Estrategia diagnóstica eficiente en la sospecha de sobrecarga férrica

146 p.La elevación de los marcadores séricos del metabolismo férrico es un problema muy frecuente. Existen algoritmos para su manejo pero ninguno se ha realizado en base a hechos clínicos sino que sea basado en consenso de expertos. El objetivo principal fue crear y validar un algoritmo diagnóstico efectivo y eficiente de alta sobrecarga férrica en los pacientes con sobrecarga bioquímica de hierro. Métodos: Se realizaron dos fases, una fase de derivación o creación del algoritmo y una fase de validación del algoritmo. El diseño empleado fue el de un corte transversal de una cohorte retrospectiva para la derivación del algoritmo y un corte transversal de una cohorte prospectiva para la validación del algoritmo. Los sujetos del estudio fueron pacientes consecutivos remitidos por los servicios de hematología, digestivo y medicina interna con sobrecarga bioquímica de hierro (ferritina y/o IST) confirmada en una segunda extracción a los que se les realizan pruebas genéticas y una RM 1,5 teslas para la medición de la concentración hepática de hierro. Resultados: El algoritmo con los puntos de corte de la OMS, permite descartar alta sobrecarga de hierro hepático en el 70% de la población con la ferritina y el IST con un valor predictivo negativo muy alto (99%). La ferritina, el IST y la mutación C282Y Hmz confirman alta sobrecarga de Hierro hepático en un 3% con un valor predictivo positivo del 78%. En 1 de cada 4 pacientes habría que hacer RM

Estrategia diagnóstica eficiente en la sospecha de sobrecarga férrica

146 p.La elevación de los marcadores séricos del metabolismo férrico es un problema muy frecuente. Existen algoritmos para su manejo pero ninguno se ha realizado en base a hechos clínicos sino que sea basado en consenso de expertos. El objetivo principal fue crear y validar un algoritmo diagnóstico efectivo y eficiente de alta sobrecarga férrica en los pacientes con sobrecarga bioquímica de hierro. Métodos: Se realizaron dos fases, una fase de derivación o creación del algoritmo y una fase de validación del algoritmo. El diseño empleado fue el de un corte transversal de una cohorte retrospectiva para la derivación del algoritmo y un corte transversal de una cohorte prospectiva para la validación del algoritmo. Los sujetos del estudio fueron pacientes consecutivos remitidos por los servicios de hematología, digestivo y medicina interna con sobrecarga bioquímica de hierro (ferritina y/o IST) confirmada en una segunda extracción a los que se les realizan pruebas genéticas y una RM 1,5 teslas para la medición de la concentración hepática de hierro. Resultados: El algoritmo con los puntos de corte de la OMS, permite descartar alta sobrecarga de hierro hepático en el 70% de la población con la ferritina y el IST con un valor predictivo negativo muy alto (99%). La ferritina, el IST y la mutación C282Y Hmz confirman alta sobrecarga de Hierro hepático en un 3% con un valor predictivo positivo del 78%. En 1 de cada 4 pacientes habría que hacer RM

Prevalence study of intermittent hormonal therapy of Prostate Cancer patients in Spain

Background: Although intermittent androgen deprivation therapy was introduced many years ago to improve patients' quality of life with the same carcinologic efficiency as continuous hormonal therapy, recent data suggest that intermittency could be underutilised. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of prostate cancer patients receiving intermittent androgen deprivation therapy in Spain. Methods: A retrospective, longitudinal study was conducted using electronic drug dispensation data from four Spanish autonomous communities, which encompass 17.23 million inhabitants (36.22% of the total population in Spain). We estimated intermittent androgen therapy use (%IAD) and the prevalence of patients under intermittent androgen therapy in reference to the total number of PC patients using hormonal therapy (P IAD) and stratified by region. Other outcome variables included the pharmaceutical forms dispensed and the total direct annual expenditure on androgen deprivation therapy-associated medications. Results: A total of 863,005 dispensations corresponding to a total of 65,752 men were identified, treated with either luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analogues (353,162) administered alone or in combination with anti-androgens (509,843). Overall, the mean (±SD) age of the patients was 76.9 (±10.4) years. Results revealed that the mean annual P IAD along the study was 6.6% in the total population studied, and the overall %IAD during the five-year study period was 5.6%. The mean cost of hormonal therapy per year was 25 million euros for LHRH analogues and 6.3 million euros for anti-androgens. Conclusions: Few prostate cancer patients in Spain use the intermittent androgen deprivation therapy suggesting underutilization of a perfectly valid option for a significant proportion of patients, missing the opportunity to improve their quality of life and to reduce costs for the National Health Service with comparable overall survival rates than continuous therapy.</p

