scholarly journals Cost analysis of inappropriate treatments for suspected dermatomycoses

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 39-44
Author(s):  
Emanuela Fiammenghi ◽  
Angela Patalano ◽  
Viviana Lo Conte ◽  
Gabriella Calabrò

Superficial mycoses are estimated to affect more than 20-25% of the world’s population with a consistent increase over the years. Most patients referred to our clinic for suspected dermatomycoses have already been treated with pharmacotherapy, without a previous mycological examination and many show changes in the clinical manifestations. Indeed, some medications, such as steroids, antiviral, antibiotics and antihistamines are not able to erase a fungal infection, but also they can cause atypical clinical manifestations. The consequences of inappropriate treatment include delayed diagnosis, prolonged healing time, and additional costs. The aims of this study were (1) to evaluate the incidence of increased costs attributable to inappropriate therapy sustained by the National Health Service and patients and (2) to highlight the importance of mycological evaluation before starting treatment, in order to improve diagnostic accuracy. An observational retrospective and prospective study was performed from September 2013 to February 2014, in 765 patients referred to our center (University Hospital “ Federico II”) in Naples, Italy, for suspected mycological infection. The following treatments (alone or in combination) were defined as inappropriate: (1) cortisone in a patient with at least one positive site; (2) antifungals in (a) patients with all negative sites or (b) ineffective antifungal treatment (in terms of drug chosen, dose or duration) in those with all positive sites; or (3) antibiotics; (4) antivirals or (5) antihistamines, in patients with ≥ 1 positive site. Five hundred and fifty patients were using medications before the assessment visit. The total amount of avoidable costs related to inappropriate previous treatments was € 121,417, representing 74% of the total treatment costs. 253/550 patients received drugs also after the visit. For these patients, the cost of treatment prescribed after mycological testing was € 42,952, with a decrease with respect to the total consumption of drugs at the time of access to the Mycology Laboratory of € 34,781. Thus, our cost analysis shows that it is important to obtain a reduction of costs for pathologies that need to be confirmed by examinations before starting treatment.

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel Ntetani Aloni ◽  
Bertin Tshimanga Kadima ◽  
Pépé Mfutu Ekulu ◽  
Aléine Nzazi Budiongo ◽  
René Makuala Ngiyulu ◽  
...  

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the incidence of sickle cell anemia (SCA) is estimated to affect 30,000 to 40,000 neonates per year. However, there is paucity of data on acute clinical manifestations in sickle cell children. In these circumstances, it is difficult to develop a health care policy for an adequate management of sickle cell patients. This was a seven years’ retrospective study of children admitted with acute sickle cell crisis in the Department of Pediatrics in University Hospital of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo. A total of 108 patients were identified as having SCA. There were 56 (51%) girls and 52 (49%) boys. Median age was 10.5 years (range 1-24 years). No child was diagnosed by neonatal screening. The median age of diagnosis of sickle cell anemia was 90 months (range: 8-250 months). The median age at the first transfusion was 36 months (range 4-168). In this series, 61 (56.5%) patients were eligible for hydroxyurea. However, this treatment was only performed in 4 (6.6%) of them. Pain episodes, acute anemic crisis and severe infection represent respectively 38.2%, 34.3% and 21.9% of events. Altered sensorium and focal deficit were encountered occasionally and represented 3.4% of acute events. Acute renal manifestations, cholelithiasis and priapism were rarely reported, in this cohort. In Kinshasa, the care of patients suffering from sickle cell anemia is characterized by the delayed diagnosis and low detection of organ complications compared to reports of Western countries. This situation is due to resources deficiencies.


