Validity of a rapid diagnostic programme for head and neck cancer.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Given the epidemiological knowledge of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCHN), the prognosis in survival according to the staging at diagnosis and the absence of screening programmes that have proven cost-effective, we undertook a rapid diagnosis programme. The objective of this study was to analyse whether a rapid diagnostic programme (RDP) to be used by General Practitioners (GP) would achieve a change in the proportion of diagnoses in early versus late stages in these tumours. METHODS: A prospective observational study of patients diagnosed with a tumour of ENT location in our centre, was carried out for 24 consecutive months. A "suspicion algorithm" was designed and we established a rapid remission route for these patients. The data obtained (age, sex, toxic substance consumption, initial manifestations, tumour location and extension) were compared with the data of the patients in our ENT Service database diagnosed in the four years prior to the start of the study. RESULTS: 199 patients were included, and 82 ENT tumours diagnosed. The GPs sent to the Hospital via the RDP a total of 136 patients and 35 (26.1%) had a tumour. However, most of the tumours diagnosed in this period by our ENT Department (47 patients, 57.3% of all tumours diagnosed), were not suspected by the GP and were not sent via the RDP. Of the patients, 27% were diagnosed in stages I and II, and 73% in stages II and IV, there were no significant differences with the control group. The most frequent initial signs and symptoms were dysphonia, cervical mass and dysphagia, the relationship between initial symptom and stage at the moment of diagnosis was analysed, and in neither case did we obtain any significant variation. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of a rapid diagnosis pathway for patients who, according to the algorithm created, had a suspected head and neck cancer, has not led to an increase in the diagnosis of these tumours in early stages or a decrease in diagnoses in advanced stages.

Validez de un programa de diagnóstico rápido del cáncer de cabeza y cuello / Validity of a rapid diagnostic programme for head and neck cancer

Introducción y objetivos: Dado el conocimiento epidemiológico del carcinoma escamoso de cabeza y cuello, pronóstico y supervivencia según el estadio al diagnóstico, y ante la ausencia de programas de cribado que hayan demostrado ser coste-efectivos, nos propusimos evaluar un programa de diagnóstico rápido. El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar si la existencia de un circuito de diagnóstico rápido desde Atención Primaria, con base en una ponderación de síntomas y signos, supondría un cambio en la proporción de diagnósticos en estadios iniciales versus tardíos en estos tumores.MétodosSe ha realizado un estudio observacional prospectivo de pacientes remitidos con la sospecha de un tumor en el área ORL en nuestro centro durante 24 meses consecutivos. Se creó un algoritmo con síntomas y signos de sospecha para utilización por el médico de familia y un circuito de remisión rápida de los pacientes candidatos. Se registraron también los pacientes con sospecha de tumor provenientes de fuentes distintas de este circuito. Los datos obtenidos (edad, sexo, consumo de tóxicos, tiempo y clínica de presentación, localización del tumor y extensión), se han comparado con los de los pacientes recogidos en la base de datos de tumores del Servicio de ORL diagnosticados durante los 4años previos al inicio del estudio.ResultadosSe incluyó en el estudio a 199 pacientes y se diagnosticaron 82 tumores del área ORL. Los médicos de familia remitieron por el circuito de diagnóstico rápido creado un total de 136 pacientes y 35 (26,1%) presentaban una tumoración. Sin embargo, la mayoría de los tumores diagnosticados durante este periodo en el Servicio de ORL (47 pacientes, 57,3% de todos los tumores diagnosticados) no fueron sospechados por su médico de familia y no fueron remitidos al hospital utilizando el circuito de diagnóstico rápido. (AU)

Introduction and objectives: Given the epidemiological knowledge of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck, the prognosis in survival according to the staging at diagnosis and the absence of screening programmes that have proven cost-effective, we undertook a rapid diagnosis programme. The objective of this study was to analyse whether a rapid diagnostic programme (RDP) to be used by General Practitioners (GP) would achieve a change in the proportion of diagnoses in early versus late stages in these tumours.MethodsA prospective observational study of patients diagnosed with a tumour of ENT location in our centre, was carried out for 24 consecutive months. A “suspicion algorithm” was designed and we established a rapid remission route for these patients. The data obtained (age, sex, toxic substance consumption, initial manifestations, tumour location and extension) were compared with the data of the patients in our ENT Service database diagnosed in the 4years prior to the start of the study.Results199 patients were included, and 82 ENT tumours diagnosed. The GPs sent to the Hospital via the RDP a total of 136 patients and 35 (26.1%) had a tumour. However, most of the tumours diagnosed in this period by our ENT Department (47 patients, 57.3% of all tumours diagnosed), were not suspected by the GP and were not sent via the RDP.Of the patients, 27% were diagnosed in stages i and ii, and 73% in stages iii and iv, there were no significant differences with the control group. The most frequent initial signs and symptoms were dysphonia, cervical mass and dysphagia, the relationship between initial symptom and stage at the moment of diagnosis was analysed, and in neither case did we obtain any significant variation. (AU)

Etiología bacteriana de la otitis media aguda en España en la era de la vacuna neumocócica conjugada / Bacterial etiology of acute otitis media in Spain in the post-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine era

