[Utility of the medial region of pro-adrenomodulin for the detection of true bacteremia in elderly patients treated in the emergency department for suspected infection]. / Utilidad de la región medial de la pro-adrenomodulina para la detección de bacteriemia verdadera en pacientes mayores atendidos en urgencias por sospecha de infección.

OBJECTIVE: The prediction of bacteremia in the emergency department (ER) is important for initial decision-making. The elderly population is a diagnosis challenge. The objective was to evaluate the accuracy of mid regional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM) to identify true bacteremia (BV) in elderly patients attended in 3 hospital emergency departments. METHODS: Observational study including patients ≥75 years of age or older attended in the ER for suspected infection in whom a blood culture (BC) was extracted. Sociodemographic, comorbidity, hemodynamic and analytical variables, biomarkers [MR-proADM, procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP) and lactate] and final diagnosis were collected. The primary outcome was a true positive on a blood culture. RESULTS: A total of 109 patients with a mean age of 83 (SD: 5.5) years were included. A final diagnosis of BV was obtained in 22 patients (20.2%). The independent variables to predict it were PCT (OR: 13.9; CI95%: 2.702-71.703; p=0.002), MR-proADM (OR: 4.081; CI95%: 1.026-16.225; p=0.046) and temperature (OR: 2.171; CI95%: 1.109-4.248; p=0.024). Considering the cut-off point for MR-proADM (2.13 mg/dl), a sensitivity (Se) of 73%, specificity (E) of 71%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 39%, a negative predictive value (NPV) of 91%, a positive likelihood ratio (LHR+) of 2.53 and a negative likelihood ratio (LHR-) of 0.38; for PCT (0.76 mg/dl) a Se of 90%, E of 65%, PPV of 40%, NPV of 96%, LHR+ 2,64 and a LHR- of 0.14 were obtained. When combining both, a Se of 69%, E of 84%, PPV of 52%, NPV of 91%, LHR+ of 4.24 and LHR- of 0.38 were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated levels of PCT and MR-proADM were independently associated with an increased risk of BV and the combination of both improves the accuracy to identify these patients.

[Current situation of sepsis care in Spanish emergency departments]. / Mapa de la situación actual de la atención a la sepsis en los servicios de urgencias españoles.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the approach to the patients with suspected sepsis in the Spanish emergency department hospitals (ED) and analyze whether there are differences according to the size of the hospital and the number of visits to the emergency room. METHODS: Structured survey of those responsible for the 282 public EDs that serve adults 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It was asked about assistance and management in the emergency room in the care of patients with suspected sepsis. The results are compared according to hospital size (large ≥ 500 beds vs medium-small <500) and influx to the emergency room (discharge ≥ 200 visits / day vs medium-low <200). RESULTS: A total of 250 Spanish EDs responded (89%). Sepsis protocols are available in 163 (65%) EDs median weekly sepsis treated ranged from 0-5 per week in 39 (71%) ED, 6-10 per week in 10 (18%), 11-15 per week in 4 (7%), and more than 15 activations per week in 3 centers (3.6%). The criteria used for sepsis diagnosis were the qSOFA/SOFA in 105 (63.6%) of the hospitals, SIRS in 6 (3.6%), while in 49 (29.7%) they used both criteria simultaneously. In 79 centers, the sepsis diagnosis was computerized, and in 56 there were tools to help decision-making. 48% (79 of 163) of the EDs had data on bundles compliance. In 61% (99 of 163) of EDs there was training in sepsis and in 56% (55 of 99) it was periodic. Considering the size of the hospital, large hospitals participated more frequently as recipients of patients with sepsis and had an infectious, sepsis and short-stay unit, a microbiologist and infectious disease specialist on duty. CONCLUSIONS: Most EDs have sepsis protocols, but there is room for improvement. The computerization and development of alerts for diagnosis and treatment still have a long way to go in EDs.

Prognostic accuracy of SIRS criteria, qSOFA score and GYM score for 30-day-mortality in older non-severely dependent infected patients attended in the emergency department.

