Modularity and Blended Methodology on Master Education for Donation and Transplantation.

Transplant Procurement Management and the University of Barcelona has offered a Master of Donation and Transplantation degree since 2004. The aim of this study is to analyze the number of participants, their profiles, and scores to evaluate improving measures introduced since 2011, when the modular structure was stablished. The data is organized in 3 groups: number of participants, profile, and scores in each module. The variables for the profile are gender, nationality, and background. According to the number of participants, 127 professionals were trained since 2011, with a decrease in the last classes (21; 20; 15). Regarding their profiles, from 2011 until 2016 the proportion of women was higher (63.13%). The background heterogeneity was an average of 4 different backgrounds in each edition, and medicine was most frequent background for students (58.27%). Participants were from 37 countries, mostly from the United States (45.6%) and Europe (40.9%). As for the scores, participants were evaluated in 4 modules (Donation, Transplantation, Management, and Tissue Banking), an internship, and a final master dissertation. The Donation module presented the lowest score (7.45/10) and the Transplantation module the highest (8.22/10). Considering that the main characteristics of the master's degree are the participants' internationality and heterogeneity, improvement measures must continue focusing on flexibility in the module selection and promoting the online modality.

[Lanthanum carbonate in clinical practice]. / Carbonato de lantano en la práctica clínica.

Lanthanum is an element belonging to the group called rare earths. Due to its low solubility, lanthanum carbonate has been widely studied as an intestinal phosphate binder. The results of different clinical trials show that it is an effective and well-tolerated phosphate binder used in monotherapy. Serum phosphate levels are controlled in approximately 70% of patients at 5 years without causing hypercalcemia. The only significant adverse effects observed are a low percentage of gastrointestinal disturbances (6%). Lanthanum carbonate does not alter serum values of liposoluble vitamins or affect the pharmacokinetics of digoxin, warfarin, furosemide, phenytoin, ACE inhibitors or beta-blockers. However, it does alter the pharmacokinetics of ciprofloxacin (quinolones in general), tetracyclines and doxycycline. Lanthanum carbonate (Fosrenol) is available in Spain as 500 mg, 750 mg, and 1,000 mg chewable tablets, which should not be swallowed without chewing to avoid loss of efficacy. The initial dose recommended by the WHO is 2,250 mg/day, which is equivalent to one 750 mg at each meal. Lanthanum carbonate or lanthanum phosphate can be clearly visualized on a plain x-ray of the abdomen in patients who have recently ingested it. In summary, lanthanum carbonate is a widely studied potent phosphate binder, which offers the possibility of improving control of serum phosphate in patients with chronic kidney disease, without significant side effects. The fact that it is available as chewable tablets and that the number of daily tablets required has been significantly reduced will probably facilitate better patient compliance.