ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: There is no information on the use of the spirometry as a confirmatory tool for the diagnosis of COPD at the hospital setting. To determine the pattern of use of the spirometry (SPIR) in comparison with the use of the echocardiography (ECHO) in heart failure (HF). METHODS: We included those patients that during one year they were discharge with the primary diagnosis of "COPD exacerbation" or "Heart Failure" (codes: ICM-9-CM: 491.21 y 428). From the generated list, history charts were reviewed and original SPIR and ECHO were pooled out from the pulmonary function test and non-invasive cardiac unit departments. RESULTS: Among 408 patients with COPD, SPIR was done in 110 (27%) and among 328 patients with HF, ECHO was prescribed in 250 (76%) (p < 0,001). COPD group was younger (71.8 +/- 9.8 vs. 74.9 +/- 10.6, p < 0,001), but no other differences were found with HF group. Among those patients who had SPIR, age was lower (69.5 +/- 9.1 vs. 72.5 +/- 9.9, p=0,005) and there was a high % of in-patients carried by pulmonology versus internal medicine (30 vs. 13%, p < 0,002) comparing with the group of patients who had no SPIR. CONCLUSIONS: We found a small percentage of COPD patients who had spirometry during hospitalization due to COPD exacerbation. This peculiar pattern of the limited use of the confirmatory diagnostic test appear disease-specific since we also found a large percentage of patient with heart failure who had echocardiography during their hospitalization.
Subject(s)
Echocardiography/statistics & numerical data , Heart Failure/diagnosis , Hospitalization , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/diagnosis , Spirometry/statistics & numerical data , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Objetivo: El uso de la prueba complementaria confirmadora del diagnóstico de EPOC (espirometría) a nivel hospitalario es desconocido. Se pretende determinar el uso de la espirometría (ESPIR) y comparativamente de la ecocardiografía (ECO) en la insuficiencia cardiaca (IC) en pacientes ingresados por exacerbación de estas entidades. Métodos: Se incluyeron pacientes que a lo largo de un año fueron dados de alta con los diagnósticos primarios de exacerbación de EPOC y de insuficiencia cardiaca (códigos ICD-9-CM: 491.21 y 428, respectivamente). A partir del listado, se revisaron todas las historias clínicas y se obtuvieron los datos originales de las ESPIR y de las ECO de los gabinetes donde se realizaron las pruebas. Resultados: De 408 pacientes ingresados por EPOC, se realizó ESPIR en 110 (27%) y de los 328 pacientes con IC se obtuvo ECO en 250 (76%) (p < 0,001). Salvo una menor edad de los pacientes con EPOC (71,8 ± 9,8 vs. 74,9 ± 10,6, p < 0,001), no hubo diferencias entre ambos grupos. El subgrupo en que se realizó ESPIR, mostró una edad mas baja (69,5 ± 9,1 vs. 72,5 ± 9,9, p = 0,005) y un % de ingresos en Neumología respecto a Medicina Interna mas alto (30 vs. 13%, p < 0,002), respecto al subgrupo si ESPIR. Conclusiones: Se evidencia un escaso uso de la espirometría en pacientes ingresados por exacerbación de EPOC. La baja prevalencia de prescripción de esta prueba confirmatoria comparativamente con la alta prescripción de la ecocardiografía para pacientes ingresados por IC, parece indicar que este comportamiento es enfermedad-específico
Background and objective: There is no information on the use of the spirometry as a confirmatory tool for the diagnosis of COPD at the hospital setting. To determine the pattern of use of the spirometry (SPIR) in comparison with the use of the echocardiography (ECHO) in heart failure (HF). Methods: We included those patients that during one year they were discharge with the primary diagnosis of COPD exacerbation or Heart Failure (codes: ICM-9-CM: 491.21 y 428). From the generated list, history charts were reviewed and original SPIR and ECHO were pooled out from the pulmonary function test and non-invasive cardiac unit departments. Results: Among 408 patients with COPD, SPIR was done in 110(27%) and among 328 patients with HF, ECHO was prescribed in 250 (76%) (p < 0,001). COPD group was younger (71.8 ± 9.8 vs. 74.9 ±10.6, p < 0,001), but no other differences were found with HF group. Among those patients who had SPIR, age was lower (69.5 ± 9.1 vs. 72.5± 9.9, p=0,005) and there was a high % of in-patients carried by pulmonology versus internal medicine (30 vs. 13%, p < 0,002) comparing with the group of patients who had no SPIR. Conclusions: We found a small percentage of COPD patients whohad spirometry during hospitalization due to COPD exacerbation. This peculiar pattern of the limited use of the confirmatory diagnostic test appear disease-specific since we also found a large percentage of patient with heart failure who had echocardiography during their hospitalization
