Limitation of life support treatments in Spanish Intensive Care Units: Analysis of the ETHICUS II study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to describe the results of Spanish ICUs in ETHICUS II study. DESIGN: Planned substudy of patients from ETHICUS II study. SETTING: 12 Spanish ICU. PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS: Patients admitted to Spanish ICU who died or in whom a limitation of life-sustaining treatment (LLST) was decided during a recruitment period of 6 months. INTERVENTIONS: Follow-up of patients was performed until discharge from the ICU and 2 months after the decision of LLST or death. MAIN VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Demographic characteristics, clinical profile, type of decision of LLST, time and form in which it was adopted. Patients were classified into 4 categories according to the ETHICUS II study protocol: withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining therapy, active shortening of the dying process, failed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and patients with brain death. RESULTS: A total of 795 patients were analyzed; 129 patients died after CPR, 129 developed brain death. LLST was decided in 537 patients, 485 died in the ICU, 90.3%. The mean age was 66.19 years ± 14.36, 63.8% of male patients. In 221 (41%) it was decided to withdraw life-sustaining treatments and in 316 (59%) withholding life-sustaining treatments. Nineteen patients (2.38%) had advance living directives. CONCLUSIONS: The predominant clinical profile when LTSV was established was male patients over 65 years with mostly cardiovascular comorbidity. We observed that survival was higher in LLST decisions involving withholding of treatments compared to those in which withdrawal was decided. Spain has played a leading role in both patient and ICU recruitment participating in this worldwide multicenter study.

Serial prolactin sampling as a confirmatory test for true hyperprolactinemia / Curva de prolactina para la confirmación de hiperprolactinemia real

INTRODUCTION: Hyperprolactinemia may be due to physiological or pathological causes, and may be asymptomatic or induce hypogonadism, infertility, and/or galactorrhea. It is important to take prolactin samples while avoiding stress, as this may increase prolactin levels. Therefore, our aim was to assess the value of prolactin serial sampling after brachial vein cannulation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty-six patients (34.9±11.8 years of age, 92.4% female) with an initial elevated random prolactin level were included. A prolactin sample was drawn at baseline and after a 30min rest. RESULTS: The median referral prolactin level was 37.4ng/ml (interquartile range [IQR* 23.3), the baseline prolactin level at serial sampling was 19.5ng/ml (IQR 8), and the value after a 30min rest was 17.1ng/ml (IQR 7.9). Hyperprolactinemia was not confirmed by serial sampling in 45 patients (68.2%). There were no statistically significant differences in referral prolactin levels between patients with and without confirmed hyperprolactinemia (41.2ng/ml and 36.7ng/ml respectively, p = 0.3). Galactorrhea was found in 13.6% of patients, amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea in 28.8%, infertility in 7.6%, erectile dysfunction in 4.6%, and gynecomastia in 3%, while 45.5% were asymptomatic. There were no statistical differences regarding the presence or absence of any of these symptoms and subsequent confirmed hyperprolactinemia. Fifty-seven patients (86.4%) were discharged after the results of the prolactin serial sampling were obtained. CONCLUSIONS: Prolactin serial sampling may be a useful test to detect artefactual hyperprolactinemias, thus avoiding unnecessary additional tests and treatments

INTRODUCCIÓN: La hiperprolactinemia puede ser debida a causas fisiológicas o patológicas, y puede ser asintomática o inducir hipogonadismo, infertilidad y/o galactorrea. Es importante obtener las muestras de prolactina evitando situaciones de estrés, puesto que este puede incrementar sus niveles. Por tanto, nuestro objetivo era evaluar la utilidad de la realización de curvas de prolactina mediante canalización de la vena braquial. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se incluyeron 66 pacientes (edad: 34,9±11,8 años; 92,4% mujeres) con una prolactina aleatoria inicial elevada. Se obtuvieron una muestra de prolactina basal y otra tras un reposo de 30min. RESULTADOS: La prolactina mediana inicial fue 37,4ng/ml (IQR: 23,3), la prolactina basal de la curva 19,5ng/ml (IQR: 8), y tras 30min de reposo, 17,1ng/ml (IQR: 7,9). La curva descartó una hiperprolactinemia en 45 pacientes (68,2%) No hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la prolactina de derivación entre aquellos pacientes en los que se confirmó una hiperprolactinemia y aquellos que no (41,2 vs. 36,7ng/ml; p = 0,3). Un 13,6% de los pacientes presentaron galactorrea, un 28,8% amenorrea u oligomenorrea, un 7,6% infertilidad, un 4,6% disfunción eréctil y un 3% ginecomastia. El 45,5% estaban asintomáticos. No hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre la presencia o ausencia de ninguno de estos síntomas y una hiperprolactinemia confirmada posteriormente. Se pudo dar de alta a 57 pacientes (86,4%) tras la obtención de los resultados de la curva de prolactina. CONCLUSIONES: La curva de prolactina puede ser una prueba útil pata detectar falsas hiperprolactinemias, evitando la realización de pruebas complementarias y tratamientos adicionales innecesarios

