ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of trifarotene plus oral doxycycline in acne. METHOD(S): This was a randomized (2:1 ratio) 12-week, double-blind study of once-daily trifarotene cream 50microg/g plus enteric-coated doxycycline 120mg (T+D) versus trifarotene vehicle and doxycycline placebo (V+P). Patients were aged 12 years or older with severe facial acne (>=20 inflammatory lesions, 30 to 120 non-inflammatory lesions, and <=4 nodules). Efficacy outcomes included change from baseline in lesion counts and success (score of 0/1 with >=2 grade improvement) on investigator global assessment (IGA). Safety was assessed by adverse events and local tolerability. RESULT(S): The study enrolled 133 subjects in the T+D group and 69 subjects in the V+P group. The population was balanced, with an approximately even ratio of adolescent (12-17 years) and adult (>=18 years) subjects. The absolute change in lesion counts from baseline were: -69.1 T+D versus -48.1 V+P for total lesions, -29.4 T+D versus -19.5 V+P for inflammatory lesions, and -39.5 T+D versus -28.2 for non-inflammatory lesions (P<0.0001 for all). Success was achieved by 31.7 percent of subjects in the T+D group versus 15.8 percent in the V+P group (P=0.0107). The safety and tolerability profiles were comparable between the T+D and V+P arms. CONCLUSION(S): T+D was demonstrated to be safe and efficacious as a treatment option for patients with severe acne.Copyright © 2022 Matrix Medical Communications. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
The Covid-19 pandemic has meant a remarkable change in the education system. The adaptations in the way of teaching have led to some methodologies taking precedence over others. Cooperative Learning requires interpersonal relationships and therefore it is expected that it has been affected by the pandemic. This article analyses 177 secondary classrooms and observes that CL is not sufficiently established but that its use is sensitive to the subject, the age of the teacher and the type of classroom. © GKA Ediciones, authors.
ABSTRACT
Background Data comparing the populations’ mental health from before, during and after the pandemic is needed. We aim to assess the risk factors for the first-onset and persistence of major depressive disorder (MDD) and suicidal thoughts and behaviours (STB) during the first year of the pandemic among the Spanish general population. Methods Cohort study through two online surveys from before the pandemic (N = 2,005, October/November 2019) and 12-months later (N = 1,357) on an adult Spanish, nationally representative, population-based sample. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the association between socio-demographic, COVID-19 related variables and healthcare received during the pandemic with the onset and persistence of MDD and STB. Results Women have more than 3-fold risk for the onset (OR 3.18;CI95% 1.40 -7.22) and persistence (OR 8.62;CI95% 1.74-42.48) of MDD. Studying and working at the same time (OR 10.13;CI95% 2.17-47.35) and having close relatives/friends with COVID-19 infection (OR 14.84;CI95% 1.91-115.18) or death (OR 5.26;CI95% 1.56-17.73) due to COVID-19 are risk factors for MDD onset. Sick-leave (OR 17.19;CI95% 2.65-112.56) and unemployment (OR 7.01;CI95% 1.85-26.43) increased the risk for MDD persistence. Death of friends/colleagues due to COVID-19 (OR 8.40;CI95% 1.47-48.07) increased the risk for STB onset, and being on sick-leave (OR 7.91;CI95% 1.80-34.66) for STB persistence. Conclusions During the COVID-19 pandemic, women were consistently more at risk of having worse mental health than men. Direct and indirect consequences caused or aggravated by the pandemic are common risk factors for the increased risk for the onset and persistence of both MDD and STB. Identification of high-risk subgroups and risk factors for MDD and STB among the Spanish general population will allow the developing and implementing of evidence-driven strategies for reducing the long-term impact of the pandemic in populations’ mental health. Key messages • The pandemic consequences, whether due to having had COVID-19, having close people affected or who have died from the infection and the social consequences increase the risk for worse mental health. • Evidence-driven strategies for reducing the long-term impact of the pandemic in populations’ mental health should be a public health priority.
