Prevalence and associated risk factors of latent tuberculosis infection in a Spanish prison.

AIM: To determine the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTI) in a Spanish prison, analyze the main sociodemographic and clinical variables associated with this condition and estimate the percentage of individuals with LTI who have received chemoprophylactic treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study including inmates hosted in the Madrid VI Prison on 16/07/2016. Exclusion criteria: history of tuberculosis; non-updated tuberculin test according to the Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Program in Prisons protocol. Information of the variables was collected from SANIT and SIP programs, and by checking the clinical records of inmates. Description of the participant population and comparison between the frequency of distribution of the independent variables in LTI present and absent groups were performed, the last calculating the p value with Ji2 and Mann-Whitney U tests. Bivariate and multivariate analysis have been carried out with a logistic regression model. RESULTS: 936 individuals have been included. The prevalence of LTI in prison is 54.6%. This condition has been linked to the sociodemographic variables age, sex and nationality of origin, being age the one that has shown the strongest association. Among the other factors analyzed, only HCV infection behaves as a predictor of LTI. 30.3% of the individuals with LTI have completed or are receiving chemoprophylactic treatment in the moment of the study. DISCUSSION: LTI prevalence is high in the Spanish current prison population. The results of the study emphasize the relevance of the LTI screening in the prison setting, specially among high risk groups, and point out the need of a greater effort in the indication and completion of the chemoprophylactic treatment.

Prevalencia y factores predictores de infección tuberculosa latente en un centro penitenciario tipo español / Prevalence and associated risk factors of latent tuberculosis infection in Spanish prison

Objetivo: Determinar la prevalencia de infección tuberculosa latente (ITL) en un centro penitenciario tipo español, analizar las principales variables sociodemográficas y clínicas asociadas a este padecimiento, y estimar el porcentaje de individuos con ITL que han realizado tratamiento quimioprofiláctico. Materiales y métodos: Estudio descriptivo transversal incluyendo a los internos registrados en el Centro Penitenciario Madrid VI a fecha de 16/07/2016. Criterios de exclusión: antecedente de enfermedad tuberculosa o no disponer de prueba de tuberculina actualizada conforme al Programa de Prevención y Control de Tuberculosis en el Medio Penitenciario. Recogida de las variables desde los programas SANIT, SIP y mediante revisión de los historiales clínicos de los internos. Descripción de la población participante y comparación de la frecuencia de distribución de las variables predictoras en los grupos de ITL presente y ausente, calculando el valor p mediante las pruebas de Chi cuadrado y U de Mann-Whitney. Análisis bivariante y multivariante mediante regresión logística. Resultados: 936 pacientes incluidos. La prevalencia de ITL es del 54,6%, y se ha relacionado con las variables edad, sexo y nacionalidad de procedencia, siendo la edad la que mayor fuerza de asociación ha demostrado. Entre el resto de los factores analizados, solo la infección por el virus de la hepatitis C se comporta como elemento predictor de ITL. El 30,3% de los individuos con ITL ha completado o se encuentra realizando tratamiento quimioprofiláctico en el momento del estudio. Discusión: La prevalencia de ITL en la población penitenciaria española actual es alta. Los resultados refuerzan la importancia de su cribado en el medio penitenciario, especialmente en aquellos grupos de mayor riesgo, así como la necesidad de un mayor esfuerzo en la indicación y la cumplimentación del tratamiento quimioprofiláctico (AU)

Aim: To determine the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTI) in a Spanish prison, analyze the main sociodemographic and clinical variables associated with this condition and estimate the percentage of individuals with LTI who have received chemoprophylactic treatment. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study including inmates hosted in the Madrid VI Prison on 16/07/2016. Exclusion criteria: history of tuberculosis; non-updated tuberculin test according to the Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Program in Prisons protocol. Information of the variables was collected from SANIT and SIP programs, and by checking the clinical records of inmates. Description of the participant population and comparison between the frequency of distribution of the independent variables in LTI present and absent groups were performed, the last calculating the p value with Ji2 and Mann-Whitney U tests. Bivariate and multivariate analysis have been carried out with a logistic regression model. Results: 936 individuals have been included. The prevalence of LTI in prison is 54.6%. This condition has been linked to the sociodemographic variables age, sex and nationality of origin, being age the one that has shown the strongest association. Among the other factors analyzed, only HCV infection behaves as a predictor of LTI. 30.3% of the individuals with LTI have completed or are receiving chemoprophylactic treatment in the moment of the study. Discussion: LTI prevalence is high in the Spanish current prison population. The results of the study emphasize the relevance of the LTI screening in the prison setting, specially among high risk groups, and point out the need of a greater effort in the indication and completion of the chemoprophylactic treatment (AU)

