Educación terapéutica en insuficiencia cardiaca mediante e-Salud: revisión sistemática / Education interventions in heart failure using m-Health: Systematic review

Objetivo: Aportar la mejor evidencia científica disponible sobre la efectividad de los programas de educación terapéutica mediante salud digital en pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca. Diseño: Revisión sistemática de ensayos clínicos aleatorizados. Bases de datos: Se incluyeron 6 bases de datos por su relevancia en Ciencias de la Salud: PubMed, EMBASE, Scielo, Cochraine, CINAHL y Web of Science. Selección de los estudios: Se seleccionaron estudios realizados entre el año 2018 y 2023, en idioma inglés y español, tras evaluar la calidad metodológica de los estudios; se utilizó la herramienta Jadad para discriminar aquellos que no cumplían con dicha calidad. En total se incluyeron 8 artículos de 6 países diferentes. Extracción de datos: La revisión y análisis de los documentos se realizó por pares de manera independiente. Para evaluar el riesgo de sesgo se utilizó la herramienta Cochrane para ensayos clínicos aleatorizados RoB 2. Resultados: Todas las aplicaciones contaban con educación terapéutica; también se valoró que contasen con monitorización, evaluación de signos y síntomas, titulación de fármacos y seguimiento de profesionales a través de la aplicación. Conclusión: Esta revisión revela el impacto significativo de la educación terapéutica en el aumento de conocimiento del paciente, la reducción de reingresos hospitalarios y la mejora del estado funcional y el autocuidado. Esto convierte a la salud digital en una herramienta válida para complementar la atención enfermera en pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca.(AU)

Objective: To provide the best scientific evidence available on the effectiveness of therapeutic education programs through digital health in patients with heart failure. Design: Systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Data sources: Six databases were included due to their relevance in Health Sciences: PubMed, EMBASE, Scielo, Cochrane, CINAHL, and Web of Science. Selection of studies: In English and Spanish, studies carried out between 2018 and 2023 were selected. After evaluating the methodological quality of the studies, the Jadad tool was used to discriminate those that did not meet said quality. In total, 8 articles from 6 different countries were included. Data extraction: The review and analysis of the documents were carried out by independent pairs. The Cochrane tool for RoB 2 randomized clinical trials was used to assess the risk of bias. Results: All the applications had therapeutic education, it was also assessed that they had monitoring, evaluation of signs and symptoms, drug titration, and professional follow-up through the application. Conclusion: This review reveals the significant impact of therapeutic education in increasing patient knowledge, reducing hospital readmissions, and improving functional status and self-care. This makes digital health a valuable tool to complement nursing care in patients with heart failure.(AU)

[Education interventions in heart failure using m-Health: Systematic review]. / Educación terapéutica en insuficiencia cardiaca mediante e-Salud: revisión sistemática.

OBJECTIVE: To provide the best scientific evidence available on the effectiveness of therapeutic education programs through digital health in patients with heart failure. DESIGN: Systematic review of randomized clinical trials. DATA SOURCES: Six databases were included due to their relevance in Health Sciences: PubMed, EMBASE, Scielo, Cochrane, CINAHL, and Web of Science. SELECTION OF STUDIES: In English and Spanish, studies carried out between 2018 and 2023 were selected. After evaluating the methodological quality of the studies, the Jadad tool was used to discriminate those that did not meet said quality. In total, 8 articles from 6 different countries were included. DATA EXTRACTION: The review and analysis of the documents were carried out by independent pairs. The Cochrane tool for RoB 2 randomized clinical trials was used to assess the risk of bias. RESULTS: All the applications had therapeutic education, it was also assessed that they had monitoring, evaluation of signs and symptoms, drug titration, and professional follow-up through the application. CONCLUSION: This review reveals the significant impact of therapeutic education in increasing patient knowledge, reducing hospital readmissions, and improving functional status and self-care. This makes digital health a valuable tool to complement nursing care in patients with heart failure.

Validation of the Fast-Track Model: A Simple Tool to Assess the Severity of Diabetic Foot Ulcers.

