Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Atopic Dermatitis and Chronic Urticaria are Underused in Clinical Practice.

BACKGROUND: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are validated and standardized tools that complement physician evaluations and guide treatment decisions. PROMs are crucial for monitoring atopic dermatitis (AD) and chronic urticaria (CU) in clinical practice, but there are unmet needs and knowledge gaps regarding their use in clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the global real-world use of AD and CU PROMs in allergology and dermatology clinics as well as their associated local and regional networks. METHODS: Across 72 specialized allergy and dermatology centers and their local and regional networks, 2,534 physicians in 73 countries completed a 53-item questionnaire on the use of PROMs for AD and CU. RESULTS: Of 2,534 physicians, 1,308 were aware of PROMs. Of these, 14% and 15% used PROMs for AD and CU, respectively. Half of physicians who use PROMs do so only "rarely" or "sometimes". AD and CU PROM usage is associated with being female, younger, and a dermatologist. POSCORAD and UAS were the most utilized PROMs for AD and CU, respectively. Monitoring disease control and activity are the main drivers of the use of PROMs. Time constraints were the primary obstacle to using PROMs, followed by the impression that patients dislike PROMs. AD and CU PROM users would like training in selecting the proper PROM. CONCLUSION: Even though PROMs offer several benefits, their use in routine practice is suboptimal, and physicians perceive barriers to their use. It is essential to attain higher levels of PROM implementation in accordance with national and international standards.

Experiencias de docentes y estudiantes en la educación remota de emergencia: oportunidades para mejorar la educación del pregrado en medicina / Faculty and student experience during remote emergency education: opportunities for improving undergraduate medical education

Introducción: Los ciclos clínicos de pregrado representan los escenarios principales en los que los estudiantes de medicina consolidan los conocimientos. Sin embargo, a principios de 2020, la mayoría de los estudiantes fue confinada en sus domicilios debido a la pandemia por el SARS-CoV-2. Los procesos formativos continuaron desde los hogares por medio de la educación remota de emergencia, una modalidad de enseñanza basada en el uso intensivo de la tecnología que, a pesar de hacerse de manera improvisada, respondió a la situación educativa de urgencia. El propósito de este estudio fue indagar la experiencia educativa de estudiantes y docentes que se encontraban en los años clínicos de pregrado de la carrera de medicina con el fin de identificar las oportunidades de mejora en la enseñanza a partir de la crisis sanitaria vivida. Sujetos y métodos: Se realizó un estudio cualitativo de carácter descriptivo con la técnica de grupos focales. El análisis se basó en la reducción de datos, en la triangulación entre estamentos y en la bibliografía del tema. Resultados: Se realizaron 16 grupos focales con un total de 148 participantes. Se identificaron cuatro categorías generales: a) enseñanza y aprendizaje; b) evaluación de la práctica clínica; c) identidad profesional, y d) sugerencias en busca de mejoras en la formación de los médicos Conclusiones: Las reflexiones reconocen la necesidad de incorporar las tecnologías digitales de una manera planeada y diseñada en conjunto por expertos y docentes para adaptarlas a las necesidades de los contextos educativos, y continuar con modelos híbridos o combinados para mejorar la educación médica.(AU)

Introduction: During medical education, undergraduate clinical cycles represent the main scenarios where students consolidate knowledge. However, in the early 2020s, most students were confined to their homes due to the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic. In this situation, the digital network allowed the educational processes to continue from their homes through remote emergency education (REE), a teaching modality based on the intensive use of technology that, despite having been improvised, responded to the emergency educational situation. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the educational experience of students and teachers in the undergraduate clinical years of the medical degree in order to identify opportunities for improvement in teaching after the health crisis. Subjects and methods: A descriptive qualitative study was carried out with a phenomenological approach through the focus group technique. The qualitative analysis was based on data reduction and triangulation between strata and subject literature. Results: Sixteen focus groups were integrated with a total of 148 participants. Four categories were identified: a) teaching and learning; b) evaluation of clinical practice; c) professional identity, and d) suggestions for improvement in the training of physicians. Conclusions: The reflections lead to recognizing the need to incorporate digital technology designed by experts and teachers to adapt them to the real needs of the educational contexts and to continue with a hybrid or combined model that supports the improvement of medical education.(AU)

[Guidelines on atopic dermatitis for Mexico (GUIDAMEX): using the ADAPTE methodology]. / Guía de dermatitis atópica para México (GUIDAMEX): lineamientos usando metodología ADAPTE.

