Diferencias entre las recomendaciones y la práctica clínica en la infección por Clostridium difficile / Identifying gaps between guidelines and clinical practice in Clostridium difficile infection

Objetivos. Primero, valorar la adherencia a las recomendaciones de la guía de práctica clínica de manejo de la infección por Clostridium difficile de las sociedades americanas de enfermedades infecciosas y epidemiología de 2010 y evaluar su influencia en la evolución de los pacientes. Segundo, identificar las recomendaciones no aplicadas en la práctica para su posterior implementación. Material y métodos. Estudio retrospectivo, descriptivo, de pacientes con síntomas clínicos compatibles y positividad para toxinas A y/o B de C. difficile en heces, en un servicio de medicina interna de un hospital de tercer nivel, en un período de 36 meses. Se recogieron datos clínicos, demográficos, evolutivos, factores de riesgo y la adherencia a las recomendaciones de la guía de práctica clínica. Resultados. Se identificaron 77 pacientes con infección por C. difficile (87 episodios). La estratificación por gravedad mostró un 49,3% de pacientes leves-moderados, 35,1% graves y 15,6% graves-complicados. La adherencia completa a las recomendaciones terapéuticas se observó en 40,2% de pacientes y fue significativamente mejor en los leves-moderados (71,0%), que en los graves (7,4%) o graves complicados (16,6%) (p < 0,003). La adherencia se asoció significativamente a una mayor probabilidad de curación (57% vs 42%) y menor de recurrencia (22,2% vs 77,7%) y mortalidad (25% vs 75%) (p < 0,01). Las recomendaciones no implementadas fueron la estratificación de la gravedad de los pacientes y la adecuación del tratamiento antibiótico a la categoría de gravedad clínica. Conclusiones. La adherencia a las recomendaciones terapéuticas de las guías es baja, especialmente en pacientes graves y graves complicados, asociándose a un peor curso evolutivo. Se precisan intervenciones educacionales para mejorar su aplicación (AU)

Objectives. The first aim was to determine whether patients are being treated in accordance with the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA/SHEA) Clostridium difficile guidelines and whether adherence impacts patient outcomes. The second aim was to identify specific action items in the guidelines that are not being translated into clinical practice, for their subsequent implementation. Material and methods. A retrospective, descriptive study was conducted over a 36 month period, on patients with compatible clinical symptoms and positive test for C. difficile toxins A and/or B in stool samples, in an internal medicine department of a tertiary medical centre. Patient demographic and clinical data (outcomes, comorbidity, risk factors) and compliance with guidelines, were examined. Results. A total of 77 patients with C. difficile infection were identified (87 episodes). Stratified by disease severity criteria, 49.3% of patients were mild-moderate, 35.1% severe, and 15.6% severe-complicated. Full adherence with the guidelines was observed in only 40.2% of patients, and was significantly better for mild-moderate (71.0%), than in severe (7.4%) or severe-complicated patients (16.6%) (P < .003). Adherence was significantly associated with clinical cure (57% vs 42%), fewer recurrences (22.2% vs 77.7%), and mortality (25% vs 75%) (P < .01). The stratification of severity of the episode, and the adequacy of antibiotic to clinical severity, need improvement. Conclusions. Overall adherence with the guidelines for management of Clostridium difficile infection was poor, especially in severe and severe-complicated patients, being associated with worse clinical outcomes. Educational interventions aimed at improving guideline adherence are warranted (AU)

[Identifying gaps between guidelines and clinical practice in Clostridium difficile infection]. / Diferencias entre las recomendaciones y la práctica clínica en la infección por Clostridium difficile.

OBJECTIVES: The first aim was to determine whether patients are being treated in accordance with the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA/SHEA) Clostridium difficile guidelines and whether adherence impacts patient outcomes. The second aim was to identify specific action items in the guidelines that are not being translated into clinical practice, for their subsequent implementation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective, descriptive study was conducted over a 36 month period, on patients with compatible clinical symptoms and positive test for C. difficile toxins A and/or B in stool samples, in an internal medicine department of a tertiary medical centre. Patient demographic and clinical data (outcomes, comorbidity, risk factors) and compliance with guidelines, were examined RESULTS: A total of 77 patients with C. difficile infection were identified (87 episodes). Stratified by disease severity criteria, 49.3% of patients were mild-moderate, 35.1% severe, and 15.6% severe-complicated. Full adherence with the guidelines was observed in only 40.2% of patients, and was significantly better for mild-moderate (71.0%), than in severe (7.4%) or severe-complicated patients (16.6%) (P<.003). Adherence was significantly associated with clinical cure (57% vs 42%), fewer recurrences (22.2% vs 77.7%), and mortality (25% vs 75%) (P<.01). The stratification of severity of the episode, and the adequacy of antibiotic to clinical severity, need improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Overall adherence with the guidelines for management of Clostridium difficile infection was poor, especially in severe and severe-complicated patients, being associated with worse clinical outcomes. Educational interventions aimed at improving guideline adherence are warranted.

