Differences in efficacy and safety between intrathecal infusion devices in cancer pain.

BACKGROUND: Intrathecal infusion therapy is widely accepted for cancer pain patients when conventional analgesic treatments are not sufficient. There are different types of devices for carrying out this therapy: partially externalized devices (PED), used when life expectancy is under 3 months, and totally implanted devices (TID), when it is larger. Our objective is to compare the efficacy, functionality, and complication rate in both types. METHODS: We included 132 patients with mild-severe cancer pain, treated with intrathecal infusion therapy by fixed flow devices, PED, or TID, during the study time. Demographic, physical oncologic, and pain control data of the patients were recorded prior to starting therapy and at months 1, 3, and 6. Functionality status and complications were also collected from the patient's medical records and clinical files. RESULTS: Pain control improved after starting therapy, with an overall reduction of 4.75 points in VAS score at 1 month in the both groups, without significant differences between them, keeping it at 3 months and 6. 33.3% of the patients developed complications and were more frequent in the PED group, being catheter dislocation the most common. Patients with TID required more often hospital admission to solve the complication. CONCLUSIONS: Intrathecal infusion therapy has been shown to be a very effective and safe therapy for the treatment of moderate to severe oncologic pain. There are no significant differences between PED and TID in terms of degree of pain control, therapeutic success, efficacy on episodic or nocturnal pain, or the presence of serious complications.

Causas anatómicas inusuales de malposición de catéteres venosos centrales / Unusual anatomical causes of malposition of central venous catheters

Resumen: La malposición de los catéteres venosos centrales se asocia a importantes riesgos, a menudo infraestimados. Aunque se han descrito algunos factores que pueden favorecer la malposición, generalmente su causa no llega a diagnosticarse y parece ser de origen multifactorial. Presentamos dos casos de malposición de catéteres venosos centrales motivadas por causas anatómicas inusuales, diagnosticadas en el perioperatorio. En el primer caso, se diagnostica una agenesia de vena cava superior en el transcurso de una sustitución mitral por esternotomía, que lógicamente se asocia con una malposición de la vía central insertada. La utilización de catéteres y dispositivos a través de venas yugulares y subclavias en pacientes con esta infrecuente patología implica importantes limitaciones y complicaciones potenciales graves. En el segundo caso, la existencia de un bocio no diagnosticado provoca la malposición bilateral y simultánea de dos catéteres venosos canalizados, en el contexto de una situación de emergencia, en ambas venas yugulares internas.

Abstract: Malposition of central venous catheters is associated with important and underestimated risks. Although some factors have been related with malposition, its cause is generally not diagnosed, and it seems to have multifactorial origin. We present two cases of central venous catheter malposition due to unusual anatomical causes, diagnosed in the perioperative period. In the first case, superior vena cava agenesis was diagnosed during mitral replacement by sternotomy, which was logically associated with malposition of the inserted central line. The use of catheters and devices through jugular and subclavian veins in patients with this infrequent pathology is associated with important limitations and serious potential complications. In the second case, an undiagnosed goiter causes bilateral and simultaneous malpositioning of two inserted central venous catheters, in the context of an emergency situation, in both internal jugular veins.

Predictive factors for efficacy and safety of intrathecal infusion devices for oncological pain.

Introduction: In an important percentage of intrathecal infusion therapy, the pain after implantation of a spinal device does not improve. Our objective is to identify factors that can predict therapeutic success and complications, developing a predictive model based on univariate and multivariate analyses. Methods: Retrospective observational study, including 132 patients with oncological pain who were implanted with a fixed-flow device for intrathecal infusion. Four time points were established for data collection and, in addition to demographic and anthropometric data, variables related to oncologic pain pathology, initiation of therapy, pain control and complications were collected. Based on univariate and multivariate analyses, we performed predictive models on efficacy and complications. Results: The mean baseline pain intensity was VAS 7.78, and when comparing the values before implantation with those at month 1, we observed an overall decrease of 4.75 points, maintained at months 3 and 6. Nocturnal pain progressively decreased in incidence from 50.0% before implantation to 21.8%, 9.1% and 4.3% at 1, 3 and 6 months. Episodic pain was present in 90.1% of the patients before implantation (7.79 episodes/day), and at 6 months the incidence remained at 53.8%. Most of the patients (66.6%) had no complications related to therapy. We constructed a highly significant multivariate model for the efficacy of the therapy with a predictive capacity of 30.2% and composed of factors: absence of nocturnal pain before implantation and clinical improvement on day 2 after implant. Regarding the prediction of complications, it was not possible to achieve a significantly multivariate effective model. Conclusion: We identify two factors that predict therapeutic success in a multivariate model: the absence of nocturnal pain before implantation and the improvement of pain on the second day after implantation.

