A Secondary Analysis of Gender Respiratory Features for Ultrasonography Bilateral Diaphragm Thickness, Respiratory Pressures, and Pulmonary Function in Low Back Pain.

The aim of the present study was to determine the gender respiratory differences of bilateral diaphragm thickness, respiratory pressures, and pulmonary function in patients with low back pain (LBP). A sample of 90 participants with nonspecific LBP was recruited and matched paired by sex (45 women and 45 men). Respiratory outcomes included bilateral diaphragm thickness by ultrasonography, respiratory muscle strength by maximum inspiratory (MIP) and expiratory (MEP) pressures, and pulmonary function by forced expiratory volume during 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC spirometry parameters. The comparison of respiratory outcomes presented significant differences (p < 0.001), with a large effect size (d = 1.26-1.58) showing means differences (95% CI) for MIP of -32.26 (-42.99, -21.53) cm H2O, MEP of -50.66 (-64.08, -37.25) cm H2O, FEV1 of -0.92 (-1.18, -0.65) L, and FVC of -1.00 (-1.32, -0.69) L, with lower values for females versus males. Gender-based respiratory differences were presented for maximum respiratory pressures and pulmonary function in patients with nonspecific LBP. Women presented greater inspiratory and expiratory muscle weakness as well as worse lung function, although these differences were not linked to diaphragm thickness during normal breathing.

Nutrition and Chronobiology as Key Components of Multidisciplinary Therapeutic Interventions for Fibromyalgia and Associated Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Narrative and Critical Review.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is often accompanied by chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). It is a poorly understood disorder that mainly affects women and leads to chronic pain, fatigue, and insomnia, among other symptoms, which decrease quality of life. Due to the inefficiency of current pharmacological treatments, increasing interest is being directed towards non-pharmacological multicomponent therapies. However, nutrition and chronobiology are often overlooked when developing multicomponent therapies. This narrative and critical review explore the relevance of nutritional and chronobiological strategies in the therapeutic management of FM and the often-associated CFS. Reviewed literature offers scientific evidence for the association of dietary habits, nutrient levels, body composition, gut microbiota imbalance, chronobiological alterations, and their interrelation with the development and severity of symptoms. This review highlights the key role of nutrition and chronobiology as relevant and indispensable components in a multidisciplinary approach to FM and CFS.

Ultrasonographic reliability and repeatability of simultaneous bilateral assessment of diaphragm muscle thickness during normal breathing.

Background: The diaphragm is considered the main muscle involved in breathing and also linked to trunk stabilization functions. Up to date, rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI) has been the most used technique to evaluate unilaterally the transcostal diaphragm thickness. Nevertheless, the inspiratory activity of both hemi-diaphragms is bilaterally performed at the same time, and its simultaneous evaluation with a thoracic orthosis could improve its assessment as well as its re-education with visual biofeedback of both hemi-diaphragms at the same time. The purpose was to evaluate the reliability and repeatability of simultaneous thickness measurements of both hemi-diaphragms bilaterally during normal breathing using a thoracic orthosis that allowed bilateral fixation of both right and left ultrasound probes. Methods: The study was conducted in 46 healthy subjects, whose diaphragm thickness was measured bilaterally and simultaneously in the anterior axillary line during relaxed breathing with a designed thoracic orthosis and 2 ultrasound tools. Intra-examiner (same examiner), inter-examiner (2 examiners), intra-session (1 hour) and inter-session (1 week) reliability and repeatability between each pair of measurements of diaphragm muscle thickness were analyzed during normal breathing. Results: Reliability and repeatability for intra-session evaluations using the thoracic orthosis were excellent to evaluate simultaneous thickness of both hemi-diaphragms by bilateral probes fixation (intraclass correlation coefficient =0.919-0.997; standard error of measurement =0.002-0.007 cm; minimum detectable change =0.006-0.020 cm), without systematic errors (P>0.05) between each pair of measurements. Nevertheless, inter-session evaluations varied from good to excellent using the bilateral probes fixation (intraclass correlation coefficient =0.614-0.984; standard error of measurement =0.006-0.028 cm; minimum detectable change =0.017-0.079 cm), although some systematic errors were presented (P<0.05). Conclusions: Good to excellent reliability and repeatability was shown for simultaneous thickness measurements of both hemi-diaphragms bilaterally during normal breathing. Despite systematic errors were presented for some inter-examiner assessments, the use of the thoracic orthosis that allowed bilateral fixation of ultrasound probes could be recommended for simultaneous hemi-diaphragms breathing re-education by visual biofeedback.

