Reversible Homonymous Inferior Quadrantanopia in a Nonketotic Hyperglycemic Patient.

Homonymous hemianopia is frequently associated with retrochiasmal lesions. Vascular etiology is the most common and usually evident on magnetic resonance imaging. When the results of neuroimaging are normal, there are other etiologies that we should consider, like nonketotic hyperglycemia (NKH). We report a 62-year-old female diabetic patient with headache, colour vision and sudden homonymous inferior quadrantanopia and elevated blood sugar levels with normal pH. The neuroimaging was normal and the visual lost improved after the correction of the hyperglycemia. NKH should be considered in patients with sudden and transient hemianopia and normal neuroimaging.

[An analysis of the papers presented in national congresses of the Spanish Society of Intensive Nursing and Coronary Units in an 8-year period]. / Análisis de las comunicaciones admitidas en los congresos nacionales de la SEEIUC en 8 años (1998-2005).

INTRODUCTION: The research on critical care nursing is generally presented in the annual national congresses of the Spanish Society of Intensive Nursing and Coronary Units (SEEIUC). This study has aimed to analyze the main features of the papers presented in the above-mentioned congresses in order to get a deeper knowledge of the research capacity of our professional group. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY: A descriptive, observational and retrospective study. SAMPLE: all the papers. Dimension studied: structure and process. Time: 8 years. DATA SOURCE: a collection of the papers presented in congresses. DEVELOPMENT: collected variables: number of authors, type of paper, city and region, type of study, timing, nursing role, dimension analyzed, topic, hospital, department, type of statistics, relevance, financing, structural quality and others. Statistical processing: descriptive statistics for quantitative variables with means and standard deviation (SD); qualitative variables are written in percentages. We have contrasted hypotheses with chi(2) accepting if p < 0.05 as a statistical significance. RESULTS: Papers 736 (65-119), oral papers 270 (40.4%), mean of authors 4.87 (1-16), SD 1.97; per provinces: Barcelona 146 (19.8%); per autonomous communities: Catalonia 166 (22.6%); hospitals: University Hospital from Bellvitge 27 (4.2%); research studies 426 (65.3%); prospective studies 333 (51%), quantitative 345 (53%); with descriptive statistics 305 (46.9%); with a health perception and health management pattern 76 (10.3%); analyzed quality area: structure 379 (51.5%); with the presence of an autonomous role 380 (51.6%); most mentioned theme: respiratory care 100 (13.6%), with relevance and/or applicability 450 (69%); financed 23 (3.5%). Fulfillment of scientific structure: 97%. CONCLUSIONS: Intensive Nursing Care shows an important amount of oral papers. Research studies stand out among these papers, the former having high structural quality and relevance and/or applicability.

Análisis de las comunicaciones admitidas en los congresos nacionales de la SEEIUC en 8 años (1998-2005) / An analysis of the papers presented in national congresses of the Spanish Society of Intensive Nursing and Coronary Units in an 8-year period

Introducción. La investigación en enfermería decuidados críticos suele comunicarse en los congresosnacionales de la Sociedad Española de EnfermeríaIntensiva y Unidades Coronarias (SEEIUC) que serealiza anualmente. El objetivo de este estudio esanalizar las características principales de lascomunicaciones presentadas en este evento paraconocer en profundidad la capacidad investigadoradel colectivo.Material y método. Estudio descriptivo,observacional y retrospectivo. Muestreo: todas lascomunicaciones. Dimensión estudiada: estructura yproceso. Tiempo: 8 años. Fuente de datos: libros decomunicaciones. Desarrollo: las variables recogidasfueron el número de autores, tipo de comunicación,ciudad y región, tipo de estudio, temporalidad, rol deenfermería, dimensión estudiada, tema, hospital,servicio, tipo de estadística, relevancia, financiación,calidad estructural y otros. Procesamiento estadístico:estadística descriptiva para variables cuantitativas conmedias y desviación estándar (DE), las cualitativas seexpresan en porcentajes. Contrastes de hipótesis con X2 aceptando significación estadística si p < 0,05.Resultados. Comunicaciones 736 (65-119), enformato oral 270 (40,4%); media de autores 4,87 (1-16), DE 1,97; por provincias: Barcelona 146 (19,8%);por Comunidades: Cataluña 166 (22,6%); hospitales:Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge 27 (4,2%); estudiosde investigación 426 (65,3%); prospectivas 333(51%); cuantitativas 345 (53%); con estadísticadescriptiva 305 (46,9%); patrón percepción-manejode la salud 76 (10,3%); área de calidad estudiada:estructura 379 (51,5%); presencia de rol autónomo380 (51,6%); tema más referenciado: los cuidadosrespiratorios 100 (13,6%); con relevancia y/oaplicabilidad 450 (69%); financiadas 23 (3,5%).Cumplimiento de estructura científica: 97%.Conclusiones. La enfermería de cuidados críticospresenta un número importante de comunicacionesorales, con predominio de estudios de investigacióncon una calidad estructural alta, y con relevancia y/oaplicabilidad

