Aeroallergen immunotherapy associated with reduced risk of severe COVID-19 in 1095 allergic patients.

Introduction: Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) brings along changes in the immune system, restoring dendritic cell function, reducing T2 inflammation and augmenting the regulatory cell activation. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections, interferes with the immune system causing immune suppression during the first phase and over-activation in more advanced disease. We decided to explore the interaction of both in a real-world observational trial. Methods: We registered COVID-19 outcomes in patients with allergic disorders in Latin America, treated with and without AIT. The registry was conducted during the first 1.3 years of the pandemic, with most of the data collected before COVID-19 vaccination was concluded in most countries. Data collection was anonymous via a web-based instrument. Ten countries participated. Results: 630/1095 (57.6%) of the included patients received AIT. Compared to patients without AIT, those treated with AIT had a reduced risk ratio (RR) for COVID-19 lower respiratory symptoms (RR 0.78, 95% CI: 0.6703-0.9024; p = 0.001662) and need for oxygen therapy (RR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.4217-0.9992; p = 0.048). In adherent patients on maintenance sublingual immunotherapy/subcutaneous immunotherapy (SLIT/SCIT) the RR reduction was larger [RR = 0.6136 (95% CI 0.4623-0.8143; p < 0.001) and RR: 0.3495 (95% CI 0.1822-0.6701; p < 0.005), respectively]. SLIT was slightly more effective (NS). We excluded age, comorbidities, level of health care attendance, and type of allergic disorder as confounders, although asthma was related to a higher frequency of severe disease. When analyzing patients with allergic asthma (n = 503) the RR reduction favoring AIT was more pronounced with 30% for lower respiratory symptoms or worse (RR 0.6914, 95% CI 0.5264 to 0.9081, p = 0.0087) and 51% for need of oxygen therapy or worse (RR 0.4868, 95% CI 0.2829-0.8376, p = 0.0082). Among severe allergic patients treated with biologics (n = 24) only 2/24 needed oxygen therapy. There were no critical cases among them. Conclusion: In our registry AIT was associated with reduced COVID-19 severity.

Remotely Supervised Exercise during the COVID-19 Pandemic versus in-Person-Supervised Exercise in Achieving Long-Term Adherence to a Healthy Lifestyle.

The World Health Organization's global action plan on workers' health establishes that occupational health services should carry out lifestyle interventions within the workplace, to prevent the development of non-communicable diseases. The objective of the study was to compare adherence to a healthy lifestyle six months after completion of a multi-component intervention with remotely supervised physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic versus a multi-component intervention with in-person supervised physical exercise before the COVID-19 pandemic in university employees with unhealthy habits and predisposed to change. A prospective cohort study following the "Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology" (STROBE) guidelines was conducted, with two arms. Each multi-component intervention lasted for 18 weeks, and consisted of education on healthy habits, Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet)-based workshops, and a physical exercise program. Twenty-one middle-aged sedentary university employees with poor adherence to the MedDiet completed the study. Six months after completion of the intervention, both groups increased physical activity levels, adherence to the MedDiet, eating habits, health-promoting lifestyle, health responsibility, and health-related quality of life. There were no differences between groups in any of the variables analyzed. Therefore, remotely supervised physical exercise could be adequate to achieve long-term adherence to a healthy lifestyle in the same way as conventional face-to-face intervention, at least in a population willing to change.

Adherence to a Lifestyle Exercise and Nutrition Intervention in University Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Healthy lifestyles should be encouraged in the workplace through the occupational health teams of the companies. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the adherence to a lifestyle intervention carried out in university employees during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on health-related quality of life (HrQoL). A randomized controlled trial following the CONSORT guidelines was performed, consisting of three supervised interventions lasting for 18 weeks: an educational intervention on healthy habits, a nutritional intervention, and a telematic aerobic and strength exercise intervention. Lifestyle and HrQoL were analyzed six months post-intervention to assess adherence. Twenty-three middle-aged participants completed the study. The intervention group significantly improved their lifestyle according to the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II questionnaire, especially in the categories of Health Responsibility, Physical Activity, and Nutrition, with a large effect size. Sitting time was reduced by 2.5 h per day, with a moderate effect size. Regarding HrQoL, the intervention group showed a clinically significant improvement in the Physical Component Summary. Despite the lockdown and the mobility restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this intervention performed on university employees achieved adherence to a healthier lifestyle and improved their HrQoL, which is of great clinical relevance.