Effectiveness and health benefits of a nutritional, chronobiological and physical exercise primary care intervention in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: SYNCHRONIZE + mixed-methods study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic pain, fatigue and insomnia are classic symptoms of fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and seriously affect quality of life. Nutrition and chronobiology are often overlooked in multicomponent approach despite their potential. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary group intervention based on nutrition, chronobiology, and physical exercise in the improvement of lifestyle and quality of life in FM and CFS. METHODS: Mixed-methods study based on a randomized clinical trial and qualitative analysis with a descriptive phenomenological approach. The study will be conducted in primary care in Catalonia. The control group will follow the usual clinical practice and the intervention group the usual practice plus the studied intervention (12 hours over 4 days). The intervention based on nutrition, chronobiology and physical exercise will be designed considering participants' opinions as collected in 4 focus groups. To evaluate effectiveness, EuroQol-5D, multidimensional fatigue inventory, VAS pain, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, erMEDAS-17, biological rhythms interview of assessment in neuropsychiatry, REGICOR-Short, FIQR and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaires will be collected at baseline, and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-intervention. Food intake, body composition, resistance and, strength will also be evaluated. The effect size will be calculated using Cohen d and logistic regression models will be used to quantify the impact of the intervention by adjusting for different variables. DISCUSSION: It expected that the intervention will improve the patients' quality of life, fatigue, pain and insomnia, as well as food and physical exercise habits, providing effectiveness evidence of a new therapy in addressing these syndromes in Primary Heath Care. Improvements in the quality of life will have a positive socioeconomic impact by reducing health expenditure on recurrent medical consultation, medication, complementary medical tests, etc and favor the maintenance of an active working life and productivity.

Information needs and research priorities in long-term survivorship of breast cancer: Patients and health professionals' perspectives.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this work is to identify unmet information needs of long-term-survivors of breast cancer (BC) and future research needs from the perspectives of patients and health care professionals. METHODS: Two online Delphi surveys were conducted. Participants in Survey 1 were patients. Participants in Survey 2 were health care professionals from both primary and secondary care involved in BC care. Both surveys included three successive rounds. The first round aimed to identify research and information needs; the second round aimed to rank the relative importance of those needs; the third round aimed to find consensus. RESULTS: The most important information needs were self-management recommendations of common health problems after treatment and complications of breast reconstruction after 5 years. The most important research priorities were related to interventions and tools to increase information provision by professionals about certain tests, diet, and coordinated action between primary and specialised care during follow-up, and indications and safety issues of pregnancy in survivors. CONCLUSIONS: Two fundamental ideas were identified: (1) Patients request information about self-management common health problems after treatment and breast reconstruction complications. (2) Health care professionals emphasise the need for a standardised approach based on protocols, recommendations, and coordinated actions in the provision of information. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Given the increasing number of BC survivors, it is essential to identify information and research needs to improve their care and health outcomes.

