Enfrentamiento de adultos mayores con sospecha de covid-19 en el servicio de urgencia

En Diciembre 2019, surge una enfermedad emergente, COVID-19, que es debida a un coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) que empieza en Wuhan, China y que se ha propagado rápidamente a nivel mundial. La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) lo declara como pandemia el 12 de Marzo del 2020. En Chile, el día 14 de Marzo se decretó fase 3 y el 16 de Marzo se pasó a fase 4. Al 24 de Marzo del 2020, en Chile existen 922 casos confirmados de COVID-19, con una mediana de edad de 34 años, correspondiendo 51 casos (6%) a adultos mayores (AM).

Evolución de la capacidad funcional en adultos mayores hospitalizados en la unidad geriátrica de agudos del Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile / Evolution of functional capacity of older people during hospital stay

Background: Up to 70% of hospitalized older people experience a deterioration of their functional capacity during the course of hospital stay. This change has a dismal effect of quality oflife and prognosis. Aim: To assess the change in functional status of older people during the course of hospitalization in a geriatric unit. Material and Methods: Review of medical records of83 patients with a mean age of79years (70% women), hospitalized in an acute geriatric unit of a clinical hospital, between 2007 and 2009. Functional capacity was assessed using Barthel and Lawthon scales in a basal period, on admission and on discharge. Results: Mean hospital stay was nine days. Median scores of Barthel scale on the basal period, on admission and on discharge were 90, 50 and 80, respectively. The figures for Lawthon scale were 4,2 and 3 respectively. Seventy eight percent of patients lost functional capacity during hospital stay and 72% recovered their functional status on discharge. Conclusions: A great proportion of older people experience a loss of functional capacity during hospitalization. This deterioration can be reverted with an adequate geriatric management.

Modificacion de la potasemia por efecto de la succinilcolina / Modification of the potasemia for efects of the succinycheline

Se describen las modificaciones del potasio serico despues de la administracion de succinilcolina en pacientes anestesiados, previa inyeccion intravenosa de 3 mg de d-tubocurarina.