El paciente virtual: diseño y aplicación de una metodología activa basada en casos clínicos reales prácticos para impulsar el aprendizaje responsable y participativo de los estudiantes en un entorno colaborativo on-line

Premio a la Innovación en la Enseñanza 2012[ES] El centro de la enseñanza en la integración transdisciplinar no es, sin embargo, un tema o tópico seleccionado para este propósito, sino el campo de conocimiento biosanitario. El profesor proporciona una estructura o marco de oportunidades de aprendizaje, pero la integración la realiza el propio estudiante, basándose en las situaciones de alta fidelidad con el mundo real de la práctica profesional biosanitaria. Se ha definido como “un proceso individual de construcción de información y experiencia, filtradas a través de las percepciones únicas de cada uno de los individuos, pensamientos y sentimientos”. En este nivel, los límites entre las diferentes disciplinas han desaparecido y los estudiantes se centran enteramente en un nuevo constructo de conocimiento que transciende las disciplinas

The Influence of Nutrition in Alzheimer's Disease: Neuroinflammation and the Microbiome vs. Transmissible Prion

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a primary, progressive, neurodegenerative disorder. Many risk factors for the development of AD have been investigated, including nutrition. Although it has been proven that nutrition plays a role in AD, the precise mechanisms through which nutrition exerts its influence remain undefined. The object of this study is to address this issue by elucidating some of the mechanisms through which nutrition interacts with AD. This work is a qualitative systematic bibliographic review of the current literature searchable on various available databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Our evidence comprises 31 articles selected after a systematic search process. Patients suffering with AD present a characteristic microbiome that promotes changes in microglia generating a proinflammatory state. Many similarities exist between AD and prion diseases, both in terms of symptoms and in the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis. Changes in the composition of the gut microbiome due to dietary habits could be one of the environmental factors affecting the development of AD; however, this is probably not the only factor. Similarly, the mechanism for self-propagation of beta-amyloid seen in AD is similar to that seen in prions

Healing of Chronic Wounds with Platelet-Derived Growth Factors from Single Donor Platelet-Rich Plasma following One Freeze-Thaw Cycle. A Cross-Sectional Study

[EN] Chronic non-healing wounds (CNHWs) may be associated with trauma or idiopathic in nature and are difficult to treat. Our objective was to assess the use of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) from single-donor platelets (al-PRP), using one freeze-thaw cycle, for treating CNHWs. We conducted a cross-sectional study. A total of 23 CNHWs being treated with al-PRP. The al-PRP treatment can be considered successful in well over half (n = 13, 56.5%) of the wounds. We found that all the wounds treated for up to 7 weeks showed partial or complete healing, while those treated for between 8 and 12 weeks did not show healing, healing again being successful in cases in which treatment was extended to more than 13 weeks (85.7%). Using chi-square tests, this relationship was found to be highly significant (p < 0.001, chi2 = 19.51; p value = 0.00006). Notably, Cramer’s V coefficient was very high (0.921), indicating that the effect size of PRP treatment duration on healing is very large (84.8%). We could suggest that the use of al-PRP in the healing of CNHWs is a promising approach. Further studies with larger sample sizes and long follow-ups are needed to obtain multivariate models to explain which factors favour the healing of ulcers treated with PRPS

The Efficacy and Effectiveness of Education for Preventing and Treating Non-Specific Low Back Pain in the Hispanic Cultural Setting: A Systematic Review

A systematic review was conducted to assess the efficacy and effectiveness of education programs to prevent and treat low back pain (LBP) in the Hispanic cultural setting. Electronic and manual searches identified 1148 unique references. Nine randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were included in this review. Methodological quality assessment and data extraction followed the recommendations from the Cochrane Back Pain Review Group. Education programs which were assessed focused on active management (3 studies), postural hygiene (7), exercise (4) and pain neurophysiology (1). Comparators were no intervention, usual care, exercise, other types of education, and different combinations of these procedures. Five RCTs had a low risk of bias. Results show that: (a) education programs in the school setting can transmit potentially useful knowledge for LBP prevention and (b) education programs for patients with LBP improve the outcomes of usual care, especially in terms of disability. Education on pain neurophysiology improves the results of education on exercise, and education on active management is more effective than “sham” education and education on postural hygiene. Future studies should assess the comparative or summatory effects of education on exercise, education on pain neurophysiology and education on active management, as well as explore their efficiency

Efficacy of Phentolamine Mesylate in Reducing the Duration of Various Local Anesthetics

