The Spanish Version of the Fear of Kidney Failure Questionnaire: Validity, Reliability, and Characterization of Living Donors With the Highest Fear of Kidney Failure.

BACKGROUND: Measures of fear of progression or recurrence of illnesses have been criticized for neglecting cross-cultural validity. Therefore, we assessed the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Fear of Kidney Failure Questionnaire (FKFQ), to determine whether postdonation fear of kidney failure (FKF) influenced the donors' psychosocial status, and define variables that characterized donors with high FKFQ scores. METHODS: We included 492 participants (211 donors) in a multicenter, 11-year, retrospective, cross-sectional study. Donors were classified with a Latent Class Analysis of the FKFQ-item scores and characterized with a multivariable logistic regression analysis. We calculated the risk ratio based on predicted marginal probabilities. RESULTS: The Spanish version of the FKFQ showed acceptable psychometric properties. FKF was uncommon among donors, but we detected a small subgroup (n = 21, 9.9%) with high FKF (mean FKFQ score = 14.5, 3.1 SD). Compared with other donors, these donors reported higher anxiety and depression (38% and 29% of potential anxiety and depressive disorders), worse quality of life, and less satisfaction with the donation. Donors with high FKFQ scores were characterized by higher neuroticism combined with postdonation physical symptoms that interfered with daily activities. CONCLUSIONS: The FKFQ was cross-culturally valid, and thus, it may be used to assess the FKF in Spanish-speaking donors. New interventions that promote positive affectivity and evidence-based treatments for worry could be adapted for treating FKF.

Cumplimiento estimado de los estándares de calidad propuestos en Cuidados Paliativos dentro de Unidades de Hospitalización de Oncología / Estimated compliance of Oncology Inpatient Units with the quality standards proposed in Palliative Care

Introducción: En 2006 se publicó la propuesta de la SECPAL y el Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo de indicadores de calidad en Cuidados Paliativos con la proporción de cumplimiento de cada uno que se plantea como referencia. Objetivo: Realizar una estimación del cumplimiento de estos estándares en la atención de enfermos oncológicos avanzados en Unidades de Oncología Médica. Material y métodos: Doce profesionales (oncólogos y enfermeras) de cuatro Unidades de Hospitalización que atienden enfermos de Oncología Médica realizaron una estimación del porcentaje de cumplimiento en su unidad de los 35 indicadores de calidad de la SECPAL. Para cada estándar se calcula la media de las estimaciones y se compara con el estándar recomendado de cumplimiento. Resultados: La media de las estimaciones de cumplimiento se encuentra dentro de los estándares propuestos en nueve (26%) de los 35 indicadores. De los otros 26 indicadores, en 20(77%) la diferencia respecto al estándar superaba el 10%. No se consideró que se alcanzasen los estándares en ninguno de los 16 indicadores que exigían un cumplimiento del100%. La media de cumplimiento fue de 9,5 estándares (límites: 8-12) por hospital. Solo se estimó que cuatro (11%) de los 35 indicadores se cumplían adecuadamente en todos los hospitales (..) (AU)

Introduction: In 2006 the Sociedad Española de Cuidados Paliativos (Spanish Society of Palliative Care, SECPAL) and the Spanish Ministry of Health published a proposal of quality standards on Palliative Care. It included a reference of the proposed acceptable percentage of compliance of these indicators. Many advanced cancer patients are treated in Medical Oncology Units, but there are no data on how these standards are observed in these patients. Objective: To obtain an estimate of the compliance with these standards in the care of advanced cancer patients admitted to Medical Oncology Units. Methods: Six oncologists and six nurses from four different Medical Oncology Units gave an estimate of the compliance rate of the 35 quality indicators proposed by SECPAL. For each standard, the mean of the estimations was compared with the recommended standard of compliance. Results: The mean estimates of compliance is within the proposed standards in nine (26%) of the35 indicators. On the remaining 26 indicators, in 20 (77%) the difference between the estimated value and the reference rate was above 10%. No indicator that required 100% compliance was considered achieved. In every Hospital a mean of 9.5 standards (range: 8 to 12) were fulfilled. Only in four (11%) indicators were the estimations entered within standards in all the four (..) (AU)

Spontaneous remission of nephrotic syndrome in membranous nephropathy with chronic renal impairment.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous remission (SR) of nephrotic syndrome, in the absence of immunosuppressive treatment, is relatively common among patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) and normal renal function. However, it has not been reported in patients with chronic renal impairment. METHODS: All patients with IMN who had developed SR in the presence of chronic renal insufficiency were identified among the nephrology departments that belong to the Spanish Group for the Study of Glomerular Diseases (GLOSEN). Their characteristics and outcome after SR were studied. RESULTS: Eleven patients were identified. All of them showed renal insufficiency and nephrotic syndrome at the time of renal biopsy. Serum creatinine (Scr) continued to increase in the following months, reaching a peak value of 2.6 ± 1.5 mg/dL (range 1.7-6.5). Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or spironolactone were prescribed in 10/11 patients at renal biopsy or shortly after it. Nephrotic proteinuria persisted during the first months of follow-up, but it started to spontaneously decrease 12 ± 7 months (2-30 months) after renal biopsy. Finally, complete (nine patients) or partial (two patients) remission of nephrotic syndrome was observed. Coinciding with proteinuria remission, renal function tended to improve. Nephrotic syndrome relapsed in two patients, accompanied by a rapid deterioration of renal function. In the remaining nine patients, remission persisted throughout a follow-up of 146 ± 64 months. Mean Scr at the last visit was 1.9 ± 0.9 mg/dL and proteinuria 0.2 g/24 h. CONCLUSION: SR of nephrotic syndrome can also be observed in membranous nephropathy patients exhibiting chronic renal impairment.

Spontaneous remission of nephrotic syndrome in idiopathic membranous nephropathy.

Spontaneous remission is a well known characteristic of idiopathic membranous nephropathy, but contemporary studies describing predictors of remission and long-term outcomes are lacking. We conducted a retrospective, multicenter cohort study of 328 patients with nephrotic syndrome resulting from idiopathic membranous nephropathy that initially received conservative therapy. Spontaneous remission occurred in 104 (32%) patients: proteinuria progressively declined after diagnosis until remission of disease at 14.7 +/- 11.4 months. Although spontaneous remission was more frequent with lower levels of baseline proteinuria, it also frequently occurred in patients with massive proteinuria: 26% among those with baseline proteinuria 8 to 12 g/24 h and 22% among those with proteinuria >12 g/24 h. Baseline serum creatinine and proteinuria, treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor antagonists, and a >50% decline of proteinuria from baseline during the first year of follow-up were significant independent predictors for spontaneous remission. Only six patients (5.7%) experienced a relapse of nephrotic syndrome. The incidence of death and ESRD were significantly lower among patients with spontaneous remission. In conclusion, spontaneous remission is common among patients with nephrotic syndrome resulting from membranous nephropathy and carries a favorable long-term outcome with a low incidence of relapse. A decrease in proteinuria >50% from baseline during the first year predicts spontaneous remission.