Daylight photodynamic therapy for prevention of new actinic keratosis and keratinocyte carcinomas in organ transplants. A cryotherapy-controlled randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Organ transplant recipients (OTR) have a higher risk of actinic keratosis (AK) and keratinocyte carcinomas (KC). There are no clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of daylight photodynamic therapy (DPDT) to prevent new AK and KC in OTR. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether repeated treatments of field cancerization with DPDT are effective in preventing new AK and KC in OTR. METHODS: A randomized, intra-subject controlled, evaluator-blind, split-face and/or scalp trial, from April 2016 to October 2018. Participants were OTR older than 18 years, 1-year posttransplant, with at least 5 AK on each hemi-face/hemi-scalp. One side received six field treatments with DPDT: two sessions 15 days apart at baseline, two at 3 months and two at 9 months after baseline. Control side received lesion-directed treatment with cryotherapy (double freeze-thaw) at baseline, 3 and 9 months. Total number of lesions (AK and KC) at 21 months, number of new AK and KC at 3, 9, 15 and 21 months and treatment preferences were analysed. RESULTS: Of 24 men included, 23 were analysed at 3 months; and 21, at 9, 15 and 21 months. Mean (SD) age was 69.8 years (9.2). The total number of lesions at 21 months was 4.7 (4.3) for DPDT and 5.8 (5.0) for control side; P = 0.09. DPDT showed significantly lower means [SD] of new lesions compared to control side at 3 months (4.2 [3.4] vs. 6.8 [4.8]; P < 0.001), 9 months (3.0 [3.3] vs. 4.3 [3.4]; P = 0.04) and 15 months (3.0 [4.6] vs. 4.8 [5.0]; P = 0.02), and non-significant at 21 months (3.7 [3.5] vs. 5.0 [4.5]; P = 0.06). Most participants preferred DPDT. CONCLUSION: DPDT showed potential effectiveness in preventing new AK and KC in OTR by consecutive treatments of field cancerization. The preference for DPDT could facilitate adherence to the long-term treatment necessary in these patients.

Fat Quality Index and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in the Sun Project.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between a dietary fat quality index (FQI), and the risk of incident cardiovascular events or deaths in the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) cohort. DESIGN: Longitudinal analysis during 10.1 years of median follow-up. Cox models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) of incident cardiovascular diseases (CVD) according to tertiles of FQI and of different fat subtypes. SETTING: University of Navarra, Spain. PARTICIPANTS: 19,341 middle-aged adults. MEASUREMENTS: Fat intake was measured with a validated food-frequency questionnaire. The FQI was calculated according to the ratio: (monounsaturated+polyunsaturated) / (saturated+trans fatty acids). RESULTS: We observed 140 incident cases of CVD. No association was found for FQI (HR=0.94, 95 %CI 0.61-1.47 for the highest vs the lowest tertile, p for trend=0.884). No significant associations were found for different dietary fat subtypes on CVD risk. The results suggest no clear association between a higher FQI and a higher amount of energy from fat and incidence of CVD (p for interaction: 0.259 and p for trend only among participants with a percentage of energy from fat ≥35% of total energy: 0.272). CONCLUSION: In this Mediterranean cohort, the FQI was not associated with cardiovascular events. A "heart-healthy diet" should focus its attention on dietary fat sources and should use an overall dietary pattern approach, rather than limiting the focus on fat subtypes. More research is needed to validate dietary advice on specific fatty acids intake or saturated fatty acids replacements for reducing CVD risk.

Loading dose of Dexdor® and optimal sedation during oral and maxillofacial ambulatory surgery procedures: An observational study. / Dosis de carga de Dexdor® y nivel óptimo de sedación durante procedimientos de cirugía oral y maxilofacial en régimen ambulatorio: un estudio observacional.

INTRODUCTION: Dexdor® do not include the possibility of loading dose, which could increase time to achieve adequate sedation for ambulatory procedures. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of several loading dose of dexmedetomidine in the time to achieve and maintain an optimal level of sedation and its clinical hemodynamic repercussion. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The IRB approved this observational study for patients that underwent oral and maxillofacial ambulatory surgery under dexmedetomidine at the University of Navarra Clinic from February 2013 to November 2014. According to the loading dose the patients were grouped into 3 categories:<0.5, 0.5, and>0.5µg/kg. Optimal level of sedation was defined as bispectral index<85. Data were analyzed using survival analysis techniques. Vasoactive drugs requirements was evaluated using exact logistic regression. RESULTS: Eighty-one patients were evaluated. Hazard ratios for patients in 0.5 and >0.5µg/kg loading dose categories for achieving a bispectral index<85 were 1.5 (95% CI 0.9, 2.6) and 1.8 (95% CI 0.8, 3.9), respectively, compared with the lowest category. Five patients (6.2%) required atropine for bradycardia. Patients in the group>0.5µg/kg showed greater risk of requiring atropine compared with the group<0.5µg/kg (odds ratio 2.2; 95% CI 0.03, 183). CONCLUSION: Loading dose of dexmedetomidine>0.5µg/kg appears minimize the time to achieve and maintain an optimal level of sedation during the first 60min of procedure. Further investigation to elucidate the association between loading dose of dexmedetomidine and subsequent atropine requirements may be warranted.

Do Skin Prick Test and In Vitro Techniques Diagnose Sensitization to Peach Lipid Transfer Protein and Profilin Equally Well in Allergy to Plant Food and Pollen?