ABSTRACT
Context: Solid waste management during the Covid-19 pandemic has caused environmental effects that have not been sufficiently studied, especially in Latin American cities. This study presents a char-acterization of waste in Honduras during the Covid-19 lockdown, which uses a novel methodology that allows collecting information without the need for fieldwork.Method: This study was implemented in three phases (data recording, training, and data generation). All activities were carried out with the support of virtual tools such as forms and group calls. The participants received four training sessions and characterized their residues for seven days.Results: The waste generation per capita was 0,475 kg/inhab/day at the national level and 0,549 kg/inhab/day in Distrito Central [the central district]. There is an increase in the proportion of non -usable inorganic waste and a decrease in organic and recyclable waste. It is estimated that each house-hold generates 3,7 masks nationwide and 4 masks in Distrito Central on a weekly basis.Conclusions: The per-capita generation of household waste decreased during the lockdown, which may be due to a decline in families' purchasing power given the reduction in the economic activities. The appearance of a new residue is recorded: disposable masks and gloves.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The world has been suffering from the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic since December 2019. To date there is no specific treatment for such a deadly disease, but there are some plants with different phytochemical components that help the body to combat and reduce the sequelae along with the other treatments. Objective: To identify foods and medicinal plants that could be useful in the prevention, treatment and recovery of patients with COVID-19. Methods: Theoretical methods and analysis, and interpretation of available information on foods and medicinal plants and their usefulness in COVID-19 were used. It was conducted a search that included more than 50 original, review and systematic review articles in Spanish, English and Portuguese. Results: The integrity of nutritional status contributes significantly to protecting people against contagion by different infectious agents and during convalescence associated with any type of inflammatory process, including infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. There are countless treatments for viruses that include natural products such as plants of different species with antiviral, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant and protective properties of cell membranes that have shown some effect on the viruses that cause respiratory infections. Conclusions: 11 medicinal plants with antiviral, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effect are recognized. These actions were evaluated in preclinical and clinical studies. Of these, eight have in silico studies demonstrating their anti-SARS CoV2 action, nine have demonstrated immunomodulatory action, and all have anti-inflammatory action. Micronutrients present in functional foods play an important role in the immune system for the prevention, treatment and recovery of COVID-19 patients. © 2022, Editorial Ciencias Medicas. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Objective: The link with angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) is because of the known association between angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE) and SARS-COV 2. ACE 2 has been shown to be a co-receptor for viral entry for SARS-COV-2 in the respiratory epithelium. It has been a global concern that the use of this drugs may be a risk for patients with COVID-19 infection. It has been published many studies about this subject. Even today there are still controversies regarding to the impact of these drugs. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the previous use of ACEI/ARB and the prognosis of patients with COVID-19 infection Design and method: Single-center, restrospective, cohort study included 608 patients with hypertension diagnosed with COVID-19, who where hospitalized in Macarena's hospital from Mars to December 2020. Analyses of main outcomes (mortality, need of intensive cares (ICU), and days of mean study) were adjusted by multivariate logistic regression. Results: Of a total population of 500,000, 608 patients (0.12%) required admission for COVID-19. A total of 83.7% were hypertensive, specifically 75.9% were under antihypertensive treatment (35.7% with only 1 drug, 29.9% were taking two drugs, 9% with three drugs, and 1.3% with 4 drugs). 26.2% were treated with an ACEI and 24.8% with ARBs. Treatment with ACEI / ARB-II (combined or individually) had no impact on mortality (OR = 1.29;95% CI, 0.829-2.014;p = 0.257), nor ICU admission (OR = 1, 7;95% CI, 0.68 - 4.95;p = 0.232), nor on the days of mean stay (OR = 0.98;95% CI, 0.95-1.04;p = 0.325). Conclusions: It is unlikely that previous treatment with ACEI/ARB was associated with an increased mortality risk, neither ICU admission or an increase in days of mean stay. This study supports current guidelines that discourage discontinuation of ACEIS or ARBs in COVID-19 patients.
