[Simplified scale for medication adherence related problems in anti-retroviral therapy]. / Escala simplificada para detectar problemas de adherencia (ESPA) al tratamiento antirretroviral.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose is to describe an own-developed scale for medication adherence evaluation of HIV patients under antiretroviral therapy, and to compare it with other previously described methods. METHODS: The six-item scale was compared with a pharmacy record about the delivery of medication. Accordance between scale and a four-item Morisky-type scale (measure 1) and a percentage of doses taken as prescribed during the past two weeks (measure 2) was computed. RESULTS: The own-scale showed 93% sensitivity, 70% specificity, a likelihood ratio of 3.08 and good agreement compared with the pharmacy record (k = 0.62, p < 0.001). Agreement between the scale and measure 1 and measure 2 was very weak (k = 0.12, p = 0.446 and k = 0.10, p = 0.273 respectively). 39.7% of patients was considered as adherent according with the own-scale and was observed correlation between adherence and clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: The scale appears to be a valid instrument to check and detect adherence related problems compared with the pharmacy medication record. Easiness to use make feasible to consider as an adequate tool to detect non-adherent patients or patients with adherence related problems into the daily clinical practice.

Escala simplificada para detectar problemas de adherencia (ESPA) al tratamiento antirretroviral / No disponible

Objetivo: Se describe una escala simplificada para detectarproblemas de adherencia (ESPA) al tratamiento antirretroviral enpacientes VIH+ y se compara con otros métodos empleados habitualmenteen la práctica clínica.Método: La escala consta de seis preguntas cuya respuesta puedeser afirmativa o negativa y, dependiendo del valor obtenido, se identificaun potencial problema de adherencia. Se comparó la ESPA conregistros de dispensación y se determinó la concordancia con unamedida de tipo Morisky (medida 1) y con el porcentaje de dosis tomadasadecuadamente en las últimas dos semanas (medida 2).Resultados: Comparada con los registros de dispensación, laESPA mostró elevada sensibilidad (93%), especificidad (70%), unarazón de verosimilitud positiva de 3,08 y buena concordancia(k = 0,62, p < 0,001). La concordancia entre la escala y las medidas1 y 2 fue muy débil (k = 0,12, p = 0,446 y k = 0,10, p = 0,273,respectivamente). El 39,7% de los pacientes se consideró comoadherentes de acuerdo a la ESPA, y se observó una buena relaciónentre adherencia y las variables clínicas.Conclusiones: La ESPA parece un instrumento válido paradetectar problemas de adherencia con respecto a los registros dedispensación. Por su comodidad, es posible considerarla comouna herramienta adecuada para detectar pacientes no adherentesen la práctica clínica

Objective: The purpose is to describe an own-developed scalefor medication adherence evaluation of HIV patients under antiretroviraltherapy, and to compare it with other previouslydescribed methods.Methods: The six-item scale was compared with a pharmacyrecord about the delivery of medication. Accordance betweenscale and a four-item Morisky-type scale (measure 1) and a percentageof doses taken as prescribed during the past two weeks(measure 2) was computed.Results: The own-scale showed 93% sensitivity, 70% specificity,a likelyhood ratio of 3.08 and good agreement comparedwith the pharmacy record (k = 0.62, p < 0.001). Agreementbetween the scale and measure 1 and measure 2 was veryweak (k = 0.12, p = 0.446 and k = 0.10, p = 0.273 respectively).A 39.7% of patients was considered as adherent accordingwith the own-scale and was observed correlation between adherenceand clinical outcomes.Conclusion: The scale appears to be a valid instrument tocheck and detect adherence related problems compared with thepharmacy medication record. Easyness to use make feasible toconsider as an adequate tool to detect non-adherent patients orpatients with adherence related problems into the daily clinicalpractice

[Resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the province of Castellón]. / Resistencia de Mycobacterium tuberculosis en la provincia de Castellón.

We conduced a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of resistant mycobacteria in our setting. All patients in whom M. tuberculosis had been isolated in cultures of clinical samples (119) between January 1992 and December 1993 took part in the study. Canetti's method of percentages was used for the study of sensitivity to the following drugs: isocyanide, rifampicin, streptomycin, ethambutol and para-aminosalicylic acid. Overall resistance of M. tuberculosis was 9.24%. Specifically, we found resistance to isocyanide in 5.9%, to streptomycin in 4.20%, to rifampicin in 5.04% and to ethambutol in 1.68%. Resistance was primary in 7% and secondary in 21.05%; 2% showed primary resistance to isocyanide, 1% to isocyanide and rifampicin, 2% to streptomycin, 1% to ethambutol and 1% to streptomycin and rifampicin. These resistance indices are in keeping with those published for other areas of Spain.