Prevalence of urinary cotinine levels in children under 5 years of age during consultations for acute respiratory disease at the emergency department of the Universidad de La Sabana clinic.

BACKGROUND: Several environmental factors favour the occurrence of acute respiratory disease, which is the main reason for paediatric consultations in our country (Colombia). Tobacco smoke is considered a significant environmental pollutant with a great impact on health. The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of cotinine levels measured in urine, in children between 1 to 60 months of age who attended an emergency department with acute respiratory disease. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted that included children between 1 and 60 months of age with acute respiratory disease who were admitted to the emergency department of the Universidad de La Sabana Clinic between April and July 2016. RESULTS: We included 268 patients and 36% were female. Of the total population examined, 33.96% showed positive results for urinary cotinine, of whom 97.8% had values between 10 and 100 ng/ml, which is considered positive for exposure to second-hand smoke. The principal pathology was recurrent wheezing in 43.96% of these cases. Regarding the presence of smokers at home, it is important to mention that in 54.95% of the children with positive urinary cotinine test was no related with smokers at home. And in 45.05% of positive urinary cotinine was evidence of smokers at home, being associated with the positive result P <  0.001 and smoking within the house P = 0.018; smoking when children were present did not have significant P = 0.105. The activities performed after smoking such as hand washing, change of clothes, eating, brushing teeth, did not influence the test result P = 0.627. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of urinary cotinine was observed, which is associated with the presence of a smoker at home, and this relationship was independent of the activities performed by the smoker after smoking. In addition, a positive test for urinary cotinine was presented in some children without documented exposure to cigarette smoke inside the home, which may be explained by the presence of environmental cotinine. Therefore, it is necessary to perform educational interventions aimed at parents and caregivers who smoke.

Efectividad de la Técnica Red en el tratamiento del Linfedema asociado a mastectomía / Effectiveness of the Red Technique in the treatment of lymphedema associated with mastectomy

Resumen: Introducción: Las mujeres con cáncer de mama sometidas a mastectomía padecen de linfedema, problema debilitante y desagradable que afecta la calidad de vida. La fisioterapia es considerada como una opción de tratamiento con múltiples técnicas de intervención, a las que no todos los pacientes tienen acceso. Métodos: El presente estudio pretendió determinar los efectos de la Técnica RED en el tratamiento del Linfedema asociado a mastectomía. Resultados: se contó con la participación de 16 mujeres, 8 en el grupo control y 8 en el grupo experimental, que asistieron a consulta oncológica en el Hospital Universitario Hernando Moncaleano Perdomo de Neiva entre los meses de agosto y diciembre de 2015. En ambos grupos se aplicó un pre-test y pos-test con mediciones de edema, movilidad articular para movimientos de Flexión, Extensión, Abducción y Rotación Externa de hombro, Supinación, Flexión y Extensión de muñeca y sensibilidad superficial a partir del dolor y tacto. Conclusión: Las variables dolor, tacto y edema presentaron cambios significativos luego de la aplicación de la técnica; las propiedades tróficas y mecánicas de la piel se encontraron conservadas de manera inicial y final y la movilidad articular presentó cambios significativos en el pos-test del grupo experimental para los movimientos de abducción de hombro, rotación externa, supinación de antebrazo, flexión y extensión de muñeca.

Abstract: Introduction: Women with breast cancer undergoing mastectomy suffer from lymphedema, a debilitating and unpleasant problem that affects the quality of life. Physical therapy is considered as a treatment option with multiple intervention techniques, which not all patients have access to. The present study aimed to determine the effects of the RED technique in the treatment of lymphedema associated with mastectomy. Methods: 16 women participated, 8 in the control group and 8 in the experimental group, who attended an oncological consultation at the Hospital Universitario Hernando Moncaleano Perdomo de Neiva between August and December 2015. Results: In both groups A pre-test and post-test with edema measurements, joint mobility for Flexion, Extension, Abduction and External Shoulder Rotation, Supination, Flexion and Wrist Extension and superficial sensitivity based on pain and touch were applied. Conclusion: The variables pain, touch and edema presented significant changes after the application of the technique; The trophic and mechanical properties of the skin were initially and final preserved and the joint mobility incorporated significant changes in the post-test of the experimental group for the movements of shoulder abduction, external rotation, forearm supination, flexion and extension.