Systematic review and meta-analysis of intraventricular antibiotics for neonatal meningitis and ventriculitis.

PURPOSE: We aimed to determine the safety and effectiveness of intraventricular antibiotics in neonates with meningitis and/or ventriculitis and analyze the quality of available evidence. METHODS: DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EMBASE, LILACS, and SCOPUS up to 17 February 2023. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Randomized experimental and observational studies were included. The Cochrane methodology was used for systematic reviews. RESULTS: Twenty-six observational studies and one randomized clinical trial involving 272 patients were included. The risk of bias in both pediatric and neurosurgical studies was high, and the quality of evidence was low (evidence level C). In the pediatric studies, no significant differences in mortality were found between intraventricular antibiotics and only systemic antibiotic [25.4% vs 16.1%, OR = 0.96 (0.42-2.24), P = 0.93]. However, when analyzing the minimum administered doses, we found a lower mortality when a minimum duration of 3 days for intraventricular antibiotics was used compared to only systemic antibiotic [4.3% vs 17%, OR = 0.22 (0.07-0.72), P = 0.01]. In the neurosurgical studies, the use of intraventricular antibiotics in ventriculitis generally results in a mortality of 5% and a morbidity of 25%, which is lower than that in cases where intraventricular antibiotics were not used, with an average mortality of 37.3% and a morbidity of 50%. CONCLUSION: Considering the low quality of evidence in pediatric and neurosurgical studies, we can conclude with a low level of certainty that intraventricular antibiotics may not significantly impact mortality in neonatal meningitis and ventriculitis. However, reduced mortality was observed in cases treated with a minimum duration of 3 days of intraventricular antibiotic, particularly the multidrug-resistant or treatment-refractory infections. Higher-quality studies are needed to improve the quality of evidence and certainty regarding the use of intraventricular antibiotics for treating neonatal meningitis and ventriculitis.

Occipital Neuralgia: a noninvasive therapeutic approach.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the application of a noninvasive intervention consisting of a postural modification using personalized models and osteopathy in people with occipital neuralgia. METHOD: retrospective study of the intervention performed in adult population with occipital neuralgia, consisting of postural modification using personalized plantar orthoses and osteopathy, in a study period of four years. The observed variables were: persistence of headache, alignment of the axes, plantar support, center of gravity and center of mass; medical interview data, visual analogue scale, Win-Track gait analysis system and Kinovea software for video analysis (clinical assessment instruments used). RESULTS: a total of 34 records of people with occipital neuralgia were studied. A fraction of 58.8% of the patients reported improvement after the intervention. The visual analogue scale data were provided for 64.7% of the records and significant differences (p <0.001) between the means before (8.4 ± 1.7) and after the intervention (2.6 ± 2.7) were found. CONCLUSION: postural modification using personalized orthoses and osteopathy substantially improves the symptomatology of patients with occipital neuralgia.

Occipital Neuralgia: a noninvasive therapeutic approach / Neuralgia Occipital: uma abordagem terapêutica não invasiva / Neuralgia Occipital: un abordaje terapéutico no invasivo

ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the application of a noninvasive intervention consisting of a postural modification using personalized models and osteopathy in people with occipital neuralgia. Method: retrospective study of the intervention performed in adult population with occipital neuralgia, consisting of postural modification using personalized plantar orthoses and osteopathy, in a study period of four years. The observed variables were: persistence of headache, alignment of the axes, plantar support, center of gravity and center of mass; medical interview data, visual analogue scale, Win-Track gait analysis system and Kinovea software for video analysis (clinical assessment instruments used). Results: a total of 34 records of people with occipital neuralgia were studied. A fraction of 58.8% of the patients reported improvement after the intervention. The visual analogue scale data were provided for 64.7% of the records and significant differences (p <0.001) between the means before (8.4 ± 1.7) and after the intervention (2.6 ± 2.7) were found. Conclusion: postural modification using personalized orthoses and osteopathy substantially improves the symptomatology of patients with occipital neuralgia.

RESUMO Objetivo: avaliar a aplicação de uma intervenção não invasiva que consiste em uma modificação postural usando modelos personalizados e osteopatia em pessoas com neuralgia occipital. Método: estudo retrospectivo da intervenção realizada em população adulta com neuralgia occipital que consiste de modificação postural empregando órteses plantares personalizadas e osteopatia, em um período de estudo de quatro anos. As variáveis observadas foram: persistência de cefaleia, alinhamento dos eixos, apoio plantar, centro de gravidade e centro de massa; dados da entrevista médica, escala visual analógica, sistema de análise de marcha Win-Track e o software Kinovea para análise de vídeo (instrumentos de avaliação clínica utilizados). Resultados: foram estudados no total 34 registros de pessoas com neuralgia occipital. Uma fração de 58,8% dos pacientes informou apresentar melhoria após a intervenção. Os dados da escala visual analógica foram fornecidos para 64,7% dos registros, encontrando diferenças significativas (p<0,001) entre as médias antes (8,4±1,7) e depois da intervenção (2,6±2,7). Conclusão: a modificação postural empregando órteses personalizadas e osteopatia melhora substancialmente a sintomatologia dos pacientes com neuralgia occipital.

