Cost-effectiveness of a telemonitoring program (telEPOC program) in frequently admitted chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a typical disease among chronic and respiratory diseases. The costs associated with chronic disease care are rising dramatically, and this makes it necessary to redesign care processes, including new tools which allow the health system to be more sustainable without compromising on the quality of the care, compared to that currently provided. One approach may be to use information and communication technologies. In this context, we explored the cost-effectiveness of applying a telemonitoring system to a cohort of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with frequent readmissions (the telEPOC programme).We conducted an intervention study with a control group. The inclusion criteria used were having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (forced expiratory volume in the first second/forced vital capacity < 70%) and having been hospitalised for exacerbation at least twice in the last year or three times in the last 2 years. We estimated the costs incurred by patients in each group and calculated the quality-adjusted life years and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio.Overall, 77 patients were included in the control group and 86 in the intervention group. The raw cost-effectiveness analysis showed that the cost of the telEPOC intervention was significantly lower than that of usual care, while there were no significant differences between the groups in effectiveness.The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for the intervention was €175,719.71 per quality-adjusted life-year gained.There were no differences between the intervention group (telemonitoring) and the control group (standard care) from the cost-effectiveness point of view. On the other hand, the intervention programme (telEPOC) was less expensive than routine clinical practice.

Factors associated with colon cancer early, intermediate and late recurrence after surgery for stage I-III: A 5-year prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with early, intermediate or late recurrence colon cancer recurrence. METHODS: A total of 1,732 consecutive patients with colon cancer were recruited and followed for a period of 5 years. Recurrence at 1 year (early), from 1 to 2 (early), from 2 to 3 (intermediate) and from 3 to 5 years (late) was the main outcome measures. RESULTS: Predictors of early recurrence (AUC (95% CI):0.74 (0.70-0.78) were as follows: TNM stage II and III, more than one type of invasion, haemoglobin <10 g/dl, residual tumour (R1), ASA IV, log odds of positive lymph nodes ratio ≥-0.53, perforation, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, infectious complications within 1 year and CEA pre- and post-intervention. These factors remained significant for predicting intermediate (AUC [95% CI]: 0.72 [0.67-0.77]) and late (AUC [95% CI]: 0.68 [0.63-0.74]) recurrence, except for ASA class, log lymph node ratio, perforation and neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Additionally, laterality (left) and medical complications up to 2 years were significant. CONCLUSIONS: These risk factors show good predictive ability of early, intermediate and late recurrence, confirming factors established by guidelines and adding some others. They could serve to provide more appropriate and accurate treatment and follow-up tailored to patient characteristics.

[Effectiveness of a home hospitalization program for patients with urinary tract infection after discharge from an emergency department]. / Efectividad de las unidades de hospitalización a domicilio para el tratamiento de las infecciones del tracto urinario atendidas en urgencias.

OBJECTIVES: To compare outcomes of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in patients referred to a home hospitalization program or admitted to a conventional ward after initial management in the emergency department. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective, quasi-experimental study of patients with UTIs attended in 3 hospital emergency departments in the public health system of the Basque Country, Spain, between January 2012 and June 2013. Patients were assigned to 2 groups according to site of treatment (home or hospital ward) after discharge from the emergency department. We collected sociodemographic data, history of kidney or urologic symptoms, concomitant diseases, risk for complicated UTI, presentation on admission to the emergency department, diagnostic findings, and prescribed treatments. The main outcome was poor clinical course (local complications during hospital or home care, recurrence, or readmission related to UTI. Multivariate logistic modeling was used to analyze factors related to poor clinical course. Home hospitalization was the main independent variable of interest. RESULTS: Patients referred to home hospitalization were more often women (70.6% vs 57.1% men, P=.04). Fewer cases of prior admission were recorded in the group treated at home (2.4% vs 9.5% of hospitalized patients, P=.03). Likewise, fewer home-hospitalization patients had risk factors for complicated UTI (58.7% vs 83.3% in the hospitalized group, P<.001). The only significant difference in complications between the 2 groups was a lower rate of acute confusional state in patients assigned to home hospitalization (0.8% vs 8.3% in hospitalized patients, P=.007). The frequency of poor clinical course was similar in home-hospitalized and ward-admitted patients. CONCLUSION: The clinical course of UTI is similar whether patients are hospitalized after emergency department management or discharged to a home hospitalization program.