Prevalencia, hábitos de consumo y complicaciones de los suplementos nutricionales proteicos en adolescentes / Protein supplement consumption prevalence, habits and complications in adolescents

Introducción: El consumo de suplementos nutricionales y proteicos por adolescentes puede tener importantes repercusiones para su salud. Material y método: Estudio prospectivo observacional, basado en una encuesta, dirigido a los adolescentes de seis colegios, seleccionados aleatoriamente, de la ciudad de Sevilla. Nuestro objetivo principal es conocer el consumo real de suplementos alimentarios entre la población adolescente, cuantificando su contenido proteico. Resultados: Se obtuvieron 263 respuestas válidas, objetivando una prevalencia de consumo de 19,01% para todos los suplementos nutricionales, de ellos 56,0% tomaban suplementos de proteínas (10,64% del total), con una ingesta media de estas últimas de 0,26±0,18 g/kg/día. El perfil del consumidor de cualquier tipo de suplementos se diferencia del de los que no los utilizan en la edad, el uso de medicación habitual y realizar dieta para perder peso o hiperproteica. Al comparar los adolescentes que ingerían productos proteicos con los no proteicos, la única variación significativa estuvo en el control del consumo. Aunque la mayoría no tiene control externo, en 25,92% de los que tomaban proteínas el seguimiento lo hacía un profesional, vs. 7,38% de los que ingerían suplementos no proteicos. De los consumidores de productos proteicos, 85,18% consiguió el objetivo buscado y 18,51% refirió algún efecto negativo. Conclusiones: La prevalencia de consumo de suplementos proteicos entre los adolescentes de nuestro medio es del 10,64%, en cantidades que suponen un 25% de las proteínas que deben ingerir diariamente. El perfil de consumidor de suplementos proteicos es muy similar al de aquel que toma productos no proteicos. (AU)

Introduction: The consumption of nutritional and protein supplements by adolescents may have important consequences for their health. Material and methods: Prospective observational study based on a survey of adolescents enrolled in six schools selected at random in the city of Seville. Our primary objective was to determine the actual consumption of dietary supplements in the adolescent population and quantifying their protein content. Results: We obtained a total of 263 valid responses that showed a prevalence of consumption of nutritional supplements of any kind of 19.01%, of which 56.0% (10.64% of the total) corresponded to adolescents that consumed protein supplements for a mean protein intake of 0.26 g/kg/day (SD, 0.18). The profile of consumers of any type of supplements differed from that of nonconsumers in age, use of long-term medication and weight loss or high-protein diets. The comparison of adolescents who consumed protein supplements versus nonprotein supplements only evinced a significant difference in the control of supplement consumption. Although most of these adolescents were not subject to external control, 25.92% of those who consumed protein supplements were monitored by a professional, compared to 7.38% of consumers of nonprotein supplements. In the group that consumed protein supplements, 85.18% of adolescents achieved the desired effect and 18.51% reported some form of negative effect. Conclusions: The prevalence of protein supplement consumption among adolescents in our area is 10.64%, with consumption of amounts corresponding to 25% of the recommended daily allowance of protein. The profile of protein supplement consumers is very similar to that of nonprotein supplement consumers. (AU)

Protein supplement consumption prevalence, habits and complications in adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: The consumption of nutritional and protein supplements by adolescents may have important consequences for their health. METHODS: Prospective observational study based on a survey of adolescents enrolled in 6 schools selected at random in the city of Seville. Our primary objective was to determine the actual consumption of dietary supplements in the adolescent population and quantifying their protein content. RESULTS: We obtained a total of 263 valid responses that showed a prevalence of consumption of nutritional supplements of any kind of 19.01%, of which 56.0% (10.64% of the total) corresponded to adolescents that consumed protein supplements for a mean protein intake of 0.26 g/kg/day (SD, 0.18). The profile of consumers of any type of supplements differed from that of nonconsumers in age, use of long-term medication and weight loss or high-protein diets. The comparison of adolescents who consumed protein supplements versus nonprotein supplements only evinced a significant difference in the control of supplement consumption. Although most of these adolescents were not subject to external control, 25.92% of those who consumed protein supplements were monitored by a professional, compared to 7.38% of consumers of nonprotein supplements. In the group that consumed protein supplements, 85.18% of adolescents achieved the desired effect and 18.51% reported some form of negative effect. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of protein supplement consumption among adolescents in our area is 10.64%, with consumption of amounts corresponding to 25% of the recommended daily allowance of protein. The profile of protein supplement consumers is very similar to that of nonprotein supplement consumers.

