Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: characteristics at presentation, and evaluation of clinical and histological features associated with a worse prognosis in a Latin American cohort.

Objective We aimed to describe the presentation of papillary microcarcinoma (PTMC) and identify the clinical and histological features associated with persistence/recurrence in a Latin American cohort. Subjects and methods Retrospective study of PTMC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy, with or without radioactive iodine (RAI), and who were followed for at least 2 years. Risk of recurrence was estimated with ATA 2009 and 2015 classifications, and risk of mortality with 7th and 8th AJCC/TNM systems. Clinical data obtained during follow-up were used to detect structural and biochemical persistence/recurrence. Results We included 209 patients, predominantly female (90%), 44.5 ± 12.6 years old, 183 (88%) received RAI (90.4 ± 44.2 mCi), followed-up for a median of 4.4 years (range 2.0-7.8). The 7th and 8th AJCC/TNM system classified 89% and 95.2% of the patients as stage I, respectively. ATA 2009 and ATA 2015 classified 70.8% and 78.5% of the patients as low risk, respectively. Fifteen (7%) patients had persistence/recurrence during follow-up. In multivariate analysis, only lymph node metastasis was associated with persistence/recurrence (coefficient beta 4.0, p = 0.016; 95% CI 1.3-12.9). There were no PTMC related deaths. Conclusions Our series found no mortality and low rate of persistence/recurrence associated with PTMC. Lymph node metastasis was the only feature associated with recurrence in multivariate analysis. The updated ATA 2015 and 8th AJCC/TNM systems classified more PTMCs than previous classifications as low risk of recurrence and mortality, respectively.

Do cannabinoids constitute a therapeutic alternative for insomnia? / ¿Constituyen los cannabinoides una alternativa terapéutica para insomnio?

INTRODUCTION: It has been suggested that cannabinoids would constitute a therapeutic alternative for patients with insomnia. METHODS: To answer this question we used Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is maintained by screening multiple information sources, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. We extracted data from the systematic reviews, reanalyzed data of primary studies, conducted a meta-analysis and generated a summary of findings table using the GRADE approach. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We identified eight systematic reviews including three studies overall, of which two were randomized trials. We concluded it is not clear whether cannabinoids have an effect on insomnia severity or on sleep quality; that they might have no effect on sleep conciliation, sleep awakening or behavior during wakefulness, and are probably associated with frequent adverse effects.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Se ha planteado que la estimulación del sueño con cannabinoides podría constituir una alternativa terapéutica en pacientes con insomnio. MÉTODOS: Para responder esta pregunta utilizamos Epistemonikos, la mayor base de datos de revisiones sistemáticas en salud, la cual es mantenida mediante búsquedas en múltiples fuentes de información, incluyendo MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, entre otras. Extrajimos los datos desde las revisiones identificadas, reanalizamos los datos de los estudios primarios y preparamos una tabla de resumen de los resultados utilizando el método GRADE. RESULTADOS Y CONCLUSIONES: Identificamos ocho revisiones sistemáticas que en conjunto incluyen tres estudios primarios, de los cuales dos corresponden a ensayos aleatorizados. Concluimos que no está claro si los cannabinoides tienen un efecto en la severidad del insomnio o en la calidad del sueño; que podrían no tener efecto en la conciliación del sueño, despertar del sueño ni comportamiento durante vigilia, y probablemente se asocian a efectos adversos frecuentes.

