[Quality study of diagnostic and follow-up procedures of bone involvement in type 1 Gaucher"s disease in Spain].
BACKGROUND
Bone involvement in type 1 Gaucher"s disease can be devastating and is oftenly silent. Bone MR is generally recommended. The aim of the study was to elucidate whether the size and location of hospitals in Spain implies any difference in management of GD patients.


METHODS
We surveyed the type of facilities in the hospital (namely MRI) as well as for the presence, type, severity and methodology of follow-up of bone involvement associated to GD, according to the category of hospital (local or reference).


RESULTS
31 patients were followed in reference hospitals whereas 16 other were in local hospitals. 70% of cases had some type of bone involvement, 60% had severe bone disease. MRI was the first choice for diagnosis in 65% and for follow-up in 93% of cases. MRI is less indicated among patients from local hospitals. Chitotriosidase is measured in a high, but insufficient, proportion of the followed patients (60%).


CONCLUSIONS
The Spanish hospital network, either reference or local hospitals, have an adequate infrastructure for the management of GD patients. However, main diagnostic resources are being currently underused.
Pérez Calvo
J I
JI
Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, Zaragoza. mibh-jperez@hcu-lblesa.es
Giraldo Castellano
P
P
Rubio-Félix
D
D
Giralt Reichs
M
M
Pocoví Mieras
M
M
D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005776:Gaucher Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires