Use of micafungin as antifungal prophylaxis in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in Spain (GETH-MIC)   

CRISTINA LÓPEZ-SÁNCHEZ, DAVID VALCÁRCEL, VALLE GÓMEZ, JAVIER LÓPEZ-JIMÉNEZ, DAVID SERRANO, VICENTE RUBIO, CARLOS SOLANO, LOURDES VÁZQUEZ, ISABEL RUIZ-CAMPS ON BEHALF OF THE GRUPO ESPAÑOL DE TRASPLANTE HEMATOPOYÉTICO (GETH)

http://www.doi.org/10.37201/req/094.2019

Introduction. The fungal infections remain an important problem in the allogeneic stem cell trasnsplantation (allo-SCT) setting and thus, anti-fungal prophylaxis is commonly used. The antifungal drug should offer activity, at least against Candida and Aspergillus spp., a good safety profile and low probability interactions. Micafungin could theoretically fulfill these requisites. The aim of the study was to describe the experience with micafungin as primary prophylaxis in patients undergoing allo-SCT in a cohort of Spanish centres, and to evaluate its ef-ficacy and tolerability in this population.
Material and methods. Retrospective multicentre observational study including all consecutive adult patients admitted for allo-SCT in participating centres of the Grupo Español de Trasplante Hematopoyético (GETH), from January 2010 to December 2013, who received micafungin as primary prophylaxis during the neutropenic period.
Results. A total of 240 patients from 13 centres were identified and 159 patients were included for the analysis. Most patients (95.6%) received 50 mg/day of micafungin. During the follow-up, 7 (4.4%) patients developed breakthrough invasive fungal disease, 1 proven and 6 probable; one patient discontinued the drug because of serious drug interactions. Prophylaxis with micafungin was considered effective in 151 (94.9%) patients.
Conclusions. According to our experience, micafungin is an appropriate alternative for antifungal prophylaxis in patients undergoing an allo-HSCT, because its efficacy, its low profile of drug interactions and side-effects.

Rev Esp Quimioter 2020; 33(2): 110-115 [Full-text PDF]

Compliance with preventive measures against malaria of personnel treated in the centre of international vaccination of the Minister of Defence (Spain)   

MARÍA JULIA AJEJAS BAZÁN, CARLOS FUENTES MORA

http://www.doi.org/10.37201/req/063.2019

Objective. This study evaluated the compliance with preventive measures against malaria of the personnel treated in the Spanish Defence International Vaccination Centre (CVI).
Material and methods. A retrospective study was conducted from November to December 2017. The population was 534 individuals. All were treated in CVI, prior to their deployment on endemic areas of malaria, with prevention measures type C and D. A questionnaire of 23 items was elaborated.
Results. The percentage of response to the questionnaire was 36.9% (n=194), 100% were male. Air conditioner was the most used protection measure 93.8% (IC 95% 90.4-97.2). Only 35.5% (95% CI: 28.8-42.2) of them, showed good adherence to medication. The factors that influenced in the adherence were the country and the length of deployment. It was not established a direct relationship between the occurrence of adverse reactions and low adherence to treatment.
Conclusions. The general protection measures against malaria were met in a high percentage, whilst the use of chemoprophylaxis was very low. These epidemiological data allowed us to know the validity of the health education that is provided in the traveller’s care consultation. It also allowed being aware of the possibilities of infection and import of malaria by personnel of the Spanish Armed Forces. The traveller’s office will reinforce the importance of taking the adequate chemo-prophylaxis trough conferences and informative diptychs..

Rev Esp Quimioter 2020; 33(1):11-17 [Full-text PDF]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Spain and the different aspects of its social impact: a multidisciplinary opinion document  

EMILIO BOUZA, AGUSTÍ ALVAR, PERE ALMAGRO, TAMARA ALONSO, JULIO ANCOCHEA, FERRÁN BARBÉ, JOSEP CORBELLA, DIEGO GRACIA, ENRIQUE MASCARÓS, JOAN MELIS, MARC MIRAVITLLES, MARIANO PASTOR, PATRICIA PÉREZ, DAVID RUDILLA, ANTONI TORRES, JOAN BAUTISTA SORIANO, ANTONI VALLANO, FRANCISCO VARGAS, ESTEBAN PALOMO

http://www.doi.org/10.37201/req/2064.2019

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most prevalent diseases in the World, and one of the most important causes of mortality and morbidity. In adults 40 years and older, it affects more than 10% of the population and has enormous personal, family and social burden. Tobacco smoking is its main cause, but not the only one, and there is probably a genetic predisposition that increases the risk in some patients. The paradigm of this disease is changing in Spain, with an increase of women that has occurred in recent years. Many of the physio pathological mechanisms of this condition are well known, but the psychological alterations to which it leads, the impact of COPD on relatives and caregivers, the limitation of daily life observed in these patients, and the economic and societal burden that they represent for the health system, are not so well-known. A major problem is the high under-diagnosis, mainly due to difficulties for obtaining, in a systematic way, spirometries in hospitals and health-care centers. For this reason, the Fundación de Ciencias de la Salud and the Spanish National Network Center for Research in Respiratory Diseases (CIBERES) have brought together experts in COPD, patients and their organizations, clinical psychologists, experts in health economics, nurses and journalists to obtain their opinion about COPD in Spain. They also discussed the scientific bibliometrics on COPD that is being carried out from the CIBERES and speculated on the future of this condition. The format of the meeting consisted in the discussion of a series of questions that were addressed by different speakers and discussed until a consensus conclusion was reached.

Rev Esp Quimioter 2020; 33(1):49-67 [Full-text PDF]

Decreased painful visual acuity. Corynebacterium macginleyi blebitis-endophthalmitis infection  

(Disminución de agudeza visual dolorosa. Blebitis-endoftalmitis infecciosa por Corynebacterium macginleyi)

LAURA TABUENCA DEL BARRIO, MARCOS MOZO CUADRADO, ENRIQUE BORQUE RODRÍGUEZ-MAIMÓN, ALICIA ZUBICOA ENERIZ, ANDRÉS GARRALDA LUQUÍN

doi:10.37201/req/070.2019

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Rev Esp Quimioter 2020; 33(1):80-82 [Full-text PDF]

Keywords: Blebitis-endophthalmitis; Corynebacterium macginleyi; trabeculectomy.

Use of WalkAway MicroScan system colistin well when determining the susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii recent clinical isolates    

(Uso del pocillo de colistina del sistema Microscan WalkAway para la determinación de la sensibilidad de aislados clínicos recientes de Pseudomonas aeruginosa y Acinetobacter baumannii)

JAIME BORREGO-JIMÉNEZ, CLAUDIA SORIA-SEGARRA, TEODORA DIANA MOLDOVAN, JOSÉ MARÍA NAVARRO-MARÍ, JOSÉ GUTIÉRREZ-FERNÁNDEZ

http://www.doi.org/10.37201/req/076.2019

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Rev Esp Quimioter 2020; 33(1):83-84 [Full-text PDF]

Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, colistin.