The association between meat consumption and muscle strength index in young adults: the mediating role of total protein intake and lean mass percentage.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyse the associations between the consumption of different types of meat and the muscle strength index (MSI) and to examine whether this relationship is mediated by total protein intake (TPI) and lean mass percentage (LM%) in young adults. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study with first-year university students from Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. Different types of meat consumption (total, red, processed, and white and fish) were separately evaluated using a Food-Frequency Questionnaire. MSI was determined from the handgrip and standing long jump tests. ANCOVA models were used to test the mean differences in MSI by categories of meat consumption. Serial multiple mediation models were used to explore the mediating role of TPI and LM% in the relationship between meat consumption and MSI. All analyses were adjusted for age, sex, and socioeconomic level, identified through a directed acyclic graph. Additional analyses were performed with a small subsample including alcohol intake, tobacco smoking, physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and total energy intake as covariates in the multiple mediation models. RESULTS: A total of 230 students (mean age 21.1 ± 2.1 years, 66.5% women) were included in the analysis. Young adults with higher meat consumption (total, red, and white and fish) had higher MSI adjusted means than their peers with lower meat consumption (p < 0.05). These associations did not remain after controlling for TPI and LM%. In adjusted mediation analyses, a significant indirect effect was observed through TPI and LM% in the associations between each of the types of meat consumption and MSI. In the additional analyses, a greater effect of white and fish meat consumption on muscle strength through mediation of TPI and LM% was reported compared to red or processed meat consumption, and no significant effects were observed between processed meat consumption and MSI. CONCLUSION: Higher consumption of total, red, and white and fish meat was associated with increased MSI in young adults. TPI and LM% mediated this relationship.

Effectiveness of Microcurrent Therapy for Treating Pressure Ulcers in Older People: A Double-Blind, Controlled, Randomized Clinical Trial.

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of microcurrent therapy for healing pressure ulcers in aged people. A multicentric, randomized clinical trial was designed with a sham stimulation control. The experimental group received an intervention following a standardized protocol for curing ulcers combined with 10 h of microcurrent therapy daily for 25 days. The sham group received the same curing protocol plus a sham microcurrent stimulation. The studied healing-related variables were the Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) and the surface, depth, grade, and number of ulcers that healed completely. Three evaluations were conducted: pre-intervention (T1), 14 days following the start of the intervention (T2), and 1 day after the intervention was completed (T3). In total, 30 participants met the inclusion criteria (n = 15 in each group). The improvement in the PUSH at T2 and T3 was 16.8% (CI95% 0.5-33.1) and 25.3% (CI95% 7.6-43.0) greater in the experimental group versus the sham control, respectively. The reduction in the wound area at T2 and T3 was 20.1% (CI95% 5.2-35.0) and 28.6% (CI95% 11.9-45.3) greater in the experimental group versus the control, respectively. Microcurrent therapy improves the healing of pressure ulcers in older adults, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

[SAFETY IN THE ELDERLY: HOME ACCIDENTS]. / Seguridad en personas mayores: accidentes en el hogar.

Home accidents are more common in the elderly and they can have serious consequences to the injured person's health. At home, chances to suffer accidents of any type are higher, because it's the place where old people spend most of their daily time. It is important to point out that a high percentage of domestic accidents could be easily avoided by taking some simple cautions. The main aim of this paper is to know how we can prevent most common domestic accidents in the aged population: falls, burnings, poisonings and fire prevention.

[Elderly caregivers of elderly people].

The ageing of the population is a reality in our society nowadays. The aging process changes increase the probability that health problems occur. This fact involves that the needs of care demanded by the population increase too. The care for the elderly generally are provided in home environments, where often, the primary caregiver is another old person. In this sense, must be taken into account that this stage of life, the old age, although there has been important improvements in the quality of life and in the resolution of health problems, presents certain limitations refers to physical and mental declines that affect to the functional capacity of elderly caregivers. For this reason, it is necessary to carry out a comprehensive geriatric assessment to identify unresolved needs and establish care strategies required to attend their demands for care.

[What do we need to know about the burn injuries? Pathophysiology, aetiology and effects]. / ¿Que necestamos saber sobre las quemaduras? Fisiopatología, etiología y repercusiones.

