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Introduction: Pulmonary embolism (PE) response teams (PERT) for the management of high-risk PE (HR-PE) and intermediate-high risk PE (IHR-PE) are encouraged in PE guidelines. We aimed to assess the impact of a PERT initiative on mortality in these groups of patients, compared with standard care., Methods: We conducted a prospective, single-center registry, including consecutive patients with HR-PE and IHR-PE with PERT activation from February-2018 to December-2020 (PERT group, n=78 patients) and compared it with an historic cohort of patients admitted to our hospital in a previous 2-year period (2014-2016), managed with standard of care (SC-group, n=108 patients)., Results: Patients in the PERT group were younger and less comorbid. The risk profile at admission and the percentage of HR-PE was similar in both cohorts (13% in SC-group and 14% in PERT-group, p=0.82). Reperfusion therapy was more frequently indicated in PERT-group (24.4% vs 10.2%, p=0.01), with no differences in fibrinolysis treatment, while catheter-directed therapy (CDT) was more frequent in PERT group (16.7% vs 1.9%, p<0.001). Reperfusion and CDT were associated with lower in-hospital mortality (2.9% vs 15.1%, p=0.001 for reperfusion and 1.5% vs 16.5%, p=0.001 for CDT). The primary outcome, 12-month mortality, was lower in the PERT-group (9% vs 22.2%, p=0.02), There were no differences in 30-day readmissions. In multivariate analysis PERT activation was associated with lower mortality at 12 months (HR 0.25, 95% confidence interval 0.09-0.7, p=0.008)., Conclusion: A PERT initiative in patients with HR-PE and IHR-PE was associated with a significant reduction in 12-month mortality compared with standard of care, and also with an increase in the use of reperfusion, especially catheter-directed therapies., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Obesity and diabetes are two closely related disorders. Lifestyle changes and drug treatment do not achieve successful diabetes remission. A treatment option for these patients is bariatric surgery (BS). The partial and complete remission rates vary, depending on the type of technique used (restrictive or malabsorptive), with malabsorptive surgery being more effective in terms of both weight reduction and diabetes remission (DR). Different scales (DiaRem, Ad-DiaRem or 5y-Ad-DiaRem) predict the probability of DR after BS, particularly after gastric bypass surgery. Some studies report higher DR rates in surgery with a greater malabsorptive component. Our aim was to study the benefits of BS at one year and 5 years in terms of the weight and blood glucose profile in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus; assess percentage DR according to ADA criteria; determine the DR predictive capacity of different scores; and examine which variables predict DR at one and five years after biliopancreatic diversion (BPD). Percentage overweight reduction and the decrease in both blood glucose and HbA1c were greater with BPD. Complete diabetes remission was approximately 80% at one and 5 years after BS. In general, the scores that determine the probability of DR show poor discriminative capacity in malabsorptive surgery. Presurgery HbA1c predicts DR at one and 5 years after BPD. The type of surgery performed should be individualized, based on the severity of diabetes and the specific characteristics of each patient., (Copyright © 2020 SEEN y SED. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Bariatric surgery (BS) is an effective treatment. However, there have been concerns regarding the negative effect on the bone. The aim of this study was to assess changes in bone metabolism and the risk of fracture after biliopancreatic diversion (BPD)., Material and Methods: A retrospective analysis of obese patients undergoing BPD between 1998 and 2017 was conducted, and patients with at least 1 year of follow-up were included. The incidence of fracture and of changes in bone metabolism was studied., Results: In total, 216 patients were included (78.2% female), with a mean age of 42.5(10.6) years. The median follow-up was 6.8(IQR 10.2-3.2) years. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 49.7(6.3) kg/m 2 . 13.2% (n=29) suffered a bone fracture after surgery; the time until the first fracture was 7.9(3.8) years (55.2% secondary to a casual fall). The rate of fracture incidence was 19.6 per 1000 person-years (95%CI: 1.3-2.7), prevalence was 13.4% (95%CI: 8.9-18.0). The risk of bone fractures seems to increase with longer postoperative evolution time. PTH (pg/ml) levels were significantly higher in patients with fractures (1 year, 98.1 vs. 77.8; 5 years, 162.5 vs. 110.3 p<0.05, adjusted HR 1.10; 95%CI 1.01-1.11). Subjects with a higher %EWL had less risk of fractures after surgery (adjusted HR 0.97; 95%CI 0.94-0.99). Moreover, 25(OH)D levels were lower, and osteocalcin and β-Crosslaps levels were slightly higher (not significant) in patients with fractures., Conclusion: BPD is related to important changes in bone metabolism, which can lead to an increased risk of bone fractures. Assessing the risk of fractures should be part of BS patient care., (Copyright © 2020 SEEN and SED. