[Experience of a falls prevention unit in an intermediate care hospital].

Introduction: The aim of this study is to determine clinical features and interventions in patients attended in our hospital falls prevention unit.

Material And Methods: Medical records and evaluation protocols from October 2010 to June 2012 were reviewed. Results are expressed in means and standard deviation.

Factors affecting quality of life of asthma patients in Spain: the importance of patient education.

Objectives: Assessment of demographic and clinical factors that have an impact on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with asthma in Spain.

Patients And Methods: Multicenter, prospective, observational, cohort study, conducted in 40 Spanish Pneumology Units during a 12-month period. Data on sociodemographic, clinical variables, asthma treatment and QoL were collected in a case report form.

[The optimal blood glucose target in critically ill patient: comparison of two intensive insulin therapy protocols].

Background And Objective: Recent studies in critically ill patients receiving insulin intravenous therapy (IIT) have shown an increased incidence of severe hypoglycemia, while intermittent subcutaneous insulin «sliding scales» (conventional insulin therapy [CIT]) is associated with hyperglycemia. The objective of this study is to assess whether glycemic control range IIT can affect glucose levels and their variability and to compare it with CIT.

Patients And Method: Prospective comparative cohort study in intensive care unit, with 2 study periods: Period 1, IIT with glycemic target range 110-140 mg/dL, and Period 2, IIT of 140-180 mg/dL.

Distribution of serum βCTX in a population-based study of postmenopausal women taking into account different anti-osteoporotic therapies (the FRODOS Cohort).

This cross-sectional study evaluated the distribution of serum cross-linked C-telopeptides of collagen type I (βCTXs) in postmenopausal women, the characteristics of bone remodeling, and the factors influencing this bone marker, especially the use of anti-osteoporotic drugs. Women (n = 4,175) aged 59-70 years randomly selected from the community were invited to participate, measuring βCTXs and lumbar and femoral bone mineral density at recruitment. Risk factors for osteoporosis and the use of anti-osteoporotic treatment were collected with a structured questionnaire.

[Potentially inappropriate medication on admission to a medium-stay unit according to STOPP and START criteria].

Introduction: In older people some drugs are classified as potentially inappropriate and some tools have been developed to help to prescribe correctly, such as the "Screening Tool of Older Persons' potentially inappropriate Prescriptions" (STOPP) and the "Screening Tool to Alert doctors to the Right Treatment" (START) criteria. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and advice on the usefulness of these criteria in a medium-stay unit of a geriatric hospital.

Material And Methods: A 6 month prospective cross-sectional study was designed.

Changes in clinical, pulmonary function, quality of life and costs in a cohort of asthmatic patients followed for 10 years.

Unlabelled: Few studies have comprehensively assessed the evolution asthma disease in recent years.

Objectives: To determine changes in morbidity, lung function and quality of life and to establish the impact in terms of cost in a cohort of patients with asthma.

Methods: Prospective, descriptive and realistic study that included 220 asthma patients evaluated 10 years after their inclusion (1994-2004).

Addition of bevacizumab to XELOX induction therapy plus concomitant capecitabine-based chemoradiotherapy in magnetic resonance imaging-defined poor-prognosis locally advanced rectal cancer: the AVACROSS study.

Background: Concomitant chemoradiotherapy followed by total mesorectal excision is standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer. This approach, however, focuses on local disease control and delays systemic treatment. Induction chemotherapy has the advantage of earlier administration of systemic therapy and may improve distant control.

Community-acquired respiratory coinfection in critically ill patients with pandemic 2009 influenza A(H1N1) virus.

Background: Little is known about the impact of community-acquired respiratory coinfection in patients with pandemic 2009 influenza A(H1N1) virus infection.

Methods: This was a prospective, observational, multicenter study conducted in 148 Spanish ICUs.

Results: Severe respiratory syndrome was present in 645 ICU patients.

Varicose vein surgery: stripping versus the CHIVA method: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The objective of this randomized study was to compare the efficacy of the CHIVA method for the treatment of varicose veins with respect to the standard treatment of stripping.

Context: Varicose veins are a sign of chronic venous disorder. For over a century, varicose veins have been treated with surgical ablative techniques, with stripping being the standard treatment.

[Apache III score: a prognostic factor in pressure ulcer development in an intensive care unit].

Unlabelled: OBJECTIVE. To analyze total APACHE III score association to pressure ulcers development in patients hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU).

Material And Methods: Prospective cohort study conducted in an intensive care unit of the Hospital General de VIC.

[Genetic and environmental factors that may influence in the senile form of Alzheimer's disease: nested case control studies].

Introduction: We identify the genetic and environmental factors associated to Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a population aged 80 years or greater.

Population Studied: subjects who participated in the COGMANLLEU study on prevalence of cognitive deterioration in Manlleu (Osona, Central Catalonia).

Design: nested case control studies.

[Prevalence of cognitive deterioration in people over 80-years-old: COGMANLLEU study].

