Optimizing Diagnostic Accuracy of Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy Calcitonin Measurements in Detecting Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma.

Background: The optimal cutoff value of calcitonin (Ctn) levels measured using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) obtained from the washout fluid of fine needle aspiration (FNA-Ctn) for the diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is currently not established. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy and clinical utility of FNA-Ctn for the diagnosis and location of MTC in patients with nodular or multinodular goiters. Methods: This was a case-control study nested on a prospective multicenter cohort of patients with nodular or multinodular goiter, normal or elevated serum Ctn, and thyroidectomy indications. Ctn and FNA-Ctn were measured using ECLIA methodology before surgery. From this nested cohort, MTC cases and controls (non-medullary pathology) were identified from the final pathological analysis. Cumulative incidence sampling of controls was randomly performed at a ratio of 1:2. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operator curve (AUROC) were calculated for patients and the total number of thyroid nodules. Results: From 1272 patients included in the prospective cohort, 50 MTC cases and 105 controls were included. In this study, 286 thyroid nodules were evaluated (63 MTC and 223 non-MTCs). The median serum Ctn value was significantly higher in cases (525 pg/mL [interquartile range (IQR), 162.5-1.200]) than in controls (1.6 pg/mL [IQR, 0.5-5.6]; p < 0.001). The median FNA-Ctn value was significantly higher in MTC nodules (3.100 pg/mL [IQR, 450-45,200]) than in non-MTC nodules (0.5 pg/mL [IQR, 0.5-0.5]; p < 0.0001). In 11 MTC patients with multinodular goiter, the FNA-Ctn value was significantly higher in non-medullary nodules located in the same lobe where an MTC nodule was diagnosed (p = 0.0002). Overall, the FNA-Ctn AUROC was 0.99 [95% confidence interval, 0.98-1.0], and a threshold of ≥220 pg/mL showed 100% sensitivity and 98% specificity for MTC diagnosis. Conclusions: The use of FNA-Ctn measured by ECLIA showed adequate diagnostic accuracy for MTC diagnosis. Moreover, it may be clinically useful for localization in multinodular goiter when lobectomy is considered. Clinical Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT06067594.

Inequalities in health system coverage and quality: a cross-sectional survey of four Latin American countries.

The premise of health as a human right in Latin America has been challenged by health system fragmentation, quality gaps, a growing burden of chronic disease, sociopolitical upheaval, and the COVID-19 pandemic. We characterised inequities in health system quality in Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay. We did a cross-sectional telephone survey with up to 1250 adults in each country. We created binary outcomes in coverage, user experience, system competence, and confidence in the system and calculated the slope index of inequality by income and education. Although access to care was high, only a third of respondents reported having a high-quality source of care and 25% of those with mental health needs had those needs met. Two-thirds of adults were able to access relevant preventive care and 42% of older adults were screened for cardiovascular disease. Telehealth access, communication and autonomy in most recent visit, reasonable waiting times, and receiving preventive health checks showed inequalities favouring people with a high income. In Uruguay, inequality between government and social security services explained a substantial proportion of disparities in preventive health access. In other study countries, inequalities were also substantial within government and social security subsectors. Essential health system functions are unequal in these four Latin American countries.

Measuring people's views on health system performance: Design and development of the People's Voice Survey.

Todd Lewis and co-authors discuss development and use of the People's Voice Survey for health system assessment.

A systematic review of population and patient perspectives and experiences as measured in Latin American and Caribbean surveys.

