Patient-rated emotional and physical functioning among hematologic cancer patients during hospitalization for stem-cell transplantation

In this 3-year prospective inpatient study, 220 patients received stem-cell transplantation (SCT) for hematologic cancer at a single institution. The objective of the study is to provide data on patient-rated emotional (depression and anxiety) and physical (overall physical status, energy level, and systemic symptomatology) functioning during hospitalization for SCT and to compare whether these differ between autologous and allogeneic SCT. Patients were assessed at hospital admission (T1), day of SCT (T2), and 7 days (T3) and 14 days (T4) after SCT, yielding a total of 852 evaluations. For the overall sample, anxiety was highest at T1 and decreased afterwards; a marked worsening in physical health status variables corresponded with a sharp increase in depression from T1 to T3, and was followed by an improvement in physical health and a reduction of depression. Compared to allogeneic SCT, a better physical outcome for autologous SCT was demonstrated by the significant group effect for systemic symptomatology and by the significant group x time interaction for overall physical status and energy level; there were no significant differences in depression or anxiety between SCT groups. These findings have implications for treatment decision making, coping with the transplantation process, and improving prevention and treatment strategies.

A validation study of the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) in a Spanish population

The present study aims to validate the Spanish version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and to determine the use of this tool for screening mood and anxiety disorders. Psychometric properties of the HADS were assessed in different groups of general medical outpatients attending the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona (N=385), and psychiatric diagnoses were made using DSM-IV criteria. A two-factor solution corresponding to the original two subscales of the HADS was found. The Spanish version of the HADS had good internal consistency and external validity, with favorable sensitivity and specificity in identifying cases of psychiatric disorder as defined by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I). The psychometric properties of the HADS and its brevity make it useful for screening for psychiatric disorders in the medically ill.

[Economic evaluation of a new selective COX-2 NSAID, rofecoxib, in a real practice context]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the economic and health consequences of the use of a new COX-2 anti-inflammatory drug.

DESIGN

Cost-effectiveness analysis by modelling three options for prescribing non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) in patients diagnosed with arthrosis and undergoing long-term NSAID treatment. Option 1: NSAID prescription without gastric protection for low-risk patients, and with gastric protection for patients running a medium or high risk of developing complications (current procedure). Option 2: exclusive prescription of rofecoxib (25 mg/day) for all patients (high and low risk). Option 3: single-therapy rofecoxib (25 mg/day) prescription for patients sensitive to combined treatment (NSAIDs and gastric protection) due to the risk of complications. In each case, resources and expected clinical benefits were accounted for by the calculation of the cost of avoidance of each moderate or high gastro-intestinal side-effect (GISE) (symptomatic ulcer or complication) avoided. The direct economic impact on the centre of passing from option 1 to any of the other two options was calculated.

SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS

The study, conducted in the Barceloneta Primary Care Centre, included in its modelling the 124 patients diagnosed with arthrosis who received NSAIDs continuously during the year 2000.

RESULTS

Option 2 supposed avoiding 1.5 cases of GISE (0.5 symptomatic ulcers and 0.9 serious complications), to an additional cost of 336 566.78 euros. Each case avoided would cost 24,641.50 euros; and each serious case avoided 38,464.79 euros. Option 3 avoided 0.25 cases of serious complication, at an additional cost of 9,015.18 euros. Avoiding one case would cost 37,262.75 euros.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall health benefits arising from the universal or partial introduction of a selective COX-2 inhibitor NSAID involve a unit cost of 24,040.48 or 36,060.73 euros, depending on the option. The impact on the Centre s pharmaceutical budget would increase by 1.3% under option 2, and by 0.35% under option 3.

