A Sensor-Based mHealth Platform for Remote Monitoring and Intervention of Frailty Patients at Home.

Frailty syndrome is an independent risk factor for serious health episodes, disability, hospitalization, falls, loss of mobility, and cardiovascular disease. Its high reversibility demands personalized interventions among which exercise programs are highly efficient to contribute to its delay. Information technology-based solutions to support frailty have been recently approached, but most of them are focused on assessment and not on intervention. This paper describes a sensor-based mHealth platform integrated in a service-based architecture inside the FRAIL project towards the remote monitoring and intervention of pre-frail and frail patients at home. The aim of this platform is constituting an efficient and scalable system for reducing both the impact of aging and the advance of frailty syndrome. Among the results of this work are: (1) the development of elderly-focused sensors and platform; (2) a technical validation process of the sensor devices and the mHealth platform with young adults; and (3) an assessment of usability and acceptability of the devices with a set of pre-frail and frail patients. After the promising results obtained, future steps of this work involve performing a clinical validation in order to quantify the impact of the platform on health outcomes of frail patients.

Effects of genetics and altitude on lung function.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work is to present a review on the impact of genetics and altitude on lung function from classic and recent studies. DATA SOURCE: A systematic search has been carried out in different databases of scientific studies, using keywords related to lung volumes, spirometry, altitude and genetics. RESULTS: The results of this work have been structured into three parts. First, the relationship between genes and lung function. Next, a review of the genetic predispositions related to respiratory adaptation of people who inhabit high-altitude regions for millennia. Finally, temporary effects and long-term acclimatisation on respiratory physiology at high altitude are presented. CONCLUSIONS: The works focused on the influence of genetics and altitude on lung function are currently of interest in terms of studying the interactions between genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors in the configuration of the pathophysiological adaptation patterns.

User-centred design for developing e-Health system for renal patients at home (AppNephro).

BACKGROUND: Despite the promising benefits of the e-Health approaches (including provide technology-based healthcare services to anyone, anytime, and anywhere), few solutions are adopted in daily practice. User acceptance is one of the major obstacles that hinder the success of technology approaches. End-users often stress misalignments among their problems and the solutions that technology systems aim to solve. In other cases, systems developed are unfriendly or unadjusted to the daily practice of clinicians or patient's life. To maximize user acceptance, the relevance of adopting user-centred design and development techniques is well-known. However, users are often assumed to be a homogeneous group with the same set of requirements, what leads to an ineffective identification and addressment of user requirements. Furthermore, usability and accessibility issues must be carefully addressed to guarantee also the right alignment of solutions with user needs. OBJECTIVE: to develop an e-Health system for renal patients at home by adopting user-centred design practices, usability and accessibility standards. MATERIAL AND METHODS: users were categorized in four different groups (i.e., digital patients/caregivers, non-digital patients/caregivers, clinicians and nurses) and a sample was included in the design and development team. Questionnaires and interviews were used to identify user requirements and assess prototypes. RESULTS: Requirements were considered for every kind of user, what resulted on a multi-faceted e-Health system implying different technologies and functionalities regarding to each target user. CONCLUSION: Identification and continuous involvement of all kind of users allow their needs to be properly understood and addressed by technology, raising user acceptance of the final product.

¿Predice el Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) la supervivencia del injerto y del paciente en una población española? / Does the Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) predict graft and patient survival in a Spanish population?

