Psychological and Structural Barriers to Immigrant Community Participation: The Experience of Peruvians in Santiago de Chile.

Community participation can be considered a pillar for the promotion of social justice and well-being for immigrants in new countries. Participation may be influenced by different forms of oppression which decrease opportunities for immigrants to be engaged. The present study explores the difficulties that Peruvian immigrants encountered and still encountering to participate in Santiago de Chile through in-depth qualitative interviews. Eighteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with Peruvian leaders of Ethnic Community Based Organizations (ECBOs) in Santiago de Chile. Interviews focused on the community engagement of Peruvians highlighting the difficulties they encountered when deciding whether to engage and throughout the process of carrying out their commitment, along with their perceptions when trying to engage their compatriots. The present study contributes to the literature in three aspects. First, it focused on the phenomenon of South-South migration. Secondly, it delved into the psychological and structural barriers that immigrants' experience, considering their disadvantaged conditions. Thirdly, it used Situational Analysis, along with the constructionist drift of Grounded Theory, which is widely used in critical, qualitative research, and is sensitive to producing situated knowledge. Coding and mapping analysis identified experiences related to historical trauma, transnational bonds, and dominant master narratives in both countries as well as challenges due to balancing time and priorities, surviving institutional deterrents, and inter-organizations competitiveness. Finally, transnational commitments, mechanisms of social disconnection, and under valuated rights that Peruvians may live in Chile were pointed out. These results intend to have practical implications for immigrants and for community psychologists.

The predictive value of ABCB1, ABCG2, CYP3A4/5 and CYP2D6 polymorphisms for risperidone and aripiprazole plasma concentrations and the occurrence of adverse drug reactions.

We investigated in ninety Caucasian pediatric patients the impact of the main polymorphisms occurring in CYP3A, CYP2D6, ABCB1 and ABCG2 genes on second-generation antipsychotics plasma concentrations, and their association with the occurrence of adverse drug reactions. Patients with the CA/AA ABCG2 genotype had a statistically significant lower risperidone plasma concentration/dose ratio (Ct/ds) (P-value: 0.007) and an higher estimated marginal probability of developing metabolism and nutrition disorders as compared to the ABCG2 c.421 non-CA/AA genotypes (P-value: 0.008). Multivariate analysis revealed that the ABCG2 c.421 CA/AA genotype was found associated to a higher hazard (P-value: 0.004) of developing adverse drug reactions classified as metabolism and nutrition disorders. The ABCB1 2677TT/3435TT genotype had a statistically significant lower aripiprazole Ct/ds if compared with patients with others ABCB1 genotypes (P-value: 0.026). Information obtained on ABCB1 and ABCG2 gene variants may result useful to tailor treatments with these drugs in Caucasian pediatric patients.

A case of dysgraphia induced by sertraline and a review of official spontaneous adverse reaction databases.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVES: The occurrence of dysgraphia after sertraline intake has never been reported. The objective was to describe a case of this adverse drug reaction and present a review of similar cases held in international databases with a discussion of the possible pharmacological mechanisms. CASE SUMMARY: We observed a 60-year-old man who experienced resting tremors, dyskinesia and dysgraphia 2 months after a stepwise increase in sertraline dosing from 50 to 200 mg/day. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Dysgraphia is a possible adverse drug reaction to sertraline, and we suggest that inhibition of extrapyramidal dopaminergic activity might be the pharmacological mechanism.

Throbbing headache associated with enoxaparin administration: a case report, a review of pharmacovigilance databases for similar cases and possible mechanisms.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVES: To date, no case of headache has been reported with enoxaparin. We present the case of a 60-years-old man, who developed enoxaparin-induced throbbing headache and discuss the possible pharmacological mechanisms. We provide an analysis of enoxaparin-induced headache in three international databases. CASE SUMMARY: A few hours after the subcutaneous administration of this drug at therapeutic dose, the patient experienced throbbing headache. Rechallenge on two other separate occasions separated by several days produced the same effect although with reduced intensity when the dose was lowered. The Naranjo Algorithm indicated a 'certain' relationship. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: We report a case of throbbing headache associated with the use of enoxaparin; with the increasing use of enoxaparin, physicians who prescribe this drug should be aware of this potential ADR. We suggest that it is a heparin class-effect, and therefore, a more general caution is also appropriate.

