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Introduction:Hospitals of greater complexity tend to care for patients with advanced chronic diseases, which is why it is important to recognize the need for palliative care. Objective: To identify the proportion of patients who require palliative care in the medicine department of a Peruvian referral hospital. Methods: Observational, analytical, cross-sectional study. All hospitalized patients were studied in the Department of Internal Medicine of the Peruvian hospital during the period April-May 2018. To determine the need for palliative care, the NECPAL CCOMS-ICO © instrument was used. The quantitative variables are presented as median and interquartile range (IQR); and numerical variables, such as frequencies and percentages. For the comparison of numerical variables, the Mann Whitney test was used and the chi-square test for categorical variables. Results: They were evaluated in 281, where 102 (37.9%) required palliative care. The median age in patients requiring palliative care was 69.5 (IQR: 58-81) years. The median hospital stay in patients with and without the need for palliative care was 7 days (IQR: 4-11) and 9 days (IQR: 5-19) respectively, the mortality in patients with and without the need for palliative care was 37.25% and 4.19% respectively. Conclusions: There is a high frequency of need for palliative care in patients hospitalized in internal medicine wards, the requirementforpalliativecarewasassociatedwithhighermortalityandhospitalstay,whichevidencestheneedfor comprehensive and personalized care based on medical services specialized.

Objetivo: Evaluar la asociación entre la exposición a hostigamiento laboral y la presencia de síndrome de burnout en el personal sanitario de un hospital de referencia peruano. Materiales y métodos: Estudio transversal, analítico. Se incluyó a médicos internistas, cirujanos, enfermeras, residentes, internos de medicina y técnicos de enfermería de los departamentos de Medicina y Cirugía del Hospital Nacional Hipólito Unanue en Lima, Perú. Se usaron los cuestionarios Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) y Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R) para la detección de burnout y hostigamiento, respectivamente. Adicionalmente, se evaluó la asociación con la edad, género, ocupación, estado civil, lugar de trabajo, conformidad con salario, carga familiar, actividad física, hábitos nocivos, vacaciones, afiliación religiosa, número de trabajos, remuneración mensual, tiempo de trabajo, horas laborales por semana, número de pacientes atendidos por día, guardias semanales y horas de descanso. El análisis multivariado se realizó mediante el uso de un modelo de regresión logística múltiple, para lo cual se utilizó como variable respuesta la presencia o no de burnout. Resultados: Se incluyeron a 206 participantes. De ellos, 22 (10,7 %) presentaron burnout y 27 (14 %), hostigamiento moderado a elevado. En el análisis bivariado, la edad (OR 0,94; IC 95 % 0,89-0,99; p = 0,02), el estado civil casados y convivientes (OR 2,85; IC 95 % 1,01-8,06; p = 0,04) y el hostigamiento (OR 5,20; IC 95 % 1,92-14,09; p = 0,009) se asociaron a la presencia de burnout. En el análisis multivariado, el único predictor significativo de burnout fue el hostigamiento laboral. La presencia de un hostigamiento moderado a elevado se asoció a un OR de 4,00 (IC 95 % 1,4-11,3; p = 0,009) comparado con bajos niveles de hostigamiento. Conclusiones: Es importante identificar a trabajadores de la salud con hostigamiento laboral por su fuerte asociación con el síndrome de burnout. Se considera indispensable la realización de una investigación complementaria que permita entender y abordar la problemática del hostigamiento laboral y su influencia en el desarrollo de burnout, así como estudios que permitan evaluar intervenciones destinadas a prevenir tanto el hostigamiento laboral como el burnout.

Objective. To determine the titer of antibodies against the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein (S) in health personnel between the 4th and 12th week after receiving the BBIBP-CorV vaccine (Sinopharm). Materials and methods. We included a total of 168 healthcare workers from two hospitals in the region, who complied with the complete Sinopharm vaccine schedule; serum antibodies were measured using the Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 test. Results. All participants developed antibodies to the RBD domain. The lowest antibody titer level was 1.78 U/mL. Levels equal to or above 250 were found in 70 (41.7%) participants. The geometric mean was 82.6 (95% CI: 67.8-100.6). Women had higher antibody levels. Participants whose antibodies were measured between 4- and 7-weeks post-vaccination showed significantly higher antibody levels than patients whose antibody levels were measured between 10- and 12-weeks post-vaccination. Among patients with a history of COVID-19, antibody levels were found to be at or above 250 U/mL in 88% of cases, compared to 6% among those without a history of COVID-19, (p0.001). Conclusion. All participants immunized with BBIBPCorV vaccine were positive for antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein RBD. The correlation between the titer level and protection against COVID-19, as well as the length of the protection provided by the vaccine, needs to be evaluated.

Objetivo: Determinar la variación de la calidad de vida en pacientes con Síndrome de Apnea Hipopnea Obstructiva del Sueño leve moderado, luego del tratamiento con Dispositivo de Avance Mandibular a una altitud de 3259 msnm. Métodos: Estudio prospectivo, cuasi-experimental. Se incluyeron sujetos con índice de Disturbio Respiratorio (IDR) entre 5 y 30 /hora (medido con poligrafía respiratoria), sin tratamientos previos, que presentaban condiciones para el uso del DAM. Se valoró calidad de vida con el FOSQ (Functional Outcomes Sleep Questionnaire) antes y después de 45 días de tratamiento con DAM. Resultados: 26 completaron el estudio (20 varones). La media (DE) de edad fue: 43 (9.6) años, IMC: 29 (8.6) kg/m2 e IDR: 19 (7.6) /h. Luego de 45 días, se observaron cambios significativos, en el FOSQ (total, dimensiones de productividad general, producción social, nivel de actividad, vigilia y relaciones íntimas/actividad sexual) p

