Occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 viremia is associated with genetic variants of genes related to COVID-19 pathogenesis.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 viral load has been related to COVID-19 severity. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 viremia and SNPs in genes previously studied by our group as predictors of COVID-19 severity. Materials and methods: Retrospective observational study including 340 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in the University Hospital La Princesa between March 2020 and December 2021, with at least one viremia determination. Positive viremia was considered when viral load was above the quantifiable threshold (20 copies/ml). A total of 38 SNPs were genotyped. To study their association with viremia a multivariate logistic regression was performed. Results: The mean age of the studied population was 64.5 years (SD 16.6), 60.9% patients were male and 79.4% white non-Hispanic. Only 126 patients (37.1%) had at least one positive viremia. After adjustment by confounders, the presence of the minor alleles of rs2071746 (HMOX1; T/T genotype OR 9.9 p < 0.0001), rs78958998 (probably associated with SERPING1 expression; A/T genotype OR 2.3, p = 0.04 and T/T genotype OR 12.9, p < 0.0001), and rs713400 (eQTL for TMPRSS2; C/T + T/T genotype OR 1.86, p = 0.10) were associated with higher risk of viremia, whereas the minor alleles of rs11052877 (CD69; A/G genotype OR 0.5, p = 0.04 and G/G genotype OR 0.3, p = 0.01), rs2660 (OAS1; A/G genotype OR 0.6, p = 0.08), rs896 (VIPR1; T/T genotype OR 0.4, p = 0.02) and rs33980500 (TRAF3IP2; C/T + T/T genotype OR 0.3, p = 0.01) were associated with lower risk of viremia. Conclusion: Genetic variants in HMOX1 (rs2071746), SERPING1 (rs78958998), TMPRSS2 (rs713400), CD69 (rs11052877), TRAF3IP2 (rs33980500), OAS1 (rs2660) and VIPR1 (rs896) could explain heterogeneity in SARS-CoV-2 viremia in our population.

Diagnostic Assessment of Respiratory and Hemodynamic Changes Related to Prone Position in COVID-19 Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To study the respiratory patterns and the hemodynamic variations related to postural changes in inpatients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). METHODS: This report is a prospective study in a cohort of inpatients admitted with COVID-19. We recruited 10 patients admitted to the hospital with moderate or severe COVID-19 who showed improvement in oxygen saturation with prone positioning. We performed cardiorespiratory polygraphy and hemodynamic evaluations by thoracic electrical bioimpedance. RESULTS: We observed a median minimum oxygen saturation of 85.00% (IQR: 7.00) in the supine position versus 91.00% (IQR: 8.00) (P = 0.173) in the prone position. The airflow restriction in the supine position was 2.70% (IQR: 6.55) versus 1.55% (IQR: 2.80) (P = 0.383) in the prone position. A total of 36.4% of patients were classified as having a normo-hemodynamic state in the supine position, whereas 54.5% were classified in this group in the prone position (P = 0.668). A decrease in vascular resistance was observed in the prone position (18.2% of vasoconstriction) compared to the supine position (36.4% of vasoconstriction) (P = 0.871). CONCLUSION: This brief report describes the effects of prone positioning on respiratory and hemodynamic variables in 10 patients with moderate or severe COVID-19.

Evaluation of congenital and acquired heart diseases in a Spanish cohort of adults with Down syndrome.

To describe congenital and acquired heart diseases in a Spanish cohort of adults with Down syndrome (DS), which could inform potential health recommendations for this population. Cross-sectional, observational study of adults with DS evaluated consecutively at a tertiary care, outpatient center between January 1 and December 31, 2019. The study population comprised 937 patients (51.8% men; median [IQR] age, 42 [18] years). An echocardiogram was available in the clinical chart of 420 patients (44.8%). The diagnosis of any form of heart disease was confirmed in 211 patients (22.5%): 101 (10.8%) had congenital heart defects, 80 (8.5%) simultaneous congenital and valvular heart diseases, and 30 (3.2%) isolated valvular heart disease. 111 patients (52.6% of those with congenital or valvular heart disease) had received corrective cardiac surgery. A total of 65 individuals were receiving medical management alone (30.8%), while 35 did not require any treatment because their cardiac disease was mild (16.6%). We found a high overall prevalence of heart disease in patients with DS, higher than previously reported for the pediatric population. Management of cardiovascular disease in adults with DS differs from that of the general population and should include universal echocardiography-based screening.

