Bacteria profile and antibiogram of the bacteria isolated from the exposed pulp of dog canine teeth.

Twenty-seven microbiological samples were taken from root canals (RC) of the canine teeth of 20 dogs where the pulps were non-vital and exposed due to complicated crown fractures. These pulps were cultured for aerobic/anaerobic bacteria. Antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates was determined using the Kirby-Bauer diffusion test. A total of 49 cultivable isolates, belonging to 27 different microbial species and 18 different genera, were recovered from the 27 RCs sampled. Twenty (40.81 per cent) of the cultivable isolates were Gram positive while 29 (59.19 per cent) were Gram negative. Facultative anaerobes were the most common bacteria (77.56 per cent). Aerobic isolates represented 18.36 per cent, and strict anaerobes 4.08 per cent. The antimicrobials with the highest in vitro efficacy were gentamicin (100 per cent) and enrofloxacin (93.32 per cent).

Sarcopenia y dinapenia en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 en un área rural de Castilla-La Mancha / Sarcopenia and dynapenia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a rural area in Castilla- La Mancha

Objetivo. Conocer la prevalencia de sarcopenia y dinapenia en pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DMT2), así como identificar posibles factores clínicos y sociodemográficos que pudieran estar asociados a ambos síndromes. Diseño. Estudio descriptivo transversal y de asociación cruzada. Mediciones Principales. Se calculó y comparó la prevalencia tanto de dinapenia como sarcopenia en dos muestras obtenidas de forma aleatoria, una de sujetos con DMT2 y otra de no diabéticos (n=211 cada una). Sólo en el grupo de diabéticos se analizó la diferente asociación de sarcopenia y dinapenia con variables sociodemográficas y clínicas relevantes en la DMT2. Mediante regresión logística se construyó un modelo predictivo, de forma separada para sarcopenia y dinapenia, a partir de los resultados del análisis bivariante. Resultados. La prevalencia de sarcopenia en diabéticos fue del 8,5 %, frente al 5,2 % en no diabéticos (diferencia no significativa). En lo referente a dinapenia: 39,3 % en diabéticos y 18,0 % en no diabéticos (p<0,001). Resultaron asociadas tanto a sarcopenia como a dinapenia las variables: edad, comorbilidad elevada, retinopatía diabética, neuropatía periférica, velocidad de la marcha ≤1 m/s y no ser fumador en activo. La resistencia insulínica y el género femenino fueron estadísticamente significativas sólo para la sarcopenia. La cardiopatía isquémica, la insuficiencia cardíaca y el estado civil de soltero o viudo aparecieron asociadas únicamente a dinapenia. En el análisis multivariante para sarcopenia resultaron con significación estadística: edad, osteoporosis, retinopatía diabética, glaucoma y el test Beck Depression Inventory; en el correspondiente a dinapenia: edad, gonartrosis, anemia y velocidad de la marcha ≤1 m/s. Conclusiones. Los pacientes con DMT2 tuvieron una mayor proporción de sarcopenia y dinapenia, siendo significativa sólo la segunda cuando se comparó con las prevalencias obtenidas en participantes no diabéticos. Ciertas características clínicas y socidemográficas están asociadas a la presencia de ambos síndromes, lo que podría facilitar la mejor identificación de los mismos en los diabéticos controlados en Atención Primaria (AU)

Objective. To ascertain the prevalence of sarcopenia and dynapenia in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, and to identify possible clinical and socio-demographic factors that might be associated with both syndromes. Design. Descriptive cross-sectional study. Main measures. We calculated and compared the prevalence of both dynapenia and sarcopenia in two randomly obtained samples, one comprising subjects with T2DM and another comprising non-diabetic subjects (n=211 each). The different association between sarcopenia and dynapenia, and socio-demographic and clinical variables relevant in T2DM was only analysed in the diabetic group. Using logistic regression, separate predictive models were constructed for sarcopenia and dynapenia, based on the results of the bivariate analysis. Results. While prevalence of sarcopenia was 8.5 % in diabetic subjects versus 5.2 % in nondiabetic subjects (non-significant difference), that of dynapenia was 39.3 % in diabetic subjects versus 18.0 % in non-diabetic subjects (p<0.001). The following variables were associated with both sarcopenia and dynapenia: age; high comorbidity; diabetic retinopathy; peripheral neuropathy; gait speed ≤1 m/s; and not being an active smoker. Insulin resistance and female gender were statistically significant only for sarcopenia. Ischaemic heart disease, heart failure and single or widowed marital status were exclusively associated with dynapenia. The multivariate analysis showed the following variables to be statistically significant: age, osteoporosis, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) test in the case of sarcopenia; and age, gonarthrosis, anaemia and gait speed ≤1 m/s in the case of dynapenia. Conclusions. T2DM patients showed a higher proportion of sarcopenia and dynapenia, being significant only the latter when compared with prevalences obtained in non-diabetic patients. Certain clinical and socio-demographic characteristics are associated with the presence of both syndromes, fact that may facilitate a better identification of these in diabetic patients controlled in Primary Care (AU)