This study aimed to validate the association between the grades of severity of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) identified by the fast-tack model and specific outcomes. Three hundred and sixty-seven patients with new DFUs who were referred to a tertiary level diabetic foot service serving Rome, Italy, were included. The fast-track model identifies three levels of DFUs' severity: uncomplicated DFUs, including superficial wounds, not-infected wounds, and not-ischemic wounds; complicated DFUs, including ischemic wounds, infected wounds, and deep ulcers involving the muscles, tendons, or bones, and any kind of ulcers in patients on dialysis and/or with heart failure; and severely complicated DFUs, including abscesses, wet gangrene, necrotizing fasciitis, fever, or clinical signs of sepsis. Healing, minor and major amputation, hospitalization, and survival after 24 weeks of follow-up were considered. Among the included patients, 35 (9.6%) had uncomplicated DFUs, 210 (57.2%) had complicated DFUs, and 122 (33.2%) had severely complicated DFUs. The outcomes for patients with uncomplicated, complicated, and severely complicated DFUs were as follows, respectively: healing, 97.1%, 86.2%, and 69.8%; minor amputation, 2.9%, 20%, and 66.4%; major amputation, 0%, 2.9%, and 16.4%; hospitalization, 14.3%, 55.7%, and 89.3%; survival, 100%, 96.7%, and 89.3%. DFU severity was an independent predictor of healing, amputation, hospitalization, and survival. The current study shows an association between the grade of severity of DFUs identified by the fast-track model and the considered outcomes. The fast-track model may be a useful tool for assessing the severity and prognosis of DFUs.

Comparative effect of different physical exercise training on exercise capacity and cardiac function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a network meta-analysis-ExIC-FEp Study.

AIMS: This network meta-analysis aimed to compare the effect of different types of physical exercise [endurance training, endurance/resistance training, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT)] on exercise capacity and cardiac function parameters in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. METHODS AND RESULTS: A systematic search of the MEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus, and Web of Science databases was conducted to identify experimental studies addressing the effect of different physical exercise training programmes on exercise capacity and cardiac function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Comparative evaluation of the effect of exercise training type was performed by conducting a standard pairwise meta-analysis and a network meta-analysis for direct and indirect comparisons between exercise training types and controls/non-interventions. Eleven studies were included in the analysis showing that endurance training improves the main exercise capacity parameters (VO2peak, workload, exercise time, peak heart rate, VO2, and 6 min walk distance). Additionally, endurance/resistance training showed a significant effect on VO2peak, workload, early mitral annulus velocity, and early mitral/mitral annulus velocity ratio. Finally, HIIT showed a significant effect on VO2peak, VO2, and the early mitral/mitral annulus velocity ratio. CONCLUSION: Our findings support the effect of three different types of physical exercise on exercise capacity, mainly VO2peak. Additionally, endurance/resistance training and HIIT could reverse left ventricular remodelling in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO: CRD42021276111.

Important aspects during management of diabetic foot infection

Diabetic foot is a complex disease. One of its most important complications is infection with risk of limb loss. In severe cases it is also a life-threatening condition. Several guidelines are available in order to achieve the implementation of some standard of care strategies. However, these consensus documents do not address all controversial issues arising during diabetic foot infection. The present article aims to review some of these controversial aspects. (AU)

Heart failure and in-hospital mortality in elderly patients after elective noncardiac surgery in Spain

Background: Patients with heart failure (HF) undergoing noncardiac surgical procedures is rising worldwide. This study was aiming at analyzing the impact of heart failure (HF) on the outcomes (mortality, complications, readmissions, and length of stay) of elderly patients undergoing elective major noncardiac surgical procedures in Spain.MethodsA retrospective observational study of patients undergoing noncardiac surgery was conducted. The Minimum Basic Data Set (MBDS) was used to collect information about the demographic characteristics of patients discharged from hospitals of the Spanish National Health System (SNHS), variables related to patients’ medical conditions and surgeries conducted during the episode.ResultsA total of 996,986 selected procedures in the discharge record were identified in the period 2007–2015. HF was recorded as a secondary diagnosis in 22,367 discharges (2.24%). The mean age of patients was 76.6±7.27 years, with a difference in patients without and with HF: 76.5 (95% CI: 76.47–76.50) vs 82.8 (95% CI: 82.71–82.90). The number of selected surgical procedures increased by 13.2% (117,487 in 2015 vs. 103,744 in 2007), and the proportion of presence HF as a comorbidity increased by 24.4% (2.4% in 2015 v 1.9% in 2007). The proportion of women was higher in the HF group: 53.2% (95% CI: 53.18–53.22) vs 64.3% (95% CI: 64.20–64.44), with a longer average length of stay: 7.9 (95% CI: 7.9–7.9) vs 14.9 (95% CI 14.7–15.0) days, and women had a higher proportion of comorbidities. HF was found to be an independent risk factor in-hospital mortality in the multilevel risk adjustment model (OR=2.3; 95% CI: 2.2–2.4). (AU)

