José L. Bernal

Impact on Mortality of Different Network Systems in the Treatment of ST-segment Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction. The Spanish Experience.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES To analyze the association between the development of network systems of care for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the autonomous communities (AC) of Spain and the regional rate of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and in-hospital mortality. METHODS From 2003 to 2012, data from the minimum basic data set of the Spanish taxpayer-funded health system were analyzed, including admissions from general hospitals. Diagnoses of STEMI and related procedures were codified by the International Diseases Classification. Discharge episodes (n = 302 471) were distributed in 3 groups: PCI (n = 116 621), thrombolysis (n = 46 720), or no reperfusion (n = 139 130). RESULTS Crude mortality throughout the evaluation period was higher for the no-PCI or thrombolysis group (17.3%) than for PCI (4.8%) and thrombolysis (8.6%) (P < .001). For the aggregate of all communities, the PCI rate increased (21.6% in 2003 vs 54.5% in 2012; P < .001) with a decrease in risk-standardized mortality rates (10.2% in 2003; 6.8% in 2012; P < .001). Significant differences were observed in the PCI rate across the AC. The development of network systems was associated with a 50% increase in the PCI rate (P < .001) and a 14% decrease in risk-standardized mortality rates (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS From 2003 to 2012, the PCI rate in STEMI substantially increased in Spain. The development of network systems was associated with an increase in the PCI rate and a decrease in in-hospital mortality.

Trends in respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis hospitalizations in children less than 1 year: 2004-2012.

Abstract Objective To analyze trends in health outcomes and the influence of risk factors in children under 1 year with acute bronchiolitis due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV bronchiolitis). A risk-adjustment model for RSV bronchiolitis in-hospital mortality was also developed. Research design and methods Retrospective study of hospitalizations for RSV bronchiolitis in children aged <1 year from 2004 to 2012. We used nationally representative data from the Spanish National Health Service records. Results Over the study period, the annual hospital discharges for RSV bronchiolitis ranged between 6390 and 8637. The annual in-hospital mortality rate ranged from 120 (2004) to 69 (2012) per 100,000 hospitalizations and the mean length of stay decreased steadily from 6.5 to 5.2 days (p < 0.001); 98.3% of hospitalizations for RSV bronchiolitis were children without risk factors. The in-hospital mortality rate due to RSV bronchiolitis in children with risk factors was 18.8 times higher than non-high-risk children and, in adjusted analyses, the OR of in-hospital mortality due to RSV bronchiolitis was higher than that due to other causes. Limitations This study is a retrospective analysis, based on administrative data. It does not include data about pre- or in-hospital treatments, and has the limitations inherent in procedures for determining risk-adjusted mortality rates. Socioeconomic and environmental factors have not been considered in this study. Conclusions RSV bronchiolitis is a leading cause of hospitalizations for infants under 1 year and has not shown incidence reduction over a 9 year period. Risk factors increase the in-hospital mortality risk and it is higher if the hospitalization cause is RSV bronchiolitis than any other reason.

RECALMIN. La atención al paciente en las unidades de Medicina Interna del Sistema Nacional de Salud

OBJECTIVES To perform a situation analysis of the care provided by internal medicine units (IMUs) in Spain and to develop, based on this analysis, proposals for improving the quality of care in these units. MATERIAL AND METHODS A descriptive, cross-sectional study of the IMUs of general acute care hospitals of the Spanish National Health System (SNHS), with data referring to 2013. The study variables were collected via an ad hoc questionnaire. RESULTS Of the total 260hospitals identified in the SNHS, 142responses were obtained from 139hospitals throughout Spain, which represents 53.5% of the IMUs in the SNHS. The mean number of internists per IMU was 14±8, with a mean rate of 7.2±3.3 internists per 100,000 inhabitants. In 2013, the average number of hospital discharges from the IMU was 2,987±2,066, and those discharged by internists was 232±107. Sixty-one percent of the IMUs had implemented an interconsultation unit, and 41% had implemented a systematic care program for complex chronic patients. Thirty-three percent of the IMUs conducted multidisciplinary rounds, and 60% of these IMUs planned the discharge. CONCLUSIONS The 2013 RECALMIN survey revealed a number of important aspects of the organisation, structure and management of IMUs. The remarkable variability in the indicators of structure, activity and management probably reflect significant differences in efficiency and productivity, which therefore provide significant room for improvement.

RECALMIN: The association between management of Spanish National Health Service Internal Medical Units and health outcomes

Objective To investigate the association between management of Internal Medical Units (IMUs) with outcomes (mortality and length of stay) within the Spanish National Health Service. Design Data on management were obtained from a descriptive transversal study performed among IMUs of the acute hospitals. Outcome indicators were taken from an administrative database of all hospital discharges from the IMUs. Setting Spanish National Health Service. Participants One hundred and twenty-four acute general hospitals with available data of management and outcomes (401 424 discharges). Main Outcome Measures IMU risk standardized mortality rates were calculated using a multilevel model adjusted by Charlson Index. Risk standardized myocardial infarction and heart failure mortality rates were calculated using specific multilevel models. Length of stay was adjusted by complexity. Results Greater hospital complexity was associated with longer average length of stays (r: 0.42; P < 0.001). Crude in-hospital mortality rates were higher at larger hospitals, but no significant differences were found when mortality was risk adjusted. There was an association between nurse workload with mortality rate for selected conditions (r: 0.25; P = 0.009). Safety committee and multidisciplinary ward rounds were also associated with outcomes. Conclusions We have not found any association between complexity and intra-hospital mortality. There is an association between some management indicators with intra-hospital mortality and the length of stay. Better disease-specific outcomes adjustments and a larger number of IMUs in the sample may provide more insights about the association between management of IMUs with healthcare outcomes.

