Obesity is a chronic disease. Positioning statement of the Diabetes, Obesity and Nutrition Workgroup of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI) for an approach centred on individuals with obesity.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a chronic, complex and multifactorial metabolic disease involved in the development of chronic noncommunicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and cancer. The care of individuals with obesity is an essential part of the holistic approach provided by internal medicine to patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between September 2019 and January 2020, we distributed an online survey to the members of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine. We prepared a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis using the responses and, using the nominal group technique, developed the recommendations. RESULTS: We obtained 599 responses. The respondents mean age was 44.4 ±â€¯11 years, and 52.1% were women. Some 91.8% of the internists evaluate their patients to rule out the comorbidities associated with obesity, mainly type 2 diabetes mellitus (96.2%), cardiovascular disease (88.9%) and obesity-associated hypoventilation syndrome (73%), among others. Some 79.9% provided indications on lifestyle changes. Some 64.1% and 74.9% of the respondents knew the indications for the drugs and bariatric surgery, respectively. Some 93.8% and 83% of the respondents considered obesity and excess weight a chronic disease, and 88.7% considered it a disease of specific interest to internists, who should take an active and leading role in its treatment (85.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The objective of the present document is to determine the degree of understanding and sensitivity of internists regarding the management of obesity and to develop a consensus of recommendations for the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine based on the scientific evidence and the opinion of its members.

Obesity is a chronic disease. Positioning statement of the Diabetes, Obesity and Nutrition Workgroup of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI) for an approach centred on individuals with obesity. / La obesidad es una enfermedad crónica. Posicionamiento del grupo de trabajo de Diabetes, Obesidad y Nutrición de la Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI) por un abordaje centrado en la persona con obesidad.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is a chronic, complex and multifactorial metabolic disease involved in the development of chronic noncommunicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and cancer. The care of individuals with obesity is an essential part of the holistic approach provided by internal medicine to patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between September 2019 and January 2020, we distributed an online survey to the members of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine. We prepared a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis using the responses and, using the nominal group technique, developed the recommendations. RESULTS: We obtained 599 responses. The respondents mean age was 44.4±11 years, and 52.1% were women. Some 91.8% of the internists evaluate their patients to rule out the comorbidities associated with obesity, mainly type 2 diabetes mellitus (96.2%), cardiovascular disease (88.9%) and obesity-associated hypoventilation syndrome (73%), among others. Some 79.9% provided indications on lifestyle changes. Some 64.1% and 74.9% of the respondents knew the indications for the drugs and bariatric surgery, respectively. Some 93.8% and 83% of the respondents considered obesity and excess weight a chronic disease, and 88.7% considered it a disease of specific interest to internists, who should take an active and leading role in its treatment (85.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The objective of the present document is to determine the degree of understanding and sensitivity of internists regarding the management of obesity and to develop a consensus of recommendations for the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine based on the scientific evidence and the opinion of its members.

Método cuantitativo para distinguir el líquido cefalorraquídeo de la solución salina en la anestesia combinada intradural-epidural / Quantitative test to distinguish spinal fluid from saline solution in combined spinalepidural anesthesia

OBJETIVOS: Proponer la utilización de un glucómetrodigital como método cuantitativo sencillo para detectarlíquido cefalorraquídeo durante la técnica de anestesiacombinada epidural-intradural y determinar su validez,a través de la sensibilidad, especificidad, valores predictivosy cocientes de probabilidad.PACIENTES Y MÉTODOS: Se realizó el estudio de validezdel test en 30 pacientes programados para cirugía conanestesia combinada intradural-epidural. Se consideróun resultado positivo si había glucosa en el líquido querefluía o se aspiraba a través de la aguja epidural eintradural, y se contrastaba con un patrón de referencia(las características del bloqueo sensitivo o motor tras laadministración de anestésico local). Tras localizar elespacio epidural con solución salina, se realizaba el testy se administraban 3 mL de anestésico local. Si no habíabloqueo sensitivo o motor, el test se consideraba verdaderonegativo. Se realizaba la punción dural, se realizabael test y se administraban 2-3 mL de anestésico local.En este caso si había bloqueo sensitivo o motor el test seconsideraba verdadero positivo. Con todo ello se realizóel análisis de validez.RESULTADOS: La sensibilidad del test fue del 100%, suespecificidad del 94%, el valor predictivo positivo de93%, y el valor predictivo negativo de 100%, la razón deprobabilidad positiva de 15,5 y la negativa de 0.CONCLUSIÓN: El glucómetro utilizado es un métodocuantitativo válido para diferenciar líquido cefalorraquídeode solución salina durante la anestesia combinada,de uso sencillo y fácilmente disponible, con una granutilidad para confirmar o descartar la presencia delíquido cefalorraquídeo(AU)

OBJECTIVES: To validate the use of a digital bloodglucose meter for detecting the presence of spinal fluidduring combined spinal-epidural anesthesia in terms ofspecificity, positive and negative predictive values, andlikelihood ratios.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Validation was studied in 30patients scheduled for surgery under combined spinalepiduralanesthesia. A positive finding, defined asdetection of spinal fluid return or aspiration by theepidural or spinal needle, was compared with results ofstandard reference tests (the pattern of sensory or motorblock after administration of the local anesthetic). Afterlocating the epidural space with saline solution, the testwas performed and 3 mL of local anesthetic wasadministered. If no sensory or motor blockade wasevident, the test was considered a true negative. Spinalpuncture was then performed, the test was repeated, and2 to 3 mL of local anesthetic was injected. The test wasconsidered a true positive if sensory or motor blockadewas evident. These findings entered into the validationanalyses.RESULTS: Sensitivity was 100%, specificity 94%,positive predictive value 93%, negative predictive value100%, the positive likelihood ratio 15.5, and negativelikelihood 0.CONCLUSION: Blood glucose meter readings provide avalid quantitative measure for distinguishing spinal fluidfrom saline solution during combined spinal-epiduralanesthesia. The method, which uses a readily availabledevice, is easy to use to rule out the presence of spinalfluid(AU)

[Influence of chloramphenicol on glutamic acid excretion in citrobacter intermedius C3 (author's transl)]. / Influencia del cloranfenicol en la excreción de glutamato por Citrobacter intermedius C3.

Chloramphenicol inhibits growth of C. intermedius C3 along with glutamic acid excretion, isocitrate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase and the percentage of glutamic acid excreting colonies in solid medium. Repression of isocitrate dehydrogenase and glutamate dehydrogenase may explain the observed decrease in extracellular glutamic acid accumulation even when media were supplemented with 2-oxoglutarate, a known inducer of excretion in C. intermedius C3.

[Plasma B12 vitamin and folic acid during chronic renal failure and hemodialysis (author's transl)]. / Comportamiento de la vitamina B12 y del ácido fólico séricos en la insuficiencia renal crónica y en la hemodiálisis.

Thirty-one patients suffering from very advanced degrees of chronic renal insufficiency were studied. Ten received a hypoproteic diet as the only treatment and the remaining 21 were on a program of hemodialysis with a free diet and no vitamin supplements. Basal and pre- and post-dialysis plasma determinations of B12 vitamin and folic acid were carried out on them. Looking at the results it was verified that there was a significant reduction in the plasma values of both B12 vitamin and folic acid in the cases of low protein intake. In dialysis we saw that although folic acid was lost during sessions the free dietetic intake was enough to compensate for these losses. As for B12 vitamin, although it is described as dialyzable, we did not observe that its post-dialysis values disminished. Our conclusions indicate that a supplementary vitamin contribution is not necessary for patients who are on a program of hemodialysis.