The Interplay Between Household Risk Perception of Parasitic Infections and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Practices: Evidence From an Urban Poor Community in the Philippines.

BACKGROUND: Parasitic diseases pose challenges in impoverished urban settlements with limited access to clean water, proper hygiene, and sanitation (WASH). This study assesses WASH practices and risk perceptions of parasitic infections among households in the Bataan Shipyard and Engineering Corporation (BASECO) Compound in Manila, an urban poor community in the Philippines. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was employed to collect data through a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed to assess the sociodemographic profile, household WASH practices, and respondents' risk perception of parasitic infections. Linear regression analysis was utilized to examine the relationship between these variables. RESULTS: A survey was conducted with 363 households, of which 237 (65.3%) used distilled and purified water from the water refilling stations in the community for drinking. Meanwhile, 120 households (33.10%) consumed tap water. Boiling water was a commonly used method (n=146; 56.60%) for treating drinking water. Most households had flush toilets with septic tanks (n=244; 67.20%), water sources for handwashing (n=307; 84.57%) and soap for handwashing (n=356; 98.10%). On average, they washed their hands 6-10 times daily (n=159; 43.80%). Most households were aware that drinking untreated water (n=318; 87.6%), improper food washing (n=309; 85.1%), using contaminated water sources (n=301; 82.9%), and consuming raw or undercooked meat (n=298; 82.1%) could lead to parasitic infections. 316 respondents (87.1%) identified diarrhea as the most common symptom of parasitic infection. Relationships were found between access to drinking water and the number of household members (B=0.191; p-value=0.001), personal hygiene and the respondents' knowledge of parasitic infections (B=0.112; p-value=0.047), and the overall WASH score with household income (B=0.105; p-value=0.045). CONCLUSIONS: The WASH conditions in BASECO, Manila need improvement. Factors associated with their WASH practices include risk perception of parasitic diseases, socioeconomic disparity, and household overcrowding. These factors play a crucial role in identifying areas for improvement and promoting health policies for urban poor communities in the Philippines.

Practical Application of a Battery of Brief Tools to Evaluate Geriatric Medical Inpatients for the Three Ds.

OBJECTIVE: The investigators aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of patients with or without delirium and preexisting depression, dementia, both, or neither by using validated tools easily administered in clinical practice. METHODS: In this cross-sectional prospective observational study conducted in Medellín, Colombia, 200 geriatric inpatients were evaluated with the Delirium Diagnostic Tool-Provisional (DDT-Pro), Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly, Hachinski Ischemic Scale, Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia, and Charlson Comorbidity Index-short form. Delirium motor subtype, mortality, and length of hospital stay were assessed. RESULTS: The study included 134 patients without delirium (67%), 14 with delirium only (7%), 16 with delirium and dementia (8%), 13 with delirium and depression (7%), and 23 with delirium, dementia, and depression (the three Ds) (12%). Prevalence rates of dementia (59%) and depression (55%) among 66 patients with delirium were higher than prevalence rates among patients without delirium (13% and 28%, respectively), suggesting that both conditions are risk factors. Main medical diagnoses, mortality, and dementia type did not differ among groups. Motor subtypes were similar among delirium groups. Patients in the delirium groups, except those in the delirium and depression group, were older than patients without delirium. Medical burden was highest among the patients with delirium and dementia and those with all three conditions. Delirium and dementia were more severe when comorbid with each other. Depression was most severe among patients with delirium and depression. Patients with all three conditions had a longer length of hospital stay than those without delirium. CONCLUSIONS: Using brief tools to detect dementia and depression in conjunction with the DDT-Pro to assess delirium diagnosis and severity is feasible and enables a more in-depth evaluation of elderly hospitalized patients. Because previous longitudinal research suggests that these comorbid conditions influence prognosis following a delirium episode, better identification of the three Ds offers proactive interventional opportunities. Depression is an underrecognized risk factor for delirium.

Does a child maltreatment report source predict differences in immediate and subsequent report outcomes?

