Prevalencia de polifarmacia y factores asociados en adultos mayores en España: datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud 2017 / Prevalence of polypharmacy and associated factors in older adults in Spain: Data from the National Health Survey 2017

Fundamento y objetivo: Estimar la prevalencia de polifarmacia e hiperpolifarmacia en adultos mayores no institucionalizados en España y analizar los factores asociados. Material y métodos: Estudio transversal a partir de datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud de España 2017, con participantes de 65 años o más. Se estimó la prevalencia de polifarmacia (≥5 medicamentos) e hiperpolifarmacia (≥10), y la asociación con diversos factores mediante regresión logística multivariante. Se realizó un análisis de sensibilidad considerando el posible consumo de más de un fármaco para la misma indicación (politerapia). Resultados: Se incluyeron 7.023 participantes, con edad media de 76,0 (desviación estándar [DE] 7,6) años, 59,4% mujeres y consumo medio de 3,3 (DE 2,2) medicamentos por persona. La prevalencia de polifarmacia fue de 27,3% (intervalo de confianza del 95%: 26,2-28,3) y la de hiperpolifarmacia de 0,9% (intervalo de confianza del 95%: 0,7-1,1). El análisis de sensibilidad estimó que la prevalencia podría ascender al menos a un 37,5% y la media a 3,9 (DE 2,5) al considerar la politerapia. Los factores que más se asocian a la polifarmacia fueron el número de enfermedades crónicas, el grado de dependencia para las actividades básicas de la vida diaria, el estado de salud percibido o los contactos con el sistema sanitario; y de forma inversa los déficits sensoriales y la incontinencia. Conclusiones: La prevalencia de polifarmacia en adultos mayores en atención primaria continúa aumentando, y podría estar ampliamente infraestimada. Además de la pluripatología, factores como la capacidad funcional o los síndromes geriátricos, fundamentales en personas mayores, modulan los hábitos de consumo y prescripción de medicamentos en esta población

Background and objective: to estimate the prevalence of polypharmacy and hyperpolypharmacy in non-institutionalised older adults in Spain and assess the associated factors. Material and methods: a cross-sectional study based on data from the National Health Survey of Spain 2017, with participants aged 65 and over. The prevalence of polypharmacy (≥5 medications) and hyperpolypharmacy (≥10) were estimated, as well as the association with several factors through multivariate logistic regression. A sensitivity analysis was carried out considering the possible consumption of more than one drug for the same indication (polytherapy). Results: 7023 participants were included, with a mean age of 76.0 (SD 7.6), 59.4% female and average consumption of 3.3 (SD 2.2) drugs per person. The prevalence of polypharmacy was 27.3% (95% CI 26.2-28.3) and of hyperpolypharmacy 0.9% (95% CI 0.7-1.1). The sensitivity analysis showed that the prevalence could be at least 37.5% and the average 3.9 (SD 2.5) when considering polytherapy. The factors most associated with polypharmacy were the number of chronic diseases, degree of dependence for the basic activities of daily living, self-perceived health or contacts with the health system; and negatively, sensory deficits and incontinence. Conclusions: the prevalence of polypharmacy in the elderly in primary care continues to increase and could be widely underestimated. In addition to multimorbidity, factors such as functional capacity or geriatric syndromes, fundamental in elderly people, modulate the habits of consumption and prescription of drugs in this population

Prevalence of polypharmacy and associated factors in older adults in Spain: Data from the National Health Survey 2017. / Prevalencia de polifarmacia y factores asociados en adultos mayores en España: datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud 2017.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: to estimate the prevalence of polypharmacy and hyperpolypharmacy in non-institutionalised older adults in Spain and assess the associated factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: a cross-sectional study based on data from the National Health Survey of Spain 2017, with participants aged 65 and over. The prevalence of polypharmacy (≥5 medications) and hyperpolypharmacy (≥10) were estimated, as well as the association with several factors through multivariate logistic regression. A sensitivity analysis was carried out considering the possible consumption of more than one drug for the same indication (polytherapy). RESULTS: 7023 participants were included, with a mean age of 76.0 (SD 7.6), 59.4% female and average consumption of 3.3 (SD 2.2) drugs per person. The prevalence of polypharmacy was 27.3% (95% CI 26.2-28.3) and of hyperpolypharmacy 0.9% (95% CI 0.7-1.1). The sensitivity analysis showed that the prevalence could be at least 37.5% and the average 3.9 (SD 2.5) when considering polytherapy. The factors most associated with polypharmacy were the number of chronic diseases, degree of dependence for the basic activities of daily living, self-perceived health or contacts with the health system; and negatively, sensory deficits and incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: the prevalence of polypharmacy in the elderly in primary care continues to increase and could be widely underestimated. In addition to multimorbidity, factors such as functional capacity or geriatric syndromes, fundamental in elderly people, modulate the habits of consumption and prescription of drugs in this population.