Abstract Background Convalescent plasma has been widely used to treat COVID-19 and is under investigation in numerous randomized clinical trials, but results are publicly available only for a small number of trials. The objective of this study was to assess the benefits of convalescent plasma treatment compared to placebo or no treatment and all-cause mortality in patients with COVID-19, using data from all available randomized clinical trials, including unpublished and ongoing trials (Open Science Framework, https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/GEHFX ). Methods In this collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis, clinical trial registries (ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform), the Cochrane COVID-19 register, the LOVE database, and PubMed were searched until April 8, 2021. Investigators of trials registered by March 1, 2021, without published results were contacted via email. Eligible were ongoing, discontinued and completed randomized clinical trials that compared convalescent plasma with placebo or no treatment in COVID-19 patients, regardless of setting or treatment schedule. Aggregated mortality data were extracted from publications or provided by investigators of unpublished trials and combined using the Hartung–Knapp–Sidik–Jonkman random effects model. We investigated the contribution of unpublished trials to the overall evidence. Results A total of 16,477 patients were included in 33 trials (20 unpublished with 3190 patients, 13 published with 13,287 patients). 32 trials enrolled only hospitalized patients (including 3 with only intensive care unit patients). Risk of bias was low for 29/33 trials. Of 8495 patients who received convalescent plasma, 1997 died (23%), and of 7982 control patients, 1952 died (24%). The combined risk ratio for all-cause mortality was 0.97 (95% confidence interval: 0.92; 1.02) with between-study heterogeneity not beyond chance (I2 = 0%). The RECOVERY trial had 69.8% and the unpublished evidence 25.3% of the weight in the meta-analysis. Conclusions Convalescent plasma treatment of patients with COVID-19 did not reduce all-cause mortality. These results provide strong evidence that convalescent plasma treatment for patients with COVID-19 should not be used outside of randomized trials. Evidence synthesis from collaborations among trial investigators can inform both evidence generation and evidence application in patient care.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the correlation between mortality due to COVID-19 and incidence of poverty and district human development index (HDI) in the department of Lima. METHODOLOGY: An observational, ecological, correlational study. The population were patients who died from COVID-19 in Lima Metropolitana. We included all patients reported dead in the open data base of the Ministerio de Salud. The dependent variable was mortality due to COVID-19, calculated by dividing the number of deaths by the total district population, and the independent variables were the incidence of poverty and HDI. We carried out a secondary analysis evaluating the fatality by COVID-19. The correlation was calculated through Spearman’s non-parametric method. RESULTS: 13 154 people died of COVID-19 during the period between March and September, the majority was of masculine gender with an average age of 66 years. We did not find a significant correlation between mortality and incidence of poverty (rho=-0,2230; p=0,15). We found a significant correlation between mortality due to COVID-19 and HDI (rho= 0,4466; p=0,002). Mortality was correlated with population density (rho=0,7616; p=

The aim of this prospective cohort study was to determine the factors associated with mortality in elders admitted to an Internal Medicine Department of a public hospital in Lima. During 2019, 360 patients over 60 years of age were consecutively evaluated by applying the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment tools and reviewing their medical records. During hospitalization, 45 (12.5%) died. There was a higher frequency of anemia (p=0.043), hypoalbuminemia (p=0.006), pressure ulcers (p=0.003), high comorbidity (p0.001), functional dependence (p0.001) and malnutrition (p=0.002) among deceased patients compared to non-deceased. In the multivariate model, the presence of delirium on admission was associated with a higher risk of hospital mortality (RR=3.64; 95% CI: 1.51- 8.76, p=0.004). Additional studies are required in our country to assess the prognostic value of delirium and other geriatric syndromes on mortality and other adverse outcomes

Introduction: Co-infection between other microorganisms and SARS-CoV-2, such as viruses, bacteria and fungi, is an important factor in the management of COVID-19, which could increase the difficulties in diagnosis, management, prognosis, and even increase the mortality. Objectives: The objective of this review is to describe the published scientific evidence regarding coinfection in patients with COVID-19. Methods: A bibliographic search of studies published in Spanish or English was carried out using the PubMed, The Cochrane Library and Google Scholar search engines. Studies published between January 2020 and January 24, 2021 were assessed. Results: 25 articles from various continents (America, Asia and Europe) were included. All the studies had patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 added to some other test that identified some co-infection. We identified 18 studies that showed bacterial coinfection, 17 studies of viral coinfection and 5 studies of fungal coinfection. The prevalence of coinfection showed extremely dissimilar figures according to the population studied and diagnostic criteria. Conclusions: The presence of coinfection seems to be linked to a higher frequency of unfavorable outcomes. However, it is important to develop Latin American studies, given the heterogeneity in the studies seen in different countries. Standardized definitions should be developed in order to be able to assess the impact of co-infections in patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19

Introduction Research on public health interventions to improve hypertension care and control in low-income and middle-income countries remains scarce. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and assess the process and fidelity of implementation of a multi-component intervention to reduce the gaps in hypertension care and control at a population level in low-income communes of Medellin, Colombia.Methods and analysis A multi-component intervention was designed based on international guidelines, cross-sectional population survey results and consultation with the community and institutional stakeholders. Three main intervention components integrate activities related to (1) health services redesign, (2) clinical staff training and (3) patient and community engagement. The effectiveness of the intervention will be evaluated in a controlled before-after quasi-experimental study, with two deprived communes of the city selected as intervention and control arms. We will conduct a baseline and an endline survey 2 years after the start of the intervention. The primary outcomes will be the gaps in hypertension diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and control. Effectiveness will be evaluated with the difference-in-difference measures. Generalised estimation equation models will be fitted considering the clustered nature of data and adjusting for potential confounding variables. The implementation process will be studied with mixed methods. Implementation fidelity will be documented to assess to which degree the intervention components were implemented as intended.Ethics and dissemination The study protocol has been approved by the Ethics Research Committee of Metrosalud in Colombia (reference 1400/5.2), the Medical Ethics Committee of the Antwerp University Hospital (reference 18/40/424) and the Institutional Review Board of the Antwerp Institute of Tropical Medicine (reference 1294/19). We will share and discuss the study results with the community, institutional stakeholders and national health policymakers. We will publish them in national and international peer-reviewed scientific journals.Trial registration number NCT05011838.