[MASK (Mobile Airways Sentinel Network), a mobile App with ARIA's comprehensive solution in Spanish-speaking countries]. / MASK (Mobile Airways Sentinel Network), una app móvil con la solución integral de ARIA en países de habla hispana.

Although there are high quality clinical guidelines about allergic rhinitis, many patients receive deficient treatment, partly due to the high level of self-medication. MASK (Mobile Airways Sentinel Network) is an integral part of a project against chronic diseases which it is focused on active and healthy aging and is supported by the European Union. It forms the third phase of ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma) in which, through a mobile app on a smart device, the purpose is to guide patients in the control of their multimorbidity, allergic rhinitis or conjunctivitis, or asthma. The "Allergy Diary" app by MACVIA-ARIA is free and it is available for Android and iOS; on it, patients indicate how unpleasant the symptoms are on a daily basis through five screens with an analogous visual scale; two more screens were recently added (sleep affectation). With the app, it is also possible to download the information of the "Allergy Diary" on the physician's computer through a QR code at the moment of the medical consultation. In this article, we review the first year of experience in Spain, Mexico and Argentina, where the Spanish version is used.

Aunque existen guías clínicas de alta calidad sobre rinitis alérgica, numerosos pacientes reciben tratamiento deficiente, en parte debido al alto grado de automedicación. MASK (Mobile Airways Sentinel Network) forma parte integral de un proyecto apoyado por la Unión Europea contra las enfermedades crónicas y enfocado al envejecimiento activo y saludable. Constituye la tercera fase de ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma), en la cual mediante una aplicación móvil en un dispositivo inteligente se intenta guiar al paciente en el control de su multimorbilidad, rinitis o conjuntivitis alérgicas o asma. La aplicación Diario de Alergia por MACVIA-ARIA es gratuita y está disponible para Android e iOS; en ella, los pacientes indican diariamente cuánto les molestan los síntomas a través de cinco pantallas con una escala visual análoga; recientemente se agregaron dos pantallas más (afectación del sueño). La aplicación también permite descargar los datos del "Diario de alergias" en la computadora del médico en el momento de la consulta a través de un código QR. En este artículo reseñamos el primer año de experiencia en España, México y Argentina, que utilizan la versión española.

[MASK (Mobile Airways Sentinel Network). ARIA's comprehensive solution for mobile app for the multimorbidity of allergic rhinitis and asthma]. / MASK (Mobile Airways Sentinel Network). La solución integral de ARIA por app móvil para la multimorbilidad de rinitis alérgica y asma.

The vast majority of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) do not receive the proper management which is recommended by the guidelines, but they frequently self-medicate. MASK (Mobile Airways Sentinel Network) is an integral part of a project that is supported by the European Union against chronic diseases and focused on active and healthy aging. MASK represents the third phase of ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma), in which, by using a mobile application in a smart device, the objective is to guide the patient in the control of his/her multi-morbidity, AR and/or allergic conjunctivitis (AC) and/or asthma. The mobile app Allergy Diary by MACVIA-ARIA is free and it is available for both Android and iOS platforms. After it is downloaded to the patient's cell phone, it first requests some information about the patient's profile, allergic pathologies and medication; afterwards, through a visual analog scale, the patient is invited to determine the degree of affectation in the nose, eyes, and bronchi, and its influence on their productivity at work / school. After analyzing the data generated by filling the Allergy Diary, it became clear there is a new clinical entity: allergic rhinitis+ allergic conjunctivitis +asthma, with greater effect; in addition to a high level of self-medication: in general, the patient takes medication on days when symptoms are present. The app has already been deployed in 23 countries, including several Spanish-speaking countries.

La mayoría de los pacientes con rinitis alérgica no recibe el manejo idóneo, sino que se automedica. MASK (Mobile Airways Sentinel Network) forma parte integral de un proyecto apoyado por la Unión Europea contra las enfermedades crónicas y enfocado al envejecimiento activo y saludable. Constituye la tercera fase de ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma), en la cual mediante una aplicación móvil en un dispositivo inteligente se intenta guiar al paciente en el control de su multimorbilidad, rinitis o conjuntivitis alérgicas o asma. La aplicación Diario de Alergia por MACVIA-ARIA es gratuita y está disponible para Android e iOS. Al descargarla al celular del paciente, a este se le piden datos de su perfil, patologías alérgicas y medicación; posteriormente, mediante una escala visual analógica se le invita a determinar el grado de afectación en nariz, ojos y bronquios y su influencia sobre su productividad laboral/escolar. Con los datos del Diario de Alergia se observa que existe un nuevo patrón de presentación: rinitis alérgica + conjuntivitis alérgica + asma, con mayor afectación, así como un alto nivel de automedicación: en general, el paciente toma medicación cuando presenta síntomas. La app se ha desplegado en 23 países, incluyendo varios países hispanohablantes.

