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Worldwide, 1 % of the population receives anticoagulation therapy, with prevalence higher in older adults. Difficulties in the adequate management of these patients have led to the development of strategies focused on achieving therapeutic control and reducing adverse events with efficient use of resources.To estimate the cost utility and budget impact on the Argentinean health system of implementation of anticoagulation clinics (ACs) (with and without use of point-of-care [POC] CoaguChekFor the cost-utility analysis, a cohort-based state transition model was designed to compare costs and health outcomes of implementing ACs for outpatient management of anticoagulated patients. The budget impact analysis used an analytical model to estimate the differential costs of implementing an AC and the expected adverse events avoided, and the differential costs of an international normalized ratio (INR) determination using a POC device rather than a conventional laboratory.We calculated the study outcomes for a cohort of 1000 patients. Considering a 5 % discount rate, the use of ACs generated 13.9 additional quality-adjusted life-years (0.014 per patient) and 12.5 additional life-years (0.013 per patient). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of AC implementation with and without the use of POC devices compared with the scenario without ACs were dominant in both cases. In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, nearly all simulated results were cost effective (i.e., below the 1 or 3 gross domestic product per capita thresholds). Budget impact analysis results showed AC implementation generated savings from the first year of implementation, with savings of AR $265,325 by year 5. The addition of POC devices in the ACs also generated savings as early as the first year of implementation, with savings of AR $488,072 by year 5 (AR $488 per patient).Anticoagulation clinics are estimated to be cost effective and generate notable savings in the treatment of patients on long-term oral anticoagulant therapy when compared with non-AC settings. These savings are considerably higher when POC devices are added as part of the patient management, due to lower laboratory technician costs per INR determination.

Background Inappropriate antibiotic use represents a major global threat. Sepsis and bacterial lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) have been linked to antimicrobial resistance, carrying important consequences for patients and health systems. Procalcitonin-guided algorithms may represent helpful tools to reduce antibiotic overuse but the financial burden is unclear. The aim of this study was to estimate the healthcare and budget impact in Argentina of using procalcitonin-guided algorithms to guide antibiotic prescription. Methods A decision tree was used to model health and cost outcomes for the Argentinean health system, over a one-year duration. Patients with suspected sepsis in the intensive care unit and hospitalized patients with LRTI were included. Model parameters were obtained from a focused, non-systematic, local and international bibliographic search, and validated by a panel of local experts. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to analyze the uncertainty of parameters. Results The model predicted that using procalcitonin-guided algorithms would result in 734.5 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1,105.2;438.8] thousand fewer antibiotic treatment days, 7.9 [95% CI: 18.5;8.5] thousand antibiotic-resistant cases avoided, and 5.1 [95% CI: 6.7;4.2] thousand fewer Clostridioides difficile cases. In total, this would save $422.4 US dollars (USD) [95% CI: $935;$267] per patient per year, meaning cost savings of $83.0 [95% CI: $183.6;$57.7] million USD for the entire health system and $0.4 [95% CI: $0.9;$0.3] million USD for a healthcare provider with 1,000 cases per year of sepsis and LRTI patients. The sensitivity analysis showed that the probability of cost-saving for the sepsis patient group was lower than for the LRTI patient group (85% vs. 100%). Conclusions Healthcare and financial benefits can be obtained by implementing procalcitonin-guided algorithms in Argentina. Although we found results to be robust on an aggregate level, some caution must be used when focusing only on sepsis patients in the intensive care unit.

Currently, there is no complete registry of pediatric residences in Argentina.To identify all pediatric residences in Argentina. To establish a situation diagnosis and a unified registry.Descriptive, observational crosssectional study. A preliminary list of residences was established with data from the Argentine Pediatric Society. It was compared with those of all the current selection systems. All the Medical Colleges of the country and the ministerial, provincial and municipal Health agencies were contacted to complete the registration.188 residences were identified. Fifty-five (30 %) were not found in any registry; 70.2 % were from public dependency. Almost 80 % worked in general hospitals. Most of them were accredited by different institutions.All pediatric residences in the country were identified. A situation diagnosis and a unified registry were established.Introducción. Actualmente, no existe un registro completo de las residencias pediátricas de la Argentina. Objetivos. Identificar todas las residencias pediátricas de la Argentina. Establecer un diagnóstico de situación y un registro unificado. Población y métodos. Estudio descriptivo, observacional de corte transversal. Se estableció un listado preliminar de residencias con datos de la Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría. Se comparó con los de todos los sistemas de selección vigentes. Se contactó a todos los colegios médicos del país y a las dependencias ministeriales, provinciales y municipales de salud para completar el registro. Resultados. Se identificaron 188 residencias. Cincuenta y cinco (el 30 %) no se encontraban en ningún registro. El 70,2 % eran de dependencia pública. Casi el 80 % funcionaban en hospitales generales. La mayoría se encontraban acreditadas por algún organismo. Conclusiones. Se identificaron todas las residencias pediátricas del país. Se estableció un diagnóstico de situación y un registro unificado.

Infectious Spondylodiscitis is a rare infection in children. It is more frequent in patients under 6 years of age. We report the case of an 8-year-old patient with lumbar pain for 2 months, without fever. Xrays, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging all three showed spondylodiscitis L4-L5. After a 10-day antibiotic treatment with clindamycin with regular response, a bone puncture was performed isolating Kingella kingae (Kk). Ostearticular infections caused by Kk have increased among infants and children. Due to improvement in culture techniques, the usage of automatic systems and assessment molecular techniques, these infections re-emerged in the past few years. Kk is a pathogen that has lately become significant in osteoarticular infections.La espondilodiscitis infecciosa es una infección poco frecuente en niños, con mayor incidencia en menores de 6 años. Se presenta el caso de una paciente de 8 años, que se internó por dolor lumbar de 2 meses de evolución, afebril. La radiografía, tomografía e imagen por resonancia magnética nuclear fueron compatibles con espondilodiscitis a nivel de L4-L5. Luego de 10 días de antibioticoterapia empírica con clindamicina, con regular respuesta, se realizó punción ósea y se aisló Kingella kingae. Existe un aumento en la incidencia de infecciones osteoarticulares por Kingella kingae en lactantes y niños pequeños. La reemergencia en los últimos años se justifica por la optimización en las técnicas de cultivo, el uso de sistemas automatizados y de técnicas moleculares de diagnóstico. Kingella kingae es un patógeno que ha adquirido importancia en los últimos años en las infecciones osteoarticulares.