Abstract Objectives The general objective of this study is to test the hypothesis that administration of convalescent plasma from donors with previous diagnosis of severe COVID-19 pneumonia is safe and associated with a decrease in all-cause in-hospital mortality among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 at 30 days in comparison with standard treatment alone. The secondary objectives are as follows: (1) to assess the efficacy of convalescent plasma to reduce the length of hospitalization, (2) to assess the efficacy of convalescent plasma to reduce the length of ICU stay, and (3) to assess the efficacy of convalescent plasma on reducing the requirement of invasive mechanical ventilation or ICU stay. Trial design PERUCONPLASMA is a IIb phase open label, randomized, superiority clinical trial with 1:1 allocation taking place in real life routine clinical practice at public hospitals in Lima, Peru. Participants will be randomized to receive convalescent plasma along with local standard treatment or local standard treatment alone. After allocation, all participants will be followed for a total of 30 days or until hospital discharge, whichever occurs first. Participants The population for the study are patients with severe disease with a confirmed laboratory test for SARS-CoV-2 infection hospitalized in 3 tertiary-care hospitals in Lima, Peru. Subjects are eligible for the trial if they meet all of the following inclusion criteria: 1. Age 18 or older 2. Hospitalization due to COVID-19 with laboratory confirmation (either with serologic, molecular, or antigen test along with a compatible clinical presentation) 3. Severe or critical COVID-19 disease Severe illness was defined by 2 or more of the following: Respiratory rate of 22 or more Hypoxemia with oxygen saturation equal or less than 93% Abnormal blood gas analysis (PaO2 50 mmHg, or Pa/FiO2 3.5 mg/dL or dialysis requirement 7. Total bilirubin > 6 mg/dL or jaundice of unknown etiology 8. Myocardial infarction or acute coronary syndrome 9. Active or recent (

Objectives: Compare the death rate from COVID-19 at the national level by regions and departments from March to September 2020. Methods: Quantitative, observational, cross-sectional, ecological and retrospective study. The data was extracted from the National Death System (SINADEF) in Microsoft Excel 2016 and imported into Stata. The variables were described as frequencies and percentages. Mortality was obtained by dividing the total deaths over the total population according to the last census. An adjusted exploratory analysis was performed using robust regression methods to evaluate the association between mortality by department and regions adjusted for age and sex of the deceased. P

The IGRA (Interferon Gamma Release Assays) test is currently the standard specific test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection status. However, a positive test cannot distinguish between active tuberculosis disease (ATBD) and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Developing a test with this characteristic is needed. We conducted longitudinal studies to identify a combination of antigen peptides and cytokines to discriminate between ATBD and LTBI. We studied 54 patients with ATBD disease and 51 with LTBI infection. Cell culture supernatant from cells stimulated with overlapping Mycobacterium tuberculosis novel peptides and 40 cytokines/chemokines were analyzed using the Luminex technology. To summarize longitudinal measurements of analyte levels, we calculated the area under the curve (AUC). Our results indicate that in vitro cell stimulation with a novel combination of peptides (Rv0849-12, Rv2031c-14, Rv2031c-5, and Rv2693-06) and IL-1RA detection in culture supernatants can discriminate between LTBI and ATBD.

Cross-sectional studies are epidemiological design which can be considered as descriptive or analytical designs depending on the general objective. This is a quickly and economical design and allows to calculate the prevalence of a condition. Also, the relationship of temporality between the exposition and the outcome is being measured simultaneously on a unique period, not being possible to identify a directionality in the temporality. When there is an analytic objective, the association measure used is the Prevalence Ratio (PR), specially when the prevalence of the outcome is more or equal to 10% or the Odds Ratio (OR) when that prevalence is lower. To quantify this association different regression models like Binomial log or Poisson log can be used, including generalized lineal models. If the association measure is OR, the most common used model is the multiple logistic regression.

Introduction: The threatened preterm delivery can cause serious outcomes, so it is necessary toevaluate its causes. Objective: to determine if urinary tract infection (UTI) is a factor associated withthe threatened preterm delivery in pregnant teenages at the Hospital Sergio E. Bernales 2018 – 2019.Methods: Observational analytical case-control study. The study included pregnant teenages admittedto the gynecology and obstetrics service of the Hospital Sergio E. Bernales 2018 – 2019. Crude andadjusted ORs were calculated for possible confounding factors based on logistic regression models.Considering the p

COVID-19 represents a global crisis. Rapidly conducting a clinical trial with the rigor necessary to obtain reliable results requires the collaboration of various participants involved in the development, evaluation and authorization of clinical trials (CT) such as the trial sponsor, researchers, regulatory authority and the ethics committee (EC). Carrying out these studies is not only scientifically appropriate, but an ethical and moral obligation to guarantee our patients effective treatment. SOLIDARITY is a mega clinical trial that recruited thousands of subjects with moderate to severe disease, who were randomly assigned to one of the treatment groups under evaluation, including hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir associated or not with interferon; or remdesivir compared to standard therapy. Peru has joined the list of countries where the trial will be reproduced, through which it will be possible to quickly identify if any of these drugs offers a real benefit to patients

