Economic burden of skin and skin structure infections due to Gram-positive bacteria in patients on hospital at home-based outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT).

OBJECTIVE: To describe and quantify resource use and direct health costs associated with skin and skin structure infections (SSSIs) caused by Gram-positive bacteria in adults receiving outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT), administered by Hospital at Home units (HaH) in Spain. METHODS: Observational, multicenter, retrospective study. We included patients of both sexes included in the HaH-based OPAT Registry during 2011 to 2017 who were hospitalized due to SSSIs caused by Gram-positive bacteria. Resource use included home visits (nurses and physician), emergency room visits, conventional hospitalization stay, HaH stay and antibiotic treatment. Costs were quantified by multiplying the natural units of the resources by the corresponding unit cost. All costs were updated to 2019 euros. RESULTS: We included 194 episodes in 189 patients from 24 Spanish hospitals. The most frequent main diagnoses were cellulitis (26.8%) and surgical wound infection (24.2%), and 94% of episodes resulted in clinical improvement or cure after treatment. The median HaH stay was 13 days (interquartile range [IR]:8-22.7), and the conventional hospitalization stay was 5 days (IR: 1-10.7). The mean total cost attributable to the complete infectious process was €7,326 (95% confidence interval: €6,316-€8,416). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that OPAT administered by HaH is a safe and efficient alternative for the management of these infections and could lead to lower costs compared with hospital admission.

Usefulness of Hospital at Home in nosocomial infections: advantages and limitations.

Hospital at Home units allows ambulatory treatment and monitoring of complex and serious infections. Nosocomial infections produce an extension of the stay in hospital often specifying long intravenous treatments without any effective oral alternatives. Daily dosing of antimicrobial are easier to administer at home. The use of portable programmable pump infusion and elastomeric devices allow efficient and safe infu-sions for most antimicrobials at home. Some antibiotics against multidrug-resistant organisms of recent introduction have a suitable profile for outpatient intravenous treatment.

Costs of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) administered by Hospital at Home units in Spain.

The aim of this study was to assess the direct healthcare costs of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) administered by Hospital at Home (HaH) units in Spain. An observational, multicentre, economic evaluation of retrospective cohorts was conducted. Patients were treated at home by the HaH units of three Spanish hospitals between January 2012 and December 2013. From the cost accounting of HaH OPAT (staff, pharmacy, transportation, diagnostic tests and structural), the cost of each outpatient course was obtained following a top-down strategy based on the use of resources. Costs associated with inpatient stay, if any, were estimated based on length of stay and ICD-9-CM diagnosis. There were 1324 HaH episodes in 1190 patients (median age 70 years). The median (interquartile range) stay at home was 10 days (7-15 days). Of the OPAT episodes, 91.5% resulted in cure or improvement on completion of intravenous therapy. The mean total cost of each infectious episode was €6707 [95% confidence interval (CI) €6189-7406]. The mean cost per OPAT episode was €1356 (95% CI €1247-1560), mainly distributed between healthcare staff costs (46%) and pharmacy costs (39%). The mean cost of inpatient hospitalisation of an infectious episode was €4357 (95% CI €3947-4977). The cost per day of inpatient hospitalisation was €519, whilst the cost per day of OPAT was €98, meaning a saving of 81%. This study shows that OPAT administered by HaH units resulted in lower costs compared with inpatient care in Spain.

Left-sided infective endocarditis in patients with liver cirrhosis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the course of left-sided infective endocarditis (LsIE) in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) analyzing its influence on mortality and the impact of surgery. METHODS: Prospective cohort study, conducted from 1984 to 2013 in 26 Spanish hospitals. RESULTS: A total of 3.136 patients with LsIE were enrolled and 308 had LC: 151 Child-Pugh A, 103 B, 34 C and 20 were excluded because of unknown stage. Mortality was significantly higher in the patients with LsIE and LC (42.5% vs. 28.4%; p < 0.01) and this condition was in general an independent worse factor for outcome (HR 1.51, 95% CI: 1.23-1.85; p < 0.001). However, patients in stage A had similar mortality to patients without cirrhosis (31.8% vs. 28.4% p = NS) and in this stage heart surgery had a protective effect (28% in operated patients vs. 60% in non-operated when it was indicated). Mortality was significantly higher in stages B (52.4%) and C (52.9%) and the prognosis was better for patients in stage B who underwent surgery immediately (mortality 50%) compared to those where surgery was delayed (58%) or not performed (74%). Only one patient in stage C underwent surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with liver cirrhosis and infective endocarditis have a poorer prognosis only in stages B and C. Early surgery must be performed in stages A and although in selected patients in stage B when indicated.

