A systematic review of robotic breast surgery versus open surgery.

Robotic-assisted breast surgery (RABS) is controversial. We systematically reviewed the evidence about RABS, comparing it to open conventional breast surgery (CBS). Following prospective registration (osf.io/97ewt), a search was performed in January 2023, without time or language restrictions, through bibliographic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Scopus, Trip database and CDSR) and grey literature. Quality was assessed in duplicate using Qualsyst criteria (score range 0.0-1.0); reviewer agreement was 98%. The 16 selected studies (total patients: 334,804) had overall high quality (mean score 0.82; range 0.68-0.91). Nine of 16 (56.3%) were cohort studies, 2/16 (12.5%) RCTs, and 5/16 (31.3%) case-control studies. Taking p < 0.05 as the significance threshold, RABS versus CBS was better in aesthetic results and patient satisfaction (10/11 studies; 90%), was surgically costly (4/4 studies; 100%), time-consuming (9/13 studies; 69%), and less painful in the first 6-24 h (2/2 studies; 100%) and without statistically significant differences in complication rates (10/12 studies; 83%) or short-term oncological outcomes (10/10 studies; 100%). Surgical time could be dramatically reduced by training surgical teams, reaching no significant differences between approaches (p = 0.120). RABS was shown to be feasible and safe. The advantages of RABS and long-term outcomes need further research.

Colorectal cancer treatment guidelines and shared decision making quality and reporting assessment: Systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Physicians must share decisions and choose personalised treatments regarding patients´ beliefs and values. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the quality of the recommendations about shared decision making (SDM) in colorectal (CRC) and anal cancer treatment clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and consensus statements (CSs). METHODS: Guidelines were systematically reviewed following prospective registration (Prospero: CRD42021286146) without language restrictions searching 15 databases and 59 professional society websites from January 2010 to November 2021. A validated 31-item SDM quality assessment tool was employed to extract data in duplicate. RESULTS: We identified 134 guidelines. Only 46/134 (34.3 %) mentioned SDM. Fifteen (11.1 %) made clear, precise and actionable recommendations, while 9/134 (6.7 %) indicated the strength of the SDM-related recommendations. CPGs underpinned by systematic reviews reported SDM more often than those based on consensus or reviews (35.9 % vs 32.0 %; p = 0.031). Guidelines that reported following quality tools (i.e., AGREE II) more commonly commented about SDM than when it was not reported (75.0 % vs 32.0 %; p = 0.003). CONCLUSION AND PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Most of the CRC and anal treatment guidelines did not mention SDM and it was superficial. Guidelines based on systematic reviews and those using quality tools demonstrated better reporting of SDM. Recommendations about SDM in these guidelines merit urgent improvement.

Decision Aids for Decision Making about Locally Advance Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) is a subset of breast cancer with locoregional progression without distant metastasis. The multimodality treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal and targeted therapy if required) could significantly improve results in this specific group of patients. The complex and multiple options of treatment with similar mortality rates but different outcomes depending on the patient's desires, preferences and social environment require aid to facilitate the individual patient's decisions (e.g. Decision Aids (DAs) targeting patients considering primary or adjuvant treatment in LABC). In this context, DAs have been proven fundamental to help patients and clinicians share and agree on the best value option. The current systematic review aimed to evaluate the existing DAs related to these patients with LABC and identify current status and possible improvement areas (possible scarcity and heterogeneity of instruments, the status of their development, explanation of their purpose,…). No previous systematic reviews have been published on this topic. Following Prospero registration no: CRD42021286173, studies about LABC DAs were identified, without data or language restrictions, through a systematic search of bibliographic databases in December 2021. Quality was assessed using Qualsyst criteria (range 0.0-1.0). The quality of the 17 selected studies ranged from 0.46 to 0.95. Of them, 14/17 (82%) were DAs about treatment, only one (6%) about diagnosis, and 2/17 (12%) about the employment of DAs. No screening or follow-up DAs were retrieved. Twelve (70.6%) DAs were online tools. They varied broadly regarding their characteristics and purposes. Most of the studies focused on developing and testing different DAs (5/17; 29.4%) and their impact (7/17; 41.2%). Only 4/17 (23.5%) analysed their implementation and cost. These instruments have proven to improve patient's knowledge and decision-making, decrease patient anxiety, and patients tend to undergo treatment. However, nowadays, there is still a need for further research and consensus on methodology to develop practical DAs.