Objective. To determine the additional diagnostic performance of a rapid serological test for detection of IgM and IgG antibodies compared to the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test; for detection of SARS-CoV-2. Methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out including patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in 3 hospitals, health workers exposed to the infection and outpatients who met suspicious case criteria, all of which underwent the molecular test (RT-PCR) and the rapid serological test. The additional diagnostic performance of rapid serological test was evaluated in comparison to molecular tests. Likewise, an approximation was made to the sensitivity and specificity of the rapid serological test. Results. 144 people were included. With the rapid test, 19.4% of positive results were obtained compared to 11.1% in the molecular test (p = 0.03). The rapid serological test detected 21 cases that had been negative by the initial (RT-PCR), providing an additional diagnostic performance of 56.8% compared to the RT-PCR. The additional diagnostic performance was 50.0% during the first week, 70.0% during the second week and 50.0% during the third week of symptom onset. The sensitivity of the rapid serological test was 43.8% and the specificity of 98.9%. Conclusion. The rapid serological test was able to detect a greater number of cases than those detected by the molecular test especially after the second week of onset of symptoms. It also showed high specificity. It is therefore useful as a complementary test to RT-PCR, especially during the second and third week of illness.

Case-control studies are analytical observational epidemiological studies generally devoted to evaluate factors associated with infrequent diseases. Its hierarchy within the pyramid of evidence lies in an intermediate place between cross sectional and cohort studies. The measure of association used for these studies is the Odds Ratio. Some variants of this design, such as incident and nested case studies and nested case-control studies (within a cohort) can reduce the risk of selection bias. The basic concepts related to this type of studies are reviewed.

ObjectivesTo determine the risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19 from a Peruvian national hospital.MethodsRetrospective cohort study of medical records of patients with COVID-19 hospitalized at Hospital Nacional Hipólito Unanue (HNHU) during the months of April to August 2020. The dependent variable was in-hospital mortality. Independent variables included sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, physical examination findings, oxygen saturation (SaO2) at admission, treatment received during hospitalization and laboratory results at admission. A Cox regression model was used to evaluate the crude and adjusted hazard ratios for associated factors.ResultsWe included 1418 patients. Median age was 58 years (IQR 47-68 years) and 944 (66.6%) were male. The median length of hospitalization was 7 (4-13) days, and the mortality rate was 46%. The most frequent comorbidities were type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and obesity. In the adjusted analysis, mortality was associated with age (HR 1.02; 95%CI 1.02-1.03), history of surgery (HR 1.89; 95%CI 1.31-2.74), lower oxygen saturation at admission (HR 4.08; CI95% 2.72-8.05 for SaO294%), the presence of poor general condition (HR 1.81; 95% CI 1.29-2.53), altered state of consciousness (HR 1.58; 95%CI 1.18-2.11) and leukocyte levels (HR 1.01; 95%CI 1.00-1. 02). Treatment with ivermectin (HR 1.44; 95%CI 1.18-1.76) and azithromycin (HR 1.25; 95%CI 1.03-1.52) were associated with higher mortality. Treatment with corticosteroids at low to moderate doses was associated with lower mortality (HR 0.56 95%CI 0. 37-0. 86) in comparison to no steroid use.ConclusionA high mortality was found in our cohort. Low oxygen saturation at admission, age, and the presence of hematological and biochemical alterations were associated with higher mortality. The use of hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin or azithromycin was not useful and was probably associated with unfavorable outcomes. The use of corticosteroids at moderate doses was associated with lower mortality.

El túnel aorto-ventricular derecho es una anomalía congénita que consiste en un canal que conecta la aorta ascendente a la cavidad del ventrículo derecho. El diagnóstico se corrobora, en la mayoría de los casos, por ecocardiografía. El cierre quirúrgico se considera el tratamiento de elección y solo se han reportado dos casos previos en los que se ha logrado el cierre mediante intervencionismo. Se presenta el caso de una lactante con diagnóstico de túnel aorto-ventricular derecho, tratada por intervención percutánea con dispositivo de cierre percutáneo, que tuvo buena evolución clínica. La paciente, además, presentó un ductus permeable, el cual fue tratado en una segunda oportunidad por intervencionismo. La factibilidad de la técnica de cierre por procedimiento percutáneo y su baja tasa de complicaciones en comparación con el cierre por cirugía abierta pueden hacer de este el procedimiento de elección en la mayoría de los casos para esta infrecuente condición.

Abstract Background We determined the frequency of genetic polymorphisms in three anti‐TB drug metabolic proteins previously reported: N‐acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2), cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), and arylacetamide deacetylase (AADAC) within a Peruvian population in a cohort of TB patients. Methods We genotyped SNPs rs1041983, rs1801280, rs1799929, rs1799930, rs1208, and rs1799931 for NAT2; rs3813867 and rs2031920 for CYP2E1; and rs1803155 for AADAC in 395 participants completed their antituberculosis treatment. Results Seventy‐four percent of the participants are carriers of slow metabolizer genotypes: NAT2*5, NAT2*6, and NAT2*7, which increase the sensitivity of INH at low doses and increase the risk of drug‐induced liver injuries. Sixty‐four percent are homozygous for the wild‐type CYP2E1*1A allele, which could increase the risk of hepatotoxicity. However, 16% had a NAT2 fast metabolizer phenotype which could increase the risk of acquiring resistance to INH, thereby increasing the risk of multidrug‐resistant (MDR) or treatment failure. The frequency of rs1803155 (AADAC*2 allele) was higher (99.9%) in Peruvians than in European American, African American, Japanese, and Korean populations. Conclusions This high prevalence of slow metabolizers for isoniazid in the Peruvian population should be further studied and considered to help individualize drug regimens, especially in countries with a great genetic diversity like Peru. These data will help the Peruvian National Tuberculosis Control Program develop new strategies for therapies.