Serial prolactin sampling as a confirmatory test for true hyperprolactinemia.

INTRODUCTION: Hyperprolactinemia may be due to physiological or pathological causes, and may be asymptomatic or induce hypogonadism, infertility, and/or galactorrhea. It is important to take prolactin samples while avoiding stress, as this may increase prolactin levels. Therefore, our aim was to assess the value of prolactin serial sampling after brachial vein cannulation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty-six patients (34.9±11.8 years of age, 92.4% female) with an initial elevated random prolactin level were included. A prolactin sample was drawn at baseline and after a 30min rest. RESULTS: The median referral prolactin level was 37.4ng/ml (interquartile range [IQR* 23.3), the baseline prolactin level at serial sampling was 19.5ng/ml (IQR 8), and the value after a 30min rest was 17.1ng/ml (IQR 7.9). Hyperprolactinemia was not confirmed by serial sampling in 45 patients (68.2%). There were no statistically significant differences in referral prolactin levels between patients with and without confirmed hyperprolactinemia (41.2ng/ml and 36.7ng/ml respectively, p=0.3). Galactorrhea was found in 13.6% of patients, amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea in 28.8%, infertility in 7.6%, erectile dysfunction in 4.6%, and gynecomastia in 3%, while 45.5% were asymptomatic. There were no statistical differences regarding the presence or absence of any of these symptoms and subsequent confirmed hyperprolactinemia. Fifty-seven patients (86.4%) were discharged after the results of the prolactin serial sampling were obtained. CONCLUSIONS: Prolactin serial sampling may be a useful test to detect artefactual hyperprolactinemias, thus avoiding unnecessary additional tests and treatments.

Conocimientos, creencias y actitudes de la población gitana ante el cribado del cáncer colorrectal / Knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of the Roma population regarding colorectal cancer screening

Objetivo: Identificar los factores predisponentes, inhibidores y facilitadores que pueden afectar a la participación en los programas de cribado del cáncer colorrectal en la población gitana. Método: Estudio cualitativo exploratorio mediante técnica de grupo focal. Se realizaron tres grupos focales de hombres y tres de mujeres, con un total de 16 hombres y 18 mujeres participantes de población romaní, de 50-69 años de edad, de la provincia de Alicante. Se realizó un análisis del discurso con el modelo PRECEDE como marco de análisis. Resultados: Se identificaron diversas barreras a la participación, como la aversión de la población gitana a hablar de cáncer, el rechazo a anticipar un diagnóstico que puede provocar sufrimiento de la persona y su entorno familiar, escaso conocimiento de la enfermedad y del programa preventivo, rechazo hacia la recogida y manejo de las muestras, miedo y vergüenza ante la posible colonoscopia, aceptación de la voluntad divina, dificultades de comprensión y lectura, y percepción de estar discriminados por su etnia en el ámbito sanitario. Sin embargo, se identificaron factores predisponentes a la participación en el programa de cribado, como la predisposición favorable a recibir información pertinente a través de vías más apropiadas, así como su confianza en el consejo profesional. Conclusión: La predisposición a recibir la recomendación de participar en los programas de cribado colorrectal y una información comprensible de los profesionales sanitarios permiten entrever posibles estrategias de aproximación a este colectivo. Esto podría contribuir a la mejora de la participación de la población gitana en el programa de cribado de cáncer colorrectal y abrir nuevas vías para promover conductas preventivas (AU)