Tratamiento de la trombosis venosa profunda en pacientes mayores de 60 años en una unidad de hospitalización a domicilio / Therapeutic approach to home treatment of deep venous thrombosis in the elderly

OBJETIVO: Comparar la evolución de los pacientes mayores de 60 años con trombosis venosa profunda (TVP), tratados con heparinas de bajo peso molecular (HBPM) en una unidad de hospitalización a domicilio con los que reciben tratamiento hospitalario.MÉTODO: Estudio observacional retrospectivo con grupo control, de pacientes mayores de 60 años, con TVP proximal o distal, diagnosticada en el servicio de urgencias mediante flebografía o eco-Doppler. El grupo estudio estaba constituido por aquellos pacientes tratados en el servicio de hospitalización a domicilio y el grupo control por los que realizaron tratamiento hospitalario.Ambos grupos recibieron HBPM durante unos 5 días y posteriormente dicumarínicos durante 6 meses. Recogimos sus características basales, factores de riesgo de TVP, tratamiento y complicaciones. Tras el alta, realizamos una entrevista telefónica a los 3 y 6 meses. Comparamos la incidencia de reingresos, retrombosis, tromboembolismo pulmonar y sangrado.RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 96 pacientes, 70 tratados en domicilio (grupo de estudio) y 26 en hospital (grupo control). La edad media fue 74 ñ 7 años en el grupo de estudio y de 79 ñ 9 años en el grupo control. El factor de riesgo más frecuente fue la TVP previa (29 y 15 per cent en los grupos de estudio y control, respectivamente) seguido de neoplasia (19 y 27 per cent, respectivamente). La TVP fue sobre todo proximal (81 y 75 per cent en los grupos de estudio y control). El método de diagnóstico más utilizado fue flebografía isotópica en el grupo de estudio (61 per cent) y eco-Doppler en el grupo control (61 per cent). En este último grupo, 2 pacientes (10 per cent) presentaron recurrencia de la TVP y hubo un caso de tromboembolismo pulmonar (5 per cent). Se produjo un episodio de sangrado mayor en el grupo de estudio (1,6 per cent) y dos en el grupo control (10 per cent). Dos pacientes (3,2 per cent) del grupo de estudio y en 2 (10 per cent) del grupo control fueron reingresados. El tratamiento Tratamiento de la trombosis venosa profunda en pacientes mayores de 60 años en una unidad de hospitalización a domicilio domiciliario redujo el número de días de tratamiento de 16,6 en el grupo control a 9,6 en el grupo de estudio, es decir, un 58 per cent.CONCLUSIÓN: El tratamiento domiciliario de la TVP con heparinas de bajo peso molecular en pacientes mayores de 60 años es una alternativa eficaz y segura, evitando el ingreso en hospitalización convencional (AU)

[Cocaine-induced neurological complications]. / Complicaciones neurológicas por cocaína.

Cocaine intake growth is a well-known fact, and that involves the appearance of unknown or forgotten complications. We have wanted to make a checking of neurologic complications due to the intake of this drug, make a special point of the physiopathological mechanisms and stopping at those related to treatment. We also want to contribute with our experience with regard to these processes.

[Pericardial tamponade and carcinomatous lymphangitis as primary manifestation of lung neoplasm]. / Taponamiento pericárdico y linfangitis carcinomatosa como primera manifestación de neoplasia pulmonar.

