were performed: 2,847(56%) in situations specified in CD, and 2,266 (44%) in other 138 circumstances. Forty-eight unknown HIV infections were detected (prevalence=0.94%;95%CI=0.69-1.24). The prevalence was somewhat higher in DC requests (30 cas-es 1.12%) than the rest (18 cases 0.71%; p=0.16). The individualized prevalence of CD reasons ranged between 7.41% (95%CI=0.91-24.3) in chemsex and 0.42% 95%CI=0.14-0.98) in PPE, always efficient except herpes zoster (0.76%; CI95%=0.02-4.18). In other reasons, cases were detected in 12 circumstances, and in four the determination could be efficient: lymphopenia (10%;CI95%=0.25-44.5), fever with polyarthralgia-polyarthritis (7.41%;CI95% =0.91-24.3), behavioral alteration-confusion-encephalopathy (3.45%;95%CI=0.42-11.9) and fever of unknown origin (2.50%;95%CI=0.82-5.74). (AU)

Objetivo: Estimar la prevalencia de infección por VIH des-conocida en pacientes que consultan en servicios de urgencias hospitalarios (SUH) por las condiciones definidas en el Documento de Consenso (DC) de SEMES-GESIDA, evaluar la eficiencia de su implementación e investigar si en otras condiciones la determinación de serología VIH puede resultar eficiente.Método: Se revisaron los resultados obtenidos en 10 SUH catalanes durante los 12 meses (julio-21 a junio-22) siguientes a implementar las recomendaciones del DC de solicitar serología VIH a pacientes con sospecha de infección de transmisión sexual, práctica de chemsex, solicitud profilaxis post-exposición (PPE), síndrome mononucleósico, neumonía comunitaria (18-65 años) o herpes zóster (18-65 años). Se consignaron también otros motivos de solicitud. Se calculó la prevalencia (%) de seropositividad global y para cada circunstancia, con su intervalo de confianza del 95% (IC95%). Se consideró la estrategia eficiente si el límite inferior del IC95% era >0,1%.Resultados: Se realizaron 5.107 serologías VIH: 2.847 (56%) en situaciones especificadas en el DC, y 2.266 (44%) en otras 138 circunstancias. Se detectaron 48 infecciones por VIH desconocidas (prevalencia=0,94%; IC95%=0,69-1,24). La preva-lencia fue algo superior en las solicitudes ajustadas al DC (30 ca-sos, 1,12%) que en las que no (18 casos, 0,71%; p=0,16). La prevalencia individualizada para los motivos especificados en el DC osciló entre 7,41% IC95%=0,91-24,3) en práctica de chemsex y 0,42% (IC95%=0,14-0,98) en PPE, y siempre resultó eficiente, con excepción de herpes zóster (0,76%, IC95%=0,02-4,18). Respecto al resto de motivos de solicitud, se detectaron casos en 12 circunstancias, y en cuatro la determinación podría ser eficiente: linfopenia (10%, IC95%=0,25-44,5), fiebre con poliartralgias-poliartritis (7,41%, IC95%=0,91-24,3), alteración conductual-confusión-encefalopatía (3,45%,IC95%=0,42-11,9) y fiebre de origen desconocido(2,50%,IC95%=0,82-5,74)(AU)

Detección de pacientes con infección desconocida por VIH en los servicios de urgencias españoles: actitud actual y predisposición y dificultades percibidas para implementar acciones de mejora / Screening for undiagnosed human immunodeficiency virus infection in Spanish emergency departments: current attitudes, inclination, and perception of obstacles related to the implementation of measures to improve detection