Comparative hemodynamic effects of urapidil and labetalol after electroconvulsive therapy

Urapidil, a postsynaptic alpha 1 -adrenergic antagonist, has been reported to improve intraoperative hemodynamic stability, although it has never been used to prevent the hemodynamic response of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). This study was designed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of urapidil, as an alternative to labetalol, in preventing the hemodynamic response of ECT. Twenty-seven patients undergoing a series of six consecutive ECT treatments were studied. Each patient received all three pretreatments twice: no drug, labetalol 0.2 mg/kg, or urapidil 25 mg. Systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure and heart rate (HR) were recorded during the awake state, after anesthesia induction, and 1, 2, 5, 10 and 30 minutes after electroencephalographic (EEG) seizure ended. The duration of the EEG convulsion was also recorded. After induction, the HR increased for no drug and urapidil pretreatments, whereas it decreased when labetalol was given. Labetalol and urapidil attenuated the peak increase of blood pressure and returned it to earlier baseline values. There were no differences in the duration of EEG convulsion between the three pretreatments. Urapidil seems to be a good alternative to labetalol for attenuating the hypertensive response to ECT in cases where there is a contraindication to beta-antagonists.

Preliminary data of a prospective study on neuropsychiatric side effects after initiation of efavirenz

OBJECTIVE

To assess baseline variables able to predict neuropsychiatric side effects (NPSEs) associated with the initiation of an efavirenz (EFV)-containing regimen in HIV-1-infected patients.

DESIGN

Open-label, prospective, observational study.

METHODS

Consecutive HIV-1-infected outpatients in whom EFV was prescribed underwent a psychiatric interview. At baseline and at 2, 4, and 12 weeks, patients completed the Symptoms Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), the Medical Outcome Study for HIV-positive patients (MOS-HIV), and a standardized questionnaire concerning potential NPSEs.

RESULTS

Preliminary data showed that discontinuation of EFV because of NPSEs occurred in 4 of 31 patients (13%). Patients who completed the follow-up showed a decrease in SCL-90-R total score (p =.004) and in several subscales such as Interpersonal Sensitivity (p =.009), Depression (p =.001), and Anxiety (p =.040), whereas no changes in MOS-HIV were observed. Having fewer years of education (p =.006), having fewer baseline central nervous symptoms (p =.000), reporting better baseline physical status (p =.013), and having higher baseline scores in the Heath Transition subscale of the MOS-HIV (p =.000) and in the Somatization subscale of the SCL-90-R (p =.002) were associated with more NPSEs.

CONCLUSION

Patients maintained on EFV showed a decrease in psychologic distress related to self-image, depression, and anxiety, without any effect on quality of life. Patients with a lower level of education, those who feel physically and psychologically better at baseline than in the past, and those who suffer from more distress as a result of physical complaints may be at greater risk of reporting more NPSEs after EFV initiation.

Risk of lipodystrophy in HIV-1-infected patients treated with protease inhibitors: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Risk factors for lipodystrophy in patients infected with HIV-1 treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) containing HIV-1 protease inhibitors are poorly understood. We aimed to identify the risk factors for lipodystrophy in antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected adults on HAART.

METHODS

Moderate or severe body-fat changes were clinically assessed and categorised as subcutaneous lipoatrophy, central obesity, or both, in all consecutive antiretroviral-naïve HIV-1-infected adults who began HAART with two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors plus at least one protease inhibitor from October, 1996, to September, 1999. A person-years analysis was used to calculate the incidence of types of lipodystrophy, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to describe the univariate and multivariate factors associated with progression to any lipodystrophy.

FINDINGS

After a median follow-up of 18 months, 85 (17%) of the 494 patients developed some type of lipodystrophy. The incidences of any lipodystrophy, lipodystrophy with subcutaneous lipoatrophy, and lipodystrophy with central obesity were 11.7 (95% CI 9.2-14.2), 9.2 (7.0-11.4), and 7.7 (5.7-9.7) per 100 patient-years. An increased risk for any lipodystrophy was found among women as compared with men (relative hazard 1.87 [1.07-3.28]), heterosexuals (2.86 [1.50-5.48]), and homosexuals (2.17 [1.07-4.42]) as compared with intravenous drug users, with increasing age (1.33 per 10 years older [1.08-1.62]), and with the duration of exposure to antiretroviral therapy (1.57 per 6 months extra [1.30-1.88]) but not with any individual antiretroviral agent. The factors associated with an increased risk for lipodystrophy with subcutaneous lipoatrophy or lipodystrophy with central obesity were very similar to those associated with any lipodystrophy. The duration of indinavir use may represent an additional contribution for the development of lipodystrophy with central obesity (1.26 per 6 months extra [0.99-1.60]); p=0.064).

