Modelo de gestión para la aplicación del control metrológico legal y la evaluación de la conformidad en equipos biomédicos / Management model for the application of legal metrological control and conformity assessment in biomedical equipment / Modelo de gestão para o aplicativo do controle metrológico legal e a avaliação da conformidade em equipamentos biomédicos

En la actualidad el país enfrenta grandes cambios referentes a las normas orientadas a la gestión tecnológica que se debe aplicar a los equipos biomédicos, además de grandes cambios que hoy el Subsistema Nacional de Calidad ha presentado, orientados al control metrológico legal que se debe aplicar a algunos equipos que prestan sus servicios en el área de la salud. Dado lo anterior, este trabajo pretende presentar una propuesta basada en un modelo de gestión que integra los requerimientos del control metrológico legal aplicado a los equipos biomédicos, y a su vez la aplicación de procesos de medición para las actividades asociadas a la evaluación de la conformidad, utilizando como metodología un proceso de caracterización de las exigencias establecidas en las normas de Colombia. Estas normas están asociadas al control metrológico legal y a lo establecido en diferentes normas orientadas al aseguramiento de las mediciones en equipos; esto orientado a la evaluación de la conformidad, obteniendo como resultado más significativo una propuesta de estructura de gestión que le permitirá a las unidades de ingeniería de las entidades prestadoras de servicios de salud, no solo cumplir con lo exigido en las normas actuales sino a prestar unos servicios de alta calidad basados en confiabilidad como apoyo a los actividades encaminadas a la seguridad del paciente.

At present, the country faces major changes regarding regulations oriented toward technological management to be applied to biomedical equipment. In addition to those significant changes today, the National Quality System has introduced others regarding metrological control that need to be applied to some equipment in health services. As such, this paper aims to present a proposal based on a management model which integrates legal metrological controls applied to biomedical equipment, along with the application of measurement processes for activities associated to conformity evaluation. This model also uses a method of characterization of requirements established in different regulations aimed at ensuring equipment measurements also oriented toward conformity evaluation. The most significant expected result will be the proposal of a management structure enabling engineering units of health service providers to not only comply with said regulations, but also to offer high quality services based on trustworthiness, as support for activities aimed at patient safety.

Na atualidade o país enfrenta grandes mudanças referentes às normas orientadas à gestão tecnológica que se deve aplicar aos equipamentos biomédicos, além de grandes mudanças que hoje o subsistema nacional de qualidade a apresentado e orientado ao controle metrológico legal que se deve aplicar a alguns equipamentos que prestam seus serviços na área da saúde, dado o anterior este trabalho pretende apresentar uma proposta baseada num modelo de gestão que integra os requerimentos do controle metrológico legal aplicado às equipamentos biomédicos e a sua vez o aplicativo de processos de medida para as atividades associadas à avaliação da conformidade, utilizando como metodologia um processo de caracterização das exigências estabelecidas nas normas da Colômbia associadas ao controle metrológico legal e ao estabelecido em diferentes normas orientadas à garantia das medidas em equipamentos, isto orientado à avaliação da conformidade, obtendo como resultado mais significativo uma proposta de estrutura de gestão que lhe permitirá às unidades de engenharia das entidades prestadoras de serviço de saúde, não só cumprir com o exigido nas normas atuais senão também a emprestar uns serviços de alta qualidade baseados em fiabilidade como apoio às atividades encaminhadas à segurança do paciente.

Introduction of an interdisciplinary heart team-based transcatheter aortic valve implantation programme: short and mid-term outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been developed to treat symptomatic aortic stenosis in patients deemed too high risk for open-heart surgery. To address this complex population, an interdisciplinary heart team approach was proposed. AIM: Present the short- and mid-term outcomes of the first 100 patients in the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital multidisciplinary TAVI programme. METHODS: Single-centre registry. Baseline and procedural data were prospectively recorded. Outcomes were recorded according to Valve Academic Research Consortium - version 2 guidelines. RESULTS: All patients underwent a comprehensive interdisciplinary pre-procedural evaluation. Sixty-eight transfemoral and 32 transapical implantations were performed. Mean age was 82 (±8.9) years old with an average logistic EuroSCORE of 33. Although 13 procedures had major complications, there was no intraprocedural mortality. During the first month, 9% of patients were re-admitted due to heart failure and 13% had a permanent pacemaker implanted. A 3% 30-day and 8% follow-up (mean 17 months) mortalities were recorded. While no significant differences in the rate of complications were found between the first and second half of the experience, all cases of mortality within 30 days (n = 3) occurred in the initial half. Sustained haemodynamic results were obtained with TAVI (immediate mean aortic valve gradient reduction from 47 to 9 mmHg; 1-year echocardiographic gradient 9.9 mmHg, with no moderate or severe aortic regurgitation). CONCLUSION: Excellent results can be achieved with TAVI in very high-risk patients at an Australian institution. A comprehensive evaluation based on a heart team can overcome most of the difficulties imposed by this challenging population.

