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Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of fever of unknown origin (FUO) according to the definition with qualitative study criterion and of patients without diagnosis., Materials and Methods: Prospective observational study performed from 2009 to 2017 of all patients who were diagnosed with FUO according to the extended definition with qualitative study criterion. Demographic, clinical, diagnostic and evolving variables were evaluated., Results: Of the 87 patients registered, 17.3% presented criteria of inflammation of unknown origin (IUO). The diagnoses were: non-infectious inflammatory diseases (NIID) in 19 patients (21.8%), infections in 15 (17.2%), miscellaneous in 14 (16.1%), malignant diseases in 13 (15%) and without diagnosis in 26 (29.9%). In 17.6% of the cases, a potentially diagnostic clue (PDC) was identified. The patients without diagnosis were characterized by a lower number of total PDC (5.9±3.3 vs. 8.7±3.4; P=.000), fewer clinical signs (.4±.6 vs. .9±.8; P=.001), a smaller number of tests in the previous study (2.7±2.1 vs. 4.6±2; P=.000), a shorter diagnostic interval (14.6±7.7 days vs. 21.4±9.5 days; P=.029) and less alteration of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (52.3±41.3mm/h vs. 89.8±42.7mm/h; P=.000), haemoglobin (12.9±1.7g/dl vs. 11.7±1.6g/dl; P=.003) and albumin (36.9±6.4g/l vs. 33.2±7.2g/l; P=.025). 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography combined with computed tomography ( 18 F-FDG-PET/TC) proved to be helpful in 37% of the cases. Mortality was 6.8%., Conclusions: The definition of FUO with qualitative study criterion incorporates a diagnostic protocol that provides clear benefits in terms of cost-effectiveness., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives: The aims of the study were to analyse the epidemiology, prognostic and predictive factors of malignant disease on isolated involuntary weight loss (IIWL) and to know the effectiveness of the quick diagnosis unit in the evaluation of the process., Material and Methods: Prospective observational study realised from 2006 to 2015 of all patients who were evaluated with IIWL in the quick diagnosis unit. Demographic, clinical, diagnostic and evolutive variables were analysed. Through the analysis of logistic regression, predictive factors of malignant disease and prognostic factors were identified., Results: Of the 533 registered patients, 55.1% were≥65 years old. The diagnostics were: non-neoplastic organic disorders in 214 patients (40.2%), psychiatric disorders in 144 (27%), cancer in 81 (15.2%) and unknown cause in 94 (17.6%). In 66.7% of the patients with cancer, there was an increase of serum tumour markers (STM). Being over 60 (OR: 2.57; 95% CI: 1.27-5.77; P=.01) %), male (OR: 3.23; 95% CI: 1.52-6.87; P=0.002), increase of an STM (OR: 2.38; 95% CI: 1.17-4.8; P=0.016) and more than one STM (OR: 6.51; 95% CI: 2.62-16.13; P=0.000) were identified as predictive factors of malignancy. Mortality was 14.2%; the diagnosis of cancer (OR: 47.61; 95% CI: 20.76-109.19; P=0.000) was identified as a prognostic factor., Conclusions: IIWL is a clinical syndrome that requires a study with a sequential protocol and follow-up. STM were identified as predictive factors of malignancy., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

This reports the analysis of an epidemiologic study of intravascular cannula bacteriemia (ICB) in a Barcelona university hospital. There were 91 episodes of ICB representing the 26.7% of the total hospital bacteriemia. In 60.6% of ICB the diagnosis was made in an intensive care area. The most common microorganisms were Staphylococcus epidermidis (27.8%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18.5%), and Staphylococcus aureus (14.4%). Intravascular cannulae with higher incidence of bacteriemia were the central venous catheters (55%) and the arterial lines (29%). Bacteriemia produced by arterial lines had short free period interval (7.7 days) and in 80% of the cases were produced by Gram negative bacteria whereas that bacteriemia produced by central venous catheters had a long free period (11.2 days) and the most frequent agents were Gram positive bacteria. The overall mortality was 17% and that attributed to the infection 6%. An age above 65 years had a mortality rate of 33% and was identified as the only significant prognostic factor (p less than 0.001). The mean hospitalization period was 49.9 days and the cost of the treatment 830.000 ptas/patient.

The authors reviewed 54 cases of bacteremia in 48 patients with chronic liver disease over a period of two years. Thirty-three were outpatients and 21 were hospitalized. Fifty-eight microorganisms were detected, which represented 10.3% of the total number of germs isolated in all the cases of bacteremia in the hospital during that same period of time. Gram-negative bacilli were predominant, especially Escherichia coli (19 cases); among the gram-positive ones, the most frequent was Staphylococcus aureus (8 cases). There was ascites in 62.9% of the patients, but the predominant symptom was fever. The most frequent sources of infection were: unknown (29.6%), urinary (22.2%), catheter (16.6%) and lung (14.8%). All the in-hospital cases were preceded by an aggressive diagnostic or therapeutic technique. The rate of mortality was 29.6%, and it was highest among patients with gram-negative bacteremia, ascites, Child C (p less than 0.05), complications (hepatic encephalopathy, hemorrhage and/or septic shock) (p less than 0.03), unknown origin or originating from catheter and in-hospital episodes.

558 episodes of bacteremia were detected in our medical center during a 2-year period. 17 of them (3%) were of cutaneous origin. 12 cases were community-acquired and 5 were hospital-acquired. The patients median age was of 65 years. 15 patients had a baseline disease, the most frequent being diabetes mellitus and neoplastic disease. The most common bacteria isolated were group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli; 2 patients had multibacterial episodes. Decubitus ulcer and cellulitis were the most frequently associated skin disease. Global mortality was of 47% and was sepsis related in 29% of the cases. Death prognosis factors were old age, diabetes mellitus, gram-negative causal bacteria, nonappropriate antibiotic therapy, low index of clinical suspicion.