SARS-CoV-2 Viremia Precedes an IL6 Response in Severe COVID-19 Patients: Results of a Longitudinal Prospective Cohort.

Background: Interleukin 6 (IL6) levels and SARS-CoV-2 viremia have been correlated with COVID-19 severity. The association over time between them has not been assessed in a prospective cohort. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 viremia and time evolution of IL6 levels in a COVID-19 prospective cohort. Methods: Secondary analysis from a prospective cohort including COVID-19 hospitalized patients from Hospital Universitario La Princesa between November 2020 and January 2021. Serial plasma samples were collected from admission until discharge. Viral load was quantified by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction and IL6 levels with an enzyme immunoassay. To represent the evolution over time of both variables we used the graphic command twoway of Stata. Results: A total of 57 patients were recruited, with median age of 63 years (IQR [53-81]), 61.4% male and 68.4% Caucasian. The peak of viremia appeared shortly after symptom onset in patients with persistent viremia (more than 1 sample with > 1.3 log10 copies/ml) and also in those with at least one IL6 > 30 pg/ml, followed by a progressive increase in IL6 around 10 days later. Persistent viremia in the first week of hospitalization was associated with higher levels of IL6. Both IL6 and SARS-CoV-2 viral load were higher in males, with a quicker increase with age. Conclusion: In those patients with worse outcomes, an early peak of SARS-CoV-2 viral load precedes an increase in IL6 levels. Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 viral load during the first week after symptom onset may be helpful to predict disease severity in COVID-19 patients.

Diaphragm impairment in patients admitted for severe COVID-19.

Among patients affected by the virus COVID-19, physicians have observed ventilation disorders. It is relevant to assess neurological involvement, including the role of diaphragmatic function. Its possible impairment could be related to the systemic inflammatory response and disease progression that both typify COVID-19 infection. We distinguished two groups (severe group (SG) and mild group (MG)) according to the severity of respiratory symptomatology. We performed neurophysiological and sonography studies to evaluate the diaphragmatic function. Regarding the sonography variables, we identified statistically significant differences in the right mean diaphragmatic thickness along with the expiration, showing 1.56 mm (SEM: 0.11) in the SG vs 1.92 mm (SEM: 0.19) in the MG (p = 0.042). The contractibility of both hemidiaphragms was 15% lower in the severe group, though this difference is not statistically significant. In our examination of the neurophysiological variables, in the amplitude responses, we observed a greater difference between responses from both phrenic nerves as follows: the raw differences in amplitude were 0.40 µV (SEM: 0.14) in the SG vs 0.35 µV (SEM: 0.19) in the MG and the percentage difference was 25.92% (SEM: 7.22) in the SG vs 16.28% (SEM: 4.38%) in the MG. Although diaphragmatic dysfunction is difficult to detect, our combined functional and morphological approach with phrenic electroneurograms and chest ultrasounds could improve diagnostic sensitivity. We suggest that diaphragmatic dysfunction could play a relevant role in respiratory disturbance in hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in serum is associated with increased mortality risk in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