With the advancement of knowledge in relation to the physiopathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD), several new therapeutic forms have been developed. There are also new guidelines for self-care. On the other hand, there is still an underdiagnosis of AD in Mexico. Thus, the need was seen to develop a national guide, with a broad base among the different medical groups that care for patients with AD. The Atopic Dermatitis Guidelines for Mexico (GUIDAMEX) was developed with the ADAPTE methodology, with the endorsement and participation of ten national medical societies, from physicians in Primary Healthcare to allergists and dermatologists. Throughout the manuscript, key clinical questions are answered that lead to recommendations and suggestions for the diagnosis of AD (including differential diagnosis with immunodeficiency syndromes), the recognition of comorbidities and complications, non-pharmacological treatment including therapeutic education, treatment of flares and maintenance therapy. The latter encompasses general measures to avoid triggering factors, first-line treatment focussed on repair of the skin barrier, second-line treatment (topical proactive therapy), and third-line phototherapy or systemic treatment, including dupilumab and JAK inhibitors.

Con el avance de los conocimientos en relación con la fisiopatogenia de la dermatitis atópica (DA) se han desarrollado varias formas terapéuticas nuevas. Asimismo, existen nuevos lineamientos para el autocuidado. Por otro lado, aún existe un subdiagnóstico de la DA en México. Así, se vio la necesidad de desarrollar una guía nacional, con base amplia entre las diferentes agrupaciones médicos que atienden pacientes con DA. Se desarrolló la Guía de DA para México (GUIDAMEX) con la metodología ADAPTE, con el aval y la participación de diez sociedades médicas nacionales, desde médicos del primer contacto hasta alergólogos y dermatólogos. A lo largo del escrito se contestan preguntas clínicas clave que llevan a recomendaciones y sugerencias para el diagnóstico de la DA (incluyendo diagnóstico diferencial con síndromes de inmunodeficiencia), el reconocer de las comorbilidades y complicaciones, las medidas generales (tratamiento no farmacológico) incluyendo la educación terapéutica, el tratamiento de los brotes y el tratamiento de mantenimiento. Este último abarca las medidas generales de evitar agravantes, el tratamiento de primera línea reparador de la barrera cutánea, de segunda línea (manejo proactivo tópico), hasta la fototerapia y el tratamiento sistémico de la tercera línea, incluyendo dupilumab y los inhibidores de la cinasa de Jano.

Genetic, Immunological, and Clinical Features of the First Mexican Cohort of Patients with Chronic Granulomatous Disease.

PURPOSE: Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immunodeficiency characterized by an inability of phagocytes to produce reactive oxygen species, impairing their killing of various bacteria and fungi. We summarize here the 93 cases of CGD diagnosed in Mexico from 2011 to 2019. METHODS: Thirteen Mexican hospitals participated in this study. We describe the genetic, immunological, and clinical features of the 93 CGD patients from 78 unrelated kindreds. RESULTS: Eighty-two of the patients (88%) were male. All patients developed bacterial infections and 30% suffered from some kind of fungal infection. Fifty-four BCG-vaccinated patients (58%) presented infectious complications of BCG vaccine. Tuberculosis occurred in 29%. Granulomas were found in 56% of the patients. Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases were present in 15% of patients. A biological diagnosis of CGD was made in 89/93 patients, on the basis of NBT assay (n = 6), DHR (n = 27), and NBT plus DHR (n = 56). The deficiency was complete in all patients. The median age of biological diagnosis was 17 months (range, 0-186 months). A genetic diagnosis was made in 83/93 patients (when material was available), corresponding to CYBB (n = 64), NCF1 (n = 7), NCF2 (n = 7), and CYBA (n = 5) mutations. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical manifestations in these Mexican CGD patients were similar to those in patients elsewhere. This cohort is the largest in Latin America. Mycobacterial infections are an important cause of morbidity in Mexico, as in other countries in which tuberculosis is endemic and infants are vaccinated with BCG. X-linked CGD accounted for most of the cases in Mexico, as in other Latin American countries. However, a significant number of CYBA and NCF2 mutations were identified, expanding the spectrum of known causal mutations.