High-quality health systems must provide accessible, people-centred care to both improve health and maintain population trust in health services. Furthermore, accurate measurement of population perspectives is vital to hold health systems accountable and to inform improvement efforts. To describe the current state of such measures in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), we conducted a systematic review of facility and population-based assessments that included patient-reported experience and satisfaction measures. Five databases were searched for publications on quantitative surveys assessing healthcare quality in Spanish- or Portuguese-speaking LAC countries, focusing on the domains of processes of care and quality impacts. We included articles published since 2011 with a national sampling frame or inclusion of multiple subnational regions. We tabulated and described these articles, identifying, classifying and summarizing the items used to assess healthcare quality into the domains mentioned earlier. Of the 5584 publications reviewed, 58 articles met our inclusion criteria. Most studies were cross-sectional (95%), assessed all levels of healthcare (57%) and were secondary analyses of existing surveys (86%). The articles yielded 33 unique surveys spanning 12 LAC countries; only eight of them are regularly administered surveys. The most common quality domains assessed were satisfaction (in 33 out of 58 articles, 57%), evidence-based/effective care (34%), waiting times (33%), clear communication (33%) and ease of use (31%). Items and reported ratings varied widely among instruments used, time points and geographical settings. Assessment of patient-reported quality measures through population- and facility-based surveys is present but heterogeneous in LAC countries. Satisfaction was measured frequently, although its use in accountability or informing quality improvement is limited. Measurement of healthcare quality in LAC needs to be more systematic, regular, comprehensive and to be led collaboratively by researchers, governments and policymakers to enable comparison of results across countries and to effectively inform policy implementation.

Quality improvement collaborative to optimize heart failure care in patients from a network of clinics in Argentina during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Heart failure (HF) is a major clinical and public health problem associated with significant mortality, morbidity, and health-care costs. Despite the existence of evidence-based guidelines for the optimal treatment of HF, the quality of care remains suboptimal. Our aim was to increase the use a care bundle in 50% of enrolled subjects during their hospitalization and discharge and to reduce their readmission for HF causes by 10%. We conducted an uncontrolled before-after study in eight hospitals in Argentina to evaluate the effect of a quality improvement intervention on the use of an HF care bundle in patients with HF New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II-III. The HF bundle of care included medication, continuum of care, lifestyle habits, and predischarge examinations. Training and follow-up of multidisciplinary teams in each center were performed through learning sessions and plan-do-study-act improvement cycles. Data collectors reviewed bundle compliance in the health records of recruited patients after their hospital discharge and verified readmissions through phone calls to patients within 30-40 days after discharge. We recruited 200 patients (83 before and 127 during the intervention phase), and bundle compliance increased from 9.6% to 28.3% [odds ratio 3.71, 95% confidence interval (8.46; 1.63); P = .002]. Despite a slow improvement during the first months, bundle compliance gained momentum near the end of the intervention surpassing 80%. We observed a non-significant decreased readmission rate within 30 days of discharge due to HF in the postintervention period [8.4% vs. 5.5%, odds ratio 0.63, 95% CI (1.88; 0.21); P = .410]. Qualitative analysis showed that members of the intervention teams acknowledged the improvement of work organization and standardization of care, teamwork, shared mental model, and health record completeness as well as the utility of training fellows. Despite the challenges related to the pandemic, better care of patients with HF NYHA Class II-III was possible through simple interventions and collaborative work. Graphical abstract.

Estimating the Effectiveness of Health Warnings on Cigarette Packaging in Nigeria: A Modeling Study.

INTRODUCTION: Tobacco consumption is associated with nearly 30 000 deaths annually in Nigeria alongside other adverse health and economic effects. Our objective was to estimate the health and economic implications of the current cigarette labeling policies (text-only HWs); new health warnings policies in the country (adding graphic health warnings with up to 60% coverage), and plain packaging policy as recommended by the World Health Organization. AIMS AND METHODS: We used a probabilistic state-transition individual microsimulation model, considering natural history, healthcare costs, and quality-of-life losses associated with main tobacco-attributable diseases; and the potential effects of packaging and labeling policies. We used three scenarios: (1) text-only health warnings (HWs) covering 50% of the pack, (2) introduction of graphic HWs of 50% (and later increasing to 80%) of the pack, and (3) plain packaging with HWs covering 80% of the pack. RESULTS: A total of 748 deaths are averted in the current situation; 7478 and 14 208 deaths can be averted with the new policy and with plain packaging, respectively. The number of cardiac, cerebrovascular, and cancer events that could be averted by adopting text and graphic HWs are 3093, 5093, and 1346, respectively; increasing to 5876, 9676, and 2557, respectively, with plain packaging. Up to 251 794 years were lost because of early deaths and disability, and ₦144.6 billion (USD 469 million) in health costs could be saved with HWs covering 50% to 80% of the pack over 10 years. With plain packaging and graphic HWs covering 80% of the package 478,408 years and ₦274.7 billion (USD 895 million) would be saved. CONCLUSIONS: The new cigarette labeling policy in Nigeria may yield significant health and economic benefits over 10 years. Moving the current policy to plain packaging can significantly improve these benefits. IMPLICATIONS: The new cigarette labeling policy that Nigeria is implementing should aim to achieve 100% compliance with its current regulation and the logical next step: Plain packaging with large warnings. The present study adds evidence of the potential health effects and cost savings of these levels of implementation, which is valuable for local policymakers.