Effectiveness of Ultrasonography Visual Biofeedback of the Diaphragm in Conjunction with Inspiratory Muscle Training on Muscle Thickness, Respiratory Pressures, Pain, Disability, Quality of Life and Pulmonary Function in Athletes with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Diaphragmatic weakness and thickness reduction have been detected in athletes with lumbopelvic pain (LPP). Strength training of inspiratory muscles may be necessary for athletes with LPP. Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) and visual biofeedback by rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI) have been proposed as possible interventions. Here, we determine the effectiveness of visual biofeedback by RUSI with a proposed novel thoracic orthotic device to facilitate diaphragmatic contraction in conjunction with high-intensity IMT in athletes with non-specific LPP. A single-blinded, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial was performed (NCT04097873). Of 86 participants assessed for eligibility, 64 athletes with non-specific LPP (39 males and 25 females; mean age, 33.15 ± 7.79 years) were recruited, randomized, analyzed and received diaphragm visual biofeedback by RUSI in conjunction with high-intensity IMT (RUSI+IMT; n = 32) or isolated high-intensity IMT (IMT; n = 32) interventions for 8 weeks. Diaphragmatic thickness during normal breathing, maximum respiratory pressures, pain intensity, pressure pain threshold on lumbar musculature, disability by the Roland−Morris questionnaire, quality of life by the SF-12 questionnaire and spirometry respiratory parameters were assessed at baseline and after the 8-week intervention. There were significant differences (p = 0.015), within a medium effect size (Cohen's d = 0.62) for the forced expiratory volume in 1-s (FEV1), which was increased in the RUSI+IMT intervention group relative to the IMT alone group. Adverse effects were not observed. The rest of the outcomes did not show significant differences (p > 0.05). Diaphragm visual biofeedback by RUSI with the proposed novel thoracic orthotic device in conjunction with high-intensity IMT improved lung function by increasing FEV1 in athletes with non-specific LPP.

Effectiveness of Mantra-Based Meditation on Mental Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Meditation is defined as a form of cognitive training that aims to improve attentional and emotional self-regulation. This systematic review aims to evaluate the available scientific evidence on the effectiveness and safety of mantra-based meditation techniques (MBM), in comparison to passive or active controls, or other active treatment, for the management of mental health symptoms. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO databases were consulted up to April 2021. Randomised controlled trials regarding meditation techniques mainly based on the repetition of mantras, such as transcendental meditation or others, were included. RESULTS: MBM, compared to control conditions, was found to produce significant small-to-moderate effect sizes in the reduction of anxiety (g = -0.46, IC95%: -0.60, -0.32; I2 = 33%), depression (g = -0.33, 95% CI: -0.48, -0.19; I2 = 12%), stress (g = -0.45, 95% CI: -0.65, -0.24; I2 = 46%), post-traumatic stress (g = -0.59, 95% CI: -0.79, -0.38; I2 = 0%), and mental health-related quality of life (g = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.49; I2 = 0%). CONCLUSIONS: MBM appears to produce small-to-moderate significant reductions in mental health; however, this evidence is weakened by the risk of study bias and the paucity of studies with psychiatric samples and long-term follow-up.

Pulmonary Thrombosis or Embolism in a Large Cohort of Hospitalized Patients With Covid-19.

Objective: We set out to analyze the incidence and predictive factors of pulmonary embolism (PE) in hospitalized patients with Covid-19. Methods: We prospectively collected data from all consecutive patients with laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 admitted to the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, a university hospital in Barcelona, between March 9 and April 15, 2020. Patients with suspected PE, according to standardized guidelines, underwent CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). Results: A total of 1,275 patients with Covid-19 were admitted to hospital. CTPA was performed on 76 inpatients, and a diagnosis of PE was made in 32 (2.6% [95%CI 1.7-3.5%]). Patients with PE were older, and they exhibited lower PaO2:FiO2 ratios and higher levels of D-dimer and C-reactive protein (CRP). They more often required admission to ICU and mechanical ventilation, and they often had longer hospital stays, although in-hospital mortality was no greater than in patients without PE. High CRP and D-dimer levels at admission (≥150 mg/L and ≥1,000 ng/ml, respectively) and a peak D-dimer ≥6,000 ng/ml during hospital stay were independent factors associated with PE. Prophylactic low molecular weight heparin did not appear to prevent PE. Increased CRP levels correlated with increased D-dimer levels and both correlated with a lower PaO2:FiO2. Conclusions: The 2.6% incidence of PE in Covid-19 hospitalized patients is clearly high. Higher doses of thromboprophylaxis may be required to prevent PE, particularly in patients at increased risk, such as those with high levels of CRP and D-dimer at admission. These findings should be validated in future studies.

Quantitative and Compositional Study of Monospecies Biofilms of Spoilage Microorganisms in the Meat Industry and Their Interaction in the Development of Multispecies Biofilms.

