Effectiveness of the MULTIPAP Plus intervention in youngest-old patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy aimed at improving prescribing practices in primary care: study protocol of a cluster randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: The progressive ageing of the population is leading to an increase in multimorbidity and polypharmacy, which in turn may increase the risk of hospitalization and mortality. The enhancement of care with information and communications technology (ICT) can facilitate the use of prescription evaluation tools and support system for decision-making (DSS) with the potential of optimizing the healthcare delivery process. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the complex intervention MULTIPAP Plus, compared to usual care, in improving prescriptions for young-old patients (65-74 years old) with multimorbidity and polypharmacy in primary care. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a pragmatic cluster-randomized clinical trial with a follow-up of 18 months in health centres of the Spanish National Health System. Unit of randomization: family physician. Unit of analysis: patient. POPULATION: Patients aged 65-74 years with multimorbidity (≥ 3 chronic diseases) and polypharmacy (≥ 5 drugs) during the previous 3 months were included. SAMPLE SIZE: n = 1148 patients (574 per study arm). INTERVENTION: Complex intervention based on the ARIADNE principles with three components: (1) family physician (FP) training, (2) FP-patient interview, and (3) decision-making support system. OUTCOMES: The primary outcome is a composite endpoint of hospital admission or death during the observation period measured as a binary outcome, and the secondary outcomes are number of hospital admission, all-cause mortality, use of health services, quality of life (EQ-5D-5L), functionality (WHODAS), falls, hip fractures, prescriptions and adherence to treatment. Clinical and sociodemographic factors will be explanatory variables. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The main result is the difference in percentages in the final composite endpoint variable at 18 months, with its corresponding 95% CI. Adjustments by the main confounding and prognostic factors will be performed through a multilevel analysis. All analyses will be carried out in accordance to the intention-to-treat principle. DISCUSSION: It is important to prevent the cascade of negative health and health care impacts attributable to the multimorbidity-polypharmacy binomial. ICT-enhanced routine clinical practice could improve the prescription process in patient care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04147130 . Registered on 22 October 2019.

How to Improve Healthcare for Patients with Multimorbidity and Polypharmacy in Primary Care: A Pragmatic Cluster-Randomized Clinical Trial of the MULTIPAP Intervention.

(1) Purpose: To investigate a complex MULTIPAP intervention that implements the Ariadne principles in a primary care population of young-elderly patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy and to evaluate its effectiveness for improving the appropriateness of prescriptions. (2) Methods: A pragmatic cluster-randomized clinical trial was conducted involving 38 family practices in Spain. Patients aged 65-74 years with multimorbidity and polypharmacy were recruited. Family physicians (FPs) were randomly allocated to continue usual care or to provide the MULTIPAP intervention based on the Ariadne principles with two components: FP training (eMULTIPAP) and FP patient interviews. The primary outcome was the appropriateness of prescribing, measured as the between-group difference in the mean Medication Appropriateness Index (MAI) score change from the baseline to the 6-month follow-up. The secondary outcomes were quality of life (EQ-5D-5 L), patient perceptions of shared decision making (collaboRATE), use of health services, treatment adherence, and incidence of drug adverse events (all at 1 year), using multi-level regression models, with FP as a random effect. (3) Results: We recruited 117 FPs and 593 of their patients. In the intention-to-treat analysis, the between-group difference for the mean MAI score change after a 6-month follow-up was -2.42 (95% CI from -4.27 to -0.59) and, between baseline and a 12-month follow-up was -3.40 (95% CI from -5.45 to -1.34). There were no significant differences in any other secondary outcomes. (4) Conclusions: The MULTIPAP intervention improved medication appropriateness sustainably over the follow-up time. The small magnitude of the effect, however, advises caution in the interpretation of the results given the paucity of evidence for the clinical benefit of the observed change in the MAI. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02866799.