The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), quick Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score and GYM score to predict 30-day mortality in older non-severely dependent patients attended for an episode of infection in the emergency department (ED). We performed an analytical, observational, prospective cohort study including patients 75 years of age or older, without severe functional dependence, attended for an infectious process in 69 Spanish EDs for 2-day three-seasonal periods. Demographic, clinical and analytical data were collected. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality after the index event. We included 1071 patients, with a mean age of 83.6 [standard deviation (SD) 5.6] years; 544 (50.8%) were men. Seventy-two patients (6.5%) died within 30 days. SIRS criteria ≥ 2 had a sensitivity of 65% [95% confidence interval (CI) 53.1-75.9] and a specificity of 49% (95% CI 46.0-52.3), a qSOFA score ≥ 2 had a sensitivity of 28% (95% CI 18.2-39.8) and a specificity of 94% (95% CI 91.9-95.1), and a GYM score ≥ 1 had a sensitivity of 81% (95% CI 69.2-88.6) and a specificity of 45% (95% CI 41.6-47.9). A GYM score ≥ 1 and a qSOFA score ≥ 2 were the cut-offs with the highest sensitivity (p < 0.001) and specificity (p < 0.001), respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.73 (95% CI 0.66-0.79; p < 0.001) for the GYM score, 0.69 (95% CI 0.61-0.76; p < 0.001) for the qSOFA score and 0.65 (95% CI 0.59-0.72; p < 0.001) for SIRS. A GYM score ≥ 1 may be the most sensitive score and a qSOFA score ≥ 2 the most specific score to predict 30-day mortality in non-severely dependent older patients attended for acute infection in EDs.

[Hospitalization of 780 episodes of infection in 10 Spanish emergency departments. Admission to conventional wards or short stay units?]. / Hospitalización de 780 episodios de infección en 10 servicios de urgencias españoles. ¿Ingreso convencional o unidad de corta estancia?

BACKGROUND: To study the clinical characteristics of patients with infection attending the emergency department (ED) and compare those admitted to a short stay unit (SSU) with those admitted to a conventional hospital ward (CHW). METHODS: A descriptive multicenter cross-sectional analysis of infected patients requiring admission from 10 ED with SSU. Data were collected for age, gender, comorbidities, risk factors for multiresistant pathogens, type of infection, sepsis criteria, microbiology and antibiotic treatment. RESULTS: We documented 780 admitted patients, mean age 70.43 years, 31% with heart disease, 29% COPD, 26% diabetes mellitus, 15% prior antibiotic therapy and solid neoplasm. Fifty-four percent were respiratory infections, 22% urinary infections and 8% intra-abdominal infections. Thirteen percent had septic syndrome and beta-lactam (64%) and fluoroquinolones (29%) were the most prescribed antibiotics. When comparing patients admitted to SSU (183) with those admitted to CHW (597), in the latter group there were more comorbidities (86% vs. 78%), more risk factors for multidrug-resistant pathogens (42% vs. 25%) and cultures from different sources were more frequently undertaken (80% vs. 64%) (p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: According to our results, SSU may be an excellent alternative to CHW for patients with prevalent infection and less comorbidity and fewer risk factors for multidrug resistance.

Hospitalización de 780 episodios de infección en 10 servicios de urgencias españoles. ¿Ingreso convencional o unidad de corta estancia? / Hospitalization of 780 episodes of infection in 10 Spanish emergency departments. Admission to conventional wards or short stay units?

Fundamento: Determinar las características clínicas de los enfermos con infección que ingresan desde urgencias y comparar las que lo hacen en una unidad de corta estancia (UCE) con las unidades de hospitalización convencional (UHC). Material y métodos: Estudio descriptivo multicéntrico con análisis transversal en 10 servicios de urgencias con UCE de pacientes con infección que ingresan. Se analizó edad, género, comorbilidad, factores de riesgo para patógenos multirresistentes, tipo de infección, criterios de sepsis, microbiología y antibioticoterapia. Resultados: Ingresaron 780 enfermos; edad media 70,43 años; 31% con cardiopatía, 29% con EPOC, 26% con diabetes mellitus, 15% con antibioticoterapia previa y neoplasia sólida. El 54% eran infecciones respiratorias, 22% urinarias y 8% intraabdominales. El 13% presentó síndrome séptico y los antibióticos más prescritos fueron betalactámicos (64%) y fluorquinolonas (29%). Al comparar los episodios que ingresaron en UCE (183) respecto UHC (597), estos últimos tenían más comorbilidad (86% vs. 78%) y factores de riesgo de patógenos multirresistentes (42% vs. 25%) y se practicaban más cultivos (80% vs. 64%) (p<0,05). Conclusiones: Las UCE son una excelente alternativa a las UHC para enfermos con infección prevalente y con menor comorbilidad y factores de riesgo de multirresistencia (AU)

