Rehabilitación cardiovascular en pacientes con prótesis valvular mecánica / Cardiovascular rehabilitation in patients with mechanical valvular prosthesis i: en

Introducción: La rehabilitación cardiaca en pacientes con prótesis valvular es esencial para aumentar su sobrevida e incorporarlos óptimamente a la sociedad. Objetivo: Caracterizar a pacientes con prótesis valvular mecánica y rehabilitación cardiovascular. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo, de serie de casos, de 70 pacientes con prótesis valvular mecánica, admitidos en el programa de rehabilitación cardiovascular del Hospital General Universitario Vladimir Ilich Lenin de la provincia de Holguín, desde marzo del 2019 hasta noviembre del 2022. Resultados: Predominaron los pacientes de 55 a 64 años de edad (38,6 %), con prótesis en posición mitral, sin complicaciones. En los sujetos rehabilitados se observó una reducción de la media de hipercolesterolemia (de 250 a 175 mg/dL) y un aumento de la capacidad funcional por la duración del ejercicio, así como de las unidades metabólicas consumidas. La media de la función ventricular izquierda tras la terapia rehabilitadora se incrementó de 52,4 a 58,2 %. Solo 2 afectados necesitaron rehospitalización e incorporar más fármacos a su tratamiento basal y 50 retornaron a sus actividades laborales. El resultado fue satisfactorio en 97,1 % de los integrantes de la serie. Conclusiones: Esta terapia resultó beneficiosa, pues se incrementó la capacidad funcional de los pacientes y fueron pocas las complicaciones. Los factores de riesgo coronarios estuvieron controlados, se redujo la rehospitalización y aumentó la reincorporación laboral.

Introduction: Heart rehabilitation in patients with valvular prosthesis is essential to increase their survival and incorporate them optimally to the society. Objective: To characterize patients with mechanical valvular prosthesis and cardiovascular rehabilitation. Methods: An observational, descriptive, serial cases study of 70 patients with mechanical valvular prosthesis was carried out, who were admitted to the program of cardiovascular rehabilitation of Vladimir Ilich Lenin University General Hospital in Holguín province, from March, 2019 to November, 2022. Results: There was a prevalence of 55 to 64 years patients (38.6%), with prosthesis in mitral position, without complications. In the rehabilitated patients a reduction of the mean in hypercholesterolemia was observed (from 250 to 175 mg/dL) and an increase of the functional capacity due to the duration of exercise, as well as of the consumed metabolic units. There was an increase from 52.4 to 58.2% in the mean of the left ventricular function after the rehabilitative therapy. Only 2 affected patients needed rehospitalization and to incorporate more medication to their basal treatment and 50 returned to their working activities. The result was satisfactory in 97.1% of the series members. Conclusions: This therapy was beneficial, because there was an increase of the functional capacity of patients and complications were not very common. The coronary risk factors were controlled; there was a reduction of rehospitalization and an increase of working reincorporation.

Quemadura por inhalación de humo e intoxicación por monóxido de carbono en paciente pediátrico

Introducción: El monóxido de carbono es uno de los mayores contaminantes de la atmósfera terrestre, su toxicidad es bien conocida por el ser humano. Las fuentes productoras responsables de aproximadamente 80 % de las emisiones de monóxido de carbono son los vehículos automotores que utilizan como combustible gasolina o diesel, los procesos industriales que utilizan compuestos del carbono y el fuego dentro de los hogares. Sus efectos tóxicos agudos incluida la muerte se han estudiados ampliamente, no así sus potenciales efectos adversos a largo plazo. Objetivo: Describir el comportamiento de la intoxicación aguda por monóxido de carbono en paciente pediátrico, su diagnóstico y tratamiento. Presentación del caso: paciente de 11 años de edad que sufre intoxicación aguda por monóxido de carbono. Ingresa en el Hospital Universitario procedente del primer nivel de atención médica como urgencia vital. Se estabiliza e identifican las alteraciones multisistémicas producidas por lesiones asociadas con la inhalación de humo y gases tóxicos en espacios cerrados. Se determina su correcto tratamiento. Conclusiones: La forma más pertinente de disminuir la morbilidad y la mortalidad en pacientes como el que se presenta, se basa en dos pilares: la correcta identificación y el acertado manejo para cada intoxicación. La aplicación de estos dos aspectos puede lograr un factor protector. Hay subregistro de la ocurrencia de los casos de intoxicación por monóxido de carbono que no son atendidos en los servicios de salud y de los que producen la muerte inmediata, por lo que es importante su diagnóstico y tratamiento oportuno.