Antecedentes: El número de pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca (IC) que se someten a procedimientos quirúrgicos no cardíacos está aumentando en todo el mundo. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar el impacto de la IC en los resultados (mortalidad, complicaciones, reingresos y duración de la estancia) de los pacientes de edad avanzada sometidos a procedimientos quirúrgicos mayores electivos no cardíacos en España.MétodosSe realizó un estudio observacional retrospectivo de pacientes sometidos a cirugía no cardíaca. Se utilizó el Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos (CMBD) para recoger información sobre las características demográficas de los pacientes dados de alta en los hospitales del Sistema Nacional de Salud (SNS), variables relacionadas con las condiciones médicas de los pacientes y las cirugías realizadas durante el episodio.ResultadosSe identificaron un total de 996.986 procedimientos seleccionados en el registro de altas en el periodo 2007-2015. La IC se registró como diagnóstico secundario en 22.367 altas (2,24%). La edad media de los pacientes fue de 76,6 ± 7,27 años, con una diferencia en los pacientes sin y con IC: 76,5 IC 95%: 76,47 - 76,50) vs. 82,8 (IC 95%: 82,71 – 82,90). El número de procedimientos quirúrgicos seleccionados aumentó un 13,2% (117.487 en 2015 vs. 103.744 en 2007), y la proporción de presencia de IC como comorbilidad aumentó un 24,4% (2,4% en 2015 vs. 1,9% en 2007). La proporción de mujeres fue mayor en el grupo de IC: 53,2% (IC 95%: 53,18 – 53,22) vs. 64,3% (IC 95%: 64,20 – 64,44), con una duración media de la estancia mayor 7,9 (IC 95%: 7,9 – 7,9) vs. 14,9 (IC 95%: 14,7 – 15,0), y las mujeres tenían una mayor proporción de comorbilidades. La IC resultó ser un factor de riesgo independiente de mortalidad intrahospitalaria en el modelo de ajuste de riesgo multinivel (OR = 2,3; IC 95%: 2,2-2,4). (AU)

Seguridad del paciente. Estudio observacional y descriptivo centrado en las curas de los catéteres venosos centrales consiguiendo bacteriemia cero / Patient safety. Observational and descriptive study focused on cures of central venous catheters, obtaining zero bacteriemia

El diseño del estudio es observacional, retrospectivo y des-criptivo centrado en las curas de los Catéteres Venosos Cen-trales (CVC). El procedimiento establecido para ello es la reali-zación de una primera cura en la UCI una vez que el paciente llega desde quirófano. Se observa diariamente el punto de inserción del mismo para observar si existen o no signos de infección y no se vuelve a realizar una cura hasta pasados 7 días, tanto si el paciente continúa ingresado en la UCI como si ha sido dado de alta a una unidad de hospitalización.Los datos recopilados en la investigación retrospectiva comprenden a los de aquellos pacientes ingresados en el Complejo Hospitalario Ruber Juan Bravo desde el 14 de mayo del 2019 hasta el 22 de marzo del 2020. Se han incluido en el estudio a un total de 90 pacientes que son los que cumplían los distintos criterios de inclusión y exclusión.El facultativo canaliza un CVC a la llegada del paciente al quirófano, siguiendo siempre el programa Bacteriemia Zero. Cuando los pacientes llegan a la UCI, el personal de enferme-ría realiza una primera cura estéril de ese catéter, basado en el protocolo interno del centro.Cuando el paciente sale de UCI a hospitalización, se hace una valoración diaria del acceso venoso con la intención de no volver a curarlo hasta los 7 días después, siempre y cuando no haya sospecha de infección en la zona donde se inserta el catéter, no haya sangrado activo del mismo, o que el apósito esté despegado. Con el estudio observacional llevado a cabo, se pueden extrapolar los protocolos de la UCI al resto de unidades, con-siguiendo el mismo éxito de bacteriemia cero, gracias a los cuidados asistenciales por parte de la enfermería con curas semanales. En el tiempo del estudio no hubo ninguna In-fección Relacionada con el catéter (IRC). De los 90 pacientes estudiados, sólo en el 2.2% hubo colonización por contamina-ción de la punta del catéter porStaphylococcus epidermidis. (AU)