ABSTRACT
Objective: Hypertension is one of the most important factors for cardiovascular disease. It has been repeatedly proposed as a prognostic factor of severe COVID- 19 and has been included in clinical risk scores to predict the occurrence of critical illness in ospitalised with COVID-19. Also, it has been postulated the relation between antihypertensive drugs and the severity of COVID-19. The aims of our study were to analyze whether hypertension and antihypertensive treatment represent an independent risk factor for death or intensive care unit admission in patients with SARS-COV2. Design and method: Observational, retrospective, single-center cohort study of all patients admitted to Hospital Virgen Macarena diagnosed with COVID-19 between the months of March and December 2020. A bivariate analysis was performed using Pearson's chi-square Results: 608 patients required admission for COVID-19. A total of 83.7% were hypertensive, specifically 75.9% were under antihypertensive treatment (35.7% with only 1 drug, 29.9% were taking two drugs, 9% with three drugs, and 1.3% with 4 drugs). 26.2% were treated with an ACEI, 24.8% with ARA-II, 16.8% with calcium-antagonists, 30.9% with diuretics, 21.2% with beta-blockers, 0, 5% with alpha-blockers). Hypertension did not show a statistically significant relationship with mortality (p = 0.34), increase in mortality and ICU admissions. Neither treatment with ACEI (p = 0.4), ARB-II (p = 0.45), calcium antagonists (p = 0.53), diuretics (p = 0.68), alpha blockers (p = 0.07) demonstrated relation with those items. Surprisingly, beta-blockers increased the mortality in patients with SARS-COV2 (p = 0.048). Probably this results can be explained as these drugs were indicated for rate control in patients with atrial fibrillation (p = 0.006). The number of antihypertensive drugs used also did not show a statistically significant relationship with an increase in mortality (p = 0.978). Conclusions: Hypertension is a highly prevalent pathology in patients ospitalised with COVID-19 infection. However, high blood pressure was not associated with a higher risk for mortality in patients with SARS-COV-2, neither the type or the number of antihypertensive drug used. Only beta-blockers alter outcomes in hypertensive patients with COVID-19, as they were associated with more deaths.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The world has been suffering from the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic since December 2019. To date there is no specific treatment for such a deadly disease, but there are some plants with different phytochemical components that help the body to combat and reduce the sequelae along with the other treatments.
ABSTRACT
The extraordinary situation of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the lockdown and interruption of the usual Early Intervention (EI) services, although families and children still needed support. The Spanish professionals reacted quickly, reorganizing the intervention, experimenting with the possibilities of tele-intervention and sharing knowledge and experiences. This work reviews the resources generated, in relation to EI, during the first five weeks of lockdown (from March 13). This work also reviews opinions and feelings that were shared by professionals. 72 resources were identified, provided through social networks: documents (33), videoconferences and online seminars (32) and applications or web resources (8). Its characteristics, timing, orientation to families or professionals, and its alignment with a paradigm of intervention centered on the family or the child are analyzed. The opinions and feelings of the professionals are analyzed in reference to the resources provided, the needs observed in the families, the problems in tele-intervention and in the face of the approach to return to a "new normality". The results obtained complement the vision of families about the situation generated by the lockdown, which has been collected in other works. It concludes on the good health of EI in Spain and the need to deepen the proactive involvement of the family in the intervention team. © 2021 University of Salamanca. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: during the second pandemic wave of COVID-19 in Zaragoza, we studied paediatric contacts of COVID-19 positive patients to estimate the risk of infection after the exposure to a positive child or adult and the risk of infection based on the family income. Methods: we have carried out a descriptive study of all paediatric patients who have been exposed to COVID-19 at Delicias Sur Primary Care Centre, in Zaragoza, between july and august 2020. We also studied the most common symptoms, visits to the hospital emergency department, diagnostic workup, exposure to COVID-19 positive child or to COVID-19 adult and family income. Results: 292 patients had close exposure to COVID-19 individuals;218 of them tested positive for PCR SARS-CoV-2. Among the positive patients, 10.94% had been exposed to a COVID-19 child whereas 89.06% had had close contact with a COVID-19 adult. Despite that, the estimated risk of infection after exposure was of 29.8% for exposures to a COVID-19 child and of 46.53% for exposures to a COVID-19 positive adult. The Risk of infection among patients with a family income lower than 18000 € per year was higher (47.9%) than for those with a family income higher than 18000 € (27.6%). Conclusion: the Risk of COVID-19 was higher in patients with close contact with adult individuals and with lower family income. © 2022, Spanish Association of Primary Care Pediatrics. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Such as many others, without question, the beginning of the decreed lockdowns to contain the current pandemic, Bergman's The Seventh Seal (1957) came to our minds, relating the film time events with the current ones: The Black Death pandemic which isolated Sweden in XIV on one hand, and Covid-19 pandemic on the other, both syndemics as some prefer to name them. Using Ingmar Bergman's work as a reference, our aim is to make comparisons between the medieval plague and the actual pandemic, contributing with some reflections and personal opinions, many of them emerged from our own personal experience during these long months. © 2022 University of Salamanca. All Rights Reserved.