Objective: To identify predisposing, inhibitory and facilitating factors that may affect participation in colorectal cancer screening programs in the Roma population. Method: Qualitative and exploratory study by focus group technique. Three focus groups of men and three groups of women were carried out, with a total of 16 men and 18 women from the Roma population, aged 50-69 years, from the province of Alicante. A discourse analysis was performed with the PRECEDE model as an analysis framework. Results: Several barriers to participation were identified, such as the aversion of the Roma population to talk about cancer, refusal to anticipate a diagnosis that can cause suffering to the person and their family, poor knowledge of the disease and the preventive programmes, refusal to collect and handle samples, fear and shame about the colonoscopy, acceptance of divine will, difficulties in understanding and reading, and the perception of being discriminated by their ethnicity in the health sector. However, predisposing factors to participate in the screening programme also were identified, for example willingness to receive relevant information through more appropriate pathways, as well as their confidence in professional counselling. Conclusion: A willingness to receive the recommendation to participate and understanding information from health professionals have been identified. This will enable us to envisage potential strategies for approaching this population group. This could contribute to improved participation of the Roma population in colorectal cancer screening programmes and to open up new ways to promote preventive behaviours (AU)

[Knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of the Roma population regarding colorectal cancer screening]. / Conocimientos, creencias y actitudes de la población gitana ante el cribado del cáncer colorrectal.

OBJECTIVE: To identify predisposing, inhibitory and facilitating factors that may affect participation in colorectal cancer screening programs in the Roma population. METHOD: Qualitative and exploratory study by focus group technique. Three focus groups of men and three groups of women were carried out, with a total of 16 men and 18 women from the Roma population, aged 50-69 years, from the province of Alicante. A discourse analysis was performed with the PRECEDE model as an analysis framework. RESULTS: Several barriers to participation were identified, such as the aversion of the Roma population to talk about cancer, refusal to anticipate a diagnosis that can cause suffering to the person and their family, poor knowledge of the disease and the preventive programmes, refusal to collect and handle samples, fear and shame about the colonoscopy, acceptance of divine will, difficulties in understanding and reading, and the perception of being discriminated by their ethnicity in the health sector. However, predisposing factors to participate in the screening programme also were identified, for example willingness to receive relevant information through more appropriate pathways, as well as their confidence in professional counselling. CONCLUSION: A willingness to receive the recommendation to participate and understanding information from health professionals have been identified. This will enable us to envisage potential strategies for approaching this population group. This could contribute to improved participation of the Roma population in colorectal cancer screening programmes and to open up new ways to promote preventive behaviours.

Humanización de la Sanidad y Salud Laboral: Implicaciones, estado de la cuestión y propuesta del Proyecto HU-CI / Humanizing healthcare and occupational health: implications, state of issue and proposal from HU-CI project

La evolución científica y técnica de la atención sanitaria mantienen un desarrollo exponencial que permite cada vez una mejor asistencia a los pacientes, nuevas formas de tratamiento y crecientes índices de supervivencia. Sin embargo, estos importantes avances que enriquecen la atención a la salud, en muchas ocasiones, han ido invadiendo espacio al propio acto humano de la atención a la persona. Potenciar organizaciones más humanizadas implicará establecer acciones dirigidas al ambiente y lugar de trabajo, así como a todos los agentes implicados (pacientes, familiares y profesionales). Con dicha finalidad, las políticas de Humanización y su aplicación al contexto sanitario son una realidad en nuestros días y están concretándose en algunas propuestas específicas en determinadas organizaciones, con el apoyo de algunos organismos oficiales. En el presente trabajo, señalamos la interacción entre los objetivos de dichas políticas de humanización y las metas de la salud laboral en contextos asistenciales. Se exploran áreas comunes de trabajo dirigidas al bienestar del profesional sanitario, posibilidades de gestión integral de ambos conceptos, y se expone un ejemplo concreto como es el Proyecto de Humanización de las Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos (HU-CI) (AU)

The scientific and technical evolution of health care keeps growing exponentially, thus allowing a better patient care, new treatment forms and increasing survival rates. However, these important advances that improve health care have in many cases invaded the space that once belonged to the human act of caring. Promoting more humanized organizations will imply to establish actions directed to the environment and the workplace, as well as to all involved agents (patients, relatives and professionals). To that end, the humanization policies and their application to the health context are a reality in our days. These policies are being materialized in some specific proposals of certain organizations with the support of some official agencies. In this present work, we point out the interaction between the objectives of these humanization policies and the goals of occupational health in health care contexts. Common areas of work promoting the wellbeing for health professionals and the possibilities of integral management of both concepts are explored. Lastly, we provide a concrete example, like the Humanization Project of Intensive Care Units (HU-CI) (AU)