188 research outputs found

    Association between Use of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery Protocol and Postoperative Complications in Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in the Postoperative Outcomes Within Enhanced Recovery after Surgery Protocol in Elective Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Study (POWER2)

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    Importance: The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) care protocol has been shown to improve outcomes compared with traditional care in certain types of surgery. Objective: To assess the association of use of the ERAS protocols with complications in patients undergoing elective total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter, prospective cohort study included patients recruited from 131 centers in Spain from October 22 through December 22, 2018. All consecutive adults scheduled for elective THA or TKA were eligible for inclusion. Patients were stratified between those treated in a self-designated ERAS center (ERAS group) and those treated in a non-ERAS center (non-ERAS group). Data were analyzed from June 15 through September 15, 2019. Exposures: Total hip or knee arthroplasty and perioperative management. Sixteen individual ERAS items were assessed in all included patients, whether they were treated at a center that was part of an established ERAS protocol or not. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes included length of stay and mortality. Results: During the 2-month recruitment period, 6146 patients were included (3580 women [58.2%]; median age, 71 [interquartile range (IQR), 63-76] years). Of these, 680 patients (11.1%) presented with postoperative complications. No differences were found in the number of patients with overall postoperative complications between ERAS and non-ERAS groups (163 [10.2%] vs 517 [11.4%]; odds ratio [OR], 0.89; 95% CI, 0.74-1.07; P =.22). Fewer patients in the ERAS group had moderate to severe complications (73 [4.6%] vs 279 [6.1%]; OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56-0.96; P =.02). The median overall adherence rate with the ERAS protocol was 50.0% (IQR, 43.8%-62.5%), with the rate for ERAS facilities being 68.8% (IQR, 56.2%-81.2%) vs 50.0% (IQR, 37.5%-56.2%) at non-ERAS centers (P <.001). Among the patients with the highest and lowest quartiles of adherence to ERAS components, the patients with the highest adherence had fewer overall postoperative complications (144 [10.6%] vs 270 [13.0%]; OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.64-0.99; P <.001) and moderate to severe postoperative complications (59 [4.4%] vs 143 [6.9%]; OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.45-0.84; P <.001) and shorter median length of hospital stay (4 [IQR, 3-5] vs 5 [IQR, 4-6] days; OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.96-0.99; P <.001). Conclusions and Relevance: An increase in adherence to the ERAS program was associated with a decrease in postoperative complications, although only a few ERAS items were individually associated with improved outcomes

    Response of Quercus ilex seedlings to Phytophthora spp. root infection in a soil infestation test