BACKGROUND: Mandated reporting policies, a core response to the identification of child maltreatment, are widely debated. Currently, there are calls to abolish or scale back these policies to include only certain professionals. These calls warrant evaluation of whether there are any differences in child welfare outcomes based on report source. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the initial report source predicts immediate and long-term risk of re-referral, substantiation, and placement. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: We used yearly National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) hotline report and placement data. Children (0-14y) with a first ever hotline report in 2012-2014 were followed for three years. The final sample included 2,101,397 children from 32 states. METHODS: We use descriptive and bivariate statistics to show initial report outcomes by reporter source type and logistic regression models to evaluate the effect of report source on immediate and subsequent report outcomes. RESULTS: Professional sources varied in levels of substantiation and placement, with law enforcement, medical, and social service sources showing much higher rates. Reports from professional sources have higher odds of initial report substantiation and foster care entry, and slightly lower odds of later re-report than nonprofessional sources. We found no differences between professional and nonprofessional sources in subsequent foster care entry. CONCLUSIONS: Reports from professional, nonprofessional, and unclassified sources have varying levels of risk in some of their short- and long-term outcomes. To the degree that child protective services embrace a long-term preventative role, reports by nonprofessional report sources may provide opportunities for prevention.

Caracterización clínica y epidemiológica de la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica / Clinical and epidemiological characterization of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Objetivo: caracterizar clínica y epidemiológicamente a los pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica. Métodos: estudio descriptivo retrospectivo trasversal, que incluyó pacientes adultos con diagnóstico de enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica en un hospital universitario de Medellín. Material y métodos: la fuente de información fue secundaria a través de historias clínicas, el análisis se realizó en el programa Jamovi, empleando un análisis univariado. Resultados y discusión: se incluyeron 552 pacientes, la edad mediana fue 76 años con predominio del sexo femenino (56.7%). Respecto a la exposición a sustancias tóxicas respiratorias importantes en el desarrollo de la enfermedad, 24.1% consumían cigarrillo y 23% exposición a biomasa. Al momento del ingreso hospitalario 17.9% fueron clasificados con disnea grado IV; 74.1% recibió beta-agonistas de corta acción y antimuscarínicos de corta acción 60%; 11.6% requirió ingreso a las unidades de cuidados intensivos o especiales y 7.8% fallecieron durante la hospitalización. Conclusiones: se evidencia subdiagnóstico espirométrico de la enfermedad que puede estar relacionado con las limitaciones económicas, tecnológicas y de recurso humano capacitado, lo cual afecta el adecuado diagnóstico y manejo de la enfermedad, así como impacta la calidad de vida de los pacientes.

Objective: clinical and epidemiological characterization of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: a retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive study, which included adult patients with a diagnosis of COPD in a university hospital in Medellín. Data sources were secondary, based on medical records. The Jamovi program was used to perform a univariate analysis. Results and discussion: 552 patients were included. Median age was 76 years with a female predominance (56.7%). Regarding exposure to major respiratory toxic substances implicated in the development of the disease, 24.1% were tobacco smokers and 23% were exposed to biomass smoke. At the time of hospital admission,17.9% were classified as having grade 4 dyspnea; 74.1% received short acting beta-agonists and 60% short-acting antimuscarinics,11.6% required intensive care unit or special care unit admission, and 7.8% died in hospital. Conclusions: under-diagnosis of COPD by spirometry may be related to economic, technological, and trained human resource limitations, which affect adequate diagnosis and management of the disease, as well as patient ́s quality of life.

Síntomas de Burnout entre médicos y enfermeros antes, durante y después de atender pacientes con COVID-19 / Burnout symptoms among physicians and nurses before, during and after COVID-19 care / Sintomas de burnout entre médicos e enfermeiros antes, durante e depois do cuidado de pacientes com COVID-19

