Cross-mapping medical records to NANDA-I to identify nursing diagnoses in a vulnerable population.

PURPOSE: To assess the association between vulnerable populations and nursing care needs, using NANDA-I diagnostics, in the population of the Canary Islands, Spain. METHODS: Nursing social epidemiology study. Cross Mapping of Medical Records to NANDA-I to Identify Nursing Diagnoses in a Population usinga medical, epidemiological follow-up study of a cohort of 7,190 people. The level of vulnerability of the participants was assigned, among those who were also assigned nursing diagnoses, using the "ICE index" to calculate the expected associations. FINDINGS: The most prevalent nursing diagnosis in our sample was Sedentary lifestyle (60.5%), followed by Ineffective health self-management (33.8%) and Risk-prone health behaviour (28.7%). Significant differences were found by sex, age group and social class, with the nursing diagnoses included in the study being more prevalent among the most socio-economically disadvantaged social class. CONCLUSIONS: The cross-mapping method is useful to generate diagnostic information in terms of care needs, using the NANDA-I classification. The expected associations between high social vulnerability and care needs have been verified in a comprehensive and representative sample of the Canarian population (Spain). IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: From an epidemiological perspective, identifying nursing diagnoses at the population level allows us to find the most prevalent needs in the different community groups and to focus appropriate nursing interventions for their implementation and impact assessment.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar la asociación entre las poblaciones vulnerables y las necesidades de cuidados de enfermería, utilizando la clasificación diagnóstica NANDA-I, en la población de las Islas Canarias, España. MÉTODOS: Estudio de epidemiología social enfermera. Mapeo cruzado de registros médicos con la clasificación NANDA-I para identificar los diagnósticos de enfermería en una población mediante un estudio de seguimiento médico y epidemiológico de una cohorte de 7.190 personas. Se asignó el nivel de vulnerabilidad de los participantes, entre los que también se asignaron diagnósticos de enfermería, utilizando el "índice REI" para calcular las asociaciones esperadas. RESULTADOS: El diagnóstico de enfermería más prevalente en nuestra muestra fue Estilo de vida sedentario (60,5%), seguido de Autogestión ineficaz de la salud (33,8%) y Tendencia a adoptar conductas de riesgo para la salud (28,7%). Se encontraron diferencias significativas por sexo, grupo de edad y clase social, siendo los diagnósticos de enfermería incluidos en el estudio más prevalentes entre la clase social más desfavorecida socioeconómicamente. CONCLUSIONES: El método de mapeo cruzado es útil para generar información diagnóstica en términos de necesidades de cuidados, utilizando la clasificación NANDA-I. Se han verificado las asociaciones esperadas entre alta vulnerabilidad social y necesidades de cuidados en una muestra amplia y representativa de la población canaria (España). IMPLICACIONES PARA LA PRÁCTICA ENFERMERA: Desde una perspectiva epidemiológica, la identificación de los diagnósticos de enfermería a nivel poblacional permite encontrar las necesidades más prevalentes en los diferentes grupos de la comunidad y focalizar las intervenciones enfermeras adecuadas para su implementación y evaluación de impacto.

Evaluation of the risk of diabetic peripheral neuropathy: Design and validation of the NeuDiaCan nursing screening procedure. / Valoración del riesgo de neuropatía periférica diabética: diseño y validación del procedimiento para cribado enfermero NeuDiaCan.

OBJECTIVE: To design and validate a nursing screening procedure for diabetic peripheral neuropathy in primary care. METHODS: The study was carried out in three phases. 1)Construction of an item bank to form the procedure with an exit score describing the patient's clinical situation. 2)Test and reduction of the initial tentative procedure on a sample of 50 patients using community nurse consultations, eliminating the components with low inter-intra nurse reliability. 3)Validation of the version of the procedure obtained in the previous step on a sample of 106 patients. Calculation of validity and reliability by eliminating components with low criterion validity with respect to the results of the diagnostic electromyography used as a reference standard. Cut-off points were estimated for the use of the procedure as a screening tool, predictive values, performance, internal consistency and inter-nurse reliability. RESULTS: The initial tentative procedure consisted of 12 components that were reduced to 10. In the process of validation of this second version the procedure was simplified again, eventually comprising 6 components, with a cut-off point of 2.5 in its output scale, the point at which it reaches adequate values of sensitivity and negative predictors to be used as a screening instrument. For this cut-off point the inter-intra nurse reliability, criterion validity and predictive validity reached acceptable values. CONCLUSIONS: NeuDiaCan as a nursing screening procedure for diabetic peripheral neuropathy in primary care is valid, reliable and easy to use.