[Executive Summary of ARIA 2019: Integrated care pathways for allergic rhinitis in Argentina, Spain and Mexico]. / Resumen ejecutivo de ARIA 2019: Vías integradas de atención para la rinitis alérgica en Argentina, España y México.

The health and economic impact of allergic diseases are increasing rapidly, and changes in management strategies are required. Its influence reduces the capacity of work and school performance by at least a third. The ICPs of the airways (integrated care pathways for respiratory diseases) are structured multidisciplinary healthcare plans, promoting the recommendations of the guidelines in local protocols and their application to clinical practice. This document presents an executive summary for Argentina, Mexico, and Spain. Next-generation ARIA guidelines are being developed for the pharmacological treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR), using the GRADE-based guidelines for AR, tested with real-life evidence provided by mobile technology with visual analogue scales. It is concluded that in the AR treatment, H1-antihistamines are less effective than intranasal corticosteroids (INCS), in severe AR the INCS represent the first line of treatment, and intranasal combination INCS + anti-H1 is more effective than monotherapy. However, according to the MASK real-life observational study, patients have poor adherence to treatment and often self-medicate, according to their needs.

El impacto sanitario y económico de las enfermedades alérgicas está aumentando rápidamente y se necesitan cambios en las estrategias para su manejo. Su influencia reduce al menos en un tercio la capacidad de desempeño laboral y escolar. Los ICP (Vías Integradas de Atención) de las enfermedades de las vías respiratorias son planes de atención estructurados y multidisciplinarios, que promueven las recomendaciones de las guías en protocolos locales y su aplicación a la práctica clínica. En este documento se presenta un resumen ejecutivo para Argentina, México y España. Se desarrollan las guías ARIA de próxima generación para el tratamiento farmacológico de la rinitis alérgica (RA) utilizando las pautas basadas en GRADE para RA, probadas con evidencia de la vida real proporcionada por tecnología móvil basada en escalas visuales analógicas. Se concluye que en el tratamiento de la RA, los antihistamínicos anti-H1 son menos efectivos que los corticoides intranasales (CINS), que en la rinitis gravelos CINS representan la primera línea de tratamiento, y que la combinación intranasal de CINS + anti-H1 es más eficaz que la monoterapia. Sin embargo, según el estudio MASK observacional en vida real, los pacientes tienen pobre adherencia al tratamiento y frecuentemente se automedican de acuerdo con sus necesidades.

Failing to Make Ends Meet: The Broad Clinical Spectrum of DNA Ligase IV Deficiency. Case Series and Review of the Literature.

DNA repair defects are inborn errors of immunity that result in increased apoptosis and oncogenesis. DNA Ligase 4-deficient patients suffer from a wide range of clinical manifestations since early in life, including: microcephaly, dysmorphic facial features, growth failure, developmental delay, mental retardation; hip dysplasia, and other skeletal malformations; as well as a severe combined immunodeficiency, radiosensitivity, and progressive bone marrow failure; or, they may present later in life with hematological neoplasias that respond catastrophically to chemo- and radiotherapy; or, they could be asymptomatic. We describe the clinical, laboratory, and genetic features of five Mexican patients with LIG4 deficiency, together with a review of 36 other patients available in PubMed Medline. Four out of five of our patients are dead from lymphoma or bone marrow failure, with severe infection and massive bleeding; the fifth patient is asymptomatic despite a persistent CD4+ lymphopenia. Most patients reported in the literature are microcephalic females with growth failure, sinopulmonary infections, hypogammaglobulinemia, very low B-cells, and radiosensitivity; while bone marrow failure and malignancy may develop at a later age. Dysmorphic facial features, congenital hip dysplasia, chronic liver disease, gradual pancytopenia, lymphoma or leukemia, thrombocytopenia, and gastrointestinal bleeding have been reported as well. Most mutations are compound heterozygous, and all of them are hypomorphic, with two common truncating mutations accounting for the majority of patients. Stem-cell transplantation after reduced intensity conditioning regimes may be curative.

DOCK8 deficiency impairs CD8 T cell survival and function in humans and mice.