INTERPRETATION

Risk factors associated with development of any lipodystrophy, lipodystrophy with subcutaneous lipoatrophy, and tipodystrophy with central obesity in patients infected with HIV-1 who were receiving HAART containing protease inhibitors are multifactorial and overlapping, and cannot be exclusively ascribed to the duration of exposure to an particular antiretroviral agent.

[Optimization of electroconvulsive therapy. Strategies for an adequate convulsion: role of caffeine]

The Electroconvulsive Therapy is a widely used technique in psychiatry as a treatment for several mental disorders with particular indications. To produce therapeutic effect it's necessary to induce a convulsion which is considered adequate if its duration lasts more than 20 seconds. Considerations that should be taken in to account and possible enhancement strategies when convulsion is not adequate are revised in the present article. Among these strategies we focus on the specific role of caffeine as convulsion enhancer and on aspects related to its use and administration form.

Calcium as a treatment of osteoporosis

The role of calcium in bone metabolism, optimal calcium intake, the use of calcium as monotherapy for osteoporosis or in combination with other drugs and the differences between various calcium salts are reviewed. Calcium is an essential element in bone mineralization and formation. There are sufficient data supporting the use of calcium in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and calcium in combination with vitamin D is widely used in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis mainly in elderly patients, although its indication in postmenopausal osteoporosis is not yet clear. Numerous calcium preparations are available on the market and differ only in regard to their bioavailability. However, this difference has very little clinical significance except in patients with achlorhydria or elderly persons with low gastric secretion, in which cases pidolate and calcium citrate can be used since they are more efficiently absorbed.

[Analysis of experience in an integrated program of hospital rheumatological service and primary care]

BACKGROUND

In order to improve the health quality at the Primary care level, the Catalonian Health Authority (Servei Catala de la Salut) has begun a reform of the medical and surgical specialties. In this reform process the Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain, has taken part in the incorporation of several medical and surgical hospital specialists to primary care within its influence area. In this study, we describe the results of the collaboration between Hospital health care and Primary care on rheumatic complaints during one year.

METHODS

We carried out a descriptive study of some clinical and epidemiological variables of the population visited during one year (1995), at the Primary care level by the Rheumatologist. Our area has a population of 90,612 people, and its located in Barcelona City, Ciutat Vella Variables of study were collected during the period of time between January and December 1995. The following variables were recorded: age, gender, referral cause, rheumatologic diagnosis, intra-articular and peri-articular corticosteroid injections perform, techniques used for the diagnosis of rheumatic disease, follow-up level Data were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

Visits performed were 2,668 on 1,384 patients. Fifty-two percent were first visits, 48% were follow-up visits (Ratio first visits Nolfow-up visits: 0.57). Fifty-one percent of the patients were > 65 years old. Unspecific polyarthralgias, chronic low back pain, gonalgia and pathology of the shoulder were the most frequent complaints (> 50%). Osteoarthritis and soft-tissue diseases were the most frequent diagnosis with a percentage of 41% and 30.7%, respectively. Connective tissue diseases and spondyloarthropathies had account for 3.8% of global diagnosis. X-ray film has been the commonest technique used for the diagnosis of rheumatic diseases (80.5%). The waiting list for first visit initially has been 5 weeks, and at the end of study it has been 3 weeks. Ten percent of patients had been referred to the Hospital.

CONCLUSIONS

Collaboration between Hospital care rheumatology and Primary care, improves the diagnostic quality, as well as it decreases the waiting list and allows the patients' control at the most appropriate care level.

[Favorable response to corticoid therapy in a patient with transverse myelitis in systemic lupus erythematosus]

Transverse myelitis is one of the most unusual neurologic complications of systemic lupus erythematosus. Its pathogenetic mechanisms are controversial. Several therapeutic regimens have been attempted with contradictory results. Corticotherapy appears to improve prognosis, although some authors question its beneficial effects. The case of a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus and transverse myelitis, who presented a favourable clinical course following early treatment with high-dose corticoids, is reported.

