Managing iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in inflammatory bowel disease. The results of the "Gestiona hierro-EII" survey.

INTRODUCTION: iron deficiency anemia is a common and very relevant manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Although clinical practice guidelines have been published and updated on this subject, the management in the daily practice of this complication is far from optimal. OBJECTIVE: to determine the actual management, needs and limitations of anemia in IBD by means of a survey of gastroenterology specialists. MATERIAL AND METHODS: a self-administered telematic survey was carried out between April and May 2017 and was sent to SEPD members. The survey included four sections: participant demographics, monitoring, treatment and limitations/needs. RESULTS: a total of 122 evaluable surveys were received from all Spanish autonomous communities. Iron deficiency anemia is considered as a frequent manifestation of IBD and is monitored in all patients via the measurement of hemoglobin and ferritin. In the case of anemia, the survey respondents found it necessary to rule out the presence of IBD activity. However, only 14.8% prescribed intravenous iron when IBD was active. The required dose of intravenous iron is mainly calculated according to patient needs but only 33.1% of clinicians infused doses of 1 g or more. CONCLUSIONS: the "Gestiona Hierro EII" survey on the management of anemia in IBD demonstrated a high quality of care, even though some aspects need to be improved. These included the prescription of intravenous iron for patients with disease activity, the use of high-dose intravenous iron and the implementation of algorithms into clinical practice.

Digital periarterial sympathectomy in the management of post-traumatic Raynaud syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Among Basque handball players, the repeated impact of a ball on the palms of their hands hundreds of thousands of times throughout their sporting careers produces Raynaud syndrome. Treating this patient group is complex. Our objective was to assess the efficacy of digital periarterial sympathectomy in this patient group. METHODS: The study included all of the federated amateur and professional Basque handball patients who presented with Raynaud syndrome assessed in the vascular surgery service between January 2005 and December 2012. The postoperative assessment included a physical examination, basal photoplethysmography and photoplethysmography after heat hyperemia, and arteriography or magnetic resonance angiography. RESULTS: All 182 digital periarterial sympathectomies in the 114 fingers of 60 patients were in Porter functional class III or IV. All patients were discharged within the first 48 hours. Follow-up results, with a mean of 2 years ± 5 months, were 100%. All patients presented immediate pain remission, recovery of comfort, normal nail growth, rapid healing of all ulcers, distal anhidrosis, and return to active sport participation. The results remain steady in 58 patients (93.5%). Mean time until return to sports activity was 9.95 ± 1.61 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Digital periarterial sympathectomy is a simple, relatively nonaggressive technique without adverse side effects and with excellent medium-term results. In patients with Raynaud syndrome refractory to medical treatment and with threat to the viability of one or several fingers, digital periarterial sympathectomy can be the first treatment option, especially in cases of arteritis associated with very severe spasms.

Comparative study of the oral absorption of microencapsulated ferric saccharate and ferrous sulfate in humans.

PURPOSE: Our objective was to compare the absorption of microencapsulated ferric saccharate (MFS) and ferrous sulfate (FS) in a fortified milk product, using a crossover design. METHODS: Seventeen non-iron-deficient healthy adults from both sexes participated in the study. On each intervention day (days 1 and 8), after an overnight fast, the volunteers consumed one type of product (test or control) and blood sampling was carried out at different times. The interventions days were separated by 7-day washout periods. This study was double blinded, crossover and randomized for nature of the test meals. The primary outcomes of the study were total serum iron and transferrin saturation. RESULTS: No significant differences could be observed in serum iron concentration during the 6-h postprandial study due to the type of milk product consumed, and there was neither an effect of time nor an interaction between the type of milk product and time. Transferrin saturation significantly increased after the intake of both products (P < 0.005), reaching a peak value between hours 2 and 4. No significant differences were detected between MFS and FS, indicating that iron absorption from MFS is equivalent to absorption from FS. CONCLUSIONS: MFS is a new ingredient that allows the fortification of a wide range of food products, including heat-processed and non-acidic products with similar absorption to FS, designed to produce neither organoleptic changes nor off-color development during storage of fortified food.