Chronic diseases associated with increased likelihood of hospitalization and mortality in 68,913 COVID-19 confirmed cases in Spain: A population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical outcomes among COVID-19 patients vary greatly with age and underlying comorbidities. We aimed to determine the demographic and clinical factors, particularly baseline chronic conditions, associated with an increased risk of severity in COVID-19 patients from a population-based perspective and using data from electronic health records (EHR). METHODS: Retrospective, observational study in an open cohort analyzing all 68,913 individuals (mean age 44.4 years, 53.2% women) with SARS-CoV-2 infection between 15 June and 19 December 2020 using exhaustive electronic health registries. Patients were followed for 30 days from inclusion or until the date of death within that period. We performed multivariate logistic regression to analyze the association between each chronic disease and severe infection, based on hospitalization and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: 5885 (8.5%) individuals showed severe infection and old age was the most influencing factor. Congestive heart failure (odds ratio -OR- men: 1.28, OR women: 1.39), diabetes (1.37, 1.24), chronic renal failure (1.31, 1.22) and obesity (1.21, 1.26) increased the likelihood of severe infection in both sexes. Chronic skin ulcers (1.32), acute cerebrovascular disease (1.34), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (1.21), urinary incontinence (1.17) and neoplasms (1.26) in men, and infertility (1.87), obstructive sleep apnea (1.43), hepatic steatosis (1.43), rheumatoid arthritis (1.39) and menstrual disorders (1.18) in women were also associated with more severe outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Age and specific cardiovascular and metabolic diseases increased the risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 infections in men and women, whereas the effects of certain comorbidities are sex specific. Future studies in different settings are encouraged to analyze which profiles of chronic patients are at higher risk of poor prognosis and should therefore be the targets of prevention and shielding strategies.

Potentially inappropriate prescriptions according to explicit and implicit criteria in patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy. MULTIPAP: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Multimorbidity is a global health challenge that is associated with polypharmacy, increasing the risk of potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP). There are tools to improve prescription, such as implicit and explicit criteria. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of PIP in a population aged 65 to 74 years with multimorbidity and polypharmacy, according to American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria® (2015, 2019), the Screening Tool of Older Person's Prescription -STOPP- criteria (2008, 2014), and the Medication Appropriateness Index -MAI- criteria in primary care. METHODS: This was an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. The sample included 593 community-dwelling elderly aged 65 to 74 years, with multimorbidity and polypharmacy, who participated in the MULTIPAP trial. Socio-demographic, clinical, professional, and pharmacological-treatment variables were recorded. Potentially inappropriate prescribing was detected by computerized prescription assistance system, and family doctors evaluated the MAI. The MAI-associated factors were analysed using a logistic regression model. RESULTS: A total of 4,386 prescriptions were evaluated. The mean number of drugs was 7.4 (2.4 SD). A total of 94.1% of the patients in the study had at least one criterion for drug inappropriateness according to the MAI. Potentially inappropriate prescribing was detected in 57.7%, 43.6%, 68.8% and 71% of 50 patients according to the explicit criteria STOPP 2014, STOPP 2008, Beers 2019 and Beers 2015 respectively. For every new drug taken by a patient, the MAI score increased by 2.41 (95% CI 1.46; 3.35) points. Diabetes, ischaemic heart disease and asthma were independently associated with lower summated MAI scores. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of potentially inappropriate prescribing detected in the sample was high and in agreement with previous literature for populations with multimorbidity and polypharmacy. The MAI criteria detected greater inappropriateness than did the explicit criteria, but their application was more complex and difficult to automate.

Extremely low viral reservoir in treated chronically HIV-1-infected individuals.