A comprehensive systematic review of colorectal cancer screening clinical practices guidelines and consensus statements.

High-quality clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and consensus statements (CSs) are essential for evidence-based medicine. The purpose of this systematic review was to appraise the quality and reporting of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening CPGs and CSs. After prospective registration (Prospero no: CRD42021286156), a systematic review searched CRC guidances in duplicate without language restrictions in ten databases, 20 society websites, and grey literature from 2018 to 2021. We appraised quality with AGREE II (% of maximum score) and reporting with RIGHT (% of total 35 items) tools. Twenty-four CPGs and 5 CSs were analysed. The median overall quality and reporting were 54.0% (IQR 45.7-75.0) and 42.0% (IQR 31.4-68.6). The applicability had low quality (AGREE II score <50%) in 83% of guidances (24/29). Recommendations and conflict of interest were low-reported (RIGHT score <50%) in 62% guidances (18/29) and 69% (20/29). CPGs that deployed systematic reviews had better quality and reporting than CSs (AGREE: 68.5% vs. 35.5%; p = 0.001; RIGHT: 74.6% vs. 41.4%; p = 0.001). In summary, CRC screening CPGs and CSs achieved low quality and reporting. It is necessary a revision and an improvement of the current guidances. Their development should apply a robust methodology using proper guideline development tools to obtain high-quality evidence-based documents.

Systematic review of shared decision-making in guidelines about colorectal cancer screening.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to systematically evaluate quality of shared decision-making (SDM) in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and consensus statements (CSs). METHODS: Search for CRC screening guidances was from 2010 to November 2021 in EMBASE, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Scopus and CDSR, and the World Wide Web. Three independent reviewers and an arbitrator rated the quality of each guidance using a SDM quality assessment tool (maximum score: 31). Reviewer agreement was 0.88. RESULTS: SDM appeared in 41/83 (49.4%) CPGs and 9/19 (47.4%) CSs. None met all the quality criteria, and 51.0% (52/102) failed to meet any quality items. Overall compliance was low (mean 1.63, IQR 0-2). Quality was better in guidances published after 2015 (mean 1, IQR 0-3 vs. mean 0.5, IQR 0-1.5; p = 0.048) and when the term SDM was specifically reported (mean 4.5, IQR 2.5-4.5 vs. mean 0.5, IQR 0-1.5; p < 0.001). CPGs underpinned by systematic reviews showed better SDM quality than consensus (mean 1, IQR 0-3 vs. mean 0, IQR 0-2, p = 0.040). CONCLUSION: SDM quality was suboptimal and mentioned in less than half of the guidances, and recommendations were scarce. Guideline developers should incorporate evidence-based SDM recommendations in guidances to underpin the translation of evidence into practice.

Guidance documents for colorectal and anal cancer treatment: A systematic quality and reporting assessment.

AIM: Evidence-based medicine is essential for clinical practice. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and consensus statements (CSs) ought to follow a consistent methodology to underpin high-quality healthcare. We systematically analysed the quality and reporting of colorectal (CRC) and anal cancer CPGs and CSs. METHODS: Embase, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and online sources (59 professional society websites and eight guideline databases) were systematically searched following prospective registration (PROSPERO no. CRD42021286146) by two reviewers independently, without language restrictions. CPGs and CSs about CRC and anal cancer treatment were included from January 2018 to November 2021 and were assessed using the AGREE II tool (per cent of maximum score) and the RIGHT tool (per cent of total 35 items) for quality and reporting respectively. RESULTS: The median overall quality and reporting of the 59 guidelines analysed were 55.0% (interquartile range 47.0-62.0) and 58% (interquartile range 50.0-67.9), respectively, with a proportion scoring less than half (<50%) for quality (20/59, 33.9%) and reporting (15/59, 25.4%). Guidance reported that following AGREE II methodology scored better on average than that without (AGREE II 77.7% vs. 47.6%, P = 0.001; RIGHT 50.0% vs. 33.9%, P = 0.001). Guidelines based on systematic reviews had better quality and reporting on average than those based on consensus (AGREE II 56.5% vs. 46.6%, P = 0.001; RIGHT 36.9% vs. 35.4%, P = 0.019). CONCLUSION: The quality and reporting of colorectal and anal cancer treatment CPGs and CSs were poor. Despite AGREE II and RIGHT inherent methodological limitations, few high-quality guidelines were found. Despite wide variability in scoring different domains, they merit urgent improvement in all areas. It has also been demonstrated that CPGs and CSs should be underpinned by systematic reviews collecting the best available clinical research findings.

