Análisis Crítico del Documento (borrador): Plan Nacional de Rehabilitación 2021-2030 / Critical Analysis of the Document (draft): National Rehabilitation Plan 2021-2030

Introducción. El 01 marzo de 2022 y con la presencia la subsecretaria de Salud Pública se llevó a cabo la oficialización del Plan Nacional de Rehabilitación 2021-2030 del Departamento de Rehabilitación y Discapacidad del Ministerio de Salud de Chile (MINSAL). Mediante esta iniciativa, el MINSAL buscó proporcionar una guía para la organización de los servicios de rehabilitación en toda la red asistencial a través de la regulación y administración de "Servicios de Medicina Física y Rehabilitación", desconociendo otras formas de organización y las intervenciones orientadas hacia la recuperación funcional de los usuarios realizadas por los profesionales de salud que no están integrados en dichos servicios. Ante las protestas de nuestro gremio, el ministerio decidió someter a consulta pública el mencionado documento. En este artículo se deja de manifiesto la visión parcial de conceptos respecto de discapacidad, rehabilitación e inclusión y se señalan algunas imprecisiones contenidas en este documento. Además, resulta evidente el marcado enfoque biomédico del plan propuesto, que se centra en el médico fisiatra, sin reconocer otras formas de organización por parte de los profesionales del equipo multidisciplinario en rehabilitación, especialmente los kinesiólogos. Finalmente, en opinión de los autores, la implementación de una política pública como la que se pretende imponer con el plan nacional, podría generar nuevas barreras de acceso a los servicios profesionales de los miembros del equipo de rehabilitación, en vez de organizar adecuadamente los recursos ya existentes en la red pública.

Introduction. On March 1, 2022, in the presence of the Sub-secretary of Public Health, the official launch of the National Rehabilitation Plan 2021-2030 was held by the Department of Rehabilitation and Disability of the Ministry of Health of Chile (MINSAL). Through this initiative, MINSAL aimed to guide the organization of rehabilitation services throughout the healthcare network, through the regulation and administration of "Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Services," disregarding other forms of organization and interventions focused on the functional recovery of users carried out by healthcare professionals who are not integrated into these services. In response to the protests from our professional community, the ministry has decided to subject the mentioned document to public consultation. This article highlights the partial understanding of concepts related to disability, rehabilitation, and inclusion, and identifies certain inaccuracies contained in this document. Furthermore, the pronounced biomedical approach of the proposed plan is evident, focuses on physiatrists, neglecting to recognize other forms of organization by professionals in the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team, particularly physical therapists. Finally, in the authors' opinion, the implementation of a public policy such as the one intended to be imposed with the national plan may create new barriers to accessing professional services provided by members of the rehabilitation team, instead of adequately organizing the existing resources in the public network.

Simultaneous Liver-Kidney Transplantation in Adults: A Single-center Experience Comparing Results With Isolated Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: After introduction of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score in 2002, a worldwide increasing number of simultaneous liver-kidney transplantations (SLKTx) has been observed. However, organ shortage puts into question the allocation of 2 grafts to 1 recipient. This retrospective, single-center study compared SLKTx results with isolated liver transplantation (LTx). METHODS: Between 1995 and 2013, 37 SLKTx were performed in adult recipients. Every SLKTx was matched by donor age (±5 years) and transplantation date with 2 LTx (n = 74). Pretransplant, intraoperative, and post-transplant variables were collected; liver graft and patient survivals were calculated. RESULTS: As expected, donor age was similar in the 2 groups (median, 39.7 years), whereas serum creatinine level, glomerular filtration rate, and MELD and D-MELD (donor age*MELD) scores were significantly higher in the SLKTx group. SLKTx had longer waiting list time (P = .0034) as well as higher surgical difficulty, testified by more blood transfusions (P = .0083), increased use of classic caval reconstruction (P = .0024), and more frequent need of abdominal packing for bleeding control (P = .0003). In addition, duration of hospital stay (P < .0001), second-look surgery (P = .0082), post-transplant dialysis (P < .0001), and post-transplant infections (P = .04) were significantly greater in SLKTx group. Acute rejection episodes involving the liver were significantly less in SLKTx than in LTx (14% vs 41%; P = .0045). Liver graft and patient survival at 10 years after transplantation was similar in the 2 groups (liver graft: SLKTx, 80% vs LTx, 77% [P = .85]; patient: SLKTx, 86% vs LTx, 79% [P = .56]). CONCLUSIONS: Despite being technically challenging, SLKTx provided excellent long-term results and was shown to be an effective use of liver grafts.

A newly identified mutation in the complement factor I gene not associated with early post-transplant recurrence of atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome: a case report.