OBJETIVO: Comparar la evolución de las infecciones del tracto urinario superior (ITUS) atendidas en urgencias que se derivan y tratan en hospitalización a domicilio (HAD) frente a las que ingresan en hospitalización convencional (HC). METODO: Estudio prospectivo, cuasiexperimental de pacientes con ITUS atendidos en tres hospitales de Osakidetza-Sistema Vasco de Salud (SVS) entre enero de 2012 y junio de 2013. Los pacientes se dividieron en 2 grupos según destino (ingresados en HAD en HC). Se recogieron datos sociodemográficos, antecedentes nefrourológicos, comorbilidades, factores de riesgo de infección complicada, forma de presentación en urgencias, pruebas diagnósticas realizadas y tratamientos prescritos. La variable de resultado principal fue la mala evolución (complicaciones locales durante el ingreso, recurrencia de la infección o reingreso relacionado con la infección). Se realizó un modelo multivariable de regresión logística para analizar la mala evolución, que incluyó el ingreso en HAD como la variable independiente principal. RESULTADOS: Los pacientes derivados a HAD incluyen una mayor proporción de mujeres (70,6% frente a 57,1%, p = 0,04), con menos ingresos previos (2,4% frente a 9,5%, p = 0,03) y menos criterios de presentar ITUS complicadas (58,7% frente a 83,3%, p < 0,001), en relación a los ingresados en HC. No hubo diferencias en complicaciones entre los dos grupos, excepto en la frecuencia de síndrome confusional que fue inferior en el grupo HAD (8,3% frente a 0,8%, p = 0,007). No se encontraron diferencias en las variables de mala evolución entre los que ingresaron en HC y en HAD. CONCLUSIONES: No hay diferencias en la evolución de los pacientes con ITUS ingresados en HAD comparados con los ingresados en HC.

Efectividad de las unidades de hospitalización a domicilio para el tratamiento de las infecciones del tracto urinario atendidas en urgencias / Effectiveness of a home hospitalization program for patients with urinary tract infection after discharge from an emergency department

Objetivo. Comparar la evolución de las infecciones del tracto urinario superior (ITUS) atendidas en urgencias que se derivan y tratan en hospitalización a domicilio (HAD) frente a las que ingresan en hospitalización convencional (HC). Método. Estudio prospectivo, cuasiexperimental de pacientes con ITUS atendidos en tres hospitales de Osakidetza-Sistema Vasco de Salud (SVS) entre enero de 2012 y junio de 2013. Los pacientes se dividieron en 2 grupos según destino (ingresados en HAD en HC). Se recogieron datos sociodemográficos, antecedentes nefrourológicos, comorbilidades, factores de riesgo de infección complicada, forma de presentación en urgencias, pruebas diagnósticas realizadas y tratamientos prescritos. La variable de resultado principal fue la mala evolución (complicaciones locales durante el ingreso, recurrencia de la infección o reingreso relacionado con la infección). Se realizó un modelo multivariable de regresión logística para analizar la mala evolución, que incluyó el ingreso en HAD como la variable independiente principal. Resultados. Los pacientes derivados a HAD incluyen una mayor proporción de mujeres (70,6% frente a 57,1%, p = 0,04), con menos ingresos previos (2,4% frente a 9,5%, p = 0,03) y menos criterios de presentar ITUS complicadas (58,7% frente a 83,3%, p < 0,001), en relación a los ingresados en HC. No hubo diferencias en complicaciones entre los dos grupos, excepto en la frecuencia de síndrome confusional que fue inferior en el grupo HAD (8,3% frente a 0,8%, p = 0,007). No se encontraron diferencias en las variables de mala evolución entre los que ingresaron en HC y en HAD. Conclusiones. No hay diferencias en la evolución de los pacientes con ITUS ingresados en HAD comparados con los ingresados en HC (AU)

