Procalcitonin as Point-of-Care Testing Modality for the Diagnosis of Pneumonia in Children With Influenza-like Illness.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of procalcitonin (PCT) as a point-of-care testing to screen for radiographic pneumonia among children with influenza-like illness (ILI) and prolonged fever. METHODS: A prospective cohort study conducted at the pediatric emergency department of a tertiary hospital. Point-of-care testing for PCT was determined for 185 children aged 3 months to < 18 years with ILI and fever lasting > 4 days seen during the flu season in 2020. A chest radiograph (CXR) was performed for patients with PCT > 0.5 ng/mL. RESULTS: PCT value was > 0.5 ng/mL in 46 (24.9%) patients; a CXR was ordered in all cases except one and 14 (31.1%) of them had radiographic pneumonia (all had a PCT value > 0.7 ng/mL). Among the 139 (75.1%) patients with a PCT value ≤ 0.5 ng/mL, 137 (98.6%) were managed in the outpatient with symptomatic treatment; the remaining two cases warranted a CXR which was unremarkable in both. At evolution, no radiographic pneumonia was diagnosted in any of them. CONCLUSION: PCT is a useful tool for point-of-care testing in patients with ILI and fever > 4 days to guide the indication for CXR to rule out radiographic pneumonia and helps in avoiding unnecessary radiation exposure.

Smartphone Abuse Amongst Adolescents: The Role of Impulsivity and Sensation Seeking.

Adolescence is the stage of development where the reward and emotional regulation systems are yet to be adjusted and where most excessive behaviors start, like smartphone abuse. In addition, in this evolutionary period adolescents are more susceptible to behavioral changes through specific interventions or educational programs. Thus, it is fundamental to analyze the personality profile of those adolescents showing excessive mobile phone usage to properly approach later prevention strategies. Impulsivity is one of the most repeated variables associated with teenage addictions, although it has been observed that not all impulsive behaviors need to be detrimental. The aim of this study is to analyze how impulsivity affects smartphone addiction directly, but also indirectly, by assessing its association with sensation seeking variables (thrill and adventure seeking, experience seeking, disinhibition, and boredom susceptibility) which are in turn decisive when using these technologies improperly. The sample was made up of 614 adolescents aged 13-18 attending secondary education from Burgos, Spain. Dickman Impulsivity Inventory, Sensation Seeking Scale, and Ad-hoc questionnaire on adolescent self-perception as to smartphone use were applied. Results show that 41.4% of participants admit to abusing smartphones sometimes, while 18.3% admit to abusing them more frequently and 24% to, at least ever, having defined themselves as smartphone addicts. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that gender (female), dysfunctional impulsivity and sensation seeking (disinhibition and thrill and adventure seeking) evidence 15.7% of variance in smartphone abuse. In addition, sensation seeking (thrill and adventure seeking, disinhibition, and boredom susceptibility) were found to mediate the relationship between dysfunctional impulsivity and smartphone abuse. Therefore, dysfunctional impulsivity was directly connected with teenage smartphone abuse, but also had an indirect stronger association through thrill and adventure seeking, disinhibition and boredom susceptibility.

Active Aging Program in Nursing Homes: Effects on Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction / El envejecimiento activo en residencias para personas mayores: su efecto en el bienestar psicológico y la satisfacción vital

A great number of intervention strategies that provide opportunities to maintain physical, psychological, and social wellbeing have been carried out in order to promote active aging. Most of these strategies are aimed at people without physicalor cognitive dependence, while institutionalized older people have not been considered as a target group. The main objectiveof this study was to analyze the effect of an active aging program on the psychological well-being and life satisfaction ofinstitutionalized older people. A total of 141 participants with adequate psychomotor skills were selected (Mage = 85.50 years,SD = 8.47), and a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group and an experimental group was used. Thecontrol group participated in the traditional limited active aging program offered in long-term care facilities - cognitivestimulation and physical activity - while the experimental group participated in a comprehensive active aging program. Afterthe intervention, participants from the experimental group showed improvements in the mean values of psychological wellbeing and life satisfaction, while no change was found in the CONTROL GROUP: The improvements in psychological well-beingand life satisfaction were maintained 12 months later in the follow-up evaluation. This study suggests that the inclusionof a comprehensive active aging program in nursing homes, that comprises actions aimed at promoting empowerment,participation, and social openness, contributes to the maintenance of perceived well-being

Se ha implementado un gran número de estrategias de intervención para promover el envejecimiento activo basadasen el mantenimiento del bienestar físico, psicológico y social. Muchas de esas estrategias se han llevado a cabo conpersonas mayores sin dependencia física o cognitiva, mientras que las personas mayores institucionalizadas no hansido un grupo objetivo. El principal objetivo de este estudio fue analizar el efecto de un programa de envejecimientoactivo sobre el bienestar psicológico y la satisfacción vital de personas mayores institucionalizadas. Participó un grupo de141 personas mayores con adecuadas capacidades psicomotoras (Medad = 85.50 años, DT = 8.47), utilizándose un diseñocuasiexperimental pretest-postest con grupo control y grupo experimental. El grupo control participó en un programatradicional limitado de envejecimiento activo ofrecido en residencias (estimulación cognitiva y ejercicio físico) mientrasque el grupo experimental participó en un programa global de envejecimiento activo. Tras la intervención aumentó lapuntuación media de los participantes del grupo experimental en bienestar psicológico y satisfacción vital, mientras queno se observaron cambios en el grupo control, mejoras que se mantuvieron 12 meses después de la intervención. Esteestudio sugiere que la inclusión de un programa global de envejecimiento activo en residencias para personas mayores quecontemple medidas para impulsar el empoderamiento, la participación y la apertura social contribuye al mantenimientodel bienestar percibido

Botulinum toxin type A in the treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon: A three-year follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: Raynaud's phenomenon consists of vasospastic disease of the digital arteries after exposure to cold or stress. It causes an important reduction in the patient's quality of life when severe. The available treatments do not always offer favorable results. METHODS: A 3-year retrospective study was presented. A total of 15 patients with severe Raynaud's phenomenon who required infiltration with botulinum toxin type A participated in the study. In the first and follow-up visits (30 min, 7 days, 3 months, 6 months, and annual), the overall response by the patient was assessed as was the reduction in the number of weekly episodes of Raynaud's phenomenon, improvement in pain by means of the Visual Analogue Scale, and resolution of ulcers and necrosis as efficacy variables. RESULTS: A total of 15 patients were included in the study. After 30 min of infiltration, the immediate results showed a very good perception of response in four patients. After 1 month of treatment, eight patients had obtained and maintained a very good response, persisting throughout the study. A statistically significant reduction in pain was obtained, as well as the number of weekly episodes of Raynaud's phenomenon. Of the seven patients with basal ulcers, five were completely healed at 3 months. Of the patients, 64.3% showed an overall satisfaction level of >8 at the end of treatment. No serious adverse events were observed. CONCLUSION: Botulinum toxin is a useful treatment for severe Raynaud's phenomenon that is generally well tolerated. Its mechanism of action is not based exclusively on vasodilation. Further studies are necessary to define the ideal patient for this treatment, the most appropriate method of administration, and the number of units and frequency of the infiltrations.