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), which can recur after renal transplantation, is associated with poor graft outcomes. The underlying genetic defect, namely, mutations in genes coding for the complement factor H, I (CFI), or membrane cofactor protein, greatly impacts the risk of aHUS recurrence. We report here the case of a patient with chronic renal failure due to aHUS in which screening for complement mutations, performed before wait-listing for kidney transplantation, showed a never described previously heterozygous mutation in the exon II of the CFI gene. Specifically, this mutation leads to a substitution of cytosine for guanosine at nucleotide 148, resulting in the change at amino acid 50 from arginine to proline. Subsequently, he received a renal allograft from deceased donor. Good graft function was established immediately, without clinical features of aHUS. Due to a lack of data on this mutation, we avoided prophylactic treatment for aHUS but closely monitored biochemical markers of aHUS to treat a possible recurrence. Immunosuppressive treatment was based on basiliximab, tacrolimus, steroids, and mycophenolic acid. At the time of discharge the serum creatinine was 1.4 mg/dL. Ten months after transplantation the patient is doing well without evidence of aHUS. Our case suggested that a heterozygous mutation in exon II of the CFI gene was not associated with a risk of early post-transplant aHUs recurrence adding new knowledge on complement mutations implicated in aHUS post-transplant recurrences.

Assessment of cardiovascular risk in waiting-listed renal transplant patients: a single center experience in 558 cases.

Cardiac screening is recommended to prevent cardiovascular death after renal transplantation. This retrospective observational study illustrates the results of application of a cardiac assessment algorithm in a series of 558 renal transplant candidates at a single center in Turin, Italy. A dipyridamole-stress sestamibi myocardial scintiscan (DMS) performed in 302/558 (54.1%) cases was positive in 52 (17.2%), negative in 200 (66.2%), borderline in 16 (5.3%), and with signs of previous necrosis in 34 (11.4%). Coronary lesions detected by angiography in 48.1% of the 52 positives were treated medically (13.5%) or by percutaneous/surgical procedure (34.6%). Coronary lesions were detected in 14.1% of asymptomatic population subgroup. The minor and major cardiovascular event rates and the cardiovascular death rate were 1.9%, 0%, and 0%, respectively, in positive DMS group (high-cardiological risk) vs. 10%, 4.5%, and 3.5% in the negatives (p > 0.5; n.s.). It is suggested that not increased cardiovascular event or deaths rates in the high-risk group reflect early coronary lesion detection and correction. Since 55.9% of cardiovascular events or deaths occurred in the negative group more than 24 months after the DMS, its mandatory repetition every two yr after a negative finding is recommended.

Prevalence and clinical relevance of occult hepatitis B virus infection in patients on the waiting list for kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can be defined as the long-lasting persistence of viral genomes in the liver tissue, and sometimes also in the serum at low levels of viremia in individuals with undetectable HBV surface antigen (HBsAg). Viral replication can be reactivated by immunosuppressive therapies or immunologic diseases, leading to the development of typical hepatitis B. METHODS: All patients on the waiting list for renal transplantation at the only 2 transplant centers in our region (Piemonte, Italy) were checked for the presence of occult HBV infection by an highly sensitive quantitative HBV-DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay (nested PCR); the only exclusion criterion was HBsAg-positivity. The enrollment lasted from October 1, 2006, to May 31, 2007. The prospective follow-up will continue for 5 years. RESULTS: HBV-DNA sequences were detected in blood samples from 10 of 300 cases examined (3.3%), being more frequent among Asian (1/3; 33.3%) and African (1/16; 6.25%) subjects as compared with the Caucasians (8/281; 2.8%; P = .011), among anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) positive versus HCV negative patients (3/32 [9.3%] vs 7/268 [2.6%]; P = .004) and mainly among patients with a previous history of overt liver diseases (3/22 [14%] vs 7/278 [2.5%]; P = .019). HBV-DNA sequences became undetectable at 1 month after renal transplantation in 3 patients; the follow-up is in progress for these and the other patients. CONCLUSION: Occult HBV infection occurs in patients undergoing renal transplantation. Longer observation and prospective studies will clarify the clinical impact of this occult infection on transplant outcomes and the possibility of viral reactivation related to immunosuppressive therapy.

Preparation of candidates for renal transplantation: cost analysis.

While the costs of renal transplantation are lower than those of dialysis, little is known about the costs of managing the waiting list. We performed a cost analysis of admission and clinical management of a waiting list for renal and pancreas-kidney transplantation. Admission to the waiting list included (1) renal graft from cadaver: minimum cost Euros () 1784.56 for men < 55 years, maximum 2127.85 for women >/= 55 years; (2) pancreas-kidney transplantation: minimum 2475.50 for men, maximum 2540.10 for women >/= 35 years. Check of suitability state on waiting list after 2 and 5 years: minimum 1400.15 for men >/= 55 years (check every 2 years), maximum 1467.07 for women >/=40, <55 years (every 5 years). The differences are related to the imaging techniques: from 43.90 (Doppler ultrasonography) to 283.28 (coronary angiography). Maintenance of the waiting list: minimum cost 1885.21 in the first year and 3187.02 in the (fifth year) for men < 55 years; maximum 2228.50 (first year) and 5116.70 (fifth year) for women >/= 55 years. These results show different costs for recipients on the basis of sex and age ranges, due to the different requirements for imaging tests such as cardiac scintiscan at age >/= 55 years) and economic charges that increase with age. Reduced waiting times allow lowered total costs. This evaluation allowed us to calculate for our region (Piemonte, Northern Italy), the management costs of the patients presently on our waiting list (369 patients at December 31, 2002) from preparation to transplantation as 959,179.18.