Introduction: Carbon monoxide is one of the largest pollutants in the Earth's atmosphere, its toxicity is well known to humans. The producing sources responsible for approximately 80% of carbon monoxide emissions are motor vehicles that use gasoline or diesel as fuel, industrial processes that use carbon compounds and fire inside homes. Its acute toxic effects including death have been studied extensively, but its potential long-term adverse effects have not been studied. Objective: To describe the behavior of acute carbon monoxide poisoning in pediatric patients, their diagnosis and treatment. Case presentation: 11-year-old patient suffering from acute carbon monoxide poisoning. He is admitted to the University Hospital from the first level of medical care as a vital emergency. Multisystem alterations caused by lesions associated with the inhalation of smoke and toxic gases in enclosed spaces are stabilized and identified. Its correct treatment is determined. Conclusions: The most pertinent way to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients such as the one presented is based on two pillars: correct identification and correct management for each poisoning. The application of these two aspects can achieve a protective factor. There is underreporting of the occurrence of cases of carbon monoxide poisoning that are not treated in health services and those that cause immediate death, so their detection, diagnosis and timely treatment is important.

Agregación familiar para cardiopatía isquémica

RESUMEN Fundamento: la cardiopatía isquémica es una entidad nosológica de origen multifactorial con predisposición genética y susceptible a cambios ambientales. Objetivo: determinar la existencia de agregación familiar para cardiopatía isquémica en pacientes atendidos en consulta de cardiología en el Hospital General Docente Vladimir Ilich Lenin de Holguín. Métodos: se realizó un estudio observacional, analítico de casos y controles (estudio de agregación familiar). La muestra quedó conformada por 60 nuevos pacientes con el diagnóstico de cardiopatía isquémica (casos) y por otros 60 pacientes sin diagnóstico de enfermedad coronaria (controles), pareadas en la razón 1:1. Se emplearon como variables: sexo, edad, antecedentes familiares de cardiopatía isquémica y factores de riesgo ambientales. Se utilizó el estadígrafo Chi cuadrado. Luego se calculó el Odds Ratio para conocer la magnitud de asociación mediante la razón de productos cruzados. Resultados: en el grupo casos existió una mayor frecuencia en el antecedente familiar para cardiopatía isquémica, fue más elevada para los familiares de primer grado con 31 familiares y un 41,3 %. La hiperlipidemia se presentó como el factor de riesgo de mayor frecuencia con 36,7 % en el grupo casos y 37,1 % en el grupo controles. Se determinó un riesgo aproximadamente 4 veces mayor de padecer cardiopatía isquémica en aquellos individuos con historia familiar positiva de primer grado, mientras que los pacientes con hiperlipidemia tienen 4,8 más riesgo de padecer cardiopatía isquémica. Conclusiones: existe agregación familiar para cardiopatía isquémica y se mostró un riesgo mayor de enfermar los pacientes con historia familiar positiva para la enfermedad, principalmente con familiares de primer grado y con hiperlipidemia.