BACKGROUND: Small viral reservoirs are found predominantly in HIV-1 controllers and individuals treated during acute/early HIV-1 infection. However, other HIV+ individuals could naturally also harbour low viral reservoirs. METHODS: We screened 451 HIV-1-infected treated-individuals with suppressed plasma viremia for at least 3 years and stored cryopreserved peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Total HIV-DNA was analysed in PBMCs with ddPCR. Individuals with <50 HIV-DNA copies/106 PBMCs constitute the 'Low Viral Reservoir Treated' cohort (LoViReT). Longitudinal samples were obtained from 12 chronically treated LoViReT and compared to 13 controls (>50 HIV-DNA copies/106 PBMCs) to analyse total HIV-DNA, T-cell and NK-cell populations, HIV-1 specific antibodies, and plasma inflammation markers. FINDINGS: We found that 9.3% of the individuals screened had <50 HIV-DNA copies/106 PBMCs. At least 66% initiated cART during the chronic phase of HIV-1 infection (cp-LoViReT). Cp-LoViReT harboured lower levels of HIV-DNA before cART and after treatment introduction the decays were greater compared to controls. They displayed a marked decline in quantity and avidity in HIV-specific antibodies after initiation of cART. Cp-LoViReT had fewer CD8+ TTM and TEMRA in the absence of cART, and higher CD8+ TN after 18 months on therapy. INTERPRETATION: Treated chronically HIV-1-infected LoViReT represent a new phenotype of individuals characterized by an intrinsically reduced viral reservoir, less impaired CD8+ T-cell compartment before cART, and low circulating HIV-1 antigens despite being treated in the chronic phase of infection. The identification of this unique group of individuals is of great interest for the design of future eradication studies. FUNDING: MSD Spain.

Initial Therapy, Regimen Change, and Persistence in a Spanish Cohort of Newly Treated Type 2 Diabetes Patients: A Retrospective, Observational Study Using Real-World Data.

The World Health Organization considers the non-adherence to medication a significant issue with global impact, especially in chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes. We aim to study antidiabetic treatment initiation, add-on, treatment switching, and medication persistence. We conducted an observational study on 4247 individuals initiating antidiabetic treatment between 2013 and 2014 in the EpiChron Cohort (Spain). We used Cox regression models to estimate the likelihood of non-persistence after a one-year follow-up, expressed as hazard ratios (HRs). Metformin was the most frequently used first-line antidiabetic (80% of cases); combination treatment was the second most common treatment in adults aged 40-79 years, while dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors were the second most common in individuals in their 80s and over, and in patients with renal disease. Individuals initiated on metformin were less likely to present addition and switching events compared with any other antidiabetic. Almost 70% of individuals initiated on monotherapy were persistent. Subjects aged 40 and over (HR 0.53-0.63), living in rural (HR 0.79) or more deprived areas (HR 0.77-0.82), or receiving polypharmacy (HR 0.84), were less likely to show discontinuation. Our findings could help identify the population at risk of discontinuation, and offer them closer monitoring for proper integrated management to improve prognosis and health outcomes.

[Detection and registration of alcohol use in the emergency department]. / Detección y registro del consumo de alcohol en Urgencias.

OBJECTIVE: Due to the high economic and morbimortality burden associated to alcohol use, in the last decades, public health services have developed several programs to detect and to intervene on at risk drinkers in primary care settings and emergency departments (ED). The aim of this study is to determine the proportion of detected and registered risky drinkers in an ED of Hospital Clínic de Barcelona. METHODS: All patients over 18 years old, presenting to the ED and reporting risky drinking, were asked to participate. We did a descriptive analysis of the data after revising clinical records. RESULTS: We detected 247 risky drinkers after assessing more than 2,047 patients with AUDIT-C scale. From these, 200 accepted to participate. Only 65 (32.5%) of these patients were properly detected and registered as risky drinkers, while the majority of them (122, 61%) had no record about their alcohol use in their clinical records. CONCLUSIONS: Risky drinkers are properly detected and registered in less than 35% of the patients. It is necessary to evaluate which barriers are restricting the implementation of screening programs to detect at risk drinkers.