COVID-19 has overloaded national health services worldwide. Thus, early identification of patients at risk of poor outcomes is critical. Our objective was to analyse SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in serum as a severity biomarker in COVID-19. Retrospective observational study including 193 patients admitted for COVID-19. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in serum (viremia) was performed with samples collected at 48-72 h of admission by two techniques from Roche and Thermo Fischer Scientific (TFS). Main outcome variables were mortality and need for ICU admission during hospitalization for COVID-19. Viremia was detected in 50-60% of patients depending on technique. The correlation of Ct in serum between both techniques was good (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.612; p < 0.001). Patients with viremia were older (p = 0.006), had poorer baseline oxygenation (PaO2/FiO2; p < 0.001), more severe lymphopenia (p < 0.001) and higher LDH (p < 0.001), IL-6 (p = 0.021), C-reactive protein (CRP; p = 0.022) and procalcitonin (p = 0.002) serum levels. We defined "relevant viremia" when detection Ct was < 34 with Roche and < 31 for TFS. These thresholds had 95% sensitivity and 35% specificity. Relevant viremia predicted death during hospitalization (OR 9.2 [3.8-22.6] for Roche, OR 10.3 [3.6-29.3] for TFS; p < 0.001). Cox regression models, adjusted by age, sex and Charlson index, identified increased LDH serum levels and relevant viremia (HR = 9.87 [4.13-23.57] for TFS viremia and HR = 7.09 [3.3-14.82] for Roche viremia) as the best markers to predict mortality. Viremia assessment at admission is the most useful biomarker for predicting mortality in COVID-19 patients. Viremia is highly reproducible with two different techniques (TFS and Roche), has a good consistency with other severity biomarkers for COVID-19 and better predictive accuracy.

[Clinical Ethics Consultation: current European models and novel approaches in Spain]. / Consultoría en ética clínica: modelos europeos y nuevas propuestas en España.

To date, healthcare ethics committees (HEC) have been the only ethics consultation model in the hospital setting in Spain, though their usefulness for ethical conflict resolution in daily practice has been questioned. Individual clinical ethics consultation (CEC) is a complementary ethics consultation model, which has proved efficacious in real-time ethical problem-solving. Although CEC is widely used in North America, its implementation in Europe is still marginal. In this document we present the general characteristics of CEC services, comparing their potential advantages and risks to those of HECs. We will then share relevant European experiences in CEC, as well as review the few CEC initiatives in Spain. Finally, we will share our recent CEC implementation strategy in a national, medium-sized, teaching hospital. We will summarise the minimum requirements that such a CEC service must meet in order to carry out its consulting activity: organisational flexibility, well-trained professionals, with sufficient clinical experience, economical support, and organisational dependency on HECs.

Consultoría en ética clínica: modelos europeos y nuevas propuestas en España / Clinical Ethics Consultation: current European models and novel approaches in Spain

Los Comités de Ética Asistencial (CEAS) han constituido hasta la actualidad el único modelo de resolu-ción de conflictos éticos en el entorno hospitalario en España, aunque su utilidad para mejorar la prácticaclínica diaria ha sido puesta en duda. La Consultoría individual en Ética Clínica (CEC) es un modelo comple-mentario al CEAS, eficaz para ayudar a tomar decisiones ético-clínicas complejas a tiempo real. Aunque laCEC está muy extendida en el ámbito estadounidense, todavía goza de poca popularidad en Europa. En elpresente trabajo se describen las características generales de los servicios de CEC, remarcando sus ventajasy potenciales riesgos comparándolos con los del modelo basado exclusivamente en los CEAS. En segundolugar, se recogen las experiencias y modelos de CEC en diversos países europeos, y también presentamos lasiniciativas más recientes llevadas a cabo en nuestro país. Tras ello, se propone una estrategia de implanta-ción de un servicio de CEC para un hospital universitario de tamaño medio y se resumen las característicasmínimas que este servicio de CEC debe tener para poder llevar a cabo eficazmente su labor consultiva: fle-xibilidad organizativa, composición por profesionales formados en Bioética, con gran experiencia clínica,remunerados específicamente para esta tarea y con dependencia organizativa del CEAS.(AU)

To date, healthcare ethics committees (HEC) have been the only ethics consultation model in the hospi-tal setting in Spain, though their usefulness for ethical conflict resolution in daily practice has been ques-tioned. Individual clinical ethics consultation (CEC) is a complementary ethics consultation model, whichhas proved efficacious in real-time ethical problem-solving. Although CEC is widely used in North America,its implementation in Europe is still marginal. In this document we present the general characteristics ofCEC services, comparing their potential advantages and risks to those of HECs. We will then share relevantEuropean experiences in CEC, as well as review the few CEC initiatives in Spain. Finally, we will share ourrecent CEC implementation strategy in a national, medium-sized, teaching hospital. We will summarise theminimum requirements that such a CEC service must meet in order to carry out its consulting activity: or-ganisational flexibility, well-trained professionals, with sufficient clinical experience, economical support,and organisational dependency on HECs.(AU)