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is a matter of concern after biliopancreatic diversion (BPD). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between SHPT, 25(OH)D, and calcium after BPD., Design: A retrospective analysis in obese patients after BPD performed between 1998 and 2016., Methods: Patients with at least 1 year of follow-up were included. SHPT was considered when PTH > 65 pg/mL in the absence of an elevated corrected calcium. 25(OH)D (ng/mL) status was defined as: deficiency < 20, insufficiency 20-29.9, and sufficiency ≥ 30., Results: In total, 321 patients were included (76.6% women), with mean age 43.0 (10.5) years. Median follow-up was 6.0 (IQR 3.0-9.0) years. Mean body mass index was 49.8 (7.0) kg/m 2 . SHPT increased to a maximum of 81.9% in the ninth year of follow-up (95% CI: 1.5-9.1). Two years after surgery, 33.9% of patients with 25(OH)D sufficiency had SHPT (p = 0.001). Corrected calcium levels were lower in patients with PTH > 65 pg/mL when compared with PTH < 65 pg/mL; 1 year: 8.96 vs 9.1 mg/dL and 5 years: 8.75 vs 9.12 mg/dL (p < 0.01). After surgery, patients with PTH > 65 pg/mL and 25(OH)D sufficiency had lower corrected calcium levels when compared with subjects with PTH and 25(OH)D in normal range. Two years: 9.0 vs 9.2 mg/dL (p < 0.05) and 4 years: 8.9 vs 9.2 mg/dL (p < 0.01)., Conclusions: Once 25(OH)D is sufficient, the increase in PTH persists associated with a decrease in serum corrected calcium. It is important to ensure a sufficient calcium intake in these patients in order to avoid SHPT and osteomalacia in the future.

Objectives: To evaluate the association between serum total IgE levels and disease severity in adult patients with persistent allergic asthma and to explore the main predictors of IgE levels., Methods: We performed a multicenter, retrospective, observational study including adult patients diagnosed ≥ 1 year previously with persistent allergic asthma who were positive to ≥ 1 allergen. Patients also had serum total IgE and spirometry results available from the previous 12 months. Inclusion was stratified by asthma severity according to the GEMA 2009 criteria., Results: We included 383 patients with allergic asthma (129 mild, 82 moderate, and 172 severe). Mean (SD) age was 38 (15), 46 (16), and 45 (15) years, respectively (P < 0.001). Serum total IgE levels varied markedly (coefficient of variation, 147%). No association was observed with forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) or asthma severity: mean (SD)/median (IQR) of 403 (616)/214 (108-409), 361 (516)/204 (126-361), and 473 (676)/211 (98-545) IU/mL in the mild, moderate, and severe subgroups, respectively (P = .951). The severe subgroup had a higher percentage of patients with > 400 IU/mL (36% vs 26.4% [mild] and 18.3% [moderate], P = .010). In a multivariate multiple regression model, the independent predictors of higher IgE were younger age (P = .004), sensitization to ≥ 2 allergens (P = .009), male gender (P = .025), and family history of asthma (P = .122)., Conclusion: Serum total IgE levels in adult patients with persistent allergic asthma were high (two-thirds with levels > 150 IU/mL) and extremely variable. We did not find a significant association between serum total IgE levels and asthma severity or airflow limitation, except for a higher percentage of patients with IgE > 400 IU/mL in the severe subgroup.

The visceral adiposity index (VAI) is a marker of visceral fat distribution and dysfunction. Visceral adiposity is related to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, there is some controversy regarding the association between VAI and NAFLD.The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between VAI and NAFLD and to describe the related factors in severely obese patients. A total of 139 patients who underwent bariatric surgery were included in this cross-sectional study. Liver biopsy was performed during surgery. Univariate and multivariate analysis were conducted to study the features related to VAI. A univariate analysis was conducted to identify which factors were associated with liver histology. In the univariate analysis, steatosis, liver inflammation, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis were associated with VAI. In the multivariate analysis, only HOMA (Beta: 0.06; p < 0.01) and metabolic syndrome (Beta: 1.23; p < 0.01) were related to VAI. HOMA, the presence of metabolic syndrome, and waist circumference (WC) were statistically related to the NAFLD activity score (NAS score): HOMA: 0-2: 5.04; 3-4: 7.83; > or = 5: 11,32; p < 0.01; MS: 0-2: 37 %; 3-4: 33.3 %; > or = 5: 76%; p < 0.01; WC: 0-2: 128.7 cm; 3-4: 130.7; > or = 5: 140.6; p < 0.01). For the prediction of NASH (NAS score > or = 5), the AUROC curve were 0.71 (CI 95 %: 0.63-0.79) for VAI and 0.7 (CI 95 %: 0.62-0.78) for WC. In conclusion, HOMA, WC and metabolic syndrome are related to liver histology in patients with severe obesity. In the multivariate analysis, VAI was associated with HOMA and metabolic syndrome, but not with liver histology.

