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Purpose: To describe the practice of palliative sedation (PS) in patients with advanced cancer in a specialized palliative care (PC) unit in Colombia.Methods: Descriptive prospective study including all adults with cancer hospitalized under PS in a cancer institute between January and July 2015 in Colombia. Variables examined were diagnosis, physical functioning, symptoms at the start of sedation, medications and dosages used, and type, level, and time of sedation. Descriptive and correlational statistics were obtained.Results: Sixty-six patients were included, 70% of which were women. The patients had an average age of 61 years (range 24-87), and 74% had a Karnofsky Index (KI) of 50% or less. The most frequent diagnosis was breast cancer (22%), and 82% had metastatic cancer. The prevalence of palliative sedation was 2% and the most common symptoms indicating it were dyspnea (59%), delirium (45%), and pain (32%). All patients received midazolam as a sedative. The average time between the interval start and culmination of sedation was 44 h. There was a significant and inverse relationship between functionality and time under sedation.Conclusions: Palliative sedation is a valid therapeutic option for refractory symptoms causing suffering. The results correspond to international reports and guidelines, which suggests that PS is tailored to the needs of the individual patient while maintaining a high scientific standard, even in a context where PC is under development. However, further development of strategies and clear indications towards the use of PS in Colombia are needed, given its still scarce use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic condition resulting from retrograde flow of the gastroduodenal contents into the esophagus and/or adjacent organs. Prevalence of GERD in Western countries ranges from 10% to 20%. GERD accounts for 4% of consultations with family doctors. Objective: The objective of this study was to validate a scale for the Colombian GERDQ (Gastroesophageal Reflux Questionnaire) and develop a diagnostic method for determining the severity of GERD. Materials and Methods: A diagnostic scale was validated on 84 patients and retested on 55 patients in the gastroenterology practice of the Clinica Fundadores in Bogotá. All patients diagnosed with GERD by gastroenterologists from January to April 2013 were asked to answer the GERD questionnaire. Results: Multiple correspondence analysis showed that when GERDQ has an 8 point score its correlation with diagnoses made by gastroenterologists is 89% which implies a 92% correlation with the scale of Montreal. Conclusion: This study shows that the GERDQ is a valid instrument for use in Colombia by general practitioners, internists and geriatricians for diagnosing GERD [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]