Next-Gen biotherapeutics: A systematic review and network meta-analysis on postbiotics as treatment for pediatric atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Due to the recency of the postbiotic field, no head-to-head postbiotic studies have investigated its biotherapeutic potential for atopic dermatitis (AD). No network meta-analysis (NMA) has been conducted to synthesize relevant studies comparing postbiotic interventions for AD. OBJECTIVE: To assess the comparative efficacy and safety of postbiotic strains in the treatment of pediatric AD. METHODOLOGY: This was an NMA of randomized controlled studies that evaluated postbiotics in treating pediatric AD. Systematic search of databases and registers from inception to November 30, 2022. Three authors independently performed the search, screening, and appraisal using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool version 2 and data extraction. Data analysis was performed using STATA14 software. RESULTS: Nine studies evaluated eight postbiotic preparations. Lactobacillus rhamnosus IDCC 3201 (LR) ranked highest in the efficacy outcome. Compared to placebo, LR may be effective in reducing symptoms of atopic dermatitis in the main analysis (SMD -0.53, 95%CI -1.02 to -0.04) and sensitivity analysis involving studies that used SCORAD (MD -5.52, 95% CI -10.46 to -0.58), based on low-certainty evidence. Based on moderate-certainty evidence, LR probably did not increase the risk of adverse events (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.79, 1.21). Although Lactobacillus paracasei GM080 (LP2) ranked highest in the safety outcome, it may not reduce AD symptoms compared to placebo (SMD -0.03, 95% CI -0.37, 0.32) based on low-certainty evidence. CONCLUSION: LR showed significant benefits in children with AD based on low-certainty evidence. Further investigation of LR is recommended.

Position-specific anthropometry and throwing velocity of elite female water polo players.

This study was conducted with the following aims: (a) to describe the effect of playing position on anthropometrics and throwing velocity in elite female water polo players and (b) to observe any relationships between anthropometric parameters and throwing velocity. To achieve these aims, we analyzed a total of 46 female elite players (age: 22.5 ± 5.1 years; height: 172.0 ± 6.9 cm, body mass: 67.4 ± 7.5 kg) members of the top 4 teams of the Spanish Honour Division women league (21 offensive wings players, 17 center, and 8 goalkeepers). Wings were significantly shorter and had smaller arm spans than goalkeepers and center players. Goalkeepers demonstrated longer forearm lengths than wing and center players. No other significant differences were evident between positions in terms of anthropometric, strength, or throwing velocity variables The somatotype of the offensive wing players was mesomorphic, whereas centers were endomorph (classified as endomesomorphic). Height, arm span, muscular mass, biepicondylar breadth of the humerus, arm girth (relaxed and tensed), and forearm girth were related to throwing velocity. In conclusion, only a small number of anthropometric differences exist between players of different positions in elite female water polo. Shorter players with smaller arm spans may be better suited to the wings, whereas athletes with longer forearms may be better suited to the goalkeeper position. Taller, more muscular athletes with wider arm spans, broader humeri, and wider arms (relaxed and flexed) tended to throw with increased velocity. Trainers should focus on increasing the modifiable characteristics (muscle mass and arm girths) that contribute to throwing velocity in this population.

Réplica de los autores. Docencia: ¿factor de riesgo? / Author's reply. Teaching: risk factor?

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Contribution of cytogenetics and in situ hybridization to the study of monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance.

Monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance (MGUS) are characterized by the presence of a monoclonal protein in serum in quite asymptomatic patients. Ten to 33% of MGUS patients eventually will develop overt multiple myeloma, but no single laboratory test exists that can predict changes toward a malignant evolution. The aim of the present study was to apply conventional cytogenetics, the MAC (morphology, antibody, chromosome) method and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques in a series of 50 MGUS patients and 4 "smoldering" multiple myeloma patients to test the usefulness of their approaches as predictive methodologies. All patients studied by conventional cytogenetics presented a normal karyotype independent of the culture conditions used. The MAC method revealed that all mitotic cells showing a normal karyotype were positive for anti-MOP7 or anti-CD3 in 12 patients studied. In addition, two of them presented a numerical abnormality detected by FISH. Using a FISH technique with direct labeled centromeric probes for chromosomes 3, 7, 11, and 18 we showed a numerical abnormality in eight of 35 patients (23%) with a normal karyotype. The common occurrence of MGUS and the fact that they may evolve toward lymphoproliferative disorders displays the importance of being able to identify laboratory results that are capable of predicting the evolution of these patients. In the literature, patients who presented an IgA peak of immunoglobulin type have been associated with a higher risk of evolving to a malignant condition. Our study shows the correlation of MGUS patients who presented monosomy 18 with the presence of an immunoglobulin peak of the IgA type. Prospective follow-up is needed to evaluate the clinical value of monosomy 18 as a predictive factor for defining a high risk of malignant transformation in MGUS patients.

Control de la presión arterial en la población hipertensa y en el subgrupo de hipertensos y diabéticos: relación con las características del centro y de la comunidad / Control of blood pressure in a population of patients with hypertension and in a subgroup with hypertension and diabetes: relationship with characteristics of the health care center and the community

Objetivo. Valorar el grado de control de la presión arterial (PA) en la población hipertensa e hipertensa y diabética, así como la influencia de las características del centro en este control. Diseño. Estudio descriptivo, transversal, multicéntrico, retrospectivo. Emplazamiento. Un total de 31 centros de salud de Cataluña. Participantes. Muestra aleatoria de 2.240 historias clínicas de pacientes hipertensos de 31 centros de atención primaria de Cataluña, atendidos entre enero y diciembre de 1996.Mediciones principales. Auditoría de historias clínicas. Se recogieron los dos últimos valores de PA y el registro de cribado y diagnóstico de otros factores de riesgo cardiovascular. También se recogieron las características del centro de salud y del médico. Resultados. Cuatrocientos noventa y cinco pacientes (22,1 por ciento) eran además diabéticos. Un 61,2 por ciento era de sexo femenino. La media de edad es de 64,9 años (IC del 95 por ciento, 64,465,4). El 25,7 por ciento de los pacientes presentaba cifras de PA por debajo de 140/90 mmHg (IC del 95 por ciento, 23,9-27,5 por ciento), pero solamente en un 6,7 por ciento de diabéticos eran menores de 130/85 mmHg (IC del 95 por ciento, 4,5-8,9 por ciento). Las cifras de PA sistólica (PAS) y diastólica (PAD) medias al final del período de estudio fueron mayores en los centros docentes. Se observaron PAD significativamente superiores en los centros urbanos y en los pacientes menores de 65 años. También fueron mayores en aquellos pacientes que tenían algún factor de riesgo cardiovascular asociado y en los centros con menos de 6 años de funcionamiento, aunque las diferencias no fueron estadísticamente significativas. No se observaron diferencias según las características del médico. Conclusiones. Existe un bajo grado de reducción de las cifras de PA entre la población hipertensa y diabética de Cataluña. Presentar otros factores de riesgo cardiovascular asociados, tener menos de 65 años y ser atendido en un centro docente y urbano se asocian a peor control tensional (AU)