Sample size requirement in trials that use the composite endpoint major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE): new insights

Composite endpoints; Correlation; Sample sizePuntos finales compuestos; Correlación; Tamaño de la muestraPunts finals compostos; Correlació, Grandària de la mostraBackground The real impact of the degree of association (DoA) between endpoint components of a composite endpoint (CE) on sample size requirement (SSR) has not been explored. We estimate the impact of the DoA between death and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) on SSR of trials using use the CE of major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Methods A systematic review and quantitative synthesis of trials that include MACE as the primary outcome through search strategies in MEDLINE and EMBASE electronic databases. We limited to articles published in journals indexed in the first quartile of the Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems category (Journal Citation Reports, 2015–2020). The authors were contacted to estimate the DoA between death and AMI using joint probability and correlation. We analyzed the SSR variation using the DoA estimated from RCTs. Results Sixty-three of 134 publications that reported event rates and the therapy effect in all component endpoints were included in the quantitative synthesis. The most frequent combination was death, AMI, and revascularization (n = 20; 31.8%). The correlation between death and AMI, estimated from 5 trials¸ oscillated between − 0.02 and 0.31. SSR varied from 14,602 in the scenario with the strongest correlation to 12,259 in the scenario with the weakest correlation; the relative impact was 16%. Conclusions The DoA between death and AMI is highly variable and may lead to a considerable SSR variation in a trial including MACE.Intramural CIBER-ESP PR22 from the Center for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health Network (CIBERESP)

Piloting the informed health choices resources in Barcelona primary schools: A mixed methods study

IntroductionThe main objective of the Informed Health Choices (IHC) project is to teach people to assess treatment claims and make informed health choices. For this purpose, the IHC learning resources were developed for primary school children. The aim of this study is to explore students' and teachers' experience when using the IHC resources in primary schools in Barcelona (Spain). MethodsWe conducted a mixed methods study for piloting the IHC resources in a convenience sample of primary schools in Barcelona. The intervention included a workshop with teachers, and nine lessons with students. We collected data using multiple approaches. We performed quantitative and qualitative analyses, and integrated the findings in a joint display. Finally, we formulated recommendations for using the IHC resources in this setting. ResultsTwo schools, with a total of 143 students in 4th and 5th grade and six teachers, participated in the study. One school followed the suggested IHC teaching plan and competed all the lessons; the other school modified the plan substantially and did not complete all the lessons. Overall, students and teachers from both schools understood, were interested in, and were able to apply the content of the lessons. During the lessons, the textbook was useful for students; nevertheless, for the teachers, the usefulness of the IHC resources was variable. Teachers adapted the IHC resources to increase student participation and used Information and Communications Technologies tools. We observed more facilitators than barriers to teach the lessons. The teachers suggested some ideas to improve the lessons based on activities they developed and implemented. The integration analysis showed great convergence of the quantitative and qualitative findings. We propose seven recommendations for using the IHC resources in this setting. ConclusionsStudents and teachers from primary schools in Barcelona showed a positive experience when using IHC resources; however, these resources should be adapted to promote classroom participation

Traumatic stress symptoms among Spanish healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective study

