Pain and analgesic drugs in chronic venous ulcers with topical sevoflurane use.

OBJECTIVE: Pain in chronic venous ulcers (CVUs) notably increases with the usual cleaning of the wound. Chronic pain is usually poorly controlled even with the multiple analgesic treatments available. Analgesics can have different serious adverse effects and medical interactions in old patients with several comorbidities. This study reports the efficacy and safety of topical sevoflurane for treatment of pain in CVUs. METHODS: We report a descriptive and retrospective study of 30 patients older than 65 years with painful CVUs refractory to conventional analgesic treatments. Patients received topical sevoflurane treatment before the usual cleaning of the ulcer. Cleaning visits with sevoflurane every 2 days for a period of 1 month were scheduled. We compared the visual analog scale results and analgesic drugs for cleaning with and without topical sevoflurane. The systemic pharmacokinetics of sevoflurane after topical application has not been determined. RESULTS: Pain related to CVUs decreased with topical sevoflurane. Sevoflurane had an analgesic effect with latency time between 2 and 7 minutes. The duration of analgesia ranged between 8 and 18 hours. The time needed to take an analgesic treatment increased after application of sevoflurane. The use of other conventional analgesic drugs, including paracetamol, metamizole, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, tramadol, and major opioids, was progressively reduced. The main local adverse effects were mild and transient, including heat, pruritus, and erythema. There were no systemic adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: Topical sevoflurane has an intense, fast, and long-lasting local analgesic effect with an adequate safety profile. It also diminishes the taking of other conventional analgesic drugs. Topical sevoflurane is an efficient and safe therapeutic alternative for refractory painful CVUs.

Healing of chronic venous ulcer with topical sevoflurane.

The present study assesses the efficacy and safety of topical sevoflurane in chronic venous ulcers and its impact on analgesia and healing. This retrospective study included 30 patients older than 65 years with painful refractory chronic venous ulcers. Patients were treated with topical sevoflurane prior to the usual ulcer cleaning every 2 days for a period of 1 month. Treatment was initiated with a saline solution, followed by direct irrigation of 1 ml of liquid sevoflurane over the wound size, which was measured as cm2 . Sevoflurane had a fast, intense and long-lasting analgesic effect. Latency time ranged from 2 to 7 minutes (3·9 ± 1·5 minutes), and duration varied from 8 to 18 hours (12 ± 2·9). The mean ulcer size was 8·4 ± 9·7 cm2 . There was a progressive decrease in size in all patients, with a mean size of 4·2 ± 5·4 cm2 at the end of the study. There were no adverse systemic effects. Local adverse effects were mild and transient, including pruritus, erythema and heat. Topical sevoflurane is a new, efficient and safe therapeutic alternative in painful chronic venous ulcers, refractory to usual analgesic treatment. It can improve the ulcer-healing process that shortens the cicatrisation period.

Topical sevoflurane for chronic venous ulcers infected by multi-drug-resistant organisms.

Several anaesthetic drugs have demonstrated antibacterial properties in vitro. Anaesthetics can primarily affect the cell wall of both susceptible and multi-resistant bacteria. They may also have a synergistic effect with conventional antibiotics through an unknown mechanism. We present three cases of a chronic venous ulcer infected by multi-resistant bacteria refractory to conventional systemic antibiotics, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Treatment with topical sevoflurane was performed for 1 month without systemic antibiotics. Patients with an MRSA infection showed progressive improvement with negative culture at the end of the treatment. Multi-drug-resistant P. aeruginosa infection persisted at the end of treatment with positive culture. The local adverse events were mild and transient, including heat, pruritus and erythema. Topical sevoflurane may have an antibacterial effect on sensitive and multi-resistant strains. It can allow more complete surgical cleaning, leaving a cleaner wound with less fibrin and necrotic tissue. This decreases the bacterial colonisation and therefore the infectious risk, the bad smell and the exudation. The simultaneous use of conventional antibiotics and topical sevoflurane can have a synergistic antimicrobial effect.

Frequency and management of diabetes and hyperglycemia at emergency departments: the GLUCE-URG Study. / Frecuencia y manejo de diabetes mellitus y de hiperglucemia en urgencias: Estudio GLUCE-URG.

