Impact of Diabetes Mellitus and Frailty on Long-Term Outcomes in Elderly Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes.

OBJECTIVES: Diabetes mellitus (DM) and frailty are common in older patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). No data exists about its prognostic impact on long-term outcomes and their possible interaction in this setting. DESIGN: Observational prospective study. SETTING: Multicenter registry conducted in 44 hospitals in Spain. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive patients with ACS aged 80≥years. MEASUREMENTS: A comprehensive geriatric evaluation was performed during hospitalization, including frailty assessment by the FRAIL score. The impact of DM and frailty on the incidence of mortality/readmission at 24 months was analysed by a Cox regression model. RESULTS: A total of 498 patients were included (mean age 84.3 years). Prevalence of previous DM was 199/498 (40.0%). The rate of frail patients was 135/498 (27.1%). The incidence of mortality/readmission was higher frail patients (HR 2.49) (both p<0.001). In contrast, DM was not significantly associated to a higher rate of outcomes (HR 1.23, p=0.060) in the whole cohort. Among non-frail patients, patients with DM had a similar incidence of mortality or readmission (p=0.959). In contrast, among frail patients, DM was significantly associated with a higher incidence of events (HR 1.51, p=0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Unlike frailty status, DM was not associated to poorer long-term outcome in elderly patients with ACS. Among frail patients the presence of DM seems to provide additional prognostic information.

Predicción de la percepción de actividad física de los hijos a partir de la creencia de habilidad de los padres / Prediction of children's physical activity perception based on the belief of the parents' ability / Previsão da percepção da atividade física dos filhos com base na crença da capacidade dos pais

El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido comprobar el poder de predicción de la creencia incremental de habilidad en el deporte de los padres sobre la importancia percibida en la actividad física de sus hijos. También se validó al contexto español el Parents’ Perceptions of Physical Activity Importance and their Children’s Ability Questionnaire. En el estudio 1 se midió la percepción de los padres de la actividad física de sus hijos. En el estudio 2, además de ésta, se midió la creencia incremental de habilidad en el deporte percibida por los padres. Los resultados señalaron que la escala fue válida y fiable para su utilización. La creencia de habilidad incremental en el deporte predijo positiva y significativamente la importancia y la capacidad percibida por los padres en la actividad física de sus hijos. Se concluye que la creencia de habilidad incremental por parte de los padres puede ser un elemento clave para la percepción de importancia en la actividad física de sus hijos

The objective of this study was to determine the predictable capacity of the ability incremental belief in sport by parents on the perceived importance of the physical activity of its children. Also, the Parents’ Perception of Physical Activity Importance and their Children’s Ability Questionnaire (PPAICAQ) was validated in Spanish. In study 1, the psychometric properties of PPAICAQ were analyzed and administered to 205-parents-sample, who aged from 25 to 56, and the parents' perception about the physical activity of their children was measured. The study 2, besides that, the perception of the parents about the ability incremental belief in sport was measured from the administration of Conception of the Nature of Athletics Ability Questionnaire-2 to a 337-parents-sample, aged from 25 to 55. The results indicated the scale was valid and reliable for use in Spanish. The ability incremental belief in sports predicted positive and significantly the importance and perceived capacity of the children by their parents. We conclude that the ability incremental belief of parents may be a key for enhancing the promotion of physical activity health habits in the families

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi determinar a capacidade previsível da crença incremental de habilidade no desporto pelos pais sobre a importância percebida da atividade física de seus filhos. Além disso, a Parents’ Perception of Physical Activity Importance and their Children’s Ability Questionnaire (PPAICAQ) foi validada em espanhol. No estudo 1 foram analisadas as propriedades psicométricas do PPAICAQ, administradas a uma amostra de 205 pais e mães entre 25 e 56 anos de idade, e medimos a perceção dos pais sobre a atividade física de seus filhos. No estudo 2, além disso, foi avaliada a perceção da crença incremental de habilidade no desporto dos pais, através da administração da versão em espanhol do Conception of the Nature of Athletics Ability Questionnaire-2 para uma amostra de 337 pais e mães com idades entre 25 e 55 anos. Os resultados indicaram que a escala era válida e confiável para uso em espanhol. A crença incremental de habilidade no desporto previu positiva e significativamente a importância da capacidade percebida das crianças por seus pais. Concluímos que a capacidade de crença incremental dos pais pode ser uma chave para a promoção de hábitos saudáveis de atividade física nas famílias

IFN-γ and other serum cytokines in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

SUMMARY: Altered immune responses have been reported in head and neck cancer, and some of these responses have been associated with poor clinical outcomes. A multiple-array technology platform was used to simultaneously evaluate the levels of 25 cytokines. Pre-treatment serum levels were evaluated in 31 HNSCC patients and 6 healthy controls. The levels of 8 cytokines, specifically IL-1ra, IL-2, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, IFN-γ and IP-10, were significantly higher in patients than in controls. Among cancer patients we observed lower levels of IFN-γ and IL-7 in cases with nodal metastases compared to those with cN0 disease. We observed increases in the levels of some serum cytokines in HNSCC patients, as well as reductions in selected cytokines associated with regional progression. These findings provide an intriguing perspective on the development and validation of novel markers for follow-up evaluations and predictions of regional spreading in HNSCC patients.