The study design is observational, retrospective, and de-scriptive, focusing on CVC cures. The established procedure for this is the performance of a first treatment in the ICU once the patient arrives f rom the operating room. The point of insertion of the CVC is observed daily to see whether there are signs of infection, and no further treatment is performed for 7 days, whether the patient is still admitted to the ICU or has been discharged to a hospitalization unit.The data collected in the retrospective investigation com-prised those patients admitted to the Ruber Juan Bravo Hospital Complex f rom May 14, 2019 to March 22, 2020. A total of 90 patients who met the different inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study.The physician cannulates a CVC on the patient’s arrival to the operating room, always following the Bacteremia Zero program. When patients arrive at the ICU, the nursing staff performs an initial sterile treatment of that catheter, based on the center’s internal protocol.When the patient leaves the ICU for hospitalization, a daily assessment of the venous access is made with the inten-tion of not re-treatment until 7 days later, as long as there is no suspicion of infection in the area where the catheter is inserted, there is no active bleeding f rom it, or the dressing is not detached.With the observational study carried out, the ICU protocols can be extrapolated to the rest of the units, achieving the same success of zero bacteremia, thanks to the nursing care with weekly cures. During the study period there was no CRI. Out of the 90 patients studied, only 2.2% were colo-nized by Staphylococcus epidermidis contamination of the catheter tip. (AU)

Seguridad del paciente. Bacteriemia Zero: Prevenir la infección relacionada con el catéter venoso central / Patient safety. Zero bacteriemia: prevent infection related to the central venous catheter

Las infecciones nosocomiales (IN) ocurren en todo el planeta, afectando a países evolucionados y países con recursos insuficientes. Las infecciones en las instituciones de salud son una de las razones primordiales del aumento de la mortalidad y la morbilidad entre los pacientes hospitalizados.Los principales tipos de IN están vinculados con actividades invasivas. Podemos distinguir la infección de tracto respiratorio, relacionada con la ventilación mecánica; la infección del lecho quirúrgico, relacionadas con el procedimiento quirúrgico; la infección del Tracto Urinario (ITU), que tiene relación con los sondajes vesicales; y la bacteriemia relacionada con los catéteres intravasculares (BRC).La bacteriemia se define como la presencia de bacterias en la sangre. Junto con la neumonía relacionada con la ventilación mecánica, es la infección nosocomial más común en pacientes ingresados en la UCI y se relaciona con una morbilidad y mortalidad significativas. La primera causa de bacteriemia en estos pacientes son los catéteres intravasculares.Bacteriemia Zero es el acuerdo desarrollado por la Sociedad de Medicina Intensiva Crítica y Unidades Coronarias (SEMICYUC), la Alianza Mundial para la Seguridad de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) y la Agenda de Calidad del Ministerio de Sanidad, para prevenir la bacteriemia relacionada con el uso de catéter Venoso Central (CVC), con la intención de bajar la incidencia de BRC.Su objetivo principal es disminuir el promedio de la densidad de incidentes de bacteriemia relacionados con la inserción de CVC, fomentar y fortalecer la cultura de seguridad en la práctica de enfermería, y asegurar el registro de tecnologías obteniendo así un mayor control. (AU)

Nosocomial infections occur all over the world, affecting both developed and under-resourced countries. Infections in healthcare institutions are one of the primary reasons for increased mortality and morbidity among hospitalized patients.The main types of NI are linked to invasive activities. We can distinguish respiratory tract infection, related to mechanical ventilation; surgical bed infection, related to the surgical procedure; UTI, related to bladder catheterization; and bacteremia related to intravascular catheters (BRC).Bacteremia is defined as the presence of bacteria in the blood. Together with pneumonia related to mechanical ventilation, it is the most common nosocomial infection in patients admitted to the ICU and it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The leading cause of bacteremia in these patients is intravascular catheters.Bacteremia Zero is the agreement developed by the Society of Critical Intensive Care Medicine and Coronary Units (SEMICYUC), the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Alliance for Safety and the Ministry of Health (MOH) Quality Agenda, to prevent CVC-related bacteremia, with the intention of lowering the incidence of BRC.Its main objective is to reduce the average density of bacteremia incidents related to CVC insertion, to promote and strengthen the culture of safety in nursing practice, and to ensure the registration of technologies, thus obtaining greater control. (AU)