Burn injuries are a major public health problem worldwide, because they are very common. They are usually produced in domestic or work environments, although it is not unusual that they might be caused by traffic accidents or intentionally (self-injured or assaults on the people). These injuries do not attract much attention but if they are not treated properly, they can lead to serious systemic complications which can sometimes cause the death of the patient. In the last few years, the therapeutic approach of the burned patient has significantly improved due to an early correct initial valuation, which is used to design an effective nursing care plan and it determines the prescription of a suitable medical treatment according to the characteristics and the severity of the burn. The aim of this chapter is to explain some general aspects about the aetiology and pathology of burn injuries and their systemic effects, because the medical and nursing staff should know these aspects to make an adequate initial valuation. They should recognize the aetiology of the burn, its depth and area, its severity and its systemic complications to act properly in the initial phase of the treatment, because these preliminary actions are essential in the prognosis and evolution of the burns.

[Local nursing care in burn injuries]. / Cuidados de enfermería locales en las quemaduras.

Burn injuries are tissue injuries originated as a result of a physical or chemical trauma. They can cause from a mild skin affectation to the total destruction of the affected tissues, depending on various levels of severity. Moreover, if the affected body surface is very large, patient life can be seriously compromised. An estimate 300 people for every 100,000 inhabitants are treated for burn injuries every year in hospitals or social-sanitary centers. In this chapter we aim at clarifying the nursing care for the affected area, once patient's life risk is stabilized and controlled.This care will be based on an adequate approach to local handling of burn injuries, after severity and prognosis have been stated.

[Therapeutic guide to local care of burn injuries]. / Guía terapéutica en el cuidado local de las quemaduras.

There is a large variety of topical application substances in the market for burnt areas treatment. This fact, far from being an advantage, turns into a serious problem when nursing staff has to choose the most adequate for each case. We think that, apart from a thorough knowledge of aspects such as indications and contraindications, application methods, combination with other substances and possible interactions, the formulation of a series of practical criteria can be of great help in order to select the right topical substance for the objectives pursued. This is the goal of this article.

[Therapeutic guide to critical burn patients]. / Guía terapéutica en el paciente quemado crítico.

Burn injuries are defined as the destruction of skin tissue under the effects of a thermal, electrical, chemical or radioactive agent. They can cause local injuries, with no systemic effect, but in certain cases, considered as "critical burn patients", they can produce severe and immediate systemic injuries, thus making it necessary to address care from a comprehensive perspective in order to achieve a satisfactory evolution. With this in mind, as nursing staff we must consider the need to review the treatments and nursing care we are applying to critical burn patients, in order to prevent the onset of complications that might lead to unwanted consequences or even the death of the patient, and eventually unifying criteria of nursing care. The main goal of this guide is to provide an efficient and easy to use working tool that is suitable for adult burn patients, thus making it easier for nurses to update knowledge and decision making.

[Sequelae in patients with severe burns]. / Secuelas en los pacientes con quemaduras graves.

Nowadays, the main aim with severe burned patients is the prevention and treatment of the complications associated to burn injuries, because the mortality caused by them has significantly declined due to the improvements in the treatments used. This fact has changed the focus of the care from a biomedical model which pay attention to the physical aspects, to other based on the holistic care of the patient in which physical, psychological and social aspects are considered. To minimize the development of these adverse complications and to prevent their severity in long term, it is essential to initiate an early rehabilitation at hospital and follow these patients by the Primary Care team when they return home. The adverse effects of the burns can invalidate the patient and they can affect several spheres of his life: physical, psychological and social. The goals of this article are to determine the most common complications in severe burns, describe the treatments more effective to combat them and explain the role of nurses in the prevention and rehabilitation of these injured.

[Nursing care in males with spinal cord injury and sexual dysfunction]. / Cuidados enfermeros en el varón con lesión medular y disfunción sexual.

The impact of spinal cord injury and its sequels requires important efforts of adaptation. In several studies, people with spinal cord injury claim to have covered most of their needs at physical, emotional and social level, but they are not yet fully satisfied with their sexual life. Sexual function is usually impaired in men with spinal cord injuries, and is sometimes related to problems of erection, ejaculation and/or orgasm. This issue is not a priority in the first phase, but it appears over the subsequent periods when patients often ask for a solution to this problem. A case-study is presented of a 25 year old male with chronic complete spinal cord injury (ASIA A), L4-L5 level, who reported sexual dysfunction and attended an annual review in the National Hospital for Paraplegics. After performing a nursing assessment using the functional health patterns of Gordon, the team proposed a nursing care plan according to the taxonomy of NANDA (North American Nursing Association), NOC (Nursing Outcome Classification) and NIC (Nursing Intervention Classification). Nurses are the healthcare professionals who have more direct and continuous contact with these patients. Specific programs need to be designed to provide them with the sexual education, which should contain adequate emotional and sexual information. We believe that an appropriate and systematic assessment of patient's sexuality, as well as the application of the (NANDA, NOC, NIC) nurse methodology, may be very helpful in improving the outcomes of these specific interventions.