Trends and predictors of birth weight in Chilean children.

OBJECTIVES: Birth weight is an important public health indicator that reflects fetal health conditions and predicts future health. Identifying the most important factors related to birth weight would help defining preventive health strategies for both mothers and children. The objectives of this study are i. to describe, using a large birth database from a Chilean hospital, the trend of birth weight during 2002-2015, and ii. to determine factors during prenatal care associated with low and high birth weight. STUDY DESIGN: This study is a secondary analysis of all single birth records at a Chilean Hospital in the southeast district of Santiago, Chile, during 2002-2015 (N = 78,931). METHODS: Sociodemographic information, clinical and obstetric history, lifestyle, and anthropometric variables were evaluated as potential predictors. Birth weight was categorized into five groups as per percentiles of weight as per gestational age. Data were extracted from clinical records. We used classification and regression tree methodology and logistic regression. RESULTS: The average birth weight for the period was 3316 g (SD 566), with little variation across time. Preterm births increased from 7% in 2002 to 10% in 2015, and births >40 weeks decreased from 10.7% in 2002 to 4.4% in 2015. The percentages of small and large for gestational age changed from 10.9% and 12.7% in 2002 to 9.9% and 13.9% in 2015, respectively. The predictors included in the optimal tree were body mass index, gestational weight gain, pre-eclampsia, and gestational diabetes. We found that women with a pregestational body mass index <28 kg/m2, gestational weight gain <17 kg, and preeclampsia had a probability of 41% of having a small for gestational age neonate. Conversely, women with a body mass index ≥28 kg/m2, gestational weight gain ≥17 kg, and gestational diabetes had a probability of 44% of having a large for gestational age neonate. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the most important variables explaining birth weight are those related to maternal nutritional status. Thus, the strategies to promote a normal birth weight should aim for a normal maternal weight at the beginning of pregnancy, gestational weight gain within the recommendations, and prevention of gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.

A new thoracic interfascial plane block as anesthesia for difficult weaning due to ribcage pain in critically ill patients / Nuevo bloqueo del plano interfascial torácico como anestesia para retiradas dificultosas de ventilación mecánica a causa de dolor torácico, en pacientes críticos

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Potential cross-reactivity of monoclonal antibodies against clinically relevant mycobacteria.

Tuberculosis is a disease caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTb). In 2011, global mortality due to tuberculosis was 1·4 million individuals. The only available vaccine is the attenuated M. bovis [bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)] strain, which confers variable protection against pulmonary tuberculosis. Some widely distributed non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), such as M. avium and M. arupense, are also potential pathogens for humans. This work aimed to produce and characterize monoclonal antibodies against the M. bovis BCG Mexico strain of the MTb, M. avium subs. hominissuis and the M. arupense strain from NTM. Hybridomas were produced from splenocytes of BALB/c female mice immunized with radiation-inactivated mycobacteria, and the immunoglobulin (Ig)G2a antibody-producing clones with the highest antigenic recognition were selected. The selected clones, Mbv 2A10 for M. bovis BCG Mexico, Mav 3H1 for M. avium and Mar 2D10 for M. arupense, were used in further studies. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immune proteomics analyses characterized the clones as having the highest cross-reactivity with mycobacteria. Using mass spectrometry, a number of proteins recognized by the monoclonal antibody (mAb) clones were identified. These proteins had roles in metabolic processes, hypoxia, cell cycle and dormancy. In addition, a Clustal W and Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) in-silico analysis was performed in protein sequences that result in the conserved regions within probability epitopes that could be recognized for Mbv2A10 and Mav3H1 clones.

[Gastrointestinal complications in critically ill patients]. / Complicaciones gastrointestinales en el paciente crítico.

Critically ill patients may have gastrointestinal complications during hospital stay. The most clinically important complications are gastrointestinal hemorrhage and enteral nutrition-related complications. Currently, gastrointestinal hemorrhage is uncommon due to the use of medication protecting the gastric mucosa and the increasingly frequent use of enteral nutrition. Although GI hemorrhage makes necessary the modification of the type of nutritional support until the bleeding is under control, there are situations in which the hemorrhage does note necessarily imply fasting. Among enteral nutrition-related complications, the increase in gastric residue is the most frequent one. This high frequency is due to impairments in gastric motility induced by severe disease itself and therapeutic measures applied to patients, such the medication administered. The use of pro-kinetic drugs seems to be a useful measure for preventing and treating the increase in gastric residue, although in refractory cases transpyloric nutrition may be necessary. The presence of gastrointestinal complications has a negative effect on the amount of diet administered to the patients, with subsequent increase in infectious complications, hospital stay, and mortality. The use of identification protocols and appropriate management of gastrointestinal complications in critically ill patients may be beneficial in their clinical course.

Complicaciones gastrointestinales en el paciente crítico / Gastrointestinal complications in critically ill patients

Los pacientes críticos pueden presentar complicaciones gastrointestinales durante su ingreso. Las complicaciones de mayor relevancia clínica son la hemorragia digestiva y las complicaciones relacionadas con la nutrición enteral. La hemorragia digestiva es poco frecuente en la actualidad gracias al empleo de medicación protectora de la mucosa gástrica y al uso cada vez más extendido de la nutrición enteral. Aunque la hemorragia obliga a modificar el tipo de soporte nutricional hasta el control de la misma, existen situaciones en las que la hemorragia no debería implicar necesariamente la suspensión de la dieta. Entre las complicaciones relacionadas con la nutrición enteral, el aumento del residuo gástrico es la más frecuente. Esta elevada frecuencia es debida a las alteraciones de la motilidad gástrica inducidas por la propia situación de enfermedad grave y por las medidas terapéuticas aplicadas a los pacientes, como la medicación administrada. El empleo de fármacos procinéticos parece ser una medida útil en la prevención y el tratamiento del aumento del residuo gástrico, aunque en casos de persistencia puede ser necesario recurrir a la nutrición transpilórica. La presencia de complicaciones gastrointestinales tiene un efecto negativo sobre la cantidad de dieta aportada a los pacientes. Este déficit nutricional puede afectar también negativamente a la evolución de los pacientes, originando un incremento en las complicaciones infecciosas, en la estancia hospitalaria y en la mortalidad. El empleo de protocolos para la identificación y el manejo adecuado de las complicaciones gastrointestinales en los pacientes críticos puede ser un factor beneficioso en la evolución de los mismos

Critically ill patients may have gastrointestinal complications during hospital stay. The most clinically important complications are gastrointestinal hemorrhage and enteral nutrition-related complications. Currently, gastrointestinal hemorrhage is uncommon due to the use of medication protecting the gastric mucosa and the increasingly frequent use of enteral nutrition. Although GI hemorrhage makes necessary the modification of the type of nutritional support until the bleeding is under control, there are situations in which the hemorrhage does note necessarily imply fasting. Among enteral nutrition-related complications, the increase in gastric residue is the most frequent one. This high frequency is due to impairments in gastric motility induced by severe disease itself and therapeutic measures applied to patients, such the medication administered. The use of pro-kinetic drugs seems to be a useful measure for preventing and treating the increase in gastric residue, although in refractory cases transpyloric nutrition may be necessary. The presence of gastrointestinal complications has a negative effect on the amount of diet administered to the patients, with subsequent increase in infectious complications, hospital stay, and mortality. The use of identification protocols and appropriate management of gastrointestinal complications in critically ill patients may be beneficial in their clinical course