Automated office blood pressure measurements in primary care are misleading in more than one third of treated hypertensives: The VALENTINE-Greece Home Blood Pressure Monitoring study

Abstract Background This study assessed the diagnostic reliability of automated office blood pressure (OBP) measurements in treated hypertensive patients in primary care by evaluating the prevalence of white coat hypertension (WCH) and masked uncontrolled hypertension (MUCH) phenomena. Methods Primary care physicians, nationwide in Greece, assessed consecutive hypertensive patients on stable treatment using OBP (1 visit, triplicate measurements) and home blood pressure (HBP) measurements (7 days, duplicate morning and evening measurements). All measurements were performed using validated automated devices with bluetooth capacity (Omron M7 Intelli-IT). Uncontrolled OBP was defined as ≥140/90 mmHg, and uncontrolled HBP was defined as ≥135/85 mmHg. Results A total of 790 patients recruited by 135 doctors were analyzed (age: 64.5 ± 14.4 years, diabetics: 21.4%, smokers: 20.6%, and average number of antihypertensive drugs: 1.6 ± 0.8). OBP (137.5 ± 9.4/84.3 ± 7.7 mmHg, systolic/diastolic) was higher than HBP (130.6 ± 11.2/79.9 ± 8 mmHg; difference 6.9 ± 11.6/4.4 ± 7.6 mmHg, p Conclusions In primary care, automated OBP measurements are misleading in approximately 40% of treated hypertensive patients. HBP monitoring is mandatory to avoid overtreatment of subjects with WCH phenomenon and prevent undertreatment and subsequent excess cardiovascular disease in MUCH

Pandemic influenza A vs seasonal influenza A in hospitalized children in Athens

Background: Data on pandemic H1N1 influenza (pH1N1) virus infection in hospitalised children are limited. Aims and Objectives: To examine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of children hospitalised with pH1N1 at a large tertiary-care centre in Athens and compare them with those of children hospitalised with seasonal influenza A in previous years. Methods: All children (n=146) admitted with confirmed pH1N1 between October 2009 to February 2010 and January 2011 to May 2011 were included. Data on children >= 6 months of age (n=109) were compared with those of 138 children admitted with seasonal influenza A who were examined during two previous influenza seasons (2002-2003 and 2004-2005). Results: The age distribution was similar between seasonal and pandemic H1N1. Bronchial asthma was significantly more common in the seasonal influenza group but the clinical presentation was similar in the two groups, except that fever was more common in patients with pH1N1. Children admitted with seasonal influenza were more likely to develop acute otitis media. There were no significant differences between the two groups for severe outcomes (admission to the ICU, mechanical ventilation or death). Only one child with seasonal influenza (0.6%) and three with pH1N1 influenza (2%) required admission to the ICU. Mean length of hospitalisation was longer in the seasonal influenza group. Conclusion: Clinical manifestations were similar between pH1N1 and seasonal influenza, and the pandemic virus did not appear to cause more severe disease in hospitalised children

Enzyme Kinetics Modeling as a Tool to Optimize Food Industry: A Pragmatic Approach Based on Amylolytic Enzymes

Modeling is an important tool in the food industry since it is able to simplify explanation of phenomena and optimize processes that cover a broad field from manufacture to byproducts treatment. The goal of the current article is to explore the development of enzyme kinetic models and their evolution over the last decades. For this reason, corresponding simulations were classified in deterministic, empirical, and stochastic models, prior investigating limitations, corrections, and industrial applications in each case. The ultimate goal is to provide an answer to a major problem: how can we develop an intermediate complexity model that achieves satisfactorily representation of the main phenomena with a limited number of parameters