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: characteristics at presentation, and evaluation of clinical and histological features associated with a worse prognosis in a Latin American cohort

ABSTRACT Objective We aimed to describe the presentation of papillary microcarcinoma (PTMC) and identify the clinical and histological features associated with persistence/recurrence in a Latin American cohort. Subjects and methods Retrospective study of PTMC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy, with or without radioactive iodine (RAI), and who were followed for at least 2 years. Risk of recurrence was estimated with ATA 2009 and 2015 classifications, and risk of mortality with 7th and 8th AJCC/TNM systems. Clinical data obtained during follow-up were used to detect structural and biochemical persistence/recurrence. Results We included 209 patients, predominantly female (90%), 44.5 ± 12.6 years old, 183 (88%) received RAI (90.4 ± 44.2 mCi), followed-up for a median of 4.4 years (range 2.0-7.8). The 7th and 8th AJCC/TNM system classified 89% and 95.2% of the patients as stage I, respectively. ATA 2009 and ATA 2015 classified 70.8% and 78.5% of the patients as low risk, respectively. Fifteen (7%) patients had persistence/recurrence during follow-up. In multivariate analysis, only lymph node metastasis was associated with persistence/recurrence (coefficient beta 4.0, p = 0.016; 95% CI 1.3-12.9). There were no PTMC related deaths. Conclusions Our series found no mortality and low rate of persistence/recurrence associated with PTMC. Lymph node metastasis was the only feature associated with recurrence in multivariate analysis. The updated ATA 2015 and 8th AJCC/TNM systems classified more PTMCs than previous classifications as low risk of recurrence and mortality, respectively.

Do cannabinoids constitute a therapeutic alternative for anorexia nervosa? / ¿Constituyen los cannabinoides una alternativa terapéutica en anorexia nerviosa?

INTRODUCTION: Cannabinoids have been postulated as an alternative for anorexia nervosa. However, their actual clinical efficacy and safety are still discussed. METHODS: To answer this question we used Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is maintained by screening multiple information sources, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. We extracted data from the systematic reviews, reanalyzed data of primary studies and generated a summary of findings table using the GRADE approach. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We identified four systematic reviews including two primary studies, both corresponding to randomized trials. We concluded cannabinoids might not increase weight or improve symptoms in anorexia nervosa, and are probably associated to frequent adverse effects.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Se ha planteado que la estimulación del apetito con cannabinoides podría constituir una alternativa terapéutica en anorexia nerviosa. Sin embargo, su utilidad clínica y seguridad genera controversia. MÉTODOS: Para responder esta pregunta utilizamos Epistemonikos, la mayor base de datos de revisiones sistemáticas en salud, la cual es mantenida mediante búsquedas en múltiples fuentes de información, incluyendo MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, entre otras. Extrajimos los datos desde las revisiones identificadas, reanalizamos los datos de los estudios primarios, preparamos tablas de resumen de los resultados utilizando el método GRADE. RESULTADOS Y CONCLUSIONES:: Identificamos cuatro revisiones sistemáticas que en conjunto incluyen dos estudios primarios, ambos correspondientes a ensayos aleatorizados. Concluimos que los cannabinoides podrían no aumentar el peso ni mejorar la sintomatología en la anorexia nerviosa, y se asocian a efectos adversos frecuentes.

Neck Sonography and Suppressed Thyroglobulin Have High Sensitivity for Identifying Recurrent/Persistent Disease in Patients With Low-risk Thyroid Cancer Treated With Total Thyroidectomy and Radioactive Iodine Ablation, Making Stimulated Thyroglobulin Unnecessary.