Physical and psychosocial functioning of 117 survivors of bone marrow transplantation

All surviving patients receiving a BMT at our center since 1976 were surveyed. Among 163 eligible patients, 145 were contacted and 117 (81%) responded. Their median follow-up was 55 months (range 6-154). The research instruments consisted of a demographic questionnaire, a current medical status form, a quality of life questionnaire (Nottingham Health Profile), and a screening instrument for psychiatric morbidity (the 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire). Current functioning varied considerably across patients. They reported a high use of medical services (37%) and varied ongoing medical problems within the last 6 months. Most of them (93%) received Karnofsky ratings of 80 or above. Eight percent had current chronic GVHD. Comparing our patients' quality of life with a British reference population, most important differences were found for physical mobility, work, and sex life. Psychiatric morbidity in BMT survivors was higher than in a Spanish general population. Multivariate analyses revealed that a higher systemic symptomatology score, a lower educational level, an older age at BMT, a shorter time post-BMT, a female gender, and impotence were significant predictors of an impaired overall quality of life. Similarly, a higher systemic symptomatology score, a shorter time post-BMT, a higher number of major infections, and a lower educational level were predictive factors of a higher psychosocial distress. No differences in quality of life or psychosocial status between allogeneic and autologous transplants were found. Quality of life and psychosocial distress improved with the passage of time, specially within the first 3 years.

Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis: report of two cases with long-term bone density follow-up

Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis is a rare and poorly characterized clinical entity. We describe two women, aged 28 and 31 yr, who developed vertebral osteopaenia with non-traumatic compression fractures within a few months after delivery. In both women secondary causes of osteoporosis were excluded and routine laboratory data including indices of calcium metabolism were normal. In one patient (Patient 1) spontaneous secretion of IL-1 by cultured blood monocytes was elevated 6 months after delivery and a bone biopsy revealed histomorphometric indices consistent with accelerated bone remodelling. BMD was measured by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and/or dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). In Patient 1, BMD, measured with QCT, 6 months after delivery was 3.32 Z-score units below the predicted value for age and sex-matched subjects. At that time treatment (phosphate followed by sodium etidronate) was instituted, and QCT measurements obtained 24 and 30 months after delivery revealed a BMD of -2.98 and -2.67 Z-score units, respectively. The treatment was discontinued just before she became pregnant again, and 3 months after the second delivery QCT showed a BMD of -3.06 Z-score units. Further BMD assessments were obtained with DXA at 15 and 18 months after the second delivery, and the BMD values were -1.41 and -1.08, respectively. In Patient 2, spine BMD, measured with QCT, 4 and 10 months after delivery were -1.68 and -1.59 Z-score units, respectively. At 10, 16 and 22 months after delivery, BMD was assessed with DXA. The initial measurement with this technique disclosed a BMD of 0.52 Z-score units.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Syphilitic arthro-osteitis]

We report a black female with past history of sexual promiscuity who developed arthroosteitis of clavicula and sternoclavicular joint and cranial osteitis during secondary syphilis. Spirochaeta were identified in the material from osteoarticular biopsy. The patient was treated with benzathine penicillin, 2,400,000 U weekly for three weeks. There was a complete clinical recovery. We emphasize the uncommon occurrence of osteoarticular involvement in secondary syphilis and the exceptional character, according to the literature, of the finding of spirochaeta in the biopsy material. We discuss the differential diagnosis and we review the literature on secondary syphilis. We suggest that syphilis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any acute arthritis or osteitis, particularly when the involved joint is the sternoclavicular and the patient is sexually promiscuous.

Determination of succinyldicholine in different tissue samples from guinea pigs after injection of a single intravenous dose

The distribution and postmortem stability of succinyldicholine in different tissues and urine from guinea-pigs has been studied. Succinyldicholine was extracted from tissue homogenates and urine samples from animals sacrificed by intravenous injections of succinyldicholine hydrochloride (40 mg/kg). The bis-quaternary ammonium compound was demethylated and the tertiary amine was analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The concentrations found in muscle, kidney and urine were often low; in muscle below 5 pmol/g, in kidney from 5 to 1500 pmol/g and in urine from 5 to 650 pmol/ml. The eye proved to be the best tissue sample, with a rather high and constant concentration (280 +/- 36 pmol/g) of succinyldicholine. The postmortem stability was studied by storing the bodies at 4 degrees C. After 6 days storage the drug concentrations in the eyes started to decline. Four weeks after death it was not possible to detect any succinyldicholine in this tissue.