Design and Simulation of Production and Maintenance Management Applying the Viable System Model: The Case of an OEM Plant.

Designing, changing and adapting organizations to secure viability is challenging for manufacturing companies. Researchers often fail to holistically design or transform production systems. Reasons are often the conflict of interests between production and maintenance, the temporal divergence of their activities and their organizational structure. Thus, the aim of this study is to propose a holistic approach of how production and maintenance can be designed, changed or managed. Hereby, the Viable System Model was applied. This structure can be applied to any kind of structured organization and for its management with goals to be achieved in modern society; however, focus of the research is the coordination of production and maintenance management. The goal of the developed model is to be able to react to some potential production environments by taking coordinated decisions correctly and in the right moment based on the needed information. To ensure this, standardized communication channels were defined. In conclusion, this proposed approach enables production systems to have internal mechanisms to secure viability depending on all potential environment scenarios.

Optical Coherence Tomography in Children With Microtropia.

PURPOSE: To assess whether optical coherence tomography (OCT) could be useful for detecting and documenting fixation in patients with microtropia. METHODS: Retinal fixation observation was performed using spectral-domain OCT on amblyopic children with microtropia. The position between the retinal fixation point and the anatomical fovea was measured, in microns, using the system software tools. Only patients with a high level of cooperation, OCT scan quality signal of 7 or better, and visual acuity of 0.70 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) or worse in the amblyopic eye were included. RESULTS: A total of 25 patients were included: 15 with microtropia (study group) and 10 without tropia and with foveal fixation and stereopsis (control group). In the study group, microtropia was previously diagnosed in 67% of cases through the cover test, and was predominantly in the left eye (73%). The average visual acuity of the sound eye was 0.03 decimal and 0.18 logMAR in the amblyopic eye. The microtropia was 3.73 ± 3.34 prism diopters and eccentric fixation (387 ± 199 µm) with OCT was observed in all cases except one. Eccentricity was predominantly in the superonasal quadrant (57%). Both eyes in the control group and the contralateral eyes of the study group showed foveal fixation. CONCLUSIONS: OCT can play an important role in the diagnosis and measurement of eccentric fixation in eyes with microtropia, providing high sensitivity. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2018;55(3):171-177.].

Detecting stable individual differences in the functional organization of the human basal ganglia.

Moving from group level to individual level functional parcellation maps is a critical step for developing a rich understanding of the links between individual variation in functional network architecture and cognitive and clinical phenotypes. Still, the identification of functional units in the brain based on intrinsic functional connectivity and its dynamic variations between and within subjects remains challenging. Recently, the bootstrap analysis of stable clusters (BASC) framework was developed to quantify the stability of functional brain networks both across and within subjects. This multi-level approach utilizes bootstrap resampling for both individual and group-level clustering to delineate functional units based on their consistency across and within subjects, while providing a measure of their stability. Here, we optimized the BASC framework for functional parcellation of the basal ganglia by investigating a variety of clustering algorithms and similarity measures. Reproducibility and test-retest reliability were computed to validate this analytic framework as a tool to describe inter-individual differences in the stability of functional networks. The functional parcellation revealed by stable clusters replicated previous divisions found in the basal ganglia based on intrinsic functional connectivity. While we found moderate to high reproducibility, test-retest reliability was high at the boundaries of the functional units as well as within their cores. This is interesting because the boundaries between functional networks have been shown to explain most individual phenotypic variability. The current study provides evidence for the consistency of the parcellation of the basal ganglia, and provides the first group level parcellation built from individual-level cluster solutions. These novel results demonstrate the utility of BASC for quantifying inter-individual differences in the functional organization of brain regions, and encourage usage in future studies.

