ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of continuing education within the team (FCI, in Spanish) on the quality of minor surgery. DESIGN: Study of level of quality. SETTING. Primary care. PARTICIPANTS: First evaluation: all the lesions referred for biopsy during 1998 (62 samples). Second evaluation: those referred in 1999-2000 (150). MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Four explicit criteria regulating procedure and result were designed: C1, sufficient information; C2, correct referral; C3, correct extirpation of lesion; C4, clinical-pathological concordance. Request forms and anatomical-pathological reports were assessed. Evaluation was before and after corrective measures (FCI and organisational changes designed to support FCI). The Kappa index of inter-observer concordance, the Compliance Index and Fisher's Z index were analysed. RESULTS: 62 lesions were included in the first evaluation, with high reliability for C1 and C4, good for C2 and moderate for C3. 150 lesions were included in the second evaluation. The compliance indices showed statistically significant increases from the first to the second evaluation for C1 (38.09% and 50.66%, relative improvement of 19%) and C4 (68.85% and 85.2%, relative improvement of 53%). C2 showed an improvement, but without statistical significance (87.30% and 92.66%). The compliance index for C3 dropped (94.73% and 87.50%). 5.33% of cases in the second evaluation (8 biopsies) were malignant or pre-malignant lesions, compared with 20.96% in the first (P<.05). 100% of these latter showed free resection limits. 77.99% of lesions studied through a biopsy in the second evaluation were nevus, seborrhoeic keratosis or dermatofibroma. CONCLUSIONS: FCI is a valid strategy for improving the quality of programmes of minor surgery in primary care. There was significant improvement in the identification of malignant and pre-malignant pathology, in correct referral and in the clinical-pathological concordance of the lesions.
Subject(s)
Education, Medical, Continuing , General Surgery/education , Minor Surgical Procedures/standards , Primary Health Care , Group Processes , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Objetivo. Evaluar el impacto de la formación continuada intraequipo (FCI) en la calidad de la cirugía menor (CM).Diseño. Estudio de nivel de calidad. Emplazamiento. Atención primaria. Participantes. Primera evaluación: todas las lesiones remitidas para biopsia durante 1998 (62 muestras). Segunda evaluación: las remitidas durante 1999-2000 (150).Mediciones principales. Se diseñaron 4 criterios explícitos y normativos de proceso y resultado: C1: información suficiente; C2: remisión adecuada; C3: extirpación lesional correcta, y C4: concordancia clinicopatológica. Se evaluaron hojas de solicitud e informes anatomopatológicos. Evaluación antes y después de medidas correctoras (FCI y cambios organizativos diseñados para potenciarla). Se analizó el índice Kappa de concordancia interobservador, el índice de cumplimiento (IC) y la Z de Fisher. Resultados. En la primera evaluación se incluyeron 62 lesiones, con una fiabilidad alta para C1 y C4, buena para C2 y moderada para C3. En la segunda evaluación se incluyeron 150 lesiones. Entre la primera y la segunda evaluación, los índices de cumplimiento presentaron incrementos estadísticamente significativos para C1 (38,09 per cent y 50,66 per cent; mejora relativa del 19 per cent) y C4 (68,85 per cent y 85,2 per cent; mejora relativa del 53 per cent). C2 presentó mejoría estadísticamente no significativa (87,30 per cent y 92,66 per cent). El índice de cumplimiento de C3 presentó una disminución (94,73 per cent y 87,50 per cent). Un 5,33 per cent de casos en la segunda evaluación (8 biopsias) fueron lesiones malignas y premalignas respecto al 20,96 per cent de la primera (p < 0,05). El 100 per cent de estas últimas presentó límites de resección libres. Un 77,99 per cent de las lesiones biopsiadas en la segunda evaluación fueron nevus, queratosis seborreicas y dermatofibromas. Conclusiones. La FCI es una estrategia válida para mejorar la calidad de programas de CM en atención primaria, observándose mejora significativa en la discriminación de patología maligna y premaligna, en la correcta derivación y en la concordancia clinicopatológica de las lesiones (AU)
Subject(s)
Adult , Male , Female , Humans , Primary Health Care , Appointments and Schedules , Education, Medical, Continuing , Minor Surgical Procedures , General Surgery , Time Factors , Models, Theoretical , Practice Management, Medical , Retrospective Studies , Age Factors , Longitudinal Studies , Group Processes , Family PracticeABSTRACT
Treatment of chronic urticaria presents a challenge to both practitioner and patient. Traditional H1 antagonists with good efficacy but substantial side effects are being supplanted in many cases by nonsedating H1. Combinations of H1 and H2 antagonists offer improved results for selected patients. Second-line therapies include a wide range of drugs such as doxepin, dapsone, attenuated androgens, calcium antagonists, antimalarials, gold and methotrexate. The most effective and regularly used second-line agents are corticosteroids. These are best limited to short term crisis management, except in severe recalcitrant cases, and in patients with pressure urticaria or urticarial vasculitis. Further development and investigation of mast cell stabilisers and inhibitors of urticaria mediators other than histamine hold promise. A better understanding of the underlying pathogenesis remains the greatest hope of formulating rational and effective therapy.
Subject(s)
Histamine H1 Antagonists/therapeutic use , Urticaria/drug therapy , Chronic Disease , Histamine H1 Antagonists/pharmacokinetics , Histamine H2 Antagonists/pharmacokinetics , Histamine H2 Antagonists/therapeutic use , HumansABSTRACT
Histamine is a major mediator of the allergic reaction, and histamine H1-receptor antagonists have a long history of clinical efficacy in a variety of allergic disorders. The pathogenesis of allergic disease is complex, involving not only histamine and mast cell-derived tryptase, but also eosinophil and neutrophil derived mediators, cytokines, and intercellular adhesion molecules (ICAM-1). A number of "in vitro" and "in vivo" studies have been performed to assess the clinical effectiveness of antihistamines in inhibiting the allergen-induced inflammatory process in the skin and mucosa. In vitro human studies have shown that high concentration of second generation antihistamines can block inflammatory mediator release from basophils and mast cells, and reduce ICAM-1 expression in epithelial cell lines. In vivo studies have also shown an effect on the allergen-induced inflammatory reaction; both oral and intranasal antihistamines cause a reduction in nasal symptoms and inflammatory cell influx. Analysis of secretory fluids and tissues after challenge indicates that antihistamines interfere with mediator release. Recruitment of inflammatory cells to the site of the allergic insult is also disturbed by antihistamines of second-generation, suggesting that these drugs may inhibit upregulation of molecules involved in cell adhesion and migration, and perhaps they may interfere with the cytokine cascade through their ability of stabilizing mast cells and of limiting the incursion of inflammatory cells. This article reviews available human data on the antiallergic effects of antihistamines.