OBJETIVO: El consumo excesivo de alcohol es uno de los factores de riesgo de morbimortalidad más importantes en nuestro entorno, por lo que en los últimos años se han desarrollado múltiples programas para la detección e intervención sobre los consumidores de riesgo en los centros de atención primaria y de Urgencias. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la tasa de detección y registro del consumo excesivo de los pacientes atendidos en un servicio de Urgencias. METODOS: Se incluyeron todos los pacientes con un consumo de riesgo de alcohol, mayores de 18 años, atendidos en un servicio de Urgencias del Hospital Clínic de Barcelona. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo de los datos, tras evaluar los informes de alta de los pacientes. RESULTADOS: Se evaluaron 2.047 pacientes mediante la escala AUDIT, detectándose 247 consumidores de riesgo, de lo que 200 aceptaron participar. De estos, solamente se realizó una adecuada detección y registro en el 32,5%. En 122 historias clínicas no había ninguna referencia sobre el consumo de alcohol, y en 13 la referencia era inexacta y no informaba sobre si la cantidad de alcohol consumida era excesiva. CONCLUSIONES: El consumo de riesgo de alcohol se registra de manera adecuada en menos del 35% de los pacientes. Es necesario evaluar las barreras que están obstaculizando la detección y registro para una mejor identificación de estos pacientes.

Detección y registro del consumo de alcohol en Urgencias / Detection and registration of alcohol use in the emergency department

FUNDAMENTOS: El consumo excesivo de alcohol es uno de los factores de riesgo de morbimortalidad más importantes en nuestro entorno, por lo que en los últimos años se han desarrollado múltiples programas para la detección e intervención sobre los consumidores de riesgo en los centros de atención primaria y de Urgencias. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la tasa de detección y registro del consumo excesivo de los pacientes atendidos en un servicio de Urgencias. MÉTODOS: Se incluyeron todos los pacientes con un consumo de riesgo de alcohol, mayores de 18 años, atendidos en un servicio de Urgencias del Hospital Clínic de Barcelona. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo de los datos, tras evaluar los informes de alta de los pacientes. RESULTADOS: Se evaluaron 2.047 pacientes mediante la escala AUDIT, detectándose 247 consumidores de riesgo, de lo que 200 aceptaron participar. De estos, solamente se realizó una adecuada detección y registro en el 32,5%. En 122 historias clínicas no había ninguna referencia sobre el consumo de alcohol, y en 13 la referencia era inexacta y no informaba sobre si la cantidad de alcohol consumida era excesiva. CONCLUSIONES: El consumo de riesgo de alcohol se registra de manera adecuada en menos del 35% de los pacientes. Es necesario evaluar las barreras que están obstaculizando la detección y registro para una mejor identificación de estos pacientes

BACKGROUND: Due to the high economic and morbimortality burden associated to alcohol use, in the last decades, public health services have developed several programs to detect and to intervene on at risk drinkers in primary care settings and emergency departments (ED). The aim of this study is to determine the proportion of detected and registered risky drinkers in an ED of Hospital Clínic de Barcelona. METHODS: All patients over 18 years old, presenting to the ED and reporting risky drinking, were asked to participate. We did a descriptive analysis of the data after revising clinical records. RESULTS: We detected 247 risky drinkers after assessing more than 2,047 patients with AUDIT-C scale. From these, 200 accepted to participate. Only 65 (32.5%) of these patients were properly detected and registered as risky drinkers, while the majority of them (122, 61%) had no record about their alcohol use in their clinical records. CONCLUSIONS: Risky drinkers are properly detected and registered in less than 35% of the patients. It is necessary to evaluate which barriers are restricting the implementation of screening programs to detect at risk drinkers

Protocol for the management of psychiatric patients with psychomotor agitation.