INTRODUCTION: Hyperglycemia is a common finding at hospital emergency rooms in diabetic patients, but few data are available on its frequency, management, and subsequent impact based on the assessment made at Emergency rooms. OBJECTIVES: To ascertain the frequency of diabetes mellitus and hyperglycemia in patients admitted from Emergency rooms. Second, to describe management of hyperglycemia at Emergency rooms, and to analyze its potential impact on the course and management of patients during admission. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients admitted from the Emergency room for three consecutive weeks were enrolled. Hyperglycemia was defined as two blood glucose measurements ≥ 180mg/dl in the first 48hours after admission. RESULTS: 36.6% of patients admitted from the Emergency room were diabetic, and 58% of these had early, sustained hyperglycemia. On the other hand, 27% of patients admitted from the Emergency room had hyperglycemia (78.3% of diabetic patients and 21.7% with no known diabetes). Diabetic patients with hyperglycemia had higher blood glucose levels than non-diabetic patients (p<.01). Average hospital stay was 8±6.4 days, with no differences between the groups. Hyperglycemia is rarely reported as a diagnosis in the emergency rooms discharge report. In standard hospitalization, this diagnosis appears more commonly in patients with known diabetes (OR 2.5 p<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of diabetic patients admitted from emergency rooms is very high. In addition, although hyperglycemia is very common in patients admitted from emergency rooms, there is a trend to underestimate its significance. Based on our results, we think that implementation of measures to give greater visibility to diagnosis of hyperglycemia could help improve application of established protocols.

Enfermedad venosa crónica de las extremidades inferiores / Chronic venous disease of legs

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Frecuencia y manejo de diabetes mellitus y de hiperglucemia en urgencias: Estudio GLUCE-URG / Frequency and management of diabetes and hyperglycemia at emergency departments: the GLUCE-URG Study

Introducción: La hiperglucemia es un hallazgo habitual en los Servicios de Urgencias Hospitalarios así como la atención de pacientes diabéticos, pero existen pocos datos sobre su frecuencia, manejo y repercusión posterior en función de la valoración que se le haya dado en dichos servicios. Objetivos: Determinar la frecuencia de diabetes mellitus y de hiperglucemia en los pacientes que ingresan desde Urgencias. En segundo lugar, describir el manejo en Urgencias de la hiperglucemia, y analizar la influencia que pudiera tener en la evolución y en el manejo del paciente durante su ingreso. Pacientes y métodos: Durante 3 semanas consecutivas se incluyeron todos los pacientes ingresados desde el Servicio de Urgencias del Hospital Universitario Severo Ochoa. La hiperglucemia se definió como 2 determinaciones de glucosa ≥ 180mg/dl, separadas al menos 8 h y en las primeras 48 h de estancia hospitalaria. Resultados: El 36,6% de los pacientes que ingresaron desde el Servicio de Urgencias eran diabéticos, y de ellos el 58% presentaban hiperglucemia precoz y mantenida. Por otro lado, el 27% de los pacientes que ingresaban desde urgencias presentaban hiperglucemia (78,3% de pacientes diabéticos y 21,7% sin diabetes conocida). La hiperglucemia de los pacientes que ya eran diabéticos era significativamente más intensa que la hiperglucemia de los no diabéticos conocidos (p<0,01). La estancia media en planta fue de 8±6,4 días, sin que se observaran diferencias entre los distintos grupos. En urgencias no se solía mencionar la hiperglucemia dentro de la lista de diagnósticos mientras que en el informe de alta desde planta existía mayor probabilidad de que se hiciera referencia a la hiperglucemia en los pacientes con diabetes previa que en las nuevas hiperglucemias (p<0,001, OR 2,5). Conclusiones: La prevalencia de pacientes diabéticos que ingresan desde Urgencias es muy alta. Además, a pesar de que la hiperglucemia es muy frecuente en los pacientes que ingresan desde el Servicio de Urgencias, se tiende a subestimar su importancia. En base a nuestros resultados, creemos que la implantación de medidas que ayuden a aportar mayor visibilidad al diagnóstico de hiperglucemia podrían ayudar en la mejora de la aplicación de los protocolos establecidos desde los Servicios de Urgencias Hospitalarios (AU)