Food spoilage is a serious problem in the food industry, since it leads to significant economic losses. One of its main causes is the cross-contamination of food products from industrial surfaces. Three spoilage bacterial species which are highly present in meat and the gastrointestinal tract of chickens were selected: Pseudomonas fragi, Leuconostoc gasicomitatum, and Lactobacillus reuteri. The dual aim was to determine their ability to form monospecies biofilms and to examine how they interact when they coexist together. To do so, mature monospecies biofilms were produced statically for seven days at a temperature of 30 °C. L. gasicomitatum was also used to investigate the behavior of P. fragi and L. reuteri in the formation of multispecies biofilms. The structure and composition of the monospecies biofilms were evaluated by direct epifluorescence microscopy, and the multispecies biofilms were evaluated by plate counting. Both L. gasicomitatum and L. reuteri were able to form biofilms, with counts of approximately 7 Log CFU/cm2 and a defined structure. However, P. fragi obtained counts to the order of 4 Log CFU/cm2, which is significantly different from the previous species (P < 0.05), and it had no network of cell conglomerates. The content of the L. gasicomitatum and L. reuteri biofilm matrices were 70-80% protein, unlike P. fragi, which presented a higher polysaccharide content (P < 0.05). In the multispecies biofilms, the presence of P. fragi did not affect the growth of L. gasicomitatum, which remained at between 5.76 to 6.1 Log CFU/cm2. However, L. reuteri was able to displace L. gasicomitatum growth after 24 h of coexisting in a mixed biofilm, presenting differences in counts of approximately 2 Log CFU/cm2. The study of the biofilms constructed by food industry resident microbiota can help to understand the ecological relations that exist between species, characterize them, and propose strategies to eliminate them. The name of genes and species should be written in italic.

Effectiveness of a decision aid for promoting colorectal cancer screening in Spain: a randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening has shown to reduce incidence and mortality rates, and therefore is widely recommended for people above 50 years-old. However, despite the implementation of population-based screening programs in several countries, uptake rates are still low. Decision aids (DAs) may help patients to make informed decisions about CRC screening. METHODS: We performed a randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a DA developed to promote CRC screening, with patients from two primary care centers in Spain who never had underwent CRC screening. Contrary to center B (n = 24), Center A (n = 83) attended patients from an area where the population-based screening program was not implemented at that moment. Outcome measures were decisional conflict, knowledge of the disease and available screening options, intention to uptake the test, and concordance between patients' goals/concerns and intention. RESULTS: In center A, there were significant differences favoring the DA in decisional conflict (p < 0.001) and knowledge (p < 0.001). The absolute differences favoring DA group in intention to undergo fecal occult blood test (10.5%) and colonoscopy (13.7%) were significant only before correction for attenuation. In center B the differences were significant only for knowledge (p < 0.001). Patients' goals and concerns regarding the screening did not significantly predict their intention, and therefore we could not calculate a measure of concordance between the two constructs. CONCLUSIONS: A DA improved the decisional process of participants who had never been invited to participate in the Spanish public CRC screening program, replicating previous results in this field. Future research is needed to identify subgroups that could benefit more from these interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Registered Clinical/social Study Number: ISRCTN98108615 (Retrospectively registered on 27 December 2018).

Patient Empowerment and Involvement in Research.

Patients with rare diseases often face difficulties in clinical care due to the low prevalence of their diseases and the resulting healthcare professionals' lack of expertise. Valid and standardized guidelines for clinical management are also lacking due to the scarcity of research and the variability of the clinical expressivity within each disease. In addition, in cases of rare diseases, the patient and health professional relationship may not fit with the traditional assumptions of medical care. Although the communication process between patients and healthcare professionals shares most of the general features of the standard patient-health professional interaction, rare diseases may be burdened with additional issues.In this sense, clinical decision-making in an uncertainty context should take advantage of involving patients in deeper informational process to promote valid shared decision-making between patients/caregivers and healthcare professionals. This process of patient/caregiver empowerment is a priority in the context of rare diseases, as it encourages acquisition of information that will help improving patient-healthcare professional's interaction, and building a collaborative relationship. It is also a chance for healthcare professionals to learn about rare diseases from the perspective of patients.Engagement of patients and other stakeholders in clinical research may help to ensure that research efforts in rare diseases address relevant clinical questions and patient-centered health outcomes. However, the effectiveness of patient-engagement approaches, particularly for the study of rare diseases, has not been well studied.

