Mindfulness-based psychotherapy in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: A meta-analytical Study.

Background/Objective: Obsessive compulsive disorder is a disorder of special relevance in mental health, however, not all patients respond adequately to traditional intervention systems. The present work aims to study the usefulness of mindfulness-based interventions in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder. Method: An exhaustive search of the literature between 1996 and 2021 allowed us to locate 11 published articles. The effect size was the pretest-posttest standardized mean change calculated for obsession-compulsion, as well as depression symptoms and conscious coping. Results: he results showed mean effect sizes for mindfulness in the reduction of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (d + = 0.648) and, to a lesser extent, depression (d + = 0.417) and the improvement in Mindfull coping (d + = 0.509). There was no significant decrease in effect size when mindfulness was applied in patients with residual symptoms from previous treatments. Conclusions: These results are promising regarding the usefulness of the application of intervention programs based on mindfulness in people with obsessive compulsive disorder, both as an alternative option and as a complementary treatment to more traditional intervention formats.

Pru p 9, a new allergen eliciting respiratory symptoms in subjects sensitized to peach tree pollen.

Peach tree (PT) pollen sensitization is highly prevalent in subjects living in areas where this tree is widely cultivated. None of the allergens responsible for these sensitizations have been identified so far. Our aim was to identify the most relevant PT pollen allergens and analyze their capacity for inducing respiratory symptoms. We studied sixty-two individuals sensitized to PT pollen who developed symptoms after its exposure. The IgE binding profile on peach pollen extract by means of immunoblotting using sera from these subjects was analyzed. Protein extract was fractionated by anion-exchange chromatography and HPLC, fractions run in SDS-PAGE and proteins were identified from IgE-binding bands by mass spectrometry. Several allergenic proteins in the PT pollen extract were recognized by patients' IgE: a glucan endo-1,3-beta-glucosidase-like, a polygalacturonase, an UTP-glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase and a PR-1a protein. This PR-1a protein is a novel allergen frequently recognized with a molecular mass of 18 kDa, named as Pru p 9 following the WHO-IUIS nomenclature. Skin Prick Test (SPT) performed with this allergen was positive in 41% of the PT pollen-sensitized clinical cases. Most of them had rhinitis or rhinoconjunctivitis, but a significant percentage experienced asthma with seasonal symptoms during the period of PT flowering. Nasal Provocation test (NPT) with Pru p 9 was positive in all cases with positive SPT to this new allergen eliciting nasal symptoms similar to those challenged with PT pollen. We demonstrate that PT pollen can induce sensitization and allergy in an exposed population, being Pru p 9 a relevant allergen responsible of respiratory symptoms. Considering the extensive peach worldwide production with a large number of people involved, our results add a great value for the diagnosis and management of subjects allergic to this pollen.

The Influence of Donor Milk Supplementation on Duration of Parenteral Nutrition in Preterm Infants.

BACKGROUND: Data are limited on the association between the use of donor human milk and improvements in feeding tolerance. OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of the duration of parenteral nutrition on the growth and morbidity of the breastfed newborn when using donated human milk in the absence of mother's own milk. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study before and after the intervention that compared two groups of newborns (N = 284; each group n = 142). We used a convenience sample of all newborns ≤32 weeks gestation consecutively admitted in a single unit before (Group 1 between December 2012 and May 2014) or after (Group 2 between October 2014 and December 2016) the availability of donor human milk. In Group 2, donor human milk was administered at least 3 to 4 weeks or until the baby weighed 1,500 g. Weight was recorded daily and length and head circumference weekly. Parenteral nutrition was continued until enteral feeding volume reached 120 ml/kg/day. Additional variables measured were the number of days with a central venous catheter, age that the enteral feeding volume reached 150 ml/kg/day, and duration of stay. RESULTS: The duration of parenteral feeding was the same before and after: 12 (8.23) and 11 (7.19) days (p = .822). The z scores for weight and height of newborns was lower in Group 2 = -1.8 (1.0) and -2.3 (1.1) and Group 1 = -1.2 (1.1) (p < .001) and -1.8 (1.4) (p = .005). CONCLUSION: We did not find an association between the administration of donor human milk as a supplement to mother's own milk and reduced number of days of parenteral nutrition. Back translation by Laurence Grummer-Strawn.