Introduction It is required to have validated instruments in health science students that identify unhealthy habits and assess the impact of educational interventions and programs aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle. Objective To evaluate the validity and reliability of an instrument to measure medical students' lifestyles. Methods A lifestyle questionnaire was developed using the Delphi technique by a group of experts. The final questionnaire was applied to 332 students of the School of Medicine of the Ricardo Palma University in 2017. A preliminary examination was carried out to assess preconditions for construct validity—including the correlation matrix, the Kaiser Meyer Olkin statistic, and the Bartlett sphericity test. Factor analysis was used for construct validity, and the possible resulting factors were extracted through the principal component analysis. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated to assess the instrument reliability. Results In this study, 41.6% of participants were men with a mean age of 20 years (standard deviation = 3). The preconditions for the factor analysis were a Kaiser Meyer Olkin coefficient = 0.773 and a significant Bartlett sphericity test. For the 47 items of the final questionnaire, the factor analysis showed an explained variance of 56.7% with eigenvalues greater than one. Cronbach's alpha was 0.78. The final questionnaire could assume values between -23 to 151 points. Based on a cut point of 71 points, the prevalence of students with an unhealthy lifestyle was 73.6%. Conclusion The developed instrument has acceptable validity and reliability to measure lifestyle in medical students. For external validation, studies in other university populations are suggested.

Introduction: Multiple definitions of metabolic syndrome (MS) are used in Peru, and there is currently no consensus on which definition should be used in clinical practice. Objectives: To compare cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk estimators, obtained using the ACC/AHA ASCVD Risk Calculator, and to assess their level of agreement with different definitions of MS in patients treated in Lima, Peru. Materials and methods: Analytical cross-sectional study. Medical records, collected through consecutive sampling, of 233 patients treated between October and December 2019 at the Hospital Nacional Hipólito Unanue, Lima, Peru, were reviewed. CVR risk was calculated using the online ACC/AHA ASCVD Risk Calculator, and the MS definitions of the WHO, NCEP-ATP III, IDF, AHA/NHLBI, JIS and ALAD were considered to compare CVD risk according to each definition. Agreement between the different MS definitions was calculated using the kappa coefficient based on the six levels of strength of agreement described by Landis and Koch. Results: The median CVD risk in patients with MS according to the definitions of the WHO, NCEP-ATP III, IDF, AHA/NHLBI, ALAD and JIS was 9.6 (3.9-20.35), 7.9 (3.1-18.6), 7.3 (3- 16.5), 7.8 (3-17.6), 7.1 (2.9-16.5), and 7.1 (3.1-16.5), respectively. The prevalence of MS according to JIS, IDF, ALAD, AHA/NHLBI, NCEP-ATP III and WHO definitions was 81.97%, 80.26%, 74.68%, 67.81%, 65.67%, and 51.14%, respectively. Agreement between the JIS criteria and the IDF, ALAD, NCEP-ATP III, and AHA/NHLBI criteria was 0.944, 0.787, 0.592, and 0.567, respectively, but it was 0.286 between the JIS criteria and the WHO criteria. Conclusions: In Peru, there are differences between CVD risk estimates depending on the MS definition used and considered in the present study, which may have an impact on the intensity of the therapeutic and preventive interventions performed in these patients.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of infection due to atypical microorganisms in cases of communityacquired pneumonia in adult inmunocompetent patients seeking attention in the Hospital Nacional Hipolito Unanue. Methods: Adult inmunocompetent patients seeking medical attention in the emergency ward of Hospital Hipolito Unanue with diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia were evaluated between september 2008 and january 2009. Blood samples were drawn for Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae serology, by the detection of M Inmunoglobulin by ELISA technique. Results: We recruited 85 patients. The average age was 65.33 ± 21.43 years. We found 3 cases with positive IgM serology against M. pneumoniae and 1 case positive against C. pneumoniae. The antibody titers against M. pneumoniae had a highly significant correlation with the age (r=-0.28; p

Introduction: The estimation of renal function is an important component of hospital care. To do this, estimates are usually used, based on serum creatinine levels. The most widely used equations are MDRD and Cockcroft-Gault. Objective: To evaluate the correlation of the Cockcroft-Gault and MDRD equations with the creatinine clearance value, based on 24-hour urine collection. Methods: In order to carry out this study, the records of the Clinical Pathology Service of Hospital Nacional Hipólito Unanue, a reference hospital in Lima (Peru), were used. Serum creatinine was measured using the Jaffe’s method. Creatinine clearance was performed by simultaneous determinations of serum creatinine and urinary creatinine, obtained through 24-hour urine collection. Correlations were calculated using Pearson coefficient, considering significant values of p

Los hospitales de referencia del Ministerio de Salud peruano atienden a pacientes con patologías complejas. La atención de calidad involucra no sólo el buen trato, la calidez y el humanismo en la atención, sino recursos materiales y capacidad real de resolver problemas. Lamentablemente la realidad de los hospitales del Ministerio de Salud peruano dista mucho de los estándares de calidad recomendados, con notables deficiencias en la capacidad resolutiva debido a la falta de métodos de ayuda diagnóstica, falta de equipamiento y deficiencia en la adquisición de medicamentos e insumos. Es inadmisible que un hospital de nivel referencial no cuente con estudios de imagen como resonancia magnética nuclear o angiografías; estudios de medicina nuclear, pruebas inmunohistoquímicas, estudios de biología molecular, genéticos, entre otros. En este artículo se presentan algunos de los problemas encontrados en la práctica diaria desde la perspectiva del autor como prestador de salud y se revisan los hallazgos de la evaluación de la calidad de atención realizada por la Contraloría General de la República el 2018 en hospitales de referencia. Se proponen algunas medidas inmediatas de acción y se enfatiza la necesidad de abordar de manera inmediata las carencias de infraestructura y capacidad resolutiva para el diagnóstico y tratamiento, así como fomentar los concursos públicos para gestores de hospitales que permitan un ejercicio transparente y meritocrático no sujeto a vaivenes políticos.

