Medication impact on oral health in schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Patients with schizophrenia constitute a particularly vulnerable group for oral diseases. Among the different factors involved, we aimed to examine the evidence of how drugs could contribute to the poorer oral health of this population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An overview of the potential impact of medication on dental/oral health among people with schizophrenia was proposed focusing on selected literature. RESULTS: Studies show a higher dental caries and degree of periodontal diseases in this population and point to drug-induced xerostomia as an important risk factor for oral health deterioration. The risk of dry mouth depends on not only antipsychotics, but also drugs with anticholinergic activity. We hypothesize that antipsychotic induced glycaemic alterations might contribute to reduced oral health, and that the antimicrobial activity of certain antipsychotics could have an impact on oral microbiota affecting oral condition. Pharmacovigilance data show that involuntary movements are caused by typical and some atypical antipsychotics. Dry mouth is most frequently reported for quetiapine and olanzapine, while clozapine is more frequently associated with sialorrhea. CONCLUSIONS: Literature clearly shows higher caries and periodontal disease in schizophrenic patients. However, overall, there is scarce literature about the potential influence of drugs in these disorders. Health professionals should be aware of this issue in order to implement adequate preventive measures in this vulnerable population.

Relación entre mortalidad hospitalaria y edad en pacientes con trauma encéfalo craneano moderado y grave / Relationship between hospital mortality and age in patients with moderate and severe traumatic brain injury

INTRODUCCIÓN: Internacionalmente se ha determinado el valor de indicadores pronósticos en manejo de traumatismo craneoencefálico como Escala de Coma de Glasgow al ingreso, edad paciente, diámetro pupilar, reflejo fotomotor, hipotensión, tipo de lesiones en tomografía axial computada e hipoxia; sin embargo, la edad funciona como factor pronóstico independiente. Para determinar el rol de edad adulta (≥ 60 años) en mortalidad intrahospitalaria, y debido a la ausencia de estudios que demuestren su rol definitorio, este estudio propone que pacientes mayores de 60 años tienen una mortalidad intrahospitalaria mayor estadísticamente significativa en comparación con menores de 60 años. MATERIAL Y MÉTODO: Estudio transversal. Se recolectaron fichas clínicas de pacientes ingresados por traumatismo encéfalo craneano grave o moderado, entre enero 2008 y junio2010 (n=96) del Hospital Van Buren, Valparaíso. Se excluyó aquellos con datos incompletos o ficha clínica extraviada, se separó en un grupo a los menores de 60 años (n=47) y en otro a ≥ 60 años (n=29). Se analizaron las variables de mortalidad intrahospitalaria, Escala de Coma de Glasgow, ingreso, sexo, presencia de hipotensión, saturación oxígeno normal, alteración pupilar y presencia de alcohol en sangre, a través de prueba exacta de Fisher y Odds Ratio. RESULTADOS: El grupo no evidenció una diferencia estadísticamente significativa al utilizar 60 años como punto de corte, sin embargo, existió una tendencia no estadísticamente significativa hacia la mayor mortalidad en el grupo mayor. DISCUSIÓN: Una proyección del estudio buscando mayor casuística, enfocándose en grupo de mayor riesgo y traumatismo encéfalo craneano grave, podría definir un punto de quiebre para la mortalidad.

INTRODUCTION: International literature has determined the value of prognostic factors, such as Glasgow Coma Scale at admission, patient’s age, pupillary diameter, pupillary light reflex, hypotension, types of injuries on computed tomography and hypoxia; however, age works as an independent prognosis factor. The objective was to determine the role of adulthood (patients aged over 59 years old) in hospital mortality. Due to the absence of evidence, this study proposes to demonstrate that patients over 59 years old have a statistically significant increased hospital mortality compared to those under 60. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Transversal study. Clinical files of all patients admitted at Hospital Carlos Van Buren for moderate to severe traumatic injury between January 2008 and June 2010 (n=96) were collected and divided in two groups: over 59 years old (n=29) and below 60 years old (n= 47). Those with incomplete or misplaced clinical files were excluded. Variables of hospital mortality, Glasgow Coma Scale at admission, sex, hypotension, normal oxygen saturation, pupillary abnormalities and blood alcohol presence, were analyzed with the Fisher test and the Odds Ratio. RESULTS: The analyzed group did not show any statistically significant difference when establishing 60 years old as an age cutoff point did show a tendency to a higher mortality. DISCUSSION: Future studies considering more cases and focusing on the higher-risk group (with severe traumatic brain injury) could define a cutoff point for mortality on the studied population.