BACKGROUND: Psychomotor agitation (PMA) is a state of motor restlessness and mental tension that requires prompt recognition, appropriate assessment and management to minimize anxiety for the patient and reduce the risk for escalation to aggression and violence. Standardized and applicable protocols and algorithms can assist healthcare providers to identify patients at risk of PMA, achieve timely diagnosis and implement minimally invasive management strategies to ensure patient and staff safety and resolution of the episode. METHODS: Spanish experts in PMA from different disciplines (psychiatrists, psychologists and nurses) convened in Barcelona for a meeting in April 2016. Based on recently issued international consensus guidelines on the standard of care for psychiatric patients with PMA, the meeting provided the opportunity to address the complexities in the assessment and management of PMA from different perspectives. The attendees worked towards producing a consensus for a unified approach to PMA according to the local standards of care and current local legislations. The draft protocol developed was reviewed and ratified by all members of the panel prior to its presentation to the Catalan Society of Psychiatry and Mental Health, the Spanish Society of Biological Psychiatry (SEPB) and the Spanish Network Centre for Research in Mental Health (CIBERSAM) for input. The final protocol and algorithms were then submitted to these organizations for endorsement. RESULTS: The protocol presented here provides guidance on the appropriate selection and use of pharmacological agents (inhaled/oral/IM), seclusion, and physical restraint for psychiatric patients suspected of or presenting with PMA. The protocol is applicable within the Spanish healthcare system. Implementation of the protocol and the constituent algorithms described here should ensure the best standard of care of patients at risk of PMA. Episodes of PMA could be identified earlier in their clinical course and patients could be managed in the least invasive and coercive manner, ensuring their own safety and that of others around them. CONCLUSION: Establishing specialized teams in agitation and providing them with continued training on the identification of agitation, patient management and therapeutic alternatives might reduce the burden of PMA for both the patient and the healthcare system.

Effectiveness of an intervention for improving drug prescription in primary care patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy: study protocol of a cluster randomized clinical trial (Multi-PAP project).

BACKGROUND: Multimorbidity is associated with negative effects both on people's health and on healthcare systems. A key problem linked to multimorbidity is polypharmacy, which in turn is associated with increased risk of partly preventable adverse effects, including mortality. The Ariadne principles describe a model of care based on a thorough assessment of diseases, treatments (and potential interactions), clinical status, context and preferences of patients with multimorbidity, with the aim of prioritizing and sharing realistic treatment goals that guide an individualized management. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a complex intervention that implements the Ariadne principles in a population of young-old patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy. The intervention seeks to improve the appropriateness of prescribing in primary care (PC), as measured by the medication appropriateness index (MAI) score at 6 and 12 months, as compared with usual care. METHODS/DESIGN: Design: pragmatic cluster randomized clinical trial. Unit of randomization: family physician (FP). Unit of analysis: patient. SCOPE: PC health centres in three autonomous communities: Aragon, Madrid, and Andalusia (Spain). POPULATION: patients aged 65-74 years with multimorbidity (≥3 chronic diseases) and polypharmacy (≥5 drugs prescribed in ≥3 months). SAMPLE SIZE: n = 400 (200 per study arm). INTERVENTION: complex intervention based on the implementation of the Ariadne principles with two components: (1) FP training and (2) FP-patient interview. OUTCOMES: MAI score, health services use, quality of life (Euroqol 5D-5L), pharmacotherapy and adherence to treatment (Morisky-Green, Haynes-Sackett), and clinical and socio-demographic variables. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: primary outcome is the difference in MAI score between T0 and T1 and corresponding 95% confidence interval. Adjustment for confounding factors will be performed by multilevel analysis. All analyses will be carried out in accordance with the intention-to-treat principle. DISCUSSION: It is essential to provide evidence concerning interventions on PC patients with polypharmacy and multimorbidity, conducted in the context of routine clinical practice, and involving young-old patients with significant potential for preventing negative health outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02866799.

Promoción de la salud y prevención en tiempos de crisis: el rol del sector sanitario. Informe SESPAS 2014 / Health promotion and prevention in the economic crisis: the role of the health sector. SESPAS report 2014

