Efecto de unas gotas a base de ácido hialurónico, Aloe vera y Centella asiática en la calidad de vida de pacientes con ojo seco / Effect of eye drops based on hyaluronic acid, Aloe vera and Centella asiatica on quality of life of patients with dry eye

Introducción: la enfermedad de ojo seco (EOS) es una patología común y un motivo de consulta frecuente en farmacia comunitaria. Esta tiene un gran impacto en la calidad de vida (QoL) de los pacientes; por ello, un tratamiento adecuado debería mejorarla. Las lágrimas artificiales constituyen la base para el manejo de la EOS y el principal tratamiento de indicación farmacéutica.Objetivo: estudiar el efecto de unas gotas oculares a base de ácido hialurónico, Centella asiática y Aloe vera en la QoL de pacientes con EOS. Paralelamente, la adherencia al tratamiento, la tolerancia y seguridad del producto, fueron evaluados.Metodología: estudio clínico posautorización, abierto, prospectivo y multicéntrico. Los pacientes recibieron el tratamiento durante 60 días. Para estudiar el efecto sobre la QoL, los pacientes cumplimentaron el cuestionario OSDI© antes de iniciar el tratamiento y a los 30 y 60 días de tratamiento. La adherencia se evaluó mediante la reconciliación de los envases y la seguridad mediante un seguimiento de los eventos adversos. Resultados: los pacientes tratados con las gotas oculares, población por intención de tratar (ITT, n=44), obtuvieron mejoras clínicamente importantes en la QoL, sintomatología y función visual, pues la puntuación OSDI© disminuyó de 32,80 (DE=23,00) (basal, EOS severo) a 12.64 (DE=15,32) (estado normal, p<0,001), y a 9.22 (DE=10,37) (estado normal, p<0,001), a los 30 y 60 días, respectivamente. Más del 70 % de los pacientes se adhirieron al tratamiento. El perfil de seguridad fue favorable. Se observaron 4 efectos adversos oculares de intensidad leve. No se plantearon problemas de seguridad. Conclusiones: Las gotas oculares objeto de estudio podrían ser una opción de tratamiento efectiva y segura para mejorar la QoL de pacientes con EOS.

[A reflection about the ethical implications of telemedicine]. / Una reflexión ética sobre la telemedicina.

Recognizing the role of technology in the development of medicine and the impact of telecommunication advances, we reflect on the meaning and ethics of the use of Telemedicine, both in its general dimension for the use and distribution of knowledge, as well as in the delivery of health actions, scientific research, and data management. Teleconsultation is discussed in greater detail, analyzing its process and application, reviewing its possible advantages and disadvantages, from the point of view of providers and patients. We highlight the need to carry out an appropriate evaluation of each instance, from the point of view of both the patient and the professional who uses it. The importance of maintaining a doctor-patient relationship in agreement with the nature and practice of Medicine, respecting people's dignity, is emphasized. We mention the ethical conditions that must be bore in mind for the proper use of telemedicine. We discuss the eventual influence that this practice will have on the concept and practice of medical care, while suggesting the need to legislate on the matter.

Una reflexión ética sobre la telemedicina / A reflection about the ethical implications of telemedicine

Recognizing the role of technology in the development of medicine and the impact of telecommunication advances, we reflect on the meaning and ethics of the use of Telemedicine, both in its general dimension for the use and distribution of knowledge, as well as in the delivery of health actions, scientific research, and data management. Teleconsultation is discussed in greater detail, analyzing its process and application, reviewing its possible advantages and disadvantages, from the point of view of providers and patients. We highlight the need to carry out an appropriate evaluation of each instance, from the point of view of both the patient and the professional who uses it. The importance of maintaining a doctor-patient relationship in agreement with the nature and practice of Medicine, respecting people's dignity, is emphasized. We mention the ethical conditions that must be bore in mind for the proper use of telemedicine. We discuss the eventual influence that this practice will have on the concept and practice of medical care, while suggesting the need to legislate on the matter.

[Conscientious objection in medical actions]. / Objeción de conciencia y acciones de salud.