Development and Validation of a Clinical Scale for the Evaluation of Forearm Skin Photoaging.

BACKGROUND: Despite the focus on facial photoaging ratings, there are few classifications developed for forearm skin aging assessment. OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a clinical scale for the evaluation of forearm skin aging. METHODS: Three clinical dermatology faculty members selected, discussed, and appraised the main signs of forearm photoaging. The validation of the resulting scale was performed by 5 assessors who were previously trained to classify 102 photographs of forearms with different degrees of aging. Retests were performed in 15 days. RESULTS: There was significant correlation between the selected variables and the subjective global aging scale. The developed scale showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's α=0.87) and high correlation with the global photoaging scale (rho=0.92). Inter- and intraobserver final scores showed high agreement. CONCLUSION: A validated clinical photoaging scale for forearms with internal consistency, reliability, and validity was developed.

Subcutaneous glucose concentration in humans. Real estimation and continuous monitoring.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the real subcutaneous glucose concentration in healthy volunteers to help in the development of new calibration methods for subcutaneous glucosensors. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We developed a new method to estimate the real subcutaneous glucose concentration based on the recirculation of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) in a microdialysis probe inserted into the subcutaneous tissue. Tissue glucose diffuses into the probe until complete equilibration between the glucose concentration outside and inside the microdialysis probe is achieved. Later, the glucose content of the recirculated PBS is assessed in vitro. We applied the method in 10 healthy volunteers under fasting state and during a hyperglycemic clamp. In addition, we monitored the subcutaneous glucose with an enzymatic-amperometric glucosensor combined with a microdialysis probe. RESULTS: The subcutaneous glucose concentration measured by the recirculation method was 72 +/- 6 and 78 +/- 6% of the blood glucose measured in the fasting state and during the hyperglycemic clamps, respectively. On the other hand, the glucosensor's signal correlated significantly with the blood glucose. CONCLUSION: The recirculation method estimated the real subcutaneous glucose concentration, opening the way to develop new calibration procedures for subcutaneous glucosensors. However, a suitable calibration procedure is still lacking.

Calibration problems of subcutaneous glucosensors when applied "in-situ" in man.

Continuous glucose monitoring is the conditio sine qua non to achieve total automation in glucose-controlled insulin-delivery. Several types of glucosensors have been designed according to the enzyme-amperometric method to measure the glucose in different human compartments. However, problems such as long-term stability and calibration prevent this technique being put into practice. A feasible method is needed to calibrate the glucosensor and at the same time should be accepted by the patients. To achieve calibration we determined the absolute tissue glucose, as well as the microdialysis recovery in-vivo, in healthy subjects under normal conditions and during a hyperglycaemic clamp by applying a device based on the recirculation of phosphate buffer saline in a microdialysis probe implanted in the s.c. adipose tissue. The first experiments carried out were promising and encouraging, but further investigations are still needed to favour an ideal "before implantation, all in-vitro" method to calibrate a s.c. glucosensor.

Combination of microdialysis and glucose sensor for continuous on line measurement of the subcutaneous glucose concentration: theory and practical application.