[Evolution of Smoking According to Social Class in the Adult Population of the Canary Islands During 2000-2015: Follow-up of the CDC-Canary Cohort]. / Evolución del tabaquismo según clase social en la población adulta de las Islas Canarias durante el periodo 2000-2015: seguimiento de la cohorte CDC-Canarias.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the status of tobacco consumption in the Canary Islands during 2000-2015, according to social class. LOCATION: Canary Islands. PARTICIPANTS: General population cohort, with contacts in 2000 (n=6,729), 2008 (n=6,171) and 2015 (n=4,705). MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Smoking, gender, age, and social class. RESULTS: Consumption decreased by 6% (5-7%, P<.001) in general, being more accentuated in the period 2000-2008 (5%). The decrease was greater in men, although they continued to smoke more than women, with a prevalence of 25% (24-26%) compared to 18% (17-19%, P<.001). A decrease in consumption was only observed in the younger groups (6% [3-5%], P=.011) and intermediate ages (7% [6-8%], P<.001). A similar decrease was observed in all the social classes, but there was a higher prevalence of smoking in the upper class: 24% (23-25%) in 2015 (P<.001). By jointly assessing gender, age, and social class, younger and middle age men had the greatest decreases in consumption: 8% (7-9%) low and upper classes, 10% (9-11%) middle class. In the lower social class, younger women continue to smoke more (27%) although more of them quit smoking (14%), a phenomenon that occurred in the middle class at intermediate ages. CONCLUSIONS: The evolution of tobacco consumption in the Canary Islands follows a pattern similar to that of mainland Spain. The abandonment of tobacco consumption has slowed down in the period 2008-2015, especially in men, and middle and upper social classes.

Clinical-economic impact of the change of protocol for use of basiliximab in liver transplant.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of the clinical and economic impact after the protocol  change of basiliximab use in orthohepatic transplant. METHOD: Retrospective study in which all liver transplant patients were included  during the years 2013, 2014 and until February 15, 2015. The study was divided into two stages according to the protocol used: 1) administration of basiliximab  only if factors of previous risk, and 2) administration of the first dose of  basiliximab to all transplant patients and the second dose if it had risk factors. RESULTS: 83 patients were included, 34 according to protocol 1 and 49 according  to protocol 2. No significant differences were found in the clinical  variables evaluated or in the variables related to health outcomes. Considering  that the percentage of patients without risk factors who received basiliximab was 43% and without differences in the stays, we could estimate an additional cost  for the universal use of basiliximab in orthohepatic transplant of € 21,400.00. CONCLUSIONS: In our population, the protocol change making universal the first  dose of basiliximab has not shown the expected benefits, but an increase in  costs, so the suitability of the new protocol in consensus with the medical team  must be reconsidered. The evidence regarding the use of basiliximab in  orthohepatic transplant remains limited and although its benefit seems clear in  patients with risk factors, especially renal failure, recommendations about its use universally remains controversial.

Objetivo: Evaluación del impacto clínico y económico tras el cambio de protocolo de uso de basiliximab en el trasplante ortohepático. Método: Estudio retrospectivo en el que se incluyó a todos los pacientes trasplantados de hígado durante los años 2013, 2014 y hasta el 15 de  febrero de 2015. El estudio se dividió en dos etapas según el protocolo  empleado: 1) administración de basiliximab solo si existían factores de riesgo  previos, y 2) administración de la primera dosis de basiliximab a todos los  pacientes trasplantados y de una segunda dosis si existían factores de riesgo. Resultados: Se incluyeron 83 pacientes, 34 según el protocolo 1 y 49 según el  protocolo 2. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en las variables clínicas  evaluadas ni en las variables relacionadas con los resultados en salud.  Considerando que el porcentaje de pacientes sin factores de riesgo que recibieron basiliximab fue del 43% y sin diferencias en las estancias,  podríamos estimar un coste adicional por el empleo universal de basiliximab en  el trasplante ortohepático de 21.400 €.Conclusiones: En nuestra población, el cambio de protocolo haciendo universal  la primera dosis de basiliximab no ha mostrado los beneficios esperados, pero sí  un aumento de los costes, por lo que debe replantearse la idoneidad del nuevo  protocolo en consenso con el equipo médico. La evidencia en relación con el  empleo de basiliximab en el trasplante ortohepático sigue siendo limitada y  aunque parece claro su beneficio en pacientes con factores de riesgo,  especialmente fallo renal, las recomendaciones acerca de su uso de forma  universal sigue siendo controvertido.

