'Selective' COX-1 or COX-2 NSAIDs: time to change a misleading measure.

The ongoing important debate about the relative benefits/risks of COX-1 or COX-2 NSAIDs is hampered by the use of a measure of 'selectivity' that is inherently flawed. An alternative measure provides more meaningful and clinically relevant information.

Encuesta de conocimiento de precios de la actividad sanitaria: ¿sabemos cuánto cuestan nuestras decisiones? / Survey of knowledge about health care activity prices: do we know how much our decisions cost?

Objetivo: Medir el conocimiento del precio de nuestras decisiones en la práctica clínica habitual en un Área de Gestión Clínica Pediátrica de un hospital público. Material y métodos: Encuesta individual escrita y anónima al personal sanitario [pediatras (FEAs), médicos internos residentes (MIRs) y personal de enfermería (DUEs)] del Área de Gestión Clínica de Pediatría de un hospital universitario. Se preguntó por el precio de ítems de actividad sanitaria: consulta/hospitalización; pruebas de laboratorio; pruebas de imagen; pruebas microbiológicas; material y técnicas; y tratamientos. Las respuestas se analizaron frente a valores de referencia en nuestro hospital. Resultados: Se analizaron 97 cuestionarios. El precio global fue sobrevalorado un 5% del precio real, aunque el 56% de encuestados infravaloró dicho precio global. Agrupados en seis grupos de ítems, fármacos y consultas/hospitalizaciones se infravaloraron, mientras que el resto de grupos se sobrevaloraron. La suma del precio de todos los fármacos se infravaloró en el 10% y la de todas las modalidades de consulta/hospitalización en el 25%. Los otros cuatro grupos se sobrevaloraron: analíticas de sangre en el 589%, material de técnicas en el 128%, pruebas microbiológicas en el 81% y pruebas de imagen en el 57%. En el análisis global de encuesta, las comparaciones por grupos no mostraron diferencias estadísticas significativas para total de encuesta por sexos ni por grupos de edad, pero sí para tipo de profesional (ANOVA p=0,03). MIRes y FEAs infravaloraban la encuesta, mientras que DUEs la sobreestimaban. Conclusiones: Existe un gran desconocimiento en el valor económico de costes sanitarios y gran variabilidad en su apreciación, entre el personal que trabaja en el sistema público de salud

Objective: To measure degree of knowledge about how much daily clinical practice cost in a pediatric clinical hospital. Material and methods: Individual, anonymous and written surveys were carried out by pediatric physicians (FEAs), pediatric resident physicians (MIRes) and nurses (DUEs). All of them were workers in a pediatric department of a university hospital. Survey asked for price of different items used in daily practice: consultation/hospitalization, diagnostic laboratory test, imaging test, microbiological test, techniques, materials used for techniques and treatments. Responses were analyzed having in count reference values established in our hospital. Results: We analyzed 97 surveys. Global price survey was overvalued by 5%, although the 56% of the respondents underestimated global price. Grouped into six groups of items, drugs and consultations/hospitalizations were underestimated, while the rest of the items were overestimated. Drugs price were underestimated by 10%, and all different forms of consultation/hospitalization by 25%. Other four groups were overestimated: blood test in 589%, material used for the techniques in 128%, microbiological test in 81% and imaging tests in 57%. In overall analysis of survey, comparisons of groups showed no statistically significant differences for total survey by gender and by group of age. However, statistically differences were found in type of professional we analyzed (ANOVA p=0,03). FEAs and MIRes underestimated the survey while DUEs overestimated it. Conclusions: There is great ignorance on economic value of healthcare costs. There is, as well, great variability in their appreciation among the staff who works in the public health system

Epilepsia con punta-onda continua durante el sueño lento (EPOCS) / Epilepsy with continuous spike and waves in slow sleep (SPWSS)

El estatus eléctrico durante el sueño lento, es un cuadro electroclínico raro que se caracteriza por la asociación de varios tipos de crisis epilépticas, parciales o generalizadas casi siempre en el transcurso del sueño, así como por la existencia de ausencias atípicas en vigilia y un patrón electroencefalográfico formado por complejos punta-onda difusos y continuos, debiendo de ocupar por lo menos el 85 por ciento del trazado y que aparecen meses o años después de la primera crisis, es decir, debe de producirse durante el sueño un estado de mal eléctrico sin clínica acompañante. Se acompaña el cuadro de trastornos neuropsicológicos diversos que suelen regresar al igual que la desaparición de las crisis y la normalización del EEG entre los 8 y 15 años de edad. Describimos el caso de una niña que ingresa por sufrir una crisis convulsiva generalizad y en cuya evolución, se registran al inicio crisis parciales, crisis unilaterales y ausencias atípicas con anomalías tanto focales como generalizadas en el EEG y un status eléctrico con punta-onda continua y generalizada en el sueño que configura el diagnóstico de epilepsia con punta-onda continua durante sueño (EPOCS) (AU)