Conscientious Objection arises as a response to a regulation that is judged as immoral. Faced with a law that is considered unfair, the citizen can respond accepting it against his will, exercising conscientious objection on a personal level or, collectively reaching civil disobedience or revolutionary violence. This is an old discussion known since ancient Greece. The current enactment of laws that allow actions previously judged as crime, and that contravene medical tradition, reactivated the discussion about such objection. Some people, such as Savolescu, who denies the legitimacy of conscientious objection invoked by doctors, arguing that it is inefficient, leads to inequality and is inconsistent. He proposes that the values of these professionals can be tolerated privately but should not be determinant in the public sphere. These arguments are critically examined, mentioning pertinent answers from theoretical and practical points of view. We highlight that ethics should not differ in public and private spheres and the principles should be the same, but exercised in different fields. It is concluded that conscientious objection is acquiring legitimacy and that it is necessary to reflect on the underlying reasons that lead to invoke it. It should be considered a civilized resource against determinations of power that are considered to be an attempt against personal values and moral integrity.

Objeción de conciencia y acciones de salud / Conscientious objection in medical actions

Conscientious Objection arises as a response to a regulation that is judged as immoral. Faced with a law that is considered unfair, the citizen can respond accepting it against his will, exercising conscientious objection on a personal level or, collectively reaching civil disobedience or revolutionary violence. This is an old discussion known since ancient Greece. The current enactment of laws that allow actions previously judged as crime, and that contravene medical tradition, reactivated the discussion about such objection. Some people, such as Savolescu, who denies the legitimacy of conscientious objection invoked by doctors, arguing that it is inefficient, leads to inequality and is inconsistent. He proposes that the values of these professionals can be tolerated privately but should not be determinant in the public sphere. These arguments are critically examined, mentioning pertinent answers from theoretical and practical points of view. We highlight that ethics should not differ in public and private spheres and the principles should be the same, but exercised in different fields. It is concluded that conscientious objection is acquiring legitimacy and that it is necessary to reflect on the underlying reasons that lead to invoke it. It should be considered a civilized resource against determinations of power that are considered to be an attempt against personal values and moral integrity.

Hiperqueratosis acral focal: correlación clínica, histopatológica y ecográfica / Correlation Between Clinical, Histopathologic, and Ultrasound Findings in Focal Acral Hyperkeratosis

No disponible

¿Tiene cabida, hoy, el "privilegio terapéutico"? / Does therapeutic privilege have a place in modern medicine?

During the last years, bioethical discussion has highlighted the role of the patients' autonomy, being informed consent its particular expression, about decisions that they should make about their own health. The Hippocratic tradition, the deontological positions of the Geneva Declaration of the World Medical Association and numerous codes of ethics in various countries, require that the physician, above all, should ensure patients' health. In this context the discussion on pros and cons for the so-called "therapeutic privilege" are discussed. The "therapeutic privilege" refers to the withholding of information by the clinician during the consent process in the belief that disclosure of this information would lead to harm or suffering of the patient. The circumstances and conditions in which this privilege can become valid are discussed. Special reference is made in order to respect multiculturalism and to the possibility of obtaining advice from health care ethics committees. The role of prudence in the doctor-patient relation must be highlighted. Disclosure of information should be subordinated and oriented to the integral well-being of the patient.

[Does therapeutic privilege have a place in modern medicine?] / ¿Tiene cabida, hoy, el "privilegio terapéutico"?

During the last years, bioethical discussion has highlighted the role of the patients' autonomy, being informed consent its particular expression, about decisions that they should make about their own health. The Hippocratic tradition, the deontological positions of the Geneva Declaration of the World Medical Association and numerous codes of ethics in various countries, require that the physician, above all, should ensure patients' health. In this context the discussion on pros and cons for the so-called "therapeutic privilege" are discussed. The "therapeutic privilege" refers to the withholding of information by the clinician during the consent process in the belief that disclosure of this information would lead to harm or suffering of the patient. The circumstances and conditions in which this privilege can become valid are discussed. Special reference is made in order to respect multiculturalism and to the possibility of obtaining advice from health care ethics committees. The role of prudence in the doctor-patient relation must be highlighted. Disclosure of information should be subordinated and oriented to the integral well-being of the patient.

Hiperpigmentación facial simétrica adquirida / Acquired Symmetric Facial Hyperpigmentation

No disponible

Ecografía aplicada al manejo de la patología de la uña / Ultrasound in the management of nail disease

Las enfermedades de la uña son un reto diagnóstico y la ecografía de alta frecuencia con Doppler color es una prueba diagnóstica sencilla e indolora que puede ser útil en muchos casos. La ecografía permite valorar las estructuras anatómicas de la uña y su vascularización en tiempo real. El presente trabajo revisa las publicaciones sobre los hallazgos ecográficos de la uña normal, patología inflamatoria y tumoral

Nail diseases are a diagnostic challenge and high-frequency ultrasound with colour Doppler is a simple and painless diagnostic test that can often be useful. Ultrasound allows real-time evaluation of the anatomical structures of the nail and its vascularisation. The present study reviews the literature on ultrasound findings in the normal nail and in inflammatory and humoral disease

[Some current threats to confidentiality in medicine]. / Algunas amenazas actuales a la confidencialidad en medicina.

