Rendimiento de los cuestionarios de sueño en la pesquisa de pacientes adultos con síndrome de apnea obstructiva del sueño según sexo / Gender differences in clinical features and performance of sleep questionnaires in adults with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Background: Women with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAS) are less likely to be assessed or to receive an appropriate diagnosis, and they may have poorer quality of life and survival rates. Aim: To assess gender-specific clinical differences in adult patients with OSAS. Material and Methods: A standardized clinical questionnaire and four sleep questionnaires (Berlin, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, STOP and STOP-Bang) were administered and anthropometric data were measured. Patients underwent an overnight in-laboratory polysomnography to confirm the diagnosis of OSAS. Receiver operating characteristic curves, sensitivity and specificity of clinical manifestations and sleep questionnaires were calculated. Results: Of 1,464 screened patients, 509 were female, 58.6% had moderate to severe OSAS. Clinical variables associated with OSAS risk in women were age, insomnia, nocturia, hypertension and cervical circumference. Paired by age and respiratory events, the snoring frequency was similar in both genders, although witnessed apneas and high cervical circumference and waist/hip ratio were more common in males. Morning headaches, insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, depression, anxiety and poor quality of sleep were more common in women. Women were older than men, more obese (although with an obesity pattern less centrally distributed) and referred hypertension, diabetes, depression and hypothyroidism with higher frequency. Sleep questionnaires performance were similar in both sexes. Conclusions: It is likely that women with OSAS may partially be underdiagnosed due to circumstances related to a different OSAS clinical expression.

Utilidad de la proteína C reactiva sérica en el diagnóstico y tratamiento del adulto inmunocompetente hospitalizado por neumonía adquirida en la comunidad / Immunocompetent adults hospitalized for a community-acquired pneumonia: Serum C-reactive protein as a prognostic marker

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is used to monitor patients' response during treatment of infectious diseases. Morbidity and mortality associated with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is high, particularly in hospitalized patients. Better risk prediction during hospitalization could improve management and ultimately reduce mortality rates. Aim: To evaluate CRP measured at admission and the third day of hospitalization as a predictor for adverse events in CAP. Material and Methods: A prospective cohort study of adult patients hospitalized with CAP at an academic hospital. Major adverse outcomes were admission to ICU, mechanical ventilation, prolonged hospital length of stay, hospital complications and 30-day mortality. Predictive associations between CRP (as absolute levels and relative decline at third day) and adverse events were analyzed. Results: Eight hundred and twenty-three patients were assessed, 19% were admitted to ICU and 10.6% required mechanical ventilation. The average hospital stay was 8.8 ± 8.2 days, 42% had nosocomial complications and 8.1% died within 30 days. Ninety eight percent of patients had elevated serum CRP on admission to the hospital (18.1 ± 14.1 mg/dL). C-reactive protein measured at admission was associated with the risk of bacterial pneumonia, bacteremic pneumonia, septic shock and use of mechanical ventilation. Lack of CRP decline within three days of hospitalization was associated with high risk of complications, septic shock, mechanical ventilation and prolonged hospital stay. Conclusions: CRP responses at third day of hospital admission was a valuable predictor of adverse events in hospitalized CAP adult patients.