OBJECTIVE: To compare the skin prick test (SPT) with in vitro techniques (single and multiplex fluorescence enzyme-immunoassay [FEIA]) for detecting sensitization to profilin and lipid transfer protein (LTP). METHODS: We retrospectively studied 181 patients with pollen and/or plant food allergy and 61 controls. SPT was performed with date palm profilin (Pho d 2) and peach LTP (Pru p 3), and specific IgE (sIgE) to Phl p 12 and Pru p 3 was analyzed using single FEIA and microarray. RESULTS: Fifteen of 201 patients with negative results for LTP in the SPT were sensitized to this allergen in the in vitro tests, and 18 of 41 patients with positive results for LTP in the SPT were not sensitized according to the in vitro tests. Seventeen of 186 patients with negative results for profilin in the SPT were sensitized to Phl p 12 by serum sIgE, and 30 out of 56 patients with positive results for profilin in SPT were not sensitized to Phl p 12 according to the other tests. Moderate agreement was observed between the 3 techniques studied. CONCLUSIONS: SPT is a sensitive technique for detecting sensitization to LTP and profilin. Its results are similar to those of in vitro techniques, especially in patients with negative SPT results for peach LTP and palm tree profilin.

Early skin testing is effective for diagnosis of hypersensitivity reactions occurring during anesthesia.

Allergic skin tests have to be performed 4-6 weeks after an allergic anesthetic reaction. Patients with allergic reactions during anesthesia were prospectively included (n = 44). Skin tests were performed in two stages: (i) Stage 1 (S1), 0-4 days after the reaction; and (ii) Stage 2 (S2), 4-8 weeks after. Five (11.5%) surgical procedures were suspended due to the reaction. Positive skin tests were obtained in 25/44 patients (57%). Allergic diagnosis was carried out at S1 in 15/25 (60%) and at S2 in 10/25 (40%). Three patients resulted positive only in S1. Overall agreement among S1 and S2 skin tests was 70.45%. The kappa statistic was 0.41 (P-value = 0.002). Odds ratio of obtaining a false negative in S1 (compared with S2) was 3.33. Early allergological study is useful, could minimize false negatives, but should be considered as a complement to late skin tests.

Serum total tryptase levels are increased in patients with active chronic urticaria.

BACKGROUND: We have demonstrated previously mast cell histamine release upon incubation with chronic urticaria (CU) sera, presumably by degranulation. OBJECTIVE: To explore total and mature tryptase in order to assess whether any increase in total tryptase levels is due in part to mast cell degranulation or to mast cell burden. We also wanted to explore differences between the autoimmune groups called idiopathic (serum unable to activate basophils), and to correlate total and mature tryptase levels with different urticaria features. METHODS: We measured total and mature tryptase serum levels in 81 CU patients, 16 atopic donors and 21 healthy control sera. We assessed autoimmunity by measuring the CD63 expression in normal basophil donors upon incubation with CU sera. RESULTS: We found significantly higher levels of total tryptase in the sera of CU patients (6.6 ±4.1 µg/L) than in sera from healthy non-atopic subjects (4.4 ±2.8 µg/L) and from atopic subjects (4.5 ±1.7 µg/L). Mature tryptase levels were undetectable (<1 ng/mL). Total tryptase levels in the autoimmune urticaria group were significantly higher (9.8 ±5.4 µg/L) than the idiopathic urticaria group (4.4 ±2.2 µg/L). A significant difference in total tryptase was found between symptomatic patients (7.3 ±4.1 µg/L) compared with asymptomatic ones (5.7 ±4.1 µg/L) at the time of venesection. No difference was found in mature tryptase levels either. CONCLUSION: Total elevated tryptase levels are not accompanied by an elevated mature tryptase levels, as might be expected if the serum levels reflected mast cell degranulation.

Role of vegetables and fruits in Mediterranean diets to prevent hypertension.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Several studies support the effectiveness of increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables (F&V) to prevent hypertension. However, none of them have been conducted in a Mediterranean setting. The aim of this study was to assess the association between F&V consumption and the risk of hypertension. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A prospective Mediterranean study (the SUN cohort), including 8594 participants aged 20-95 years (mean, 41.1) with median follow-up of 49 months. RESULTS: Analyses according to the joint classification by olive oil and F&V consumption showed a significant inverse relation between F&V consumption and the risk of hypertension only among participants with a low olive oil consumption (<15 g per day). Also, tests for trend were significant only in the low olive oil intake stratum. CONCLUSIONS: We found a statistically significant interaction (P=0.01) between olive oil intake and F&V consumption. These data suggest a sub-additive effect of both food items.

Adherence to Mediterranean diet and risk of developing diabetes: prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relation between adherence to a Mediterranean diet and the incidence of diabetes among initially healthy participants. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study with estimates of relative risk adjusted for sex, age, years of university education, total energy intake, body mass index, physical activity, sedentary habits, smoking, family history of diabetes, and personal history of hypertension. SETTING: Spanish university department. PARTICIPANTS: 13 380 Spanish university graduates without diabetes at baseline followed up for a median of 4.4 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Dietary habits assessed at baseline with a validated 136 item food frequency questionnaire and scored on a nine point index. New cases of diabetes confirmed through medical reports and an additional detailed questionnaire posted to those who self reported a new diagnosis of diabetes by a doctor during follow-up. Confirmed cases of type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: Participants who adhered closely to a Mediterranean diet had a lower risk of diabetes. The incidence rate ratios adjusted for sex and age were 0.41 (95% confidence interval 0.19 to 0.87) for those with moderate adherence (score 3-6) and 0.17 (0.04 to 0.75) for those with the highest adherence (score 7-9) compared with those with low adherence (score <3). In the fully adjusted analyses the results were similar. A two point increase in the score was associated with a 35% relative reduction in the risk of diabetes (incidence rate ratio 0.65, 0.44 to 0.95), with a significant inverse linear trend (P=0.04) in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes.