Utilización de la presión negativa en las heridas crónicas: revisión bibliográfica

Introducción: Las úlceras suponen un importante problema de salud tanto para las personas que las sufren, como para los sistemas sanitarios. Las terapias convencionales son, en muchas ocasiones, ineficaces. La terapia por presión negativa (TPN), cada vez más utilizada, tiene el objetivo de mejorar la calidad del lecho de la herida eliminando el exceso de exudado. Objetivos: Determinar si la TPN es más eficaz que los tratamientos convencionales y revisar las recomendaciones basadas en la evidencia establecidas para las úlceras por presión, de pie diabético, arteriales y venosas. Métodología: Se ha realizado una búsqueda bibliográfica en Proquest Central, PubMed, Embase, Medline, Cuiden y la biblioteca Cochrane. Se han incluido 12 ensayos clínicos controlados aleatorizados, 5 revisiones sistemáticas, un documento de consenso y un informe de evaluación de tecnologías sanitarias. Resultados: La mayor parte de los estudios demuestran la eficacia de la TPN que en el grupo tratado de forma convencional. Se analizan resultados primarios, como el tiempo de curación y el cambio en las dimensiones de la herida; y secundarios, como las complicaciones y la tasa de recurrencia. Discusión: Es importante tener en cuenta que una gran parte de los estudios están subvencionados por el fabricante del dispositivo de TPN, lo que supone un importante riesgo de sesgos. Además, los resultados de los estudios y las recomendaciones son en algún caso contradictorias. Conclusiones: La evidencia demuestra la eficacia de la TPN. Son necesarios más ensayos independientes que estudien mejor ciertos parámetros, como los efectos adversos o el aportes sanguíneo de la herida.

Social, economic, and health impact of the respiratory syncytial virus: a systematic search

Background: Bronchiolitis caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and its related complications are common in infants born prematurely, with severe congenital heart disease, or bronchopulmonary dysplasia, as well as in immunosuppressed infants. There is a rich literature on the different aspects of RSV infection with a focus, for the most part, on specific risk populations. However, there is a need for a systematic global analysis of the impact of RSV infection in terms of use of resources and health impact on both children and adults. With this aim, we performed a systematic search of scientific evidence on the social, economic, and health impact of RSV infection. Methods: A systematic search of the following databases was performed: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Spanish Medical Index, MEDES-MEDicina in Spanish, Cochrane Plus Library, and Google without time limits. We selected 421 abstracts based on the 6,598 articles identified. From these abstracts, 4 RSV experts selected the most relevant articles. They selected 65 articles. After reading the full articles, 23 of their references were also selected. Finally, one more article found through a literature information alert system was included. Results: The information collected was summarized and organized into the following topics: 1. Impact on health (infections and respiratory complications, mid-to long-term lung function decline, recurrent wheezing, asthma, other complications such as otitis and rhino-conjunctivitis, and mortality; 2. Impact on resources (visits to primary care and specialists offices, emergency room visits, hospital admissions, ICU admissions, diagnostic tests, and treatments); 3. Impact on costs (direct and indirect costs); 4. Impact on quality of life; and 5. Strategies to reduce the impact (interventions on social and hygienic factors and prophylactic treatments). Conclusions: We concluded that 1. The health impact of RSV infection is relevant and goes beyond the acute episode phase; 2. The health impact of RSV infection on children is much better documented than the impact on adults; 3. Further research is needed on mid-and long-term impact of RSV infection on the adult population, especially those at high-risk; 4. There is a need for interventions aimed at reducing the impact of RSV infection by targeting health education, information, and prophylaxis in high-risk populations.

Dobutamine in Paediatric Population: A Systematic Review in Juvenile Animal Models

Objective: Although dobutamine is widely used in neonatal clinical practice, the evidence for its use in this specific population is not clear. We conducted a systematic review of the use of dobutamine in juvenile animals to determine whether the evidence from juvenile animal experiments with dobutamine supported the design of clinical trials in neonatal/ paediatric population. Methods: Studies were identified by searching MEDLINE (1946-2012) and EMBASE (1974-2012). Articles retrieved were independently reviewed by three authors and only those concerning efficacy and safety of the drug in juvenile animals were included. Only original articles published in English and Spanish were included. Results: Following our literature search, 265 articles were retrieved and 24 studies were included in the review: 17 focused on neonatal models and 7 on young animal models. Although the aims and design of these studies, as well as the doses and ages analysed, were quite heterogeneous, the majority of authors agree that dobutamine infusion improves cardiac output in a dose dependent manner. Moreover, the cardiovascular effects of dobutamine are influenced by postnatal age, as well as by the dose used and the duration of the therapy. There is inadequate information about the effects of dobutamine on cerebral perfusion to draw conclusions. Conclusion: There is enough preclinical evidence to ensure that dobutamine improves cardiac output, however to better understand its effects in peripheral organs, such as the brain, more specific and well designed studies are required to provide additional data to support the design of clinical trials in a paediatric population.