COMT and DRD2/ANKK-1 gene-gene interaction account for resetting of gamma neural oscillations to auditory stimulus-driven attention.

Attention capture by potentially relevant environmental stimuli is critical for human survival, yet it varies considerably among individuals. A large series of studies has suggested that attention capture may depend on the cognitive balance between maintenance and manipulation of mental representations and the flexible switch between goal-directed representations and potentially relevant stimuli outside the focus of attention; a balance that seems modulated by a prefrontostriatal dopamine pathway. Here, we examined inter-individual differences in the cognitive control of attention through studying the effects of two single nucleotide polymorphisms regulating dopamine at the prefrontal cortex and the striatum (i.e., COMTMet108/158Val and ANKK1/DRD2TaqIA) on stimulus-driven attention capture. Healthy adult participants (N = 40) were assigned to different groups according to the combination of the polymorphisms COMTMet108/158Val and ANKK1/DRD2TaqIA, and were instructed to perform on a well-established distraction protocol. Performance in individuals with a balance between prefrontal dopamine display and striatal receptor density was slowed down by the occurrence of unexpected distracting events, while those with a rather unbalanced dopamine activity were able maintain task performance with no time delay, yet at the expense of a slightly lower accuracy. This advantage, associated to their distinct genetic profiles, was paralleled by an electrophysiological mechanism of phase-resetting of gamma neural oscillation to the novel, distracting events. Taken together, the current results suggest that the epistatic interaction between COMTVal108/158Met and ANKK1/DRD2 TaqIa genetic polymorphisms lies at the basis of stimulus-driven attention capture.

Líquido peritoneal turbio acelular y uso de antagonistas del calcio en diálisis peritoneal / Turbid acellular peritoneal fluid and the use of calcium antagonists in peritoneal dialysis

El líquido peritoneal turbio acelular de etiología no infecciosa es una entidad poco frecuente en diálisis peritoneal y se caracteriza por una concentración elevada de triglicéridos en el líquido peritoneal. Las causas más comunes son las neoplasias, las obstrucciones linfáticas, las pancreatitis, los traumatismos y se ha relacionado también con el uso de algunos fármacos, como los antagonistas del calcio. Las series con un mayor número de casos se han comunicado en población asiática. Recientemente hemos diagnosticado en nuestro centro 4 casos de líquido peritoneal turbio acelular relacionado con el uso de antagonistas del calcio. Nos planteamos revisar las características principales de los casos y estudiar la relación del antagonista del calcio con los niveles de triglicéridos en el líquido peritoneal de los pacientes estables en diálisis peritoneal durante el año 2010. De los cuatro enfermos con líquido peritoneal turbio acelular, el 75 % eran varones y el 75 % estaban en tratamiento con manidipino; en todos los casos se resolvió el problema con la retirada del fármaco. Los niveles de triglicéridos medios fueron de 314 mg/dl. Los niveles medios de triglicéridos de 36 pacientes estables de diálisis peritoneal fueron de 8,1 mg/dl, con un intervalo entre 1 y 35 mg/dl. La media de triglicéridos en los pacientes con o sin tratamiento con antagonistas del calcio fue muy similar: 7,81 y 8,6 mg/dl, respectivamente. No se observaron diferencias en relación con el tipo de antagonista del calcio prescrito. En nuestra experiencia, creemos que los antagonistas del calcio deben ser considerados como causa de líquido peritoneal turbio acelular en los enfermos en diálisis peritoneal, en especial el manidipino. No consideramos útil la determinación de triglicéridos en el líquido peritoneal de los enfermos asintomáticos en tratamiento con antagonistas del calcio (AU)

