Patient-and Family-Centered Care and Patient Safety: reflections upon emerging proximity

No benefit of vitamin D supplementation on muscle function and health-related quality of life in primary cardiovascular prevention patients with statin-associated muscle symptoms: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Statins are the leading lipid-lowering drugs, reducing blood cholesterol by controlling its synthesis. Side effects are linked to the use of statins, in particular statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS). Some data suggest that vitamin D supplementation could reduce SAMS.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation in a randomized controlled trial.

METHODS

Men (n = 23) and women (n = 15) (50.5 ± 7.7 years [mean ± SD]) in primary cardiovascular prevention, self-reporting or not SAMS, were recruited. Following 2 months of statin withdrawal, patients were randomized to supplementation (vitamin D or placebo). After 1 month of supplementation, statins were reintroduced. Before and 2 months after drug reintroduction, muscle damage (creatine kinase and myoglobin) was measured. Force (F), endurance (E) and power (P) of the leg extensors (ext) and flexors (fle) and handgrip strength (FHG) were also measured with isokinetic and handheld dynamometers, respectively. The Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire and a visual analog scale (VAS) were administrated to assess participants' self-reported health-related quality of life and SAMS intensity, respectively. Repeated-measures analysis was used to investigate the effects of time, supplementation, and their interaction, according to the presence of SAMS.

RESULTS

Despite no change for objective measures, subjective measures worsened after reintroduction of statins, independent of supplementation (VAS, SF-36 mental component score, all p < 0.05). However, no interaction between time and supplementation according to the presence of SAMS was observed for any variables.

CONCLUSIONS

Vitamin D supplementation does not appear to mitigate SAMS.

Impact of statin withdrawal on perceived and objective muscle function

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS) are frequently reported. Nevertheless, few data on objective measures of muscle function are available. Recent data suggesting an important nocebo effect with statin use could confound such effects. The objective was to assess if subjective and objective measures of muscle function improve after drug withdrawal in SAMS reporters.

METHODS

Patients (59 men, 33 women, 50.3±9.6 yrs.) in primary cardiovascular prevention composed three cohorts: statin users with (SAMS, n = 61) or without symptoms (No SAMS, n = 15), and controls (n = 16) (registered at clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01493648). Force (F), endurance (E) and power (P) of the leg extensors (ext) and flexors (fle) and handgrip strength (Fhg) were measured using isokinetic and handheld dynamometers, respectively. A 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to self-assess SAMS intensity. Measures were taken before and after two months of withdrawal.

RESULTS

Following withdrawal, repeated-measures analyses show improvements for the entire cohort in Eext, Efle, Ffle, Pext and Pfle (range +7.2 to +13.3%, all p≤0.02). Post-hoc analyses show these changes to occur notably in SAMS (+8.8 to +16.6%), concurrent with a decrease in subjective perception of effects in SAMS (VAS, from 5.09 to 1.85). Fhg was also improved in SAMS (+4.0 to +6.2%) when compared to No SAMS (-1.7 to -4.2%) (all p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Whether suffering from "true" SAMS or nocebo, those who reported SAMS had modest but relevant improvements in muscle function concurrent with a decrease in subjective symptoms intensity after drug withdrawal. Greater attention by clinicians to muscle function in frail statin users appears warranted.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study is registered in clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01493648).

Spanish Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Australian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire

The main objectives of this study were to carry out the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Australian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire (APFQ) into Spanish and the evaluation of its psychometric properties of validity and reliability in the Spanish population. The APFQ was translated into Spanish and back-translated into its original language by native speakers; it was verified that there was a semantic similarity. A pilot test was carried out on a group of 10 women. The study sample was made up of 104 subjects. They were asked to fill in the APFQ twice, 15 days apart. Codes were assigned so they could link to the test and retest. The Questionnaire on Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions-short version (PFDI-20) and the Women's Sexual Function Questionnaire (FSM) were also completed. The reliability, criterion and construct validity, and stability were studied. A Cronbach's alpha of 0.795 was obtained from the complete questionnaire. For each dimension, Cronbach's alpha was 0.864 for bladder function; 0.796 for bowel function; 0.851 for prolapse; and 0.418 for sexual function (0.67 with the suppression of item 37). The APFQ shows a significant correlation with PFDI-20 in urinary function (rho: 0.704, p = 0.000), intestinal function (rho: 0.462, p = 0.000), and prolapse symptoms (rho: 0.337, p = 0.000). The test-retest analysis showed high reproducibility. The Spanish version of the APFQ is a reliable and valid tool to assess symptoms and impacts on quality of life due to pelvic floor dysfunctions in the Spanish population. However, a review of some of its items could increase its reliability.

Statin withdrawal and health-related quality of life in a primary cardiovascular prevention cohort

PURPOSE

While some work has been done on Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in statin users, none has focused specifically on statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS) sufferers. The objective was to assess self-reported HRQoL, before and after statin withdrawal, in patients reporting SAMS. We hypothesized that the presence of SAMS associated with decreased self-reported physical and mental well-being.