Introduction: Hyperglycemia is a common finding at hospital emergency rooms in diabetic patients, but few data are available on its frequency, management, and subsequent impact based on the assessment made at Emergency rooms. Objectives: To ascertain the frequency of diabetes mellitus and hyperglycemia in patients admitted from Emergency rooms. Second, to describe management of hyperglycemia at Emergency rooms, and to analyze its potential impact on the course and management of patients during admission. Patients and methods: All patients admitted from the Emergency room for three consecutive weeks were enrolled. Hyperglycemia was defined as two blood glucose measurements ≥ 180mg/dl in the first 48hours after admission. Results: 36.6% of patients admitted from the Emergency room were diabetic, and 58% of these had early, sustained hyperglycemia. On the other hand, 27% of patients admitted from the Emergency room had hyperglycemia (78.3% of diabetic patients and 21.7% with no known diabetes). Diabetic patients with hyperglycemia had higher blood glucose levels than non-diabetic patients (p<.01). Average hospital stay was 8±6.4 days, with no differences between the groups. Hyperglycemia is rarely reported as a diagnosis in the emergency rooms discharge report. In standard hospitalization, this diagnosis appears more commonly in patients with known diabetes (OR 2.5 p<.001). Conclusions: Prevalence of diabetic patients admitted from emergency rooms is very high. In addition, although hyperglycemia is very common in patients admitted from emergency rooms, there is a trend to underestimate its significance. Based on our results, we think that implementation of measures to give greater visibility to diagnosis of hyperglycemia could help improve application of established protocols (AU)

Pain, Quality of Life, and Functional Capacity With Topical Sevoflurane Application for Chronic Venous Ulcers: A Retrospective Clinical Study.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic venous ulcers (CVU) commonly have poorly controlled pain. REPORT: Thirty patients older than 65 years of age with painful CVU were reviewed. At the initial visit, cleaning without sevoflurane was performed. Cleaning visits with sevoflurane every 2 days for 1 month were scheduled. The results of subsequent treatment with sevoflurane at the first, second, seventh, and twelfth cleanings were analysed. Pain was measured using a visual analog scale (VAS), quality of life by the Charing Cross Venous Leg Ulcer Questionnaire, and functional capacity by the Barthel Index. DISCUSSION: Initial VAS was 8.8 ± 1.3 points and at the twelfth cleaning VAS was 0.8 ± 1 points (p = .001). Latency time ranged between 2 and 7 m and duration ranged between 8 and 18 h. It improved quality of life (83 ± 14 points before treatment vs. 50 ± 14 at the twelfth cleaning) and functional capacity (82 ± 13.3 before treatment vs. 91 ± 11.6 points at the twelfth cleaning) (p = .001). The safety profile was favourable with mild and self limited local cutaneous adverse effects, including pruritus, erythema, and heat. No systemic toxicity was detected. Topical sevoflurane may be a therapeutic alternative for painful CVU with a fast, intense, and long-lasting analgesic effect.

Prevención de las complicaciones cardiovasculares asociadas a la diabetes mellitus en los servicios de urgencias / Prevention of cardiovascular complications associated with diabetes mellitus: hospital emergency department involvement

Objetivo: Analizar el perfil de riesgo y la prescripción de tratamiento para la prevención de complicaciones cardiovasculares en los pacientes diabéticos que acuden a los servicios de urgencias hospitalarios (SUH). Método: Estudio de series de casos con análisis transversal llevado a cabo en dos SUH españoles. Se incluyeron de forma consecutiva todos los pacientes con antecedentes o diagnóstico final de diabetes mellitus entre 1 de noviembre de 2010 y 30 de junio de 2011. Se analizó su perfil de riesgo cardiovascular y se consideró como variable de resultado principal la prescripción de tratamiento para la prevención de las complicaciones cardiovasculares al alta del SUH de acuerdo a las recomendaciones de la American Diabetes Association de 2012. Resultados: Se incluyeron 298 pacientes diabéticos, 275 (92%) tipo 2. De ellos 269 (90%) presentaban algún otro factor de riesgo cardiovascular, 147 (49%) lesión previa de órgano diana y 41 (14%) lesión nueva de órgano diana. Ciento setenta y dos pacientes (58%) fueron dados de alta desde el SUH. Aunque 215 pacientes (72%) no cumplían previamente alguna y 30 (10%) ninguna de las recomendaciones de prevención, sólo se modificó el tratamiento farmacológico en un rango de un 1,1% a 3,3% de los pacientes y no se recomendó seguimiento posterior en 42 casos (24%). Conclusiones: Aunque los pacientes diabéticos atendidos en los SUH presentan un elevado riesgo cardiovascular, no se aprovecha esta oportunidad para optimizar el tratamiento de la prevención de las complicaciones cardiovasculares ni garantizar un seguimiento adecuado (AU)

