[Results of implementing a programme to improve the quality of the contents in hospital discharge reports in cases of heart failure]. / Resultados tras la implementación de un programa de mejora de la calidad del contenido de los informes de alta hospitalaria en insuficiencia cardiaca.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the information collected in hospital discharge reports (HDR) that are given to patients with a diagnosis of heart failure (HF), and demonstrate the improvement in the content of these reports after the introduction of an intervention. MATERIAL AND METHODS: HDR with HF as the main diagnosis issued by the Department of Internal Medicine were analysed, and the presence of the diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic data in these HDR was compared in a sample before and after the intervention, which consisted of reporting the results of analysis of the initial sample to the physicians. RESULTS: A total of 651 HDR (371 pre-intervention and 280 post-intervention) were analysed. Most of the HDR (over 70%) did not include the functional class. Most of the HDR did not include information about echocardiogram performed before the hospitalization period analysed, and most of the HDR that collected this information did not determine if the HF was diastolic or systolic. In the post-intervention sample there was a lower percentage of HDR that prescribed angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blocker ii (26% vs 32%, P<.001). In 30% of the pre-intervention sample and 38% of the post-intervention sample there was indication of beta-blockers (P=.027). CONCLUSIONS: A short discussion with the physicians responsible for patients with HF improves the inclusion of important data on the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment in the HDR.

[Nephritic colic management in an emergency room of a referral hospital]. / Manejo del cólico renal en urgencias de un hospital de tercer nivel.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic management of patients with nephritic colic in a referral hospital, their monitoring and the incidence of alternative diagnoses. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of 182 randomly selected patients who presented a clinical diagnosis compatible with nephritic colic in a referral hospital. In these cases initial treatment, monitoring and alternative diagnoses have been evaluated. RESULTS: Fifty-five point four percent of the patients were male, the mean age was 47.7 years and 40% of the cases were in spring. Urinalysis was carried out in every patient (62.7% dipstick and 72% urinary sediment); they were pathological in over 70%. In 26.4% of cases renal function deteriorated, always transiently. Abdominal radiography (81.9%) was the most frequently diagnostic test performed, followed by ultrasound (25.8%). Treatment included a serum therapy in 31.3%; metamizol (61%) was the most commonly used analgesic followed by ketorolac (44.5%). More than one non-steroidal anti-inflammatory was used by 46.2%. Hospital admission was required by 24 patients, and 5 of them needed emergency surgery. Twenty-four point one percent of patients had relapses during the next six months. Forty-one point six percent were referred to urology discharge on from the emergency room. Eighteen point one percent of patients had alternative diagnoses; acute pyelonephritis was the most frequent of these (55%). CONCLUSIONS: In our work we found a significant variation in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of these patients. The use of clinical guidelines could help us to unify the management of patients with nephritic colic, both in the emergency room and on discharge. Due to the high prevalence of alternative diagnoses, we have to systematically exclude more serious diseases.

Manejo del cólico renal en urgencias de un hospital de tercer nivel / Nephritic colic management in an emergency room of a referral hospital

Fundamento. El objetivo del presente trabajo es conocerlas características epidemiológicas, el manejo diagnóstico yterapéutico, su seguimiento y la incidencia de diagnósticosalternativos en una muestra de pacientes diagnosticados decólico renal en el Servicio de Urgencias de un Hospital detercer nivel.Material y métodos. Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de182 pacientes seleccionados aleatoriamente que consultanpor clínica compatible con cólico renal en un hospital detercer nivel, valorando su manejo inicial, seguimiento al altay diagnósticos alternativos.Resultados. El 55,4% fueron varones, la edad media fue de47,7 años y el 40% de los casos se produjeron en primavera.En todos los pacientes se realizó analítica urinaria (62,7%tira reactiva y 72% sedimento) apareciendo alteraciones enmás del 70%. La función renal se deterioró en el 26,4 % delos casos, siempre de forma transitoria. La prueba de imagenrealizada con más frecuencia fue la radiografía de abdomen(81,9%) seguida de la ecografía (25,8%). El tratamiento incluyófluidoterapia en el 31,3% y el analgésico más usado fue elmetamizol (61%) seguido del ketorolaco (44,5%). El 46,2% delos pacientes necesitó más de un analgésico. Un total de 24pacientes precisaron ingreso hospitalario y 5 de ellos cirugíaurgente. El 24,1% presentó recaídas en los seis meses posteriores.El 41,6% fue remitido al Servicio de Urología al alta. El18,1% presentaron diagnósticos alternativos, siendo la pielonefritisaguda el más frecuente de ellos (55%).Conclusiones. Hemos detectado una importante variaciónen el manejo diagnóstico y terapéutico de estos pacientes.El uso de guías clínicas debe permitirnos unificar el manejodel paciente con cólico renal tanto en urgencias como posteriormente.El alto porcentaje de diagnósticos alternativosnos obliga a descartar sistemáticamente patologías másgraves(AU)

Background. To evaluate the diagnostic and therapeuticmanagement of patients with nephritic colic in a referralhospital, their monitoring and the incidence of alternativediagnoses.Methods. This is a retrospective review of 182 randomly selectedpatients who presented a clinical diagnosis compatiblewith nephritic colic in a referral hospital. In these casesinitial treatment, monitoring and alternative diagnoses havebeen evaluated.Results. Fifty-five point four percent of the patients weremale, the mean age was 47.7 years and 40% of the cases werein spring. Urinalysis was carried out in every patient (62.7%dipstick and 72% urinary sediment); they were pathologicalin over 70%. In 26.4% of cases renal function deteriorated,always transiently. Abdominal radiography (81.9%) was themost frequently diagnostic test performed, followed by ultrasound(25.8%). Treatment included a serum therapy in 31.3%;metamizol (61%) was the most commonly used analgesic followedby ketorolac (44.5%). More than one non-steroidal anti-inflammatory was used by 46.2%. Hospital admission wasrequired by 24 patients, and 5 of them needed emergencysurgery. Twenty-four point one percent of patients had relapsesduring the next six months. Forty-one point six percentwere referred to urology discharge on from the emergencyroom. Eighteen point one percent of patients had alternativediagnoses; acute pyelonephritis was the most frequent ofthese (55%).Conclusions. In our work we found a significant variationin the diagnostic and therapeutic management of these patients.The use of clinical guidelines could help us to unifythe management of patients with nephritic colic, both in theemergency room and on discharge. Due to the high prevalenceof alternative diagnoses, we have to systematicallyexclude more serious diseases(AU)

Tratamiento de la meningitis tuberculosa. Réplica / Treatment for tuberculous meningitis. Reply

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Meningoencefalitis mixta por Mycobacterium tuberculosis y virus varicela-zóster / Combined meningoencephalitis due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the varicella-zoster virus

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