ABSTRACT Background: ischemic heart disease is a nosological entity of multifactorial origin with genetic predisposition and susceptible to environmental changes. Objective: to determine the existence of familial aggregation for ischemic heart disease in patients seen in the cardiology clinic at the Vladimir Ilich Lenin General Teaching Hospital in Holguín. Methods: an analytical observational study of cases and controls (family aggregation study) was carried out. The sample was made up of 60 new patients with a diagnosis of ischemic heart disease (cases) and another 60 patients without a diagnosis of coronary heart disease (controls), paired in a 1:1 ratio. The following variables were used: sex, age, family history of ischemic heart disease and environmental risk factors: smoking, hyperlipidemia, high blood pressure and sedentary lifestyle. The Chi square statistician was used by the Mantel-Haenszel method. The odds ratio (OR) was then calculated to determine the magnitude of association through the ratio of cross products. Results: in the case group there was a higher frequency in the family history for ischemic heart disease, being higher for first degree relatives with 31 relatives and 41.3 %. Hyperlipidemia was the most frequent risk factor with 36.7 % in the case group and 37.1 % in the control group. An approximately 4-fold increased risk of suffering from ischemic heart disease was determined in those individuals with a positive first-degree family history, while patients with hyperlipidemia have a 4.8 times greater risk of suffering from ischemic heart disease. Conclusions: there is family aggregation for ischemic heart disease and a higher risk of getting sick was shown in patients with a positive family history for the disease, mainly with first-degree relatives and with hyperlipidemia.

Hiperinfección por Strongyloides stercoralis en un paciente joven con infección por HTLV-1 y colitis ulcerativa / Strongyloides stercolaris hyperinfection in a young patient with HTLV-1 infection and ulcerative colitis

Resumen La estrongiloidiasis es una infección causada por el parásito Strongyloides stercoralis (SS) y se asocia con una alta mortalidad en pacientes inmunosuprimidos debido a una diseminación larvaria y síndrome de hiperinfección. El compromiso de la mucosa gástrica es raro, pero cuando se presenta se caracteriza por sangrado digestivo y emesis persistente. A continuación, se presenta el caso de un paciente de 27 años con síntomas gastrointestinales, antecedente de infección por el virus linfotrópico humano de células T tipo 1 (HTLV-1) y colitis ulcerativa, quien desarrolló síndrome de hiperinfección por SS. Se describe la presentación clínica, diagnóstico, tratamiento y complicaciones derivadas del cuadro infeccioso.

Abstract Strongyloidiasis is an infection caused by the parasite Strongyloides stercolaris (SS) and is associated with high mortality in immunosuppressed patients due to larval spread and hyperinfection syndrome. Gastric mucosal involvement is rare, but when it occurs, it is characterized by digestive bleeding and persistent emesis. The following is the case of a 27-year-old patient with gastrointestinal symptoms, a history of HTLV-1 infection and ulcerative colitis, who developed hyperinfection syndrome with SS. The clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment and complications arising from the infectious disease are described.

Faculty development to enhance humanistic teaching and role modeling: a collaborative study at eight institutions.

BACKGROUND: There is increased emphasis on practicing humanism in medicine but explicit methods for faculty development in humanism are rare. OBJECTIVE: We sought to demonstrate improved faculty teaching and role modeling of humanistic and professional values by participants in a multi-institutional faculty development program as rated by their learners in clinical settings compared to contemporaneous controls. DESIGN: Blinded learners in clinical settings rated their clinical teachers, either participants or controls, on the previously validated 10-item Humanistic Teaching Practices Effectiveness (HTPE) questionnaire. PARTICIPANTS: Groups of 7-9 participants at 8 academic medical centers completed an 18-month faculty development program. Participating faculty were chosen by program facilitators at each institution on the basis of being promising teachers, willing to participate in the longitudinal faculty development program. INTERVENTION: Our 18-month curriculum combined experiential learning of teaching skills with critical reflection using appreciative inquiry narratives about their experiences as teachers and other reflective discussions. MAIN MEASURES: The main outcome was the aggregate score of the ten items on the questionnaire at all institutions. KEY RESULTS: The aggregate score favored participants over controls (P = 0.019) independently of gender, experience on faculty, specialty area, and/or overall teaching skills. CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal, intensive faculty development that employs experiential learning and critical reflection likely enhances humanistic teaching and role modeling. Almost all participants completed the program. Results are generalizable to other schools.