Abstract Aim To investigate the occurrence of traumatic stress symptoms (TSS) among healthcare workers active during the COVID-19 pandemic and to obtain insight as to which pandemic-related stressful experiences are associated with onset and persistence of traumatic stress. Methods This is a multicenter prospective cohort study. Spanish healthcare workers (N = 4,809) participated at an initial assessment (i.e., just after the first wave of the Spain COVID-19 pandemic) and at a 4-month follow-up assessment using web-based surveys. Logistic regression investigated associations of 19 pandemic-related stressful experiences across four domains (infection-related, work-related, health-related and financial) with TSS prevalence, incidence and persistence, including simulations of population attributable risk proportions (PARP). Results Thirty-day TSS prevalence at T1 was 22.1%. Four-month incidence and persistence were 11.6% and 54.2%, respectively. Auxiliary nurses had highest rates of TSS prevalence (35.1%) and incidence (16.1%). All 19 pandemic-related stressful experiences under study were associated with TSS prevalence or incidence, especially experiences from the domains of health-related (PARP range 88.4–95.6%) and work-related stressful experiences (PARP range 76.8–86.5%). Nine stressful experiences were also associated with TSS persistence, of which having patient(s) in care who died from COVID-19 had the strongest association. This association remained significant after adjusting for co-occurring depression and anxiety. Conclusions TSSs among Spanish healthcare workers active during the COVID-19 pandemic are common and associated with various pandemic-related stressful experiences. Future research should investigate if these stressful experiences represent truly traumatic experiences and carry risk for the development of post-traumatic stress disorder

Teaching and learning how to make informed health choices : Protocol for a context analysis in Spanish primary schools

Introduction The Informed Health Choices (IHC) project developed learning resources to teach primary school children (10 to 12-year-olds) to assess treatment claims and make informed health choices. The aim of our study is to explore the educational context for teaching and learning critical thinking about health in Spanish primary schools. Methods During the 2020-2021 school year, we will conduct 1) a systematic assessment of educational documents and resources, and 2) semi-structured interviews with key education and health stakeholders. In the systematic assessment of educational documents and resources, we will include state and autonomous communities' curriculums, school educational projects, and commonly used textbooks and other health teaching materials. In the semi-structured interviews, we will involve education and health policy makers, developers of learning resources, developers of health promotion and educational interventions, head teachers, teachers, families, and paediatric primary care providers. We will design and pilot a data extraction form and a semi-structured interview guide to collect the data. We will perform a quantitative and a qualitative analysis of the data to explore how critical thinking about health is being taught and learned in Spanish primary schools. Conclusion We will identify opportunities for and barriers to teaching and learning critical thinking about health in Spanish primary schools. We will formulate recommendations-for both practice and research purposes-on how to use, adapt (if needed), and implement the IHC resources in this context

Development and Validation of a Prediction Model and Score for Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis Diagnosis: T-Amylo.

BACKGROUND Although transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) is often underdiagnosed, clinical suspicion is essential for early diagnosis. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to develop and validate a feasible prediction model and score to facilitate the diagnosis of ATTR-CA. METHODS This retrospective multicenter study enrolled consecutive patients who underwent 99mTc-DPD scintigraphy for suspected ATTR-CA. ATTR-CA was diagnosed if Grade 2 or 3 cardiac uptake was evidenced on 99mTc-DPD scintigraphy in the absence of a detectable monoclonal component or by demonstration of amyloid by biopsy. A prediction model for ATTR-CA diagnosis was developed in a derivation sample of 227 patients from 2 centers using multivariable logistic regression with clinical, electrocardiography, analytical, and transthoracic echocardiography variables. A simplified score was also created. Both of them were validated in an external cohort (n = 895) from 11 centers. RESULTS The obtained prediction model combined age, gender, carpal tunnel syndrome, interventricular septum in diastole thickness, and low QRS interval voltages, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.92. The score had an AUC of 0.86. Both the T-Amylo prediction model and the score showed a good performance in the validation sample (ie, AUC: 0.84 and 0.82, respectively). They were tested in 3 clinical scenarios of the validation cohort: 1) hypertensive cardiomyopathy (n = 327); 2) severe aortic stenosis (n = 105); and 3) heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (n = 604), all with good diagnostic accuracy. CONCLUSIONS The T-Amylo is a simple prediction model that improves the prediction of ATTR-CA diagnosis in patients with suspected ATTR-CA.Part of this project was funded by Pfizer through an independent general research grant (number 64764667). This study has been partially funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the project "PI20/01379” (co-funded by European Regional Development Fund/ European Social Fund "A way to make Europe"/"Investing in your future"). The CNIC is supported by the ISCIII, MCIN, the Pro-CNIC Foundation, and the Severo Ochoa grant (CEX2020-001041-S). Dr Basurte Elorz has received a consultant fee from Pfizer. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose.S