¿Es efectivo el ustekinumab para la artritis psoriásica que no responde a tratamiento inicial? / Is ustekinumab effective for psoriatic arthritis with insufficient response to initial treatment?

INTRODUCCIÓN: La artritis psoriásica es una artritis inflamatoria sin una clara etiología, con el tratamiento biológico como un pilar fundamental en pacientes más complejos. Existen varias alternativas para tratamiento biológico, debido a su alto costo, es importante evaluar la real efectividad de estos para un buen tratamiento. MÉTODOS: Para responder esta pregunta utilizamos Epistemonikos, la mayor base de datos de revisiones sistemáticas en salud a nivel mundial, la cual es mantenida mediante búsquedas en múltiples fuentes de información, incluyendo MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, entre otras. Extrajimos los datos desde las revisiones identificadas, reanalizamos los datos de los estudios primarios, realizamos un metanálisis y preparamos una tabla de resumen de los resultados utilizando el método GRADE. RESULTADOS Y CONCLUSIONES: Identificamos 12 revisiones sistemáticas que en conjunto incluyen tres ensayos aleatorizados. Concluimos que el ustekinumab logra una mejoría clínica en pacientes con psoriasis, y probablemente no se asocia a efectos adversos graves.

INTRODUCTION: Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory arthritis without a clear etiology. Biological therapy is key for its treatment, especially in more complex patients. There are several alternatives for biological treatment, but due to its high cost, it is important to evaluate their real effectiveness. METHODS: To answer this question we used Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is maintained by screening multiple information sources, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. We extracted data from the systematic reviews, reanalyzed data of primary studies, conducted a meta-analysis and generated a summary of findings table using the GRADE approach. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We identified 12 systematic reviews including three randomized trials overall. We concluded ustekinumab leads to clinical improvement in psoriatic arthritis, and probably is not associated to severe adverse effects.

Tuberculosis infantil: estudio de tendencia en la Región Sanitaria V de la provincia de Buenos Aires, años 2000-2014 / Childhood tuberculosis: A trend analysis in Public Health Region V of the Province of Buenos Aires, 2000-2014

La prevención, el diagnóstico y el tratamiento de la Tuberculosis Infantil (TBI), no ha sido suficientemente reconocida como causa importante de enfermedad y muerte entre los 0 a 14 años. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue analizar la situación epidemiológica de la TBI en la Región Sanitaria V (RSV), provincia de Buenos Aires. Es un estudio observacional longitudinal, realizado entre el 1º de enero del 2000 y el 31 de diciembre de 2014. Se efectuó un análisis de tendencia sobre un total de 2.142 casos de Tuberculosis Infantil, calculada por regresión lineal simple y expresada como variación anual promedio (VAP). Se analizó el número de casos notificados y tasas de incidencia(TI) por 100.000 habitantes de todas las formas de TBI, TBI pulmonar (TBIP) y TBIP confirmada por bacteriología. La TBP se estudió desagregada en dos grupos de edad: 0 a 4 y 5 a 14 años. Resultados: La tasa de incidencia de TBI y la tasa de incidencia de la TBIP presentaron una tendencia neta al descenso, con una declinación mayor al 5% y similar a la TBIP entre los 0 a 4 años y entre los 5 a 14 años. En cambio, la tasa de incidencia de la TBIP confirmada del total de los casos y en los dos subgrupos, la tendencia al descenso fue mínima y no resultó estadísticamente significativa. La TB se mantiene como un riesgo de salud en la RSV, con la mayor afectación en edades jóvenes, hecho que refleja la tendencia de una transmisión reciente y que se asocia cuando no se ha logrado controlar la enfermedad (AU)

Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood tuberculosis (childhood TB) is underrecognized as an important cause of disease and death between 0 and 14 years of age. The aim of this study was to analyze the epidemiological situation of childhood TB in the Public Health Region V (PHRV), the province of Buenos Aires. In a longitudinal, observational study conducted between January 1, 2000 and December, 2014.A trend analysis was performed in a total of 2,142 cases of childhood TB, calculated by simple linear regression and expressed as average annual rate (AAR). The number of reported cases and incidence rate (IR) were calculated per 100,000 inhabitants of all forms of childhood TB, childhood lung TB, and childhood lung TB confirmed by bacteriological tests. Lung TB was assessed according to age group: 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 years. Results: IR of childhood TB and IR of childhood lung TB showed a net downward trend, with a greater than 5% decrease and similar to childhood lung TB between children between 0 and 4 years and those between 5 and 14 years of age. However, the IR of confirmed childhood lung TB of the total of cases and in the two subgroups showed a minimal downward trend and was not statistically significant. TB remains a health risk in PHRV, with a higher incidence in children, reflecting a trend of recent transmission and associated with a lack of disease control (AU)

Craneoplastia con vendaje. nuevas formas de limitación del tratamiento de soporte vital y donación de órganos / Cranioplasty with bandaging. new forms of limitation of life support and organ donation