A Differential Signature of Circulating miRNAs and Cytokines Between COVID-19 and Community-Acquired Pneumonia Uncovers Novel Physiopathological Mechanisms of COVID-19.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia is a life-threatening infectious disease, especially for elderly patients with multiple comorbidities. Despite enormous efforts to understand its underlying etiopathogenic mechanisms, most of them remain elusive. In this study, we compared differential plasma miRNAs and cytokines profiles between COVID-19 and other community-acquired pneumonias (CAP). A first screening and subsequent validation assays in an independent cohort of patients revealed a signature of 15 dysregulated miRNAs between COVID-19 and CAP patients. Additionally, multivariate analysis displayed a combination of 4 miRNAs (miR-106b-5p, miR-221-3p, miR-25-3p and miR-30a-5p) that significantly discriminated between both pathologies. Search for targets of these miRNAs, combined with plasma protein measurements, identified a differential cytokine signature between COVID-19 and CAP that included EGFR, CXCL12 and IL-10. Significant differences were also detected in plasma levels of CXCL12, IL-17, TIMP-2 and IL-21R between mild and severe COVID-19 patients. These findings provide new insights into the etiopathological mechanisms underlying COVID-19.

IL-6 serum levels predict severity and response to tocilizumab in COVID-19: An observational study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with coronavirus disaese 2019 (COVID-19) can develop a cytokine release syndrome that eventually leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). Because IL-6 is a relevant cytokine in acute respiratory distress syndrome, the blockade of its receptor with tocilizumab (TCZ) could reduce mortality and/or morbidity in severe COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether baseline IL-6 serum levels can predict the need for IMV and the response to TCZ. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was performed in hospitalized patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Clinical information and laboratory findings, including IL-6 levels, were collected approximately 3 and 9 days after admission to be matched with preadministration and postadministration of TCZ. Multivariable logistic and linear regressions and survival analysis were performed depending on outcomes: need for IMV, evolution of arterial oxygen tension/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio, or mortality. RESULTS: One hundred forty-six patients were studied, predominantly males (66%); median age was 63 years. Forty-four patients (30%) required IMV, and 58 patients (40%) received treatment with TCZ. IL-6 levels greater than 30 pg/mL was the best predictor for IMV (odds ratio, 7.1; P < .001). Early administration of TCZ was associated with improvement in oxygenation (arterial oxygen tension/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio) in patients with high IL-6 (P = .048). Patients with high IL-6 not treated with TCZ showed high mortality (hazard ratio, 4.6; P = .003), as well as those with low IL-6 treated with TCZ (hazard ratio, 3.6; P = .016). No relevant serious adverse events were observed in TCZ-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline IL-6 greater than 30 pg/mL predicts IMV requirement in patients with COVID-19 and contributes to establish an adequate indication for TCZ administration.

Usefulness of circulating microRNAs miR-146a and miR-16-5p as prognostic biomarkers in community-acquired pneumonia.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) undergo a dysregulated host response that is related to mortality. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) participate in this response, but their expression pattern and their role as biomarkers in CAP have not been fully characterized. METHODS: A prospective observational study was performed in a cohort of 153 consecutive patients admitted to hospital with CAP. Clinical and analytical variables were collected, and the main outcome variable was 30-day mortality. Small RNA was purified from plasma of these patients obtained on the first day of admission, and miRNA expression was analyzed by RT-PCR. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out through the construction of a logistic regression model. The proposed model was compared with established prognostic clinical scales using ROC curve analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients included was 74.7 years [SD 15.9]. Their mean PSI was 100.9 [SD 34.6] and the mean modified Charlson index was 2.9 [SD 3.0]. Both miR-146a and miR-16-5p showed statistically significant association with 30-day mortality after admission due to CAP (1.10 vs. 0.23 and 51.74 vs. 35.23, respectively), and this association remained for miR-16-5p in the multivariate analysis adjusted for age, gender and history of bronchoaspiration (OR 0.95, p = 0.021). The area-under-the-curve (AUC) of our adjusted multivariate model (AUC = 0.954 95%CI [0.91-0.99]), was better than those of prognostic scales such as PSI (AUC = 0.799 [0.69-0.91]) and CURB-65 (AUC = 0.722 [0.58-0.86]). CONCLUSIONS: High levels of miR-146a-5p and miR-16-5p upon admission due to CAP are associated with lower mortality at 30 days of follow-up. Both miRNAs could be used as biomarkers of good prognosis in subjects hospitalized with CAP.