Objetivo: este estudio evaluó síntomas de Burnout entre médicos y enfermeros antes, durante y después de la atención provista a pacientes con la enfermedad COVID-19. Método: estudio comparativo y transversal realizado en la unidad de Atención Respiratoria de un hospital público de nivel terciario. Se empleó el Inventario de Burnout Maslach. Resultados: se distribuyeron 280 encuestas entre los tres períodos: antes (n=80), durante (n=105) y después (n=95) de la atención a pacientes con COVID-19; se obtuvieron 172 encuestas respondidas. Las tasas de respuesta fueron 57,5%, 64,8% y 61,1%, respectivamente. Los valores de prevalencia de Burnout grave fueron 30,4%, 63,2% y 34,5% antes, durante y después de la atención a pacientes por la enfermedad del coronavirus 2019 (p<0,001). Los síntomas de agotamiento emocional (p<0,001) y despersonalización (p=0,002) fueron más prevalentes entre los enfermeros que entre los médicos. El Síndrome de Burnout grave fue más prevalente en las mujeres, los enfermeros y el personal del turno noche. Conclusión: la elevada prevalencia de Burnout se duplicó en el primer pico de internaciones y regresó a niveles previos a la pandemia un mes después de finalizada la atención a pacientes por la enfermedad del coronavirus 2019. El Síndrome de Burnout varió por sexo, turno de trabajo y ocupación, y los enfermeros representaron los grupos más vulnerables. Es necesario enfocarse en estrategias de evaluación y mitigación tempranas para asistir a los enfermeros, no solo durante la crisis sino permanentemente.

Objective: this study evaluated burnout symptoms among physicians and nurses before, during and after COVID-19 care. Method: a cross-sectional comparative study in the Pulmonary Care unit of a tertiary-level public hospital. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was used. Results: 280 surveys were distributed across three periods: before (n=80), during (n=105) and after (n=95) COVID-19 care; 172 surveys were returned. The response rates were 57.5%, 64.8% and 61.1%, respectively. The prevalence of severe burnout was 30.4%, 63.2% and 34.5% before, during and after COVID-19 care (p<0.001). Emotional exhaustion (p<0.001) and depersonalization (p=0.002) symptoms were more prevalent among nurses than among physicians. Severe burnout was more prevalent in women, nurses and night shift staff. Conclusion: the high prevalence of burnout doubled in the first peak of hospital admissions and returned to pre-pandemic levels one month after COVID-19 care ended. Burnout varied by gender, shift and occupation, with nurses among the most vulnerable groups. Focus on early assessment and mitigation strategies are required to support nurses not only during crisis but permanently.

Objetivo: este estudo avaliou os sintomas de burnout entre médicos e enfermeiros antes, durante e após o cuidado dos pacientes contaminados com o COVID-19. Método: estudo transversal comparativo realizado na unidade de Atenção Pulmonar de um hospital público de nível terciário. Foi utilizado o Inventário de Burnout de Maslach. Resultados: 280 formulários de pesquisa foram distribuídos em três períodos: antes (n=80), durante (n=105) e após (n=95) os cuidados dos pacientes contaminados com COVID-19; 172 formulários foram respondidos. As taxas de resposta foram de 57,5%, 64,8% e 61,1%, respectivamente. A prevalência de burnout grave foi de 30,4%, 63,2% e 34,5% antes, durante e após o atendimento dos pacientes (p<0,001). Os sintomas de exaustão emocional (p<0,001) e despersonalização (p=0,002) foram mais prevalentes entre os enfermeiros do que entre os médicos. O burnout grave foi mais prevalente em mulheres, enfermeiros e funcionários do turno da noite. Conclusão: a alta prevalência de burnout dobrou no primeiro pico de internações hospitalares e voltou aos níveis pré-pandemia um mês após o término dos cuidados dos pacientes contaminados com COVID-19. O burnout variou de acordo com o sexo, turno e profissão, encontrando-se os enfermeiros entre os grupos mais vulneráveis. O foco na avaliação precoce e nas estratégias de mitigação é necessário para apoiar os enfermeiros não apenas durante a crise, mas de forma permanente.

Penile necrosis due to monkeypox.

Since 2022 Monkeypox virus (MPXV) infection incidence of cases has increased. Genitourinary lesions and penile edema are one of the main causes of emergency room visits. We aim to describe a 36-year-old man with MPXV infection and newly diagnosed with HIV and low CD4+ count, who developed a rapidly extensive penile necrosis. Extensive surgical debridement was performed and necrosis compromise was confirmed in the histopathological findings. We provide novel forms of presentation of MPXV, improving data collection and awarding health workers for a correct differential diagnosis.