Objective. To compare outcomes of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in patients referred to a home hospitalization program or admitted to a conventional ward after initial management in the emergency department. Methods. Prospective, quasi-experimental study of patients with UTIs attended in 3 hospital emergency departments in the public health system of the Basque Country, Spain, between January 2012 and June 2013. Patients were assigned to 2 groups according to site of treatment (home or hospital ward) after discharge from the emergency department. We collected sociodemographic data, history of kidney or urologic symptoms, concomitant diseases, risk for complicated UTI, presentation on admission to the emergency department, diagnostic findings, and prescribed treatments. The main outcome was poor clinical course (local complications during hospital or home care, recurrence, or readmission related to UTI. Multivariate logistic modeling was used to analyze factors related to poor clinical course. Home hospitalization was the main independent variable of interest. Results. Patients referred to home hospitalization were more often women (70.6% vs 57.1% men, P=.04). Fewer cases of prior admission were recorded in the group treated at home (2.4% vs 9.5% of hospitalized patients, P=.03). Likewise, fewer home-hospitalization patients had risk factors for complicated UTI (58.7% vs 83.3% in the hospitalized group, P<,001). The only significant difference in complications between the 2 groups was a lower rate of acute confusional state in patients assigned to home hospitalization (0.8% vs 8.3% in hospitalized patients, P=.007). The frequency of poor clinical course was similar in home-hospitalized and ward-admitted patients. Conclusion. The clinical course of UTI is similar whether patients are hospitalized after emergency department management or discharged to a home hospitalization program (AU)

Cribado de la tuberculosis en inmigrantes adolescentes indocumentados usando el QuantiFERON ®-TB Gold In-Tube / Tuberculosis screening program for undocumented immigrant teenagers using the QuantiFERON ®-TB Gold In-Tube test

Fundamento y objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio fue conocer la prevalencia de la infección tuberculosa en inmigrantes adolescentes indocumentados utilizando una estrategia con la prueba de la tuberculina (PT) para el cribado inicial y el QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) como prueba confirmativa. Pacientes y método: Se incluyeron inmigrantes adolescentes recién llegados a 2 centros de alojamiento del País Vasco (España) entre los años 2007 y 2012. La PT se aplicó en todos los participantes, y el QFT-GIT, selectivamente en los reactores con una PT ≥ 5 mm. Resultados: Completaron el estudio 845 inmigrantes, mayoritariamente africanos (99,5%). Un 51% de los inmigrantes con una PT ≥ 5 mm fue QFT-GIT positivo, que corresponde el 17% de toda la muestra. Se encontraron 2 casos con tuberculosis activa (2/845: 0,24%). La concordancia entre la PT (≥ 10 mm) y el QFT-GIT fue del 63%, con un 57% de resultados concordantes positivos y un 96% de concordantes negativos. Hubo 246 casos con PT ≥ 10 mm (29%), con diferencias significativas entre magrebíes (21,5%) y subsaharianos (67%) (p < 0,001). La vacunación con el bacilo Calmette-Guérin fue un predictor independiente de tener una PT ≥ 10 mm (odds ratio [OR] 2,11, p < 0,001) y de la discordancia PT+/QFT-GIT−, tanto para una PT ≥ 5 como para una PT ≥ 10 mm (OR 2,16, intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC 95%] 1,46-3,20, y OR 1,91, IC 95% 1,23-2,97, respectivamente). La proporción de QFT-GIT positivo aumentó significativamente con el incremento de la positividad de la PT, con asociación positiva en todos los tramos analizados: 10-14 mm (OR 7,95, IC 95% 1,79-35,33), 15-19 mm (OR 35, IC 95% 7,93-154,52) y ≥ 20 mm (OR 91,3, IC 95% 18,20-458,11). Conclusión: La alta prevalencia de infección tuberculosa latente en los inmigrantes de origen subsahariano hace recomendable la implementación de programas de cribado en esta población. Utilizando el QFT-GIT se redujo en un 43% el número de candidatos a la quimioprofilaxis con arreglo a la PT (≥ 10 mm) (AU)