A 32-year-old woman admitted to the medical service with a clinical picture of recurrent biliary pancreatitis and symptomatic cholelithiasis. Abdominal ultrasound and cholangioresonance showed a gallbladder in an unusual position (posterior) and an anomaly of the biliary tree. Incidentally, the presence of an atrial septal defect associated with signs compatible with pulmonary hypertension is evident. We have not found in the literature an association between the presence of this gallbladder abnormality and the presence of atrial or other congenital heart disease.

Objetivo: determinar si la sarcopenia es un factor asociado a mortalidad intrahospitalaria y estancia hospitalaria prolongada (EHP) en adultos mayores del Hospital Nacional Hipólito Unanue (HNHU) en el periodo diciembre de 2019 a marzo de 2020. Materiales y métodos: estudio observacional, de cohorte prospectivo, en adultos mayores hospitalizados en el servicio de medicina del HNHU. El análisis crudo y multivariado se realizó utilizando modelos de regresión de Poisson para determinar la relación entre sarcopenia y mortalidad intrahospitalaria y EHP mediante riesgos relativos (RR). Resultados: el 49,4% de participantes presentó sarcopenia, el 12,3% falleció y el 32,5% tuvo una EHP. El análisis crudo mostró asociación entre sarcopenia y mortalidad intrahospitalaria (RR 4,69; IC 95%: 1,62-13,10; p=0,004). Sin embargo, al realizar el análisis ajustado se la perdió significancia (p=0,097). No se encontró asociación entre sarcopenia y EHP (p=0,673). Conclusión: la sarcopenia afecta a una gran proporción de adultos mayores hospitalizados y podría asociarse a un mayor riesgo de muerte durante la hospitalización. No se encontró asociación entre sarcopenia y EHP.

Se ha mostrado mucho entusiasmo entre la comunidad médica y las sociedades científicas con respecto al uso de la hidroxicloroquina para el manejo del COVID-19. De hecho, muchos hospitales ya están utilizando este tratamiento en pacientes hospitalizados e incluso ambulatorios sobre la base de algunos protocolos hospitalarios, guías preliminares que plantean considerar su posible uso [1] y, particularmente, un pequeño estudio no controlado [2] de calidad metodológica cuestionable. Al respecto, quisiera resaltar algunos puntos importantes:

In the absence of entomological information, tools for predicting Anopheles spp. presence can help evaluate the entomological risk of malaria transmission. Here, we illustrate how species distribution models (SDM) could quantify potential dominant vector species presence in malaria elimination settings. We fitted a 250 m resolution ensemble SDM for Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann. The ensemble SDM included predictions based on seven different algorithms, 110 occurrence records and 70 model projections. SDM covariates included nine environmental variables that were selected based on their importance from an original set of 28 layers that included remotely and spatially interpolated locally measured variables for the land surface of Costa Rica. Goodness of fit for the ensemble SDM was very high, with a minimum AUC of 0.79. We used the resulting ensemble SDM to evaluate differences in habitat suitability (HS) between commercial plantations and surrounding landscapes, finding a higher HS in pineapple and oil palm plantations, suggestive of An. albimanus presence, than in surrounding landscapes. The ensemble SDM suggested a low HS for An. albimanus at the presumed epicenter of malaria transmission during 2018–2019 in Costa Rica, yet this vector was likely present at the two main towns also affected by the epidemic. Our results illustrate how ensemble SDMs in malaria elimination settings can provide information that could help to improve vector surveillance and control.

Objetivos. Conocer la supervivencia a los cinco años y sus factores asociados, en pacientes con Leucemia Linfoblástica Aguda (LLA) en Perú. Materiales y Métodos. Se estudió una cohorte retrospectiva sobre pacientes con LLA tratados con quimioterapia en un hospital peruano por 13 años. Las variables dependientes fueron sobrevida global (SG) y sobrevida libre de enfermedad (SLE). Los posibles factores que pudieran estar asociados con el diagnóstico y la respuesta al tratamiento se evaluaron a través del método de riesgos proporcionales de Cox. Resultados. La tasa de mortalidad fue 32,5 % y de recaídas fue 66,1 %. Los factores asociados a menor sobrevida global fueron recuento leucocitario al diagnóstico (HR: 1,01; IC95 %: 1,01-1,03), estirpe distinta a B (HR: 2,15; IC95 %: 1,06-4,41), edad al diagnóstico (HR: 1,09; IC95 %: 1,03-1,16), recaída en médula ósea (HR: 6,81; IC95 %: 4,14-11,21) y falla a la inducción (HR: 3,04; IC95 %: 1,47-6,32). Los factores asociados a menor sobrevida libre de enfermedad: género masculino (HR: 1,43; IC95 %: 1,10-1,86), edad al diagnóstico (HR: 1,06; IC95 %: 1,02-1,10) y leucocitos al diagnóstico (HR: 1,01; IC95 %: 1,002-1,011). Conclusiones. Las cifras de SG y SLE a cinco años de nuestra población son inferiores a las mundiales. Se requieren más estudios para conocer los factores involucrados a esta realidad y así, generar intervenciones destinadas a mejorar la sobrevida y calidad de vida de nuestros pacientes. Las variables asociadas a la disminución de ambas sobrevidas fueron la edad y el recuento de leucocitos al momento del diagnóstico, por lo que se deben mejorar el proceso de diagnóstico de esta enfermedad.