Clinical and Administrative Data on the Research of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Spain. Minimum Basic Data Set Validity

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Health outcomes research is done from clinical registries or administrative databases. The aim of this work was to evaluate the concordance of the Minimum Basic Data Set (MBDS) with the DIOCLES (Descripción de la Cardiopatía Isquémica en el Territorio Español) registry and to analyze the implications of use of the MBDS in the study of acute coronary syndrome in Spain. METHODS Through indirect identifiers, DIOCLES was linked with MBDS and unique matches were selected. Some of most relevant variables for risk adjustment of in-hospital mortality due to acute myocardial infarction were considered. Kappa coefficient was used to evaluate the concordance; sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values to measure the validity of the MBDS, and the area under ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve to calculate its discrimination. The results were compared among hospitals quintiles according to their contribution to DIOCLES. The influence of unmatched episodes on results was assessed by a sensitivity analysis, using looser linking criteria. RESULTS Overall, 1539 (60.85%) unique matches were achieved. The prevalence was higher in DIOCLES (acute myocardial infarction: 71.09%; Killip 3-4: 9.17%; cerebrovascular accident: 0.97%; thrombolysis: 8.64%; angioplasty: 61.92% and coronary bypass: 1.75%) than in the MBDS (P < .001). The agreement level observed was almost perfect (κ = 0.863). The MBDS showed a sensitivity of 85.10% and a specificity of 98.31%. Most results were confirmed by using sensitivity analysis (79.95% episodes matched). CONCLUSIONS The MBDS can be a useful tool for outcomes research of acute coronary syndrome in Spain. The contrast of DIOCLES and MBDS with medical records could verify their validity.

Spanish population-study shows that healthy late preterm infants had worse outcomes one year after discharge than term-born infants

This study assessed the risks associated with healthy late preterm infants and healthy term‐born infants using national hospital discharge records.

Management of myocardial infarction in the elderly. Insights from Spanish Minimum Basic Data Set

Background: We aimed to assess the impact of implementation of reperfusion networks, the type of hospital and specialty of the treating physician on the management and outcomes of ST segment elevation myocardial infarction in patients aged ⩾75 years. Methods: We analysed data from the Minimum Basic Data Set of the Spanish public health system, assessing hospital discharges between 2004 and 2013. Discharges were distributed in three groups depending on the clinical management: percutaneous coronary intervention, thrombolysis or no reperfusion. Primary outcome measure was all cause in-hospital mortality. For risk adjustment, patient comorbidities were identified for each index hospitalization. Results: We identified 299,929 discharges, of whom 107,890 (36%) were in-patients aged ⩾75 years. Older patients had higher prevalence of comorbidities, were less often treated in high complexity hospitals and were less frequently managed by cardiologists (p<0.001). Both percutaneous coronary intervention and fibrinolysis were less often performed in elderly patients (p<0.001). A progressive increase in the rate of percutaneous coronary intervention was observed in the elderly across the study period (from 17% in 2004 to 45% in 2013, p<0.001), with a progressive reduction of crude mortality (from 23% in 2004 to 19% in 2013, p<0.001). Adjusted analysis showed an association between being treated in high complexity hospitals, being treated by cardiologists and lower in-hospital mortality (p <0.001). Conclusions: Elderly patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction are less often managed in high complexity hospitals and less often treated by cardiologists. Both factors are associated with higher in-hospital mortality.

Cardiovascular Disease and Gross Domestic Product in Spain. Health and Policy

The scientific letter by Escaño-Marı́n et al. contains a number of assumptions that need to be qualified in view of the limitations in the study’s ecological design and the important health policy implications. Regional per capita income shows an association with cardiovascular disease mortality (r = –0.738; P < .01) and, to a greater extent, with all-cause mortality (r = –0.781; P < .01) (Figure 1). Social determinants are major contributors to cardiovascular risk (CVR) and to health inequalities between countries, regions, and socioeconomic groups. However, we question the authors’ conclusion ‘‘that the wealth of a region should be taken into account when estimating CV risk’’ and their proposal to use this measure ‘‘to help ensure appropriate resource assignment and to evaluate the success or failure of health policies.’’ Given that CVR is determined in individuals, it would seem more appropriate for CVR estimates to consider social indicators such as unemployment, social exclusion, and educational level. The association between per capita income and mortality led the authors to conclude that ‘‘regions with a lower socioeconomic status may be at greater CV risk.’’ In our view, this assertion mixes up or confuses individual risk with the regional ecological association between income and mortality and implies that poorer regions are likely to have worse prevention and risk-factor control and ‘‘a lower degree of control and prevention of these factors and greater barriers to accessing the health system.’’ We find this argument questionable in light of international experience showing widely differing public health indicators between regions with similar per capita incomes. These differences are closely related to policies addressing social inequality, especially those related to revenue and spending, employment, housing, and family support. In Spain, for example, there is little or no significant correlation between per capita gross domestic product and per capita public health spending (r = 0.150; P = .566) (Figure 2); moreover, the available evidence indicates that the Spanish National Health Service is effective at preventing inequalities both in access to diagnosis and treatment and in control of CVR risk factors. Interregional inequalities in CVR are explained not by uneven health care provision, but by social determinants. Rev Esp Cardiol. 2017;70(3):220–223