In humans, DOCK8 immunodeficiency syndrome is characterized by severe cutaneous viral infections. Thus, CD8 T cell function may be compromised in the absence of DOCK8. In this study, by analyzing mutant mice and humans, we demonstrate a critical, intrinsic role for DOCK8 in peripheral CD8 T cell survival and function. DOCK8 mutation selectively diminished the abundance of circulating naive CD8 T cells in both species, and in DOCK8-deficient humans, most CD8 T cells displayed an exhausted CD45RA(+)CCR7(-) phenotype. Analyses in mice revealed the CD8 T cell abnormalities to be cell autonomous and primarily postthymic. DOCK8 mutant naive CD8 T cells had a shorter lifespan and, upon encounter with antigen on dendritic cells, exhibited poor LFA-1 synaptic polarization and a delay in the first cell division. Although DOCK8 mutant T cells underwent near-normal primary clonal expansion after primary infection with recombinant influenza virus in vivo, they showed greatly reduced memory cell persistence and recall. These findings highlight a key role for DOCK8 in the survival and function of human and mouse CD8 T cells.

Implicações da incontinência urinária na sexualidade da mulher / Implications of urinary incontinence on women's sexuality

A incontinência urinária é uma patologia frequente nas mulheres sendo expectável que a incidência aumente concomitantemente com a idade. Constitui-se como um problema de saúde, com repercussões a nível físico/psicológico/social e económica, originando uma baixa qualidade de vida com um impacto negativo na vida sexual. Objetivos: Este estudo teve como objetivo perceber as implicações da Incontinência urinária na Sexualidade da Mulher; identificar os constrangimentos de ordem sexual das mulheres com incontinência urinária bem como as estratégias e os recursos mobilizados pelas mulheres. Pretende-se que este estudo se constitua como ponto de partida para a concepção de programas de intervenção direccionados para a saúde da mulher com IU, contribuindo para a melhoria da qualidade de vida e dos cuidados de enfermagem no atendimento da mulher com Incontinência Urinária. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo de natureza qualitativa do tipo exploratório e descritivo utilizando como instrumento de recolha de dados a entrevista semi estruturada realizada entre janeiro e fevereiro de 2014, a mulheres inscritas numa unidade de saúde da região Norte e portadoras de IU. A amostra foi constituída por 17 mulheres. Os discursos foram analisados com recurso à técnica de análise de conteúdo com respetiva codificação. Resultados: A incontinência urinária revela implicações na sexualidade da mulher, de nível físico, traduzidas por disfunções sexuais, fundamentalmente, a diminuição da líbido, a diminuição do prazer e a dispareunia e de nível emocional pelo medo de perder urina no ato sexual e vergonha. Estes fatores provocam restrição da atividade social da mulher, no entanto, revelam estratégias para minimizar o problema. Conclusões: A IU é um problema de saúde que não coloca em risco a vida da mulher, mas perturba o seu bem-estar físico e psicológico. Existe um enorme desafio da enfermeira especialista em enfermagem de saúde materna e obstétricia no sentido de contribuir para a prevenção da IU, assim como, na melhoria da qualidade de vida das mulheres com esta patologia, com intervenções de enfermagem centrada na pessoa, nas vivências relativas à IU e, nas implicações que esta patologia tem na sexualidade.

Urinary incontinence is a common condition in women and it is expected that its incidence increases with age. It is characterized as a health problem, affecting physical/ psychological/ social and economic levels, resulting in a low quality of life with a negative impact on sexual life. Goals: This study aims to understand the sexual experiences of women with urinary incontinence; identify limitations related with the sexual activity of women with urinary incontinence as well as strategies and resources they create to cope with it. This study tries to create a starting point for designing targeted intervention programs for women's health with UI, contributing to improving the quality of life and nursing care of women with UI. Methodology: It is a qualitative study, exploratory and descriptive using data of semi-structured interviews conducted in January and February 2014, of women registered in a health unit in the northern region who suffer from UI. The sample consisted of 17 women. The speeches were analyzed using content analysis technique with respective coding. Results: Urinary incontinence reveals implications for women's sexuality at the physical level, translated by sexual dysfunction, essentially, such as decreased libido, decreased pleasure and dyspareunia and emotional level by fear of losing urine during sex and embarrassment. These factors cause restrictions in social activities of women, however, reveal strategies to minimize the problem. Conclusions: The UI is a health problem that does not endanger the woman's life, but disrupts her physical and psychological well-being. There is a huge challenge that lies with the EESMO to contribute in the prevention of UI, as well as improving women's quality of life with this condition, with nursing interventions focused on the person, the experiences related to the UI and the implications that this disease has on sexuality.