Health, economic and social burden of tobacco in Latin America and the expected gains of fully implementing taxes, plain packaging, advertising bans and smoke-free environments control measures: a modelling study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the tobacco-attributable burden on disease, medical costs, productivity losses and informal caregiving; and to estimate the health and economic gains that can be achieved if the main tobacco control measures (raising taxes on tobacco, plain packaging, advertising bans and smoke-free environments) are fully implemented in eight countries that encompass 80% of the Latin American population. DESIGN: Markov probabilistic microsimulation economic model of the natural history, costs and quality of life associated with the main tobacco-related diseases. Model inputs and data on labour productivity, informal caregivers' burden and interventions' effectiveness were obtained through literature review, surveys, civil registrations, vital statistics and hospital databases. Epidemiological and economic data from January to October 2020 were used to populate the model. FINDINGS: In these eight countries, smoking is responsible each year for 351 000 deaths, 2.25 million disease events, 12.2 million healthy years of life lost, US$22.8 billion in direct medical costs, US$16.2 billion in lost productivity and US$10.8 billion in caregiver costs. These economic losses represent 1.4% of countries' aggregated gross domestic products. The full implementation and enforcement of the four strategies: taxes, plain packaging, advertising bans and smoke-free environments would avert 271 000, 78 000, 71 000 and 39 000 deaths, respectively, in the next 10 years, and result in US$63.8, US$12.3, US$11.4 and US$5.7 billions in economic gains, respectively, on top of the benefits being achieved today by the current level of implementation of these measures. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking represents a substantial burden in Latin America. The full implementation of tobacco control measures could successfully avert deaths and disability, reduce healthcare spending and caregiver and productivity losses, likely resulting in large net economic benefits.

Transesophageal Echocardiographic Assessment in Patients with Severe Respiratory Distress due to COVID-19 in the Prone Position: A Feasibility Study.

Background and aim: Our aim was to assess the feasibility, safety, and utility of implementing transesophageal echocardiographic screening in patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), receiving mechanical ventilation (MV) and in prone position (PP). Methods: Prospective observational study performed in an intensive care unit; patients 18 years, with ARDS, invasive MV, in PP were included. A total of 87 patients were included. Results: There was no need to change ventilator settings, hemodynamic support, or any difficulties with the insertion of the ultrasonographic probe. Mean duration of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was 20 minutes. No displacement of the orotracheal tube, vomiting, or gastrointestinal bleeding was observed. Frequent complication was displacement of the nasogastric tube in 41 (47%) patients. Severe right ventricular (RV) dysfunction was detected in 21 (24%) patients and acute cor pulmonale was diagnosed in 36 (41%) patients. Conclusion: Our results show the importance of assessing RV function during the course of severe respiratory distress and the value of TEE for hemodynamic assessment in PP. How to cite this article: Sosa FA, Wehit J, Merlo P, Matarrese A, Tort B, Roberti JE, et al. Transesophageal Echocardiographic Assessment in Patients with Severe Respiratory Distress due to COVID-19 in the Prone Position: A Feasibility Study. Indian J Crit Care Med 2023;27(2):132-134.