Objectives: To develop a clinical prediction rule (CPR) for the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis (PT) in patients with pleural exudates in Peru. Methods: Clinical and laboratory information was collected from patients with exudative pleural effusion attending two reference hospitals in Lima, Peru. Predictive findings associated with PT in a multiple logistic regression model were used to develop the CPR. A definite diagnosis of PT was based on a composite reference standard including bacteriological and/or histological analysis of pleural fluid and pleural biopsy specimens. Results: A total of 238 patients were included in the analysis, of whom 176 had PT. Age, sex, previous contact with a TB patient, presence of lymphadenopathy, and pleural adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels were found to be independently associated with PT. These predictive findings were used to construct a CPR, for which the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) was 0.92. The single best cut-off point was a score of ≥60 points, which had a sensitivity of 88%, specificity of 92%, a positive likelihood ratio of 10.9, and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.13. Conclusions: The CPR is accurate for the diagnosis of PT and could be useful for treatment initiation while avoiding pleural biopsy. A prospective evaluation is needed before its implementation in different settings. Keywords: Tuberculosis, Clinical prediction rules, Aadenosine deaminase, Pleural effusion, Peru

Aunque la tromboembolia pulmonar es frecuente en aquellos pacientes con síndrome antifosfolipidico (SAF), la presentación bilateral no es usual, así como la presentación en adultos mayores. Se presenta el caso de un paciente varón, adulto mayor de 72 años con antecedente de purpura trombocitopénica inmune quien fue hospitalizado con el diagnóstico de tromboembolia pulmonar bilateral. Diecisiete días después del ingreso se realizó el diagnostico de SAF primario y tuvo una buena evolución clínica. Se debe considerar SAF primario en aquellos pacientes con eventos vasculares trombóticos en ausencia de condiciones predisponentes.

Knowledge translation (KT) in Public Health involves the use of scientific evidence by decision makers when generating health policies directed to accelerate the benefits resulting from research and innovation in health system and ultimately people´s health. In this paper we review the definitions and conceptual frameworks related to systematization of KT processes. The different approaches to KT share the concept that KT is composed by two main elements: a product (information) developed through scientific method with a friendly format for the target public and an action devoted to support or promote a health related practice using the aforementioned product. The understanding and application of KT is a key element for effective use of knowledge in decision making.

Objectives. To compare the Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis (MEDS), Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II), and Confusion, Urea, Respiratory rate, Blood pressure, 65 years of age and older (CURB-65) scoring systems for predicting mortality and complications in septic patients. Materials and methods. A prospective study of diagnostic test assessment was carried out. Scores were compared by analysis of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves corresponding to each score, with the development of death or complications as the dependent variable. Results. There were 265 patients included in the analysis; 155 (58.4%) patients died and/or presented complications. The multivariate analysis revealed variables associated with mortality and complications were age, oliguria, mental health impairment, acute lung injury, and the use of inotropes. Analysis of ROC curves showed the area below the ROC curve was 0.74 (95% CI: 0.68-0.80) for SOFA, 0.73 (95% CI: 0.67-0.79) for MEDS, 0.73 (95% CI: 0.66-0.79) for APACHE II, and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.60-0.73) for CURB-65, the latter being significantly lower than the first three. Conclusions. The MEDS, SOFA, and APACHE II are adequate scoring systems for predicting mortality and complications in septic patients. It is essential to utilize these scoring systems in emergency medical assistance in hospitals in Peru.

Objetivo: Conocer la prevalencia y evaluar los factores asociados a la sintomatología depresiva en mujeres con diagnóstico de cáncer de mama. Materiales y métodos: Estudio transversal analítico, realizado en un hospital de Lima-Perú. Se utilizó la escala Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) para evaluar la presencia de sintomatología depresiva. Resultados: Se reclutaron 385 pacientes, encontrándose una prevalencia de sintomatología depresiva del 21,29%. La edad promedio fue de 59,56, sin diferencia significativa entre pacientes con o sin sintomatología depresiva. En el análisis bivariado se encontró asociación estadísticamente significativa entre los síntomas depresivos y gradode instrucción, disnea, insomnio, dolor, síntomas gastrointestinales y síntomas generales. Sin embargo, en el análisis multivariado solo se encontró asociación estadísticamente significativa entre síntomas gastrointestinales y los síntomas depresivos (odds ratio: 2,94; intervalo de confianza al 95%: 1,48-5,83; p

OBJECTIVE To assess the increased diagnostic yield for pulmonary tuberculosis using bronchial washing cultures compared with sputum cultures. METHODS Study conducted with 61 adults in Lima, Peru, from January 2006 to December 2007. The yield of sputum cultures was compared with the yield of acid-fast bacilli smears and cultures of bronchial washing for diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis in suspected cases of clinical tuberculosis with negative acid fast bacilli sputum smears. RESULTS Twenty seven (95%CI 32;58) of the cases were eventually diagnosed with smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis. Bronchial washing samples detected 23 (95%CI 72;99) of the smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis cases compared with 15 (95%CI 37;74) for sputum cultures (p = 0.02). The incremental diagnostic yield of acid fast bacilli smear and culture of bronchial washing specimens over sputum culture was 44% (95%CI 25;65). CONCLUSIONS In function of the epidemiological context and the resources available, bronchoscopy should be deployed as part of a comprehensive work up that optimizes smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosis and minimizes risk and costs.