Cambios en las características epidemiológicas de los pacientes pediátricos infectados por VIH en Navarra / Changes in the epidemiological characteristics of paediatric patients with HIV infection in Navarre

Introducción: los flujos migratorios, junto a las medidas de prevención de la transmisión vertical, han cambiado la epidemiología de los nuevos diagnósticos de infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana. Objetivo: conocer las características clínicas y epidemiológicas de los nuevos diagnósticos de infección por el VIH en Navarra. Material y métodos: revisión retrospectiva de las historias clínicas de los pacientes controlados durante 15 años (2000-2014) analizando variables epidemiológicas y clínicas, con tres puntos de corte quinquenales. Datos poblacionales del Instituto Nacional de Estadística. Resultados: 15 pacientes estudiados, todos por transmisión vertical. Madres de origen extranjero: globalmente el 47%. El 0% en 2004, 36% en 2009 (100% de nuevos diagnósticos) y 36% en 2014 (75% de los nuevos). No se encontraron diferencias en el estadio clínico, inmunológico, ni en la carga viral según su origen. El contagio materno fue al inicio por uso compartido de jeringuillas; posteriormente por vía heterosexual. Conclusiones: las características de los niños infectados por virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana han cambiado, siendo en la actualidad mayoritariamente hijos de inmigrantes y el contagio materno vía heterosexual

Introduction: migratory flows and the introduction of measures to prevent vertical transmission have changed the epidemiology of new cases of infection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Objective: to establish the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of new cases of infection by HIV in Navarre. Materials and methods: we conducted a retrospective study by reviewing the health records of patients managed in a 15-year period (2000-2014), analysing epidemiological and clinical variables in three 5-year intervals. We obtained the data for the reference population from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística. Results: we analysed the cases of 15 patients, all of them infected by vertical transmission. Children of foreign-born mothers amounted to 47% of the total sample, corresponding to 0% of cases in 2004, 36% of cases (including 100% of newly diagnosed cases) in 2009, and 36% of cases (including 75% of newly diagnosed cases) in 2014. We did not find differences in the stage of HIV, the immune status or the viral load based on geographical origin. The leading source of infection in mothers was injectable drug use at the beginning of the study, and changed to heterosexual transmission during the analysed period. Conclusions: we found changes in the characteristics of children infected by HIV, who are now most frequently children of immigrants whose mothers became infected through heterosexual transmission

Relationship between frailty, polypharmacy, and underprescription in older adults living in nursing homes.

PURPOSE: Frailty, polypharmacy, and underprescription are considered a major matter of concern in nursing homes, but the possible relationships between them are not well known. The aim is to examine the possible association between medication underprescription, polypharmacy, and frailty in older people living in nursing homes. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis from a concurrent cohort study, including 110 subjects ≥ 65 years living in two nursing homes. Four frailty scales were applied; polypharmacy was defined as ≥ 5 medications and underprescription was measured with Screening Tool to Alert to Right Treatment (START) criteria. Logistic regression models were performed to assess the associations. RESULTS: The mean age was 86.3 years (SD 7.3) and 71.8% were female. 73.6% of subjects took ≥ 5 chronic medications and 60.9% met one or more START criteria. The non-frail participants took more medications than the frail subjects according to the imputated frailty Fried criteria (8.1 vs 6.7, p = 0.042) and the FRAIL-NH scale (7.8 vs 6.8, p = 0.026). Multivariate analyses did not find an association between frailty and polypharmacy. Frail participants according to the Fried criteria met a higher number of START criteria (1.9 vs 1.0, p = 0.017), and had a higher prevalence of underprescription (87.5 vs 50.0%), reaching the limit of statistical significance in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: The positive association found in previous studies between frailty and polypharmacy cannot be extrapolated to institutionalized populations. There is a trend towards higher rates of underprescription in frail subjects. Underprescription in frail older adults should be redefined and new strategies to measure it should be developed.

Dificultades en el diagnóstico de los pacientes con enfermedad de Wilson en la práctica clínica: experiencia de 15 casos / Complexity of the diagnosis of Wilson disease in clinical practice: Our experience in 15 patients