INTRODUCCIÓN: La otitis media aguda (OMA) es común en niños menores de 3 años. En España hay disponible una vacuna neumocócica conjugada (VNC) (VNC7; Prevenar (Pearl River, NY), Pfizer/Wyeth, EE. UU.) desde 2001, habiéndose alcanzado una cobertura vacunal del 50-60% en niños menores de 5 años. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se reclutó a niños de 3 a 36 meses con OMA confirmada por especialista en otorrinolaringología en 7 centros españoles (febrero 2009-mayo 2012) (Proyecto GSK: 111425). Se obtuvieron muestras de exudado del oído medio mediante timpanocentesis o de otorrea espontánea, y se hizo cultivo para identificación bacteriana. En muestras con cultivos negativos se realizó análisis adicional mediante reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR). RESULTADOS: De 125 episodios de OMA confirmados en 124 niños, se analizaron 117 (edad mediana: 17 meses [rango: 3-35]); 8 episodios de OMA fueron excluidos del análisis. En total, combinando resultados de cultivo y PCR, se identificaron uno o más patógenos bacterianos en el 69% (81/117) de los episodios; identificándose Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) en el 44% (52/117) y Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) en el 39% (46/117). En 77 de los 117 episodios se hizo cultivo para uno o más patógenos, resultando positivo en 63, con mayor frecuencia para Spn (24/77; 31%) e Hi (32/77; 42%). La PCR en episodios con cultivos negativos detectó Hi en el 48% y Spn en el 55% de las muestras. El serotipo de Spn más común fue el 19F (4/24; 17%) seguido del 19A (3/24; 13%); todos los episodios en los que se identificó Hi correspondieron a Hi no tipificable (HiNT). Un total de 81/117 episodios de OMA (69%) se presentaron en niños que habían recibido una o más dosis de vacuna antineumocócica. CONCLUSIONES: HiNT y Spn resultaron ser los principales agentes etiológicos de la OMA en España. Para conocer el impacto de la vacunación antineumocócica en la OMA en España harán falta estudios adicionales cuando se haya alcanzado un nivel de cobertura mayor

INTRODUCTION: Acute otitis media (AOM) is common in children aged <3 years. A pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) (PCV7; Prevenar, Pfizer/Wyeth, USA) has been available in Spain since 2001, which has a coverage rate of 50-60% in children aged <5 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Children aged greater than or equal to 3 to 36 months with AOM confirmed by an ear-nose-throat specialist were enrolled at seven centers in Spain (February 2009-May 2012) (GSK study identifier: 111425). Middle-ear-fluid samples were collected by tympanocentesis or spontaneous otorrhea and cultured for bacterial identification. Culture-negative samples were further analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Of 125 confirmed AOM episodes in 124 children, 117 were analyzed (median age: 17 months (range: 3-35); eight AOM episodes were excluded from analyses. Overall, 69% (81/117) episodes were combined culture- and PCR-positive for greater than or equal to 1 bacterial pathogen; 44% (52/117) and 39% (46/117) were positive for Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) and Streptococcus pneumoniae(Spn), respectively. 77 of 117 episodes were cultured for greater than or equal to 1 bacteria, of which 63 were culture-positive; most commonly Spn (24/77; 31%) and Hi (32/77; 42%). PCR on culture-negative episodes identified 48% Hi- and 55% Spn-positive episodes. The most common Spn serotype was 19F (4/24; 17%) followed by 19A (3/24; 13%); all Hi-positive episodes were non-typeable (NTHi). 81/117 AOM episodes (69%) occurred in children who had received greater than or equal to 1 pneumococcal vaccine dose. CONCLUSIONS: NTHi and Spn were the main etiological agents for AOM in Spain. Impact of pneumococcal vaccination on AOM requires further evaluation in Spain, after higher vaccination coverage rate is reached

[Bacterial etiology of acute otitis media in Spain in the post-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine era]. / Etiología bacteriana de la otitis media aguda en España en la era de la vacuna neumocócica conjugada.

INTRODUCTION: Acute otitis media (AOM) is common in children aged <3 years. A pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) (PCV7; Prevenar, Pfizer/Wyeth, USA) has been available in Spain since 2001, which has a coverage rate of 50-60% in children aged <5 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Children aged ≥3 to 36 months with AOM confirmed by an ear-nose-throat specialist were enrolled at seven centers in Spain (February 2009-May 2012) (GSK study identifier: 111425). Middle-ear-fluid samples were collected by tympanocentesis or spontaneous otorrhea and cultured for bacterial identification. Culture-negative samples were further analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Of 125 confirmed AOM episodes in 124 children, 117 were analyzed (median age: 17 months (range: 3-35); eight AOM episodes were excluded from analyses. Overall, 69% (81/117) episodes were combined culture- and PCR-positive for ≥1 bacterial pathogen; 44% (52/117) and 39% (46/117) were positive for Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn), respectively. 77 of 117 episodes were cultured for ≥1 bacteria, of which 63 were culture-positive; most commonly Spn (24/77; 31%) and Hi (32/77; 42%). PCR on culture-negative episodes identified 48% Hi- and 55% Spn-positive episodes. The most common Spn serotype was 19F (4/24; 17%) followed by 19A (3/24; 13%); all Hi-positive episodes were non-typeable (NTHi). 81/117 AOM episodes (69%) occurred in children who had received ≥1 pneumococcal vaccine dose. CONCLUSIONS: NTHi and Spn were the main etiological agents for AOM in Spain. Impact of pneumococcal vaccination on AOM requires further evaluation in Spain, after higher vaccination coverage rate is reached.

Cordomas cervicales / Cervical chordomas

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