Background and objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of tuberculosis infection in undocumented immigrant teenagers using a tuberculin skin test (TST) for initial screening and cuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) as a confirmatory test. Patient and method: From 2007 to 2012, under 19 year-old immigrant teenagers from 2 accommodation centers of the Basque Country (Spain) were included in the study. The TST was done in all of them and the QFT-GIT was done in selected patients with a TST ≥ 5 mm. Results: Eight hundred and forty-five immigrants were included, most of them from Africa (99.5%). Fifty-one percent of immigrants with TST ≥ 5 mm has a positive QFT-GIT. We found 2 cases of active tuberculosis (2/845: 0.24%). The concordance between TST (≥ 10 mm) and QFT-GIT was 63%, with 57% of positive concordance cases and 96% of negative concordances. There were 246 cases with TST ≥ 10 mm (29%), with significant differences between Magrebis (21.5%) and Subsaharians (67%) (P < .001). Vaccination with Calmette-Guéin bacille was an independent predictor for having a TST ≥ 10 mm (OR: 2.11; P < .001) and for the discordance TST+/QFT-GIT−, both for a TST ≥ 5 and a TST ≥ 10 mm (OR 2.16, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.46-3.20, and OR 1.91 95% CI 1.23-2.97, respectively). The positive value of QFT-GIT increased significantly as the TST increased, with a positive association in all the cut-off points analyzed: 10-14 mm (OR 7.95, 95% CI 1.79-35.33), 15-19 mm (OR 35, 95% CI 7.93-154.52) and ≥ 20 mm (OR 91.3, 95% CI 18.20-458.11). Conclusion: Due to the high prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection in Subsaharian immigrants, we recommend implementing screening programs in this population. Using QFT-GIT, the number of candidates for chemoprophylaxis was reduced to 43% compared with TST alone (≥ 10 mm) (AU)

Caregivers consequences of care among patients with eating disorders, depression or schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: The consequences of caring for a person with a mental illness can impose a substantial burden. Few studies have compared this burden among caregivers of patients with eating disorders and other mental illnesses. The objective of this study was to compare caregiver consequences in eating disorders (ED) with caregiver consequences in depression and schizophrenia, assessed with the same instrument, the Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire (IEQ). Another aim was to identify factors that may predict these consequences. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 251 caregivers of ED patients; 252 caregivers of patients with depression; and 151 caregivers of patients with schizophrenia. Caregivers completed the Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire EU Version (IEQ-EU). Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Chi-square were applied to examine the inter-variable relationships. Consequences- indexes were also computed. RESULTS: In all samples, worrying was the most commonly reported consequence of caregiving. Predictive variables for a high level of caregiver burden included being a mother or partner of the person being cared for (p = <.01), and being a caregiver of a patient with ED. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of caregiving is higher among caregivers of patients with eating disorders patients than among caregivers of patients with depression or schizophrenia. Our findings suggest that caregivers of patients with an ED could benefit from providing adequate assessment and support.

[Tuberculosis screening program for undocumented immigrant teenagers using the QuantiFERON(®)-TB Gold In-Tube test]. / Cribado de la tuberculosis en inmigrantes adolescentes indocumentados usando el QuantiFERON(®)-TB Gold In-Tube.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of tuberculosis infection in undocumented immigrant teenagers using a tuberculin skin test (TST) for initial screening and QuantiFERON(®)-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) as a confirmatory test. PATIENT AND METHOD: From 2007 to 2012, under 19 year-old immigrant teenagers from 2 accommodation centers of the Basque Country (Spain) were included in the study. The TST was done in all of them and the QFT-GIT was done in selected patients with a TST≥5mm. RESULTS: Eight hundred and forty-five immigrants were included, most of them from Africa (99.5%). Fifty-one percent of immigrants with TST ≥ 5 mm has a positive QFT-GIT. We found 2 cases of active tuberculosis (2/845: 0.24%). The concordance between TST (≥ 10 mm) and QFT-GIT was 63%, with 57% of positive concordance cases and 96% of negative concordances. There were 246 cases with TST ≥ 10 mm (29%), with significant differences between Magrebis (21.5%) and Subsaharians (67%) (P<.001). Vaccination with Calmette-Guéin bacille was an independent predictor for having a TST ≥ 10 mm (OR: 2.11; P<.001) and for the discordance TST+/QFT-GIT-, both for a TST≥5 and a TST≥10mm (OR 2.16, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.46-3.20, and OR 1.91 95% CI 1.23-2.97, respectively). The positive value of QFT-GIT increased significantly as the TST increased, with a positive association in all the cut-off points analyzed: 10-14 mm (OR 7.95, 95% CI 1.79-35.33), 15-19 mm (OR 35, 95% CI 7.93-154.52) and ≥ 20 mm (OR 91.3, 95% CI 18.20-458.11). CONCLUSION: Due to the high prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection in Subsaharian immigrants, we recommend implementing screening programs in this population. Using QFT-GIT, the number of candidates for chemoprophylaxis was reduced to 43% compared with TST alone (≥ 10 mm).