Heart failure and in-hospital mortality in elderly patients after elective noncardiac surgery in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Patients with heart failure (HF) undergoing noncardiac surgical procedures is rising worldwide. This study was aiming at analyzing the impact of heart failure (HF) on the outcomes (mortality, complications, readmissions, and length of stay) of elderly patients undergoing elective major noncardiac surgical procedures in Spain. METHODS: A retrospective observational study of patients undergoing noncardiac surgery was conducted. The Minimum Basic Data Set (MBDS) was used to collect information about the demographic characteristics of patients discharged from hospitals of the Spanish National Health System (SNHS), variables related to patients' medical conditions and surgeries conducted during the episode. RESULTS: A total of 996,986 selected procedures in the discharge record were identified in the period 2007-2015. HF was recorded as a secondary diagnosis in 22,367 discharges (2.24%). The mean age of patients was 76.6±7.27 years, with a difference in patients without and with HF: 76.5 (95% CI: 76.47-76.50) vs 82.8 (95% CI: 82.71-82.90). The number of selected surgical procedures increased by 13.2% (117,487 in 2015 vs. 103,744 in 2007), and the proportion of presence HF as a comorbidity increased by 24.4% (2.4% in 2015 v 1.9% in 2007). The proportion of women was higher in the HF group: 53.2% (95% CI: 53.18-53.22) vs 64.3% (95% CI: 64.20-64.44), with a longer average length of stay: 7.9 (95% CI: 7.9-7.9) vs 14.9 (95% CI 14.7-15.0) days, and women had a higher proportion of comorbidities. HF was found to be an independent risk factor in-hospital mortality in the multilevel risk adjustment model (OR=2.3; 95% CI: 2.2-2.4). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with HF undergoing any of the selected surgical procedures are older; there was women predominance and there is also an important burden of comorbidities than patients without HF undergoing these surgical procedures. HF in the selected procedures, increasing in-hospital mortality, mean length of stay, and the occurrence of adverse events in the Spanish population. The percentage of patients with HF who underwent the selected surgical procedures increased in the study period.

Increasing Transcutaneous Oxygen Pressure in Patients With Neuroischemic Diabetic Foot Ulcers Treated With a Sucrose Octasulfate Dressing: A Pilot Study.

Regarding the positive clinical outcomes of sucrose octasulfate impregnated dressing documented in neuroischemic diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), we aimed to evaluate the microcirculatory status in patients with neuroischemic DFU through the use of sucrose octasulfate dressing. Eleven patients with neuroischemic DFU were included in a prospective pilot study between July 2019 and March 2020. We evaluated the effect in transcutaneous oxygen pressure (TcPO2; mm Hg) values within the use of a sucrose octasulfate dressing in the course of the healing process of neuroischemic DFUs (UrgoStart Contact, Laboratoires Urgo Medical). TcPO2 values were assessed at day 0 and monthly until wound healing was achieved. Additionally, wound healing process was evaluated using the Wollina score system and wound area surface, at day 0 and monthly until 20 weeks of follow-up or wound healing first occurred. TcPO2 values showed a significant increase between day 0 (29.45 ± 7.38 mm Hg) and wound closure (46.54 ± 11.45 mm Hg, P = .016), after dressing application. Wollina wound scores showed a significant improvement (4.2 ± 1.7 at day 0 to 5.4 ± 1.3 at the end of the study; P = .004). Median wound area at day 0 was 1.30 cm2, interquartile range [1.60-1] cm2, and 0.5 cm2 at week 4, interquartile range [1.1-0.1], P < .001. Median healing time was 8 weeks, interquartile range [8-5]. Treating a neuroischemic DFU with a sucrose octasulfate dressing in the standard of care showed an increase in skin oxygen pressure.

Prognostic value of B lines detected with lung ultrasound in acute heart failure. A systematic review.