Incidencia de los defectos del tubo neural y anomalías asociadas: de diciembre 1985 a marzo 1986 en la Maternidad Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia / Incidence of neural tube defects and associate anomalies. From december 1985 to March 1986 at the Maternidad Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia

Se evaluaron 6,054 recién nacidos analizándose la frecuencia de casos con defectos del Tubo Neural obteniéndose un 0.99 por mil. Las anomalías fueron atelectasia pulmonar, hipoplasia pulmonar, y cardíaca, agenesia del sistema urinario y suprerrenal y megacolon congénito. Se reportan y comentan otros aspectos asociados

Secuelas neurológicas en niños con meningitis bacteriana / Neurologic sequelae in children with bacterial meningitis

Se revisaron los expedientes clínicos de 49 pacientes en la clínica de Meningitis del Departamento de Enfermedades Infectocontagiosas de la clínica Infantil "Dr. Robert Reid Cabral', desde septiembre 1987 a marzo 1988, con el propósito de evaluar el tipo de secuelas neurológicas en los mismos. Diez casos correspondían a neonatos; 35 entre 1 mes y 3 años de edad; y cuatro entre los 3 y 15 años de edad, con un 60, 80 y 75 por ciento de secuelas neurológicas entre moderadas y graves respectivamente; determinadas mediante la aplicación de test de Denver, evaluación neurológica, oftalmológica, psicológica, neuroquirúrgica, y la prueba de Weshler para inteligencia infantil

Desnutrición y nutrición parenteral total: estudio de una cohorte para determinar la incidencia del síndrome de realimentación / Malnutrition and total parenteral nutrition: a cohort study to determine the incidence of the refeeding syndrome

El Síndrome de Realimentación lo conforman una serie de manifestaciones clínicas relacionadas con alteraciones electrolíticas que se han relacionado con el reinicio del aporte nutricio tanto parenteral como enteral. Objetivo: Detectar la incidencia del Síndrome de Realimentación en pacientes desnutridaos que requirieron apoyo nutricional enteral o endovenoso y su relación con la mortalidad. Material y métodos: Se realizó un estudio de cohorte en el servicio de Apoyo Nutricional del Hospital de Especialidades CMN León del IMSS, de junio de 1995 a mayo de 1996. Se incluyeron a todos los pacientes con desnutrición moderada y severa, que recibieron apoyo nutricio endovenoso o enteral por un tiempo mayor a 7 días, y que no presentaran desquilibrio electrolítico previo. Se determinaron los niveles séricos de potasio fósforo y magnesio antes del inicio del apoyo nutricio y en los días 3, 7 y 10 del mismo. Se utilizó estadística descriptiva, t de student y prueba de Z, con un nivel de significancia del 5 por ciento. Resultados: Fueron 148 pacientes con apoyo nutricional total, 23 (16 por ciento) de ellos con desnutrición moderada y 65 (44 por ciento) con desnutrición severa. fueron 54 hombres y 34 mujeres con edad promedio de 51.6 ñ 19.4 años. Se eliminaron a 19 pacientes por manejo nutricional menor a 7 días y otros 19 por presentar alteraciones electrolíticas antes de iniciar el apoyo nutricio. De los 50 pacientes restantes, la incidencia de alteraciones electrolíticas compatibles con síndrome de realimentación fue del 48 por ciento. Las alteraciones fueron: hipomagnesemia 13/24, hipokalemia 12/24 e hipofosfatemia 4/24, que se presentaron en el 55 por ciento de los casos al tercer día de iniciado el apoyo nutricional. La estancia hospitalaria de los pacientes con el síndrome fue de 26.7 ñ .18 días versus 15.3 ñ 7 días (p < 0.05) de los que no lo presentaron. Fallecieron 15 pacientes, 5 tuvieron alteraciones electrolíticas antes de la nutrición, 7 con síndrome de realimentación (29 por ciento) y 3 que no lo presentaron (12 por ciento) (p = 0.059). Conclusiones: El síndrome de realimentación es una entidad frecuente en pacientes desnutridos sometidos a nutrición enteral o parenteral, en este estudio fue del 48 por ciento; su presencia se acompañó de mayor estancia hospitalaria y mayor tasa de mortalidad