Painless cervical dilation with "hourglass membranes": conservative management.

BACKGROUND: Cervical competence is currently conceived as a continuous biological process with progressive degrees of insufficiency, this substituting the traditional vision of cervical competence as being present or absent. The most extreme expression of cervical insufficiency is known as "hourglass membranes". Currently no consensus exists regarding the treatment of pregnancies complicated by the protrusion of amniotic membranes; however, the majority of authors agree on recommending bed rest and performing cervical cerclage, known as "emergent cerclage." METHODS: We describe a series of clinical cases corresponding to second-trimester pregnancies with cervical dilation and prolapsed amniotic membranes that were admitted to our hospital, managed with conservative treatment. All patients received the same basic treatment: intravenous fluid therapy for hydration, a single-oral-dose of azithromycin and intravenous antibiotic therapy for 7 days, vaginal micronized progesterone and indomethacin administrated orally. RESULTS: Mean gestational age at diagnosis was 22.5 weeks with an extension of pregnancy between 2.1 and 16 weeks, with eight patients (72.72%) who extended their pregnancy for more than 8 weeks. In all cases, live fetuses were obtained, with favorable evolution. CONCLUSIONS: Despite our limited experience, resulting from the low number of cases presenting, our results encourage us to propose conservative management in pregnancies complicated with a dilated cervix and membranes protruding into the vagina, as a reasonable alternative to surgical emergency cervical cerclage, which is currently considered the therapy of choice when extreme cervical shortening occurs in the second trimester of pregnancy.

Insuficiencia cervical y prolapso de bolsa amniótica "en reloj de arena"en gestante pretérmino / Cervical Insufficiency and Prolapse of an "Hourglass" Amniotic Sac in Preterm Pregnant Women

RESUMEN Introducción: La insuficiencia cervical se concibe hoy día como un proceso biológico continuo con grados progresivos de insuficiencia. La expresión más extrema de la insuficiencia cervical se conoce como "bolsa en reloj de arena". La mayoría de los autores están de acuerdo en recomendar el reposo en cama y realizar cerclaje cervical de emergencia. Objetivo: Presentar el caso de una gestante en la que se logró la reversión del prolapso de las membranas amnióticas en "reloj de arena" con buenos resultados perinatales. Presentación de caso: Paciente de 31 años con antecedentes de parto anterior a las 36,5 semanas, que en los momentos actuales cursa una gestación de 20,6 semanas. Acude a la consulta por dolor en hipogastrio y al examen físico se comprueba que la bolsa amniótica protruye por el orificio cervical externo y presenta una dilatación cervical de 2 cm. Se aplica tratamiento medicamentoso y se reduce el prolapso de la bolsa. Conclusiones: Con el tratamiento conservador se logró una buena evolución de la gestación, con parto eutócico y buenos resultados perinatales(AU)

ABSTRACT Introduction: Cervical insufficiency is conceived today as a continuous biological process with progressive degrees of insufficiency. The most extreme expression of cervical insufficiency is known as "hourglass bag". Most authors agree to recommend bed rest and perform emergency cervical cerclage. Objective: To report the case of a pregnant woman in whom the prolapse reversal of the amniotic membranes in hourglass was achieved with good perinatal results. Case report: A 31-year-old patient who is currently pregnant at 20.6 weeks and has history of childbirth prior to 36.5 weeks. She comes to the consultation complaining of pain in hypogastrium. The physical examination shows that the amniotic sac protrudes through the external cervical orifice and there is 2cm cervical dilation. Drug treatment is applied and the prolapse of the sac is reduced. Conclusions: The conservative treatment achieved good evolution of the gestation, with eutócico childbirth and good perinatal results(AU)