Burnout symptoms among physicians and nurses before, during and after COVID-19 care. / Síntomas de Burnout entre médicos y enfermeros antes, durante y después de atender pacientes con COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: this study evaluated burnout symptoms among physicians and nurses before, during and after COVID-19 care. METHOD: a cross-sectional comparative study in the Pulmonary Care unit of a tertiary-level public hospital. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was used. RESULTS: 280 surveys were distributed across three periods: before (n=80), during (n=105) and after (n=95) COVID-19 care; 172 surveys were returned. The response rates were 57.5%, 64.8% and 61.1%, respectively. The prevalence of severe burnout was 30.4%, 63.2% and 34.5% before, during and after COVID-19 care (p<0.001). Emotional exhaustion (p<0.001) and depersonalization (p=0.002) symptoms were more prevalent among nurses than among physicians. Severe burnout was more prevalent in women, nurses and night shift staff. CONCLUSION: the high prevalence of burnout doubled in the first peak of hospital admissions and returned to pre-pandemic levels one month after COVID-19 care ended. Burnout varied by gender, shift and occupation, with nurses among the most vulnerable groups. Focus on early assessment and mitigation strategies are required to support nurses not only during crisis but permanently.

Intake and food sources of sodium in the population residing in urban areas of Ecuador: results from ELANS study.

BACKGROUND: In 2021, WHO notes that globally, 32% of annual deaths worldwide are due to cardiovascular causes, which have been attributed to excessive sodium intake, and therefore recommends a reduction in salt intake to less than 5 g/day. Ecuador does not have data on sodium consumption in the population. Hence, this study sought to determine the association between sodium consumption and sociodemographic variables in subjects living in urban areas of Ecuador. OBJECTIVES: Determine the main dietary sources of sodium in subjects living in urban areas of the Coast and Highlands of Ecuador, and the association between sodium intake and sociodemographic variables such as: sex, region, marital status, socio-economic and educational level of this population. METHODS: Sodium intake was studied in 800 subjects of both sexes aged 15 to 65 years living in urban areas in Ecuador, originating from the Latin American Nutrition and Health Study (ELANS) between 2014 and 2015. Data were obtained through two 24-hour recalls, and were accessed according to sex, region, age, marital status, socio-economic and educational levels. RESULTS: The mean sodium intake was 4900 mg/day (SD ± 1188.32 mg/day), and both sexes exceeded the recommendations. Adjusting for energy intake, sodium consumption is higher in participants aged 50-65 years, from low socio-economic status and with basic education level. A positive relationship was found between sodium and energy intake. Around 48% of the sodium sources included the spices, condiments and herbs group. Within this group, salt itself constitutes 99% of sodium sources. CONCLUSIONS: The Ecuadorian population consumes more than double the sodium recommendations, which vary according to gender and age. The first source of sodium is salt itself, which is part of spices and condiments food group. This data is important to formulate public health policies and interventions in Ecuador, especially in the population at risk.

Profile of neurological manifestations in patients with COVID-19: Review of the literature published during the first six months of the pandemic

Introduction: Several studies describing different neurological manifestations in patients with COVID-19 were published during the first six months of the pandemic. Objective: To collect and synthesize the scientific evidence published within the first six months after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic on neurological manifestations in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, as well as their prevalence and variations in specific populations. Materials and methods: A literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE using the following search strategy: types of study: any study describing neurological manifestations in COVID-19 patients; publication period: March 11-August 31, 2020; publication language: English; search terms and search equation: (("COVID-19") AND "Neurologic Manifestations"). Results: The initial search yielded 388 records, of which 79 met the eligibility criteria and were included for full analysis. Most studies were case reports (50.63% individual case reports and 18.99% case series), while only 30.38% were analytical studies, with cross-sectional studies being the most common (n=25). The most frequently described neurological manifestation was smell and/or taste disorder (43.04%), followed by peripheral neuropathy (20.25%), seizures (8.86%), encephalitis (7.59%), and delirium (5.06%). Other manifestations reported to a lesser extent included headache, myositis, stroke, and transverse myelitis. Conclusion: Most neurological manifestations reported have a favorable progress, occur in young patients without any comorbidity, and are unrelated to the severity of the disease. Other manifestations such as delirium and epileptic seizures occur more frequently in people with a history of dementia or epilepsy, respectively. Finally, some manifestations such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and stroke may cause several sequelae.