Objetivo: Conocer la actitud actual de los servicios de urgencias hospitalarios (SUH) españoles para detectar pacientes con infección por VIH no conocida, así como su predisposición y las potenciales dificultades para implantar medidas que mejoren esta detección. Método: Encuesta estructurada a los responsables de todos los SUH públicos españoles que atienden adultos 24 horas/día. Se preguntó sobre rutinas asistenciales en urgencias para cribaje de infección oculta por VIH, y sobre la predisposición y dificultades percibidas para implementar medidas de mejora. Los resultados se comparan según tamaño del hospital (grande vs medio-pequeño: $ 500 vs < 500 camas) y afluencia en urgencias (alta vs media-baja: $ 200 vs < 200 pacientes/día) y se detallan por comunidad autónoma. Resultados: Respondieron 250 de los 282 SUH españoles (88,7%): 59 correspondían a hospitales grandes (23,6%) y 114 (45,6%) eran SUH de alta afluencia. El 65,2% casi nunca o infrecuentemente solicita serología VIH en sospecha de infección oculta (si lo hace, el 17,6% recibe el resultado de forma urgente) y un 47,8% cree que urgencias no debe participar en programas de detección de infección oculta por VIH (> 75% de SUH en Asturias, Castilla y León, Extremadura y Navarra). Tres de las nueve medidas encuestadas encaminadas a mejorar la detección del VIH en urgencias fueron consideradas de implementación difícil: participación de enfermería en detectar pacientes en riesgo durante el triaje (61% de SUH consideraron su dificultad bastante alta o muy alta; > 75% en Madrid, Comunidad Valenciana, Murcia, Aragón y Navarra) y la aceptación de cribado universal por parte de gerencia/dirección del centro (59%; > 75% en Madrid, Aragón y Navarra) y urgenciólogos (57%; > 75% en Madrid, Navarra, País Vasco y Extremadura); en las seis medidas restantes < 35% de SUH consideraron su implementación difícil. (AU)

Objectives: To describe current attitudes toward screening for undiagnosed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in Spanish hospital emergency departments (EDs). To describe staff willingness to implement screening protocols and the obstacles they foresee. Material and methods: Structured survey of all chiefs of hospital EDs seeing adults 24 hours per day within the Spanish national health system. The ED chiefs were asked about their departments' routine HIV screening practices, their willingness to screen, and the perceived obstacles to implementing measures to improve screening. Findings were compared according to hospital size (large hospitals, 500 beds; small-medium hospitals, 500 beds), ED caseload (high, 200 patients/d; low, 200 patients/d), and Spanish autonomous community. Results: The chiefs of 250 of the 282 EDs (88.7%) responded. Fifty-nine (23.6%) were in large hospitals, and 114 (45.6%) had high caseloads. HIV serology for suspected HIV infection is never or hardly ever ordered in 65.2% of the EDs. If serology is ordered, 17.6% request rapid processing. Nearly half (47.8%) thought that EDs should not screen for undiagnosed HIV infection; in Asturias, Castile and Leon, Extremadura, and Navarre over 75% of respondents expressed that opinion. Three of the 9 proposed measures to improve HIV screening in EDs were considered quite difficult or very difficult to implement. One measure that was considered problematic was nurse identification of highrisk patients during triage (for 61% of respondents overall and > 75% in the communities of Madrid and Valencia, Murcia, Aragon, and Navarre). A second foreseen difficulty was gaining hospital directors' and administrators' acceptance of universal HIV screening (for 59% overall and > 75% in Madrid, Aragon, and Navarre). (AU)

Screening for undiagnosed human immunodeficiency virus infection in Spanish emergency departments: current attitudes, inclination, and perception of obstacles related to the implementation of measures to improve detection. / Detección de pacientes con infección desconocida por VIH en los servicios de urgencias españoles: actitud actual y predisposición y dificultades percibidas para implementar acciones de mejora.