METHODS

Patients (50 men/28 women [M/W], aged 49 ± 9 years [Mean ± SD]) in primary cardiovascular prevention were recruited into three cohorts: statin users with (SAMS, 29 M/18W) or without symptoms (No SAMS, 10 M/5W) and controls (11 M/5W). The Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) was used to assess HRQoL. All variables were measured before and after 2 months of statin withdrawal, and repeated measures analyses were used to verify withdrawal and group effects as well as their interaction.

RESULTS

SF-36 physical and mental component scores (respectively, PCS and MCS) were lower in the SAMS group compared with other groups (both p < 0.01). Statin withdrawal led to an increase in LDL cholesterol for statin users (+69.0%, p < 0.01) and an improvement in well-being in the SAMS group, other groups showing no change. A time x category interaction (p = 0.02) was seen for PCS and post hoc analyses showed that statin withdrawal improved PCS and MCS (respectively, +12.5% [ES 0.77] and +5.1% [ES 0.27], both p < 0.05) in the SAMS group.

CONCLUSION

Patients self-reporting SAMS showed improved HRQoL following drug withdrawal, but this was mirrored by a rise in LDL cholesterol. These findings should be considered by clinicians in the evaluation and follow-up of treatment with statins.

Reconciliação medicamentosa em pediatria: validação de instrumentos para a prevenção de erros na medicação

RESUMO Objetivos: elaborar e validar o conteúdo de dois instrumentos para a promoção da reconciliação medicamentosa na transição dos cuidados de crianças hospitalizadas. Métodos: estudo metodológico realizado em cinco etapas: revisão de escopo para estrutura conceitual; elaboração da versão inicial; validação do conteúdo com cinco especialistas utilizando a Técnica Delphi; reavaliação; e construção da versão final dos instrumentos. Adotou-se o índice de validade de conteúdo de, no mínimo, 0.80. Resultados: foram realizadas três rodadas de avaliação para alcance de índice de validade nos conteúdos propostos, sendo necessária nova análise de 50% dos 20 itens do instrumento destinado às famílias, e 28,5% dos 21 itens destinados aos profissionais. O instrumento direcionado às famílias atingiu índice de 0,93; e o instrumento, aos profissionais, 0,90. Conclusões: os instrumentos propostos foram validados, sendo possível prosseguir com estudo de implementação prática para identificar influência na segurança durante a reconciliação medicamentosa na transição dos cuidados.

Medication reconciliation in pediatrics: a validation of instruments to prevent medication errors

OBJECTIVES

to develop and validate the content of two instruments for promoting medication reconciliation for the transition of care of hospitalized children.

METHODS

methodological study, conducted in five stages: scope review for conceptual structure; elaboration of the initial version; content validation with five specialists using the Delphi technique; reassessment; and construction of the final version of the instruments. A content validity index of at least 0.80 was adopted.

RESULTS

three rounds of evaluation were carried out to reach the validity index of the proposed contents, whereas a new analysis of 50% of the 20 items of the instrument aimed at families, and 28.5% of the 21 items aimed at professionals was necessary. The instrument aimed at families reached an index of 0.93, and the instrument for professionals, 0.90.

CONCLUSIONS

the proposed instruments were validated. It is now possible to proceed with practical implementation studies to identify their influence on safety during medication reconciliation at transition of care.

Spanish Questionnaires for the Assessment of Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions in Women: A Systematic Review of the Structural Characteristics and Psychometric Properties

BACKGROUND

Pelvic floor dysfunctions affect a third of the adult female population, including a large number of clinical conditions, which can be evaluated through validated questionnaires that inform us of the status and perception of women both objectively and subjectively. The main objective of this study was to review and explain the topics of the validated questionnaires in Spanish on pelvic floor dysfunctions and to review their psychometric properties.

METHODS

A systematic review was carried out in the PUBMED and WOS databases. The keywords used were in PUBMED: (((((((("Fecal Incontinence" [Mesh]) OR "Urinary Incontinence" [Mesh]) OR "Pelvic Organ Prolapse" [Mesh]) OR "Pelvic Floor Disorders" [Mesh]) OR "Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological" [Mesh]) OR "Pelvic Girdle Pain" [Mesh]) OR "sexual function" [Title/Abstract]) OR "Prolapse" [Title/Abstract]) AND "Surveys and Questionnaires" [Mesh] AND "Validation" [Title/Abstract] combined with the Boolean operators "AND"/"OR". In contrast, in WOS, a segregated search was carried out with each of the terms of pelvic floor dysfunction together with "Validation" and "Surveys and Questionnaires". All articles published up to 19 November 2021 were considered. Methodological quality was assessed with the COSMIN scale.

RESULTS

A total of 687 articles were identified, of which 13 were included. The evaluated questionnaires and the structural characteristics and psychometric properties of each of them were collected.

CONCLUSION

The Spanish versions of the questionnaires show good basic structural and psychometric characteristics for the evaluation of patients with pelvic floor dysfunctions and that they resemble other versions of the same questionnaire published in other languages.