Turbid acellular peritoneal fluid of a non-infectious aetiology is an uncommon entity in peritoneal dialysis and is characterised by a high concentration of triglycerides in the peritoneal fluid. The most common causes include cancer, lymphatic obstructions, pancreatitis, trauma, and even the use of certain medications such as calcium antagonists. The largest studies concerning this entity have been carried out in patients of Asian descent. We recently diagnosed 4 cases of turbid acellular peritoneal fluid at our institution in relation to the use of calcium antagonists. We reviewed the primary characteristics of these cases and examined the relationship between the use of calcium antagonists and triglyceride levels in the peritoneal fluid of stable patients on peritoneal dialysis during 2010. Of the four patients with turbid acellular peritoneal fluid, 75% were male and 75% were on treatment with manidipine; in all cases, the issue was resolved by suspending medication. Mean triglyceride levels were 314mg/dl. Mean triglyceride levels in 36 stable patients on peritoneal dialysis were 8.1mg/dl, with a range of 1-35mg/dl. Mean triglyceride levels in patients with and without calcium antagonist treatment were very similar, at 7.81mg/dl and 8.6mg/dl, respectively. We did not observe significant differences in terms of the type of calcium antagonist prescribed. In our experience, we believe that calcium antagonists should be considered as a cause of turbid acellular peritoneal fluid in patients on peritoneal dialysis, in particular manidipine. We do not find it useful to determine triglyceride levels in the peritoneal fluid of asymptomatic patients on treatment with calcium antagonists (AU)

Turbid acellular peritoneal fluid and the use of calcium antagonists in peritoneal dialysis.

Turbid acellular peritoneal fluid of a non-infectious aetiology is an uncommon entity in peritoneal dialysis and is characterised by a high concentration of triglycerides in the peritoneal fluid. The most common causes include cancer, lymphatic obstructions, pancreatitis, trauma, and even the use of certain medications such as calcium antagonists. The largest studies concerning this entity have been carried out in patients of Asian descent. We recently diagnosed 4 cases of turbid acellular peritoneal fluid at our institution in relation to the use of calcium antagonists. We reviewed the primary characteristics of these cases and examined the relationship between the use of calcium antagonists and triglyceride levels in the peritoneal fluid of stable patients on peritoneal dialysis during 2010. Of the four patients with turbid acellular peritoneal fluid, 75% were male and 75% were on treatment with manidipine; in all cases, the issue was resolved by suspending medication. Mean triglyceride levels were 314 mg/dl. Mean triglyceride levels in 36 stable patients on peritoneal dialysis were 8.1mg/dl, with a range of 1-35 mg/dl. Mean triglyceride levels in patients with and without calcium antagonist treatment were very similar, at 7.81 mg/dl and 8.6 mg/dl, respectively. We did not observe significant differences in terms of the type of calcium antagonist prescribed. In our experience, we believe that calcium antagonists should be considered as a cause of turbid acellular peritoneal fluid in patients on peritoneal dialysis, in particular manidipine. We do not find it useful to determine triglyceride levels in the peritoneal fluid of asymptomatic patients on treatment with calcium antagonists.

Altered default network resting state functional connectivity in patients with a first episode of psychosis.

BACKGROUND: Default network (DN) abnormalities have been identified in patients with chronic schizophrenia using "resting state" functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-fMRI). Here, we examined the integrity of the DN in patients experiencing their first episode of psychosis (FEP) compared with sex- and age-matched healthy controls. METHODS: We collected R-fMRI data from 19 FEP patients (mean age 24.9 ± 4.8 yrs, 14 males) and 19 healthy controls (26.1 ± 4.8 yrs, 14 males) at 3T. Following standard preprocessing, we examined the functional connectivity (FC) of two DN subsystems and the two DN hubs (P<0.0045, corrected). RESULTS: Patients with FEP exhibited abnormal FC that appeared largely restricted to the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dMPFC) DN subsystem. Relative to controls, FEP patients exhibited weaker positive FC between dMPFC and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and precuneus, extending laterally through the parietal lobe to the posterior angular gyrus. Patients with FEP exhibited weaker negative FC between the lateral temporal cortex and the intracalcarine cortex, bilaterally. The PCC and temporo-parietal junction also exhibited weaker negative FC with the right fusiform gyrus extending to the lingual gyrus and lateral occipital cortex, in FEP patients, compared to controls. By contrast, patients with FEP showed stronger negative FC between the temporal pole and medial motor cortex, anterior precuneus and posterior mid-cingulate cortex. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormalities in the dMPFC DN subsystem in patients with a FEP suggest that FC patterns are altered even in the early stages of psychosis.