Introduction. The research on critical care nursingis generally presented in the annual nationalcongresses of the Spanish Society of IntensiveNursing and Coronary Units (SEEIUC). This studyhas aimed to analyze the main features of thepapers presented in the above-mentioned congressesin order to get a deeper knowledge of the researchcapacity of our professional group.Materials and methodology. A descriptive,observational and retrospective study. Sample: allthe papers. Dimension studied: structure andprocess. Time: 8 years. Data source: a collection ofthe papers presented in congresses. Development:collected variables: number of authors, type ofpaper, city and region, type of study, timing,nursing role, dimension analyzed, topic, hospital,department, type of statistics, relevance, financing,structural quality and others.Statistical processing: descriptive statistics forquantitative variables with means and standarddeviation (SD); qualitative variables are writtenin percentages. We have contrasted hypotheseswith X2 accepting ‘if p < 0.05’ as a statisticalsignificance.Results. Papers 736 (65-119), oral papers 270(40.4%), mean of authors 4.87 (1-16), SD 1.97; perprovinces: Barcelona 146 (19.8%); per autonomouscommunities: Catalonia 166 (22.6%); hospitals:University Hospital from Bellvitge 27 (4.2%);research studies 426 (65.3%); prospective studies333 (51%), quantitative 345 (53%); withdescriptive statistics 305 (46.9%); with a healthperception and health management pattern 76(10.3%); analyzed quality area: structure 379(51.5%); with the presence of an autonomous role380 (51.6%); most mentioned theme: respiratorycare 100 (13.6%), with relevance and/orapplicability 450 (69%); financed 23 (3.5%).Fulfillment of scientific structure: 97%.Conclusions. Intensive Nursing Care shows animportant amount of oral papers. Research studiesstand out among these papers, the former havinghigh structural quality and relevance and/orapplicability

[Acute ICU syndrome. Contributing factors and attitude of the nursing staff]. / Síndrome confusional agudo en UCI: factores que influyen y actitud de enfermería.

It is not uncommon for patients in intensive care units (ICUs) to suddenly and unexpectedly present what is known as acute ICU syndrome. This syndrome appears independently of the patient's situation and diagnosis. The aim of the present study was to determine the incidence of this nursing diagnosis in our department, to identify the possible environmental factors that could contribute to its appearance and to evaluate nursing interventions to resolve this syndrome in the ICU.Data were collected from a register of 62 items containing information on the health status of the patient on presenting the syndrome (vital signs, laboratory investigations, etc.), data on the environment, drugs used and other factors that could, a priori, play a role. The statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS program. This prospective study was carried out in a general ICU with ten beds: six beds in an open ward and four individual rooms. Two hundred forty-three patients were admitted during the 6-month study period. The incidence of ICU syndrome was 8.1 % (20 cases). Factors influencing its appearance were the timing of the shifts, the temperature, and whether patients were in individual rooms or open wards. The frequency of the syndrome was much higher in open wards and in the afternoon (from 15:00 to 22:00). In conclusion, the attitude of the nursing staff should be alert to identify the syndrome early and initiate appropriate measures, such as orienting the patient in time and space, achieving an appropriate temperature, using relaxation techniques, facilitating access to the family, etc., since in 35 % of cases these measures are sufficient to stabilize and/or resolve the problem, without the need of drugs.

Síndrome confusional agudo en uci: factores que influyen y actitud de enfermería / Acute ICU syndrome. Contributing factors and attitude of the nursing staff

En la UCI se observa con cierta frecuencia que los enfermos, independientemente de su situación y enfermedad, presentan de forma brusca e inesperada lo que denominamos síndrome confusional agudo (SCA) como diagnóstico de enfermería. Los objetivos del estudio son: determinar la incidencia de este diagnóstico enfermero en nuestro servicio, conocer las posibles causas del entorno que pueden incidir de forma más importante sobre su aparición, y evaluar la intervención de enfermería para resolver el cuadro confusional agudo del paciente en UCI. Para la recogida de datos, se utilizó un registro con 62 ítems en el que quedan reflejadas las variables sobre el estado del paciente cuando se presentaba el cuadro (constantes vitales, parámetros analíticos, etc.), datos del entorno, fármacos utilizados, y otros factores que a priori podían incidir. Se realizó procesamiento estadístico con el programa estadístico SPSS. El estudio se desarrolló de forma prospectiva, en una UCI polivalente de 10 camas, con 6 camas abiertas y 4 en boxes cerrados. Durante el período de estudio (6 meses), ingresaron 243 enfermos. La incidencia del SCA fue del 8,1 por ciento (20 casos). Como factores que inciden en su aparición se detectaron: el turno horario, el ambiente, y la situación de boxes individuales o camas abiertas, siendo destacable la aparición del cuadro con mucha mayor frecuencia en estas últimas, y en horario de tardes (15 a 22 h). Como conclusión, es importante destacar "la actitud de enfermería" que debe estar alerta para identificar el cuadro precozmente e iniciar las medidas oportunas, como orientar en tiempo y espacio, procurar un ambiente adecuado, emplear técnicas de relajación, facilitar el acceso a la familia, etc., ya que en el 35 por ciento de los casos ha resultado "eficaz" para estabilizar y/o resolver este problema, sin necesidad de fármacos (AU)