Background: To evaluate changes in the effectiveness of phentolamine mesylate in combination with different local anesthetics (LAs) and vasoconstrictors. A prospective randomized double-blind study was conducted with 90 patients divided into three groups, with each group being administered one of three different LAs: lidocaine 2% 1/80,000, articaine 4% 1/200,000, and bupivacaine 0.5% 1/200,000. Methods: We compared treatments administered to the mandible involving a LA blockade of the inferior alveolar nerve. Results were assessed by evaluating reduction in total duration of anesthesia, self-reported patient comfort using the visual analog pain scale, incidence rates of the most common adverse effects, overall patient satisfaction, and patient feedback. Results: The differences among the three groups were highly significant (P < 0.001); time under anesthesia was especially reduced for both the lip and tongue with bupivacaine. The following adverse effects were reported: pain at the site of the anesthetic injection (11.1%), headaches (6.7%), tachycardia (1.1%), and heavy bleeding after treatment (3.3%). The patients' feedback and satisfaction ratings were 100% and 98.9%, respectively. Conclusions: Efficient reversal of LAs is useful in dentistry as it allows patients to return to normal life more readily and avoid common self-injuries sometimes caused by anesthesia. Phentolamine mesylate reduced the duration of anesthesia in the three studied groups, with the highest reduction reported in the bupivacaine group (from 460 min to 230 min for the lip and 270 min for the tongue [P < 0.001]

Influence of ductal carcinoma in situ on the outcome of invasive breast cancer. A prospective cohort study

[EN] Background: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)-associated invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) is present in a large number of patients with breast cancer. However, the association between these two entities has not been studied in detail. The aim of this study is to compare the clinical and histopathological factors associated to recurrence of IDC with those of DCIS-associated IDC (IDC + DCIS). Materials and methods: A prospective observational longitudinal study of 464 patients was performed between 2010 and 2015. Patients with IDC and DCIS + IDC were included and analyzed. Results: IDC + DCIS was present in 243 patients (52.4%). No difference on histopathological characteristics were found, only Grade I and II of invasive component were more frequent in patients with IDC + DCIS than those with IDC (p = 0.038). No differences on recurrence were found between the main groups (p = 0.256). For patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, those with IDC + DCIS had lower response than those with IDC alone (p = 0.014). No differences between the main groups were found on recurrence (p = 0.256). For patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, recurrence was present in 19 patients (30.6%) in the IDC group in contrast to 5 (12.2%) in the IDC + DCIS group (p = 0.030). Mortality was present in 15 patients (24.2%) in the IDC group in contrast to 3 (7.3%) in the IDC + DCIS group (p = 0.027). At 7 years, 80.8% patients were alive: 71.9% from the IDC group and 92.7% from the IDC + DCIS group. Conclusions: The presence of DCIS seems to be indicative of a benign behavior in patients who receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Longer DFS and higher overall survival were found in the IDC + DCIS group despite presenting with a lower response to chemotherapy. These findings help us identify patients with better prognosis in breast cancer.S

Body Composition, Dietary Intake and the Risk of Low Energy Availability in Elite-Level Competitive Rhythmic Gymnasts

[EN] The aim of this study was to analyze dietary intake and body composition in a group of elite-level competitive rhythmic gymnasts from Spain. We undertook body composition and nutritional analysis of 30 elite gymnasts, divided into two groups by age: pre-teen (9–12 years) (n = 17) and teen (13–18 years) (n = 13). Measures of height, weight, and bioimpedance were used to calculate body mass index and percent body fat. Energy and nutrient intakes were assessed based on 7-day food records. The two groups had similar percentages of total body fat (pre-teen: 13.99 3.83% vs. teen: 14.33 5.57%; p > 0.05). The energy availability values for pre-teens were above the recommended values (>40 kcal/FFM/day) 69.38 14.47 kcal/FFM/day, while those for the teens were much lower (34.7 7.5 kcal/FFM/day). The distribution of the daily energy intake across the macronutrients indicates that both groups ingested less than the recommended level of carbohydrates and more than the recommended level of fat. Very low intakes of calcium and vitamin D among other micronutrients were also noted. The main finding is that teenage gymnasts do not consume as much energy as they need each day, which explains their weight and development. Moreover, they are at a high risk of developing low energy availability that could negatively impact their performance and future health.S

Synovial fluid peptidase activity as a biomarker for knee osteoarthritis clinical progression

[EN] Aims To analyze the potential role of synovial fluid peptidase activity as a measure of disease bur- den and predictive biomarker of progression in knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Methods A cross-sectional study of 39 patients (women 71.8%, men 28.2%; mean age of 72.03 years (SD 1.15) with advanced KOA (Ahlbäck grade > 3 and clinical indications for arthrocentesis) recruited through the (Orthopaedic Department at the Complejo Asistencial Universitario de León, Spain (CAULE)), measuring synovial fluid levels of puromycin-sensitive aminopep- tidase (PSA), neutral aminopeptidase (NAP), aminopeptidase B (APB), prolyl endopeptidase (PEP), aspartate aminopeptidase (ASP), glutamyl aminopeptidase (GLU) and pyroglutamyl aminopeptidase (PGAP). results Synovial fluid peptidase activity varied significantly as a function of clinical signs, with dif- ferences in levels of PEP (p = 0.020), ASP (p < 0.001), and PGAP (p = 0. 003) associated with knee locking, PEP (p = 0.006), ASP (p = 0.001), GLU (p = 0.037), and PGAP (p = 0.000) with knee failure, and PEP (p = 0.006), ASP (p = 0.001), GLU (p = 0.037), and PGAP (p < 0.001) with knee effusion. Further, patients with the greatest functional impairment had signifi- cantly higher levels of APB (p = 0.005), PEP (p = 0.005), ASP (p = 0.006), GLU (p = 0.020), and PGAP (p < 0.001) activity, though not of NAP or PSA, indicating local alterations in the renin-angiotensin system. A binary logistic regression model showed that PSA was protective (p = 0.005; Exp (B) 0.949), whereas PEP (p = 0.005) and GLU were risk factors (p = 0.012). Conclusion These results suggest synovial fluid peptidase activity could play a role as a measure of dis- ease burden and predictive biomarker of progression in KOA.S