Pulmonary ultrasound is a simple diagnostic tool with immediate results for the assessment of pulmonary congestion in patients with heart failure (HF), allowing optimization of treatment by monitoring the dynamic changes identified. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of the presence of B lines detected by lung ultrasound during hospitalization for heart failure. A search was conducted for scientific articles in PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases including clinical trials, reviews, systematic reviews, and original articles that were related to the prognostic value of lung ultrasound in patients with HF in the last 5 years from 2016 to 2021. Studies including individuals aged ≥18 years evaluating the prognostic value of lung ultrasound in HF were included. Fourteen articles met inclusion criteria for analysis (three reviews, three systematic reviews with meta-analysis, six prospective studies, and two retrospective studies). The presence of more than 30-40 B lines at admission were considered a risk factor for readmission or mortality as was persistent pulmonary congestion with the presence of ≥15 B-lines. The presence of pulmonary congestion detected by lung ultrasound in acute heart failure has prognostic significance in terms of mortality and hospital readmission. Clinical trials are needed to evaluate whether diuretic therapy guided by lung ultrasound and the presence of B lines can reduce readmission and mortality in these patients.

Alternatives to continuous positive airway pressure treatment in sleep apnoeas and hypopnoeas syndrome related to myofunctional and postural reeducation therapy: protocol for a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: The main treatment for sleep apnoeas and hypopnoeas syndrome (SAHS) is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). However, patients sometimes do not adhere to the treatment protocol. Supplementary and complementary therapies have appeared as alternatives. Some of the therapies which are especially important are those related to myofunctional (MFT) and postural therapy (PT), as all of them are non-invasive, and their application is simpler than that of CPAP. We aim to present a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis for investigating new SAHS treatments, including the protocols and frequency of use and the effects they have on patient signs, symptoms and quality of life. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The literature search will be conducted using the Cochrane, Web of Science, Medline (via PubMed) and Scopus databases, from January 2020 to December 2020. All types of studies written in English and Spanish that investigate the use of alternative SAHS treatments related to MFT, or more importantly, the combination of MFT and PRT, will be selected. To evaluate their quality, the Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional will be applied. The primary factor valued in the studies will be the inclusion of MFT and PT reeducation in the treatment. Subgroup analyses will be carried out evaluating the specific type of treatments chosen and the improvements or deteriorations in the level of health and quality of life in the patients. Finally, several patient-related outcomes, namely sleep quality, quality of life and sleep Apnoeas and Hypoapnoeas Index, will be examined. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: In this case, ethical approval is not necessary. The data used in the review will be exclusively obtained from published studies, implying there are no privacy concerns. The information obtained will be relevant to understand if the new treatments applied in SAHS are effective, and if postural and MFT therapy used together can be considered an appropriate approach to treat this disease.The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Prognostic Value of the PROFUND Index for 30-Day Mortality in Acute Heart Failure.

Background and Objectives: The prevalence and incidence of heart failure (HF) have been increasing in recent years as the population ages. These patients show a distinct profile of comorbidity, which makes their care more complex. In recent years, the PROFUND index, a specific tool for estimating the mortality rate at one year in pluripathology patients, has been developed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of the PROFUND index and of in-hospital and 30-day mortality after discharge of patients admitted for acute heart failure (AHF). Materials and Methods: A prospective multicenter longitudinal study was performed that included patients admitted with AHF and ≥2 comorbid conditions. Clinical, analytical, and prognostic variables were collected. The PROFUND index was collected in all patients and rates of in-hospital and 30-day mortality after discharge were analyzed. A bivariate analysis was performed with quantitative variables between patients who died and those who survived at the 30-day follow-up. A logistic regression analysis was performed with the variables that obtained statistical significance in the bivariate analysis between deceased and surviving subjects. Results: A total of 128 patients were included. Mean age was 80.5 +/- 9.98 years, and women represented 51.6%. The mean PROFUND index was 5.26 +/- 4.5. The mortality rate was 8.6% in-hospital and 20.3% at 30 days. Preserved left ventricular ejection fraction was found in 60.9%. In the sample studied, there were patients with a PROFUND score < 7 predominated (89 patients (70%) versus 39 patients (31%) with a PROFUND score ≥ 7). Thirteen patients (15%) with a PROFUND score < 7 died versus the 13 (33%) with a PROFUND score ≥ 7, p = 0.03. Twelve patients (15%) with a PROFUND score < 7 required readmission versus 12 patients (35%) with a PROFUND score ≥ 7, p = 0.02. The ROC curve of the PROFUND index for in-hospital mortality and 30-day follow-up in patients with AHF showed AUC 0.63, CI: 95% (0.508-0.764), p <0.033. Conclusions: The PROFUND index is a clinical tool that may be useful for predicting short-term mortality in elderly patients with AHF. Further studies with larger simple sizes are required to validate these results.

