Valoración de disparadores de consulta para optimizar la oportunidad de acceso a los cuidados paliativos en la UCI / Assessment of consultation triggers to optimize the opportunity to access palliative care in the ICU / Avaliação dos critérios de elegibilidade para otimizar a oportunidade de acesso aos cuidados paliativos na UTI

Resumen: Introducción: los cuidados paliativos (CP) son un marcador de calidad de asistencia en terapia intensiva; sin embargo, han sido poco evaluados en Uruguay. La detección proactiva de pacientes mediante disparadores de consultas es una estrategia que podría optimizar el acceso a los CP. Objetivos: determinar la prevalencia y las características de los disparadores de consulta de CP en pacientes críticos. Analizar la utilización de recursos en estos pacientes. Material y método: estudio de cohorte, retrospectivo, que incluyó pacientes ingresados a unidad de cuidados intensivos (UCI) entre marzo de 2016 y febrero de 2019. Los disparadores analizados fueron: a) presencia de tumor con metástasis; b) estadía en UCI 50% por encima de la media (14 días); c) >75 años con disfunción orgánica múltiple, y d) >80 años con dos o más comorbilidades graves. Resultados: se analizaron 2.850 pacientes. El 26% (734) presentó al menos un disparador de consulta con CP. El más prevalente: estadía en UCI 50% por encima de la media (18%). Estos pacientes presentaron mayor edad: 61 (43-75) vs 54 (36-65) años (p < 0,001) y mayor gravedad, SAPSIII de 60 (48-74) vs 47 (35-61) puntos (p<0,001). Requirieron más asistencia respiratoria mecánica (ARM) 87% vs 55% (p <0,001), vasopresores 48% vs 24% (p< 0,001) y hemodiálisis 8% vs 4% (p<0,001). Presentaron mayor estadía 18 (9-27) vs 4 (2-8) días, (p<0,001) y tiempo en ARM 14 (7-23) vs 3 (1- 6) días (p<0,001). Conclusiones: la cuarta parte de los pacientes en UCI activaron al menos un criterio de CP, presentaron mayor gravedad y utilizaron más sostén de soporte vital.

Summary: Introduction: palliative care (PC) constitutes a marker of the quality of intensive care assistance. However, it has not been thoroughly assessed in Uruguay. Proactive detection of patients by means of "consultation triggers" should be considered a strategy to optimize access to PC. Objetives: to determine the prevalence and characteristics of Palliative Care consultation triggers in critical patients. To analyse the use of resources in these patients. Method: retrospective cohort study of patients admitted in the ICU between March 2016 and February 2019. The following triggers were identified: a) a tumor with metastasis; length of stay at the ICU 50% over the average (14 days), c) >75 years old with multiple organic dysfunction and d) >80 years old with 2 or more severe comorbidities Results: 2.850 patients were analysed. 26% (734) presented at least one consultation trigger with PC. Length of stay at the ICU 50% over average (18%). These patients presented higher average age 61 (43-75) versus 54 (36-65) years old (p < 0.001), and increased severity, SAPSIII of 60 (48-74) compared to 47 (35-61) points (p<0.001); 87% required mechanical ventilation compared to 55% (p <0.001), vasopressors 48% compared to 24% (p< 0.001) and hemodialysis 8% compared to 4% (p<0.001). 18 presented a longer stay (9-27) compared to 4 (2-8) days, (p<0.001) and time on mechanical ventilation 14 (7-23) compared to 3 (1- 6) days (p<0.001). Conclusions: 25 percent of patients in the ICU activated at least one criterion for PC, they were in a more severe condition and used more mechanical ventilation.

Resumo: Introdução: os cuidados paliativos (CP) são um marcador de qualidade da atenção em Terapia Intensiva, porém, pouco avaliados no Uruguai. A detecção proativa de pacientes usando "gatilhos de consulta" é uma estratégia que pode otimizar o acesso aos CP. Metas: determinar a prevalência e as características dos critérios de elegibilidade de CP em pacientes críticos. Analisar o uso de recursos nesses pacientes. Materiais e métodos: estudo de coorte retrospectivo, incluindo pacientes internados na UTI entre março de 2016 e fevereiro de 2019. Os critérios analisados foram: a) presença de tumor com metástase, b) permanência na UTI 50% acima da média (14 dias), c ) >75 anos com disfunção de múltiplos órgãos e d) >80 anos com 2 ou mais comorbidades graves. Resultados: 2.850 pacientes foram analisados. 26% (734) apresentaram pelo menos 1 critério de elegibilidade para CP. O mais prevalente foi a permanecia na UTI 50% superior à média (18%). Esses pacientes tinham mais de 61 anos (43-75) vs 54 (36-65) anos (p <0,001) e condições mais graves, SAPSIII de 60 (48-74) vs 47 (35-61) pontos (p <0,001). Necessitaram mais ventilação mecânica assistida (AVM) 87% vs 55% (p <0,001), vasopressores 48% vs 24% (p <0,001) e hemodiálise 8% vs 4% (p <0,001). Tiveram uma permanência mais prolongada 18 (9-27) vs 4 (2-8) dias, (p <0,001) e tempo em AVM 14 (7-23) vs 3 (1-6) dias (p <0,001). Conclusões: um quarto dos pacientes internados na UTI ativou pelo menos um critério de elegibilidade para CP, apresentou maior gravidade e utilizou mais suporte vital.

Feasibility of using death certificates for studying place of death in Latin America

Objective: this paper assesses the availability and quality of death certificate data in Latin America and the feasibility of using these data to study place of death and associated factors. Methods: in this comparative study, we collected examples of current official death certificates and digital data files containing information about all deaths that occurred during 1 year in 19 Latin American countries. Data were collected from June 2019 to May 2020. The records for place of death and associated variables were studied. The criteria for data quality were completeness, number of ill-defined causes of death and timeliness. Results: all 19 countries provided copies of current official death certificates and 18 of these registered the place of death. Distinguishing among hospital or other health care institution, home and other was possible for all countries. Digital data files with death certificate data were available from 12 countries and 1 region. Three countries had data considered to be of high quality and seven had data considered to be of medium quality. Categories for place of death and most of the predetermined factors possibly associated with place of death were included in the data files. Conclusions: the quality of data sets was rated medium to high in 10 countries. Hence, death certificate data make it feasible to conduct an international comparative study on place of death and the associated factors in Latin America.