ABSTRACT
Employing active methodologies is a key element in educational innovation that has been assessed by the Observatory of Educational Innovation of the Universidad a Distancia de Madrid (Open University) since its establishment. Gamification stands out among these active methodologies, both in terms of its potential as well as because of its media interest. Research in education has brought about clarity regarding its characteristics and essential elements, highlighting its possibilities and advantages as a dynamizing element in teaching-learning processes. The goal of this article is to provide a quantitative analysis of the percentage of use of gamification in the first semester of the 2020-2021 course in Spanish secondary education, and to identify variables that influence its use and implementation. To this end, non-stratified sampling through questionnaires has been employed to enable the analysis of the use of gamification in 177 secondary and upper-secondary classrooms. In general, the data gathered and analyzed in this study suggests that gamification is a methodology on the rise after the exceptional situation of the lockdown, although it is used as a supporting methodology and its implementation in Spanish secondary education institutions is insufficiently established. Furthermore, type variables such as school, specialty, years of teaching experience and pedagogical training constitute significant values when implementing the methodology.
ABSTRACT
Individuals with malignancies and COVID-19 have a lower survival compared with the general population. However, the information about the impact of COVID-19 on the whole hematological population is scarce. We aimed to describe the 30th day overall survival (OS) after COVID-19 infection in patients with a hematological disease in Argentina. A completely anonymous survey from the Argentine Society of Hematology was delivered to all the hematologists in Argentina;it started in April 2020. A cut-off to analyze the data was performed in December 2020 and, finally, 419 patients were reported and suitable for the analysis (average age: 58 years, 90% with malignant diseases). After the COVID-19 diagnosis, the 30-day OS for the whole population was 80.2%. From the entire group (419), 101 (24.1%) individuals required intensive care unit admission, where the 30-day OS was 46.6%. Among allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients, the 30-day OS was 70.3%. Factors associated with a low OS were two or more comorbidities, an active hematological disease and history of chemotherapy. In individuals with the three factors, the 30-day OS was 49.6% while the 30-day OS in those without those factors was 100%. Patients with hematological diseases have a higher mortality than the general population. This group represents a challenge and requires careful decision-making of the treatment in order not to compromise the chances of cure.
ABSTRACT
Background: CLD patients may experience substantial burden and disruption of life associated with COVID-19 pandemic. The aim was to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on CLD patients. Methods: CLD patients from our Global Liver and Global NASH Registries (GLR/GNR) were invited to complete a COVID-19 survey with 23 items starting March 2020. Questions included whether patients had been infected with COVID-19, characteristics of the illness for those who had been infected, and various aspects of pandemicrelated disruptions of life regardless of being diagnosed with COVID-19. Results: Out of 10,500 GLR/GNR enrollees, 2500 from 7 countries completed the survey: 20% chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 14% chronic hepatitis C (CHC), and 66% non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), mean (SD) age 49±13 years, 53% male. Of all survey completers, 9.3% had had COVID-19. Of those infected, 86% were diagnosed by laboratory test, 93% had least one symptom, 75% received treatment for their symptoms. The mean duration of illness was 12.5±10.5 days, 64% reported receiving antiviral treatment, 19% were hospitalized, 13% needed oxygen support, no one required mechanical ventilation. Of patients regardless of COVID-19 diagnosis, 11.3% reported that the pandemic had an impact on their liver disease with 73% reporting delays in follow-up care. The Life Disruption Event Perception (LDEP) questionnaire confirmed that 81% of COVID-19-infected patients vs. 69% patients without COVID-19 (p=0.0001) experienced worsening in at least one aspect of their life (Figure). Self-assessed health scores were lower in patients with COVID-19: 6.7±2.2 vs. 7.4±2.2 (on a 1-10 scale with 10 indicating perfect health) (p<0.0001) despite having reported similar scores before the pandemic (8.5±1.4 vs. 8.4±1.6, p=0.59). The highest proportion of exercise and social impairments were reported from Turkey and Mexico, respectively. In multivariate analysis, after adjustment for country of enrollment, liver disease etiology and severity, age, sex, BMI, diabetes, history of psychiatric comorbidities, having had COVID-19 was found to be independently associated with lower self-assessed health scores (β=-0.71±0.14, p<0.0001). Conclusion: CLD patients experience substantial burden of COVID-19 pandemic on their daily lives regardless of whether they had been infected. However, self-reported health scores were lower in CLD patients with COVID-19 infection in comparison to those who did not have it.