Characteristics of new patient referrals to specialised diabetic foot units across Europe and factors influencing delays.

OBJECTIVE: Foot ulcers are a common complication of diabetes and are associated with an increase in lower limb amputation and death. Early referral to a specialised unit is recommended. The aim of this study was to assess the characteristics of new-patient referrals to specialised diabetes foot care units across Europe and to determine the factors involved in delayed referral. METHOD: In this prospective observational study, consecutive patients with a new foot ulcer presenting to nine diabetic foot centres in five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK) were included. RESULTS: Some 25% of the 332 patients included had presented with a foot ulcer >3 months before referral to the participating foot clinic. Compared with patients referred earlier, patients with a long time to referral (>3 months) were older (p=0.006) and had a less severe wound according to Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) classification (p=0.003) and University of Texas classification (grade D=infection + peripheral artery disease, p=0.004). CONCLUSION: The proportion of patients with a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) referred to a specialised unit >3 months after the beginning of the ulcer remained high throughout Europe. Patients with severe DFU were, however, referred more quickly by front line health professionals. Primary care professionals need to be made aware of the importance of early referral to a specialised unit in order to improve the management of foot disease in patients with diabetes. DECLARATION OF INTEREST: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Effectiveness of fast-track pathway for diabetic foot ulcerations.

AIM: To investigate the effectiveness of fast-track pathway (FTP) in the management of diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) after 2 years of implementation. METHODS: The study group was composed of patients who referred to a specialized DF centre due to DFUs. Those were divided in two groups: early referral (ER) and late referral (LR) patients. According to FTP, ER were considered patients who referred after 2 weeks in the case of uncomplicated non-healing ulcers (superficial, not infected, not ischemic), within 4 days in the case of complicated ulcers (ischemic, deep, mild infection) and within 24 h in the case of severely complicated ulcers (abscess, wet gangrene, fever). Healing, healing time, minor and major amputation, hospitalization, and survival were evaluated. The follow-up was 6 months. RESULTS: Two hundred patients were recruited. The mean age was 70 ± 13 years, 62.5% were male, 91% were affected by type 2 diabetes with a mean duration of 18 ± 11 years. Within the group, 79.5% had ER while 20.5% had LR. ER patients showed increased rates of healing (89.9 vs. 41.5%, p = 0.001), reduced healing time (10 vs. 16 weeks, p = 0.0002), lower rates of minor (17.6 vs. 75.6%, p < 0.0001) and major amputation (0.6 vs. 36.6%, p < 0.0001), hospitalization (47.1 vs. 82.9%, p = 0.001), and mortality (4.4 vs. 19.5%, p = 0.02) in comparison to LR. At multivariate analysis, ER was an independent predictor of healing, while LR was an independent predictor for minor and major amputation and hospitalization. CONCLUSION: After the FTP implementation, less cases of LR were reported in comparison to ER. ER was an independent predictor of positive outcomes such as healing, healing time, limb salvage, hospitalization, and survival.

The SADDEN DEATH Study: Results from a Pilot Study in Non-ICU COVID-19 Spanish Patients.

Introduction: The worldwide pandemic, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel infection with serious clinical manifestations, including death. Our aim is to describe the first non-ICU Spanish deceased series with COVID-19, comparing specifically between unexpected and expected deaths. Methods: In this single-centre study, all deceased inpatients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 who had died from March 4 to April 16, 2020 were consecutively included. Demographic, clinical, treatment, and laboratory data, were analyzed and compared between groups. Factors associated with unexpected death were identified by multivariable logistic regression methods. Results: In total, 324 deceased patients were included. Median age was 82 years (IQR 76-87); 55.9% males. The most common cardiovascular risk factors were hypertension (78.4%), hyperlipidemia (57.7%), and diabetes (34.3%). Other common comorbidities were chronic kidney disease (40.1%), chronic pulmonary disease (30.3%), active cancer (13%), and immunosuppression (13%). The Confusion, BUN, Respiratory Rate, Systolic BP and age ≥65 (CURB-65) score at admission was >2 in 40.7% of patients. During hospitalization, 77.8% of patients received antivirals, 43.3% systemic corticosteroids, and 22.2% full anticoagulation. The rate of bacterial co-infection was 5.5%, and 105 (32.4%) patients had an increased level of troponin I. The median time from initiation of therapy to death was 5 days (IQR 3.0-8.0). In 45 patients (13.9%), the death was exclusively attributed to COVID-19, and in 254 patients (78.4%), both COVID-19 and the clinical status before admission contributed to death. Progressive respiratory failure was the most frequent cause of death (92.0%). Twenty-five patients (7.7%) had an unexpected death. Factors independently associated with unexpected death were male sex, chronic kidney disease, insulin-treated diabetes, and functional independence. Conclusions: This case series provides in-depth characterization of hospitalized non-ICU COVID-19 patients who died in Madrid. Male sex, insulin-treated diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and independency for activities of daily living are predictors of unexpected death.