Cardiac tamponade (CT) and Carcinomatous lymphangitis (CL) association as an initial clinical presentation of a neoplasm is very uncommon, creating diagnosis difficulties in the patient first evaluation. This paper reports one case of a male who was admitted in Emergency Department with clinical and radiological findings of heart failure. Following studies showed CT and CL secondary to a bronchial adenocarcinoma. Differential diagnosis is really important for its associated therapeutic implications because of the CT hemodynamic worsening situation due to the diuretic and vasodilators used in the treatment of heart failure. An echocardiography should be done because it is very useful for the initial evaluation of a heart failure of obscure origin.

[Community-acquired pneumonia in the aged: prognostic factors]. / Neumonía comunitaria en el anciano: factores pronósticos.

We studied the clinical characteristics and the initial supplementary test available in the emergency service, in aged patients with community-acquired pneumonia, as well as their mortality prognosis value. We assessed 190 patients attended consecutively during one year. Clinical, analytical and radiological data were registered. The parameters associated to a higher mortality were: age, absence of thoracic pain, reduction in the level of consciousness, leukocytosis, increased urea levels, aminotransferases, lactate dehydrogenase and reduction in prothrombin activity and pH. The data associated to a greater relative risk were: age above 80 years, absence of thoracic pain, prothrombin activity lower than 70% and ALT < 40 U/l. The presence of three to four of these variables had a sensitivity of 62% and a specificity of 94% in the prediction of mortality. In the multivariable analysis, the following variables remained significative: age, obnubilation and decrease of prothrombin. We stress the relevance of a high clinical suspicion, given the frequency of these cases with little symptomatology, in order to allow for an early treatment and the identification of right risk patients at the initial assessment.

[Rhabdomyolysis in acute intoxications]. / Rabdomiolisis en intoxicaciones agudas.

The development of rhabdomyolysis is a complications of acute intoxications, although its actual incidences is unknown. We had studied the frequency and differential characteristics of the patients with such complications. A prospective study was conducted with 200 patients admitted to a General Hospital from an urban area due to acute intoxication, recording the etiology of the intoxication, motivation and analytical characteristics of the patients with rhabdomyolysis compared to their patients without rhabdomyolysis. The incidence of rhabdomyolysis was 7.7%. Among the patients with rhabdomyolysis, ludic motivation (59%) and etiology associated to drug abuse (heroin 30%, cocaine 24%) were more frequent compared to the patients without rhabdomyolysis. Twenty per cent of the patients consuming cocaine and 17% of the patients consuming heroin developed rhabdomyolysis. Acute rhabdomyolysis was, thus, a significant complication of acute intoxications, associated to the consumption of illegal drugs and, at least in our cases, with a good evolution regarding the renal function.

[Impact of arterial hypertension on the central nervous system]. / Repercusión de la hipertensión arterial sobre el sistema nervioso central.

Cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) entail high costs associated to therapies, hospitalizations and disabilities. Arterial hypertension (AHT) is the major modifiable risk factor for the development of all types of CVDs (cerebrovascular accidents, vascular dementias, etc.). The increase of arterial pressure causes functional and anatomical changes in the cerebral circulation which facilitate the development of CVDs. The time of evolution and the severity of the AHT, as well as the associated vascular risk factors, will determine its impact on the central nervous system.

[Rhabdomyolysis and cocaine consumption: presentation of 13 cases]. / Rabdomiolisis y consumo de cocaína: presentación de 13 casos.

We present 13 cases taken care at the Emergency Service, whose diagnosis was acute rhabdomyolysis related to consumption of illicit drugs. In all cases, the presence of cocaine in the urine was detected. Clinical features, other associated factors and complications are described, stressing the etiopathogenic mechanism of presentation of cocaine-related rhabdomyolysis.

[Intraparenchymal cerebral hemorrhage and cocaine]. / Hemorragia intraparenquimatosa cerebral y cocaína.

Medical problems related to cocaine consumption are not rare in our environment; however, to this respect, descriptions in the spanish literature are scarce. We present three cases of intracerebral hemorrhage which occurred after cocaine consumption (intranasal route in two cases and intravenous route in one case). In the three cases, another associated risk factor was observed (alcohol in one case, hypertension in other case, arteriovenous malformation in the third case). We comment on the pathophysiological theories of the cause of bleeding, high-lighting the routine search of this association.