[Adequacy of the admissions and care provided to the patients with community-acquired pneumonia]. / Adecuación de los ingresos y de la asistencia facilitada a los pacientes con neumonía adquirida en la comunidad.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study has been to know the adequacy of the hospital admissions of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), applying the Fine Modified Forecast Classification Rule and if patient care is performed in accordance with the indicators for quality by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recommendations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional and retrospective study analyzing the appropriateness of hospital admissions of all patients treated for CAP at the Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid during 2006. All patients were interviewed with the classification rules for Fine Modified Forecasting to evaluate the adequacy of hospital admissions through the analysis of associated comorbidity, severity parameters and quality indicators. RESULTS: We detected 23 cases (6.07%) of CAP inadequately admitted, 5 of whom were Class I (21.7%), 10 Class II (43.4%) and 8 Class III (34.7%). COPD (32.5%) and hypoxemia (36%) were the comorbidities and risk factors most involved in the admission of low-risk CAP. A total of 25 (32.89%) inadequate discharges were observed from the Emergency Service and the following was found in regard to their Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI): Class I: 2 (8%), Class II: 10 (40%) Class III: 7 (28%), Class IV: 4 (16%), Class V: 0; Fine Unknown: 2. The most important comorbidity in inadequate discharges was 10 for COPD (40%). The following were performed: blood cultures in 160 cases (42.2%), chest x-ray in 379 (100%), gas and/or pulse measurement in 379 (100%), and measurement of Ag S. pneumoniae and Legionella in urine in 14 (87.5%) of the 16 cases of CAP that required admission to the ICU. CONCLUSION: The Fine Modified Forecasting Classification Rule can be very useful in assessing adequacy of admissions and to decide the need for hospital admission due to CAP. Adequate care for patients with CAP according to the quality indications established by the IDSA stands out.

[Analysis of 83 bronchospasm episodes seen at urgent care during one spring night]. / Análisis de 83 episodios de broncoespasmo atendidos una noche de primavera en urgencias.

BACKGROUND: The new treatments for the bronchial inflammation in asthma, have contributed to decrease the mortality rate. However, there is still a group of population with no diagnosis fo asthma, who requires urgent medical attention in situations such as air pollution or risen pollen levels. On 2nd June 2000, 83 subjects with an acute crisis of asthma, came to the Emergency Room in our Hospital in just 6 hours, coinciding with the highest annual pollen measurement and a strong storm. METHODS AND RESULTS: Personal data from those 83 patients, medical behaviour at the Casualty and post-attention recommendations were considered for analysis. 21 % never had previous diagnosis of asthma and 93 % followed no regular medical control. 61.45 % did no treatment. A chest radiography was taken in 53.76 % of the patients. Salbutamol was administrated in most of them (92.18 %) and parentally administration of steroids in 23.47 %. 21 % were referred to an specialist. CONCLUSIONS: A significant rate of asthmatics is under-diagnosed, under-controlled and under-treated. Public Health authorities should consider the creation of new Allergy Units, a fluid communication between general practitioners and specialists, and the monitorization of pollen recounts with special plans of emergency situations to contribute to solve this problem.