[Rates of surgical wound infection in hip arthroplasty (2007-2015)]. / Tasas de infección de herida quirúrgica en artroplastia de cadera (2007-2015).

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence of surgical site infection in the hip replacement procedure during nine years of follow-up in a local public hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective study conducted between 2007 and 2015, using the Clinical Indicators of Continuous Quality Improvement (INCLIMECC) tool. All primary hip prostheses and revisions were studied. The definitions, criteria and categories for surgical site infection were those estimated for the risk index of the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance of Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Crude and adjusted rates were calculated by risk index. RESULTS: A total of 999 interventions were included. The overall infection rate was 1.5% (95%CI: 0.75-2.25). Surgical prophylaxis was prescribed in 98.3% of the cases, and was adequate in 70.7%, with the main cause of inadequacy being its prolonged duration in 71.3%. The infection rate was 53%, being better than the rates published for Spanish hospitals INCLIMECC in the period 1997-2012. But they were 19% higher than those published for the USA according to the National Healthcare Safety Network, and 50% higher than expected according to data published for Europe by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. DISCUSSION: The infection rate in the present study is better than those described in the Spanish literature, but it is higher than those published for Europe and North America. Strategies for surveillance and control of infections associated with health care allow the evaluation of trends and the impact of prevention measures.

[Groups of resource utilization in acute care units and average length of stay at geriatrics services]. / Grupos de utilizacion de recursos en Unidades de agudos y media estancia de Servicios de Geriatria.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, Patient Classifications Systems (PCS's) have been implement in Spain for the purpose of gauging the "hospital product". However, the most conventional systems are not very well-suited to the senior citizen population, among whom illness-related disability is a determining factor with regard to explaining the usage of resources and the results of the health care provided. Therefore, the idea was brought forth of implementing a system in units providing senior citizen care which would entail this parameter, that is, the Resource Usage Groups (RUG's), analyzing the characteristics and differences in the RUG-related spread in four Geriatrics Units. METHODS: A cross-sectional study based on consecutive cutoff points in periods longer than the average stay in each unit, the patients admitted in the acute care units and average stay in the Geriatrics Unit of the Hospital Monte Narango (HMN) (n = 318), Hospital Central de la Cruz Roja (HCCR) (n = 384), Hospital General de Guadalajara (HG) (n = 272) and Hospital Virgen del Valle (HVV) (n = 390), with regard to the spread thereof according to the RUG-T18 classification. The possible differences among the hospitals in question were analyzed by means of the chi-square statistical test (SPSS for Windows). RESULTS: For the overall sample, the patients were divided into groups R, S and C of the classification, groups P and B being represented to a very small degree, differences having been found to exist among the different hospitals. Hence, the HCCR is that which handles the largest percentage of patients in the R group (47.64% vs. 23.66% at HMN; 20.57% at HG and 20.53% at HVV) and a smaller percentage of patients in the S Group (3.12% vs. 6.40% at HMN; 9.92% at HG and 9.76% at HVV) and the C Group (48.94% vs. 76.29% at HMN; 66.89% at HG and 68.36% at HVV). Differences were likewise found to exist in the individual analysis for the acute care units and average length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: The resource usage groups can be useful with regard to ascertaining differences in the health care loads in hospital care for senior citizens.

[DNA ploidy and cell cycle phase analysis with flow cytometry in bladder wash. Preliminary experience]. / Análisis de ploidía de ADN y fases del ciclo celular por citometría de flujo en el lavado vesical. Experiencia preliminar.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prognostic significance in bladder carcinoma of DNA ploidy and cell phase fractions measured by bladder wash flow cytometry. METHODS: Samples were obtained from 25 patients by bladder irrigation; 16 before surgery and 9 during follow-up cystoscopic examination. Cells were stained with propidium iodide and analyzed with the FacScan flow cytometer and Cellfit 2.01 (Becton-Dickinson). RESULTS: The number of cells obtained was sufficient for flow cytometric analysis in all cases. In 13 tumor samples (8 superficial and 5 invasive tumors), aneuploidy cells were detected in 3 cases that had a worse outcome; the only superficial tumor in which aneuploidy was detected presented a recurrent bladder carcinoma 15 months later. Of the 5 patients with invasive tumors, two patients with aneuploidy died within 6 months from tumor metastases. Of the patients without macroscopic tumor, only one showed an increase in the percentage of the S phase fraction (19.5% of cells in S phase). A recurrent bladder carcinoma was detected in this patient 6 months after the analysis. In patients with macroscopic tumor, analysis of the S phase fraction was not relevant for prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of DNA ploidy and cell phase fractions by flow cytometry of bladder washings can increase the prognostic information in bladder carcinoma. Aneuploidy was associated with a worse prognosis and an increase in the S phase fraction predicted a recurrent bladder carcinoma months before it manifested clinically.

[Hygienic-sanitary conditions in school lunch rooms in the municipality of Oviedo]. / Condiciones higiénico-sanitarias de comedores escolares del municipio de Oviedo.

BACKGROUND: To ascertain the health and hygiene-related conditions of school lunchrooms within the municipality of Oviedo by means of conducting a health and hygiene inspection of these facilities. METHOD: A descriptive epidemiological cross-sectional study was made of 24 schools in the municipality of Oviedo, 9 of which were government-subsidized private schools and another 15 of which were public schools, according to information from the Ministry of Education and Science. An inspection was conducted entailing a protocol based on the Public Lunchroom Health and Hygiene Regulations. The variables are the health and hygiene-related conditions of the premises (kitchens, lunchrooms and lavatories), of the utensils, the health of the employees and the conditions of the raw materials and foods. These conditions have been considered to be inadequate or deficient whenever they failed to met the criteria of the protocol in question. RESULTS: The deficiencies found n most of the school lunchrooms inspected were the lack of protection of the lighting components, of window screens to prevent the entry of insects and of soap dispensers which are not hand-operated, disposable paper towels and liquid soap both in kitchens as well as in lavatories. The variables entailed in this study have been compared among public schools and government-subsidized private schools, for which purpose a Student T Test was employed, significant differences having been found to exist between these two types of schools solely in the condition of the kitchens and in the total of the items. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the irregularities found in both the public schools and in the government-subsidized private schools are of an organizational nature and with regard to the facilities stemming from a lack of knowledge of the laws in force. It is deemed advantageous for training in Hygiene to be provided, given the positive attitude shown by those in charge of the schools in question.