Correction: Marhuenda, J., et al. A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Trial to Determine the Effectiveness a Polyphenolic Extract (Hibiscus sabdariffa and Lippia citriodora) in the Reduction of Body Fat Mass in Healthy Subjects. Foods 2020, 9(1), 55.

The authors wish to make the following correction to this paper [...].

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Trial to Determine the Effectiveness a Polyphenolic Extract (Hibiscus sabdariffa and Lippia citriodora) in the Reduction of Body Fat Mass in Healthy Subjects.

: The location and quantity of body fat determine the health risks, limiting people with obesity. Recently, polyphenols have attracted the attention of the scientific community because of their potential use for the reduction of obesity. A proprietary formula comprised of a blend of Lippia citriodora and Hibiscus sabdariffa has been recognized for its high content of polyphenols, powerful antioxidant molecules that may prevent weight gain and could be helpful for the treatment of obesity, as proven previously by in vivo models. The aim of the present study is to determine if the supplementation with Lippia citriodora and Hibiscus sabdariffa is useful for the treatment of obesity and/or weight control in subjects without a controlled diet. The intake of the extract for 84 days reduced body weight, the body mass index, and the fat mass measured with both bioimpedance and densitometry. This decrease in fat mass was observed to a greater extent, being significant, in the fat mass of the trunk (chest and torso).

Possible Influence of the Route of Treatment Administration on Treatment Adherence in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis.

PURPOSE: Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, demyelinating, and degenerative disease of the central nervous system with an immune-based pathologic origin. The present pilot study aimed to assess whether the change in the route of treatment administration is associated with a variation in adherence and whether there is a change in quality of life, treatment satisfaction, and fatigue. METHODS: Patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who were >18 years of age and who used to receive immunomodulatory parenteral treatment and were ready to change administration route were eligible for the study. Data were collected at baseline and 3 months later. Adherence, quality of life, treatment satisfaction, and fatigue were measured via the following questionnaires: Morisky-Green questionnaire on patient-reported medication adherence, Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Instrument, Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication, and Modified Fatigue Impact Scale. FINDINGS: The study sample included 30 patients (mean age, 43.2 years; age range, 24-71 years; 60% female and 40% male). There was a significant improvement in adherence (p = 0.048). Mean (SD) physical and mental health quality-of-life summary scores varied from 52.50 (24.15) and 54.13 (21.24) to 67.55 (20.92) and 62.30 (21.75) (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, d = -0.426 and d = -0.643, respectively). In the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication, an improvement of the score was observed in effectiveness of the medication (p = 0.0041, d = -0.563), adverse effects of the medication (p < 0.001, d = -0.976), convenience of the medication (p < 0.001, d = -1.235), and global satisfaction (p = 0.006, d = -0.725). Patients had a higher mean (SD) score (45.13 [26.7]) on the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale while receiving injectable treatment compared with that obtained with oral treatment (34.86 [23.16]; p = 0.009, d = 0.41). IMPLICATIONS: When the route of administration changed from injectable to oral, there was an increase in adherence, quality of life, and degree of patient satisfaction with their treatment and a decrease in the degree of fatigue.

What Pelvic Floor Muscle Training Load is Optimal in Minimizing Urine Loss in Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Pelvic floor muscle training is commonly used for urine loss. However, research studies have not determined which training load is the most effective for women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Moreover, none of the previous reviews or studies have described the total effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) with an objective test such as the pad test. The objectives were to analyze the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training in women with SUI and to determine which training load produces the greatest adaptations for decreasing urine loss. The search was conducted in three databases (PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane), for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effects of PFMT. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: participants were women; were older than 18; had SUI; were treated with PFMT; and the assessments of the effects were measured with a pad test. Finally, 10 articles (293 women) analyzed the pad test in women with SUI who performed PFMT. The meta-analysis showed that PFMT, independent of the protocol used in the study, resulted in decreased urine loss in women suffering from SUI. However, for large effects, the program should last 6-12 weeks, with >3 sessions/week and a length of session <45 min.