Objectives: To analyze the risk profile of patients with diabetes who seek care from hospital emergency departments and emergency department involvement in preventing cardiovascular complications in these patients. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of case series from 2 Spanish hospital emergency departments. We included all patients with a history or final diagnosis of diabetes mellitus who were treated in the emergency department between November 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011. Each patient's cardiovascular risk profile was analyzed. The main outcome was the appropriate of prescribed treatment to prevent cardiovascular complications according to the 2012 guidelines of the American Diabetes Association on the patient’s discharge from emergency care. Results: A total of 298 patients were included; 275 (92%) had type II diabetes. Ninety percent of the series (269 patients) had at least 1 cardiovascular risk factor and 147 (49%) had prior target organ damage; target organ damage was newly diagnosed in 41 (14%). Fifty-eight percent (172 patients) were discharged home from the emergency department. Although 215 patients (72%) were not adhering to at least 1 previously prescribed preventive treatment and 30 (10%) were not adhering to any prescribed treatment, drug prescriptions were modified only in 1.1% to 3.3% of patients and no follow-up was recommended in 42 cases (24%). Conclusions: Although diabetic patients treated in emergency departments are at high risk for cardiovascular complications, their visit is not used to optimize preventive treatment for these complications or ensure appropriate follow-up (AU)

[Prevention of cardiovascular complications associated with diabetes mellitus: hospital emergency department involvement]. / Prevención de las complicaciones cardiovasculares asociadas a la diabetes mellitus en los servicios de urgencias.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the risk profile of patients with diabetes who seek care from hospital emergency departments and emergency department involvement in preventing cardiovascular complications in these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of case series from 2 Spanish hospital emergency departments. We included all patients with a history or final diagnosis of diabetes mellitus who were treated in the emergency department between November 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011. Each patient's cardiovascular risk profile was analyzed. The main outcome was the appropriate of prescribed treatment to prevent cardiovascular complications according to the 2012 guidelines of the American Diabetes Association on the patient's discharge from emergency care. RESULTS: A total of 298 patients were included; 275 (92%) had type II diabetes. Ninety percent of the series (269 patients) had at least 1 cardiovascular risk factor and 147 (49%) had prior target organ damage; target organ damage was newly diagnosed in 41 (14%). Fifty-eight percent (172 patients) were discharged home from the emergency department. Although 215 patients (72%) were not adhering to at least 1 previously prescribed preventive treatment and 30 (10%) were not adhering to any prescribed treatment, drug prescriptions were modified only in 1.1% to 3.3% of patients and no follow-up was recommended in 42 cases (24%). CONCLUSION: Although diabetic patients treated in emergency departments are at high risk for cardiovascular complications, their visit is not used to optimize preventive treatment for these complications or ensure appropriate follow-up.

OBJETIVO: Analizar el perfil de riesgo y la prescripción de tratamiento para la prevención de complicaciones cardiovasculares en los pacientes diabéticos que acuden a los servicios de urgencias hospitalarios (SUH). METODO: Estudio de series de casos con análisis transversal llevado a cabo en dos SUH españoles. Se incluyeron de forma consecutiva todos los pacientes con antecedentes o diagnóstico final de diabetes mellitus entre 1 de noviembre de 2010 y 30 de junio de 2011. Se analizó su perfil de riesgo cardiovascular y se consideró como variable de resultado principal la prescripción de tratamiento para la prevención de las complicaciones cardiovasculares al alta del SUH de acuerdo a las recomendaciones de la American Diabetes Association de 2012. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 298 pacientes diabéticos, 275 (92%) tipo 2. De ellos 269 (90%) presentaban algún otro factor de riesgo cardiovascular, 147 (49%) lesión previa de órgano diana y 41 (14%) lesión nueva de órgano diana. Ciento setenta y dos pacientes (58%) fueron dados de alta desde el SUH. Aunque 215 pacientes (72%) no cumplían previamente alguna y 30 (10%) ninguna de las recomendaciones de prevención, sólo se modificó el tratamiento farmacológico en un rango de un 1,1% a 3,3% de los pacientes y no se recomendó seguimiento posterior en 42 casos (24%). CONCLUSIONES: Aunque los pacientes diabéticos atendidos en los SUH presentan un elevado riesgo cardiovascular, no se aprovecha esta oportunidad para optimizar el tratamiento de la prevención de las complicaciones cardiovasculares ni garantizar un seguimiento adecuado.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Solid Organ Transplantation (MiSOT) Fourth Meeting: lessons learned from first clinical trials.

The Fourth Expert Meeting of the Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Solid Organ Transplantation (MiSOT) Consortium took place in Barcelona on October 19 and 20, 2012. This meeting focused on the translation of preclinical data into early clinical settings. This position paper highlights the main topics explored on the safety and efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells as a therapeutic agent in solid organ transplantation and emphasizes the issues (proper timing, concomitant immunossupression, source and immunogenicity of mesenchymal stem cells, and oncogenicity) that have been addressed and will be followed up by the MiSOT Consortium in future studies.