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    [EN] Phytophthora species are the main agents associated with oak (Quercus spp.) decline, together with the changing environmental conditions and the intensive land use. The aim of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of Quercus ilex to the inoculation with eight Phytophthora species. Seven to eight month old Q. ilex seedlings grown from acorns, obtained from two Spanish origins, were inoculated with P. cinnamomi, P. cryptogea, P. gonapodyides, P. megasperma, P. nicotianae, P. plurivora, P. psychrophila and P. quercina. All Phytophthora inoculated seedlings showed decline and symptoms including small dark necrotic root lesions, root cankers, and loss of fine roots and tap root. The most aggressive species were P. cinnamomi, P. cryptogea, P. gonapodyides, P. plurivora and P. psychrophila followed by P. megasperma., while Phytophthora quercina and P. nicotianae were the less aggressive species. Results obtained confirm that these Phytophthora species could constituted a threat to Q. ilex ecosystems and the implications are further discussed.The authors are grateful to A. Solla and his team from the Centro Universitario de Plasencia-Universidad de Extremadura (Spain) for helping in the acorns collection and to the CIEF (Centro para la Investigación y Experimentación Forestal, Generalitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain) for providing the acorns. This research was supported by funding from the project AGL2011- 30438-C02-01 (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain).Mora-Sala, B.; Abad Campos, P.; Berbegal Martinez, M. (2018). Response of Quercus ilex seedlings to Phytophthora spp. root infection in a soil infestation test. European Journal of Plant Pathology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-018-01650-6SÁlvarez, L. A., Pérez-Sierra, A., Armengol, J., & García-Jiménez, J. (2007). Characterization of Phytophthora nicotianae isolates causing collar and root rot of lavender and rosemary in Spain. Journal of Plant Pathology, 89, 261–264.Balci, Y., & Halmschlager, E. (2003a). Incidence of Phytophthora species in oak forests in Austria and their possible involvement in oak decline. Forest Pathology, 33, 157–174.Balci, Y., & Halmschlager, E. (2003b). Phytophthora species in oak ecosystems in Turkey and their association with declining oak trees. Plant Pathology, 52, 694–702.Brasier, C. M. (1992a). Oak tree mortality in Iberia. Nature, 360, 539.Brasier, C. M. ((1992b)). Phytophthora cinnamomi as a contributory factor on European oak declines. In N. by Luisi, P. Lerario, & A. B. Vannini (Eds.), Recent Advances in Studies on Oak Decline. Proc. Int. Congress, Brindisi, Italy, September 13-18, 1992 (pp. 49–58). Italy: Università degli Studi.Brasier, C. M. (1996). Phytophthora cinnamomi and oak decline in southern Europe. Environmental constraints including climate change. 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Three new species of Phytophthora from European oak forests. Mycological Research, 106, 397–411.Jung, T., Orlikowski, L., Henricot, B., Abad-Campos, P., Aday, A. G., Aguín Casal, O., Bakonyi, J., Cacciola, S. O., Cech, T., Chavarriaga, D., Corcobado, T., Cravador, A., Decourcelle, T., Denton, G., Diamandis, S., Dogmus-Lehtijärvi, H. T., Franceschini, A., Ginetti, B., Glavendekic, M., Hantula, J., Hartmann, G., Herrero, M., Ivic, D., Horta Jung, M., Lilja, A., Keca, N., Kramarets, V., Lyubenova, A., Machado, H., Magnano di San Lio, G., Mansilla Vázquez, P. J., Marçais, B., Matsiakh, I., Milenkovic, I., Moricca, S., Nagy, Z. Á., Nechwatal, J., Olsson, C., Oszako, T., Pane, A., Paplomatas, E. J., Pintos Varela, C., Prospero, S., Rial Martínez, C., Rigling, D., Robin, C., Rytkönen, A., Sánchez, M. E., Scanu, B., Schlenzig, A., Schumacher, J., Slavov, S., Solla, A., Sousa, E., Stenlid, J., Talgø, V., Tomic, Z., Tsopelas, P., Vannini, A., Vettraino, A. M., Wenneker, M., Woodward, S., & Peréz-Sierra, A. (2016). Widespread Phytophthora infestations in European nurseries put forest, semi-natural and horticultural ecosystems at high risk of Phytophthora diseases. Forest Pathology, 46, 134–163.Kroon, L. P., Brouwer, H., de Cock, A. W., & Govers, F. (2012). The genus Phytophthora anno 2012. Phytopathology, 102, 348–364.Linaldeddu, B. T., Scanu, B., Maddau, L., & Franceschini, A. (2014). Diplodia corticola and Phytophthora cinnamomi: the main pathogens involved in holm oak decline on Caprera Island (Italy). Forest Pathology, 44, 191–200.Luque, J., Parladé, J., & Pera, J. (2000). Pathogenicity of fungi isolated from Quercus suber in Catalonia (NE Spain). Forest Pathology, 30, 247–263.Luque, J., Parladé, J., & Pera, J. (2002). Seasonal changes in susceptibility of Quercus suber to Botryosphaeria stevensii and Phytophthora cinnamomi. Plant Pathology, 51, 338–345.MAGRAMA. (2014). Diagnóstico del Sector Forestal Español. Análisis y Prospectiva - Serie Agrinfo/Medioambiente n° 8. Ed. Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente. In NIPO: 280-14-081-9.Martín-García, J., Solla, A., Corcobado, T., Siasou, E., & Woodward, S. (2015). Influence of temperature on germination of Quercus ilex in Phytophthora cinnamomi, P. gonapodyides, P. quercina and P. psychrophila infested soils. Forest Pathology, 45, 215–223.Maurel, M., Robin, C., Capron, G., & Desprez-Loustau, M. L. (2001). Effects of root damage associated with Phytophthora cinnamomi on water elations, biomass accumulation, mineral nutrition and vulnerability to water deficit of five oak and chestnut species. Forest Pathology, 31, 353–369.McKinney, H. H. (1923). Influence of soil temperature and moisture on infection of wheat seedlings by Helminthosporium sativum. Journal of Agricultural Research, 26, 195–217.Moralejo, E., Pérez-Sierra, A., Álvarez, L. A., Belbahri, L., Lefort, F., & Descals, E. (2009). Multiple alien Phytophthora taxa discovered on diseased ornamental plants in Spain. Plant Pathology, 58, 100–110.Mora-Sala, B., Berbegal, M., & Abad-Campos, P. (2018). The use of qPCR reveals a high frequency of Phytophthora quercina in two Spanish holm oak areas. Forests, 9(11):697. https://doi.org/10.3390/f9110697 .Moreira, A. C., & Martins, J. M. S. (2005). Influence of site factors on the impact of Phytophthora cinnamomi in cork oak stands in Portugal. Forest Pathology, 35, 145–162.Mrázková, M., Černý, K., Tomosovsky, M., Strnadová, V., Gregorová, B., Holub, V., Panek, M., Havrdová, L., & Hejná, M. (2013). Occurrence of Phytophthora multivora and Phytophthora plurivora in the Czech Republic. Plant Protection Science, 49, 155–164.Navarro, R. M., Gallo, L., Sánchez, M. E., Fernández, P., & Trapero, A. (2004). Efecto de distintas fertilizaciones de fósforo en la resistencia de brinzales de encina y alcornoque a Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands. Investigación Agraria. 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    Measuring efficiency and productivity in professional football teams: Evidence from the English Premier League