Eficacia de la actuación de los payasos sobre el miedo a procedimientos dolorosos en oncohematología pediátrica / Evaluation of quality of volunteer service in oncology: levels of satisfaction of cancer patients and their families

Objetivos: Evaluar la eficacia de la actuación de una pareja de Payasos de hospital sobre la respuesta de miedo en pacientes de la Unidad de Oncohematología antes de la aplicación de un procedimiento médico doloroso (punción lumbar o el aspirado medular). Pacientes y método: 30 niños de 3 a 11 años de edad (M=6,93, DT=2,78) sometidos a punción lumbar o aspirado de médula ósea en el hospital «Virgen de la Arrixaca». La evaluación consistió en la administración de: Escala facial de 5 caras, escala de observación «modified-Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale» (m-YPAS) y medidas fisiológicas de pulso y tensión arterial media. Resultados: En el análisis intersujetos, se obtuvo diferencias estadísticamente significativas en todas las medidas, a excepción de la escala de caras, tras la actuación de los payasos de hospital. Tras la marcha de los payasos de hospital los grupos se igualaron en las puntuaciones. En el análisis intrasujetos se alcanzaron diferencias significativas entre el pretest y el postest para el grupo control en todas las medidas. El análisis del tamaño del efecto indica valores en la escala de caras se obtiene un valor d= 0,22 (magnitud pequeña), y magnitudes altas para el pulso (d=1,02), la tensión arterial media (d= 1,20), y la escala m-YPAS (d=0,99), antes de la administración del procedimiento doloroso. Conclusiones: La presencia de los payasos favorece la disminución del miedo a la aplicación de los procedimientos dolorosos. Este efecto es de corto plazo, pues tras su marcha desaparecen las diferencias entre los grupos

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of the performance of a couple of hospital clowns on the fear response in patients in Oncohematology unit before applying a painful medical procedure (lumbar puncture or bone marrow aspiration). Patients and methods: 30 children aged 3-11 years-old (M = 6.93, SD = 2.78) underwent lumbar puncture or bone marrow aspirate in the «Virgen de la Arrixaca» Hospital. The assessment consisted of the administration of: 5-Facial scale, the observation scale «modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale» (m-YPAS), and physiological measures of pulse and mean blood pressure. Results: In the between-subjects-analysis, statistically significant differences in all measures, except for the scale of faces, after the performance of hospital clowns was obtained. After the hospital clowns left, groups were matched on their scores. In the within-subject analysis, significant differences between pretest and posttest were achieved in all measures for the control group. The effect size analysis indicates values on the Facial scale d = 0.22 (small effect size) and large effect size for pulse (d = 1.02), mean arterial pressure (d = 1.20), and the m-YPAS scale (d=0.99), before application of painful medical procedure. Conclusions: The presence of clowns helps to reduce the fear in the application of painful procedures. However, this effect is short-term, because after hospital clown leaves differences disappear between groups

Effects of alcohol-free beer on lipid profile and parameters of oxidative stress and inflammation in elderly women.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the influence of alcohol-free beer on factors implicated in atherosclerosis, such as lipid profile, oxidative stress parameters, and proinflammatory cytokines, in postmenopausal women, a population particularly at risk for atherosclerotic disease. METHODS: The study was carried out in 29 nuns, 58 to 73 y old, who live in a convent with a disciplined, regular, and homogeneous lifestyle. The nuns maintained their habits and diet routine, but their meals were supplemented with 500 mL/d of alcohol-free beer (0.0%) divided into two doses over a 45-d period. Lipid profile, inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein, interleukins 1 and 6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and parameters of oxidative metabolism were determined before and after the study period. RESULTS: There were no differences in the levels of C-reactive protein and proinflammatory cytokines after diet supplementation. The antibody titers to oxidized low-density lipoprotein were significant lower (P < 0.05), and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (-18%, P < 0.001) and plasma carbonyl group content (-21%, P < 0.001) were decreased when compared with initial values. Increases in alpha-tocopherol levels (+9%, P < 0.05) and erythrocytic glutathione levels (+29%, P < 0.001) were also noted. With respect to lipid profile, only subjects with cholesterol levels higher than 240 mg/dL showed lower levels after supplementation. CONCLUSION: Consumption of non-alcoholic beer produces a decrease in oxidative stress that can have a beneficial impact on cardiovascular risk; however, the circulating concentrations of inflammatory mediators involved in its pathophysiology remained unchanged.