Introducción. Durante los primeros seis meses de la pandemia por COVID-19 se publicaron varios estudios que describen diferentes manifestaciones neurológicas en pacientes con esta enfermedad. Objetivo. Recopilar y sintetizar evidencia científica publicada en los seis meses posteriores a la declaración de la pandemia por COVID-19 sobre manifestaciones neurológicas en pacientes infectados con SARS-CoV-2, así como sus variaciones y frecuencia en poblaciones específicas. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó una búsqueda de la literatura en PubMed/Medline mediante la siguiente estrategia de búsqueda: tipos de estudio: cualquier estudio que describiera manifestaciones neurológicas en pacientes con COVID-19; periodo de publicación: marzo 11 a agosto 31, 2020; idioma de publicación: inglés; términos y ecuación de búsqueda: (("COVID-19") AND "Neurologic Manifestations"). Resultados. La búsqueda inicial arrojó 388 registros, de los cuales 79 cumplieron los criterios de elegibilidad. La mayoría de los estudios fueron reportes de caso (50.63% fueron reportes individuales de caso y 18.99%, series de casos), mientras que solo 30.38% fueron estudios analíticos, siendo los estudios transversales los más frecuentes (n=20). La manifestación neurológica descrita más frecuentemente fue la alteración de olfato y/o gusto (43.04%), seguida de neuropatía periférica (20.25%), convulsiones (8.86%), encefalitis (7.59%) y delirium (5.06%). Otras manifestaciones reportadas en menor proporción fueron cefalea, miositis, accidente cerebrovascular (ACV) y mielitis transversa. Conclusión. La mayoría de las manifestaciones neurológicas de la COVID-19 reportadas tienen una evolución favorable, ocurren en pacientes jóvenes sin comorbilidades y no tienen relación con la severidad de la enfermedad. Otras manifestaciones, como delirium y crisis epilépticas, se presentan con mayor frecuencia en población con antecedente de demencia o epilepsia, respectivamente. Por último, algunas manifestaciones como el síndrome de Guillain-Barré y los ACV pueden causar secuelas.

Convalescent Plasma to Treat COVID-19: A Two-Center, Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial.

Background: The use of convalescent plasma (CP) has been considered for its immunological mechanisms that could benefit patients in moderate and severe stages of COVID-19. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of the use of donor CP for COVID-19. Material and methods: A double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted from May to October 2020. Thirty-nine participants with moderate (II) and severe (III) stages of COVID-19 confirmed by RT-PCR were included. The study randomization rate was set at 3:1. CPs were chosen for application with a neutralizing antibody titer of ≥1:32. Results: We observed a significantly lower 21-day post-transfusion mortality HR: 0.17 (95.0% CI [0.07−0.45, p < 0.001]) in the group receiving CP compared with the control group; protective units (PU) in the group receiving convalescent plasma after seven days were significantly higher (512 (32−16,384) vs. 96 (32−256), p = 0.01); the PAO2/FIO2 index showed a significant improvement in the group receiving CP (251.01 (109.4) vs. 109.2 (62.4), p < 0.001, in the control group). Conclusion: CP is safe and effective, as it decreased mortality in the CP group compared with the control group.