La sobrecarga de los cuidadores informales / Informal caregivers’ burden

OBJETIVO: analizar la presencia de sobrecarga en los cuidadores informales e identificar algunas variables asociadas que puedan influir en ella. MÉTODO: abordamos el tema a través de un estudio transversal descriptivo y analítico de una muestra de 50 cuidadores informales y sus correspondientes cuidados residentes en un municipio de la provincia de Almería. La recogida de datos se realizó usando una encuesta diseñada al efecto para este trabajo, la "escala de sobrecarga del cuidadorde Zarit", y el índice de Barthel de actividades básicas de la vida diaria", versión Granger. RESULTADOS: la edad media de los cuidadores fue 60,5 años, el 88%eran mujeres, el mismo porcentaje no tenía trabajo remunerado y el86% convivía con la persona cuidada. Más de la mitad de la muestra de cuidadores se encuentran sobrecargados, un 30% presenta sobrecarga leve y un 28% sobrecarga intensa. El tener trabajo remunerado fuera del domicilio y que la persona cuidada tenga demencia son factores relacionados, significativamente, con la sobrecarga del cuidador. CONCLUSIONES: los resultados sugieren que cuidar a una persona con demencia supone mayor sobrecarga, mientras que trabajar fuera de casa podría tener un efecto beneficioso. En la misma línea, disminuir el número de horas dedicadas al cuidado repartiéndolas con otras personas podría reducir el nivel de sobrecarga. Conocer el perfil de los cuidadores y de las personas cuidadas es de utilidad para prevenir problemas del rol de cuidador

PURPOSE: to assess informal caregivers' burden and to identify potentially influencing associated factors. METHODS: the issue was addressed using a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study in a sample of 50 informal caregivers and corresponding cared individuals living in a town at Almería province in Spain. Data were collected with a questionnaire specifically designed for the study, Zarit Burden Interview, and Barthel Index of Activities of Daily Living-Granger version. RESULTS: mean age of caregivers was 60.5 years, 88% were women,88% had no paid employment, and 86% lived with the cared patient. Burden was present in more than half the caregivers sample (mild burdenin 30%; severe burden in 28%). Having an out of home paid employment and a cared patient having dementia are both factors significantly related to caregiver burden. CONCLUSIONS: our findings suggest that taking care of patients with dementia results in a higher burden, whereas having an out of home employment could have a favorable effect. Furthermore, a decreased number of hours spent in care giving and sharing the time out among several people could reduce burden level. Knowledge of caregivers and cared patients profiles is useful to prevent caregiver role problems

Atheroma plaque, metabolic syndrome and inflammation in patients with psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic inflammation plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular risk factors. Although the prevalence of comorbidities and cardiovascular events has been described in patients with psoriasis, few studies have examined subclinical atherosclerosis in psoriasis patients. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to investigate the prevalence of atheroma plaques in patients with severe psoriasis compared with control subjects and to analyze the association with metabolic syndrome, homocysteine levels and inflammatory parameters. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This case-control study included 133 patients, 72 with psoriasis and 61 controls consecutively admitted to the outpatient clinic in Dermatology Departments (Granada, Spain.) RESULTS: Carotid atheroma plaques were observed in 34.7% of the psoriatic patients versus 8.2% of the controls (p=0.001) and metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 40.3% of the psoriatic patients versus 13.1% of the controls (p<0.001). Significantly higher mean values of insulin, aldosterone, homocysteine and acute phase parameters (fibrinogen, D-dimer, C reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate) were found in psoriatic patients. Binary logistic regression showed a strong association between psoriasis and atheroma plaque and metabolic syndrome after controlling for confounding variables. LIMITATIONS: The absence of longitudinal quantification of metabolic syndrome parameters and intima-media thickness in psoriatic patients. CONCLUSION: The chronic inflammation and hyperhomocysteinemia found in psoriatic patients may explain the association with atheroma plaque and metabolic syndrome. Cardiovascular screening by metabolic syndrome criteria assessment and carotid ultrasound in psoriasis may be useful to detect individuals at risk and start preventive treatment against the development of cardiovascular disease.

Deficiency of serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in psoriatic patients: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Some autoimmune conditions have been associated with reduced vitamin D levels, including systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus, and multiple sclerosis. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to analyze the 25-hydroxyvitamin D (OHD) status of patients with psoriasis in comparison with control subjects without this disease. METHODS: This case-control study included 86 patients (43 with psoriasis and 43 age- and sex-matched control subjects) from the outpatient clinic of our hospital dermatology department in Granada, Spain. All patients and control subjects were studied during one 4-week period to avoid seasonal variations in vitamin D levels. RESULTS: Serum 25-OHD levels were significantly lower in psoriatic patients than in control subjects even after adjusting for confounding factors in a multivariate analysis (odds ratio 2.89, 95% confidence interval 1.02-7.64, P < .03 for vitamin D insufficiency). Low 25-OHD levels were negatively associated with C-reactive protein (inflammatory activation marker) and body mass index in multiple linear regression analysis. Psoriatic patients with body mass index greater than or equal to 27 kg/m(2) had a higher risk of 25-OHD insufficiency (sensitivity of 82.3% and specificity of 51.7%). LIMITATIONS: Further studies with larger numbers of patients are required to analyze the pathogenic mechanisms underlying the relationship between 25-OHD deficiency and psoriasis. CONCLUSIONS: The 25-OHD values are significantly lower in psoriatic patients than in control subjects. Low 25-OHD levels are negatively associated with C-reactive protein, an inflammatory activation marker, and with obesity. Psoriatic patients with a body mass index of 27 or more are likely to have vitamin D insufficiency.