Aplicabilidad clínica de dos índices pronósticos de mortalidad precoz en pacientes añosos incidentes en hemodiálisis: escaso acierto predictivo en el paciente individual / Two prognostic scores for early mortality and their clinical applicability in elderly patients on haemodialysis: poor predictive success in individual patients

Introducción: Existen pocos estudios sobre el pronóstico individual del paciente añoso que inicia hemodiálisis (HD) crónica, pese a que frecuentemente se plantea el dilema entre el posible beneficio y la carga que supone el propio tratamiento. Objetivos: Evaluar la utilidad del índice pronóstico del Registro REIN (REIN) y del modelo predictivo de mortalidad precoz del Registre de Malalts Renals de Catalunya (RMRC) en pacientes añosos incidentes en HD al compararlos con la supervivencia observada. Métodos: Se estudiaron los pacientes mayores de 75 años que iniciaron y siguieron HD en nuestro Servicio entre 2004-2009. Se recogieron variables sociodemográficas, clínicas, comorbilidad, mortalidad y si el inicio de HD fue planificado o no. Se calculó el índice REIN y la probabilidad de mortalidad precoz del RMRC. Resultados: Se analizaron 63 pacientes de una edad media de 80,4 ± 3,9 años, con un número de enfermedades añadidas de 3,4 ± 1,8. Un 59% iniciaron HD por un catéter, un 57,1% tenían enfermedad cardiovascular, el 15,9% neoplasia, el 31,2% enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica y el 19% nefropatía diabética. La supervivencia observada a los 6 y a los 12 meses fue de 79,4 y 73%, respectivamente. Los pacientes que no se valían por sí mismos (21%) presentaban una mayor mortalidad a los 6 meses. El análisis de las curvas ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) mostró una escasa concordancia entre la mortalidad observada y los índices REIN (área 0,681, p = 0,046) y RMRC (área 0,594, p = 0,255). Conclusiones: El índice de probabilidad de mortalidad al año del RMRC es poco útil en la práctica clínica para el pronóstico individual. El índice REIN es sólo ligeramente concordante con la mortalidad observada en los primeros 6 meses de HD. Una pobre autonomía funcional fue el principal factor de riesgo de mortalidad precoz en los pacientes añosos que inician HD (AU)

Introduction: Few studies address the individual prognosis of an elderly patient beginning chronic haemodialysis (HD), despite the fact that doctors must frequently weigh the possible benefits and disadvantages of prescribing this treatment. Objectives: Evaluate the usefulness of the REIN Registry’s prognosis score and the predictive index for early mortality proposed by the Catalan Registry of Renal Patients (RMRC, Registre de Malalts Renals de Catalunya) in elderly patients beginning HD by comparing indices with observed survival rates. Methods: We studied patients aged 75 years and older who started and continued HD treatment in our Department between 2004 and 2009. Socio-demographic, clinical, co-morbidity and mortality data were recorded, in addition to whether or not initiating HD was planned. We calculated the REIN score and the RMRC probability of early mortality. Results: We analysed 63 patients with a mean age of 80.4±3.9 years and a mean of 3.4±1.8 additional illnesses. Of these patients, 59% began HD with a catheter; 57.1% had cardiovascular disease, 15.9% neoplasia, 31.2% chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 19% diabetic nephropathy. Survival rates observed at 6 and at 12 months were 79.4% and 73%, respectively. Patients who began HD on an emergency basis (47.7%) or who were unable to care for themselves (21%) had higher 6-month mortality rates. Analysis of ROC curves (Receiver Operating Characteristic) showed slight concordance between the observed mortality rates and both the REIN score (area 0.681, P=.046) and the RMRC index (area 0.594, P=.255). Conclusions: The RMRC 1-year mortality probability model is not well adapted for individual prognoses in clinical practice. The REIN score only shows slight concordance with the mortality rates observed in the first 6 months of HD. Poor functional independence was the main risk factor for early mortality in elderly patients begining HD treatment

Two prognostic scores for early mortality and their clinical applicability in elderly patients on haemodialysis: poor predictive success in individual patients.

