Selective decontamination of the digestive tract: concept and application.

Selective digestive decontamination (SDD) is a prophylactic strategy aimed at preventing or eradicating bacterial overgrowth in the intestinal flora that precedes the development of most infections in the Intensive Care Unit. SDD prevents serious infections, reduces mortality, is cost-effective, has no adverse effects, and its short- or long-term use is not associated with any significant increase in antimicrobial resistance. SDD is one of the most widely evaluated interventions in critically ill patients, yet its use is not widespread.

Hospital care for adolescents with cancer in Spain: Needs, resources and organisational model.

In Spain, adolescents with cancer are treated in Pediatric Onco-Hematology Units or in Adult Oncology Units. For this reason, the Spanish Federation of Parents of Children with Cancer carried out two surveys in 2013 and 2014 to know the differences in provision of psico-social services to the patients and their relatives among both types of Units. Twenty eight Pediatric and 18 Adult Units provided information.

Hospital care for adolescents with cancer in Spain: Needs, resources and organisational model.

In Spain, adolescents with cancer are treated in paediatric onco-haematology units or in adult oncologyunits. For this reason, the Spanish Federation of Parents of Children with Cancer carried out 2 surveys, one in 2013 and other in 2014, to determine the differences in provision of psycho-social services to the patients and their relatives between the 2 types of units. Twenty-eight paediatric and 18 adult units provided information.

[Effect of selective digestive decontamination on the nosocomial infection and multiresistant microorganisms incidence in critically ill patients].

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common complication in mechanically ventilated patients. Other infections related to the use of invasive devices, such urinary tract infections (UTI) and central venous catheter-related bloodstream infections are found in patients admitted in intensive care units (ICU). Selective digestive decontamination (SDD) is a set of manoeuvres (hygiene, topic digestive antimicrobials and short course of systemic antibiotics) aimed at decreasing the incidence of nosocomial infections, mainly VAP, in ICU.