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    Professional football clubs are unusual businesses, their performance judged on and off the field of play. This study is concerned with measuring the efficiency of clubs in the English Premier League. Information from clubs’ financial statements is used as a measure of corporate performance. To measure changes in efficiency and productivity the Malmquist non-parametric technique has been used. This is derived from the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) linear programming approach, with Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) being used to ensure the cohesion of the input-output variables. The study concludes that while clubs operate close to efficient levels for the assessed models, there is limited technological advance in their performance in terms of the displacement of the technological frontier

    Clinical Audits in Outpatient Clinics for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Methodological Considerations and Workflow

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    Objectives: Previous clinical audits for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have provided valuable information on the clinical care delivered to patients admitted to medical wards because of COPD exacerbations. However, clinical audits of COPD in an outpatient setting are scarce and no methodological guidelines are currently available. Based on our previous experience, herein we describe a clinical audit for COPD patients in specialized outpatient clinics with the overall goal of establishing a potential methodological workflow.Methods: A pilot clinical audit of COPD patients referred to respiratory outpatient clinics in the region of Andalusia, Spain (over 8 million inhabitants), was performed. The audit took place between October 2013 and September 2014, and 10 centers (20% of all public hospitals) were invited to participate. Cases with an established diagnosis of COPD based on risk factors, clinical symptoms, and a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio of less than 0.70 were deemed eligible. The usefulness of formally scheduled regular follow-up visits was assessed. Two different databases (resources and clinical database) were constructed. Assessments were planned over a year divided by 4 three-month periods, with the goal of determining seasonal-related changes. Exacerbations and survival served as the main endpoints.Conclusions: This paper describes a methodological framework for conducting a clinical audit of COPD patients in an outpatient setting. Results from such audits can guide health information systems development and implementation in real-world settings.This study was financially supported by an unrestricted grant from Laboratorios Menarini, SA (Barcelona, Spain)

    CIBERER : Spanish national network for research on rare diseases: A highly productive collaborative initiative

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    Altres ajuts: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación.CIBER (Center for Biomedical Network Research; Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red) is a public national consortium created in 2006 under the umbrella of the Spanish National Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII). This innovative research structure comprises 11 different specific areas dedicated to the main public health priorities in the National Health System. CIBERER, the thematic area of CIBER focused on rare diseases (RDs) currently consists of 75 research groups belonging to universities, research centers, and hospitals of the entire country. CIBERER's mission is to be a center prioritizing and favoring collaboration and cooperation between biomedical and clinical research groups, with special emphasis on the aspects of genetic, molecular, biochemical, and cellular research of RDs. This research is the basis for providing new tools for the diagnosis and therapy of low-prevalence diseases, in line with the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC) objectives, thus favoring translational research between the scientific environment of the laboratory and the clinical setting of health centers. In this article, we intend to review CIBERER's 15-year journey and summarize the main results obtained in terms of internationalization, scientific production, contributions toward the discovery of new therapies and novel genes associated to diseases, cooperation with patients' associations and many other topics related to RD research

    Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

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    The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

    Hidden Sylvatic Foci of the Main Vector of Chagas Disease Triatoma infestans: Threats to the Vector Elimination Campaign?

