Hospital malnutrition is very common and worsens the clinical course of patients while increasing costs. Lacking clinical-economic studies on the implementation of nutrition screening encouraged the ...evaluation of the CIPA (Control of Food Intake, Protein, Anthropometry) tool.
An open, non-randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted on patients admitted to internal medicine and general and digestive surgery wards, who were either assigned to a control (standard hospital clinical care) or to an intervention, CIPA-performing ward (412 and 411, respectively;
= 823). Length of stay, mortality, readmission, in-hospital complications, and quality of life were evaluated. Cost-effectiveness was analysed in terms of cost per quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).
The mean length of stay was higher in the CIPA group, though not significantly (+ 0.95 days;
= 0.230). On the surgical ward, more patients from the control group moved to critical care units (
= 0.014); the other clinical variables did not vary. Quality of life at discharge was similar (
= 0.53), although slightly higher in the CIPA group at 3 months (
= 0.089). Patients under CIPA screening had a higher mean cost of € 691.6 and a mean QALY gain over a 3-month period of 0.0042. While the cost per QALY for the internal medicine patients was € 642 282, the results for surgical patients suggest that the screening tool is both less costly and more effective.
The CIPA nutrition screening tool is likely to be cost-effective in surgical but not in internal medicine patients.
The Monitoring Studies (MS) program, the approach developed by RedETS to generate postlaunch real-world evidence (RWE), is intended to complement and enhance the conventional health technology ...assessment process to support health policy decision making in Spain, besides informing other interested stakeholders, including clinicians and patients. The MS program is focused on specific uncertainties about the real effect, safety, costs, and routine use of new and insufficiently assessed relevant medical devices carefully selected to ensure the value of the additional research needed, by means of structured, controlled, participative, and transparent procedures. However, despite a clear political commitment and economic support from national and regional health authorities, several difficulties were identified along the development and implementation of the first wave of MS, delaying its execution and final reporting. Resolution of these difficulties at the regional and national levels and a greater collaborative impulse in the European Union, given the availability of an appropriate methodological framework already provided by EUnetHTA, might provide a faster and more efficient comparative RWE of improved quality and reliability at the national and international levels.
Abstract There is solid evidence of negative consequences of non-adherence in schizophrenia, and recently adherence has been defined as taking more than 80% of prescribed medication. However, the ...clinical relevance of different degrees of adherence in adherent patients has not been studied. We evaluated sociodemographic, clinical, treatment-related and psychopathological variables in 78 adherent outpatients with schizophrenia, who were classified into two groups: full-adherence (100% adherence) and non-full adherence (80–99.9%). Adherence was evaluated using electronic monitoring (MEMS®), and the injection record in case of injectable antipsychotics. Non-full adherence patients showed more extensive delusions and guilt feelings, as well as trends toward greater somatic concern, disorientation, general psychopathology, and lower number of prior psychiatric hospitalizations. These finding suggest that the ‘fullness’ of adherence to antipsychotic treatment is a relevant issue, impacting the psychopathological state of adherent patients with schizophrenia. We found that a large proportion of patients can achieve full adherence, and while ‘adherence’ is an appropriate objective to be pursued with non-adherent patients, ‘full adherence’ should be the goal among adherent patients.
In this article, we describe the eq5dds command, which presents the results of a descriptive system using individuals’ responses for mobility, self care, usual activities, pain or discomfort, anxiety ...or depression, and visual analog scale from the EQ-5D health-related quality-of-life instrument (in its 3L and 5L versions). The command presents each of the tables and the figures recommended in the official user guide of the instrument (developed by the EuroQol Group).
•Poor glycemic control in T2D patients is weakly associated with risk of developing COPD.•COPD risk is slightly higher in people with HbA1c 7–8% than in those with <7%.•COPD risk is not different ...between people with HbA1c <7% and those with >8%.•It is postulated that the relationship between T2D and COPD may not be causal.
To evaluate the relationship between glycemic control and plasma glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
We conducted a population-based, retrospective, nested, case-control study involving 124,876 patients with DM2 from the Canary Islands, Spain. From the cohort, we selected all COPD cases and, for each case, five control subjects who were COPD free. We analyzed the association between glycemic control, HbA1c level and incident COPD.
A total of 1320 incidence cases of COPD (1.06%) were identified and matched individually with 6600 controls according to age and sex. After multivariate adjustment, the COPD risk increased among patients with poor glycemic control compared to patients with good glycemic control HbA1c levels <7% (53 mmol/mol) (OR 1.18; 95% CI: 1.03–1.36). In comparison with patients exhibiting HbA1c levels <7% (53 mmol/mol), the risk of COPD was higher among people with HbA1c levels of 7–8% (53–64 mmol/mol) (OR 1.24; 95% CI: 1.05–1.47) and 8–9% (64–75 mmol/mol) (OR 1.31; 95% CI: 1.04–1.66).
Poor glycemic control reveals a weak association with increased risk of COPD in T2D patients.