RESUMEN Objetivo: evaluar la aplicación de una intervención no invasiva consistente en una modificación postural empleando plantillas personalizadas y osteopatía en personas con neuralgia occipital. Método: estudio retrospectivo de la intervención llevada a cabo en población adulta con neuralgia occipital, de modificación postural empleando órtesis plantares personalizadas y osteopatía, en un período de estudio de cuatro años. Las variables observadas fueron: persistencia de cefalea, alineación de los ejes, apoyo plantar, centro de gravedad y centro de masa; datos de la entrevista médica, la escala visual análoga, el sistema de análisis de la marcha Win-Track y el software Kinovea para análisis de vídeo (instrumentos de valoración clínica utilizados). Resultados: un total de 34 registros de personas con neuralgia occipital fueron estudiados. Un 58,8% refería presentar mejoría tras la intervención. Los datos de la escala visual análoga eran proporcionados un 64,7% de los registros, encontrándose diferencias significativas (p<0,001) entre las medias previas a la intervención (8,4±1,7) y aquellas posteriores (2,6±2,7). Conclusión: la modificación postural empleando órtesis personalizadas y osteopatía mejora sustancialmente la sintomatología de los pacientes con neuralgia occipital.

Estructura, correlatos y predictores del estrés por aculturación: El caso de personas refugiadas colombianas en Costa Rica / Structure, correlates and predictors of acculturation stress: A case study with colombian refugees in Costa Rica

Cien personas refugiadas colombianas completaron un cuestionario que medía el estrés experimentado durante el proceso de adaptación a la sociedad costarricense, las redes de apoyo construidas en Costa Rica, la frecuencia con que se han visto discriminadas y su nivel de salud mental. Los datos muestran que el estrés por aculturación se estructuran en cuatro dimensiones: el estrés experimentado por los preparativos para la salida, el estrés derivado de su condición de refugiados, el estrés experimentado ante las necesidades económicas y el estrés vivido ante los retos de la adaptación cultural a la sociedad costarricense. Los preparativos para la salida del país son los eventos de mayor estrés reportado. La discriminación percibida y los años de residencia en Costa Rica aparecieron como los principales predictores de los tipos de estrés posinmigración, una vez controlados los efectos de la salud y las redes de apoyo.

One hundred colombian refugees completed a questionnaire measuring the level of stress they have experienced during the process of adaptation to the Costa Rican society; the social networks they have built in Costa Rica; the frequency with which they have been discriminated against; and their mental health. Data show four dimensions for acculturative stress: the stress produced by the arrangements to leave Colombia; the stress derived from their status as refugees; the stress derived from their socioeconomic needs; and the stress resulting from coping with the demands of the social and cultural adaptation to the host society. Participants reported significant higher levels of stress when planning the emigration from Colombia. Perceived discrimination and years of residence in Costa Rica were the principal predictors of acculturative stress in Costa Rica, above and below of the effect of other potential predictors, as social networks and mental health.

Combined oral cyclophosphamide and bevacizumab in heavily pre-treated ovarian cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Metronomic chemotherapy combined with bevacizumab has proved to be effective in various tumour types. The aim of this study is to review our experience in recurrent ovarian carcinomas treated with low-dose cyclophosphamide and bevacizumab. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of pre-treated ovarian cancer patients, i.e., > or =2 previous chemotherapy regimens who received treatment with oral cyclophosphamide 50 mg/day and bevacizumab 10 mg/kg IV every two weeks. Patients with a performance status 0-2 were included. The endpoints were response rates, progressionfree disease and safety profile. RESULTS: Nine patients with advanced, measurable ovarian cancer were included. Of these, 8 were platinum-resistant and had received prior regimens with gemcitabine (88%), topotecan (77%) and liposomal doxorubicin (66%). There was a mean of 5 previous lines of chemotherapy, range 2-7. Applying RECIST criteria, the efficacy data were as follows: objective response (OR) 44%; 4/9 (CR 2/9 and PR 2/9), SD 2/9 and DP 3/9. At 6 months, 33% of patients were progression free. Response lasted for 12.5 months in three patients treated for 12 months; a further two patients who were re-treated achieved complete response. Mean time to progression was 5.5 months (95% CI 4.5-5.5). No severe adverse effects were reported. Only one patient had to delay several cycles due to G3 haematuria. Other toxicities observed include G3 abdominal pain (1 case); G2 mucositis and G2 dyspnoea in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: Combined bevacizumab and metronomic oral cyclophosphamide is a safe and effective regimen for heavily pre-treated ovarian cancer patients. Further research is needed on predictive factors to screen for those patients who will benefit from anti-angiogenic therapy.

Análisis comparativo de confiabilidad y validez de dos escalas de anomia / Reliability and validity comparative analysis of two anomie’s scales

Se realizó un estudio psicométrico comparativo de la escala de la Anomie de Srole y de la escala de Anomy de McClosky y Schaar con el cual se evaluó la confiabilidad y validez de las escalas. La confiabilidad de las escalas fue explorada por medio del método de formas paralelas y la consistencia interna. La validez se valoró por medio de un método de validez de contenido, validez de criterio y de constructo. De los resultados se desprende que la escala de McClosky y Schaar muestra un mejor comportamiento a través de la muestra que la escala de Srole, aunque esta puede ser empleada siguiendo una serie de recomendaciones.(AU)

A comparative psychometric study of validity and reliability was made for the Anomie’s Srole scale and Anomy’s McClosky and Schaar scale. The reliability of the scales was carrying out by parallel forms and internal consistence methods. For validity was made a content validity, criterion validity and construct validity analysis. The results show that McClosky and Schaar’s scale had a best performance than Srole’s scale in the sample. In spite of this Srole’s scale can be used following a set of recommendations.(AU)