Adults with Down syndrome challenge another paradigm: When aging no longer entails arterial hypertension.

The paradigmatic relationship between aging and atherosclerotic cardiovascular events does not apply to all patient populations. Though trisomy 21 (T21) and its phenotypic expression, Down syndrome (DS), are conditions that involve premature aging, the cardiovascular system of adults with DS appears to be particularly spared from this early senescence. Despite a higher prevalence of some classic cardiovascular risk factors in adults with DS than in the general population, such as dyslipidemia, obesity, or sedentarism, these individuals do not develop hypertension or suffer major cardiovascular events as they age. The protective factors that prevent the development of hypertension in T21 are not well established. Genes like RCAN1 and DYRK1A, both on chromosome 21 and over-expressed in adults with DS, appear to play a major role in cardiovascular prevention. Their regulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and neprilysin synthesis could underlie the constitutive protection against arterial hypertension in adults with DS and explain the absence of increased arterial stiffness in this population. A better understanding of these molecular pathways could have enormous implications for the clinical management of adults with DS and might foster the development of novel therapeutic targets in cardiovascular prevention for the general population.

Estudio del porcentaje de neutrófilos y el cociente de neutrófilos-linfocitos como marcadores pronósticos en pacientes hospitalizados por neumonía adquirida en la comunidad / Neutrophil Count Percentage and Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio as Prognostic Markers in Patients Hospitalized for Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Introducción: La neumonía adquirida en la comunidad (NAC) es una infección frecuente y grave. El objetivo de este trabajo es estudiar la utilidad pronóstica del porcentaje de neutrófilos (NCP) y del cociente neutrófilos/linfocitos (NLR) en pacientes con NAC. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de pacientes hospitalizados por NAC con analítica al ingreso y una segunda extracción de control a los 3-5 días. Se consideraron variables desenlace la mortalidad a 30 y 90 días. Resultados: Se incluyó a 209 pacientes. Los pacientes que sobrevivieron redujeron significativamente el NCP y el NLR entre la analítica al diagnóstico y la de control (desde el 85,8 hasta el 65,4% para NCP y de 10,1 a 3,2 para NLR). Fallecieron 25 pacientes en los primeros 90 días. En ellos hubo un menor descenso no significativo para el NCP (del 84,8 al 74,0%) y para NLR (de 9,9 a 6,9). Los valores de NCP y NLR en la analítica de control fueron significativamente mayores en los pacientes fallecidos que en los supervivientes. Aquellos pacientes que presentaron en la analítica de control un NCP superior al 85% o un NLR superior a 10, presentaron un riesgo de mortalidad superior tras ajuste multivariable (HR para NCP 12 y para NLR 6,5). Conclusión: NCP y NLR son parámetros sencillos y de bajo coste, con utilidad pronóstica especialmente al medirse a los 3-5 días del diagnóstico de NAC. Niveles altos de NLR o NCP se asocian con mayor riesgo de mortalidad a los 90 días