Austerity Policies and Mortality in Spain After the Financial Crisis of 2008.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze mortality in Spain and the United States before and after these countries implemented divergent policies in response to the financial crisis of 2008. METHODS: We examined mortality statistics in both countries in the years 2000 to 2015. Spain started austerity policies in 2010. We compared differences in mortality ratios, on the basis of trends and effect size analysis. RESULTS: During 2000 to 2010, overall mortality rates (r = 0.98; P < .001; Cohen's d = -0.228) decreased in both countries. In 2011, this trend changed abruptly in Spain, where observed mortality surpassed expected mortality by 29% in 2011 and by 41% in 2015. By contrast, observed mortality surpassed expected mortality in the United States by only 8% in 2015. As the mortality statistics diverged, the effect size greatly increased (d = 7.531). During this 5-year period, there were 505 559 more deaths in Spain than the expected number, while in the United States the difference was 431 501 more deaths despite the 7-fold larger population in the United States compared with Spain. CONCLUSIONS: The marked excess mortality in 2011 to 2015 in Spain is attributable to austerity policies.

[Validation of the Nursing Assessment System of the Pediatric Primary Care Emergency: VEUPAP]. / Validación del sistema de valoración enfermera de la urgencia pediátrica en Atención Primaria VEUPAP.

Objective: Measure the validity, reliability and consistency of two alternative diagnostic systems, Nurse Pediatric Emergency Assessment for Primary Care system (VEUPAP) and web_e-PAT®, using expert pediatricians judgment as a gold standard. Material and Methods: Random sample of 300 children aged 0-14 years treated at the Pediatric Urgency Service Dr. Jaime Chaves in Santa Cruz de Tenerife between March 2009 and March 2010. Demographics data, time, presentation of complications and referrals to high, triage results according VEUPAP and web_e-PAT®, medical discharge and interview results to escort the child report, were registered. Sensitivity, specificity, frequency of false positive and negative predictive values of results, their concordance with the gold standard, and reliability of both methods, were estimated. Results: VEUPAP offers better values that web_e-PAT® with sensitivity 94% (95% Cl: 91-97%) vs. 36% (95% Cl: 31-41%), specificity 93(90-96)% vs. 87(83-91)%, positive predictive value of 89 (86-92)% vs. 63(58-68)%, and negative 96(94-98)% vs. 69(64-74)%, yield a4 vs. 3 times more, according to expert pediatrician 84(80-88)5 vs. 12(9-15)% reliability and 64(59-69)% vs. 59(54-63)% according to the weighted kappa Cohen (p < 0.001). Three levels lower and upper of triage discrepancies do not occur with any of the systems, the discrepancy in lower and upper triage at 2 levels do not occur with VEUPAP and is 14% and 4% respectively with web_e-PAT® (p = 0.032-0.045). Most of the discrepancies occur with triage level 1 being for VEUPAP 2-8% and 10-36% for web_e-PAT® (p < 0.001). The time consumption for both systems reached significance only for priority level 3: 4 (2-7) vs. 4 minutes (2-14), respectively (p = 0.044). Conclusions: VEUPAP is a homogeneous and systematic objective tool. The characteristics of accuracy, validity, accuracy, reliability, usefulness and ease of use make it suitable to assessment and classification pediatric patients in primary care emergency.

[Hospital emergency health service care as a risk factor for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in residents of long-term care facilities]. / El servicio de urgencias hospitalario como factor de riesgo de colonización por Staphylococcus aureus resistente a meticilina de los residentes en centros de larga estancia.

OBJECTIVES: Residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) are at risk for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization because of age-related illnesses and high rates of hospital use, in particular, of visits to the emergency department (ED). We aimed to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for MRSA colonization in LTCF residents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in 2014 (April­June). LTCF residents in the northern part of the island of Tenerife were eligible for enrollment. We collected clinical and epidemiologic data and took nasal swabs for culture (chromID MRSA agar) to screen for MRSA colonization. Molecular typing was established by pulsedfield gel electrophoresis. MRSA colonization was the dependent variable in logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 624 residents were enrolled. MRSA was detected in 25.8%. Sixty-four of the residents had received care in a hospital ED in the 3 months prior to enrollment. Multivariant regression analysis detected 2 risk factors for MRSA colonization: hospital ED care in the last 3 months (odds ratio [OR], 2.05; 95% CI, 1.29­3.26; P=.002) and the presence of skin lesions (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.11­2.44); P=.013). The health-care-associated, ST5 MRSA-IVa, was the most prevalent (75.8%). CONCLUSION: LTCF residents in our area are a significant reservoir of MRSA colonization. Hospital ED care was a predictor of MRSA colonization. We believe that stronger measures to prevent cross-contamination of multidrug resistant microorganisms must be implemented, along with active vigilance systems to detect MRSA in hospitals.