Effect of prophylactic treatment with low-molecular-weight heparin bemiparin sodium on serum potassium levels: a prospective observational study.

Hyperkalaemia is a serious adverse effect of unfractionated heparin, but the effect of low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs) on potassium levels is not clear. Previous studies have shown a disparity of results depending on the dose and type of LMWH used. To analyse potassium level variations in medical and surgical inpatients receiving the LMWH bemiparin sodium at prophylactic doses and assess the consequent effective risk of hyperkalaemia in a real-life setting. This was a prospective observational study conducted over a 9-month period in a university teaching hospital. Patients consecutively admitted to internal medicine wards for general medical conditions (n = 145) or to traumatology wards for hip fractures (n = 98) and who received prophylactic bemiparin sodium were enrolled in the study. The intervention consisted of daily dosages of bemiparin sodium (Hibor) 3500 IU (56%) or 2500 IU (44%) for a minimum of 5 days. The mean age of participants was 80.5 years, with 91.8% being aged > or =65 years. Eighty-six percent of patients had co-morbidities and 79.4% were taking medication affecting potassium homeostasis. The main outcome measures were variations in serum potassium levels observed within 4-8 days of starting bemiparin sodium and the presence of hyperkalaemia (serum potassium >5.1 mmol/L) while on bemiparin sodium treatment. After patients had received bemiparin sodium for a median 6-day period, the mean (+/-SD) serum potassium level increased from 4.1 +/- 0.5 to 4.3 +/- 0.5 mmol/L (p < 0.001). Hyperkalaemia >5.1 mmol/L developed in ten patients (4.1%), but serum potassium levels >5.5 mmol/L related to bemiparin sodium were present in only two (0.8%). Laboratory tests between the fourth and eighth days identified all but one case of hyperkalaemia. Patients were not symptomatic and discontinuation of bemiparin sodium treatment was not required. There were no statistically significant differences in potassium disturbances between older (aged > or =65 years) and younger (aged <65 years) patients. The maximum serum potassium level showed a significant inverse correlation with bodyweight (R = -0.731; p = 0.016) and creatinine clearance (R = -0.640; p = 0.046), and a positive correlation with the individual variation in serum potassium levels (R = 0.692; p = 0.027) and with serum potassium levels after 4-8 days on bemiparin sodium treatment (R = 0.741; p = 0.014). Baseline potassium level (odds ratio [OR] 26.5, 95% CI 4.7, 150.3; p < 0.001) and treatment with ACE inhibitors (OR 10.5, 95% CI 1.9, 57.8; p = 0.007) were the only predictors of hyperkalaemia at admission (c-statistic 0.88, 95% CI 0.78, 0.99). For patients not receiving ACE inhibitors, a baseline serum potassium >4.6 mmol/L was considered the cut-off value for predicting hyperkalaemia (sensitivity 90% and specificity 70%). Serum potassium levels in in-hospital traumatology and medical patients increased significantly with bemiparin sodium prophylaxis but the incidence of relevant hyperkalaemia was low. Patients taking bemiparin sodium who are treated with ACE inhibitors or who have a baseline potassium level >4.6 mmol/L should be monitored for serum potassium levels between days 4 and 8 of hospital admission.

Bilateral Bell palsy and acute HIV type 1 infection: report of 2 cases and review.

Two adult patients who presented to a hospital with bilateral facial Bell palsy who were also experiencing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 seroconversion are described. Ten additional cases retrieved from the literature are also reviewed. Bell palsy appeared a median of 15 days after the beginning of the clinical disease, and aseptic meningitis was an invariable concomitant of facial neuropathy. All but 1 patient (8.3%) recovered without sequelae.