Introduction: We want to detect the prevalence of cognitive prevalence deterioration in the elderly population of 80-years-old or older, their grade of deterioration and the causal pathogenic entity.

Design: a cross-sectional population study, including a first phase of screening and a second one of diagnosis confirmation.

Study Subjects: a total of 877 elderly people of 80-years-old or older belonging to the basic health care area of Manlleu (Osona, Catalonia midlands).

[An educative intervention to improve treatment compliance and to prevent readmissions of elderly patients with heart failure].

Background And Objective: To assess the efficacy of a multifactorial intervention at discharge in elderly patients with heart failure to improve the adherence to treatment, reduce readmissions and days of hospitalisation, and to evaluate its effect on quality of life.

Patients And Method: A prospective, randomized clinical trial. Subgroup analysis in elderly patients (older than 70 years) admitted for heart failure.

[Stroke in the hands of the internist. Cardiovascular risk factors].

Introduction: This study has aimed to describe cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) associated to stroke and their detection and monitoring during the acute episode and the recommendations on hospital discharge. The hypothesis was to check if the integral care of the internist improved the care to these patients.

Material And Methods: The clinical histories of patients who had suffered a stock between January 2002 and December 2003 were reviewed, obtaining different biological and clinical variables.

[One-stop outpatient cardiology clinics: 10 years' experience].

A one-stop outpatient cardiology clinic was set up at the Vic General Hospital in Spain in 1996. The aims were to provide patients with a rapid response, and to ensure that, on the same day, they saw a specialist and were referred for any relevant investigations required, primarily echocardiography, exercise testing, and Holter monitoring. We report experience from 10 years of follow-up, involving 19,515 consultations.

Usefulness of optic fundus examination with retinography in initial evaluation of hypertensive patients.

Background: Although international guidelines for management of hypertension recommend optic fundus examination in the initial evaluation of hypertensive patients, there have been no studies to evaluate the usefulness of retinography in this application.

Methods: Two hundred and fifty consecutive new patients with hypertension but without known cardiovascular disease were studied. The average age was 57.

Association of eating attitudes between teenage girls and their parents.

Background: Mothers of eating disordered adolescents were more likely to have an eating disorder. However, some contradictory findings were reported because some studies failed to find this association.

Aims: The main objective of the study was to determine the association of eating attitudes in adolescent girls with eating attitudes in their parents.

[Place of death of elderly persons in Catalonia].

Study Objective: To describe the place of death of the elderly and to analyze the factors associated with death occurring in an acute care hospital.

Design: Cross-sectional interview of a randomized sample of individuals aged 65 or over who died during the year 1998. Three to four months after the death of the elderly subject, the main caregiver was interviewed about the socio-demographic characteristics, chronic conditions, functional and cognitive status, and use of health services in the months previous to the death, as well as the place where death occurred and their preferences on this site.

[Mortality analysis as a tool for quality improvement in a general surgery service].

Objectives: The present study aims to propose a method to improve healthcare quality based on systematic analysis of mortality and mortality-related adverse effects.

Patients And Methods: We analyzed all deaths in the surgery service between January, 1997 and December, 2003. There were 10,905 hospital admissions and 194 deaths.

[Smoking among adolescents: population study on parental and school influences].

Objective: Smoking represents a public health problem, one which begins during adolescence. The main objective of this study was to analyze the association between smoking and parental and school factors.

Subjects And Methods: The study sample consisted of the students from the 20 secondary schools in the region of Osona, Barcelona, Spain.

[Alzheimer's disease and brain evolution: is Alzheimer's disease an example of antagonistic pleiotropy?].

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) appears to be exclusive to our species. This suggests a relationship between the disease and genetic, functional and structural changes that have taken place throughout the evolution of the human brain.

Development: The expression of genes linked to neurotransmission, neuroplasticity, axonal transport, aerobic metabolism and neuroprotection seems to have increased within the human cerebral cortex and such phenomena represent adaptations that induce greater neuronal activity throughout a long lifespan.

A new knot technique for vessel ligatures.

A new technique for ligating vessels and similar structures that offers more security is described. The aim of the study was to test whether this hypothesis was correct. Six different types of knots, including the one described in this article were compared by a strength-testing study.

[Early or late umbilical cord clamping? A systematic review of the literature].

Introduction: There is wide variability in clinical practice in the moment of clamping the umbilical cord. Opinions in the medical community differ on the harm and/or benefits, both for the mother and for the newborn, of early versus late cord clamping. Currently, the debate among those who defend and/or criticize one or other of these practices continues.

Hepatic hydrothorax in the absence of ascites: respiratory failure in a cirrhotic patient.

The frequency of hepatic hydrothorax in cirrhotic patients is reported to be approximately 5%. The pleural effusion is predominantly right-sided (85% of cases) but may be bilateral. Although most often accompanied by significant ascites, it can occur in its absence.