Esophageal pressure measurements under different conditions of intrathoracic pressure. An in vitro study of second generation balloon catheters.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro the accuracy of second generation esophageal catheters at different surrounding pressures and filling volumes and to suggest appropriate catheter management in clinical practice. METHODS: Six different esophageal catheters were placed in an experimental chamber at four chamber pressures (0, 10, 20 and 30 cmH2O) and at filling volumes ranging from 0 to 10 mL. The working volume was defined as the volume range between the maximum (Vmax) and minimum (Vmin) volumes achieving acceptable accuracy (defined by a balloon transmural pressure ± 1 cmH2O). Accuracy was evaluated for a standard volume of 0.5 mL and for volumes recommended by manufacturers. Data are shown as median and interquartile range. RESULTS: In the four conditions of chamber pressure Vmin, Vmax and working volume were 1.0 (0.5, 1.5), 5.3 (3.8, 7.1), and 3.5 (2.9, 6.1) mL. Increasing chamber pressure increased Vmin (rho=0.9; P<0.0001), that reached 2.0 mL (1.6-2.0) at 30 cmH2O. Vmax and working volumes differed among catheters, whereas Vmin did not. By injecting 0.5 mL and the minimum recommended volume by manufacturer, balloon transmural pressure was <-1 cmH2O in 71% and 53% of cases, it was negatively related to chamber pressure (rho=-0.97 and -0.71; P<0.0001) and reached values of -10.4 (-12.4, -9.7) and -9.8 (-10.6, -3.4) at 30 cmH2O. CONCLUSION: Measuring positive esophageal pressures needs higher injected volumes than usually recommended. The range of appropriate filling volumes is catheter-specific. Both absolute values and respiratory changes of esophageal pressure can be underestimated by an underfilled balloon.

The first steps towards the era of personalised vaccinology: predicting adverse reactions.

Until now, the occurrence of adverse reactions among individuals inoculated with identical vaccines has been ascribed to unpredictable stochastic processes. Recent advances in pharmacogenomics indicate that some features of host response to immunisation are influenced by genetic traits, henceforth predictable. The ability to predict the adverse reaction to vaccination would represent an important step towards the development of personalised vaccinology and could enhance public confidence in the safety of vaccines. Herein, we have reviewed all the available information on the association between genetic variants and the risk for healthy subjects to develop adverse reactions.

Bridge to transplantation using paracorporeal biventricular assist devices or the syncardia temporary total artificial heart: is there a difference?

AIM: Biventricular support can be achieved using paracorporeal ventricular assist devices (p-BiVAD) or the Syncardia temporary total artificial heart (t-TAH). The purpose of the present study was to compare survival and morbidity between these devices. METHODS: Data from 2 French neighboring hospitals were reviewed. Between 1996 and 2009, 148 patients (67 p-BiVADs and 81 t-TAH) underwent primary, planned biventricular support. There were 128 (86%) males aged 44±13 years. RESULTS: Preoperatively, p-BiVAD recipients had significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures, more severe hepatic cytolysis and higher white blood cell counts than t-TAH recipients. In contrast, t-TAH patients had significantly higher rates of pre-implant ECLS and hemofiltration. Mean support duration was 79±100 days for the p-BiVAD group and 71±92 for t-TAH group (P=0.6). Forty two (63%) p-BiVAD recipients were bridged to transplantation (39, 58%) or recovery (3, 5%), whereas 51 (63%) patients underwent transplantation in the t-TAH group. Death on support was similar between groups (p-BiVAD, 26 (39%); t-TAH, 30 (37%); P=0.87). Survival while on device was not significantly different between patient groups and multivariate analysis showed that only preimplant diastolic blood pressure and alanine amino-transferase levels were significant predictors of death. Post-transplant survival in the p-BiVAD group was 76±7%, 70±8%, and 58±9% at 1, 3, and 5 years after transplantation, respectively, and was similar to that of the t-TAH group (77±6%, 72±6%, and 70±7%, P=0.60). CONCLUSION: Survival while on support and up to 5 years after heart transplantation was not significantly different in patients supported by p-BiVADs or t-TAH. Multivariate analysis revealed that survival while on transplantation was not affected by the type of device implanted.