OBJETIVO: Los residentes de centros de larga estancia (CLE) son población de riesgo para la colonización por Staphylococcus aureus resistente a meticilina (SARM) debido a la morbilidad asociada a la edad y la alta tasa de contactos hospitalarios, especialmente en el servicio de urgencias hospitalario (SUH). El objetivo del estudio fue determinar la prevalencia y los factores asociados a la colonización por SARM en los residentes de CLE. METODO: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal entre abril y junio de 2014. Como criterio de inclusión se consideró ser residente de un CLE del área norte de la isla de Tenerife. Se recogieron variables clínico-epidemiológicas y muestras nasales que se sembraron en agar chromID®MRSA, que discrimina entre colonizados por SARM o no. El tipado molecular se realizó mediante electroforesis en campo pulsante. Se realizó un análisis de regresión logística sobre la variable SARM como dependiente. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 624 residentes. La prevalencia de SARM fue del 25,8%. Un total de 64 residentes necesitaron ser atendidos en el SUH en los tres meses previos al estudio. En el análisis multivariante se observó que ser atendido en el SUH en los tres meses previos [odss ratio (OR): 2,05 IC 95%: 1,29-3,26, p = 0,002] y la presencia de lesiones en la piel [OR: 1,65; IC 95% (1,11-2,44), p = 0,013] fueron las variables relacionadas con la colonización por SARM. El clon predominante fue ST­5 SARM-IVa (75,8%), estrechamente relacionado con la asistencia sanitaria. CONCLUSIONES: Los CLE de nuestra área constituyen un importante reservorio de SARM. Haber sido atendido en el SUH se comportó como factor predictor de colonización por SARM, por lo que es necesario de reforzar las medidas preventivas de transmisión cruzada de microorganismos multirresistentes e implantar sistemas vigilancia activa de SARM en el SUH

[NURSE PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY VALUATION IN PRIMARY CARE: QUALITY RECORD AND PATIENTS AND NURSES SATISFACTION WITH TOOL VEUPAP]. / Valoración enfermera de las Urgencias Pediátricas en Atención Primaria.

OBJECTIVE: To value the degree of completion of VEUPAP record, the level of satisfaction of the accompanists otcrilaren witn nursing care and nurse satisfaction. DESIGN: Descriptive study. There was valued the cumplimentation of record of global and specific form by nurse according to defined quality criteria. The satisfaction of the accompanists was valued by the AMABLE questionnaire, the nurses satisfaction with the use of VEUPAP by the CSLPS-EAP and the personal accomplishment in the work by the MBI in his validated Spanish version. RESULTS: 266 VEUPAP cases were evaluated. The general compliance of the items exceeds 95 (92-98) %, except for three items. Completion of protocols fever, respiratory distress, gastrointestinal, and abdominal pain is 95 (92-98) %, 93(90-96) %, 90 (86-94) %--and 67 (61-73) % respectively. More than 95 (93-97) % users referring to be satisfied with the nurses attention. The 100 (100-100) % of the nurses are very satisfied with their tasks and activities and personal accomplishment they get, 88(84-92) % with the quality of patient care and achievement of objectives. All feel quite satisfied with their degree of autonomy. Job instability represents 50(44-56) % of dissatisfaction. The EE is low for 94% of nurses and a medium for 6%, the DP high for 17% and low for 13% and the PA low for 53% and medium for 47%. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of registration, user satisfaction and the nurse who provides care satisfaction are three cornerstones of pediatric emeraency care. VEUPAP impacts positively on these three aspects.

Longitudinal assessment in COPD patients: multidimensional variability and outcomes.