PIMENTA NOS OLHOS DOS OUTROS É... CHILLI BEANS! A PERSONALIDADE DA MARCA AOS "OLHOS" DOS CONSUMIDORES

More and more organizations seek to establish links between their brands and consumers as value construction strategy in pursuit to establish exchanges. Within the academy, this point appears in studies located at the intersection between branding and relationship marketing. To this end, brand personality, referred to the assignment of human characteristics to it, serves as a primary notion in foresting this link. Present study investigates the perception of Chilli Beans’ consumers, the Latin America’s sunglasses largest seller, about the brand. Thou, the objective of this research was to identify and evaluate human characteristics that make up Chilli Beans’ personality based on its consumers’ perspective. The research is characterized as an exploratory qualitative study, conducted through in depth interviews and analyzed using functional discourse analysis. Our findings indicate thirteen categories that, in their relations, propitiated us to identify three profiles that make up the brand ontic characteristics. Theoretical and practical implications, as well as directions for future research, are considered.Cada vez más las organizaciones buscan establecer vínculos entre sus marcas y los consumidores como una estrategia para crear valor con el fin de establecer intercambios. En el ámbito académico, este problema aparece en los estudios que se encuentran en la intersección entre las áreas de branding y marketing relacional. Para este fin, la personalidad de la marca, que se refiere a la atribución de características humanas a esta, se presenta como un concepto primordial en el fomento de este enlace. Este estudio investiga la percepción del consumidor de Chilli Beans, el mayor vendedor de gafas de sol de América Latina, sobre la marca. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de esta investigación fue identificar y evaluar las características humanas que componen la personalidad de la marca Chilli Beans desde la perspectiva de sus clientes. La investigación se caracteriza como un estudio cualitativo exploratorio realizado a través de entrevistas en profundidad y analizados mediante análisis de discurso funcional. Nuestros hallazgos indican trece categorías que, en sus relaciones, nos ha llevado a identificar tres perfiles que componen las características de la marca. Se consideran las implicaciones teóricas y prácticas, así como direcciones para investigaciones futuras.Cada vez mais as organizações buscam estabelecer vínculos entre suas marcas e os consumidores como estratégia para construção de valor de modo a estabelecer trocas. Na academia, esta questão aparece em estudos que se localizam na interseção entre as áreas de branding e de marketing de relacionamento. Neste intuito, a personalidade de marca, referente à atribuição de características humanas à mesma, se apresenta como uma noção primordial no fomento a esse elo. O presente estudo investiga a percepção dos consumidores da Chilli Beans, maior vendedora de óculos escuros da América Latina, sobre a marca. Desta forma, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi identificar e avaliar as características humanas que compõem a personalidade da marca Chilli Beans sob a ótica de seus consumidores. A investigação se caracteriza como um estudo qualitativo exploratório, realizado por meio de entrevistas em profundidade e analisadas mediante a análise de discurso funcional. Nossos achados indicam treze categorias que, em suas relações, nos levaram à identificação de três perfis que compõem as características ônticas da marca. Implicações teóricas e práticas, bem como indicações de futuras pesquisas são consideradas.

Automated office blood pressure measurements in primary care are misleading in more than one third of treated hypertensives: The VALENTINE-Greece Home Blood Pressure Monitoring study

Background: This study assessed the diagnostic reliability of automated office blood pressure (OBP) measurements in treated hypertensive patients in primary care by evaluating the prevalence of white coat hypertension (WCH) and masked uncontrolled hypertension (MUCH) phenomena. Methods: Primary care physicians, nationwide in Greece, assessed consecutive hypertensive patients on stable treatment using OBP (1 visit, triplicate measurements) and home blood pressure (HBP) measurements (7 days, duplicate morning and evening measurements). All measurements were performed using validated automated devices with bluetooth capacity (Omron M7 Intelli-IT). Uncontrolled OBP was defined as ≥140/90 mmHg, and uncontrolled HBP was defined as ≥135/85 mmHg. Results: A total of 790 patients recruited by 135 doctors were analyzed (age: 64.5 ± 14.4 years, diabetics: 21.4%, smokers: 20.6%, and average number of antihypertensive drugs: 1.6 ± 0.8). OBP (137.5 ± 9.4/84.3 ± 7.7 mmHg, systolic/diastolic) was higher than HBP (130.6 ± 11.2/79.9 ± 8 mmHg; difference 6.9 ± 11.6/4.4 ± 7.6 mmHg, p < 0.001). WCH phenomenon (high OBP with low HBP) was observed in 22.7% of the patients, MUCH (low OBP with high HBP) in 15.8%, uncontrolled hypertension (high OBP with high HBP) in 29.9%, and controlled hypertension (low OBP with low HBP) in 31.6%. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, WCH was determined by stage-1 systolic hypertension (odds ratio [OR] 8.6, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 5.7, 13.1) and female gender (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1, 2.4), whereas MUCH was determined by high-normal systolic OBP (OR 6.2, 95% CI 3.8, 10.1) and male gender (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2, 3.1). Conclusions: In primary care, automated OBP measurements are misleading in approximately 40% of treated hypertensive patients. HBP monitoring is mandatory to avoid overtreatment of subjects with WCH phenomenon and prevent undertreatment and subsequent excess cardiovascular disease in MUCH. © 2019 Hellenic Society of Cardiolog