The microdialysis technique can be used to get dialysates of the subcutaneous tissue, which can be continuously measured by an amperometric glucose sensor. In order to get further insight into the microdialysis procedure, we used a steady-state theory for microdialysis to predict the recovery of glucose in the dialysate and compared the results to experimental data obtained by a combination of the microdialysis technique with continuous amperometric glucose sensing. The recovery of glucose obtained in vitro for two different microdialysis probes was close to the theoretical predictions. When quantifying the predictions of the model with regard to the spatial concentration profile in the subcutaneous tissue, it appeared, that the presence of the microdialysis probe depressed the concentration of glucose for 0.2 mm from the probe surface. In a 24 hour in vivo experiment, there were less fluctuations in the sensor signal when the patient was lying in bed compared to the time, when the patient could move freely. In conclusion, the combination of microdialysis and glucose sensor seems to be a promising approach to a continuously functioning glucose sensing system. However, the microdialysis procedure itself disturbs the surrounding of the probe leading to a concentration gradient of glucose. This might explain some differences between the course of blood glucose and the course of subcutaneous glucose, measured by the combination of microdialysis and an amperometric glucose sensor. Further developments of such systems should aim at implanting microdialysis devices which have a minimal influence upon the tissue metabolism.

Use of the microdialysis technique in the monitoring of subcutaneous tissue glucose concentration.

For some time the subcutaneous (s.c.) tissue has been the target for continuous glucose measurement. The microdialysis technique permits an extracellular region approach, which has been used for about two decades for measuring various metabolites in dialysates obtained from different body regions. By connecting a s.c. implanted microdialysis probe to a flow chamber of an amperometric glucose sensor, the procedure of glucose sensing was transferred to ex vivo. Using this device it was possible to obtain, for up to 24 hours, s.c. tissue glucose profiles of healthy and diabetic people. The microdialysis theory, the calibration process and other microdialysis technique applications are discussed in this paper. Although the combination of the microdialysis technique and amperometric glucose sensing requires certain technical equipment, the combination of microdialysis and glucose sensor seems to be a promising approach to a continuously functioning glucose sensing system.

On line continuous monitoring of blood lactate in men by a wearable device based upon an enzymatic amperometric lactate sensor.

A wearable device for the continuous measurement of lactate in the blood was constructed by the combination of continuous blood sampling employing a double lumen catheter with an amperometric lactate sensor. In vitro, the lactate sensor turned out to have a linear concentration range between 0 and 15 mmol/l. The response time of the sensor itself amounted to 100 sec, whereas the lag time for blood sampling amounted to 2.2 min. In vivo, the lactate sensor was successfully used for the detection of changes of the blood lactate concentration following strenuous exercise in 7 healthy volunteers, in two cases up to 22 h. In conclusion, the technique of continuous blood sampling by the use of a double lumen catheter in combination with the amperometric lactate sensor is feasible and simplifies frequent blood lactate estimations.

On line continuous monitoring of subcutaneous tissue glucose in men by combining portable glucosensor with microdialysis.

For the normalisation of blood glucose levels in diabetic patients by feedback controlled insulin delivery, a self-manageable and reliable method for continuous glucose estimation is still not available. By combining a commercially available needle type dialysis probe (molecular cutoff 20,000 Da) with a sensitive glucose sensor, we obtained a device for continuous glucose measurement in dialysate. This device was tested in healthy volunteers during a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test and in Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients. Venous glucose and subcutaneous sensor signal were followed for 300 min (ten healthy subjects), 21 h (three healthy subjects) or 9 h (seven Type 2 diabetic patients). The recovery of the microdialysis was interindividually different, but after calibration, glucose levels in the dialysate and subcutaneous glucose sensor signal correlated well (r = 0.84-0.95). Under the assumption of a physiologic and technical delay between intravenous and subcutaneous glucose, correlation coefficient between intravenous glucose and subcutaneous sensor signal ranged from 0.60 to 0.93. We conclude that changes in blood glucose could be monitored in the subcutaneous tissue by the microdialysis technique in a continuous on line manner.

A combination of plastic and plaster of Paris (Kombigips) in fracture treatment.

A new model of plaster bandage with combination of gypsum and plastics is presented and its economic use is compared with traditional technics. "Kombigips" in 12 patients was more efficient in staging of fracture healing than traditional plaster bandages, because the X-ray properties of "Kombigips" are more profitable. "Kombigips" is much more cheaper than use of pure plastic bandages and nearly as cheap as use of traditional plaster bandages.