Social, technical and legal conditions of the current practice of medicine make it necessary to insist on certain actions and circumstances that may jeopardize the confidentiality of information, offered by patients to their health providers. Therefore, some effects of the current Chilean law are analyzed in this respect, regarding access to data from the clinical record of a patient. Also, the risks of putting certain data on social networking sites are analyzed, as well as some of its effects on clinical practice. The reasons because of mandatory reporting of diseases, meaning danger to public health, is allowed, are mentioned. We also discuss the difficulties involved in managing the results of preventative health screenings and its knowledge by third parties, as well as some possible violations of personal privacy, regarding dissemination of some people health information and its further mention or figuration in mass media. We conclude that it is a must for both physicians and other health team members, to safeguard confidentiality of data to which they have had access, as well as the need to know the relevant law, in order to respect human dignity of patients, each one as a person. We address the attention to the possibility that, practicing in a different way, it could endanger the reliability of clinical records, also impairing the quality of people's health care.

Algunas amenazas actuales a la confidencialidad en medicina / Some current threats to confidentiality in medicine

Social, technical and legal conditions of the current practice of medicine make it necessary to insist on certain actions and circumstances that may jeopardize the confidentiality of information, offered by patients to their health providers. Therefore, some effects of the current Chilean law are analyzed in this respect, regarding access to data from the clinical record of a patient. Also, the risks of putting certain data on social networking sites are analyzed, as well as some of its effects on clinical practice. The reasons because of mandatory reporting of diseases, meaning danger to public health, is allowed, are mentioned. We also discuss the difficulties involved in managing the results of preventative health screenings and its knowledge by third parties, as well as some possible violations of personal privacy, regarding dissemination of some people health information and its further mention or figuration in mass media. We conclude that it is a must for both physicians and other health team members, to safeguard confidentiality of data to which they have had access, as well as the need to know the relevant law, in order to respect human dignity of patients, each one as a person. We address the attention to the possibility that, practicing in a different way, it could endanger the reliability of clinical records, also impairing the quality of people’s health care.

[Ultrasound in the management of nail disease]. / Ecografía aplicada al manejo de la patología de la uña.

Nail diseases are a diagnostic challenge and high-frequency ultrasound with colour Doppler is a simple and painless diagnostic test that can often be useful. Ultrasound allows real-time evaluation of the anatomical structures of the nail and its vascularisation. The present study reviews the literature on ultrasound findings in the normal nail and in inflammatory and tumoural disease.

[An ethical and medical perspective on the voluntary termination of pregnancy]. / Consideraciones acerca de la "interrupción voluntaria del embarazo", desde el punto de vista ético-médico (a propósito de un proyecto de ley).

"Voluntary termination of pregnancy" can refer to actions intended to make a delivery easier, to provide medical care to the fetus, or to protect the life or health of the mother. All of these are proper medical actions and are by definition voluntary. In other cases, the expression denotes a termination of pregnancy before the embryo or fetus is viable, leading to the death of the latter. This action is constitutive of abortion under current Chilean law. The product of conception living being, who develops in the womb during pregnancy, is an individual, both in the sense that it is different from its mother and father, and in that it is a biological individual. For these reasons, such living being constitutes another patient in itself. The free and voluntary medical action of health care professionals is geared toward disease prevention or health recovery and medical terminations of pregnancy, as distinguished from abortion, are not criminalized in our country. Therefore, the idea of legalizing abortive terminations of pregnancy so that they become "legitimate health care services" is a call to the medical community, which should engage in a debate about the meaning and consequences of an eventual mandate of the State that would be at odds with the Hippocratic tradition. A woman can feel that her health is at risk due to her pregnancy, and she certainly has the right to request medical help. Health professionals should care both at the medical and emotional level for all those who require their services, especially when such persons are undergoing situations of vulnerability and distress. When requested to perform an abortion, the physician faces dilemmas that should be addressed in line with the present state of the medical art.