ABSTRACT
The megadiversity of Peru, has many species framed in the genus Cinchona, Ladenbergia and Remijia, and that the inhabitants of the Andean-Amazonian Communities know them indistinctly as "quina trees", "quina" or "cascarillas" and which They attribute medicinal properties to them against malaria, broncho-respiratory diseases and especially Covid-19. However, the indiscriminate exploitation and the little interest of the investigation has contributed to the extinction and confusion in the identification of the species in different genera;In view of this, the research objective was to quantify the alkaloids of Ladenbergia oblongifolia "quina tree";in order to promote the revaluation of this species as a promising ethnobotanical resource that seeks to correlate its active principles or secondary metabolites with the consequent pharmacological actions attributed to it. For this, bark and leaves of L. oblongifolia were used, from Chiclin, Chicama, Ascope, La Libertad, Peru;the taxonomic determination was carried out in the Herbarium Truxillense (HUT);while the extraction and quantification of alkaloids in the Laboratory of Instrumental Methods, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engineering of the National University of Trujillo. It is concluded that the leaves of L. oblongifolia contain 0.1039 mmol alkaloids/g dry matter, and these metabolites can be extracted directly from the leaves, without the need to cut or destroy the trees, so it is urgent to implement mechanisms of use of the leaves instead of the bark, thus avoiding their extinction.
ABSTRACT
The global health crisis caused by COVID-19 has severely affected several countries in Latin America. Ecuador has been dealing with concerns in their national health services as well as the economic crisis due to the oil price crash earlier in the year. The Galapagos Islands have also been affected by the pandemic due to a reduction in tourism caused by travel restrictions. Tourism is the main source of income for the Islands. Schools have also been affected as the regular school year in Ecuador was initially delayed and later switched to online sessions. Due to the current health hiatus and considering the challenges with internet access, quality of education, and tourism, a number of initiatives are considered here to promote Digital Literacy Education for the youth as well as digital solutions to provide a safer environment for tourists attractions in the Galapagos Islands. An overview of the different projects, experiences, and future work will be presented. © 2021 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Spain is one of the European countries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Epidemiologic studies are warranted to improve the disease understanding, evaluate the care procedure and prepare for futures waves. The aim of the study was to describe epidemiologic characteristics associated with hospitalized patients with COVID-19. METHODS: This real-world, observational, multicenter and retrospective study screened all consecutive patients admitted to 8 Spanish private hospitals. Inclusion criteria: hospitalized adults (age≥18 years old) with clinically and radiologically findings compatible with COVID-19 disease from March 1st to April 5th, 2020. Exclusion criteria: patients presenting negative PCR for SARS-CoV-2 during the first 7 days from hospital admission, transfer to a hospital not belonging to the HM consortium, lack of data and discharge against medical advice in emergency departments. RESULTS: One thousand and three hundred thirty-one COVID-19 patients (medium age 66.9 years old; males n= 841, medium length of hospital stayed 8 days, non-survivors n=233) were analyzed. One hundred and fifteen were admitted to intensive care unit (medium length of stay 16 days, invasive mechanical ventilation n= 95, septic shock n= 37 and renal replacement therapy n= 17). Age, male gender, leukocytes, platelets, oxygen saturation, chronic therapy with steroids and treatment with hydroxychloroquine/azithromycin were independent factors associated with mortality. The proportion of patients that survive and received tocilizumab and steroids were lesser and higher respectively than those that die, but their association was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Overall crude mortality rate was 17.5%, rising up to 36.5% in the subgroup of patients that were admitted to the intensive care unit. Seven factors impact in hospital mortality. No immunomodulatory intervention were associated with in-hospital mortality.