Rev Port Pneumol
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Multicenter Study
Place of death in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a degenerative neurological disorder that affects motor neurons. Involvement of respiratory muscles causes the failure of the ventilator pump with more or less significant bulbar troubles. ALS course is highly variable but, in most cases, this disease entails a very significant burden for patients and caregivers, especially in the end-of-life period. In order to analyze the characteristics of ALS patients who die at home (DH) and in hospital (DHosp) and to study the variability of clinical practice, a retrospective medical records analysis was performed (n=77 from five hospitals). ⋯ In all, 14% of patients were ventilated by tracheotomy. From the analysis, 57% of patients were of DH. Mean time since the onset of symptoms was 35.93±25.89 months, significantly shorter in patients who DHosp (29.28±19.69 months) than DH (41.12±29.04) (p=0.044). The percentage of patients with facial ventilation is higher in DHosp (11.4% vs 39.4%, p<0.005). DH or not is related to a set of elements in which health resources, physician attitudes and support resources in the community play a role in the decision-making process. There is great variability between countries and between hospitals in the same country. Given the variability of circumstances in each territory, the place of death in ALS might not be the most important element; more important are the conditions under which the process unfolds.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Sedation with midazolam in flexible bronchoscopy: a prospective study.
Sedatives have been increasingly used to improve patient comfort during flexible bronchoscopy (FOB). Due to its rapid-onset, anxiolytic and amnestic properties, midazolam is one of the most commonly used sedatives. ⋯ Sedation with midazolam in FOB improved patient's comfort and decreased complaints, without significant haemodynamic changes. It should be offered to the patient on a routine basis.