Subchronic exposure to palladium nanoparticles affects serum levels of cytokines in female Wistar rats.

Recently, palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) have been increasingly used in many industrial sectors, and this has led to a significant release of nano-sized palladium particles into the environment. However, despite the increase in occupational and general population exposure, information on the potential adverse effects of these PdNPs is still limited and their impact on the immune system constitutes a major health concern. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential adverse effects induced by subchronic intravenous administration of PdNPs on the immune system of female Wistar rats by evaluating alterations in Interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), Interferon (INF)-γ, and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α serum levels. Exposed and control animals were randomly divided into five groups (0, 0.012, 0.12, 1.2, and 12 µg PdNPs per kg body weight) which were treated with repeated intravenous injections of vehicle or PdNPs (on day 1, 30, and 60). Subchronic exposure to PdNPs induced a decreasing trend in serum levels in most of the cytokines investigated, with the highest concentration (12 µg/kg) determining significant inhibitory effects. Overall, these results showed that PdNPs are able to alter cytokine serum levels in subchronically treated Wistar rats, suggesting a possible impact of these xenobiotics on the immune system after long-term exposures.

Déficit parcial de ornitin-carbamil-transferasa. A propósito de un caso / Partial deficiency of ornithine transcarbamylase. A case report

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Circulating endothelial cell levels in psoriatic patients and their modification after an anti-TNF-alpha (Etanercept) treatment.

BACKGROUND: Endothelial function in psoriatic patients has been mainly evaluated through a high-resolution ultrasound measurement of flow-mediated vasodilation in the brachial artery, which is an operator-dependent and technically demanding technique: this characteristic, together with different patient selection criteria, could account for the conflicting results emerging from different studies. Recently, Circulating Endothelial Cells (CECs) level has been suggested as a novel biomarker of vascular injury. METHODS: The number of CECs was determined by a semi-automated immunomagnetic system (CellSearch system) in peripheral blood of psoriatic patients (n = 48) and healthy subjects (n = 50). In 15 patients, CEC level was also evaluated after 6 months of treatment with an anti-TNF-alpha agent, Etanercept. The plasma levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive Protein (CRP), E-selectin, VEGF and PAI-1 were measured by ELISA. The psoriasis severity was assessed by PASI score. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference (P = 0.001) was found between CEC level in psoriatic patients (10.6 ± 9.4 cells/mL) vs. the control group (3.9 ± 0.9 cells/mL). This count inversely correlated with sE-selectin levels (r(2) = 0.16; P = 0.03). After 6 months of therapy, patients experienced a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in CEC levels (3.4 ± 1.3 cells/mL) and in PASI score (from 11.7 ± 8.1 to 2.1 ± 4.0). CONCLUSIONS: The elevated CECs level that we found in a sample of high selected psoriatic patients could be expression of endothelial damage. Lowering of CECs count after treatment with Etanercept support the hypothesis that an effective systemic therapy of psoriasis may also improve the endothelial function.

Conradi-Hünermann syndrome with unilateral distribution.

Conradi-Hünermann syndrome is a type of chondrodysplasia punctata characterized by skeletal, cutaneous, and ocular anomalies. Genetic heterogeneity and incomplete penetrance may explain the wide clinical spectrum. We report a 7-day-old girl, product of a preterm pregnancy and delivery, with ichthyosiform erythroderma on the right half of the body at birth, as well as patchy cutaneous involvement of the contralateral side. On physical examination, we observed an ipsilateral shortening of the leg and a lenticular opacity of the right eye. Histopathologic study showed parakeratotic hyperkeratosis with prominent follicular involvement and atrophy of the granular and spinous layers. The skin eruption disappeared during the first 2 months. At 2 months of age, radiologic examination revealed stippled calcifications in the ribs, vertebral, and paravertebral areas. The most important differential diagnosis was CHILD syndrome. We emphasize the importance of the histopathologic study in the differential diagnosis of both syndromes.