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Spirometry/methods , Spirometry/statistics & numerical data , Echocardiography/methods , Echocardiography/statistics & numerical data , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/diagnosis , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/epidemiology , Lung Diseases/diagnosis , Lung Diseases/epidemiology , Hospitals, University/statistics & numerical data , Hospitals, University/trends , Length of Stay/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Chronic cough is one of the main causes of medical consultation. There is not however an homogeneous attitude regarding its management. A prospective evaluation was performed of a simple therapeutic protocol based on the anatomical approach of the cough reflex. METHODS: A total of 110 patients with chronic cough for longer than four weeks were studied. The exclusion criteria were: non-smoking during the last year, not to have diseases compromising the immune system and not to have received inhibitors of the angiotensing converting enzyme. A three-visit stepwise approach was performed with specific diagnostic tests ordered and a specific therapy instituted according to the clinical suspicion. RESULTS: At the third visit, 97% of patients were free from cough or had improved markedly. Cough causes were identified in 105 cases (95%) and the most common were: asthma (33%), postnasal dripping (29%), gastroesophageal reflux (10%), and asthma with associated gastroesophageal reflux (16%). Patients with asthma had a longer duration of tos compared with those who had postnasal dripping (p < 0.05) as the only differential feature. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic-therapeutic diagram based on the anatomic reflex of cough is useful for the management of chronic cough in a highly demanded medical office. With this protocol, the cause of cough can be identified and treated successfully in almost every patient with a small number of diagnostic tests and medical visits.
Subject(s)
Cough , Adult , Asthma/diagnosis , Chronic Disease , Cough/etiology , Cough/therapy , Female , Gastroesophageal Reflux/diagnosis , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
Introducción. La tos crónica es una de las principales causas de consulta médica; no existe, sin embargo, una actitud homogénea respecto a su manejo. Evaluamos de forma prospectiva un sencillo protocolo de tratamiento basado en la aproximación anatómica del reflejo de la tos. Métodos. Se estudiaron 110 pacientes que padecían tos crónica por más de cuatro semanas y los siguientes criterios de exclusión: no fumar en el último año, no padecer enfermedades que comprometen la inmunidad y no recibir inhibidores de la enzima de conversión de la angiotensina. Se realizó una aproximación 'paso a paso' consistente en tres visitas en las que se solicitaron pruebas diagnósticas y se instituyó un tratamiento específico de acuerdo con la sospecha clínica. Resultados. A la tercera visita el 97 por ciento de los pacientes estaba sin tos o había mejorado de forma notable. Las causas de la tos se identificaron en 105 casos (95 por ciento), siendo las más comunes: asma (33 por ciento), síndrome de goteo postnasal (29 por ciento), reflujo gastroesofágico (10 por ciento) y asma con reflujo gastroesofágico asociado (16 por ciento). Los pacientes con asma presentaron una mayor duración de la tos en comparación con los que presentaron goteo postnasal (p < 0,05) como única característica diferencial. Conclusiones. El diagrama diagnóstico-terapéutico basado en la anatomía del reflejo de la tos es útil para el manejo de la tos crónica en una consulta de alta demanda. Con este protocolo la causa de la tos puede ser identificada y tratada con éxito en casi todos los pacientes con un reducido número de pruebas diagnósticas y visitas médicas (AU)
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