Revisiting the Effect of Aging on the Transport of Molecules through the Skin.

Both intrinsic and extrinsic aging lead to a series of morphological changes in the skin including the flattening of the dermal-epidermal junction, increased stratum corneum dryness, reduction in sebaceous gland activity and enzyme activity as well as atrophy of blood vessels. In this study, the impact of these changes on the transport of molecules through the skin was revised. The increase in the number of transdermal formulations on the market in recent decades and life expectancy represent the main reasons for an in-depth discussion of this topic. Furthermore, elderly subjects have often been excluded from clinical trials due to polypharmacy, raising concerns in terms of efficacy and safety. In this way, ex vivo and in vivo studies comparing the transport of molecules through the mature and young skin were analyzed in detail. The reduced water content in mature skin had a significant impact on the transport rate of hydrophilic molecules. The lower enzymatic activity in aged skin, in turn, would explain changes in the activation of prodrugs. Interestingly, greater deposition of nanoparticles was also found in mature skin. In vivo models should be prioritized in future experimental studies as they allow to evaluate both absorption and metabolism simultaneously, providing more realistic information.

Technologies During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Teleconsultation in Care Management for Patients Undergoing Liver Transplant.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify home care management strategies for patients undergoing liver transplant, through teleconsultation, during the COVID-19 pandemic for maintenance and improvements in treatment adherence. METHODS: This was a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive research study. Participants included patients who underwent liver transplant between 2020 and 2021. Through a semistructured script, data were analyzed according to the recommendations of content analysis and then simple statistics were applied. RESULTS: Twenty-two people participated in the study. Two analysis categories were developed, which resulted in 7 strategies and 22 care actions. The care strategy with the highest adherence involved actions related to the prevention of COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Teleconsultation is an excellent tool to manage and supervise post-liver transplant care of patients. Considering that teleconsultation has presented strategies and care actions, which were developed by the patients, the patients have a direct effect on treatment adherence despite pandemic impositions.