Argentine consensus recommendations for lung cancer screening programmes: a RAND/UCLA-modified Delphi study.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer (LC) screening improves LC survival; the best screening method in terms of improving survival is low-dose CT (LDCT), outpacing chest X-ray and sputum cytology. METHODS: A consensus of experts in Argentina was carried out to review the literature and generate recommendations for LC screening programmes. A mixed-method study was used with three phases: (1) review of the literature; (2) modified Delphi consensus panel; and (3) development of the recommendations. The Evidence to Decision (EtD) framework was used to generate 13 evaluation criteria. Nineteen experts participated in four voting rounds. Consensus among participants was defined using the RAND/UCLA method. RESULTS: A total of 16 recommendations scored ≥7 points with no disagreement on any criteria. Screening for LC should be performed with LDCT annually in the population at high-risk, aged between 55 and 74 years, regardless of sex, without comorbidities with a risk of death higher than the risk of death from LC, smoking ≥30 pack-years or former smokers who quit smoking within 15 years. Screening will be considered positive when finding a solid nodule ≥6 mm in diameter (or ≥113 mm3) on baseline LDCT and 4 mm in diameter if a new nodule is identified on annual screening. A smoking cessation programme should be offered, and cardiovascular risk assessment should be performed. Institutions should have a multidisciplinary committee, have protocols for the management of symptomatic patients not included in the programme and distribute educational material. CONCLUSION: The recommendations provide a basis for minimum requirements from which local institutions can develop their own protocols adapted to their needs and resources.

Kidney failure, status passage, and the transitional nature of living with the disease: A qualitative study in Argentina.

The span of kidney failure (KF) has been extended by advances in treatment. To elucidate the lived experiences of people with KF, we draw on Glaser and Strauss's theory of status passage. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 patients with KF and 14 health professionals, from two healthcare facilities in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The theory informed on the temporal dimensions of people's passages and dimensions related to what actors know of this passage. We described the status passage as a sequence of transitions (starting dialysis, receiving a transplant, returning to dialysis) that have devastating effects on patient's roles, and are accompanied with fear and experience of wasting time. Temporal aspects were crucial and planning was useless; indeed, timing of statuses was uncertain. With a transplant, certain roles and capacities could be regained. Some patients were not aware of the chronic nature of the disease and the ultimate reversibility of the transplant. Control over the passage was minimal because of the unpredictable prognosis of the disease but patients employed strategies to regain it. Control was even more limited for people who migrated to receive a treatment; whose lives were completely altered. Status passage theory signaled the overwhelming impact of the passage on all aspects of people's lives, the uncertainty of the transitions, lack of control and awareness of essential aspects, and unexpected aspects of desirability, adding to our understanding of how people experience this disease and its treatments.

Negotiating treatment and managing expectations in chronic kidney disease: A qualitative study in Argentina.

OBJECTIVES: To describe how patients with CKD negotiated assigned responsibilities in the management of their disease, resulting in potential relational nonadherence. METHODS: Qualitative study performed in two healthcare facilities in Buenos Aires, Argentina, including 50 patients and 14 healthcare providers. We conducted semistructured interviews which were analysed using a frame of reference with concepts of Burden of Treatment and Cognitive Authority theories. FINDINGS: Adherence to treatment defined "good patients". Patients needed to negotiate starting treatment, its modality and dialysis schedule, although most patients felt they did not participate in the decision process and that providers did not acknowledge implications of these decisions on their routine. Some patients skipped dialysis if concerns were not attended. Regularly, patients negotiated frequency of visits, doses, dietary restrictions and redefined relationships with their support networks, sometimes with devasting effects. As a result of overwhelming uncertainty some patients refused enrolling into a transplant program. When the frequency of complications increased, patients considered abandoning dialysis. CONCLUSION: When patients perceived demands were excessive or conflicting, they entered into negotiations. Relationally induced nonadherence may arise when professionals do not or cannot enter into negotiations over patients' beliefs or knowledge about what is possible for them to do.

Design and feasibility of an implementation strategy to address Chagas guidelines engagement focused on attending women of childbearing age and children at the primary healthcare level in Argentina: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Chagas is a public health problem, especially in Latin America, exacerbated by migratory movements and increasing urbanization. Argentina is among the countries with the highest estimated prevalence in the region, with 1,500,000 people infected, with mother to child as the main mode of transmission. Vertical transmission has been significantly reduced by treating women of childbearing age; several guidelines in the region recommend treatment as a primary prevention strategy for the child and a secondary prevention strategy for women and their families. Despite recommendations, women of childbearing age are not always treated, and children do not receive timely diagnosis and treatment. The objective of this research was to design an implementation strategy to improve using Chagas guidelines focused on attending women of childbearing age and children at the primary healthcare level and pilot it in three primary health care centers in Argentina. METHODS: We conducted a pilot feasibility study using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. A qualitative process evaluation was conducted using semi-structured interviews with health care providers and observations in primary health care centers. RESULTS: We developed a multifaceted implementation strategy including training, flowcharts and reminders, a register of suspected and confirmed cases, and the selection of a management facilitator. The pilot study took place between September 2019 and May 2020. The implementation level was heterogeneous and varied depending on the components, being the facilitating factors, the simplicity of the intervention, professionals' willingness to expand the indication of serologic tests, and staff commitment to the adoption of intervention components. The main barriers found were the change of authorities at the local level, some professionals´ reluctance to administer etiological treatment, staff shortages, lack of diagnostic supplies, and the health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Behavioral change strategies should be applied to improve implementation to address some of the main barriers, including support actions offered by opinion leaders, medical experts, and local health authorities. Rapid diagnostic tests should be readily available to maintain behavior changes. We suggest further refinement of the strategy and its implementation in more centers to assess outcomes prospectively with a hybrid implementation research design.

