Influence of palliative care training on nurses’ attitudes towards end-of-life care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain

Aim: This study aims to assess the influence of training on nurses’ attitudes toward end-of-life care during the COVID-19 pandemic alarm state in Spain. Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Data collection was carried out by means of an ad hoc questionnaire using Google Forms in April and May 2020. The score of attitudes toward end-of-life care was used, to which sociodemographic variables and training in palliative care were added. Methods: Data were collected from 238 nursing professionals who had cared for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 adult patients at the end-of-life stage in a hospital or nursing home. Results: Results showed that 51% of the nurses in the sample had training in palliative care. However, the percentage decreased to 38.5% among those who cared for COVID-19 patients and to 44.5% in those who cared for non-COVID-19 patients. In relation to attitudes about end-of-life care, more positive attitudes and a higher mean score were found in the trained group. Conclusions: Palliative care training is a key element in end-of-life care and is even more important in times of COVID-19. Impact: Although end-of-life accompaniment has been studied, few studies have included the influence of training on this during the pandemic. This study identifies key elements of accompaniment and training in a comparison of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients during the pandemic. In relation to attitudes toward end-of-life care, the results showed a more positive attitude and a higher mean score in the trained group (3.43 ± 0.37 versus 3.21 ± 0.32), the difference being statistically significant (p < 0.001)

Presión intraabdominal y empeoramiento de la función renal durante las descompensaciones de la insuficiencia cardiaca. Un informe preliminar del estudio PIA.

Antecedentes: El aumento de la presión intraabdominal (PIA) que tiene lugar durante la insuficiencia cardiaca aguda parece estar directamente relacionado con un empeoramiento de la función renal, lo que conduce a peores resultados clínicos. Nuestro objetivo fue analizar la relación entre la PIA y los determinantes de la función renal para la insuficiencia cardiaca aguda descompensada (ICAD) durante el ingreso en un pabellón de medicina interna convencional. Pacientes y métodos: Estudio descriptivo y prospectivo. Se incluyó a aquellos pacientes con una tasa de filtración glomerular > 30 mL/min/1,73 m2, dispuestos a participar en el estudio y que otorgaron su consentimiento informado. El protocolo (PI 15 0227) fue aprobado por el Comité de Ética de Aragón. Resultados: Presentamos los resultados de un análisis preliminar llevado a cabo con los primeros 28 pacientes incluidos en el estudio. Los pacientes se segregaron en 2 grupos según la mediana de la PIA, alta (PIA > 15 mmHg) y baja (PIA < 15 mmHg), medida durante las primeras 24 h tras el ingreso por ICAD. Cada grupo estuvo integrado por 14 pacientes. No hubo diferencias entre los grupos en cuanto a características clínicas de referencia, comorbilidades ni tratamiento. Los pacientes con PIA superior a los 15 mmHg presentaron una tasa de filtración glomerular basal significativamente baja (70,7 vs. 44,4 mL/min/1,73 m2 con p = 0,004; urea en sangre 36 vs. 83 mg/dL con p = 0,002; creatinina sérica 0,87 vs. 1,3 mg/dL con p = 0,004 y cistatina C 1,2 vs. 1,94 mg/dL con p = 0,002). Además, estos pacientes mostraron las concentraciones de ácido úrico más altas (5,7 vs. 8,0; p = 0,046), las de hemoglobina resultaron más bajas (11,7 vs. 10,5 g/L; p = 0,04) y la estancia hospitalaria más larga (6,5 vs. 9,6 días; p = 0,017). Conclusiones: El aumento de la PIA parece ser un hallazgo frecuente en pacientes ingresados por ICAD. Independientemente de la PIA, los pacientes comparten un perfil clínico similar, si bien el aumento de la PIA se asoció con un empeoramiento significativo de la función renal de referencia. Background: An increase in intraabdominal pressure (IAP) during acute heart failure, seems to be directly related to worsening renal function, which leads to worse clinical outcomes. We aimed to analyze the relationship between IAP and determinants of renal function during admission for acute decompensation of heart failure (ADHF) in a conventional Internal Medicine Ward. Patients and methods: Descriptive and prospective study. Patients admitted for ADHF with an estimated glomerular filtration rate > 30 mL/min/1.73 m2, willing to participate and who gave their informed consent were included. Ethics Committee of Aragon approved the protocol (PI 15 0227). Results: We hereby report the results of an interim analysis of the first 28 patients included. Patients were divided in 2 groups according to the median of IAP measured during the first 24 h after admission for ADHF, namely high IAP (IAP>15 mmHg) and low (IAP< 15 mmHg). Fourteen patients were included in each group. No differences were found in baseline clinical characteristics, comorbidities or treatment between both groups. Patients with IAP above 15 mmHg, showed a significant lower baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (70.7 vs. 44.4 mL/min/1.73 m2 with p=0.004], blood urea 36 vs. 83 mg/dL with p=0.002]; serum creatinine 0.87 vs. 1.3 mg/dL with p=0.004 and cystatin C 1.2 vs. 1.94 mg/dL with p= 0.002. Additionally, these patients had higher uric acid (5.7 vs. 8.0, p=0.046), lower hemoglobin concentrations (11.7 vs. 10.5 g/L, p=0.04) and longer length of hospital stay (6.5 vs. 9.6 days, p=0.017). Conclusions: The increase in IAP seems to be a frequent finding in patients admitted for ADHF. Patients share similar clinical profile irrespective of IAP, although the increase in IAP is associated with a significant baseline impairment of renal function