Prevalence of respiratory colonisations and related antibiotic resistances among paediatric tracheostomised patients of a long-term rehabilitation centre in Italy.

Patients with brain injury are prone to bacterial colonisations because of mechanical ventilation during intensive care and the long-term retention of tracheostomical tubes during rehabilitation. Reduced levels of isolation, typical of rehabilitation, could also contribute to propagate colonisations. We evaluated the presence of bacteria through different stages of healthcare, their antibiotic resistances and their clinical impact in a rehabilitation setting. This retrospective study included all tracheostomised patients referred to the paediatric brain injury unit of the Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea (Italy) over a six-year period. Data were collected from antibiograms regarding the presence of bacterial species and antibiotic resistances; clinical data were collected from medical records. Antibiograms revealed bacteria and antibiotic resistances typical of intensive care, while prevalence patterns were characteristic for each species (P. aeruginosa and S. aureus prevailing in the acute setting, K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii and others in rehabilitation). Despite very frequent antibiotic resistances, consistent with Italian averages, we observed a limited clinical impact for these colonisations. We analysed risk factors correlating to the development of respiratory symptoms and found a role for the acute clinical course after brain injury (having undergone neurosurgery; duration of intensive care stay) as well as for rehabilitation (duration of coma). Our data suggest that, in a long-term perspective, an appropriate balance is yet to be found between patient isolation and social interactions, to control respiratory colonisations and antibiotic resistances without compromising rehabilitation. They also suggest that regular containment measures should be complemented by thorough training to non-medic personnel and parents alike.

Autologous fat grafting for scleroderma-induced digital ulcers. An effective technique in patients with systemic sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Digital ulcers (DUs) occur in up to 50% of patients with Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). DUs are painful, recurring and lead to functional disability. Management of DUs includes pharmacologic and local therapy, the healing process is slow and the ulcer can become infected or evolve to gangrene. Autologous fat grafting (AFG) is a technique used to promote tissues repair. We used AFG to treat DUs refractory to conventional treatment to enhance healing process. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We treated 9 SSc patients for a total of 15 ulcers. All 9 patients were treated with iv Iloprost. The purified fat tissue was injected at the border of larger ulcers or at the finger base of smaller DUs. The AFG was performed from 2 to 8 months since the ulcer onset. RESULTS: Complete healing occured in 10 DUs and size reduction ≥50% in 2, within 8-12 weeks. In all but 2 patients the pain improved allowing a reduction of analgesics. In the majority of the cases AFG was able to hasten ulcer healing and to reduce pain and the need of pharmacological therapy. The lack of efficacy on healing and pain reduction was observed when the ulcers were long-lasting, located on legs and with concurrent atherosclerotic macroangiopathy. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical resective treatment for finger ulcers in patients affected by SSc is fraught with morbidity and long prolonged recovery. This study introduces a novel minimally invasive approach. The procedure is safe and effective, with short recovery time and local deficient vascularization improvement.

Epidemiological analysis on two decades of hospitalisations for meningitis in the United States.