Frailty and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients with cancer: A cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Our aim was to assess impact of frailty on short-term clinical outcomes in critically ill patients with cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cohort study at a medical and surgical intensive care unit (ICU) in Argentina. We included 269 consecutive patients, ≥18 years old, with diagnosis of cancer. We recorded demographic and clinical characteristics, Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS, ≥5 defined a patient as frail), and the number and duration of organ support therapies during ICU stay. Primary outcome was ICU and hospital mortality. RESULTS: Median age 69 (range 20-90); 152 (56%) patients were male. Sixty-eight (25.2%) patients presented frailty at admission. Older adults (≥65 years old) made up 62.8% of patients. Frail patients were 69.7 years versus 64.4 years for non-frail, P = 0.007, with higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) 14.7 ± 7 versus 10.8 ± 6, P = 0.001 and Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS II) 40.1 ± 17 versus 28.7 ± 14, P = 0.001, respectively. After adjusting by age, severity score, type of admission, and type of cancer, frailty was independently associated with hospital mortality, odds ratio (OR) 4.87 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.19-11.19, P ≤0.001). Median ICU length of stay was five days (interquartile range [IQR] 3-7) versus six days (IQR 3.8-9), in non-frail versus frail patients, respectively (P = 0.100), and hospital stay was nine days (IQR 6-17) versus 11.5 days (IQR 7-19.5) in non-frail versus frail patients, respectively (P = 0.085). DISCUSSION: Frailty as a medical condition was strongly associated with worse clinical outcomes among oncologic critically ill patients.

Promoting immunization equity in Latin America and the Caribbean: Case studies, lessons learned, and their implication for COVID-19 vaccine equity.

In 2020, the World Health Organization launched the Immunization Agenda 2030: A Global Strategy to Leave No One Behind, which prioritizes high equitable immunization coverage at the national level and in all districts. Achieving high and homogenous immunization coverage, which is all the more important within the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine rollout, requires the strengthening of existing immunization activities and innovative approach to immunization promotion. This research applied a descriptive case study methodology to document the implementation of strategic multi-level alliances to promote equitable immunization access and demand in Colombia, Guyana, and Sucre, Bolivia. Data collection, carried out between September 2019 and March 2020, included documentary reviews, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and site visits accompanied by discussions with relevant stakeholders. Case studies provide valuable examples of people-centered, partnership-based, country-owned, and data-guided approaches to promoting equitable immunization coverage, including multi-level partnerships to build technical capacity for the identification and measurement of social inequalities impacting immunization in Colombia; intersectoral and community collaboration for pro-equity emergency response to regional vaccine preventable disease outbreaks in Guyana; and strategic alliances with the education sector and civil society organizations for the introduction of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine in Sucre, Bolivia. Lessons learned highlight avenues for improving the impact of multi-level, equity-focused capacity building, particularly at the local level; optimizing the use of data and resources, partnerships, and community and stakeholder education and empowerment. While impact studies are needed to better understand the quantitative contributions of such strategic alliances, these case studies illustrate their practical significance and reinforce the value of multi-level, intersectoral collaboration for enhancing equitable immunization access and demand. The experiences of Colombia, Guyana, and Sucre, Bolivia provide evidence-based insight to support pro-equity immunization program planning to ensure that no one is left behind and that everyone, everywhere receives the benefits of vaccines, both routine and for COVID-19.