Este artículo revisa la evolución de los estilos de vida e identifica algunas prioridades y líneas de mejora en prevención y promoción de la salud en el momento actual de crisis económica. Se utilizan diversas fuentes, incluida una encuesta a 30 expertos/as en salud pública y atención primaria. Entre 2006 y 2012 no se detectan grandes cambios en estilos de vida, salvo un descenso en el consumo habitual de alcohol. Desciende ligeramente el consumo de drogas ilegales, pero aumenta el de psicofármacos. La mayoría de los/las expertos/as considera que debe mejorarse la toma de decisiones sobre cribados poblacionales y vacunas, incluyendo el análisis del coste de oportunidad, y mayor transparencia e independencia de los/las profesionales implicados/as. La prevención está contribuyendo a la medicalización de la vida, pero hay opiniones divididas sobre la necesidad de algunas actividades preventivas. Las prioridades en prevención están en el ámbito de la salud mental y de la infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana en grupos vulnerables. La mayoría de los/las expertos/as considera que las intervenciones de promoción de la salud tienen potencial para mitigar los efectos de la crisis, y que son grupos prioritarios la infancia, las personas desempleadas y otros grupos vulnerables. Son intervenciones prioritarias las actividades comunitarias en colaboración con ayuntamientos y otros sectores, la abogacía y la promoción de la salud mental. Se considera deseable un mayor uso de la legislación y de los medios de comunicación como herramientas de promoción. Es importante clarificar el rol del sector sanitario en las actividades intersectoriales, y reconocer las limitaciones, puesto que los determinantes sociales de salud dependen de otros sectores. Se advierte asimismo del riesgo derivado de los recortes y de las políticas que inciden negativamente en las condiciones de vida (AU)

This article reviews trends in lifestyle factors and identifies priorities in the fields of prevention and health promotion in the current economic recession. Several information sources were used, including a survey of 30 public health and primary care experts. Between 2006 and 2012, no significant changes in lifestyle factors were detected except for a decrease in habitual alcohol drinking. There was a slight decrease in the use of illegal drugs and a significant increase in the use of psychoactive drugs. Most experts believe that decision-making about new mass screening programs and changes in vaccination schedules needs to be improved by including opportunity cost analysis and increasing the transparency and independence of the professionals involved. Preventive health services are contributing to medicalization, but experts’ opinions are divided on the need for some preventive activities. Priorities in preventive services are mental health and HIV infection in vulnerable populations. Most experts trust in the potential of health promotion to mitigate the health effects of the economic crisis. Priority groups are children, unemployed people and other vulnerable groups. Priority interventions are community health activities (working in partnership with local governments and other sectors), advocacy, and mental health promotion. Effective tools for health promotion that are currently underused are legislation and mass media. There is a need to clarify the role of the healthcare sector in intersectorial activities, as well as to acknowledge that social determinants of health depend on other sectors. Experts also warn of the consequences of austerity and of policies that negatively impact on living conditions (AU)

[Health promotion and prevention in the economic crisis: the role of the health sector. SESPAS report 2014]. / Promoción de la salud y prevención en tiempos de crisis: el rol del sector sanitario. Informe SESPAS 2014.

This article reviews trends in lifestyle factors and identifies priorities in the fields of prevention and health promotion in the current economic recession. Several information sources were used, including a survey of 30 public health and primary care experts. Between 2006 and 2012, no significant changes in lifestyle factors were detected except for a decrease in habitual alcohol drinking. There was a slight decrease in the use of illegal drugs and a significant increase in the use of psychoactive drugs. Most experts believe that decision-making about new mass screening programs and changes in vaccination schedules needs to be improved by including opportunity cost analysis and increasing the transparency and independence of the professionals involved. Preventive health services are contributing to medicalization, but experts' opinions are divided on the need for some preventive activities. Priorities in preventive services are mental health and HIV infection in vulnerable populations. Most experts trust in the potential of health promotion to mitigate the health effects of the economic crisis. Priority groups are children, unemployed people and other vulnerable groups. Priority interventions are community health activities (working in partnership with local governments and other sectors), advocacy, and mental health promotion. Effective tools for health promotion that are currently underused are legislation and mass media. There is a need to clarify the role of the healthcare sector in intersectorial activities, as well as to acknowledge that social determinants of health depend on other sectors. Experts also warn of the consequences of austerity and of policies that negatively impact on living conditions.