2012 ◽  
pp. 74-84
Author(s):  
Thi Kieu Nhi Nguyen

Objectives: 1. Estimating the ratios of clinical and paraclinical signs of post-term newborns hospitalized at Pediatric Department of Hue University Hospital. 2. Identifying the relation between clinical signs and paraclinical signs. Materials and Method: 72 post- term babies < 7 days of life hospitalized at NICU from 2010/5 to 2011/4. Classification of post - term newborn was based on WHO 2003: gestational age ≥ 42 weeks with clinical manifestations: desquamation on press with fingers or natural desquamation, withered or meconial umbilicus, meconial long finger nails (*) or geatational age still < 42 weeks with theses clinical manifestations (*). Data were recorded on a clinical record form. Per-protocol analysis of clinical outcomes was performed by using Medcalc 11.5 and Excell 2007. Analyses used the χ2 test or Fisher's exact test for categorical data; Student's t test was used for continuous data and the Mann-Whitney U test for nonparametric data. Data were presented as means or proportions with 95% CIs. Results: Clinical characteristics: Tachypnea and grasp were main reasons of hospitalisation (48.61%). Poor feeding, vomitting (16.67%). Asphyxia (8.34%). Jawndice (6.94%). Hypothermia < 36.50C (13.89%), fever (13.89%). Tachypnea (59.72%). Bradycardia (1.39%). Poor feeding (11.11%). Hypertonia (9.72%). Paraclinical characteristics: Erythrocytes < 4.5.1012/l (51.39%), Leucocytes 5 – 25.103/mm3 (81.94%), Thrombocytes 100- 400.103/mm3 (94.44%). Hemoglobinemia < 10mg/l (67.61%). Maternal characteristics: Menstrual cycles regular (75%). Primiparity (75%). Amniotic volume average (70.42%), little (29.58%). Aminiotic liquid clair (62.5%), aminiotic liquid yellow (4.17%), aminiotic meconial liquid (33.33%). Maternal manifestation of one of many risk factors consist of genital infection; urinary infection; fever before, during, after 3 days of birth; prolonged delivery; medical diseases influence the foetus (75%). The relation between clinical signs and paraclinical signs: There was significantly statistical difference: between gestationnal age based on obstetrical criteria and amniotic volume on ultrasound (p < 0.05); between birth weight and glucosemia p < 0.02). There was conversional correlation of average level between erythroctes number and respiratory rate (r = - 0.5158; p < 0,0001), concordance correlation of weak level betwwen leucocytes number and respiratory rate r = 0.3045; p = 0.0093). Conclusion: It should made diagnosis of postterm baby based on degree of desquamation. The mother who has menstrual cycles regular is still delivered of a postterm baby. A postterm baby has the individual clinical and paraclinical signs.


2018 ◽  
pp. 100-108
Author(s):  
Dinh Khanh Le ◽  
Dinh Dam Le ◽  
Khoa Hung Nguyen ◽  
Xuan My Nguyen ◽  
Minh Nhat Vo ◽  
...  

Objectives: To investigate clinical characteristics, bacterial characteristics, drug resistance status in patients with urinary tract infections treated at Department of Urology, Hue University Hospital. Materials and Method: The study was conducted in 474 patients with urological disease treated at Department of Urology, Hue Universiry Hospital from July 2017 to April 2018. Urine culture was done in the patients with urine > 25 Leu/ul who have symptoms of urinary tract disease or infection symptoms. Patients with positive urine cultures were analyzed for clinical and bacterial characteristics. Results: 187/474 (39.5%) patients had symptoms associated with urinary tract infections. 85/474 (17.9%) patients were diagnosed with urinary tract infection. The positive urine culture rate was 45.5%. Symptoms of UTI were varied, and no prominent symptoms. E. coli accounts for the highest proportion (46.67%), followed by, Staphycoccus aureus (10.67%), Pseudomonas aeruginsa (8,0%), Streptococcus faecali and Proteus (2.67%). ESBL - producing E. coli was 69.23%, ESBL producing Enterobacter spp was 33.33%. Gram-negative bacteria are susceptible to meropenem, imipenem, amikacin while gram positive are vancomycin-sensitive. Conclusions: Clinical manifestations of urinary tract infections varied and its typical symptoms are unclear. E.coli is a common bacterium (46.67%). Isolated bacteria have a high rate of resistance to some common antibiotics especially the third generation cephalosporins and quinolones. Most bacteria are resistant to multiple antibiotics at the same time. Gram (+) bacteria are susceptible to vancomycin, and gram (-) bacteria are susceptible to cefoxitin, amikacin, and carbapenem. Key words: urinary tract infection


