Effectiveness and patient satisfaction with office hysteroscopic polypectomy in patients with symptomatic endometrial polyps.

Background: Endometrial polyps are a common cause of abnormal uterine bleeding. In-office hysteroscopic management is frequently performed to treat this frequently encountered pathology. Objectives: To evaluate the long-term outcome and patients' satisfaction with office hysteroscopic polypectomy in patients with symptomatic endometrial polyps. Materials and Methods: Retrospective longitudinal observational study of all hysteroscopic polypectomies performed at d'Igualada University Hospital (Barcelona, Spain) between May 2016 and December 2018. The medical records were reviewed, and a telephone interview was conducted with all the patients diagnosed with symptomatic endometrial polyps who underwent outpatient hysteroscopic polypectomy, with the purpose of evaluating the post-procedure symptomatology and satisfaction with the procedure. Main outcomes and results: A total of 848 outpatient hysteroscopies were performed, 379 of which were polypectomies. Of those, 163 procedures were performed in symptomatic patients and were included in the final analysis. The most common symptom among premenopausal patients was abnormal uterine bleeding (84.85%) and in postmenopausal women, postmenopausal bleeding (95.3%). After the procedure, the symptoms resolved or decreased considerably in 66.7% of premenopausal and 93.7% of postmenopausal patients. Additionally, 87.1% of the patients were very satisfied with the procedure. Conclusion: Office hysteroscopic polypectomy is an effective treatment for endometrial polyps with high patient satisfaction reported following the procedure.

Safety and Efficacy of Prolonged Use of Dalbavancin in Bone and Joint Infections.

Dalbavancin is a lipoglycopeptide with potent activity against Gram-positive microorganisms, a long half-life, a favorable safety profile, and a high concentration in bone, which makes it an interesting alternative for treatment of osteoarticular infections. We performed a multicentric retrospective study of all patients with an osteoarticular infection (septic arthritis, spondylodiscitis, osteomyelitis, or orthopedic implant-related infection) treated with at least one dose of dalbavancin between 2016 and 2017 in 30 institutions in Spain. In order to evaluate the response, patients with or without an orthopedic implant were separated. A total of 64 patients were included. Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus were the most frequent microorganisms. The reasons for switching to dalbavancin were simplification (53.1%), adverse events (25%), or failure (21.9%). There were 7 adverse events, and no patient had to discontinue dalbavancin. In 45 cases, infection was related to an orthopedic implant. The implant material was retained in 23 cases, including that in 15 (65.2%) patients that were classified as cured and 8 (34.8%) that presented improvement. In 21 cases, the implants were removed, including those in 16 (76.2%) cases that were considered successes, 4 (19%) cases were considered improved, and 1 (4.8%) case that was considered a failure. Among the 19 cases without implants, 14 (73.7%) were considered cured, 3 (15.8%) were considered improved, and 2 (10.5%) were considered failures. The results show that dalbavancin is a well-tolerated antibiotic, even when >2 doses are administered, and is associated with a high cure rate. These are preliminary data with a short follow-up; therefore, it is necessary to gain more experience and, in the future, to establish the most appropriate dose and frequency.

Two simultaneous botulism outbreaks in Barcelona: Clostridium baratii and Clostridium botulinum.

Botulism is a severe neuroparalytic disorder that can be potentially life-threatening. In Barcelona, Spain, no outbreaks had been reported in the past 25 years. However, in September 2011, two outbreaks occurred involving two different families. A rare case of Clostridium baratii which produced a neurotoxin F outbreak was detected in five family members who had shared lunch, and several days before that another family was affected by C. botulinum toxin A which was probably present in homemade pâté.

Effects of highly active antiretroviral therapy on vaccine-induced humoral immunity in HIV-infected adults.

OBJECTIVES: The acquisition of adequate vaccine-induced humoral immunity is especially important in HIV-infected individuals, who are at increased risk of infections. The aim of the study was to assess the safety of administering a complete vaccination programme to successfully treated HIV-infected adults and to evaluate specific humoral responses and the effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) interruption on these responses. METHODS: A placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial was designed and 26 HIV-infected adults enrolled. Study participants were randomized to receive either a complete immunization schedule with commercial vaccines or placebo for 12 months. HAART was then discontinued for 6 months. Specific humoral responses were evaluated at baseline, at month 12 and after HAART interruption and compared between groups. RESULTS: There were neither local nor systemic secondary effects related to vaccination. Specific humoral responses to vaccines were adequate, but a loss of immunoglobulin G titres was observed after HAART interruption in 12 study participants. CONCLUSIONS: HAART interruption may cause impairment of previously acquired vaccine-induced immunity in HIV-infected adults.