Current functioning of cardio-oncology units in Spain

PURPOSE

The aim of the current survey was to describe the functioning of cardio-oncology (C-O) units in Spain.

METHODS

All members of the Spanish Society of Cardiology pertaining to scientific communities related to C-O received questionnaires on the existence of specific programs at their institutions. A second, more extensive questionnaire was sent to the centers which reported C-O organization.

RESULTS

We identified 56 centers with C-O programs of which 32 (62.5%) replied to the extended questionnaire. 28% of all centers reported having a multidisciplinary unit involving specialists in several areas. More than 80% of the centers developed surveillance protocols locally adapted which included advanced echocardiographic techniques (68%) or troponin (82%).

CONCLUSIONS

The number of institutions with C-O programs is still limited but higher than reported in a survey in 2017. Development of multidisciplinary units of C-O should be promoted to improve the cardiovascular health of cancer patients.

[Bilateral femoral cephalic osteonecrosis in a human immunodeficiency virus-infected child taking HAART]

Musculoskeletal complications are uncommon in HIV-infected patients. In adults, one manifestation is osteonecrosis which can be associated with risk factors such as alcohol consumption, smoking or use of corticosteroids. Such risk factors are rare in children. Over the last decade musculoskeletal complications have been observed in patients with advanced-stage disease or whose immune system has been reconstituted with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). This complication has been reported in adults but to date not in children. We present the case of a 5-year-old child with AIDS (C stage 3) who developed osteonecrosis related to the advanced stage of the illness and to HAART. No risk factors were found.