Clinical Characteristics and Microorganisms Isolated in Community-Acquired Pneumonia in the COVID-19 Period.

Introduction: Community-acquired pneumonia is a leading cause of mortality and hospital admissions. The aetiology remains unknown in 30-65% of the cases. Molecular tests are available for multiple pathogen detection and are under research to improve the causal diagnosis. Methods: We carried out a prospective study to describe the clinical characteristics and aetiology of community-acquired pneumonia during the COVID-19 pandemic and to assess the diagnostic effectivity of the microbiological tests, including a molecular test of respiratory pathogens (FilmArray™ bioMérieux). Results: From the 1st of February 2021 until the 31st of March 2022, 225 patients were included. Failure in microorganism identification occurred in approximately 70% of patients. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common isolate. There were 5 cases of viral pneumonia. The tested FilmArray exhibited a low positivity rate of 7% and mainly aided in the diagnosis of viral coinfections. Conclusions: Despite our extensive diagnostic protocol, there is still a low rate of microorganism identification. We have observed a reduction in influenza and other viral pneumoniae during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having a high NEWS2 score on arrival at the emergency department, an active oncohematological disease or chronic neurological conditions and a positive microbiological test result were related to worse outcomes. Further research is needed to determine the role of molecular tests in the microbiological diagnosis of pneumonia.

Oral-Health-Related Quality of Life and Anxiety in Orthodontic Patients with Conventional Brackets.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and anxiety levels of adult patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed multibracket appliances. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out at the Dental Clinic of the University of Salamanca in 2021. It included 120 adult patients between 19 and 45 years of age undergoing orthodontic treatment with conventional metal brackets. The data collection instruments chosen were the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) to assess anxiety levels and the OHIP-14 questionnaire to measure the OHRQoL. Anxiety levels and OHRQoL were analyzed one month after starting treatment. RESULTS: The mean age was 31.7 years ± 6.5 years; 68 patients were women (56.7%) and 52 were men (43.3%). Psychological disability was the dimension of the OHIP-14 questionnaire that was found to have the greatest impact (3.20 ± 1.08) on patients, as compared to the dimension of disability, which had the lowest impact on the oral-health quality of life (0.37 ± 0.56). The mean total score of the OHIP-14 questionnaire was 11.93 (±2.19). There was no statistically significant influence from either sex or age on the anxiety and oral-health quality of life of the participants; however, there was a significant relationship between the dimensions of physical disability and anxiety traits. CONCLUSIONS: The physical disability dimension of the OHIP-14 questionnaire increased the anxiety level of adult patients treated with conventional brackets. The impact of orthodontic treatment on adult patients may negatively influence their levels of anxiety.

Beneficios de la urea oral en pacientes con hiponatremiae insuficiencia cardiaca / Benefits of oral urea in patients with hyponatremia and heart failure

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and safety of oral urea in patients with hyponatremia and heart failure (HF).Methods and Results: This is a retrospective observational study of hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients with HF and hyponatremia(serum Na+ < 135 mEq/L) followed by the Heart Failure Unit between January 2013 and May 2018. The study evaluated sodium normalization levels (Na+ = 135 ± 3 mEq/L) after treatment with oral urea. Thirty-four patients were included in the study, and all were on standardtreatment for HF. Natremia at the beginning of treatment with oral urea was 126.34 ± 5.41 mEq/L, and the mean on the day of normalizationwas 136.45 ± 3.22 mEq/L (p < 0.001). The mean time to achieve sodium normalization was 4.28 ± 2.37 days. Blood urea at the beginning oftreatment with urea was 85.77 ± 50.51 mg/dl, and the mean on the day of Na+ normalization was 137.90 ± 56.66 mg/dl (p < 0.001). Therewas an increase in diuresis (p < 0.006) and plasma osmolarity (p < 0.001) as well as a slight decrease in serum potassium (p < 0.001). Themean dose of oral urea was 22.5 g/day. There were no important adverse effects, nor were there significant changes in creatinine levels orthe estimated glomerular filtration rate by the MDRD formula.Conclusions: When added to the standard treatment for short periods of time, treatment with oral urea is safe and effective at correctingnatremia and improving diuresis in patients with hypervolemic HF with hyponatremia. (AU)

Influence of information concerning a computerized anesthesia system on dental anxiety: a randomized controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial among patients requiring an upper third molar extraction was performed to evaluate the anxiety degree after receiving information or not about the functioning of The Wand system. Secondarily, perceived pain and the need of re-anesthesia were assessed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned to the experimental group (detailed explanation about The Wand) or control group (no specific information). Local anesthesia with The Wand consisted in a supraperiosteal infiltrative technique injection 1.6 mL at the buccal and 0.2 mL at the palatal side. Distinct questionnaires for assessing dental anxiety and 100-mm visual analog scales to assess pain were delivered. Demographic data, radiological parameters, operative time and type of intervention were also registered. A descriptive bivariate analysis by non-parametric tests to detect differences in anxiety, pain and re-anesthesia was performed by SPSS 22.0 (SPPS Inc. Chicago, USA). RESULTS: A total of 85 patients were assessed for eligibility but 17 participants were lost due to the cancellation of the visit for the surgical intervention. Finally, sixty-eight patients were included (34 participants in each group), 47 women (69.1%) and 21 men (30.9%), with an average age of 28.8 (± 9.3) years. CONCLUSIONS: Patients that received a detailed explanation of The Wand did not have a significant reduction of the anxiety degree and perceived pain during the anesthetic act compared to patients that received no information. The need of re-anesthesia was not related to the anxiety level but was significantly related to increasing operative time

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Instruments to assess mental health-related stigma among health professionals and students in health sciences: A systematic psychometric review.