Hyperbaric oxygen as an adjuvant treatment for patients with COVID-19 severe hypoxaemia: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy has been proposed to treat hypoxaemia and reduce inflammation in COVID-19. Our objective was to analyse safety and efficacy of HBO2 in treatment of hypoxaemia in patients with COVID-19 and evaluate time to hypoxaemia correction. METHODS: This was a multicentre, open-label randomised controlled trial conducted in Buenos Aires, Argentina, between July and November 2020. Patients with COVID-19 and severe hypoxaemia (SpO2 ≤90% despite oxygen supplementation) were assigned to receive either HBO2 treatment or the standard treatment for respiratory symptoms for 7 days. HBO2 treatment was planned for ≥5 sessions (1 /day) for 90 min at 1.45 atmosphere absolute (ATA). Outcomes were time to normalise oxygen requirement to SpO2 ≥93%, need for mechanical respiratory assistance, development of acute respiratory distress syndrome and mortality within 30 days. A sample size of 80 patients was estimated, with a planned interim analysis after determining outcomes on 50% of patients. RESULTS: The trial was stopped after the interim analysis. 40 patients were randomised, 20 in each group, age was 55.2±9.2 years. At admission, frequent symptoms were dyspnoea, fever and odynophagia; SpO2 was 85.1%±4.3% for the whole group. Patients in the treatment group received an average of 6.2±1.2 HBO2 sessions. Time to correct hypoxaemia was shorter in treatment group versus control group; median 3 days (IQR 1.0-4.5) versus median 9 days (IQR 5.5-12.5), respectively (p<0.010). OR for recovery from hypoxaemia in the HBO2 group at day 3 compared with the control group was 23.2 (95% CI 1.6 to 329.6; p=0.001) Treatment had no statistically significant effect on acute respiratory distress syndrome, mechanical ventilation or death within 30 days after admission. CONCLUSION: Our findings support the safety and efficacy of HBO2 in the treatment of COVID-19 and severe hypoxaemia. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04477954.

Adaptation and implementation of the Batz guide for bedside advocacy in two hospitals.

BACKGROUND: The patients' guide by the Batz Patient Safety Foundation promotes patients' active participation in healthcare and a safe hospital experience. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to adapt the Spanish version of the guide to the local context and evaluate its acceptability from healthcare professionals' and patients' perspectives in two hospitals in Buenos Aires, Argentina. METHODS: This implementation study had a formative research phase to adapt the guide with input from individual interviews and focus group discussions. The intervention comprised training sessions for professionals on patient-centered care and use of the guide, the appointment of coordinators, and distribution of the guide. The adapted guide (section During Admission) was distributed in two hospitals. Before and after intervention, we administered surveys to explore acceptability, utility, and patient satisfaction. RESULTS: Findings from formative research showed that the Batz guide needed to be shortened and adapted to the local healthcare context Although professionals had agreed on the importance of clinical guidelines; after using the Batz guide, they found it complex and difficult to implement. Patients' satisfaction with healthcare before and after implementing the guide did not differ significantly. Best scores were found in items related to availability of nurses, staff competence and staff kindness. A 78% of patients found the Batz guide useful. CONCLUSION: It is of critical importance to adapt the guide to the local culture, pilot it, and provide training to promote its implementation, improving acceptability and utility.

How do social and economic vulnerabilities shape the work of participating in care? Everyday experiences of people living with kidney failure in Argentina.

BACKGROUND: A new chronic patient has emerged, with a burden of symptoms and treatment. Patients with kidney failure (KF) require complex and expensive treatments, and in underresourced contexts, they struggle to obtain quality and timely care, even in countries with universal health coverage. We describe how, in such a setting, social structural factors and control over services placed by the system affect the burden of treatment of patients. METHOD: This qualitative study was undertaken in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Semistructured interviews were conducted with patients with KF (n = 50) and health professionals (n = 14) caring for these patients. Additionally, three types of health coverage were included: public health, social security and private healthcare, with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. FINDINGS: Patients' agency to meet demands is extended by relational networks with redistributed responsibilities and roles. Networks provided logistical, financial, emotional support; indeed, patients with limited networks were susceptible to rapid health deterioration, as treatment interruptions could not be identified in time. Control over services translated into scarce information about treatment options, changing dialysis schedules, lack of contact with transplant teams, and new rules to access medication or make requests. For any type of coverage, there was an economic burden related to noncovered medication, copayments, travel, caregivers, specialized diets, and moving to a city offering treatment. Many patients reported economic difficulties that prevented them from even affording meals. Hardships worsened by unemployment because of the disease. Some patients had migrated seeking treatment, leaving everything behind, but could not return without risking their life. Transplanted patients often needed to re-enter the labor market against a background of high unemployment rates. CONCLUSION: While health policy and practices encourage self-management, the patient may not have the capacity to meet the system's demands. A better understanding of BoT could contribute to improving how patients experience their illness.