Long-Term Combined Effects of Citrulline and Nitrate-Rich Beetroot Extract Supplementation on Recovery Status in Trained Male Triathletes: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Citrulline (CIT) and nitrate-rich beetroot extract (BR) are widely studied ergogenic aids. Nevertheless, both supplements have been studied in short-term trials and separately. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the effects of combining CIT and BR supplementation on recovery status observed by distance covered in the Cooper test, exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) and anabolic/catabolic hormone status have not been investigated to date. Therefore, the main purpose of this research was to assess the effect of the long-term (9 weeks) mixture of 3 g/day of CIT plus 2.1 g/day of BR (300 mg/day of nitrates (NO3−)) supplementation on recovery by distance covered in the Cooper test, EIMD markers (urea, creatinine, AST, ALT, GGT, LDH and CK) and anabolic/catabolic hormones (testosterone, cortisol and testosterone/cortisol ratio (T/C)) in male trained triathletes. Thirty-two triathletes were randomized into four different groups of eight triathletes in this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial: placebo group (PLG), CIT group (CITG; 3 g/day of CIT), BR group (BRG; 2.1 g/day of BR (300 mg/day of NO3−)) and CIT-BR group (CIT-BRG; 3 g/day of CIT plus 2.1 g/day of BR (300 mg/day of NO3−)). Distance covered in the Cooper test and blood samples were collected from all participants at baseline (T1) and after 9 weeks of supplementation (T2). There were no significant differences in the interaction between group and time in EIMD markers (urea, creatinine, AST, ALT, GGT, LDH and CK) (p > 0.05). However, significant differences were observed in the group-by-time interaction in distance covered in the Cooper test (p = 0.002; η2p = 0.418), cortisol (p = 0.044; η2p = 0.247) and T/C (p = 0.005; η2p = 0.359). Concretely, significant differences were observed in distance covered in the Cooper test percentage of change (p = 0.002; η2p = 0.418) between CIT-BRG and PLG and CITG, in cortisol percentage change (p = 0.049; η2p = 0.257) and in T/C percentage change (p = 0.018; η2p = 0.297) between CIT-BRG and PLG. In conclusion, the combination of 3 g/day of CIT plus 2.1 g/day of BR (300 mg/day of NO3−) supplementation for 9 weeks did not present any benefit for EIMD. However, CIT + BR improved recovery status by preventing an increase in cortisol and showing an increase in distance covered in the Cooper test and T/C

Application of a person-centered prescription model improves pharmacotherapeutic indicators and reduces costs associated with pharmacological treatment in hospitalized older patients at the end of life

[EN] Objective: This study sought to investigate whether applying an adapted person-centered prescription (PCP) model reduces the total regular medications in older people admitted in a subacute hospital at the end of life (EOL), improving pharmacotherapeutic indicators and reducing the expense associated with pharmacological treatment. Design: Randomized controlled trial. The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05454644). Setting: A subacute hospital in Basque Country, Spain. Subjects: Adults ≥65 years (n = 114) who were admitted to a geriatric convalescence unit and required palliative care. Intervention: The adapted PCP model consisted of a systematic four-step process conducted by geriatricians and clinical pharmacists. Relative to the original model, this adapted model entails a protocol for the tools and assessments to be conducted on people identified as being at the EOL. Measurements: After applying the adapted PCP model, the mean change in the number of regular drugs, STOPPFrail (Screening Tool of Older Persons' Prescriptions in Frail adults with limited life expectancy) criteria, drug burden index (DBI), drug-drug interactions, medication regimen complexity index (MRCI) and 28-days medication cost of chronic prescriptions between admission and discharge was analyzed. All patients were followed for 3 months after hospital discharge to measure the intervention's effectiveness over time on pharmacotherapeutic variables and the cost of chronic medical prescriptions. Results: The number of regular prescribed medications at baseline was 9.0 ± 3.2 in the intervention group and 8.2 ± 3.5 in the control group. The mean change in the number of regular prescriptions at discharge was -1.74 in the intervention group and -0.07 in the control group (mean difference = 1.67 ± 0.57; p = 0.007). Applying a PCP model reduced all measured criteria compared with pre-admission (p < 0.05). At discharge, the mean change in 28-days medication cost was significantly lower in the intervention group compared with the control group (-34.91€ vs. -0.36€; p < 0.004). Conclusion: Applying a PCP model improves pharmacotherapeutic indicators and reduces the costs associated with pharmacological treatment in hospitalized geriatric patients at the EOL, continuing for 3 months after hospital discharge. Future studies must investigate continuity in the transition between hospital care and primary care so that these new care models are offered transversally and not in isolation.S