[Protocolo para la evaluación de una intervención de alfabetización en salud sobre morbimortalidad y calidad de vida en pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca.] / Protocol for the evaluation of an efficacy of a health literacy intervention in decreasing mortality, morbidity and improving the quality of life of patients with heart failure.

OBJECTIVE: Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome that impairs the ability to achieve proper filling or ejection, in which patients have typical symptoms and signs. It is a major Public Health problem with a high incidence and prevalence associated with high morbidity and mortality. The management of the patient with HF is complex, requiring in its treatment the work of specialized multidisciplinary teams in which the management of cardiac-healthy habits and self-care will play a leading role. Knowing the health literacy (HL) level of patients is a fundamental piece that will help us to provide a holistic attention, based on individual needs, promoting in this way the empowerment of the patient. Our aim will be to evaluate the effectiveness of an HL intervention for improving quality of life and decreasing morbidity/mortality. METHODS: A two-arm randomized controlled clinical trial will be conducted, with concealment of randomization. Patients with diagnosis of HF attended in cardiology and internal medicine consultations of 5 hospitals in Spain will be included.

OBJETIVO: La insuficiencia cardiaca (IC) es un síndrome clínico complejo con una sintomatología bien definida que constituye un problema de Salud Pública por su impacto en la morbi-mortalidad. El manejo del paciente con IC requiere el trabajo de equipos especializados multidisciplinares que enfaticen en los hábitos cardiovasculares y el autocuidado. Conocer el grado alfabetización en salud (AeS) de estos pacientes es una buena herramienta para prestarles una atención holística, basada en necesidades individuales, así como para fomentar su empoderamiento. Se ha diseñado un protocolo con el objetivo de evaluar la eficacia de una intervención en AeS en la mejora de su calidad de vida, así como en la disminución de la morbi/mortalidad. METODOS: Se llevará a cabo un estudio clínico controlado aleatorio a dos brazos multicéntrico, con ocultación del reparto aleatorio. Se incluirán pacientes con diagnóstico de IC atendidos en consultas de cardiología y medicina interna de cinco hospitales de España.

Predefined Diets in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disease mediated by the immune system and characterized by the importance of diet in pathological development. This study aims to understand how the use of predefined diets can affect the adult population diagnosed with IBD. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. From the different databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane, LILACS, CINAHL, and WOS), we found 4195 registers. After a review process, only 31 research studies were selected for qualitative synthesis and 10 were selected for meta-analysis. The variables used were Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) for patients with Crohn's Disease (CD) and fecal calprotectin (FC), C-Reactive Protein (CRP), and albumin (ALB) for patients with IBD. Predefined diets have been shown to have partial efficacy for the treatment of IBD and are compatible with other medical treatments. CDAI improved but with reasonable doubts due to the high heterogeneity of the data, while no differences were observed for ALB, FC, and CRP. More studies that evaluate the influence of predefined diets on IBD patients are needed due to the great variability in diets and the tools used to measure their effects.

[False beliefs about vaccines]. / Falsas creencias sobre las vacunas.

Vaccines are an essential tool for the prevention of infectious diseases. However, false ideas and rumours with no scientific foundation about their possible negative effects may dissuade people from being vaccinated, with the consequent risks for the health of the population. The objective of this article is to evaluate the origin and the arguments of some of the most frequent mistaken ideas and rumours about the possible adverse effects of vaccines. Some clearly established adverse effects are presented, as well as false beliefs about various vaccines and potential harm to health. Vaccines, like any drug, can cause adverse effects, but the possible adverse effects of vaccination programs are clearly lower than their individual (vaccinated) and collective benefits (those vaccinated and those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons). The possible adverse effects attributable to vaccines should be detected by powerful and well-structured pharmacovigilance systems.