La gripe y las vacunas frente a la gripe. Presente y futuro / Flu and flu vaccines. Present and future

Aproximadamente dos de cada diez niños contraen la gripe cada año. Los niños son más susceptibles a la infección gripal y difunden la enfermedad en el hogar y los colegios, eliminando más cantidad de virus y durante más tiempo que los adultos. Las complicaciones más frecuentes son otitis media, traqueobronquitis, laringotraqueítis, bronquiolitis y bronquitis, frecuente en pacientes naïve. La más grave es la neumonía primaria viral, más frecuente con los virus A. La gripe sobrecarga los servicios sanitarios y especialmente los de Atención Primaria pediátrica, lo cual tiene repercusión sobre la mortalidad. En EE. UU., durante la epidemia de 2010-11 hubo 115 muertes en niños, de los cuales solo el 23% estaba vacunado. EE. UU. y Canadá han implementado la recomendación universal de vacunar haciendo especial énfasis en los niños, en Europa solo lo ha hecho el Reino Unido. Actualmente, distintas modalidades de vacunas con virus inactivados están comercializadas en España. Las vacunas con virus atenuados se emplean en EE. UU. y Rusia. Las vacunas de gripe con virus vivos atenuados han resultado más eficaces en niños <4 años debido a que esa población ha tenido menos exposiciones anteriores a la gripe que los adultos. La mayoría de vacunas gripales inactivadas son de virus completos o fraccionados. Recientes avances demuestran el posible uso de vacuna adyuvada en niños, y la existencia de vacunas tetravelentes que protejan frente a los dos linajes de virus B que pueden circular cada año. La vacunación gripal de los niños constituye una necesidad médica no cubierta adecuadamente en España. En epidemias estacionales se ha demostrado que la vacunación gripal de niños tiene un efecto protector sobre otros grupos más vulnerables. Mientras se logra un consenso científico, es responsabilidad del pediatra recomendar seriamente la vacunación gripal de niños y adolescentes con patologías de base y sus convivientes (AU)

Approximately two out of 10 children get flu every year. Children are more susceptible to influenza infection contributing to spread the disease in the home and school-setting, by eliminating larger amount of virus during longer period than adults. The most common complications include otitis media, tracheobronchitis, laryngotracheitis, bronchiolitis and bronchitis, most commonly seen in naïve patients. The more severe complication is viral pneumonia, more frequent in infections by influenza A virus. Influenza causes health services burden, particularly in pediatric primary health care, having impact on mortality rates. In the United States during the 2010-11 epidemic there were 115 deaths in children, of whom only 23% were vaccinated. United States and Canada have implemented the recommendation on universal vaccination with particular emphasis on children, in Europe this occurs only in the UK. Currently different types of inactivated virus vaccines are marketed in Spain. Attenuated virus vaccines are used in the United States and Russia. Vaccines with live attenuated influenza virus have been more effective in children <4 years because that population has had less prior exposure to influenza than adults. Most inactivated influenza vaccines are made of complete or split virion. Recent research establishes the possibility of using adjuvanted vaccines in children. Also this research includes quadrivalent vaccines that protect against both lineages of B viruses that can circulate every year. Influenza vaccination of children is a medical necessity not properly covered in Spain. Seasonal epidemics have shown that influenza vaccination of children have a protective effect on other vulnerable groups. While scientific consensus for universal children vaccination is achieved, it is the responsibility of the pediatrician to strongly recommend influenza vaccination of children and adolescents with underlying diseases as well as their household contacts (AU)

[HIV seroprevalence in the population treated in a hospital emergency department: analysis by pooled batches of serum]. / Seroprevalencia del VIH en población atendida en un Servicio de Urgencias: análisis por lotes de sueros.