OBJECTIVES: To describe current attitudes toward screening for undiagnosed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in Spanish hospital emergency departments (EDs). To describe staff willingness to implement screening protocols and the obstacles they foresee. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Structured survey of all chiefs of hospital EDs seeing adults 24 hours per day within the Spanish national health system. The ED chiefs were asked about their departments' routine HIV screening practices, their willingness to screen, and the perceived obstacles to implementing measures to improve screening. Findings were compared according to hospital size (large hospitals, 500 beds; small-medium hospitals, 500 beds), ED caseload (high, 200 patients/d; low, 200 patients/d), and Spanish autonomous community. RESULTS: The chiefs of 250 of the 282 EDs (88.7%) responded. Fifty-nine (23.6%) were in large hospitals, and 114 (45.6%) had high caseloads. HIV serology for suspected HIV infection is never or hardly ever ordered in 65.2% of the EDs. If serology is ordered, 17.6% request rapid processing. Nearly half (47.8%) thought that EDs should not screen for undiagnosed HIV infection; in Asturias, Castile and Leon, Extremadura, and Navarre over 75% of respondents expressed that opinion. Three of the 9 proposed measures to improve HIV screening in EDs were considered quite difficult or very difficult to implement. One measure that was considered problematic was nurse identification of highrisk patients during triage (for 61% of respondents overall and > 75% in the communities of Madrid and Valencia, Murcia, Aragon, and Navarre). A second foreseen difficulty was gaining hospital directors' and administrators' acceptance of universal HIV screening (for 59% overall and > 75% in Madrid, Aragon, and Navarre). The third was gaining emergency physicians' acceptance of screening (57% overall and > 75% in Madrid, Navarre, Basque Country, and Extremadura). In the remaining autonomous communities, fewer than 35% of the ED chiefs foresaw difficulties. ED chiefs in large hospitals and with high caseloads accepted HIV screening more readily, both in terms of current practice and the implementation of improved screening protocols. CONCLUSION: There is considerable room for improvement in hospital ED screening for undiagnosed HIV infection. Some measures aimed at better screening would be more acceptable to the surveyed EDs, but there are marked differences in attitudes between autonomous communities.

OBJETIVO: Conocer la actitud actual de los servicios de urgencias hospitalarios (SUH) españoles para detectar pacientes con infección por VIH no conocida, así como su predisposición y las potenciales dificultades para implantar medidas que mejoren esta detección. METODO: Encuesta estructurada a los responsables de todos los SUH públicos españoles que atienden adultos 24 horas/día. Se preguntó sobre rutinas asistenciales en urgencias para cribaje de infección oculta por VIH, y sobre la predisposición y dificultades percibidas para implementar medidas de mejora. Los resultados se comparan según tamaño del hospital (grande vs medio-pequeño: 500 vs 500 camas) y afluencia en urgencias (alta vs media-baja: 200 vs 200 pacientes/día) y se detallan por comunidad autónoma. RESULTADOS: Respondieron 250 de los 282 SUH españoles (88,7%): 59 correspondían a hospitales grandes (23,6%) y 114 (45,6%) eran SUH de alta afluencia. El 65,2% casi nunca o infrecuentemente solicita serología VIH en sospecha de infección oculta (si lo hace, el 17,6% recibe el resultado de forma urgente) y un 47,8% cree que urgencias no debe participar en programas de detección de infección oculta por VIH (> 75% de SUH en Asturias, Castilla y León, Extremadura y Navarra). Tres de las nueve medidas encuestadas encaminadas a mejorar la detección del VIH en urgencias fueron consideradas de implementación difícil: participación de enfermería en detectar pacientes en riesgo durante el triaje (61% de SUH consideraron su dificultad bastante alta o muy alta; > 75% en Madrid, Comunidad Valenciana, Murcia, Aragón y Navarra) y la aceptación de cribado universal por parte de gerencia/dirección del centro (59%; > 75% en Madrid, Aragón y Navarra) y urgenciólogos (57%; > 75% en Madrid, Navarra, País Vasco y Extremadura); en las seis medidas restantes 35% de SUH consideraron su implementación difícil. Se constata una mayor implicación de hospitales grandes y SUH con alta afluencia en la detección de infección oculta por VIH, tanto actual como en la implementación de medidas de mejora. CONCLUSIONES: Existe un margen importante de mejora en los SUH en cuanto a la detección de la infección oculta por VIH. La implementación de ciertas medidas conseguiría una mejor aceptación de las estrategias de detección precoz por los colectivos implicados, aunque con diferencias notables entre comunidades autónomas.