[Dabigatran versus acenocumarol for the prevention of stroke in atrial fibrillation: budget impact analysis in one health department in Spain]. / Dabigatrón versus acenocumarol para la prevención del ictus en la fibrilación atrial: análisis de impacto presupuestario en un departamento sanitario.

BACKGROUND: To Estimate, in the context of a Health Department of the Valencia Health Agency, the budgetary impact of the widespread use of dabigatran at doses of 110 and 150 mg in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF), regarding the current scenario with acenocoumarol therapy. METHODS: Budget impact analysis of three scenarios of oral anticoagulation use in AF: a) current treatment with acenocoumarol, b) widespread replacement of acenocoumarol for Dabigatran 110 mg and, c) idem at doses of 150 mg. The analysis was conducted from the perspective of the Valencia Health Agency with a time horizon of one year (2009). The effectiveness and adverse effects were extrapolated from the RE-LY study, while prevalence and cost data correspond to the Health Department estimates in 2009. RESULTS: We included 5889 patients (2.4% of the population > 18 years) diagnosed with AF, of which 3726 (63.2%) were treated with acenocoumarol. The total costs of each scenario were € 1,119,412 (€ 300 patient/year) for acenocoumarol, € 4,985,095 (€ 1,337 patient/year) for dabigatran 110 and € 4,981,226 (€ 1,336 patient/year) for dabigatran 150, with a budget impact of 1,037 euros/year per patient shifted from acenocumarol to dabigatran-150. CONCLUSIONS: The high budgetary impact of moving to a scenario of widespread substitution of warfarin for Dabigatran supports the restriction of this therapeutic strategy to subgroups of patients at high risk or difficult control.

Dabigatran versus acenocumarol para la prevención del ictus ene la fibrilación atrial. Análisis de impacto presupuestario en un departamento sanitario / Dabigatran versus Acenocumarol for the prevention of stroke in atrial fibrillation. Budget impact analysis in one health department in Spain

FUNDAMENTO: La aparición de nuevas opciones terapéuticas con diferentes efectividad y costes requiere la revaluación del papel de los actuales programas de anticoagulación oral (AO) para informar la toma de decisiones. El objetivo del trabajo es estimar el impacto presupuestario de la utilización generalizada de Dabigatrán a dosis de 110mg y 150 mg en pacientes con fibrilación atrial (FA) respecto al escenario actual de tratamiento con acenocumarol. Métodos: Cálculo del impacto presupuestario en 3 escenarios diferentes de anticoagulación oral: a) tratamiento con acenocumarol, b) sustitución generalizada de acenocumarol por Dabigatrán a dosis de 110 mg y c) sustitución generalizada de acenocumarol por Dabigatrán a dosis de de 150 mg. El análisis se realizó desde la perspectiva de la Agencia Valenciana de Salud y con un horizonte temporal de 1 año (2009). La efectividad y los efectos adversos se extrapolaron del estudio RE-LY, mientras que los datos de prevalencia y costes procedieron de las estimaciones en el Departamento Sanitario. Resultados: Se incluyó a 5.889 pacientes (2,4% de la población >18 años) diagnosticados de FA de origen no valvular, de los que 3.726 (63,2%) recibían tratamiento con acenocumarol. Los costes totales de los respectivos escenarios fueron de 1.119.412 € (300 € paciente/año) para acenocumarol, 4.985.095€ (1.337€ paciente/año) para dabigatrán 110 mg y 4.981.226€ (1.336€ paciente/año) para dabigatrán 150 mg, con un impacto económico de 1.037 euros por paciente que cambiara de acenocumarol a dabigatrán 150. Conclusiones: El elevado impacto presupuestario de pasar a un escenario de sustitución generalizada de dicumarínicos a Dabigatrán apoya la restricción de esta estrategia terapéutica a subgrupos de pacientes de alto riesgo o de difícil control (AU)