Accidente vascular cerebral de fos posterior y su potencialidad quirúrgica / Cerebral vascular accident of the posterior fossa and ITS surgical potential

Los accidentes vasculares cerebrales (AVC) constituyen un grupo complejo de patologías, se asocian a la vida moderna, a la hipertensión arterial y a elevados costos y utilización de gran cantidad de recursos en la recuperación de los pacientes. Pueden ser de tipo isquémico (Aprox. 80% de casos) y hemorrágico (Aprox. 20 %). El infarto cerebeloso representa un 2 a 4 % de los infartos encefálicos y hasta un 10 % de ellos puede desarrollar un edema rápidamente agresivo( pseudotumoral), el que puede comprimir el tronco encéfalo, el cuarto ventrículo o el acueducto de Silvio, llegando a producir hidrocefalia aguda y la muerte del paciente. La indicación de cirugía en AVC fosa posterior (Craniectomía descompresiva, drenaje ventricular externo: DVE o drenaje ventrículo peritoneal DVP) incluye efecto de masa de la lesión con la compresión de tronco cerebral, hidrocefalia por compresión de 4to. ventrículo y/o inundación ventricular (Hemo ventrículo), malformaciones vasculares y lesiones hemorrágicas cerebelosas >3 cm. de diámetro con compresión de cisternas basales. Los AVC cerebrales de fosa posterior pueden sufrir agravamiento brusco con riesgo vital por lo que requieren de observación continua y estrecha (Control Neurológico estricto). Presentamos dos casos de AVC fosa posterior: Isquémico y Hemorrágico, este último con resolución quirúrgica.

Intraoperative Complications of Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A 5-Year Experience of a Group of Spine Surgeons Performing Their Own Approaches.

BACKGROUND: Spine surgery has evolved at an accelerated pace, allowing the development of more efficient surgical techniques while providing a decreasing rate of morbimortality. One example of these approaches is the anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF). The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical complication rate when performing ALIF without the help of a vascular "access" surgeon. METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the Hospital Universitario San Ignacio between 2014 and 2018 and included all patients who underwent ALIF during this time. A nonsystematic review was performed assessing approach-related complications in ALIF and the impact of "access" surgeons in surgical outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 337 patients were included and 508 levels were fused. ALIF was performed as ALIF-360° (27%), ALIF-lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) (8.9%), and stand-alone ALIF (62%). Most procedures were single-level fusions (51.9%), 45.4% involved 2 levels, and 2.6% were 3-level fusions. The mortality rate was 0%, and only 9 cases of vascular injury were observed and described. Left and common iliac veins were the predominant affected structures. Only a single case required blood transfusion without any other treatment or intensive care unit surveillance. CONCLUSIONS: Our study is consistent with literature reports about ALIF complications, finding an incidence of 1.7%. Therefore, ALIF is an excellent alternative for spine procedures, especially for the levels L5-S1 that require sagittal balance restoration. The approaches were performed without a vascular "access" surgeon and presented complication rates similar to those described in the literature.

A Review of Screened-Out Families and Child Protective Services Involvement: A Missed Opportunity to Prevent Future Maltreatment With Community-Based Services.

The objective of this article is to frame, understand, and draw implications from existing research on families screened out by child protective services (CPS) after a referral alleging child maltreatment. We review descriptive and outcome data together with emerging intervention research amidst a developing consensus that the current reactive role of CPS should be supplemented by supportive and preventative services that primarily address poverty. State-level data indicate that screened-out families are at high risk of re-referral and similar to higher-risk families reported to CPS. Intervention research is scant and mixed, but there is indication that providing community-based services may reduce future CPS involvement. Considering that screened-out referrals present an opportunity to prevent future maltreatment, CPS should identify and collaboratively engage screened-out families in community-based services. More research on the outcomes of these community responses is needed to identify best practices related to engagement and service provision.

Variables associated with concordance or discordance for delirium diagnosis between referring and consulting physicians at a Tertiary Hospital in Colombia: Prospective observational study.

