ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Chronic urticaria (CU) manifests itself with hives and sometimes angioedema. Physical and social discomfort worsens patient quality of life. CU has an important impact on patients' economy. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship of quality of life (QoL) with economic burden and chronic urticaria control of in patients treated at our center. METHODS: Cross-sectional, descriptive, observational study. We included CU-diagnosed adult patients. The CU-Q2oL and UCT questionnaires in Spanish and the economic burden and comorbidities questionnaire developed by our center were applied. A sample size of 36 patients was calculated. RESULTS: 36 patients were included, out of which 58.3% were females. Mean age was 39.9 ± 15.6 years. Regarding QoL, 66.7% of patients reported being "A little" affected, 25% "Somewhat" and 8.3% "A lot", and its relationship with monthly income yielded a p-value of 0.017. 38.9% of patients reported having a monthly income of less than $ 5000 pesos. When disease control was compared with the CU-Q2oL, a significant difference was obtained for questions concerning itching. CONCLUSION: There was association between the quality of life of patients with chronic urticaria and monthly income, the lower the income, the more will the quality of life be affected. Furthermore, greater CU control was observed to reduce the negative effects on quality of life caused by itching.
Antecedentes: La urticaria crónica se manifiesta con erupciones y ocasionalmente con angioedema. La molestia física y social empeora la calidad de vida de los pacientes, quienes, además, enfrentan importantes gastos. Objetivo: Evaluar la relación de la calidad de vida con la carga económica y el control de la urticaria crónica. Métodos: Estudio transversal, descriptivo y observacional. Se incluyeron adultos con diagnóstico de urticaria crónica. Se aplicaron los cuestionarios CU-Q2oL y UCT en español y un cuestionario sobre carga económica y enfermedades coexistentes. Se calculó un tamaño de muestra de 36 pacientes. Resultados: Se incluyeron 36 pacientes, 58.3 % fue del sexo femenino. La edad fue de 39.9 años ± 15.6. Respecto a la calidad de vida, 66.7 % reportó poca afectación, 25 % bastante y 8.3 % mucha; la relación con el ingreso económico mensual obtuvo p = 0.017; 38.9 % refirió ingresos mensuales menores a $5000. Al comparar el control de la enfermedad con el CU-Q2oL se obtuvo diferencia significativa para las preguntas referentes a prurito. Conclusiones: Existió asociación entre calidad de vida de los pacientes con urticaria crónica e ingreso familiar mensual: a menor ingreso, más afectación de la calidad de vida. A mayor control de la enfermedad, menor afectación.
Subject(s)
Cost of Illness , Quality of Life , Urticaria/economics , Adult , Chronic Disease , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Hospitals, University , Humans , Male , Mexico , Urticaria/therapyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Cupressus pollen is one of the main causes of allergic respiratory disease in North America. In a previous study of pollen concentration in Monterrey, Cupressus occupied the 3rd place in frequency. OBJECTIVE: To know the sensitization to Cupressus in patients treated at our center. METHODS: We conducted an observational, cross-sectional and prospective study, with a questionnaire to assess potential exposure and allergic symptoms to pollen, skin tests with allergen extract of Cupressus 1:20 dilution, and skin tests with others 36 aeroallergens in our hospital. RESULTS: We did Cupressus skin test in 256 patients (136 women), 130 younger than 18 years old and 126 adults. The skin test was positive in 39 patients (15.2%). Of the 36 aeroallergens tested, Cupressus occupied the 7th place in frequency. Of the 130 under 18 years, only 10 (7.7%) had a positive skin test. Among the other 129 adults, 29 (22.5%) had a positive skin test (p = 0.001). Patients with a positive skin test Cupressus had at least one positive skin test to other aeroallergen in 97% of cases (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Cupressus sensitization in our study group was high (15.2%). The routine use of allergen extract of Cupressus should be considered in patients with respiratory allergy. However, it is necessary to determine precisely the prevalence of sensitization and its possible clinical implications.
Subject(s)
Cupressus , Pollen , Cross-Sectional Studies , Humans , Mexico/epidemiology , Prevalence , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
Helicobacter pylori infection is considered an important health problem due to the fact that there are reports that describe that more than 50% of the world's populations is affected by it. The infection has been associated with multiple diseases, gastric and extra-gastric, whose signs and symptoms are overlooked most of the time. Nowadays diagnostic methods have evolved in such a way that they are available for most of the population. Among the treatment schemes is the triple therapy, which is the most effective because it reaches 90% levels of microorganism eradication. For that reason we considered it of great importance doing a review of the most relevant things in literature about this bacteria and the diseases it is associated.