La mayoría de los órganos trasplantados proceden de donantes fallecidos en muerte encefálica (ME). En pacientes neurocríticos con lesiones catastróficas y craniectomía descompresiva (CD) que tienen una pésima evolución a pesar de todo el tratamiento, la CD puede llegar a ser una medida fútil que impida la evolución natural hacia la ME. Planteamos si realizar un vendaje compresivo pericraneal (craneoplastia con vendaje) puede ser una práctica éticamente correcta y comparable a otras formas habituales de limitación del tratamiento de soporte vital (LTSV).A partir de un caso clínico, realizamos una consulta al Comité de Ética Asistencial y a expertos bioéticos, formulando las siguientes cuestiones: 1) En pacientes que se decide la LTSV ¿es éticamente correcto realizar una craneoplastia con vendaje? 2) ¿Es preferible esta opción considerando una posible donación de órganos? Conclusiones 1) La craneoplastia con vendaje puede ser considerada una forma de LTSV éticamente aceptable y similar a otros procedimientos 2) Facilita la donación de órganos para trasplante, lo que aporta valor añadido por el bien social correspondiente 3) En estos casos, es necesario conocer las instrucciones previas del paciente y en su ausencia, obtener el consentimiento familiar por delegación tras un informe detallado del procedimiento (AU)

Most of transplanted organs are obtained from brain death (BD) donors. In neurocritical patients with catastrophic injuries and decompressive craniectomy (DC), which show a dreadful development in spite of this treatment, DC could be a futile tool to avoid natural progress to BD. We propose if cranial compressive bandage (cranioplasty with bandage) could be an ethically correct practice, similar to other life-sustaining treatment limitation (LSTL) common methods. Based on a clinical case, we contacted with the Assistance Ethics Committee and some bioethics professionals asking them two questions: 1) Is ethically correct to perform acranioplasty with bandage in those patients with LSTL indication? 2) Thinking in organ donation possibility, is this option preferable? Conclusions 1) Cranioplasty with bandage could be considered an ethically acceptable LSTL practice, similar to other procedures. 2) It facilitates organ donation for transplant, which provides value-added because of its own social good. 3) In these cases, it is necessary to know previous patient's will or, in absentia, to obtain family consent after a detailed procedure report (AU)

Cranioplasty with bandaging. New forms of limitation of life support and organ donation.

Most of transplanted organs are obtained from brain death (BD) donors. In neurocritical patients with catastrophic injuries and decompressive craniectomy (DC), which show a dreadful development in spite of this treatment, DC could be a futile tool to avoid natural progress to BD. We propose if cranial compressive bandage (cranioplasty with bandage) could be an ethically correct practice, similar to other life-sustaining treatment limitation (LSTL) common methods. Based on a clinical case, we contacted with the Assistance Ethics Committee and some bioethics professionals asking them two questions: 1) Is ethically correct to perform a cranioplasty with bandage in those patients with LSTL indication? 2) Thinking in organ donation possibility, is this option preferable? Conclusions 1) Cranioplasty with bandage could be considered an ethically acceptable LSTL practice, similar to other procedures. 2) It facilitates organ donation for transplant, which provides value-added because of its own social good. 3) In these cases, it is necessary to know previous patient's will or, in absentia, to obtain family consent after a detailed procedure report.

Usability Evaluation of An Electronic Medication Administration Record (eMAR) Application.

BACKGROUND: Electronic medication administration records (eMARs) have been widely used in recent years. However, formal usability evaluations are not yet available for these vendor applications, especially from the perspective of nurses, the largest group of eMAR users. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a formal usability evaluation of an implemented eMAR. METHODS: Four evaluators examined a commercial vendor eMAR using heuristic evaluation techniques. The evaluators defined seven tasks typical of eMAR use and independently evaluated the application. Consensus techniques were used to obtain 100% agreement of identified usability problems and severity ratings. Findings were reviewed with 5 clinical staff nurses and the Director of Clinical Informatics who verified findings with a small group of clinical nurses. RESULTS: Evaluators found 60 usability problems categorized into 233 heuristic violations. Match, Error, and Visibility heuristics were the most frequently violated. Administer Medication and Order and Modify Medications tasks had the highest number of heuristic violations and usability problems rated as major or catastrophic. CONCLUSION: The high number of usability problems could impact the effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction of nurses' medication administration activities and may include concerns about patient safety. Usability is a joint responsibility between sites and vendors. We offer a call to action for usability evaluations at all sites and eMAR application redesign as necessary to improve the user experience and promote patient safety.

Neumonía por Pneumocystis carinii asociada a cirrosis hepática y tratamiento con corticoides en un pacienteseronegativo para el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana / Pneumocystis carnii pneumonia in a patient without human immunodeficiency virus: association with liver cirrhosis and corticosteroid treatment

Se presenta el caso de un paciente de 44 años, diagnosticado de cirrosis e insuficiencia hepática de origen enólico, que 2 meses antes recibió tratamiento con 40 mg/día de prednisona por un brote de hepatitis alcohólica. En el momento del ingreso presentaba una descompensación hepática de origen multifactorial que evolucionó a insuficiencia respiratoria aguda, patrón alveolointersticial difuso en la radiografía de tórax, disfunción orgánica y fallecimiento. Se estableció el diagnóstico de neumonía por Pneumocystis carinii al observar quistes en muestras de lavado broncoalveolar y catéter telescopado protegido. La serología para el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana fue negativa, con valores normales de linfocitos CD4+ y CD8+. El estudio necroscópico confirmó el diagnóstico de cirrosis hepática y neumonía por P. carinii. Tras revisar la bibliografía hemos comprobado la infrecuente asociación entre neumonía por P. carinii y cirrosis hepática con tratamiento corticoideo (AU)