Non-hormonal interventions for hot flushes in women with a history of breast cancer

BACKGROUND Hot flushes are common in women with a history of breast cancer. Hormonal therapies are known to reduce these symptoms but are not recommended in women with a history of breast cancer due to their potential adverse effects. The efficacy of non-hormonal therapies is still uncertain. OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy of non-hormonal therapies in reducing hot flushes in women with a history of breast cancer. METHODS Search methods: We searched the Cochrane Breast Cancer Group Specialised Register, CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library), Medline, Embase, Lilacs, CINAHL, PsycINFO (August 2008) and WHO ICTRP Search Portal. We handsearched reference lists of reviews and included articles, reviewed conference proceedings and contacted experts. Selection criteria: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing non-hormonal therapies with placebo or no therapy for reducing hot flushes in women with a history of breast cancer. Data collection and analysis: Two authors independently selected potentially relevant studies, decided upon their inclusion and extracted data on participant characteristics, interventions, outcomes and the risk of bias of included studies. MAIN RESULTS Sixteen RCTs met our inclusion criteria. We included six studies on selective serotonin (SSRI) and serotonin-norepinephrine (SNRI) reuptake inhibitors, two on clonidine, one on gabapentin, two each on relaxation therapy and homeopathy, and one each on vitamin E, magnetic devices and acupuncture. The risk of bias of most studies was rated as low or moderate. Data on continuous outcomes were presented inconsistently among studies, which precluded the possibility of pooling the results. Three pharmacological treatments (SSRIs and SNRIs, clonidine and gabapentin) reduced the number and severity of hot flushes. One study assessing vitamin E did not show any beneficial effect. One ...

Eje psicosocial familiar: reporte del diseño e implementación de un programa docente para residentes de los programas de postítulo en Medicina Familiar / Family psychosocial axis: report on the design and implementation of a program teacher for residents of postgraduate programs in Family Medicine

Cada vez más se acepta que la atención integral en salud requiere un foco de abordaje que esté puesto en la persona y su familia y no solo en la enfermedad o sus consecuencias. En concordancia con esta idea, con los objetivos propuestos para los Programas de Postítulo de Medicina Familiar de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, con las necesidades percibidas por docentes y residentes y con la literatura disponible en relación con el currículo de esta especialidad, se trabajó en la revisión de la formación que los residentes de estos programas recibían con respecto a aspectos psicosociales y familiares. En respuesta a este análisis, se trabajó en la definición de las competencias específicas en el ámbito psicosocial familiar deseables para los egresados de nuestros Programas de Postítulo. De acuerdo con las conclusiones de este trabajo, se revisó y replanteó el currículo vigente. Este artículo resume y presenta el proceso de diseño e implementación de un programa docente específico para la formación en competencias del ámbito psicosocial familiar para los residentes de los programas mencionados. (AU)

- Increasingly it is accepted that comprehensive health care approach requires that the focus has to be placed on the person and his family and not just the disease or its consequences. Consistent with this idea, the proposed objectives of the post graduate programs of Family Medicine at Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, focused on the perceived needs of teachers and residents based on the literature available on this area, we worked in reviewing the training that residents of these programs received regarding family, and psychosocial aspects.In response to this analysis, we worked on the definition of specific skills in the family psychosocial environment desirable for graduatesfrom our post graduate programs. According to the findings of this work the current curriculum was reviewed and reconsidered.This article summarizes and presents the process of designing and implementing a specific educational program for training in skills offamily psychosocial environment for the residents of these programs.(AU)

Impacto del asma en escolares de dos centros de salud primaria / Impact of asthma among primary attention children

Background: Asthma is one of the chronic diseases that generate an impact on quality of life and major health care expenses. Aim: To evaluate the impact of asthma on primary attention expenses, the health related quality of life (HRQOL) and the sanitary resources use. Material and Methods: Follow up of a cohort of 56 asthmatic children aged 6 to 14 years (56 percent women), during 12 months. The severity and the impact of the disease on HRQOL was assessed using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) video questionnaire and the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) respectively Costs were derived from the number of medical attentions, hospital admissions, medication requirements, school absenteeism among patients and work absenteeism among caregivers. Results: Patients required twice the number of medical attentions than the general population. Fourteen percent of children had severe asthma. Compared with subjects without severe asthma, the latter required more attentions (3.8 and 9.7 attentions per year respectively, p< 0.01), had a lower PAQLQ score (4.1 ±0.11 and 5.2 ± 1 respectively, p< 0.05) and a higher school absenteeism (10 and 27 days per year respectively, p < 0.01). Medication use was not different between patients with and without severe asthma. They early cost per patient was $ 106,550 (Chilean pesos). Conclusions: Asthma has a great impact on HRQOL and the use of primary attention resources, specially those children with severe asthma.

Medidas de efecto y precisión / Measures of effect and precision

Existen diversas formas de presentar los resultados de un ensayo clínico controlado (ECC) o metaanálisis (MA). En este apartado analizaremos punto por punto el significado y forma de calcular las distintas medidas de efecto tanto en ECC como MA, ya que en ambos tipos de trabajos, los resultados se presentan en forma similar. Es importante considerar que el lector de un ECC o MA debe comprender cuál es el valor que tienen estos resultados, en cuanto a la magnitud de beneficio o daño para un paciente en particular, más allá de saber si tienen o no tienen significación estadísticas. Por otro lado, aparte de la magnitud del efecto de determinada intervención, es necesario considerar la exactitud de esta estimación, lo que se logra con el uso de los intervalos de confianza.

Eclipse (Enfoque Clínico del Paciente Sustentado en la Evidencia) / Eclipse (Clinical Approach of the Patient Sustained in Evidence)

En el siguiente artículo, ejemplificaremos el proceso de la medicina basada en la evidencia, con sus cuatro etapas, partiendo desde un escenario clínico, desde donde se formula una pregunta, se realiza la búsqueda de la información, se analiza críticamente la evidencia obtenida, y finalmete se resuelve el escenario a la luz de la nueva información.