Avaliamos o rendimento diagnóstico da fibrobroncoscopia óptica no diagnóstico de tuberculose pulmonar com baciloscopia negativa em pacientes atendidos em um hospital de referência em Lima, Peru. Dos 611 pacientes submetidos ao procedimento, 140 (23%) foram diagnosticados com tuberculose com base nas amostras de LBA. Ser mais jovem e do sexo masculino foi associado a culturas positivas. Além disso, 287 pacientes realizaram baciloscopia de escarro após a broncoscopia, e os resultados aumentaram o rendimento diagnóstico em 22% em relação às amostras de LBA. Concluímos que amostras de LBA e de escarro pós-broncoscopia tiveram um bom rendimento diagnóstico nos pacientes com suspeita de tuberculose pulmonar com baciloscopia negativa.We evaluated the diagnostic yield of fiberoptic bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis in patients treated at a referral hospital in Lima, Peru. Of the 611 patients who underwent the procedure, 140 (23%) were diagnosed with tuberculosis based on the analysis of BAL samples. Being young and being male were significantly associated with positive cultures. In addition, 287 patients underwent post-bronchoscopic sputum smear testing for AFB, the results of which increased the diagnostic yield by 22% over that obtained through the analysis of BAL samples alone. We conclude that the analysis of BAL samples and post-bronchoscopic sputum samples provides a high diagnostic yield in smear-negative patients suspected of having pulmonary tuberculosis.

La realización de una baciloscopía el mismo día de la atención del paciente es una estrategia que recientemente ha sido adoptada por la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Nuestro estudio buscó determinar el rendimiento diagnóstico adicional de una segunda baciloscopía tomada en un mismo día en pacientes con síntomas respiratorios, atendidos en el servicio de emergencia de dos hospitales de Lima. Se incluyeron 270 pacientes desde enero a noviembre de 2011, a los cuales se les solicitó dos muestras de esputo con un lapso de dos horas; las muestras fueron procesadas mediante el método de Ziehl Neelsen. La frecuencia de baciloscopías positivas fue del 18,5%. El rendimiento diagnóstico adicional de la segunda baciloscopía fue 20,9%. Considerando la alta frecuencia de tuberculosis diagnosticada por baciloscopía, se sugiere que esta prueba sea incluida de manera rutinaria en las emergencias de los hospitales de Lima Metropolitana.Conducting a same day smears is a strategy that has recently been adopted by the World Health Organization. Our study sought to determine the additional diagnostic yield of a second sputum smear taken on the same day among patients with respiratory symptoms, attended at the emergency room from two hospitals in Lima. We included 270 patients from January to November 2011, which were asked two samples of sputum within two hours; the samples were processed by the Ziehl Neelsen method. The frequency of positive sputum smears was 18.5%. The additional diagnostic yield for the second smear was 20.9%. Considering the high prevalence of tuberculosis diagnosed by sputum smear, it is suggested that this test be included routinely in the emergency rooms of hospitals in Lima Metro area.

Objetivo. Evaluar el rendimiento diagnóstico del medio Middlebrook 7H11 combinado con sangre humana u ovina en comparación con el medio sólido Ogawa para el diagnóstico de tuberculosis pulmonar. Materiales y métodos. Se evaluaron muestras de esputo provenientes de pacientes con sospecha de tuberculosis pulmonar. Las muestras fueron sembradas en agar Middlebrook 7H11 asociado a sangre humana u ovina y en medio Ogawa. Resultados. Se recolectaron un total de 130 muestras. La positividad para M.tuberculosis en Middlebrook 7H11/sangre humana, Midlebrook 7H11/sangre ovina y Ogawa fue de 45,38%, 46,15% y 43,84% respectivamente. El tiempo de crecimiento promedio del Mycobacterium tuberculosis fue de 12,81 ± 6,52, 13,07 ± 6,63 y 20,14 ± 6,75 días (p

El estudio CRASH-2 es un ensayo clínico pragmático que busca evaluar la eficacia de un antifibrinolítico de bajo costo y ampliamente disponible para la prevención de mortalidad y sangrado en pacientes con trauma. En este artículo presentamos algunos conceptos relacionados a la magnitud del problema y la necesidad de investigación en trauma en el contexto peruano. Asimismo se discute las bases teóricas y practicas del ensayo CRASH-2 así como la experiencia peruana hasta el momento.

BACKGROUND: Clinical suspects of pulmonary tuberculosis in which the sputum smears are negative for acid fast bacilli represent a diagnostic challenge in resource constrained settings. Our objective was to validate an existing clinical-radiographic score that assessed the probability of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (SNPT) in high incidence settings in Peru. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We included in two referral hospitals in Lima patients with clinical suspicion of pulmonary tuberculosis and two or more negative sputum smears. Using a published but not externally validated score, patients were classified as having low, intermediate or high probability of pulmonary tuberculosis. The reference standard for the diagnosis of tuberculosis was a positive sputum culture in at least one of 2 liquid (MGIT or Middlebrook 7H9) and 1 solid (Ogawa) media. Prevalence of tuberculosis was calculated in each of the three probability groups. 684 patients were included. 184 (27.8%) had a diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. The score did not perform well in patients with a previous history of pulmonary tuberculosis. In patients without, the prevalence of tuberculosis was 5.1%, 31.7% and 72% in the low, intermediate and high probability group respectively. The area under de ROC curve was 0.76 (95% CI 0.72-0.80) and scores ≥6 had a positive LR of 10.9. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In smear negative suspects without previous history of tuberculosis, the clinical-radiographic score can be used as a tool to assess the probability of pulmonary tuberculosis and to guide the decision to initiate or defer treatment or to requesting additional tests.