Measuring psychological flexibility in medical students and residents: a psychometric analysis.

PURPOSE: Psychological flexibility involves mindful awareness of our thoughts and feelings without allowing them to prohibit acting consistently with our values and may have important implications for patient-centered clinical care. Although psychological flexibility appears quite relevant to the training and development of health care providers, prior research has not evaluated measures of psychological flexibility in medical learners. Therefore, we investigated the validity of our learners' responses to three measures related to psychological flexibility. METHODS: Fourth-year medical students and residents (n=275) completed three measures of overlapping aspects of psychological flexibility: (1) Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II); (2) Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ); and (3) Mindful Attention and Awareness Questionnaire (MAAS). We evaluated five aspects of construct validity: content, response process, internal structure, relationship with other variables, and consequences. RESULTS: We found good internal consistency for responses on the AAQ (α=0.93), MAAS (α=0.92), and CFQ (α=0.95). Factor analyses demonstrated a reasonable fit to previously published factor structures. As expected, scores on all three measures were moderately correlated with one another and with a measure of life satisfaction (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Our findings provide preliminary evidence supporting validity of the psychological flexibility construct in a medical education sample. As psychological flexibility is a central concept underlying self-awareness, this work may have important implications for clinical training and practice.

Why a medical career and what makes a good doctor? Beliefs of incoming United States medical students.

INTRODUCTION: Beginning medical students' beliefs about the medical profession have been well studied internationally but have only been minimally studied in the United States (U.S.) recently. Up-to-date research on U.S. medical students' beliefs is warranted so educators can employ these predispositions as a baseline for curriculum and student professional development. METHODS: We conducted focus groups with a first-year class (n=189) of U.S. medical students at the beginning of their academic year. In an iterative theming process, investigators worked in dyads and subsequently as a group to develop a list of preliminary themes expressed in the focus groups. Investigators individually sorted preliminary themes into similar categories. All sorted preliminary themes and categories were placed in a matrix from which final themes were derived. FINDINGS: Investigators found eight themes for the question "Why pursue a career in medicine?" and six themes for "What makes a good doctor?". Students expected medicine to be intellectually and personally fulfilling, they expected to be respected by the community, indicated that early experiences with medicine impacted their career choices, and anticipated that a medical career would yield financial security. A good doctor was described as a committed, smart, decisive leader who enthusiastically partners with patients via effective interpersonal skills. DISCUSSION: Beginning U.S. medical students hold multi-faceted beliefs about medicine that are similar to international medical students' beliefs. Themes related to patient-centeredness, decisive leadership, and intellectual curiosity have particular utility in curriculum and professional development and should not be ignored. Administrators seeking to expand the physician workforce should consider early experiences, status, and monetary rewards.

Changing healthcare professionals' behaviors to eliminate disparities in healthcare: What do we know? How might we proceed?

The patient-healthcare provider communication process--particularly the provider's cultural competency--is increasingly recognized as a key to reducing racial/ethnic disparities in health and healthcare utilization. A working group was formed by the Office of Minority Health, Department of Health and Human Services to identify strategies for improving healthcare providers' cultural competency. This expert panel, one of several working groups called together to explore methods of reducing healthcare disparities, was comprised of individuals from academic medical centers and health professional organizations who were nationally recognized as having expertise in healthcare communication as it relates to diverse populations. During the 2-day conference, the panel identified, from personal experience and knowledge of the literature, key points of intervention and interventions most likely to improve the cross-cultural competency of healthcare providers. Proposed interventions included introduction of cultural competence education before, during, and after clinical training; implementation of certification and accreditation requirements in cross-cultural competence for practicing healthcare providers; use of culturally diverse governing boards for clinical practices; and active promotion of workforce cross-cultural diversity by healthcare organization administrators. For each intervention, methods for implementation were specified. On-going monitoring and evaluation of processes of care using race/ethnicity data were recommended to ensure the programs were functioning.