INTRODUCTION: Few studies address the individual prognosis of an elderly patient beginning chronic haemodialysis (HD), despite the fact that doctors must frequently weigh the possible benefits and disadvantages of prescribing this treatment. OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the usefulness of the REIN Registry's prognosis score and the predictive index for early mortality proposed by the Catalan Registry of Renal Patients (RMRC, Registre de Malalts Renals de Catalunya) in elderly patients beginning HD by comparing indices with observed survival rates. METHODS: We studied patients aged 75 years and older who started and continued HD treatment in our Department between 2004 and 2009. Socio-demographic, clinical, co-morbidity and mortality data were recorded, in addition to whether or not initiating HD was planned. We calculated the REIN score and the RMRC probability of early mortality. RESULTS: We analysed 63 patients with a mean age of 80.4 +/- 3.9 years and a mean of 3.4 +/- 1.8 additional illnesses. Of these patients, 59% began HD with a catheter; 57.1% had cardiovascular disease, 15.9% neoplasia, 31.2% chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 19% diabetic nephropathy. Survival rates observed at 6 and at 12 months were 79.4% and 73%, respectively. Patients who began HD on an emergency basis (47.7%) or who were unable to care for themselves (21%) had higher 6-month mortality rates. Analysis of ROC curves (Receiver Operating Characteristic) showed slight concordance between the observed mortality rates and both the REIN score (area 0.681, P=.046) and the RMRC index (area 0.594, P=.255). CONCLUSIONS: The RMRC 1-year mortality probability model is not well adapted for individual prognoses in clinical practice. The REIN score only shows slight concordance with the mortality rates observed in the first 6 months of HD. Poor functional independence was the main risk factor for early mortality in elderly patients beginning HD treatment.

Phase re-setting of gamma neural oscillations during novelty processing in an appetitive context.

Based on the previous study where phase-synchronization (PS) of gamma-band responses (GBRs) proved a reliable cerebral correlate of involuntary attention and its enhancement under threat, we measured gamma-PS elicited by novel sounds from human electroencephalogram (EEG) scalp-recordings when participants responded to visual stimuli displaying either highly motivational or neutral sceneries. We then tested the modulatory effect of the emotional conditions on auditory responses. Novel distractor sounds did not affect behavioural accuracy on subjects' visual task performance in neutral context but markedly decreased hit rate in the appetitive one. Similarly, gamma-PS to novel sounds remained intact in neutral context, whereas it showed an increase, within the 35-Hz sub-range, in the appetitive context. These results suggest that a context of processing positive emotional stimuli results into an enhanced processing of task-irrelevant novel auditory events, and, furthermore, that gamma-PS is tuned under conditions that could promote long-term survival.

Results of a coordination and shared clinical information programme between primary care and nephrology.

INTRODUCTION: The high prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the general population has created a need to coordinate specialised nephrology care and primary care. Although several systems have been developed to coordinate this process, published results are scarce and contradictory. OBJECTIVE: To present the results of the application of a coordinated programme between nephrology care and primary care through consultations and a system of shared clinical information to facilitate communication and improve the criteria for referring patients. METHODS: Elaboration of a coordinated care programme by the primary care management team and the nephrology department, based on the SEN-SEMFYC consensus document and a protocol for the study and management of arterial hypertension (AHT). Explanation and implementation in primary health care units. A directory of specialists' consultations was created, both in-person and via e-mail. A continuous training programme in kidney disease and arterial hypertension was implemented in the in-person consultation sessions. The programme was progressively implemented over a three-year period (2007-2010) in an area of 426,000 inhabitants with 230 general practitioners. Use of a clinical information system named Salut en Xarxa that allows access to clinical reports, diagnoses, prescriptions, test results and clinical progression. RESULTS: Improved referral criteria between primary care and specialised nephrology service. Improved prioritisation of visits. Progressive increase in referrals denied by specialists (28.5% in 2009), accompanied by an explanatory report including suggestions for patient management. Decrease in first nephrology outpatient visits that have been referred from primary care (15% in 2009). Family doctors were generally satisfied with the improvement in communication and the continuous training programme. The main causes for denying referral requests were: patients >70 years with stage 3 CKD (44.15%); patients <70 years with stage 3a CKD (19.15%); albumin/creatinine ratio <500 mg/g (12.23%); non-secondary, non-refractory, essential AHT (11.17%). The general practitioners included in the programme showed great interest and no complaints were registered. CONCLUSIONS: The consultations improve adequacy and prioritisation of nephrology visits, allow for better communication between different levels of the health system, and offer systematic training for general practitioners to improve the management of nephrology patients. This process allows for referring nephrology patients with the most complex profiles to nephrology outpatient clinics.

