Clinical characteristics of adult patients with inborn errors of metabolism in Spain: A review of 500 cases from university hospitals

Patients with inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) have become an emerging and challenging group in the adult healthcare system whose needs should be known in order to implement appropriate policies and to adapt adult clinical departments. We aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of adult patients with IEMs who attend the most important Spanish hospitals caring for these conditions. A cohort study was conducted in 500 patients, categorized by metabolic subtype according to pathophysiological classification. The most prevalent group of IEMs was amino acid disorders, with 108 (21.6%) patients diagnosed with phenylketonuria. Lysosomal storage disorders were the second group, in which 32 (6.4%) and 25 (5%) patients had Fabry disease and Gaucher disease respectively. The great clinical heterogeneity, the significant delay in diagnosis after symptom onset, the existence of some degree of physical dependence in a great number of patients, the need for a multidisciplinary and coordinated approach, and the lack of specific drug treatment are common features in this group of conditions.

[Epidemiological events related to decompensated heart failure]

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to evaluate the profile of patients with decompensated heart failure hospitalized in a tertiary hospital.

METHODS

It was designed an observational and retrospective study where data from clinical records of patients suffering from heart failure along 2005 were registered randomly.

RESULTS

209 patients were collected (average age: 78.6 +/- 9.1; male: 52.4%) with a comorbidity rate of 87.55%. Almost one third of them have not stimation of systolic function and among the others 72.4% have it preserved. Most of decompensated were due to respiratory infections. Ischemic-hipertensive cardiopathy was the most frequent aetiology of systolic disfunction. Average stay was 12.9 days with a mortality rate of 9.56%. Its main risk factors were advanced stages in NYHA od Red Cross scales, as so as dementia or ictus.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study shows a patient hospitalized for decompensated heart failure roughly different from that one reported at clinical trials. It makes difficult to apply therapeutical interventions, previously well documented to be useful.

[Epidemiology of heart failure. Ratio of epidemic]

The Heart Failure is a complex sindrom with a high prevalence in the population, being about 10% in older than 70 years and it is continuosly increasing . Its incidence in persons older than 65 years is about 1% per year. In developed countries it is the first cause of hospitalitation in older than 65 years, supposing the 5% of total admissions and it is increasing every year. The most of authors recognise that the numbers reach values of epidemic, although it is true that it is difficult to determine and cuantify due to its complexity. Although the supervivence has improved in last years, it continues being in a bad pronostic with a mortality about 50% after 5 years approximately of the diagnostic . In order to its high prevalence and its high rate of admissions-readmissions it supposes a problem of public health due to high assistance work. Globally it is estimated that the direct costs of heart failure suppose 1-2 % of healthy cost of developed countries.

[Pacemaker endocarditis]

Pacemaker endocarditis is a rare but serious complication of permanent transvenous pacing. The most common presentation is fever syndrome or gram positive bacteremia. For the diagnostic it is important to performed blood cultures and an echocardiography. A retrospective study included the cases of pacemaker endocarditis diagnosed in the Internal Medicine Department of our Hospital between 1989-2003. Six patients were included. Repeated manipulation of the system and diabetes were the most frequent risk factors. The most frequently detected causative microorganisms were Staphylococci. In spite of the low sensitivity of the transthoracic echocardiography in expert hands it can improve, in this series it places in 66 %. Surgical treatment with cardiopulmonary bypass and implantation of a new system was performed in the same intervention in all patients. None relapsed and the overall mortality was 17%.

[Pacemaker endocarditis]

In the last years an increment has taken place in the pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator indications that will have as consequence an increase of the prevalence of endocarditis associated to intravascular devices, for what acquires special relevance for the clinician to know this entity and to include it in his differential diagnoses. The objective of this article is to describe the epidemiology, clinic characteristics, diagnosis, treatment and outcome of the pacemaker endocarditis.