ANTECEDENTES Y OBJETIVO: El Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI), junto a otras variables del donante y receptor, puede optimizar el proceso de asignación de órganos. Este estudio tiene como objetivo comprobar la aplicabilidad del KDPI en una población española, así como su capacidad de predicción de la supervivencia del injerto y del paciente. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se estudiaron 2.734 trasplantes renales llevados a cabo en Andalucía entre enero de 2006 y diciembre de 2015. Los casos se agruparon por edad del receptor y cuartil del KDPI y se compararon entre grupos tanto la supervivencia del injerto como la del paciente. RESULTADOS: El KDPI discrimina con precisión los órganos óptimos de los subóptimos o marginales. Para receptores entre 18 y 59 años presenta un hazard ratio de 1,013 (p < 0,001) para supervivencia de injerto censurada para muerte y de 1,013 (p = 0,007) para supervivencia del paciente. Para receptores mayores de 60años el hazard ratio es de 1,016 (p = 0,001) para supervivencia del injerto censurada para muerte y de 1,011 (p = 0,007) para supervivencia del paciente. Un análisis multivariante identificó como factores predictivos de la supervivencia del injerto el KDPI, la edad del donante, la donación tras muerte circulatoria, la edad y el sexo del receptor. CONCLUSIONES: El KDPI permite relacionar, a grandes rasgos, las características del donante con la mayor o menor supervivencia del injerto y del paciente en la población española. No obstante, debido a ciertas limitaciones, convendría elaborar un índice propio a partir de los datos españoles o europeos. En este trabajo se identifican algunos factores predictivos de la supervivencia del injerto que pueden servir como primer paso en esa línea

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI), together with other donor and recipient variables, can optimise the organ allocation process. This study aims to check the feasibility of the KDPI for a Spanish population and its predictive ability of graft and patient survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from 2,734 kidney transplants carried out in Andalusia between January 2006 and December 2015 were studied. Cases were grouped by recipient age, categorised by KDPI quartile and both graft and patient survival were compared among groups. RESULTS: The KDPI accurately discriminated optimal organs from suboptimal or marginal ones. For adult recipients (aged: 18-59 years) it presents a hazard ratio of 1.013 (P < .001) for death-censored graft survival and of 1.013 (P = .007) for patient survival. For elderly recipients (aged: 60+ years), KDPI presented a hazard ratio of 1.016 (P = .001) for death-censored graft survival and of 1.011 (P = .007) for patient survival. A multivariate analysis identified the KDPI, donor age, donation after circulatory death, recipient age and gender as predictive factors of graft survival. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained show that the KDPI makes it possible to relate the donor's characteristics with the greater or lesser survival of the graft and the patient in the Spanish population. However, due to certain limitations, a new index for Spain based on Spanish or European data should be created. In this study, some predictive factors of graft survival are identified that may serve as a first step in this path

Does the Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) predict graft and patient survival in a Spanish population? / ¿Predice el Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) la supervivencia del injerto y del paciente en una población española?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI), together with other donor and recipient variables, can optimise the organ allocation process. This study aims to check the feasibility of the KDPI for a Spanish population and its predictive ability of graft and patient survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from 2,734 kidney transplants carried out in Andalusia between January 2006 and December 2015 were studied. Cases were grouped by recipient age, categorised by KDPI quartile and both graft and patient survival were compared among groups. RESULTS: The KDPI accurately discriminated optimal organs from suboptimal or marginal ones. For adult recipients (aged: 18-59years) it presents a hazard ratio of 1.013 (P<.001) for death-censored graft survival and of 1.013 (P=.007) for patient survival. For elderly recipients (aged: 60+years), KDPI presented a hazard ratio of 1.016 (P=.001) for death-censored graft survival and of 1.011 (P=.007) for patient survival. A multivariate analysis identified the KDPI, donor age, donation after circulatory death, recipient age and gender as predictive factors of graft survival. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained show that the KDPI makes it possible to relate the donor's characteristics with the greater or lesser survival of the graft and the patient in the Spanish population. However, due to certain limitations, a new index for Spain based on Spanish or European data should be created. In this study, some predictive factors of graft survival are identified that may serve as a first step in this path.

Aproximación metodológica al diseño de un sistema de teleasistencia para pacientes en prediálisis y diálisis peritoneal / Methodological approach for designing a telecare system for patients on pre-dialysis and peritoneal dialysis