Background: To study the clinical characteristics of patients with infection attending the emergency department (ED) and compare those admitted to a short stay unit (SSU) with those admitted to a conventional hospital ward (CHW). Methods: A descriptive multicenter cross-sectional analysis of infected patients requiring admission from 10 ED with SSU. Data were collected for age, gender, comorbidities, risk factors for multiresistant pathogens, type of infection, sepsis criteria, microbiology and antibiotic treatment. Results: We documented 780 admitted patients, mean age 70.43 years, 31% with heart disease, 29% COPD, 26% diabetes mellitus, 15% prior antibiotic therapy and solid neoplasm. Fifty-four percent were respiratory infections, 22% urinary infections and 8% intra-abdominal infections. Thirteen percent had septic syndrome and beta-lactam (64%) and fluoroquinolones (29%) were the most prescribed antibiotics. When comparing patients admitted to SSU (183) with those admitted to CHW (597), in the latter group there were more comorbidities (86% vs. 78%), more risk factors for multidrug-resistant pathogens (42% vs. 25%) and cultures from different sources were more frequently undertaken (80% vs. 64%) (p<0,05). Conclusions: According to our results, SSU may be an excellent alternative to CHW for patients with prevalent infection and less comorbidity and fewer risk factors for multidrug resistance (AU)

Estudio comparativo de pacientes con agudización de EPOC tratados con moxifloxacino oral frente a otros antibióticos por vía endovenosa en una unidad de corta estancia de urgencias / COPD exacerbation treated with oral moxifloxacin versus other intravenous antibiotics at a short-stay emergency outpatient clinic: a comparative study

I ntroducción: La aparición de las nuevas fluorquinolonas pueden representar una alternativa por vía oral (vo) al tratamiento endovenoso (ev) con otros antibióticos, en los pacientes con agudización de patología respiratoria crónica que requieren ingreso hospitalario urgente. Objetivos: Comparar la eficacia del tratamiento con moxifloxacino oral frente a otros antibióticos por vía ev en paciente con agudización de patología respiratoria crónica. Material y métodos: Estudio observacional, retrospectivo, de los pacientes incluidos que ingresaron en la Unidad de Corta Estancia de Urgencias (UCEU) del Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge (HUB) entre diciembre de 2004 y marzo de 2005, distinguiendo dos grupos: grupo A tratados desde el inicio con moxifloxacino 400 mg al día por vo, grupo B tratados inicialmente con otros antibióticos por vía ev y posteriormente con el tratamiento oral equivalente (tratamiento clásico). Análisis descriptivo de la edad, género, estancia promedio, destino al alta, retorno/reingreso a los 10 días durante todo el período estudiado, así como comparación de ambos grupos según tests paramétricos (X2 o Fisher, t de Student) o no paramétricos (U de Mann Whitney). Resultados: El total de pacientes que se incluyeron en el estudio fue de 287 (120 grupo A y 167 grupo B), sin apreciarse diferencias significativas en la distribución por edad, género, severidad de la descompensación y comorbilidad. De forma estadísticamente significativa la estancia media fue de 2,51 d (DS ± 0,95) en el grupo A y de 3, 10 (DS ± 1,05) en el grupo B (p < 0,001), sin que se observaran diferencias significativas en el retorno/reingreso a urgencias/ hospital a los 10. Conclusiones: Moxifloxacino oral desde el inicio es una alternativa eficaz en el tratamiento de la agudización del paciente con patología crónica respiratoria que requiere ingreso en una UCEU (AU)

B ackground: The newer fluoroquinolones may represent an oral therapy alternative to i.v. therapy with other antibiotics in patients with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requiring urgent admission. Aims: To compare the efficacy of oral moxifloxacin therapy to that of other i.v. antibiotics in patients with acute COPD exacerbations. Material and methods: Retrospective observational study of patients admitted to the short-stay emergency outpatient clinic of the Bellvitge University Hospital between December 2004 and March 2005, with comparison of two groups. Group A received, from the beginning, moxifloxacin 400 mg/day p.o., while group B initially received other i.v. antibiotics and then the equivalent oral therapy (classical management). Descriptive analysis of age, gender, average duration of admission, destination upon discharge and return / readmission within ten days over the study period; the two groups were compared using both parametric (Fisher’s or X2 tests, Student’s t-test) or nonparametric (Mann-Whitney U-test) tests as adequate. Results: A total of 287 patients were included in the study (120 in group A and 167 in group B); there were no significant differences in the age, gender, severity of decompensation or comorbility distributions. The mean duration of admission was significantly different, 2.51 ± 0.95 days in group A and 3.10 ± 1.05 days in group B (p < 0.001); there were no significant differences in the ten-day return / readmission rates. Conclusions: Ab initio oral moxifloxacin is an effective alternative in the management of exacerbations in patients with COPD requiring admission to a short-stay emergency outpatient clinic (AU)