Delirium is an acute state of impaired consciousness and a medical urgency. Its broad range of alterations in mental status make diagnosis challenging. Awareness and accurate provisional diagnosis by nonpsychiatric clinicians are important for prompt management. Because delirium symptoms overlap and mimic other neuropsychiatric conditions, a referral to a consultant psychiatrist is often needed. The aim of this study was to determine the discriminating variables that are associated with concordance or discordance for a DSM-5 delirium diagnosis made by the consultation/liaison (C/L) psychiatrist as compared to the referral diagnosis/reasons given by the referring physicians for inpatients from a Tertiary Hospital in a Latin-American country. Prospective study of a cohort of 399 consecutive patients admitted to any ward of a university hospital in Medellin-Colombia and referred by a specialist physician to the C/L Psychiatry service. Analyses for diagnostic concordance used a nested sample of 140 cases diagnosed with delirium by the psychiatrist. Two multivariate logistic models were run, for delirium diagnosis concordance and discordance between the referring physician and C/L psychiatrist. The referral diagnosis was concordant with that of Psychiatry in 90/140 patients in 64.3%, with 35.7% discordance. Increasing age (OR = 1.024) and internal medicine ward (OR = 3.0) were significantly related (Wald statistic P < .05) to concordance in the multivariate analysis whose model accuracy was 68.6%. Trauma/orthopedics ward (OR = 5.7) and SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR = 3.8) were important contributors to the model fit though not significant. Accuracy of the discordance model was 70.7%, where central nervous system (CNS) disorder (OR = 6.1) and referrals from ICU (OR = 4.9), surgery (OR = 4.6), neurology/neurosurgery (OR = 5.1) and another consultant (OR = 4.7) were significantly related (Wald statistic P < .05), while metabolic/endocrine disorder (OR = 2.7) was important for model fit, but not significant. Concordance for delirium diagnosis was higher from services where education, guidelines and working relationships with C/L Psychiatry could have contributed beneficially whereas, surprisingly, CNS disorders and neurology/neurosurgery services had higher discordance, as well as the ICU. Routine use of brief sensitive delirium assessment tools such as the DDT-Pro could enhance provisional delirium diagnosis.

100 YEARS OF VITAMIN D: Dietary intake and main food sources of vitamin D and calcium in Colombian urban adults.

Data on dietary calcium and vitamin D intake from Latin America are scarce. We explored the main correlates and dietary sources of calcium and vitamin D in a probabilistic, population-based sample from Colombia. We studied 1554 participants aged 18-75 from five different geographical regions. Dietary intake was assessed by employing a 157-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and national and international food composition tables. Daily vitamin D intake decreased with increasing age, from 230 IU/day in the 18-39 age group to 184 IU/day in the 60-75 age group (P -trend < 0.001). Vitamin D intake was positively associated with socioeconomic status (SES) (196 IU/day in lowest vs 234 in highest SES, P-trend < 0.001), and with educational level (176 IU/day in lowest vs 226 in highest education level, P-trend < 0.001). Daily calcium intake also decreased with age, from 1376 mg/day in the 18-39 age group to 1120 mg/day in the 60-75 age group (P -trend < 0.001). Calcium intake was lowest among participants with only elementary education, but the absolute difference in calcium intake between extreme education categories was smaller than for vitamin D (1107 vs 1274 mg/day, P-trend = 0.023). Daily calcium intake did not correlate with SES (P -trend = 0.74). Eggs were the main source of overall vitamin D, albeit their contribution decreased with increasing age. Dairy products contributed at least 48% of dietary calcium in all subgroups, mostly from cheese-containing traditional foods. SES and education were the key correlates of vitamin D and calcium intake. These findings may contribute to shape public health interventions in Latin American countries.

Utility and health-related quality of life measures in adult Colombian patients with solid tumours.

According to a 2020 report, the World Health Organization explained how, in 20 years, the prevalence of cancer cases will increase by 60% worldwide. In lower-middle-income countries, this figure will be 74.07%. Therefore, the authors propose a series of recommendations, such as how to address both traditional health indicators and the psychosocial environment, to improve the health system. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the impact of cancer on the quality of life (QoL) and health status of oncology patients in Colombia. An observational cross-sectional study using patient reported outcomes tools, such as European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life of Cancer Patients (QLQ-C30) and EuroQoL-5 dimensions questionnaire-3 levels (EQ5D-3L), was carried out. The information of 356 people was compiled. They were contacted by patient associations. The results were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, using ordinary least squares methodology. For the EORTC QLQ-C30, overall health status was 66.05 (95% confidence interval: 63.78-68.32), on the functional scales, emotional and social function were the two scales with the lowest ratings (71.57 and 71.77), without any representative differences. For the EQ5D-3L, the average utility was 0.70 (Standard deviation: 0.20); 50% of people had a utility between 0.63 and 0.82. The analysed population was most affected in the following areas: financial difficulties, insomnia, anxiety, depression and emotional functioning, establishing the need for future interventions and the creation of public policies that generate a better QoL for patients.