BACKGROUND: To Estimate, in the context of a Health Department of the Valencia Health Agency, the budgetary impact of the widespread use of dabigatran at doses of 110 and 150 mg in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF), regarding the current scenario with acenocoumarol therapy. METHODS: Budget impact analysis of three scenarios of oral anticoagulation use in AF: a) current treatment with acenocoumarol, b) widespread replacement of acenocoumarol for Dabigatran 110 mg and, c) idem at doses of 150 mg. The analysis was conducted from the perspective of the Valencia Health Agency with a time horizon of one year (2009). The effectiveness and adverse effects were extrapolated from the RE-LY study, while prevalence and cost data correspond to the Health Department estimates in 2009. RESULTS: We included 5889 patients (2.4% of the population > 18 years) diagnosed with AF, of which 3726 (63.2%) were treated with acenocoumarol. The total costs of each scenario were € 1,119,412 (€ 300 patient/year) for acenocoumarol, € 4,985,095 (€ 1,337 patient/year) for dabigatran 110 and € 4,981,226 (€ 1,336 patient/year) for dabigatran 150, with a budget impact of 1,037 euros/year per patient shifted from acenocumarol to dabigatran-150. CONCLUSIONS: The high budgetary impact of moving to a scenario of widespread substitution of warfarin for Dabigatran supports the restriction of this therapeutic strategy to subgroups of patients at high risk or difficult control

Long-term and bizarre self-injurious behavior: an approach to underlying psychological mechanisms and management.

Repeated self-harm usually presents with associated psychopathology, mostly in the form of obsessive-compulsive disorder, malingering, or personality disorders, and may persist for many years. This case presentation focuses on self-harm involving the deliberate ingestion of foreign bodies. This behavior remains poorly understood, and the relevant literature focuses almost entirely on gastroenterological and surgical management, with little or no discussion of underlying psychological mechanisms, psychopathology, or psychotherapeutic intervention. The goal of this article is to begin to fill that gap by presenting the case of a young woman who was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and followed for 20 years, who repeatedly swallowed objects as a form of self-harming behavior. The nosological status and possible functions of this behavior are discussed, as are the difficulties of caring for patients with such long-standing, repeated selfinjury. This case illustrates how the boundaries between different self-injurious behaviors are blurred and also how different self-injurious behaviors are likely to share common patterns, functional integrity, and meanings. It should also serve to remind us how far we have to go in terms of understanding, classifying, and successfully treating certain patients who present with longterm and bizarre self-injurious behavior.

Síndrome de abstinencia por consumo abusivo de precursores de éxtasis líquido / Withdrawal syndrome from abusive consumption of liquid ecstasy precursors

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II Conferencia de Medicina de Familia y Universidad / II conference of family and university medicine

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[Evaluation of a protocol to monitor cardiovascular risk factors in diabetic patients attended in primary care]. / Evaluación de un protocolo de control de factores de riesgo cardiovascular en pacientes diabéticos atendidos en atención primaria.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a primary care protocol for intensive monitoring of cardiovascular risk (CVR) factors in type-2 diabetes patients versus usual care. DESIGN: Randomised trial with clusters. SETTING: Primary care clinics. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty family physicians. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomised between following a protocol of intensive monitoring of CVR factors and maintaining their habitual practice with DM2 patients. Follow-up lasted 12 months. Data on HbA1C, CVR factors and CVR were collected at the start of the study and at 12 months. RESULTS: In all, 188 patients (94 intervention group and 94 control group) were included. At baseline measurement, CVR in control group (CG) was 36.3% (95% CI, 33.9%-38.6%); and in intervention group (IG), 35.9% (95% CI, 33.5%-38.4%), with no significant differences between groups. At one year, CVR in CG was 33.1% (95% CI, 30%-36.1%) and in IG 30.5% (95% CI, 27.8%-33.2%). The CVR difference between baseline and 1-year measurements was 2.9% (95% CI, 0.2%-5.7%) in CG and 5.4% (95% CI, 2.8%-7.1%) in IG. CONCLUSIONS: Although improvement of CVR is greater in the IG, the difference between the two groups is not significant. The characteristics of the doctors chosen may have meant that the patients of the two groups received similar treatment.