Antecedentes: Un importante obstáculo que dificulta el despliegue de soluciones tecnológicas en sanidad es el rechazo que encuentran los sistemas desarrollados por los usuarios que tienen que utilizarlos (ya sean profesionales sanitarios o pacientes), que consideran que no se adaptan a sus necesidades reales. Objetivos: (1) Diseñar una arquitectura tecnológica para la asistencia remota de pacientes nefrológicos aplicando una metodología que prime la implicación de los usuarios (profesionales y pacientes) en todo el diseño y desarrollo; (2) ilustrar cómo las necesidades de los usuarios pueden ser recogidas y respondidas mediante la tecnología, aumentando el nivel de aceptación de los sistemas finales. Métodos: Para obtener las principales necesidades que existen actualmente en Nefrología se implicó a un conjunto de servicios españoles de la especialidad. Se realizó una recogida de necesidades mediante entrevistas semiestructuradas al equipo médico y cuestionarios a profesionales y pacientes. Resultados: Se extrajeron un conjunto de requisitos tanto de profesionales como de pacientes y, paralelamente, el grupo de ingenieros biomédicos identificó requisitos de la asistencia remota de pacientes desde un punto de vista tecnológico. Todos estos requisitos han dado pie al diseño de una arquitectura modular para la asistencia remota de pacientes en diálisis peritoneal y prediálisis. Conclusiones: Este trabajo ilustra cómo es posible implicar a los usuarios en todo el proceso de diseño y desarrollo de un sistema. Fruto de este trabajo es el diseño de una arquitectura modular adaptable para asistencia remota de pacientes nefrológicos respondiendo a las preferencias y necesidades de los usuarios pacientes y profesionales consultados (AU)

Background: A major obstacle that hinders the implementation of technological solutions in healthcare is the rejection of developed systems by users (healthcare professionals and patients), who consider that they do not adapt to their real needs. Objectives: (1) To design technological architecture for the telecare of nephrological patients by applying a methodology that prioritises the involvement of users (professionals and patients) throughout the design and development process; (2) to show how users' needs can be determined and addressed by means of technology, increasing the acceptance level of the final systems. Methods: In order to determine the main current needs in Nephrology, a group of Spanish Nephrology Services was involved. Needs were recorded through semi-structured interviews with the medical team and questionnaires for professionals and patients. Results: A set of requirements were garnered from professionals and patients. In parallel, the group of biomedical engineers identified requirements for patient telecare from a technological perspective. All of these requirements drove the design of modular architecture for the telecare of peritoneal dialysis and pre-dialysis patients. Conclusions: This work shows how it is possible to involve users in the whole process of design and development of a system. The result of this work is the design of adaptable modular architecture for the telecare of nephrological patients and it addresses the preferences and needs of patient and professional users consulted (AU)

[Methodological approach to designing a telecare system for pre-dialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients]. / Aproximación metodológica al diseño de un sistema de teleasistencia para pacientes en prediálisis y diálisis peritoneal

BACKGROUND: A major obstacle that hinders the implementation of technological solutions in healthcare is the rejection of developed systems by users (healthcare professionals and patients), who consider that they do not adapt to their real needs. OBJECTIVES: (1) To design technological architecture for the telecare of nephrological patients by applying a methodology that prioritises the involvement of users (professionals and patients) throughout the design and development process; (2) to show how users' needs can be determined and addressed by means of technology, increasing the acceptance level of the final systems. METHODS: In order to determine the main current needs in Nephrology, a group of Spanish Nephrology Services was involved. Needs were recorded through semi-structured interviews with the medical team and questionnaires for professionals and patients. RESULTS: A set of requirements were garnered from professionals and patients. In parallel, the group of biomedical engineers identified requirements for patient telecare from a technological perspective. All of these requirements drove the design of modular architecture for the telecare of peritoneal dialysis and pre-dialysis patients. CONCLUSIONS: This work shows how it is possible to involve users in the whole process of design and development of a system. The result of this work is the design of adaptable modular architecture for the telecare of nephrological patients and it addresses the preferences and needs of patient and professional users consulted.

Design and implementation of a smart sensor for respiratory rate monitoring.

This work presents the design, development and implementation of a smart sensor to monitor the respiratory rate. This sensor is aimed at overcoming the drawbacks of other systems currently available in market, namely, devices that are costly, uncomfortable, difficult-to-install, provide low detection sensitivity, and little-to-null patient-to-patient calibration. The device is based on capacitive sensing by means of an LC oscillator. Experimental results show that the sensor meets the necessary requirements, making feasible the proposed monitoring system with the technology used.