The value and timing of multidimensional assessments in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains unclear because there is little information about their variability and relationship to outcome. The aim of this study was to determine the progression of COPD using clinical and spirometric variability over time with mortality as the outcome. We determined the annual intra-individual variability of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and BODE (body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnoea, exercise capacity) index in 403 patients with at least five measurements. The pattern was defined as "stable" if the annual change remained constant in ≥66% of the observations and "unstable" if it did not meet that threshold. We explored the minimum number of yearly observations that related to mortality in the 704 patients of the cohort. The "unstable" pattern of FEV1 was seen in 53% and 40% of patients using a threshold of 40 mL·year(-1) and 100 mL·year(-1), respectively. There was a slightly more "stable" pattern in the BODE index (62% for 1 point). A profile associated with mortality was defined by a baseline measurement followed by annual measurements for 2 years of the BODE index, but not its individual components, including FEV1 (p<0.001). Progression of COPD measured using FEV1 is inconsistent and relates poorly to outcome. Monitoring the more stable BODE index better assesses disease progression.

[Design and preliminary validation of a tool for nursing assessment and classification for pediatric patients in primary health care emergency. "VEUPAP"]. / Diseño y validación preliminar. VEUPAP. Valoración Enfermera de la Urgencia Pediátrica en Atención Primaria.

OBJECTIVE: Design a tool for nursing assessment and classification for pediatric patients in primary care emergency. DESIGN: Comprehensive literature review of systems of evaluation and classification of urgent patients, work in groups of experts, creation of the instrument and test its validity, reliability and ease of use in normal operation conditions of service. LOCATION: Pediatric Emergency Department Dr. Jaime Chaves. Tenerife. Canary Islands. PARTICIPANTS: Nine nurses and nine pediatricians with training and experience in emergency pediatric care. The validity and reliability tests are performed on a sample of 200 pediatric patients who came calling attention to the emergency service alter request informed consent. INTERVENTIONS: Training sessions, motivational and expert group consensus. Nurses apply the classification tool to test at patient entry and level of classification given by the pediatrician at discharge. RESULTS: Final version of the instrument with the fields of assessment and related documents. Validity tests show a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 94% and a concordance between nurse and pediatric of 83% and reliability agreement among nurses of 76% (p < 0.001 in all cases). CONCLUSIONS: The instrument, called VEUPAP (Nurse Pediatric Emergency Valuation in Primary Care), is valid, reliable, simple and useful for application in primary care.

Time to desaturation less than one minute predicts the need for long-term home oxygen therapy.

BACKGROUND: Exercise desaturation in patients with COPD is a pathophysiological phenomenon that is not wholly understood and whose clinical consequences are still unclear. METHODS: Eighty-three patients with moderate to severe COPD and P(aO(2)) > 60 mm Hg who desaturated during the 6-min walk test were followed for 5 years. Forty-eight patients had early desaturation (S(pO(2)) fell below 90% less than one minute after starting the walk test). Spirometry, blood-gas measurements, and 6-min walk tests were performed every 6 months. We recorded 6-min walk distance, baseline S(pO(2)), lowest S(pO(2)), and the time to S(pO(2)) < 90%. In each control, stable patients with severe hypoxia at rest who required long-term oxygen therapy were identified. RESULTS: Upon completion of the study, 65% of the early desaturators had developed severe hypoxemia and required long-term home oxygen, versus 11% in the non-early desaturators (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with moderate to severe COPD, desaturation within the first minute of the 6-min walk test predicts the need for long-term home oxygen at 5-year follow-up.

Efficiency of different strategies to detect autoantibodies to extractable nuclear antigens.

Autoantibodies to extractable nuclear antigens (anti-ENA) are identified mainly in samples positive for antinuclear antibodies (ANA). Although the method of choice for ANA screening is indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), several techniques are available to detect anti-ENA. The aim of this study was to compare the efficiency of five different strategies to determine anti-ENA. During a 2-year period we screened ANA in 30375 samples with IIF, and the 4475 samples ANA positive were tested for anti-ENA by double immune diffusion screening or fluoroenzymeimmunoassay (Screening FI); anti-ENA specificities were then determined by line immunoassay (LIA) or fluoroenzymeimmunoassay (FI). We compared five strategies that involved FI or LIA identification of anti-ENA with or without prior screening, or an algorithm that combined fluorescence pattern, number of anti-ENA specificities requested by the clinician and ANA dilution titer. One cost unit (CU) was defined as the cost of 1 test of ANA determination. We detected 553 anti-ENA positive samples. The most efficient strategy was the algorithm, at a cost of 3.3 CU per sample processed, the second most efficient strategy was screening plus FI identification (cost=3.8 CU), and the third most efficient strategy was screening plus LIA identification (cost=3.9 CU). The fourth most efficient strategy was FI identification without prior screening (13.3 CU per sample) and the least efficient was LIA identification without prior screening (13.6 CU per sample). In conclusion, an algorithm that combined techniques for detection, ANA titer, fluorescence pattern and number of specificities requested was the most efficient strategy for determining anti-ENA.