INTRODUCTION: The current number of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infected people is not known in Spain as there is no national registry. This study has aimed to estimate the prevalence of HIV infection in the population treated in a hospital emergency department (ER) as an epidemic and risk of exposure indicator during healthcare activity and to assess the differences observed regarding previous estimates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of all the sera received in the ER anonymously. The final size of the pools was 5 sera. HIV antibody screening was performed using the 4th generation ELFA technique and confirmation was performed by Western Blot. RESULTS: Seven out of the 270 pools made from 1,347 sera obtained were reactive. The individualized analysis confirmed 6 sera to be positive and 1 serum to be false positive. The observed prevalence was 0.52% (95% CI 0.10-0.94). Prevalence fell 0.87% in comparison to the years 1990-1991, although this was not statistically significant (p = 0.08). DISCUSSION: The implementation of HIV antibodies detection through a system of pooled batches in samples collected in the ER make it possible to assess the prevalence of infection with this virus, decreasing costs with regard to individualized analysis of sera in both economic terms as well as samples handling.

Seroprevalencia del VIH en población atendida en un Servicio de Urgencias: análisis por lotes de sueros / HIV seroprevalence in the population treated in a hospital emergency department: analysis by pooled batches of serum

Introducción. En España no se conoce el número real de infectados por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH), al no existir un registro nacional. El objetivo de este estudio es estimar la prevalencia de infección por el VIH en la población atendida en un Servicio de Urgencias hospitalario (SUH) como indicador epidemiológico y de riesgo de exposición laboral durante la actividad asistencial, así como evaluar las diferencias observadas respecto a estimaciones previas. Material y métodos. Se realizó un estudio transversal de todos los sueros recibidos por el SUH de forma anónima. El tamaño final de los lotes confeccionados fue de 5 sueros. La detección de anticuerpos del VIH se realizó mediante la técnica de ELFA de cuarta generación y la confirmación mediante western blot. Resultados. De los 270 lotes confeccionados con los 1.347 sueros obtenidos, 7 lotes resultaron reactivos. El análisis individualizado de los sueros confirmó 6 sueros positivos y un suero falso positivo. La prevalencia observada fue del 0,52% (IC 95% 0,10-0,94). La caída en la prevalencia con respecto a los años 1990-1991 fue del 0,87%, aunque no resultó una diferencia estadísticamente significativa (p = 0,08).Discusión. La aplicación del estudio de lotes de sueros en la detección de anticuerpos frente al VIH en muestras recogidas en los SUH permite evaluar la prevalencia de infección por este virus disminuyendo los costes con respecto al análisis individualizado de sueros, tanto en términos económicos como de manipulación de muestras (AU)

Introduction. The current number of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infected people is not known in Spain as there is no national registry. This study has aimed to estimate the prevalence of HIV infection in the population treated in a hospital emergency department (ER) as an epidemic and risk of exposure indicator during healthcare activity and to assess the differences observed regarding previous estimates. Material and methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study of all the sera received in the ER anonymously. The final size of the pools was 5 sera. HIV antibody screening was performed using the 4th generation ELFA technique and confirmation was performed by Western Blot. Results. Seven out of the 270 pools made from 1,347 sera obtained were reactive. The individualized analysis confirmed 6 sera to be positive and 1 serum to be false positive. The observed prevalence was 0.52% (95% CI 0.10-0.94). Prevalence fell 0.87% in comparison to the years 1990-1991, although this was not statistically significant (p = 0.08).Discussion. The implementation of HIV antibodies detection through a system of pooled batches in samples collected in the ER make it possible to assess the prevalence of infection with this virus, decreasing costs with regard to individualized analysis of sera in both economic terms as well as samples handling (AU)

Gastroenteritis por rotavirus: análisis de la carga de enfermedad / Rotavirus gastroenteritis: analysis of disease burden

No disponible

[Use of a rapid method for detecting adenovirus in the feces of children]. / Utilidad de una técnica rápida para detección de adenovirus en heces de niños.

Adenovirus (ADV) and rotavirus (RV) were screened by latex aglutination (LA) in 772 fecal samples from hospitalized and non hospitalized children under 7 years of age, those included 55 control samples. Reactive samples were confirmed by electron microscopy (ME) and enzimoimmunoassay (EIA). ADV were found in 20 (2.6%) samples and RV in 25 (3.2%). Coinfection by both viruses was not demonstrated. The greatest percentage of findings was observed in watery (23% ADV and 25% RV) and almost watery stools (8% ADV and 25% RV). We did not find any of those viruses in samples from control children. Concordance between LA and confirmation methods used was excellent. Thus the LA tests could provide a simple tool for the diagnosis of non hospitalized patients, increasing the possibilities of a rapid ethiological diagnostic in infectious diarrhoeas.