Osteoarthritis and the Mediterranean Diet: A Systematic Review

Osteoarthritis (OA) affects 240 million people globally. Few studies have examined the links between osteoarthritis and the Mediterranean diet (MD). The aim of this paper was to systematically review and analyze the epidemiological evidence in humans on the MD and its association with OA. A systematic search of EMBASE identified three studies that explored the association between MD and OA. Two of them were cross-sectional and the third one was a 16-week randomized clinical trial. Prisma declaration was followed to carry out this review. These studies described a positive association between a higher adherence to a MD and the quality of life of participants suffering OA. The prevalence of OA was lower in participants with a higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet. Biomarkers of inflammation and cartilage degradation related to OA were also analyzed and significant differences were detected only for IL1-, which decreased in the MD group. Exploring the relationship between MD and OA is complex, moreover, the limited evidence and methodological differences in such studies makes it difficult to compare results. In conclusion, the three studies included in this systematic review demonstrated some relation between osteoarthritis and a Mediterranean diet. However, prospective and longer interventions are required to evaluate the long-term efficacy of the Mediterranean diet to improve symptomatology and preventing osteoarthritis

Programa de prevenció de la tuberculosis del CAP de Ciutat Badia: resultats del primer any de funcionament

Presentem els resultats del primer any de funcionament del Programa de Prevenció de la TBC del CAP de Ciutat Badia. Intentem trobar les fonts d'infecció estudiant no tan sols els contactes de malalts tuberculosos sinó també els contactes deis individus tuberculino-positius (infectats). La prevalença d'infecció tuberculosa en la població de 14-20 anys és de 12,54 % (8,88%-16,51%). S'han detectat 9 casos de tuberculosi activa que corresponen a un 3,67 % dels individus infectats trobats en l'estudi. Es discuteixen les diferencies d'infecció tuberculosa entre sexes, més gran en homes, de les quals no trobem cap referencia en la literatura. No podem afirmar que l'estudi de contactes d'infectats augmenti la rendibilitat del cribratge tuberculínic sistemàtic i haurem d'esperar avaluar un segon any per aconseguir mes precisió en les dades. Remarquem la importància del seguiment de la quimioprofilaxi tuberculosa amb un compliment del 75%, cosa que fa considerar que el control per infermeria educant i motivant la població pot ésser una mesura eficaç

Usefulness of bone densitometry in postmenopausal women with clinically diagnosed vertebral fractures.

Objective: To analyse whether bone mineral density (BMD) assessment is required in postmenopausal women presenting with low trauma vertebral fracture. Methods: Women with vertebral fracture diagnosed over a 10 year period were recruited from our database. The following were excluded: (a) patients with high energy trauma; (b) patients with malignancies; (c) patients with a metabolic bone disease other than osteoporosis. All postmenopausal women were included in whom BMD had been evaluated at both the lumbar spine and femoral neck by dual energy x ray absorptiometry during the six months after the diagnosis. Patients with a potential cause of osteoporosis other than age and menopause were not considered. A total of 215 patients were identified. Results: The mean (SD) age of the patients was 65.9 (6.9) years. BMD at the lumbar spine was 0.725 (0.128) g/cm2 and the T score was ¿2.94 (1.22); BMD at the femoral neck was 0.598 (0.095) g/cm2 and the T score was ¿2.22 (0.89). The BMD of the patients was significantly lower than that of the general population at both the lumbar spine and femoral neck. When the lowest value of the two analysed zones was considered, six patients (3%) showed a normal BMD, 51 (23.5%) osteopenia, and 158 (73.5%) osteoporosis. The prevalence of osteoporosis at the femoral neck increased with age; it was 25% in patients under 60, 35% in patients aged 60¿70, and 60% in patients over 70. Conclusion: These results indicate that bone densitometry is not required in postmenopausal women with clinically diagnosed vertebral fractures if it is performed only to confirm the existence of a low BMD