[Cardiac tamponade and myocarditis in a patient with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection]. / Taponamiento cardíaco y miocarditis en paciente con infección aguda por SARS-CoV-2.

We describe a patient with COVID-19, with pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade and severe myocardial depression. A 51-year-old woman, previously healthy, with mild COVID-19 presented with three episodes of syncope. She was admitted to the emergency room. An electrocardiogram showed sinus rhythm, diffuse superior concavity ST 2 mv; a CT scan showed pericardial effusion, without lung pathological findings. Due to shock, dyspnoea and encephalopathy, the patient was admitted to intensive care, where she received vasopressor support and mechanical ventilation. A bedside ultrasound showed pericardial effusion and tamponade; drainage was performed; transoesophageal ultrasound showed moderate deterioration of biventricular systolic function; global longitudinal strain -14.2%, estimated Fey 43%; global circumferential strain -10.1%. Seven days after admission, CT scan revealed bilateral infiltrates and pericardial thickening with post-contrast enhancement and mild pericardial effusion. On day 12 post admission, inotropic support was discontinued; patient on mechanical ventilation weaning and haemodynamically stable.

Describimos una paciente con COVID-19, con derrame pericárdico, taponamiento cardíaco y depresión miocárdica grave. Mujer de 51 años, sin enfermedad previa, COVID-19 leve que presentó tres episodios de síncope en domicilio. El electrocardiograma mostró ritmo sinusal, ST de concavidad superior difuso 2 mv; en la tomografía se observó derrame pericárdico y parénquima pulmonar normal. Ingresó a terapia intensiva con shock y requerimiento de asistencia ventilatoria mecánica (AVM). En el ecocardiograma se observó derrame pericárdico y taponamiento; se realizó drenaje. El ecocardiograma transesofágico mostró deterioro moderado de función sistólica biventricular; strain longitudinal global ­14.2%, Fey estimada: 43%; deformación global circunferencial: ­10.1%. A los 7 días del ingreso, la tomografía reveló infiltrados bilaterales y engrosamiento pericárdico con realce post-contraste y derrame pericárdico leve. El día 12 posterior al ingreso, se suspendió el soporte inotrópico; y la paciente, hemodinámicamente estable, se desvinculó de la AVM.

[Formative research for the design and implementation of a strategy to increase colorectal cancer screening in the workplace in Argentina]. / Investigación formativa para el diseño e implementación de una estrategia para aumentar el rastreo de cáncer colorrectal en el ámbito laboral en Argentina.

The workplace has great potential to disseminate information and implement health promotion activities such as cancer prevention and early detection. Due to the challenges of deploying health interventions in this setting, formative studies are needed to adjust the design and implementation of successful strategies. To inform the intervention's design and implementation and improve the adherence rate to screening with fecal occult blood test in a workplace in Argentina, a formative study was conducted to identify potential barriers and facilitators. The formative study adopted a qualitative methodological design. Interviews were held with 10 individuals in charge of key areas in the institution where the main study was conducted, besides 8 focus groups with workers over 50 years of age. Challenges were identified at the institutional level for the intervention's implementation, such as workers' geographic dispersion and the complexity of the institution's flowchart, as well as at the population level, such as low knowledge about colorectal cancer and diagnostic tests and low risk perception. The facilitators featured the intervention's acceptability and the availability of human and material resources to proceed with the intervention, such as institutional communications channels for disseminating the information and logistics for distribution of diagnostic kits. The formative study allowed identifying resources and potential barriers that informed the intervention's design and implementation.