Central nervous system abnormalities in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS): clinical and quantitative evidence of medullary dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: Sensory and motor abnormalities are common among patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). The purpose of the present study was to define and characterize these abnormalities and to develop a hypothesis regarding the area of the central nervous system from which they derive. DESIGN: Data were acquired from study subjects using clinical examination and quantitative assessment of neurological function. Subjects were divided into four groups. CRPS patients were differentiated into two groups based on the presence or absence of sensory deficit on the face to clinical examination. The other two groups were composed of patients with other chronic pain syndromes and normal individuals without chronic pain or disability. Clinical and quantitative data were compared between groups. PATIENTS: One hundred forty-five CRPS patients, 69 patients with other pain conditions, and 26 normal individuals were studied. RESULTS: A high incidence of trigeminal hypoesthesia was observed in CRPS patients. CRPS patients with trigeminal hypoesthesia manifested bilateral deficits of sensory function, with a predominant hemilateral pattern. These patients also manifested bilateral motor weakness with a more prominent hemiparetic pattern. Both sensory and motor deficits were greatest ipsilateral to the painful side of the body. These features differed significantly from those of CRPS patients lacking clinical trigeminal deficit, other pain patients, and normals. A lower cranial nerve abnormality (sternocleidomastoid weakness) and a myelopathic feature (Hoffman's reflex) were more common in CRPS patients with trigeminal hypoesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly half of CRPS patients had abnormalities of spinothalamic, trigeminothalamic, and corticospinal function that may represent dysfunction of the medulla. One-third of the remaining CRPS patients had neuroimaging evidence of spinal cord or brain pathology. The majority of CRPS patients in this study have measurable abnormalities of the sensory and motor systems or neuroimaging evidence of spinal cord or brain dysfunction.

Tryptophan depletion during continuous CSF sampling in healthy human subjects.

The tryptophan (TRP) depletion paradigm has been employed to investigate mood and behavioral effects of acutely lowering plasma TRP, and presumably brain serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) levels through administration of a special diet and/or amino acid drink. Our goal was to test the assumption that a corresponding fall in central levels of TRP and 5-HT (measured by its major metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid [5-HIAA]) occurs during the standard execution of this method in healthy adult subjects. Three males and two females completed the protocol, which included a one-day low-TRP diet and a TRP-free amino acid drink. Lumbar puncture was performed, with placement of an indwelling catheter connected to a peristaltic pump and fraction collector. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was sampled continuously for a 13.5-hour period (before, during, and after the drink), with fractions removed every 15 minutes. Plasma samples were simultaneously obtained. CSF TRP levels and plasma TRP levels were highly correlated, falling a mean of 92% and 85% from baseline, respectively. CSF nadirs were reached several hours after plasma nadirs. CSF 5-HIAA decreased modestly (24% to 40%, mean 31% change from baseline), with lowest concentrations observed 8-12 hours after the amino acid drink. These data suggest that TRP depletion results in substantial declines in central 5-HT turnover.

Nontraumatic bilateral diaphragmatic myopathy: an unusual disturbance.

Bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis (BDP) is an uncommon entity among neuromuscular diseases. We present a young female with no triggering factors who developed progressive dyspnea with respiratory failure. Further studies led to the diagnosis of BDP.

Subcutaneous cysts: another cause of "failed" spinal anesthesia?

Spinal anesthesia continues to be one of the major techniques in the arsenal of the modern anesthesiologist. Inadequate anesthesia may follow a spinal anesthetic for a variety of reasons. We report a case in which entry of a spinal needle into a subcutaneous cyst mimicked the free flow of cerebrospinal fluid seen with dural puncture. This was confirmed by microscopic examination of the fluid, which was consistent with the contents of a subcutaneous cyst. This represents an unusual cause for failure of spinal anesthesia. Such a possibility should be borne in mind, especially when "clear fluid" return occurs through a spinal needle placed at a relatively superficial depth.

Transient right-to-left shunting through a patent foramen ovale secondary to unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis.

A 57 year old patient presented with unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis and severe hypoxaemia secondary to transient right-to-left interatrial shunting through a patent foramen ovale. The final diagnosis was made because of the initial detection of a shunt while the patient was breathing 100% oxygen.

ICU pneumonias: a multi-institutional study.

We conducted a prospective multi-institutional study of nosocomial and community-acquired pneumonias in 1378 patients admitted to the ICUs of six hospitals. We also investigated 1005 of these patients who were intubated and mechanically ventilated for a reason other than pneumonia, the risk of developing pneumonia, and the relationship between the incidence of pneumonia and the length of time during which the patients were mechanically ventilated. A bacteriologic diagnosis was made in 38% of the nosocomial and 21% of the community-acquired pneumonias. The total mortality rate was 40%; 47% of the patients with nosocomial and 17% of the patients with community-acquired pneumonias died. Because it was difficult to make an etiologic diagnosis in two-thirds of the cases, the treatment had to be based on an assumed causative organism.