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Nutritional status assessment in anorexia nervosa (AN) includes the evaluation and monitoring of body composition throughout the treatment period. The gold standard for the study of ...body composition is dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), although electrical bioimpedance (BIA) is a more accessible, cheaper and faster method that does not involve exposure to radiation.
We recruited 33 female adolescents with AN (age, 11.7–16.3 years) by consecutive sampling. We collected data on clinical, anthropometric and laboratory variables. Patients were assessed with BIA and DEXA at inclusion in the study and at the end of the study, with a mean duration of follow-up of 1 year, during the nutritional rehabilitation phase.
There was significant improvement in nutritional status, reflected by the body composition obtained by anthropometric measurements and BIA. The phase angle increased significantly during the follow-up. Greater weight loss was associated with the presence of secondary amenorrhoea and decreased bone mineral density in the spine.
Electrical BIA is a useful tool for assessment and monitoring of nutritional status in paediatric patients with AN. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry continues to be essential to assess bone mineral density. The role of hormones such as leptin remains to be elucidated.
La valoración nutricional en anorexia nerviosa (AN) incluye determinar la composición corporal y monitorizar su evolución a lo largo del periodo de tratamiento. La prueba gold standard para el estudio de la composición corporal es la absorciometría de rayos X de energía dual (DEXA), si bien la bioimpedancia eléctrica (BIA) se postula como una alternativa más accesible, barata, rápida y que no irradia.
Se reclutaron secuencialmente a 33 mujeres adolescentes (11,7–16,3 años) diagnosticadas de AN. Se recogieron parámetros clínicos, antropométricos y analíticos, y se realizó BIA y DEXA a la inclusión en el estudio y a la finalización del mismo con separación media de un año, durante la fase de rehabilitación nutricional.
Se objetivó mejoría significativa a nivel nutricional, reflejada en la composición corporal obtenida mediante antropometría y BIA. El ángulo de fase aumentó significativamente durante el periodo de seguimiento. Una mayor pérdida ponderal se correlacionó con la presencia de amenorrea secundaria y con una menor densidad mineral ósea en columna.
La BIA es una herramienta útil para la valoración y el seguimiento del estado nutricional en pacientes con AN en edad pediátrica. La DEXA sigue siendo imprescindible para conocer la afectación de la densidad mineral ósea. El papel de hormonas como la leptina está aún por determinar.
Abstract Objective Attempted suicide and death due to suicide are not uncommon among patients with bipolar disorder. Although some risk factors for suicidality in bipolar patients have been ...identified, little is known about hopelessness and other possible trait or diathesis-related factors. Consequently, the objective of this study was to investigate variables associated with suicidal risk in clinically nonsyndromal bipolar patients. Methods A sample of 102 outpatients with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder according to International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision criteria during nonsyndromal stage were evaluated. On the basis of suicidal history, patients were divided into suicide attempt, suicidal ideation, and nonsuicidal groups. Sociodemographic, clinical, and psychopathological variables were assessed. Results As compared with the nonsuicidal group, female sex, combined psychopharmacologic treatment, and hopelessness were independently associated with suicide attempt. Hopelessness and insight into having a mental disorder were independently associated with history of suicidal ideation. Conclusions Patients with bipolar disorder and suicidal history are characterized by the presence of hopelessness, which probably confers greater vulnerability for suicidal behavior in the presence of stress factors. This identification of the risk profile for suicidal behavior in nonsyndromal bipolar patients adds complementary information to risk factors established for suicidality during acute phases of the disease, allows for differentiated preventive and treatment approaches of patients at risk, and suggests psychotherapy as an advisable intervention in this group of patients.
Abstract Background Although the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS®) device offers accurate information on treatment dosing profile, such profile has never been studied in patients with ...schizophrenia. Enhancing our knowledge on this issue would help in developing intervention strategies to improve adherence to antipsychotic treatment in these patients. Methods 74 outpatients with schizophrenia were monitored with the MEMS device for a 3-month period, for evaluation of antipsychotic treatment dosing profile, possible influence of medication schedule-related variables, adherence to treatment – considering dose intake within prescribed timeframes – and possible Hawthorne's effect of using the MEMS device. Results Dose-omission gaps occurred in 18.7% of monitoring days, most frequently during weekends, almost significantly. Almost one-third of prescribed doses were taken out of prescribed time. Neither the prescribed number of daily doses nor the indicated time of the day for dose intake (breakfast, dinner), were associated with correct antipsychotic dosing. Excess-dose was rare in general, and more frequent out of prescribed dose timeframe. No Hawthorne's effect was found for the MEMS device. Adherence reached only 35% according to a definition that included dose intake within prescribed timeframes. Conclusions Antipsychotic treatment dosing was considerably irregular among patients with schizophrenia. Strategies to reduce dose-omission gaps and increase dosing within prescribed timeframes seem to be necessary. Gaining knowledge on precise oral antipsychotic dosing profiles or the influence of schedule-related variables may be useful to design strategies towards enhancing adherence. There appears to be no Hawthorne's effect associated with the use of MEMS devices in outpatients with schizophrenia.
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