[Validation of the ICE model to assess social class in the adult population]. / Validación del modelo REI para medir la clase social en población adulta.

BACKGROUND: Social class has commonly been defined by the type of employment and it is assessed as a categorical variable. However, this approach has a number of drawbacks. The objective of this article is to develop and validate a readily standardizable quantitative indicator of social class and to show its ability to measure the impact of social class as a health determinant. METHODS: In 6729 individuals we measured income, crowding index, education, occupation and employment status. Two models were adjusted to study the neighborhood, dietary pattern and health problems. RESULTS: The model that included only income, crowding index and education (ICE) yielded an indicator that correlated with age (r = -0.28; p < 0.001) and consumption of potatoes (r = -0.17; p < 0.001) and salads (r = 0.10; p < 0.001). This indicator estimated that poor social classes were at significant risk for unemployment (OR = 5,), blue collar jobs (OR = 40,9), residing in poor neighborhoods (OR = 30.2), low salad consumption (OR = 2.2) and high consumption of potatoes (OR = 4.5). They also had, especially in women, a higher risk of sedentarism (OR = 1.8), obesity (OR = 4.4), metabolic syndrome (OR = 3.4) and diabetes mellitus (OR = 2.0). CONCLUSIONS: The ICE index was valid, not based on occupation or employment status, readily standardizable, and suitable for measuring social class and its impact of on health.

[Sedentary lifestyle: physical activity duration versus percentage of energy expenditure]. / Sedentarismo: tiempo de ocio activo frente a porcentaje del gasto energético.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: To compare different definitions of a sedentary lifestyle and to determine which is the most appropriate for demonstrating its relationship with the metabolic syndrome and other cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 5814 individuals was carried out. Comparisons were made between two definitions of a sedentary lifestyle: one based on active energy expenditure being less than 10% of total energy expenditure, and the other, on performing less than 25-30 minutes of physical activity per day. Reported levels of physical activity, anthropometric measurements, and biochemical markers of cardiovascular risk were recorded. The associations between a sedentary lifestyle and metabolic syndrome and other risk factors were adjusted for gender, age and tobacco use. RESULTS: The prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle was higher in women (70%) than in men (45-60%, according to the definition used). The definitions based on physical activity duration and on energy expenditure were equally useful: there were direct associations between a sedentary lifestyle and metabolic syndrome, body mass index, abdominal and pelvic circumferences, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, apolipoprotein B, and triglycerides, and inverse associations with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and paraoxonase activity, which demonstrated the greatest percentage difference between sedentary and active individuals. An incidental finding was that both definitions of a sedentary lifestyle were more strongly associated with the metabolic syndrome as defined by International Diabetes Federation criteria than by Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Given that it is relatively easy to determine whether a patient performs less than 25 minutes of physical activity per day, use of this definition of a sedentary lifestyle is recommended for clinical practice. The serum paraoxonase activity level could provide a useful marker for studying sedentary lifestyles.

Electromyographic validation of the mouth pressure-time index: a noninvasive assessment of inspiratory muscle load.

The pressure-time index (PTI = Pmouth/Pi max x Ti/Ttot) has been validated by Ramonatxo (J. Appl. Physiol. 78 (1995) 646 and by Jabour (Am. Rev. Respir. Dis. 144 (1991) 531 as a noninvasive tool for the assessment of inspiratory muscles load. Nobody until now has evaluated the correlation between the PTI and diaphragmatic activity. Further, the PTI has not been compared with another measures of respiratory muscle load such as the transdiaphragmatic pressure index or TTdi. The purpose of our study was to test the hypothesis that the PTI measured at the mouth (PTIm) is a noninvasive reflection of TTdf and electromyographic activity of the diaphragm (EMGdf). We studied 6 patients with COPD and 5 normal individuals at rest and during a CO2 rebreathing trial and simultaneously measured PTIm, TTdi and EMGdi. The curves of PTIm and EMGdi follows the same trend during the CO2 rebreathing trial with strong and significant correlation between these parameters (r = 0.89 P < 0.05 and r = 0.82 P < 0.05 for PaCO2 of 45 and 53 mmHg respectively). We conclude that PTIm measured as Pmouth/Pi max x Ti/Ttot is an adequate noninvasive method that reflect not only the diaphragmatic activity but also the inspiratory muscles load.