RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: In the emergency department, there is a need to provide palliative care; however, they are not usually administered. The present study evaluates the evolution of the intensity of the symptoms when applying palliative care, in adult patients with advanced chronic disease admitted to the emergency room, and compares survival between those who receive this care and those who do not. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A clinical intervention study was conducted including patients older than 18 years with advanced chronic disease admitted to the emergency room with an indication of palliative support according to the Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool 2015. Three hundred and seven patients were studied (74 in the intervention group and 233 in the group not intervened). In the intervention group, the intensity of pre- and postintervention symptoms was compared (Wilcoxon test). The survival of both the groups were then compared (logrank test). RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in pain and dyspnea at 24 and 48 h postintervention (P < 0.01), respectively, while drowsiness increased significantly at 24 h (P < 0.01) but did not change at 48 h (P = 0.38). Excluding patients with better functional status, there was less survival at 3 months in the intervention group (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Dyspnea and pain decreased with the application of palliative care but not drowsiness. Survival in the intervention group was lower than in the nonintervention group. However, the reason for providing palliative care is to relieve suffering at the end of life.
RESUMO
Objetivo: Determinar la incidencia y severidad de la parálisis residual en pacientes sin monitorización neuromuscular intraoperatoria. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio prospectivo y observacional en 236 pacientes adultos ASA I-III intervenidos bajo anestesia general sin monitorización neuromuscular intraoperatoria. A su llegada a la Unidad de Cuidados Post-Anestesia (UCPA) se realizó la monitorización neuromuscular mediante aceleromiografía del músculo aductor del pulgar. La incidencia de parálisis residual con TOF ratio (TOFr) < 0,9 y TOFr < 0,7 fueron valorados. Resultados: La incidencia de parálisis residual en la UCPA con TOFr < 0,9 fue de 81,36% (IC 95%: 76,39-86,33) y con TOFr < 0,7 fue de 33,9% (IC 95%: 27,86-39,94). La neostigmina fue utilizada para revertir el bloqueo neuromuscular solamente en el 48,3% de los casos. La incidencia de parálisis residual con TOFr < 0,7 fue significativamente mayor entre los que no recibieron antagonistas del bloqueo neuromuscular y los que sí lo recibieron (42,62% vs. 24,56%, p=0.003). Conclusiones: La incidencia y severidad de la parálisis residual posoperatoria en pacientes sin monitorización neuromuscular fue elevada en nuestra institución, probablemente favorecida por una dosificación no guiada de los relajantes musculares, la escasa utilidad de los criterios subjetivos para valorar la recuperación de la función neuromuscular y la falta de reversión rutinaria del bloqueo neuromuscular.
Objective: To determine both the incidence and severity of residual paralysis in patients not undergoing intraoperative neuromuscular monitoring. Material and Methods: A prospective observational study was performed in 236 ASA I-III adult subjects who underwent surgery under general anesthesia without intraoperative neuromuscular monitoring. When patients were brought to the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), neuromuscular monitoring was performed using acceleromiography of the adductor muscle of the thumb. The incidence of residual paralysis with TOF ratio (TOFr) values <0.9 and <0.7 was assessed. Results: The incidence of residual paralysis in the PACU with TOFr <0.9 was 81.36% (95% CI: 76.39%-86.33%) and with TOFr <0.7 was 33.9% (95% CI: 27.86%-39.94%). Neostigmine was used to revert neuromuscular blockade only in 48.3% of all cases. The incidence of residual paralysis with TOFr<0.7 was significantly higher in those subjects who did not receive neuromuscular blockade antagonists compared with those who did (42.62% vs. 24.56%, p= 0.03). Conclusions: Both the incidence and severity of residual postoperative paralysis in patients without neuromuscular monitoring was notoriously high in our institution, likely favored by a non-guided dosing of muscle relaxant agents, as well as due to low usefulness of subjective criteria for assessing recovery of neuromuscular function and the lack of routine reversion of neuromuscular blockade.
RESUMO
CONTEXT: In the last decades, patients with chronic terminal diseases have had more frequent visits to emergency services. AIMS: This study aims to determine the proportion of terminal illness in patients readmitted to emergency room, to evaluate the use of this service and rate of death. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study in a tertiary hospital with 120 stretchers which annually reports 160 thousand attentions and 22 thousand admissions. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Included 18-year-old patients or older who were readmitted to emergency room. Patient and/or caregiver were interviewed; medical record was reviewed and made 1-year follow-up. Terminal cancer was determined by histologically confirmation in Stage IV and nononcologic terminal disease by total functional dependence (Katz index) or severe cognitive impairment (Pfeiffer questionnaire) in addition of advanced organ failure. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Fisher's exact and U of Mann-Whitney tests for two independent samples. RESULTS: Ninety-two (26%) of 349 were readmissions; 29 (36.7%) of 79 evaluated patients were identifying with terminal disease. Eleven (38%) of them had cancer (genitourinary in 64%). Nononcologic terminal disease was identified in 18 cases (62%) (Neurodegenerative involvement in 50%). More frequent symptoms were dyspnea 41%, mental confusion 24%, and pain 21%. Terminal patients had 6.2 (standard deviation 8.2) emergency visits at last year, being admitted 48,6% of these visits. Six-month mortality rate was 73 and 61% in oncologic and nononcolgic patients, respectively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: End-stage disease is frequent in readmitted patients to emergency, more of nononcologic kind. These patients use frequently emergency service, with high mortality (more elevated in oncologic).
RESUMO
El Lupus Eritematosos Sistémico es el paradigma del síndrome autoinmune sistémico, cuya etiología está lejos de ser aclarada, aunque el conocimiento de su patogenia ha avanzado en estos últimos años inexorablemente, como el de los secretos más ocultos del funcionamiento del sistema autoinmune. Es mucho más frecuente en mujeres (10:1) y suele presentarse en la adolescencia tardía y a los 50 años, también es más frecuente y grave en algunos grupos étnicos, en especial afroamericanos e hispanos; su carácter crónico, su gran variedad clínica, sus episodios de activaciones y remisiones, la presencia de numerosos anticuerpos y la respuesta al tratamiento inmunosupresor son muestra de su naturaleza autoinmune. Presentamos el caso de un paciente de sexo masculino, de 38 años de edad, de origen hispano, que debutó con serositis, y que respondió de forma adecuada al tratamiento inmunosupresor instaurado.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is the paradigm of systemic autoimmune syndrome, whose etiologyis farfrom being clarified, although the knowledge of its pathogenesis has inexorably advanced in recent years, such as the most hidden secrets of the functioning of the autoimmune system. It is much more common in women (10: 1) and usually occurs in late adolescence and at age 50, is also more frequent and severe in some ethnic groups, especially African American and Hispanic; its chronic nature, its great clinical variety, its episodes of activation and remission, the presence of numerous antibodies and the response to immunosuppressive treatment are indicative of its autoimmune nature. We present the case of a 38-year-old male patient of Hispanic origin, who debuted with serositis, and who responded adequately to the immunosuppressive treatment instituted.
