[Prognostic value of near-infrared spectroscopy in hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy]. / Valor pronóstico de la espectroscopia cercana al infrarrojo en la encefalopatía hipóxico-isquémica.

INTRODUCTION: Despite treatment with hypothermia, 40% of newborns with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy die or suffer moderate to severe disability. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) could be a useful, non-invasive tool to establish the prognosis. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prognostic value of NIRS in predicting neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 to 36 months in newborns with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, and to establish the time points and cut-off values of regional cerebral oxygen saturation that exhibit the strongest correlation to these outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included all term newborns with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy managed with hypothermia and NIRS between 2013 and 2016. We established 3 outcome categories: normal neurodevelopment, moderate disability and severe disability. RESULTS: The sample comprised 28 newborns (median gestational age, 39 weeks; median birth weight, 3195g). The median regional cerebral oxygen saturation increased from 65% to 85% at 48hours post birth. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were normal in 28.6%, while 35.7% developed moderate disability and 35.7% severe disability; 3 patients died. We found a statistically significant difference between groups at 48hours (P=.005) and after hypothermia (P=.03), with higher values in patients with disability. When we compared patients in the severe disability group with the other groups, we found a statistically significant area under the ROC curve at 48hours of 0.872 (P=.001) applying a regional cerebral oxygen saturation cutoff of 83.5%. After hypothermia, regional cerebral oxygen saturation values below 66.0% (AUC, 0.794; P=.017) predicted normal development, while values above 82% (AUC, 0.881; P=.001) predicted severe disability. CONCLUSIONS: NIRS seems to be a valuable tool to predict neurodevelopmental outcomes in patients with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, even after hypothermia, with higher cerebral oxygen saturation values in patients with disability.

Diagnóstico y tratamiento de la faringitis aguda. ¿Hay alguna ventaja en la pauta de antibióticos de 10 días? / Diagnosis and treatment of acute pharyngitis -Is there any benefit on ten-day course of antibiotics?

Introducción: En casos de faringitis por estreptococo grupo A (EGA) se recomienda una pauta de 10 días de amoxicilina. No obstante, parece que pautas de menor duración resultan igualmente efectivas. El objeto de este estudio fue evaluar y comparar de manera retrospectiva la evolución de pacientes tratados con pautas de amoxicilina de 7 y 10 días de duración. Materiales y métodos: Análisis retrospectivo de todos los casos de faringitis por EGA atendidos en un servicio de urgencias en 2014. Se analizaron variables demográficas, uso y resultados de pruebas de detección rápida de antígeno (PDRA), tratamiento, complicaciones y reingreso en un plazo de 30 días. Se definieron 2 grupos para el análisis comparativo basados en la duración del tratamiento con amoxicilina: a) pauta corta (hasta 7 días), y b) pauta larga (10 días). Resultados: Se incluyó a 989 casos de faringitis por EGA. La edad mediana fue 5,2 años, el 50,1% fue de sexo masculino. La amoxicilina fue el antibiótico más prescrito (94,9%), con una duración media de 7 días. Se prescribieron pautas de 10 días al 31,9% de los pacientes. No se encontraron diferencias entre los grupos con pautas cortas y largas en cuanto a la edad (p = 0,600), el género (p = 0,429) o las complicaciones (p = 0,436). Concluimos que en lo referente a la variable de resultado "regreso al servicio de urgencias", la pauta de 7 días no es inferior a la de 10 días. Conclusión: El antibiótico prescrito con mayor frecuencia fue la amoxicilina, aunque solo se prescribió pauta de 10 días en unos pocos casos. Nuestro análisis no encontró beneficio aparente del tratamiento de larga duración con amoxicilina en casos de faringitis por EGA

Introduction: In group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis a ten-day course of amoxicillin is recommended. However, short-course treatments seem to be equally effective. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate and compare the outcome of patients treated with 7-day course and 10-day course of amoxicillin. Materials and methods: Retrospective analysis of all GAS pharyngitis admitted to a paediatric emergency department in 2014. Demographic variables, the application and results of the rapid antigenic diagnostic test (RADT), treatment, complications and return in the next 30 days were analysed. Two groups were defined for comparative analysis according to the duration of treatment with amoxicillin: A) short-course (up to 7 days) and B) long-course (10 days). Results: Were included 989 GAS pharyngitis. The median age was 5.2 years, 50.1% male. Amoxicillin was the most prescribed antibiotic (94.9%) with a median duration of 7 days. 10-day course therapy was prescribed in 31.9% of the cases. There were no differences between short and long-course treatment groups regarding age (P = .600), gender (P = .429) and complications (P = .436). Considering the endpoint "return to the emergency department", we concluded that up to 7 days of treatment was non-inferior to 10 days of treatment. Conclusion: The most commonly prescribed antibiotic was amoxicillin, but a 10-day course was prescribed in few cases. In our analysis there seems to be no benefit with long-course treatments with amoxicillin in GAS pharyngitis

[Diagnosis and treatment of acute pharyngitis -Is there any benefit on ten-day course of antibiotics?] / Diagnóstico y tratamiento de la faringitis aguda. ¿Hay alguna ventaja en la pauta de antibióticos de 10 días?

INTRODUCTION: In group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis a ten-day course of amoxicillin is recommended. However, short-course treatments seem to be equally effective. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate and compare the outcome of patients treated with 7-day course and 10-day course of amoxicillin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of all GAS pharyngitis admitted to a paediatric emergency department in 2014. Demographic variables, the application and results of the rapid antigenic diagnostic test (RADT), treatment, complications and return in the next 30 days were analysed. Two groups were defined for comparative analysis according to the duration of treatment with amoxicillin: A) short-course (up to 7 days) and B) long-course (10 days). RESULTS: Were included 989 GAS pharyngitis. The median age was 5.2 years, 50.1% male. Amoxicillin was the most prescribed antibiotic (94.9%) with a median duration of 7 days. 10-day course therapy was prescribed in 31.9% of the cases. There were no differences between short and long-course treatment groups regarding age (P=.600), gender (P=.429) and complications (P=.436). Considering the endpoint "return to the emergency department", we concluded that up to 7 days of treatment was non-inferior to 10 days of treatment. CONCLUSION: The most commonly prescribed antibiotic was amoxicillin, but a 10-day course was prescribed in few cases. In our analysis there seems to be no benefit with long-course treatments with amoxicillin in GAS pharyngitis.