Development and Validation of the Hospital Outpatients' Information Needs Questionnaire (HOINQ).

PURPOSE: The main objective was to develop and validate a "Hospital Outpatients' Information Needs Questionnaire" (HOINQ). Secondly, to identify patients' preferred sources of information. Finally, to establish differences depending on the disease, as well as between sociodemographic and clinical variables. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a transversal study based on a questionnaire. All adult hospital outpatients' who collected their medication at the Pharmacy Service were consecutively recruited, regardless of their diagnosis time, treatment or disease. The Spanish version of the internationally validated European Organization for Research and Treatment Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-25) aimed at oncology patients was used as the starting point. In order to be applicable on new target population, it was crucial to make several changes and ensure that it complies with the validity, viability and reliability criteria. The questionnaire prepared for validation was then obtained by a literature review (face validity), submitting the EORTC QLQ-25 to an expert committee (content validity), by piloting (viability) and Cronbach's alpha statistical analysis (reliability). Once the questionnaire was completed, Cronbach's alpha of the final study (reliability) and factor analysis (construct validity) were performed. Then, pertinent modifications were applied to obtain the HOINQ. RESULTS: A total of 153 outpatients filled the questionnaire, which was widely accepted and required 5-10 min to complete. Cronbach's alpha coefficients met criteria >0.7. Three factors were established by factor analysis: aspects about the disease, pharmacological and no-pharmacological treatment and satisfaction and perception of the information received. Participants felt satisfied (41-52%) with the information amount, quality and usefulness, although 1 out of 3 stated wanting to know more about the different information areas. Younger patients (P-value <0.05) and those who had been attending the Pharmacy Service for a longer time span (P-value <0.01) reported receiving more information. On a 0 to 7 scale, medical specialists (mean = 6.28, SD = 1.38) followed by the rest of health care professionals (mean = 4.23-4.63, SD = 2.25-2.29) were selected as the preferred sources of information. HIV patients reported being more informed, while those with rheumatoid arthritis felt less informed (P-value <0.05). CONCLUSION: The HOINQ was developed. It is a self-completed questionnaire, composed of three blocks: the 16-item information needs questionnaire, demographic and clinical variables, and patients' preferred sources of information. It is an easy tool to use and replicate, both for patients and professionals.

Multicenter study of parenteral nutrition in non-critically ill elderly patients compared to younger patients - Study IAIOS-PN (Incidence and Assessment of Iatrogenesis in Older Subjects receiving Parenteral Nutrition) / Estudio multicéntrico de nutrición parenteral en pacientes ancianos no críticos comparados con pacientes más jóvenes - Estudio IAIOS-PN (Incidencia y Valoración de Yatrogenia en Sujetos Ancianos que reciben Nutrición Parenteral)

Objective: this study assessed the incidence of hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and liver function test (LFT) alterations among patients older and younger than 65 years receiving parenteral nutrition (PN). A secondary objective was to compare the incidence of any of these three events. Material and methods: inclusion criteria were non-critically ill adult inpatients receiving PN for ≥ 7 days in 15 hospitals in Spain. Exclusion criteria were hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, LFT alterations, sepsis, shock, pancreatic/hepatobiliary surgery, renal failure, diabetes mellitus (DM) type 1, insulin-treated DM type 2, acute DM complications, or obesity prior to PN. Patients were classified into groups YOUNG (aged 35-64) and OLD (aged 65-95). Results: this study recruited 200 patients. Group YOUNG included 63 (31.5%) patients and OLD, 137 (68.5%). Hyperglycemia appeared in 37 (18.5%) patients, eight (12.7%) in group YOUNG and 29 (21.2%) in group OLD (p = 0.174). Hypertriglyceridemia appeared in only one (0.7%) patient. LFT alterations appeared in 141 (70.5%) patients, 44 (69.8%) in group YOUNG and 97 (70.8%) in group OLD (p = 1.000). The model for hyperglycemia included DM type 2, previous surgical procedure, and use of hyperglycemia-inducing medications. The model for LFT alteration included previous surgical procedure, amount of lipids and amino acids, medications causing LFT alterations and a trend for age group. The model for any event included surgical procedure, DM type 2, and medications causing alterations. Conclusion: patients of ≥ 65 years receiving PN had similar incidences of hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and LFT alterations as younger patients. Additionally, older patients had trends toward lower LFT alterations