El ámbito laboral tiene un gran potencial para difundir información e implementar actividades de promoción de la salud, como la prevención y detección temprana del cáncer. Debido al desafío de implementar intervenciones sanitarias en este ámbito, se necesitan investigaciones formativas para adecuar el diseño y la implementación de las estrategias para que sean exitosas. Con el objetivo de informar el diseño e implementación de la intervención, para mejorar la tasa de adherencia al tamizaje con el test de sangre oculta en materia fecal, en un ámbito laboral en Argentina, se realizó una investigación formativa para identificar potenciales barreras y facilitadores. La investigación formativa siguió un diseño metodológico cualitativo. Se realizaron entrevistas con 10 responsables de áreas clave de la institución en que se desarrolló el estudio y 8 grupos focales con trabajadores mayores de 50 años. Se identificaron desafíos para la implementación de la intervención en el nivel institucional, como la dispersión geográfica de los trabajadores y la complejidad del organigrama de la institución, y en el nivel de la población objetivo, como el bajo conocimiento del cáncer colorrectal y de los test diagnósticos, así como la baja percepción de riesgo. Entre los facilitadores se destacaron la aceptabilidad de la intervención, además de la disponibilidad de recursos humanos y materiales para llevar adelante la intervención, como canales de comunicación institucional para la diseminación de información, así como la logística para la distribución de kits diagnósticos. La investigación formativa permitió relevar recursos e identificar potenciales barreras que informaron el diseño y la implementación de la intervención.

O local de trabalho possui grande potencial para divulgar informação e implementar atividades de promoção da saúde, como a prevenção e detecção precoce do câncer. Frente ao desafio de implementar ações sanitárias naquele ambiente, são necessárias pesquisas formativas para adequar a estruturação e a implementação das estratégias para que sejam bem-sucedidas. Com o objetivo de subsidiar a concepção e a implementação da ação, visando melhorar a taxa de aderência ao screening com o teste de sangue oculto nas fezes no ambiente de trabalho na Argentina, foi desenvolvida uma pesquisa formativa para identificar potenciais barreiras e facilitadores. A pesquisa formativa seguiu um formato metodológico qualitativo. Foram realizadas entrevistas com 10 gerentes de áreas chaves da entidade onde foi desenvolvido o estudo e 8 grupos focais, com trabalhadores acima de 50 anos de idade. Foram identificados alguns desafios para a implementação de uma ação em nível institucional, como a dispersão geográfica dos trabalhadores e a complexidade do organograma da entidade, e em termos de população objetiva, como o baixo conhecimento a respeito do câncer colorretal e dos testes diagnósticos, além da baixa percepção de risco. Entre os facilitadores, destacaram-se a aceitabilidade da ação e a disponibilidade de recursos humanos e materiais para levar a cabo a ação, como canais de comunicação institucional, para a divulgação da informação e a logística, para a distribuição dos kits diagnósticos. A pesquisa formativa revelou recursos e identificou potenciais barreiras, ajudando na estruturação e implementação da ação.

Lung ultrasound as a predictor of mortality of patients with COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of lung ultrasound to determine short-term outcomes of patients with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit. METHODS: This is a Prospective, observational study. Between July and November 2020, 59 patients were included and underwent at least two LUS assessments using LUS score (range 0-42) on day of admission, day 5th, and 10th of admission. RESULTS: Age was 66.5±15 years, APACHE II was 8.3±3.9, 12 (20%) patients had malignancy, 46 (78%) patients had a non-invasive ventilation/high-flow nasal cannula and 38 (64%) patients required mechanical ventilation. The median stay in ICU was 12 days (IQR 8.5-20.5 days). ICU or hospital mortality was 54%. On admission, the LUS score was 20.8±6.1; on day 5th and day 10th of admission, scores were 27.6±5.5 and 29.4±5.3, respectively (P=0.007). As clinical condition deteriorated the LUS score increased, with a positive correlation of 0.52, P <0.001. Patients with worse LUS on day 5th versus better score had a mortality of 76% versus 33% (OR 6.29, 95%CI 2.01-19.65, p. 0.003); a similar difference was observed on day 10. LUS score of 5th day of admission had an area under the curve of 0.80, best cut-point of 27, sensitivity and specificity of 0.75 and 0.78 respectively. CONCLUSION: These findings position LUS as a simple and reproducible method to predict the course of COVID-19 patients.