Effects of Impaired ATP Production and Glucose Sensitivity on Human β-Cell Function: A Simulation Study / Efecto de Alteraciones en la Producción de ATP y la Sensibilidad a la Glucosa en el Funcionamiento de la Célula β Humana: un Estudio de Simulación

In this paper we used a mathematical model to explore the effects of impaired ATP production and glucose sensitivity on the electrical response and insulin secretion of human β-cells. The model was extended by the addition of explicit empirical equations that describe recent experimental observations, namely, the increase of ATP as a function of glucose concentration and the oscillations in ATP at high glucose levels. Simulations were performed at selected glucose concentrations from an oral glucose tolerance test in normal subjects to evaluate the response of the human β-cell in normal and pathological scenarios. Our simulations reproduced experimental observations, such as the impaired insulin secretion as a consequence of β-cell dysfunction and restoration of electrical activity by the use of a sulfonylurea. Our results suggest that both reduced glucose sensitivity and impaired ATP production could be related to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.

En este artículo usamos un modelo matemático para explorar los efectos de alteraciones en la producción de ATP y sensibilidad a la glucosa en la respuesta eléctrica y la secreción de insulina en células β humanas. El modelo fue extendido al añadir ecuaciones empíricas explícitas que describen recientes observaciones experimentales, como el incremento en el ATP como función de la concentración de glucosa y las oscilaciones en el ATP a altos niveles de glucosa. Se realizaron simulaciones a niveles de glucosa alcanzados durante una prueba de tolerancia a la glucosa para evaluar la respuesta de la célula β humana en escenarios normales y patológicos. Nuestras simulaciones reprodujeron varias observaciones experimentales, tales como la secreción de insulina alterada como consecuencia de la disfunción de la célula β y la restauración de la actividad eléctrica al aplicar una sulfonilurea. Nuestros resultados sugieren que tanto una reducción en la sensibilidad a la glucosa como la alteración en la producción de ATP podrían estar relacionadas a la patogénesis de la diabetes tipo 2.

Use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to compare antihypertensive efficacy and safety of two angiotensin II receptor antagonists, losartan and valsartan. Losartan Trial Investigators.

The efficacy and safety of losartan and valsartan were evaluated in a multicenter, double-blind, randomized trial in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. Blood pressure responses to once-daily treatment with either losartan 50 mg (n = 93) or valsartan 80 mg (n = 94) for 6 weeks were assessed through measurements taken in the clinic and by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Both drugs significantly reduced clinic sitting systolic (SiSBP) and diastolic blood pressure (SiDBP) at 2, 4, and 6 weeks. Maximum reductions from baseline in SiSBP and SiDBP on 24-hour ABPM were also significant with the two treatments. The reduction in blood pressure was more consistent across patients in the losartan group, as indicated by a numerically smaller variability in change from baseline on all ABPM measures, which achieved significance at peak (P = .017) and during the day (P = .002). In addition, the numerically larger smoothness index with losartan suggested a more homogeneous antihypertensive effect throughout the 24-hour dosing interval. The antihypertensive response rate was 54% with losartan and 46% with valsartan. Three days after discontinuation of therapy, SiDBP remained below baseline in 73% of losartan and 63% of valsartan patients. Both agents were generally well tolerated. Losartan, but not valsartan, significantly decreased serum uric acid an average 0.4 mg/dL at week 6. In conclusion, once-daily losartan 50 mg and valsartan 80 mg had similar antihypertensive effects in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. Losartan produced a more consistent blood pressure-lowering response and significantly lowered uric acid, suggesting potentially meaningful differences between these two A II receptor antagonists.

[Enamel resistance to acid dissolution. Its relation to cariogenic activity]. / La resistencia del esmalte a la disolucion acida: su relación con la actividad cariogenica.

Relationship existing between enamel resistance (by developed colorimetric technique) and previous experience of caries and with further incidence, at a term of a year, was studied in schoolchildren aged 6, 8, 10 and 12 years. The study comprised 336 children in 1985-1986 period and 385 children in 1985-1987 period. Non significant positive correlation was found between values of colorimetric test and previous experience of caries; but, certainly, positive correlation was found with further incidence on permanent dentition. It is concluded that colorimetric test is useful for the selection of children with a very susceptible enamel, as well as for the prognosis of cariogenic activity valued together with other parameters.