Introduction: Despite current treatments, more than half of patients with asthma are not controlled. The objective was to evaluate the correlation between control perceived by patients and physicians, compared with control evaluated according to criteria of the Spanish Guidelines for Asthma Management (GEMA), and to investigate the factors associated with that control., Methods: Multicenter, cross-sectional, observational study including 343 patients with severe persistent asthma according to GEMA criteria seen in the Department of Pulmonology and Allergology. The correlation between asthma control perceived by the patient, the physician and according to clinical judgment based on the GEMA criteria was calculated, and a multivariate analysis was used to determine variables related to the perception of asthma control., Results: According to GEMA criteria, only 10.2% of patients were well controlled, 27.7% had partial control and 62.1% were poorly controlled. Both the physicians and the patients overestimated control: 75.8% and 59.3% of patients had controlled asthma according to the patient and the physician, respectively, and were not controlled according to GEMA (P<.0001). Patients with uncontrolled asthma according GEMA had higher body mass index (P=.006) and physical inactivity (P=.016). Factors associated with a perceived lack of control by both physicians and patients were: nocturnal awakenings (≥ 1 day/week), frequent use of rescue medication (≥ 5 days/week) and significant limitation in activities. Discrepant factors between physicians and patients were dyspnea and emergency room visits (patients only), FEV1 ≤ 80% and a poorer understanding of the disease by the patient (physicians only)., Conclusions: Only 10% of patients with severe asthma evaluated in this study are controlled according to GEMA criteria. Patients and physicians overestimate control and the overestimation by patients is greater. Physical inactivity and obesity are associated with a lack of control according to GEMA., (Copyright © 2013 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Background: Weight loss before bariatric surgery, achieved by means of a very low calorie diet (VLCD) has been recently reported to be related to a lower rate of postoperative complications. However, it is controversial if preoperative weight loss after VLCD could improve postoperative weight loss., Aims: To assess the effectiveness of a preoperative VLCD for 6 weeks in weight loss one year after bariatric surgery. To evaluate the changes obtained in anthropometric measures and biochemical parameters after VLCD., Methods: Prospective uncontrolled study including severely obese patients undergoing biliopancreatic diversion in our Obesity Unit in 2008-2010. Patients included followed a VLCD providing 840 kcal and 60 g of protein (Optisource®). Descriptive data are presented as mean (standard deviation) and after checking a normal distribution is followed, they were analyzed by Student s T test, ANOVA or Pearson correlation., Results: We evaluated 107 obese patients, 43.5 (10.2) years-old, 72% women, with initial weight 122.4 (18.6) Kg and BMI 46.8 (5.5) kg/m(2). 24.5% of them lost more than 10 % of initial weight and 73.5% more than 5% after following VLCD. Mean percentage of excess weight loss (% PSP) one year after surgery was 59.6 (13.4)%, and although it was higher for those patients losing more weight after VLCD, a significant correlation was not found: those who lost more than 5% showed %PSP 59.5 (13.8) % after twelve months and 68.4 (16.2) % of percentage of excess BMI loss (%PEIMC), vs 57,9 (13,1) % and 68.5 (16.6) % if they didn t lose that amount of weight. Those patients losing more than 10% achieved %PSP 63.3 (13.7) and %PEIMC 70.9 (14.7) vs 58.2 (14.0) y 67.7 (16.7) vs those not losing that amount. Significant correlations between preoperative loss with VLCD and %PSP or %PEIMC at 3,6,9 and 12 months were not found, and only %PSP 1 month after surgery correlated with %PSP after VLCD (r = 0.454, p = 0.003)., Conclusions: Preoperative weight loss with VLCD in severely obese patients did not show to improve either %PSP or %PEIMC one year after bariatric surgery., (Copyright © AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2013. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.)