AIM: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the instruments to assess the mental health-related stigma among health professionals and students in health sciences. BACKGROUND: Evidence on the stigmatization by health professionals of people with mental health illness is increasingly compelling. Valid and reliable instruments are needed for the assessment of mental health-related stigma and effectiveness of anti-stigma interventions. DESIGN: Systematic psychometric review. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE (via PubMed), CINAHL (via EBSCO), PsycINFO, Scopus, and Open Grey from their inception to August 2017. No limits were applied. REVIEW METHODS: We included studies on the development of a measurement instrument or on the evaluation of one or more of its measurement properties. The methodological quality of the included studies and quality of the measurement instruments identified were assessed using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. RESULTS: We included 25 studies involving 15 measurement instruments. The "Atributtion Questionnaire" (five studies) and the "Opening Minds Scale for Health Care providers (OMS-HC)" (four studies) were the most investigated instruments. Internal consistency, content validity, structural validity, and hypothesis testing were the measurement properties most commonly evaluated. Measurement error and responsiveness were investigated in only two studies. Eight psychometric properties of OMS-HC were evaluated, three of which have a positive strong level of evidence. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial number of instruments have been developed to assess mental health-related stigma among health professionals. There is a lack of any assessment of certain measurement properties. The OMS-HC is the instrument that had the strongest evidence.

La contemporización biliar percutánea como estrategia en el tratamiento de la lesión quirúrgica de la vía biliar / Percutaneous biliary interventon as an inital treatment for injury of the bile duct

Antecedentes: El drenaje biliar percutáneo (DBP) se ha utlizado para tratar lesiones quirúrgicas de la vía biliar y como complemento de la cirugía de reparación. Objetivo: Presentar los resultados del drenaje biliar percutáneo en una serie consecutiva de pacientes con lesiones quirúrgicas o secuelas de reparaciones quirúrgicas de la vía biliar. Material y Métodos: Se analizaron los pacientes tratados inicialmente mediante DBP. Se utlizó la cla-sificación de Strasberg y se registró: tpo de operación, vía de abordaje, número de reintervenciones, intentos de reparación biliar y presentación clínica. En los pacientes con continuidad bilioentérica, la primera opción fue el tratamiento percutáneo. Se evaluó el DBP en el pre, intra y postoperatorio y pre dilatación percutánea Resultados: En el hospital Argerich, período 2000 a 2014, se incluyeron 76 enfermos, 68.4% mujeres y post colecistectomía 97%. El 77,6% fueron lesiones Tipo E2 a E5. El porcentaje de enfermos con control de síntomas pre cirugía o dilatación percutánea fue: ictericia 59%, colestasis 5%, colangits 91%, fistula biliar 87%, prurito 90%, retro del hepaticostoma o Kehr 91%. En 13 de 16 pacientes con fistula biliar externa se internalizó el catéter biliar a la cavidad abdominal. En el 70% de 52 pacientes operados, el catéter facilitó la identificación de la vía biliar proximal. En el postoperatorio, no hubo fistulas biliares de la anastomosis bilioentérica, y se detectaron 3 pacientes con estenosis biliar residual y 2 con segmentos biliares aislados que fueron tratados. Conclusión: El DBP resulta útl en el preoperatorio, intraoperatorio y postoperatorio de los pacientes con lesiones quirúrgicas biliares.

Background: Percutaneous biliary drainage (PtibD) has been used to treat surgical bile duct injuries and as an adjunct to repair surgery. Objective: To present the results of PtidB in a consecutive series of patents with surgical injuries or sequelae of surgical repairs of the bile duct. Material and methods: Patents initally treated with PtibD were analyzed. Strasberg classificaton was used and recorded: type of operaton, surgical approach, number of reoperatons, biliary repair atempts and clinical presentaton. In patents with bilioenteric continuity, percutaneous biliary treatment was the frst opton. PtibD was evaluated in the pre, intra and postoperative period and in the pre dilataton period. Results: At the Hospital Argerich, from 2000 to 2014, 76 patents were included, 68.4% women and 97% post cholecystectomy. The lesions were Type E2 to E5 in 77% of cases. The percentage of patents with controlled symptoms before surgery or percutaneous dilataton was: jaundice 59%, cholestasis 5%, cholangits 91%, biliary fistula 87%, pruritus 90%, withdrawal hepaticos-toma or T-Kehr 91%. In 13 of 16 patents with external biliary fistula, the catheter could be internalized to abdominal cavity. In 70% of 52 operated patents, the catheter facilitated the identificaton of the proximal biliary duct. In the postoperative period, there were no biliary fistulas of the bilioenteric anastomoses and 3 patents with residual biliary stenosis and 2 with isolated biliary segments were detected and treated. Conclusion: PtibD is helpful in the pre, intra and postoperative treatment of patents with surgical bile duct injuries.