OBJECTIVES: Follow-up of patients with low-risk differentiated thyroid cancer treated with total thyroidectomy and radioiodine requires neck sonography and thyroglobulin (Tg). The need to stimulate Tg is controversial. The goal of this study was to compare the diagnostic performances of sonography plus suppressed or stimulated Tg in low-risk thyroid cancer. METHODS: After total thyroidectomy and radioiodine, patients with low-risk thyroid cancer were retrospectively identified as having structural or biochemical persistence/recurrence. We compared the diagnostic performance of suppressed and stimulated Tg to detect persistence/recurrence. RESULTS: We included 148 patients with low-risk thyroid cancer who were followed for a median of 3.7 years. Persistence/recurrence was found in 8 patients (5.4%; 5 structural disease and 3 biochemical disease). Thyroglobulin was not stimulated in 72 patients (group 1) and stimulated in 76 (group 2). In group 1, 5 patients (6.9%) had structural neck persistence/recurrence (3 with suppressed Tg ≥ 1 ng/mL and 2 with suppressed Tg < 1 ng/mL). Four patients underwent surgery, and 1 was surveilled. All 5 patients had suppressed Tg lower than 1 ng/mL at the end of follow-up. In group 2, stimulated Tg did not identify additional cases of structural persistence/recurrence but classified 3 patients (3.9%) as having biochemical persistence/recurrence. One patient received a second dose of radioiodine, and the other 2 were surveilled; all were without disease at the end of follow-up. Suppressed and stimulated Tg had negative predictive values for persistence/recurrence of 97% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In low-risk thyroid cancer treated with total thyroidectomy and radioiodine, sonography and suppressed or stimulated Tg have similar negative predictive values for persistence/recurrence. Importantly, the coexistence of negative sonographic findings and suppressed Tg lower than 1 ng/mL makes the addition of stimulated Tg unlikely to identify clinically important disease.

Kinesioterapia respiratoria en la bronquiolitis aguda: estrategia terapéutica, bases fisiológicas e impacto clínico / Chest physical therapy in acute bronchiolitis: therapeutic strategies, physiological basis and clinical impact

Acute bronchiolitis (AB) is a common acute respiratory disease that affects children younger than 2 years. The main etiological factor is given by respiratory syncytial virus. The role of chest physical therapy (CPT) in the management of this condition has been studied in recent years with discrepant results because conventional CPT has been designed for use in adult patients, which significantly compromises external validity of the studies that have evaluated the effectiveness of these treatment protocols in infants. In this sense prolonged slow expiration (PSE) arises as a therapeutic alternative, since the physiological purpose of its implementation responds to the mechanism by which the respiratory function deteriorates in this patient´s group. In recent years, successive reports have been published regarding the benefits PSE technique on the clinical course of patients with AB, which have shown that helps to reduce the hyperinflation and improve airway clearance in infant, without triggering dynamic hyperinflation. In the present review were addressed in an integrated manner the most relevant aspects related to bronchial obstruction mechanism in infant, physiological effect and impact of PSE. This report intended to be a contribution to advance the development of future research that will contribute to enrich the knowledge of this discipline.

La bronquiolitis aguda (BA) es una enfermedad respiratoria aguda frecuente que afecta a niños menores de 2 años, siendo su principal agente etiológico el virus respiratorio sincicial. El rol de la kinesioterapia respiratoria(KTR) en el manejo de esta patología ha sido materia de estudio en los últimos años con resultados discrepantes debido a que las técnicas de KTR convencional han sido diseñadas para su aplicación en el paciente adulto, lo que compromete significativamente la validez externa de los estudios que han evaluado la efectividad de estos protocolos terapéuticos en lactantes. En este contexto, surge la técnica de espiración lenta prolongada (ELPr) como alternativa terapéutica, puesto que el sustrato fisiológico de su ejecución responde al mecanismo mediante el cual se deteriora funcionalmente la mecánica ventilatoria en este grupo de pacientes. En los últimos años, se han publicado reportes consecutivos respecto a los beneficios de la técnica de ELPr sobre el curso clínico de los pacientes con BA, donde se ha observado contribuye a reducir la hiperinsuflación y permeabilizar la vía aérea del lactante, sin gatillar hiperinsuflación dinámica; pilares claves en la disfunción respiratoria en estos pacientes. En la presente revisión se abordaron de manera integrada los aspectos más relevantes vinculados a mecanismo de obstrucción bronquial del lactante, efecto fisiológico de la ELPr e impacto cínico de su ejecución. Datos que pretenden ser un aporte para avanzar en el desarrollo de investigaciones futuras que contribuyan a enriquecer el conocimiento de esta disciplina.