Differences in the Sub-Metatarsal Fat Pad Atrophy Symptoms between Patients with Metatarsal Head Resection and Those without Metatarsal Head Resection: A Cross-Sectional Study.

We aimed to evaluate the differences in the sub-metatarsal skin and fat pad atrophy between patients at a high risk of ulceration with and without previous metatarsal head resection. A cross-sectional study was performed in a diabetic foot unit involving 19 participants with a history of metatarsal head resection (experimental group) and 19 (control group) without a history of metatarsal head resection but with an ulcer in other locations in the metatarsal head. No participants had active ulcerations at study inclusion. Sub-metatarsal skin thickness and fat pad thickness in the first and second metatarsals were evaluated by an ultrasound transducer. The experimental group showed sub-metatarsal fat pad atrophy (3.74 ± 1.18 mm and 2.52 ± 1.04 mm for first and second metatarsal, respectively) compared with the control group (5.44 ± 1.12 mm and 4.73 ± 1.59 mm) (p < 0.001, confidence interval: (CI): 0.943-2.457 and p < 0.001, CI: 1.143-3.270 for first and second metatarsal, respectively); however, sub-metatarsal skin thickness was not different between groups (experimental 2.47 ± 0.47 mm vs. control 2.80 ± 0.58 mm (p = 0.063, CI: -0.019-0.672) and 2.24 ± 0.60 mm vs. 2.62 ± 0.50 mm (p = 0.066, CI: -0.027-0.786) for first and second metatarsal, respectively). Patients with previous metatarsal head resection showed sub-metatarsal fat pad atrophy, which could be associated with the risk of reulceration in the metatarsal head.

Perception of diabetic foot ulcers among general practitioners in four European countries: knowledge, skills and urgency.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) have the potential to deteriorate rapidly, in the absence of prompt assessment and treatment. The aim of this study was to analyse the awareness and perception of DFU among general practitioners (GPs) from four European countries, and to find possible differences between these countries in terms of management. METHOD: A two-part, quantitative, online questionnaire was distributed to GPs across four countries in Europe-the UK, France, Germany and Spain. The first part entailed a survey on the perception and knowledge of the pathogenesis and management of DFU, among GPs. The second part of the questionnaire was used for the collection of data on recently-managed DFU cases. RESULTS: For the first part of the study, 600 questionnaires were collected (150 per country) and 1188 patient cases of DFU management were included in the second part. In France, only 49% of GPs mentioned neuropathy as the main causative process in DFU development. However, in Germany and the UK, 82% and 83% of GPs, respectively, considered neuropathy as an important causative factor. DFU care in Spain and the UK is thought to be organised by multidisciplinary teams (MDT) (83% and 84% of GPs, respectively, completely agreed with this statement). In France and Germany, GPs are responsible for follow-up and management. Only UK physicians have clearly identified specialised podiatrists to refer patients to, if needed. Approximately 29-40% of GPs in all countries did not feel they were sufficiently trained in the DFU treatment protocol. Almost 30% of GPs in France and Germany thought that DFU treatment was not well-established due to the absence of clinical guidelines and protocols. CONCLUSION: The intra-country and inter-country management of the complex aspects of DFU is quite heterogeneous. The cause of this finding is multifactorial. Although there are international guidelines, it would be beneficial to establish clear and specific competencies for the different health professionals involved in DFU management. As a minimum, intra-country heterogeneity should improve with their development.