Indicators for the total number of melanocytic naevi: an adjunct for screening campaigns. Observational study on 292 patients.

BACKGROUND: The presence of multiple melanocytic naevi is a strong risk factor for melanoma. Use of the whole body naevus count to identify at-risk patients is impractical. OBJECTIVES: To (i) identify a valid anatomical predictor of total naevus count; (ii) determine the number of naevi that most accurately predict total naevus count above 25, 50 and 100; and (iii) evaluate determinants of multiple melanocytic naevi and atypical naevi. METHODS: Clinical data from 292 consecutive Spanish patients consulting for skin lesions requiring debriding were collected throughout 2009 and 2010. Correlations between site-specific and whole body naevus counts were analysed. Cut-offs to predict total naevus counts were determined using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: The studied population was young (median age 31 years, interquartile range 28-43). The naevus count on the right arm correlated best with the total nevus count (R(2) 0.80 for men, 0.86 for women). Presence of at least five naevi on the right arm was the strongest determinant of a total naevus count above 50 [odds ratio (OR) 34.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 13.9-85.0] and of having at least one atypical naevus (OR 5.7, 95% CI 2.4-13.5). Cut-off values of 6, 8 and 11 naevi on the right arm best predicted total naevus count above 25, 50 and 100, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the arm as a practical and reliable site to estimate the total naevus count when screening or phenotyping large populations. Threshold values for the number of naevi on the arm are proposed to help identify patients for melanoma screening.

Parche biosintético de colágeno porcino como herramienta coadyuvante o definitiva en el cierre de defectos del cuero cabelludo sin periostio / Biosynthetic Porcine Collagen Dressings as an Adjunct or Definitive Tool for the Closure of Scalp Defects Without Periosteum

Introducción: Los carcinomas cutáneos agresivos que aparecen en el cuero cabelludo se desarrollan habitualmente en pacientes de edad avanzada que presentan múltiples comorbilidades. La exéresis completa de estos tumores incluye en muchos casos el periostio, lo que conlleva que la reconstrucción de este tipo de defectos se convierta en un reto. Objetivo: Se evalúa la utilidad de un parche de colágeno porcino tipo I como tratamiento coadyuvante o definitivo en el cierre quirúrgico de este tipo de defectos cutáneos. Material y métodos: Se realizó un estudio prospectivo en el que se incluyeron aquellos pacientes que presentaron defectos de más de 5 cm en el cuero cabelludo, en los que el periostio tuvo que ser extirpado para alcanzar márgenes libres de enfermedad entre enero de 2009 y noviembre de 2011. Resultados: La tumoración más prevalente fue el carcinoma epidermoide cutáneo recurrente. El defecto posquirúrgico osciló entre 5 y 7cm de diámetro. En el grupo de casos en los que se colocó un injerto posparche (n=4), en el 100% de los casos el tejido prendió completamente. En el caso de aquellos pacientes en los que el parche fue el recurso definitivo (n=6) el tejido de granulación generado por el material biosintético de colágeno porcino ocupó el defecto quirúrgico, dejándolo completamente restituido en aproximadamente 3,5 meses. Conclusiones: El parche de colágeno porcino tipo i es una herramienta sencilla, barata y eficaz en el tratamiento coadyuvante o definitivo del cierre de defectos quirúrgicos del cuero cabelludo de más de 5cm que carecen de periostio (AU)

Background: Aggressive carcinomas of the scalp usually occur in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities. Complete excision of this type of tumor often involves the removal of periosteum, and the resulting defects can be difficult to reconstruct. Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of porcine type I collagen dressings as adjunct or definitive treatment in the surgical closure of scalp defects without periosteum. Materials and methods: We performed a prospective study between January 2009 and November 2011 of patients with scalp defects larger than 5 cm resulting from surgery that required the removal of periosteum to obtain tumor-free margins. Results: The most prevalent type of tumor was recurrent cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. The surgical defects ranged in diameter from 5 to 7 cm. In 100% of the patients who received a graft after dressing removal (n = 4), the graft took well. In the patients in whom the biosynthetic dressing was definitive (n = 6), granulation tissue filled the defect and complete closure was achieved in approximately 3.5 months. Conclusions: The use of porcine type I collagen dressings as an adjunct or definitive tool for the closure of surgical defects on the scalp measuring more than 5 cm in which periosteum has been removed proved to be simple, inexpensive, and effective (AU)