Objetivo: valorar la incidencia de hiperglicemia, hipertrigliceridemia y alteraciones de los parámetros bioquímicos hepáticos (PBH) en pacientes mayores de 65 años frente a pacientes más jóvenes con nutrición parenteral (NP). El objetivo secundario fue comparar la incidencia de cualquiera de los tres eventos. Material y métodos: se incluyeron adultos no críticos hospitalizados que recibieron NP durante siete días o más en 15 hospitales españoles. Se excluyeron pacientes con hiperglicemia, hipertrigliceridemia, alteración de los PBH, sepsis, shock, cirugía biliopancreática, insuficiencia renal, diabetes tipo 1 o tipo 2 insulinodependiente, complicaciones diabéticas agudas y obesidad previas a la NP. Los pacientes se clasificaron en dos grupos: YOUNG (35-64 años) y OLD (65-95 años). Resultados: se incluyeron 200 pacientes; 63 (31,5%) en el grupo YOUNG y 137 (68,5%) en el OLD. Se detectó hiperglicemia en 37 (18,5%) pacientes, ocho (12,7%) en el grupo YOUNG y 29 (21,2%) en el OLD (p = 0,174). Solo hubo un caso (0,7%) de hipertrigliceridemia. Alteraciones de PBH aparecieron en 141 (70,5%) pacientes, 44 (69,8%) en el grupo YOUNG y 97 (70,8%) en el OLD (p = 1,000). El modelo para hiperglicemia incluyó como variables diabetes tipo 2, cirugía previa y el uso de medicamentos hiperglucemiantes. El modelo para alteración de PBH incluyó cirugía previa, dosis de lípidos y aminoácidos y medicaciones hepatotóxicas. Hubo una tendencia a menor alteración por la edad. El modelo global para cualquier evento incluyó cirugía previa, diabetes tipo 2 y medicaciones que causen las alteraciones estudiadas. Conclusión: los pacientes de 65 años o más que recibieron NP tuvieron incidencias similares de hiperglicemia, hipertrigliceridemia y alteración de PBH a las de los pacientes más jóvenes. Hubo una tendencia a menor alteración de PBH en los pacientes mayores

Compliance with local guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the development and implementation of a local protocol for antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery and to assess compliance with these guidelines using a computer-based system. DESIGN: One 5-week prospective period (phase 1) followed by three 1-week, cross-sectional assessments (phases 2, 3, and 4). SETTING: Pharmacy of a 350-bed acute care teaching hospital in Barcelona, Spain. METHODS: In phase 1, 395 forms for antibiotic prescribing delivered to the pharmacy were reviewed. Nonadherence was defined as the prescription of an antibiotic (or doses) different from what the protocol specified. In phases 2, 3, and 4, antibiotic prescribing forms for all elective procedures (630 patients) performed during 1-week periods were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 1,047 patients (mean age, 58.9 +/- 17.3 years) were included. Cefazolin was administered in 41% of procedures. Overall compliance with antibiotic prescribing forms was 83.3%. There was a statistically significant increase in compliance with guidelines throughout the four phases of the study, from 80.3% in phase 1 to 87.8% in phase 4 (P < .042), as well as adherence to completing forms for surgical procedures, from 51% in phase 2 to 77.6% in phase 4 (P < .001). The main reason for non-adherence was that some procedures had not been included in the protocol in phase 2. CONCLUSION: Surgeons sensitized to the implementation of local antibiotic prophylaxis guidelines showed a high degree of compliance with them, using both the procedure established for antibiotic prescribing and the antimicrobials recommended for particular operations