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaowen Hu ◽  
Guofeng Zhang ◽  
Xianmeng Chen ◽  
Kai-Feng Xu

Abstract Objective To clarify the epidemiological and clinical features of Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome (BHDS) in Chinese patients. Methods We identified reports on Chinese patients with BHDS by searching the China Academic Journals Database, Wanfang Chinese Database, and PubMed databases, either in Chinese or English languages published from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2020. Studies without sufficient clinical data were excluded and cases under 18 years old were excluded. Results Twenty papers were included and comprised 120 families with 221 cases. Most families with BHDS were reported from institutions in Beijing (66.7%) and Jiangsu Province (15.8%); 80.8% of cases were reported within the past five years. The average duration from clinical presentation to diagnosis was 9.6 years. The average age was 47.0 ± 13.9 years (range, 18–84 years) and the ratio of male to female was 1:1.6. The most common manifestations of BHDS were multiple pulmonary cysts (92.4%), spontaneous pneumothorax (71.0%), skin lesions (18.1%) and renal tumors (3.6%). Pulmonary cysts were predominantly distributed in the lower lobe on chest CT imaging. Family history of spontaneous pneumothorax was identified in 84.7% of the families and average number of pneumothoraxes was 1.8 (range, 1–6). The FLCN gene mutation c.1285dupC/delC in exon 11 was the most frequent mutation observed (17.4% of patients). The recurrence rate of pneumothorax after conservative treatment (including tube thoracostomy) was 29/41 (71%) while the pneumothorax recurred after surgical treatment (pulmonary bullectomy or pleurodesis) in only 4/37 (11%). Conclusions Although BHDS has been increasingly reported in the recent years, only minority of families were reported from institutions outside of Beijing and Jiangsu Province. The dominant clinical manifestations were pulmonary cysts associated with recurrent pneumothorax, while skin lesions and renal tumors were less commonly reported. Delayed diagnosis along with suboptimal management appear to represent critical challenges for Chinese patients with BHDS.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1284.1-1285
Author(s):  
A. S. Lundberg ◽  
B. A. Esbensen ◽  
E. M. Hauge ◽  
A. De Thurah

Background:Early treatment, before three months from symptom onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is essential to increase the likelihood of remission and to prevent permanent joint damage (1). However, it has been shown that only 20% of the patients are seen within the first three months, and the median delay in general practice has been estimated to 4 months (range 2–9) (2).Objectives:To explore the barriers in diagnosing RA from the general practitioners’ (GPs) perspective.Methods:We conducted a qualitative study based on focus group interviews. We recorded the interviews digitally and transcribed verbatim. The transcribed interviews were analyzed based on content analysis (3), by using Nivo 12. Sample size was determined by thematic saturation.Results:In total ten GPs participated in three different focus groups. 40 % were female, mean age was 53 years (range 37-64), and mean year since specialist authorization as GP was 16 years (range 5-23). 60 % of the GPs worked in a practice located within the referral area of a university hospital; the remaining within the referral area of a regional hospital.Four themes emerged in the analysis: 1) When the patient is not a text book example, referring to the difficulty of identifying relevant symptoms among all clinical manifestations from the joints as described by the patients, 2)The importance of maintaining the gatekeeper function, referring to the societal perspective, and the GPs responsibility to refer the right patients to secondary care, 3)Difficulties in referral of patients to the rheumatologist,referring to perceived differences in the collaboration with rheumatologists. The GPs experienced that it was sometimes difficult to be assisted by rheumatologists, especially when the clinical picture was not ‘clear cut’. Finally, (4)Para-clinical testing, can it be trusted?referring to challenges on the evaluation of especially biomarkers.The overarching theme was:Like finding a needle in a haystack, covering the GPs difficulties in detecting RA among the many patients in general practice who appear to be well and at the same time have symptoms very similar to RA.Conclusion:The GPs experienced that RA was a difficult diagnosis to make. The immediate challenge was that RA patient’s initial symptoms often resembled those of more common and less serious conditions, and that investigative findings such as biomarkers can be negative at the early state of the disease. At the same time, the collaboration with rheumatologists was sometimes seen as a hurdle, when the clinical picture was not ‘clear cut’.In order to facilitate earlier diagnosis of RA in general practice, the GPs and rheumatologists need to focus on these barriers by strengthening mutual information and collaboration.Physicians should remain vigilant to patients who have conditions that do not resolve as expected with treatment, who have symptoms that persist, or who do not look well despite negative investigative findings.References:[1]Aletaha D, et al. JAMA, Oct 2018.[2]Kiely P, et al. Rheumatology, Jan 2009.[3]Braun V. Qualitative research in psychology. 2006, 3(2), 77-101Disclosure of Interests:Anne Sofie Lundberg: None declared, Bente Appel Esbensen: None declared, Ellen-Margrethe Hauge Speakers bureau: Fees for speaking/consulting: MSD, AbbVie, UCB and Sobi; research funding to Aarhus University Hospital: Roche and Novartis (not related to the submitted work)., Annette de Thurah Grant/research support from: Novartis (not relevant for the present study)., Speakers bureau: Lily (not relevant for the present study).