Bacterial meningitis is an important source of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Data exist on specific vaccines against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis indicating that they reduce the incidence of meningitis, yet comprehensive information on the trend of bacterial meningitis is still lacking. We analysed the Kids' Inpatient Database and the National Inpatient Database considering all bacterial meningitides in the United States, excluding cases of tuberculosis and sexually transmitted diseases. We analysed the trend of meningitis incidence from 1993 to 2011 and in specific age groups before and after the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 7 (PCV-7) and the meningococcal conjugate vaccine 4 (MCV-4). Moreover, we analysed the prevalence of aetiological agents to assess their changes. We estimated 295,706 cases of meningitis having occurred in the United States and a reduction of the discharge rate of 21 %. We observed a significant reduction in cases of meningitis in children and elderly patients following the introduction of the PCV-7. We also found a reduction in subjects aged 10-14 years, an age span consistent with the introduction of MCV-4, although further analyses based on serotypes data are required to confirm this observation. By contrast, we observed an increased prevalence of cases of staphylococcal and streptococcal meningitides. The introduction of PCV-7 has reduced the incidence and changed significantly the aetiology of bacterial meningitis in the United States during the last two decades.

Pharyngeal spasticity due to dantrolene.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Dantrolene can be combined with baclofen to better treat spasticity, but may cause muscular weakness and dysphagia. We instead describe a pharyngeal spasm due to dantrolene. CASE SUMMARY: A 12-year-old male received dantrolene 3 mg/kg/day in adjunct to baclofen 2 mg/kg/day, to improve spasticity. After 5 days of full-dose dantrolene, his dysphagia worsened and he developed pharyngeal spasm. Dantrolene was suspected for an adverse reaction and removed. The patient subsequently improved. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Causality analysis determined a probable relationship between dantrolene and pharyngeal spasm. This may be due to direct muscle contraction by dantrolene, an effect seen previously in vitro.

Who gets a second heart? A current picture of cardiac retransplantation.

BACKGROUND: Heart retransplantation (HRT) accounts for 2.6% of heart transplantation (HT) indications. We performed a retrospective analysis of our recent HRT experience. METHODS: From January 2000 to June 2012, 820 HTs were performed; 798 (97.3%) were primary HTs and 21 (2.5%) 2nd HTs. Indications for HRT included: 57% cardiac allograft vasculopathy, 33% nonspecific graft failure, 5% primary graft failure (PGF), and 5% refractory acute rejection. The primary outcome was overall survival. Our results were compared with the most representative publications reporting HRT experiences before January 2000. RESULTS: Mean age at HRT was 39.9 ± 14.3 years, and there was a predominance of male patients (62%). Overall mortality was 52%; 30-day mortality was 19%. Eight patients (38%) developed PGF after HRT and 3 of them (38%) died within 30 days. Overall actuarial survivals at 1 month and 1, 3, and 5 years were 81.0%, 70.8%, 59.9%, and 53.3%, respectively. No significant risk factors for mortality could be identified. CONCLUSIONS: We observed improved short- and medium-term survival after HRT. This finding is probably related to changing recipient profiles, with less patients being retransplanted for PGF and more patients undergoing late retransplantation. Higher rates of PGF after HRT reflect our efforts to broaden the allograft pool by using marginal donors.

Neurological and psychiatric adverse events with prucalopride: case report and possible mechanisms.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Chronic constipation is very frequent in the general population. Although usually considered banal, this disorder has considerable personal, social and healthcare impact. Several studies have shown that the psychological impact exceeds that caused by rheumatoid arthritis or haemodialysis. Recently, prucalopride, a highly selective 5-HT4 receptor agonist has been shown to improve the symptoms of chronic constipation and to have a beneficial effect on social and healthcare impact. The drug was approved by the European Medicine Agency, in 2009 at a dose of 2 mg/day, 'for symptomatic treatment of chronic constipation in women in whom laxatives fail to provide adequate relief'. Neurological side effects or psychiatric disorders have not been reported previously with prucalopride. We present the case of a 61-year-old woman, who developed such adverse effects when given prucalopride for the treatment for chronic constipation. CASE SUMMARY: A few hours after oral administration of this drug at therapeutic dose (2 mg/day), the patient experienced life-threatening neurological effects that included visual hallucination, loss of balance and memory, disorientation, exhaustion and suicidal ideation. Analysis with the Naranjo algorithm indicated a 'possible' relationship between prucalopride and these disorders. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: This is the first report of prucalopride-induced neurological side effects and psychiatric disorders with prucalopride. The absence of other similar reports suggests that prucalopride rarely causes these adverse effects.