Introduction: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common serious infection. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic utility of neutrophil count percentage (NCP) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with CAP. Methods: Retrospective study of hospitalized patients with CAP. Patients had a blood test at admission and 3-5 days after hospitalization (early-stage test). The main outcome variables were 30-day and 90-day mortality. Results: Two hundred and 9 patients were included. Patients who survived had significant reductions in both NCP and NLR between admission and the day 3-5 blood tests (from 85.8% to 65.4% for NCP and from 10.1 to 3.2 for NLR). Twenty-five patients died in the first 90 days. Patients who died had lower, non-significant reductions in NCP (from 84.8% to 74%) and NLR (from 9.9 to 6.9) and significantly higher early-stage NCP and NLR than those who survived. NCP values higher than 85% and NLR values higher than 10 in the early-stage blood test were associated with a higher risk of mortality, even after multivariate adjustment (HR for NCP: 12; HR for NLR: 6.5). Conclusion: NCP and NLR are simple, low-cost parameters with prognostic utility, especially when measured 3-5 days after CAP diagnosis. High NLR and/or NCP levels are associated with a greater risk of mortality at 90 days

Neutrophil Count Percentage and Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio as Prognostic Markers in Patients Hospitalized for Community-Acquired Pneumonia. / Estudio del porcentaje de neutrófilos y el cociente de neutrófilos-linfocitos como marcadores pronósticos en pacientes hospitalizados por neumonía adquirida en la comunidad.

INTRODUCTION: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common serious infection. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic utility of neutrophil count percentage (NCP) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with CAP. METHODS: Retrospective study of hospitalized patients with CAP. Patients had a blood test at admission and 3-5 days after hospitalization (early-stage test). The main outcome variables were 30-day and 90-day mortality. RESULTS: Two hundred and 9patients were included. Patients who survived had significant reductions in both NCP and NLR between admission and the day 3-5 blood tests (from 85.8% to 65.4% for NCP and from 10.1 to 3.2 for NLR). Twenty-five patients died in the first 90 days. Patients who died had lower, non-significant reductions in NCP (from 84.8% to 74%) and NLR (from 9.9 to 6.9) and significantly higher early-stage NCP and NLR than those who survived. NCP values higher than 85% and NLR values higher than 10 in the early-stage blood test were associated with a higher risk of mortality, even after multivariate adjustment (HR for NCP: 12; HR for NLR: 6.5). CONCLUSION: NCP and NLR are simple, low-cost parameters with prognostic utility, especially when measured 3-5 days after CAP diagnosis. High NLR and/or NCP levels are associated with a greater risk of mortality at 90 days.

Correction: Inflammation biomarkers in blood as mortality predictors in community-acquired pneumonia admitted patients: Importance of comparison with neutrophil count percentage or neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173947.].

Aparato Digestivo: evolución de la elección de la especialidad en los últimos años / Gastroenterology - Evolution of specialty choice in recent years

Introducción: Aparato Digestivo es una de las especialidades ofertadas a los opositores que acceden a la formación sanitaria especializada cada año. Este proyecto analiza los datos de elección de Aparato Digestivo en los últimos años. Material y métodos: los datos de la elección se han obtenido de la publicación oficial de los actos de asignación de plazas del Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad. Se ha recabado información de los distintos centros docentes a través de sus guías formativas, el Catálogo Nacional de Hospitales y la Organización Nacional de Trasplantes. Resultados: la mediana de elección de número de orden para Aparato Digestivo ha descendido anualmente, situando la especialidad en 2015 entre las cinco más populares en la elección. La mediana de los hospitales con mayor número de camas, actividad de trasplante hepático en adultos y Unidad de Sangrantes es significativamente menor. Lo mismo sucede al analizar los centros en base a la presencia de guardias específicas de Aparato Digestivo para residentes o vinculación con facultades de Medicina. Los datos de los últimos cinco años sitúan a Madrid, Aragón y Euskadi como las comunidades autónomas más populares. Los centros con menor mediana de número de orden para el periodo 2011-2015 fueron los hospitales universitarios Ramón y Cajal, Santiago de Compostela y Gregorio Marañón. Conclusiones: Aparato Digestivo ha ido mejorando de manera progresiva en la elección de plazas de especialización hasta llegar a situarse entre las cinco más populares. Los electores se decantan por centros grandes, de mayor complejidad asistencial y elevada actividad investigadora (AU)