Author(s):  
Tainã Lago ◽  
Lucas Carvalho ◽  
Mauricio Nascimento ◽  
Luiz H Guimarães ◽  
Jamile Lago ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by L. braziliensis is characterized by a single ulcer or multiple cutaneous lesions with raised borders. Cure rates below 60% are observed in response to meglumine antimoniate therapy. We investigated the impact of obesity on CL clinical presentation and therapeutic response. Methods A total of 90 age-matched CL patients were included (30 obese, 30 overweight and 30 with normal BMI). CL was diagnosed through documentation of L. braziliensis DNA by PCR or identification of amastigotes in biopsied skin lesion samples. Serum cytokine levels were determined by chemiluminescence. Antimony therapy with Glucantime (20mg/kg/day) was administered for 20 days. Results Obese CL patients may present hypertrophic ulcers rather than typical oval, ulcerated lesions. A direct correlation between BMI and healing time was noted. After one course of Antimony, cure was achieved in 73% of patients with normal BMI, 37% of overweight subjects, yet just 18% of obese CL patients (p&lt;0.01). Obese CL cases additionally presented higher leptin levels than overweight patients or those with normal BMI (p&lt;0.05). Conclusions Obesity modifies the clinical presentation of CL and host immune response, and is associated with greater failure to therapy.


Circulation ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 131 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
William Sarmiento-Robles ◽  
Luis M Garrido-Garcia

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile vasculitis of unknown origin. Despite treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin during the acute phase of the disease, up to 5% of those affected will develop coronary aneurysms predisposing them to thrombotic complications that could result in myocardial infarction (AMI). In Mexico there are few reports of ischemic complications secondary to KD. Objective: To describe the clinical features, the laboratory parameters, treatment used and the outcome of children who presented with myocardial infarction during the acute phase of KD in a third level facility in Mexico City Methods: From our Institutional Database of KD we search for children who presented AMI in the acute phase of the disease from August 1995 to August 2014. We analyzed gender, age, clinical manifestations, time from the onset of the symptoms to diagnosis, laboratory parameters, treatment used, and outcome in the acute phase of the disease. Results: Eight infants were diagnosed with AMI during the study period. The median age at diagnosis was 8 months (range 2 to 53 months). Seven patients were male (87.5%). The median from the onset of the clinical manifestations to diagnosis of KD was 22 days (range 4 to 26 days). All patients developed giant coronary aneurysms (median Z-score 18.98, with a range of Z-score from 11.58 - 27.70). An abnormal EKG and abnormal perfusion tests demonstrated the myocardial infarction in all cases. Two patients died in the acute phase of cardiogenic shock, one more patient died of dilated cardiomyopathy 12 months after coronary bypass surgery with an overall mortality of 62.5% of this group. Conclusions: AMI is a fatal complication of KD. In our small series it was associated with a delayed diagnosis of the disease and therefore the development of giant coronary aneurysms. Treatment of AMI in children after KD is a medical challenge with a poor prognosis in children.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guofeng Zhang ◽  
Xianmeng Chen ◽  
Kaifeng Xu ◽  
Xiaowen Hu