Dopamine transporter regulates the enhancement of novelty processing by a negative emotional context.

The dopaminergic (DA) system has been recently related the emotional modulation of cognitive processes. Moreover, patients with midbrain DA depletion, such as Parkinson's Disease (PD), have shown diminished reactivity during unpleasant events. Here, we examined the role of DA in the enhancement of novelty processing during negative emotion. Forty healthy volunteers were genotyped for the dopamine transporter (DAT) gene SLC6A3 or DAT1 and performed an auditory-visual distraction paradigm in negative and neutral emotional context conditions. 9R- individuals, associated to a lesser striatal DA display, failed to show increased distraction during negative emotion, but experienced an enhancement of the early phase of the novelty-P3 brain response, associated to the evaluation of novel events, in the negative relative to the neutral context. However, 9R+ individuals (associated to larger striatal DA display) showed larger distraction during negative emotion and larger amplitudes of the novelty-P3, irrespective of the condition. These results suggest a blunted reactivity to novelty during negative emotion in 9R- individuals due to a lesser DA display and stronger activation of the representation of novel events in the 9R+ group, due to a larger DA availability, thus reaching a ceiling effect in the neutral context condition with no further enhancement during negative emotion. The present results might help to understand the functional implications of dopamine in some neuropsychiatric disorders.

Tuning the brain for novelty detection under emotional threat: the role of increasing gamma phase-synchronization.

Effective orienting of attention towards novel events is crucial for survival, particularly if they occur in a dangerous situation. This is why stimuli with emotional value are more efficient in capturing attention than neutral stimuli, and why the processing of unexpected novel stimuli is enhanced under a negative emotional context. Here we measured the phase-synchronization (PS) of gamma-band responses (GBR) from human EEG scalp-recordings during performance of a visual discrimination task in which task-irrelevant standard and novel sounds were presented in either a neutral or a negative emotional context, in order to elucidate the brain mechanisms by which emotion tunes the processing of novel events. Visual task performance was distracted by novel sounds, and this distraction was enhanced by the negative emotional context. Similarly, gamma PS was enhanced after novel as compared to standard sounds and it was also larger to auditory stimuli in the negative than in the neutral emotional context, reflecting the synchronization of neural networks for increasing of attentional processing. Remarkably, the larger PS increase of GBR after novel sounds in the negative as compared to the neutral emotional context over midline and right frontal regions reveals that a negative emotional context tunes novelty processing by means of the PS of brain activity in the gamma frequency band around 40 Hz in specific neural networks.

[Coordinating between the renal transplant unit and the non-transplant nephrology department]. / Coordinación entre Unidad de trasplante renal y Servicio de Nefrología no trasplantador.

Patients with stabilized kidney transplant receive optimal management care when there is effective coordination between the transplant centre and the community nephrologist (Evidence level C). A good coordination with regular interactive communication between the transplant centre and community nephrologist is very positive for patients and beneficial to the transplant centre and community nephrologist (Evidence level C). Many of the clinical objectives for management of kidney transplant recipients are similar to those related to chronic kidney disease patients (Evidence level C). A good coordination between the transplant centre and community nephrologist needs organizational requirements and clinical management protocols (Evidence level C).When irreversible renal allograft failure occurs, the community nephrologist must assume the preparation for dialysis as with other patients with advanced chronic kidney disease: choose dialysis methods, create arteriovenous fistulae or place peritoneal catheter and identify dialysis treatment centre. Moreover, the transplant centre and the community nephrologist will jointly decide the best moment to start dialysis or the possibility of preemptive kidney transplant (Evidence level C).