Introduction: Gastroenterology is one of the medical specialties offered to residency training candidates each year. This project analyzes the data associated with the choice of a Gastroenterology residency program in recent years. Material and methods: Data related to specialty selection were obtained from official reports with regard to the allocation of residency places by the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality. Information was collected from various teaching centers via their training guides, the Spanish National Catalogue of Hospitals and the National Transplant Organization. Results: The median consecutive number involved in the choice of Gastroenterology training has decreased year after year, and this specialty is now positioned among the five most commonly selected residency programs in 2015. The median number of hospitals with a higher number of beds, adult liver transplantation activities and dedicated GI bleeding units is significantly lower. This is also true when centers are analyzed according to the presence of specific Gastroenterology on-call shifts for residents or their association with medical schools. Data from the past five years highlight Madrid, Aragón and the Basque Country as the autonomous communities where Gastroenterology is the most popular. Centers selected by candidates with the lowest median consecutive numbers from 2011-2015 included the university hospitals Ramón y Cajal, Santiago de Compostela and Gregorio Marañón. Conclusions: Gastroenterology has gradually escalated in the ranking of residency choices and is now one of the five most popular options. Potential residents prefer larger centers with complex-care patients and more research activity (AU)

Gastroenterology - Evolution of specialty choice in recent years.

INTRODUCTION: Gastroenterology is one of the medical specialties offered to residency training candidates each year. This project analyzes the data associated with the choice of a Gastroenterology residency program in recent years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data related to specialty selection were obtained from official reports with regard to the allocation of residency places by the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality. Information was collected from various teaching centers via their training guides, the Spanish National Catalogue of Hospitals and the National Transplant Organization. RESULTS: The median consecutive number involved in the choice of Gastroenterology training has decreased year after year, and this specialty is now positioned among the five most commonly selected residency programs in 2015. The median number of hospitals with a higher number of beds, adult liver transplantation activities and dedicated GI bleeding units is significantly lower. This is also true when centers are analyzed according to the presence of specific Gastroenterology on-call shifts for residents or their association with medical schools. Data from the past five years highlight Madrid, Aragón and the Basque Country as the autonomous communities where Gastroenterology is the most popular. Centers selected by candidates with the lowest median consecutive numbers from 2011-2015 included the university hospitals Ramón y Cajal, Santiago de Compostela and Gregorio Marañón. CONCLUSIONS: Gastroenterology has gradually escalated in the ranking of residency choices and is now one of the five most popular options. Potential residents prefer larger centers with complex-care patients and more research activity.

Inflammation biomarkers in blood as mortality predictors in community-acquired pneumonia admitted patients: Importance of comparison with neutrophil count percentage or neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio.

INTRODUCTION: The increase and persistence of inflammation in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients can lead to higher mortality. Biomarkers capable of measuring this inadequate inflammatory response are likely candidates to be related with a bad outcome. We investigated the association between concentrations of several inflammatory markers and mortality of CAP patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a prospective study of hospitalised CAP patients in a Spanish university hospital. Blood tests upon admittance and in the early-stage evolution (72-120 hours) were carried out, where C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, proadrenomedullin, copeptin, white blood cell, Lymphocyte Count Percentage (LCP), Neutrophil Count Percentage (NCP) and Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) were measured. The outcome variable was mortality at 30 and 90 days. Statistical analysis included logistic regression, ROC analysis and area-under-curve test. RESULTS: 154 hospitalised CAP patients were included. Patients who died during follow-up had higher levels of procalcitonin, copeptin, proadrenomedullin, lower levels of LCP, and higher of NCP and NLR. Remarkably, multivariate analysis showed a relationship between NCP and mortality, regardless of age, severity of CAP and comorbidities. AUC analysis showed that NLR and NCP at admittance and during early-stage evolution achieved a good diagnostic power. ROC test for NCP and NLR were similar to those of the novel serum biomarkers analysed. CONCLUSIONS: NLR and NCP, are promising candidate predictors of mortality for hospitalised CAP patients, and both are cheaper, easier to perform, and at least as reliable as the new serum biomarkers. Future implementation of new biomarkers would require comparison not only with classic inflammatory parameters like White Blood Cell count but also with NLR and NCP.