INTRODUCCIÓN: La enfermedad de Wilson (EW) es un trastorno hereditario que cursa con depósito de cobre (Cu), provocando principalmente clínica hepática, neurológica y/o psiquiátrica. Ante la ausencia de algunos de sus rasgos típicos, el diagnóstico de la EW es difícil y se basa en la combinación de pruebas clínicas, analíticas y genéticas. El objetivo del estudio fue reflejar la complejidad del diagnóstico de la EW en la práctica clínica. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un análisis retrospectivo de la historia clínica de los pacientes diagnosticados de EW, describiendo la presentación clínica, hallazgos histológicos, analíticos y evolución tras tratamiento. Además se hizo estudio genético y se aplicó el «score» diagnóstico de Leipzig. RESULTADOS: Incluimos un total de 15 pacientes, 4 sintomáticos: clínica hepática (1), neurológica (1), psiquiátrica (1) y mixta (1) y 11 pacientes presintomáticos: hipertransaminasemia (8) y estudio familiar (3). Se objetivó anillo Kayser-Fleischer en 2 pacientes, ambos sin clínica neurológica. El 73% presentaba ceruloplasmina ≤5mg/dL y el 40% Cuo 24h>100μg. El Cu hepático superaba los 250μg/g t.s. en el 85% de los pacientes. El estudio genético (mutaciones gen ATP7B) permitió el diagnóstico final en 5 pacientes con mínimos rasgos de la enfermedad, uno de ellos sintomático (clínica psiquiátrica). Se identificaron 5 mutaciones previamente descritas (p.M645R, p.R827W, p.H1069Q, p.P768L y p.G869R) y 3 inéditas (p.L1313R, p.I1311T y p.A1179D), siendo p.M645R la mutación más frecuentemente encontrada. Tras el tratamiento se objetivó una mejoría de los parámetros analíticos (transaminasas, cupruria) y de la sintomatología, excepto en los pacientes con clínica neuropsiquiátrica. CONCLUSIONES: Nuestra serie refleja el papel relevante del estudio genético en el diagnóstico de EW. La identificación en nuestro medio de la mutación p.M645R en la mayoría de nuestros pacientes debe tenerse en cuenta en la estrategia para el análisis molecular del gen ATP7B en nuestra población

BACKGROUND: Wilson disease (WD) is an inherited disorder that causes copper (Cu) accumulation, leading to mainly liver, neurological and/or psychiatric manifestations. In the absence of some of the typical features, diagnosis of WD is difficult and is based on the combination of clinical, biochemical and genetic testing. The aim of this study was to illustrate the complexity of the approach to WD in daily clinical practice. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with WD, including the clinical presentation, histological and biochemical findings, and follow up after treatment. We also carried out genetic testing, and the Leipzig diagnostic score was applied. RESULTS: We included 15 patients. Four were symptomatic, with liver (n=1), neurological (n=1), psychiatric (n=1) and mixed clinical manifestations (n=1), and 11 were presymptomatic, with elevated transaminases (n=8) and family study (n=3). We observed Kayser-Fleischer ring in 2 patients, both without neurologic symptoms. Ceruloplasmin ≤5mg/dL was present in 73%, and 24-hour urinary Cu>100μg in 40%. Liver Cu was >250μg/g.d.t. in 85% of the patients. The final diagnosis of WD was given by genetic testing (ATP7B gene mutations) in 5 patients with minimal disease features, including one symptomatic patient (psychiatric symptoms). We identified 5 previously reported mutations (p.M645R, p.R827W, p.H1069Q, p.P768L and p.G869R) and 3 unpublished mutations (p.L1313R, p.I1311T and p.A1179D); the most frequent mutation was p.M645R. After treatment, biochemical parameters (transaminases, urinary cooper) and symptoms improved, except in patients with neurological and psychiatric manifestations. CONCLUSIONS: Our series illustrates the important role of genetic testing in the diagnosis of WD. The identification of the p.M645R mutation in most of our patients should be kept in mind in the molecular analysis of the ATP7B gene in our region

[Complexity of the diagnosis of Wilson disease in clinical practice: our experience in 15 patients]. / Dificultades en el diagnóstico de los pacientes con enfermedad de Wilson en la práctica clínica: experiencia de 15 casos.

BACKGROUND: Wilson disease (WD) is an inherited disorder that causes copper (Cu) accumulation, leading to mainly liver, neurological and/or psychiatric manifestations. In the absence of some of the typical features, diagnosis of WD is difficult and is based on the combination of clinical, biochemical and genetic testing. The aim of this study was to illustrate the complexity of the approach to WD in daily clinical practice. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with WD, including the clinical presentation, histological and biochemical findings, and follow up after treatment. We also carried out genetic testing, and the Leipzig diagnostic score was applied. RESULTS: We included 15 patients. Four were symptomatic, with liver (n=1), neurological (n=1), psychiatric (n=1) and mixed clinical manifestations (n=1), and 11 were presymptomatic, with elevated transaminases (n=8) and family study (n=3). We observed Kayser-Fleischer ring in 2 patients, both without neurologic symptoms. Ceruloplasmin ≤ 5 mg/dL was present in 73%, and 24-hour urinary Cu> 100 µg in 40%. Liver Cu was >250 µg/g.d.t. in 85% of the patients. The final diagnosis of WD was given by genetic testing (ATP7B gene mutations) in 5 patients with minimal disease features, including one symptomatic patient (psychiatric symptoms). We identified 5 previously reported mutations (p.M645R, p.R827W, p.H1069Q, p.P768L and p.G869R) and 3 unpublished mutations (p.L1313R, p.I1311T and p.A1179D); the most frequent mutation was p.M645R. After treatment, biochemical parameters (transaminases, urinary cooper) and symptoms improved, except in patients with neurological and psychiatric manifestations. CONCLUSIONS: Our series illustrates the important role of genetic testing in the diagnosis of WD. The identification of the p.M645R mutation in most of our patients should be kept in mind in the molecular analysis of the ATP7B gene in our region.