Natural deep eutectic solvents as biofilm structural breakers.

Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES) are composed of supramolecular interactions of two or more natural compounds, such as organic acids, sugars, and amino acids, and they are being used as a new media alternative to conventional solvents. In this study, a new application of NADES is presented as a possible technology for biofilm structural breaker in complex systems since the current solvents used for biofilm cleaning and extraction of biofilm components use hazardous solutions. The NADES (betaine:urea:water and lactic acid:glucose:water) were analyzed before and after the biofilm treatment by attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and fluorescence excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy. Our results indicate that the green solvents could solubilize up to ≈70 percent of the main components of the biofilms extracellular matrix. The solubilization of the biomolecules weakened the biofilm structure, which could enhance the biofilm solubilization and removal. The NADES have the potential to be an environment-friendly, green solvent to extract valuable compounds and break the main structure from the biofilm, leading to a greener method for extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) extraction and biofilm treatment in various water treatment systems.

Survey of professionals on breast cancer, fertility preservation and pregnancy in Argentina.

INTRODUCTION: Medical knowledge regarding preservation of fertility and pregnancy in patients with breast cancer (BC) is of interest. We, therefore, decided to conduct a survey on this issue among professionals involved in the treatment of BC in Argentina. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey was conducted and sent by email to 3,412 contacts in the Argentine Mastology Society (Sociedad Argentina de Mastología, or SAM) database, with responses from 396 physicians. The survey design was based on the Lambertini 2017 survey. To the author's knowledge, it is the first Argentine survey to address this issue. RESULTS: The frequency with which the impact of cancer treatment on the fertility of young patients was addressed by the respondent and referred to a fertility specialist was 'always' and 'almost always' in 86.8% and 78.5% of cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The level of knowledge is comparable to the data presented by other surveys. Membership in a Mastology Unit was associated with more current treatment. Continued work on the training of professionals is necessary to facilitate communication, information and guidance of patients of childbearing age who are going to have cancer treatment in order to advise them on fertility preservation, as well as the possibility of pregnancy after diagnosis of BC, and to be able to provide better care to those with BC associated with pregnancy.

Impact of immunohistochemical profile changes following neoadjuvant therapy in the treatment of breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Currently, the indication for neoadjuvant chemotherapy is increasing in the treatment of breast cancer. Variability in the expression of biomarkers following neoadjuvant treatment has been observed, which could be accompanied by changes in the adjuvant treatment. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to evaluate the variability of biomarkers prior to and following neoadjuvant therapy. Secondary objectives were to determine which tumour subtype (as determined by immunohistochemical markers) most frequently achieved pathological complete response (pCR); whether the biomarker variation resulted in a change in immunophenotype and subsequently modification to the adjuvant treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective observational analysis was carried out on patients with a diagnosis of breast cancer who had neoadjuvant therapy prior to surgery in the Breast Care Service of the Buenos Aires British Hospital between January 2009 and June 2020. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-two patients were included. The pCR rate was 28.5%. The tumour immunophenotype that achieved pCR most frequently was the hormone receptor negative /HER2+ group with a value of 85.2%. The analysis was carried out on the 123 patients with residual disease. The observed variability for oestrogen receptors (ER) was 8.9%, for progesterone receptors (PR), 29.9% and for HER2, 13.8%. These changes were statistically significant. There were changes to the tumour immunophenotype in 26 cases (21.1%) with modifications to the adjuvant treatment in nine of these (34.6%; 7.3% of all tumours with residual disease). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we observed statistically significant variability in the expression of ER, PR and HER2 prior to and following neoadjuvant treatment, which identified modifications in the tumour immunophenotype in 21.1%, and changes to the adjuvant treatment in 7.3% of all tumours with residual disease, justifying the re-assay of biomarkers in the surgical specimen.