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    Triatoma infestans, a highly domesticated species and historically the main vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, is the target of an insecticide-based elimination program in the southern cone countries of South America since 1991. Only limited success has been achieved in the Gran Chaco region due to repeated reinfestations. We conducted full-coverage spraying of pyrethroid insecticides of all houses in a well-defined rural area in northwestern Argentina, followed by intense monitoring of house reinfestation and searches for triatomine bugs in sylvatic habitats during the next two years, to establish the putative sources of new bug colonies. We found low-density sylvatic foci of T. infestans in trees located within the species' flight range from the nearest infested house detected before control interventions. Using multiple methods (fine-resolution satellite imagery, geographic information systems, spatial statistics, genetic markers and wing geometric morphometry), we corroborated the species identity of the sylvatic bugs as T. infestans and found they were indistinguishable from or closely related to local domestic or peridomestic bug populations. Two sylvatic foci were spatially associated to the nearest peridomestic bug populations found before interventions. Sylvatic habitats harbor hidden foci of T. infestans that may represent a threat to vector suppression attempts

    Evolution of the use of corticosteroids for the treatment of hospitalised COVID-19 patients in Spain between March and November 2020: SEMI-COVID national registry

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    Objectives: Since the results of the RECOVERY trial, WHO recommendations about the use of corticosteroids (CTs) in COVID-19 have changed. The aim of the study is to analyse the evolutive use of CTs in Spain during the pandemic to assess the potential influence of new recommendations. Material and methods: A retrospective, descriptive, and observational study was conducted on adults hospitalised due to COVID-19 in Spain who were included in the SEMI-COVID- 19 Registry from March to November 2020. Results: CTs were used in 6053 (36.21%) of the included patients. The patients were older (mean (SD)) (69.6 (14.6) vs. 66.0 (16.8) years; p < 0.001), with hypertension (57.0% vs. 47.7%; p < 0.001), obesity (26.4% vs. 19.3%; p < 0.0001), and multimorbidity prevalence (20.6% vs. 16.1%; p < 0.001). These patients had higher values (mean (95% CI)) of C-reactive protein (CRP) (86 (32.7-160) vs. 49.3 (16-109) mg/dL; p < 0.001), ferritin (791 (393-1534) vs. 470 (236- 996) µg/dL; p < 0.001), D dimer (750 (430-1400) vs. 617 (345-1180) µg/dL; p < 0.001), and lower Sp02/Fi02 (266 (91.1) vs. 301 (101); p < 0.001). Since June 2020, there was an increment in the use of CTs (March vs. September; p < 0.001). Overall, 20% did not receive steroids, and 40% received less than 200 mg accumulated prednisone equivalent dose (APED). Severe patients are treated with higher doses. The mortality benefit was observed in patients with oxygen saturation </=90%. Conclusions: Patients with greater comorbidity, severity, and inflammatory markers were those treated with CTs. In severe patients, there is a trend towards the use of higher doses. The mortality benefit was observed in patients with oxygen saturation </=90%

    Implementation of the evidence for the improvement of nursing care to the critical patient's family: a participatory action research

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    Background: There are many descriptive studies regarding the needs of the family, as well as those regarding nursing care aimed directly at family members. However, there is no widespread application of such evidence in clinical practice. There has also been no analysis made of the evolution of patterns of knowing during the act of improving clinical practice. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to understand the change process aimed at improving care to critical patient's families, and to explore the evolution of patterns of knowing that nurses use in this process. Methods: Qualitative study with a Participatory Action Research method, in accordance with the Kemmis and McTaggart model. In this model, nurses can observe their practice, reflect upon it and compare it with scientific evidence, as well as define, deploy and evaluate improvement strategies adapted to the context. Simultaneously, the process of empowerment derived from the Participatory Action Research allows for the identification of patterns of knowing and their development over time. The research will take place in the Intensive Care Units of a tertiary hospital. The participants will be nurses who are part of the regular workforce of these units, with more than five years of experience in critical patients, and who are motivated to consider and critique their practice. Data collection will take place through participant observation, multi-level discussion group meetings and documentary analysis. A content analysis will be carried out, following a process of codification and categorisation, with the help of Nvivo10. The approval date and the beginning of the funding were December 2012 and 2013, respectively. Discussion: The definition, introduction and evaluation of care strategies for family members will allow for their real and immediate implementation in practice. The study of the patterns of knowing in the Participatory Action Research will be part of the theoretical and practical feedback process of a professional discipline. Also, the identification of the construction and evolution of knowledge will provide decision elements to managers and academics when choosing strategies for increased quality
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