Living donor kidney transplant in Italy: is the underutilization justified?

Living donor transplants (LDtx) represent an underutilized resource in Italy. It is, however, a therapeutic option that deserves greater consideration not only due to the increasing gap between the number of uremic patients on waiting lists (6956) and the number (1464) of cadaveric transplants (CADtx), as evidenced in 2002, but also due to the advantages of LDtx over CADtx. The superiority of LDtx include better graft survival, independent of the donor/recipient relationship, less need for dialytic treatment with preemptive transplants and reduced immunogenicity of the graft due to the brain death-related "cytokine storm." Moreover, some emerging procedures namely laparoscopic nephrectomy instead of open surgery and spiral CT instead of renal angiography namely, reduce the physical and socioeconomic burden of the donor. In the light of these considerations, LDtx should be reconsidered in the Italian scenario of kidney transplantation.

[Epstein-Barr virus infection and lymphoproliferative disorders in patients after renal transplantation]. / Infezione da virus di Epstein-Barr e disordini linfoproliferativi in portatori di trapianto renale.

We have studied EBV infection in renal transplant patients during the first year after transplantation. At trasplantation all patients were EBV seropositive and reactivation of EBV infection was demonstrated in 54% cases after one year. CMV active infection was also demonstrated in 42% of patients with EBV reactivation. No correlation was observed between EBV reactivation and age, sex, immunosuppressive treatment, degree of immunosuppression or donor/recipient HLA matching. A correlation between immunosuppressive treatment, EBV infection and lymphoproliferative disorders (LD) is described in literature, however none of our patients developed LD so far, probably due to the different immunosuppressive protocol employed.

[Arterial complications of renal transplantation. Experience with 360 cases]. / Sulle complicanze arteriose dei trapianti di rene. Esperienza su 360 casi.

The Authors report the arterial complications observed in a 360 kidney transplantations experience. They analyze the etiological, diagnostic and therapeutic features.

[Role of nutritional support and physical exercise in the dyslipidemia of renal transplantation]. / Ruolo dell'apporto nutrizionale e dell'esercizio fisico nella dislipidemia del trapianto di rene.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effect of diet and physical exercise on the dyslipemia of renal transplant (RT) patients 52 pts, transplanted between 12/85 and 4/87, subdivided into 2 groups (A and B), were studied. Characteristics of the diet adopted in patients in group A are: low carbohydrates, moderate animal protein, unsaturated and polyunsaturated fat in high rate. The second group had a lower animal protein and more fiber rich diet than the first one and a program of PE. By comparing A and B1 we noticed and increase in body weight, more slight in the group B, at the 24 months (56 +/- 8 59 +/- 10 vs 59 +/- 10 61 +/- 10). The study of lipid behaviour has showed a trend to normalization of triglycerides at 24 months in A (189 +/- 88 106 +/- 33) and in B1 (173 +/- 81 103 +/- 40), more evident normalization of cholesterol in group B1 (195 +/- 72 185 +/- 42), and increase of CT-HDL in A (42 +/- 12 63 +/- 17) and in B1 (44 +/- 10 61 +/- 14, p less than 0.05). It should be noted that CT-LDL increase in A (100 +/- 34 131 +/- 40) but not in B1 (103 +/- 35 111 +/- 33). With the aim of this program we obtained a positive effect on DL with a slight increase in body weight, a significant increase in CT-HDL without variation of total CT and CT-LDL levels.

Ultrafiltration in the treatment of refractory congestive heart failure.

Artificial subtraction of fluids and solutes was evaluated in the course of acute and chronic heart failure when it became refractory to standard intensive medical treatment. A group of 19 patients (mean age 57 years), 9 with ischemic, 2 amyloidotic, 4 valvular, and 4 idiopathic cardiomyopathy, were treated. In 17 patients extracorporeal ultrafiltration (UF) by means of a polysulfonate ultrafilter was adopted along 125 sessions (105 assisted by a roller pump and 20 as a slow continuous ultrafiltrate). In two patients continuous peritoneal dialysis was adopted. In every case UF was well tolerated. Ultrafiltrate volumes ranged from 1680 to 3500 ml for every session with corresponding Na losses ranging from 194 to 434 mEq/session. Improved clinical and functional status with reduction of edema was observed in 17 of 19 patients. In 12 patients UF could be discontinued due to restored response to diuretics; 5 of these patients could subsequently undergo heart surgery (1 transplant, 3 valve replacement, 1 coronary bypass). The remaining 7 patients survived on medical therapy alone for an average of 228 days. In 7 of 19 cases, UF could not be discontinued, and these patients died after an average of 23 days of treatment. In conclusion, UF proved to be effective in eliminating salt-fluid overload and restoring response to medical treatment. Patients who are potential surgical candidates seem to be the most suitable for UF.