Rehabilitative treatment of cleft lip and palate: experience of the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies/USP (HRAC/USP) - Part 5: Institutional outcomes assessment and the role of the Laboratory of Physiology

The Laboratory of Physiology provides support for the diagnosis of functional disorders associated with cleft lip and palate and also conducts studies to assess, objectively, the institutional outcomes, as recommended by the World Health Organization. The Laboratory is conceptually divided into three units, namely the Unit for Upper Airway Studies, Unit for Stomatognathic System Studies and the Unit for Sleep Studies, which aims at analyzing the impact of different surgical and dental procedures on the upper airways, stomatognathic system and the quality of sleep of individuals with cleft lip and palate. This paper describes the main goals of the Laboratory in the assessment of procedures which constitute the basis of the rehabilitation of cleft lip and palate, i.e., Plastic Surgery, Orthodontics and Maxillofacial Surgery and Speech Pathology.

Las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles en México: sinopsis epidemiológica y prevención integral / Chronic non-communicable diseases in Mexico: epidemiologic synopsis and integral prevention

El gobierno federal desarrolla acciones para reducir la mortalidad por las "enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles" (ECNT). Una de ellas es la creación de unidades médicas de especialidad (Uneme) diseñadas para el tratamiento especializado de las ECNT (sobrepeso, obesidad, riesgo cardiovascular y diabetes). La intervención se basa en la participación de un grupo multidisciplinario entrenado ex profeso, la educación del paciente sobre su salud, la incorporación de la familia al tratamiento y la resolución de las condiciones que limitan la observancia de las recomendaciones. El tratamiento está indicado con base en protocolos estandarizados. La eficacia de la intervención se evalúa en forma sistemática mediante indicadores cuantitativos predefinidos. Se espera que las Uneme resulten en ahorros para el sistema de salud. En suma, este último desarrolla mejores medidas de control para las ECNT. La evaluación del desempeño de las Uneme generará información para planear acciones preventivas futuras.

The federal government has implemented several strategies to reduce mortality caused by chronic non-communicable diseases (CNTD). One example is the development of medical units specialized in the care of CNTD (i.e. overweight, obesity, cardiovascular risk and diabetes), named UNEMES (from its Spanish initials). These units -consisting of an ad-hoc, trained, multi-disciplinary team- will provide patient education, help in the resolution of obstacles limiting treatment adherence, and involve the family in patient care. Treatment will be provided using standardized protocols. The efficacy of the intervention will be regularly measured using pre-specified outcomes. We expect that these UNEMES will result in significant savings. In summary, our health care system is developing better treatment strategies for CNTD. Evaluating the performance of the UNEMES will generate valuable information for the design of future preventive actions.

Capacitación Participativa para el desarrollo institucional: Informe de la sistematización del plan piloto / Participativa qualification for the institutional development: Report of the systematization of the plan pilot

El presente informe contiene los resultados de la evaluaci¢n realizada al Plan Piloto propuesto por el Seguro Social Campesino, la Escuela de Enfermer¡a de la Universidad de Cuenca y el Servicio Holandés de Cooperaci¢n al Desarrollo para la capacitaci¢n a auxiliares de enfermer¡a con enfoque comunitario. En base a encuestas dirigidas a los participantes del plan, as¡ como a los campesinos, se valora el cumplimiento de objetivos y las actividades de capacitaci¢n efectuadas...

Management of interstitial lung disease: an audit at a university teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia.

To assess the management of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in relation to the published guidelines 122 consecutive cases were analyzed. Clinical features and non-invasive laboratory tests led to the diagnosis in nearly one sixth of the patients (16%), mainly CTD and a few miscellaneous disorders. In another sixth the diagnosis was reached by means of a transbronchial lung biopsy, particularly in sarcoidosis. Nearly a third had surgical lung biopsies, which were diagnostic in 98%. The diagnoses were reached in 82 patients (67%) and include: cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis (20), sarcoidosis (16), connective tissue disease (17) and miscellaneous (29). The remaining third were undiagnosed, and this group had a higher mean age and was much less likely to receive immunosuppressive therapy than any group with a specific diagnosis. It is concluded that while physicians reached a specific diagnosis in most cases of ILD, commonly through a lung biopsy. A sizeable proportion (nearly a third), or remained undiagnosed and those were less likely to be treated and had a poorer prognosis. The availability of less invasive techniques should encourage physicians to obtain a biopsy since this is likely to lead to a more active approach to therapy.

Factores médicos, familiares y administrativos que influyen en las defunciones tempranas de un Hospital Pediátrico / Medical, familiar and administrative factors involved in early deaths in a pediatric hospital

Introducción. La mortalidad que ocurre en las primeras horas de estancia hospitalaria está relacionada con otros factores además de la atención médica, por lo que el objetivo de estudio fue determinar los factores médicos, familiares y administrativos asociados a defunsiones tempranas de pacientes pediátricos hospitalizados. Material y métodos. Estudio de casos y controles pareado. Casos: defunciones ocurridas antes de 72 horas de estancia hospitalaria. Controles: defunsiones ocurridas después de 72 horas de estancia y pacientes egresados vivos. Revisión de expedientes de 1990-1993. Resultados. Las defunciones tempranas se asociaron con gravedad (OR = 15, IC = 1.8-290), tener más de una hospitalización (OR = 2.9, IC = 1.28-6.9), el estado nutricional alterado (OR = 2.1, IC = 1.1-4.1) y deficiencia en la atención de paciente (OR = 5.8, IC = 2.5-1.4) al comparar con los controles vivos. El traslado al hospital duarante los turnos vespertino y nocturno tuvo un riesgo de 3.7 (IC = 1.04-17.1), al comparar con pacientes que fallecieron después de 72 horas; haber sido trasladado por falta de recursos y el ingreso espontáneo al hospital, se asociaron con ambos tipos de controles. No se encontró relación entre los factores familiares y las defunciones tempranas. Conclusiones. La gravedad y los factores administrativos tienen una fuerte asociación con las defunciones ocurridas en las primeras 72 horas