Abstract ObjectiveTo clarify the epidemiological and clinical features of Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHDS) in Chinese patients. MethodsWe identified reports on Chinese patients with BHDS by searching the China Academic Journals Database, Wanfang Chinese Database, and PubMed databases, either in Chinese or English languages published from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2020. Studies without sufficient clinical data were excluded and cases under 18 years old were excluded. ResultsTwenty papers were included and comprised 120 families with 221 cases. Most families with BHDS were reported from institutions in Beijing (66.7%) and Jiangsu Province (15.8%); 80.8% of cases were reported within the past five years. The average duration from clinical presentation to diagnosis was 9.6 years. The average age was 47.0±13.9 years (range, 18-84 years) and the ratio of male to female was 1:1.6. The most common manifestations of BHDS were multiple pulmonary cysts (92.4%), spontaneous pneumothorax (71.0%), skin lesions (18.1%) and renal tumors (3.6%). Pulmonary cysts were predominantly distributed in the lower lobe on chest CT imaging. Family history of spontaneous pneumothorax was identified in 84.7% of the families and average number of pneumothoraxes was 1.8 (range, 1-6). The FLCN gene mutation c.1285dupC/delC in exon 11 was the most frequent mutation observed (17.4% of patients). The recurrence rate of pneumothorax after conservative treatment (including tube thoracostomy) was 29/41 (71%) while the pneumothorax recurred after surgical treatment (pulmonary bullectomy or pleurodesis) in only 4/37 (11%).ConclusionsAlthough BHDS has been increasingly reported in the recent years, only minority of families were reported from institutions outside of Beijing and Jiangsu Province. The dominant clinical manifestations were pulmonary cysts associated with recurrent pneumothorax, while skin lesions and renal tumors were less commonly reported. Delayed diagnosis along with suboptimal management appear to represent critical challenges for Chinese patients with BHDS.


2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-198
Author(s):  
M. K. Lee ◽  
C. Moon ◽  
M. J. Lee ◽  
Y. G. Kwak ◽  
E. Lee ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: Extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) is more difficult to diagnose than pulmonary TB. The delayed management of EPTB can lead to complications and increase the socio-economic burden.METHODS: Patients newly diagnosed with EPTB were retrospectively enrolled from 11 general hospitals in South Korea from January 2017 to December 2018. The basic characteristics of patients were described. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed between early and delayed diagnosis groups to identify risk factors for delayed diagnosis and treatment in EPTB.RESULTS: In total, 594 patients were enrolled. Lymph node TB (28.3%) was the predominant form, followed by abdominal (18.4%) and disseminated TB (14.5%). Concurrent lung involvement was 17.8%. The positivity of diagnostic tests showed no significant difference between the two groups. Acute clinical manifestations in disseminated, pericardial and meningeal TB, and immunosuppression were associated with early diagnosis. Delayed diagnosis was associated with outpatient clinic visits, delayed sample acquisition and diagnostic departments other than infection or pulmonology.CONCLUSION: The delay in diagnosis and treatment of EPTB was not related to differences in microbiological characteristics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis itself; rather, it was due to the indolent clinical manifestations that cause referral to non-TB-specialised departments in the outpatient clinic and delay the suspicion of TB and diagnostic testing.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiyan Xu ◽  
Xiaozhou He ◽  
Renfang Xu

Antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) of renal allograft lacks typical phenotypes and clinical manifestations, always resulting in delayed diagnosis and treatment. It has been considered to be an elemental factor influencing the improvement of the long-term outcome of renal allograft. The B cell activating factor (BAFF) signal plays a fundamental function in the process of antibody-mediated immune response. Data from recipients and the nonhuman primate ABMR model suggest that the BAFF signal participates in the ABMR of renal allograft, while there are objections. The challenges in the diagnosis of ABMR, different study population, and details of research may explain the discrepancy. Large quantities of dynamic, credible data of BAFF ligands and their association with renal allograft pathological characteristics would constitute a direct proof of the role of BAFF in the progression of renal allograft ABMR.


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