Effects of Loigolactobacillus coryniformis K8 CECT 5711 on the Immune Response of Elderly Subjects to COVID-19 Vaccination: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, with a high risk of developing severe disease and a reduced immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine. A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial to assess the effect of the consumption of the probiotic Loigolactobacillus coryniformis K8 CECT 5711 on the immune response generated by the COVID-19 vaccine in an elderly population was performed. Two hundred nursing home residents >60 yrs that had not COVID-19 were randomized to receive L. coryniformis K8 or a placebo daily for 3 months. All volunteers received a complete vaccination schedule of a mRNA vaccine, starting the intervention ten days after the first dose. Specific IgG and IgA antibody levels were analyzed 56 days after the end of the immunization process. No differences between the groups were observed in the antibody levels. During the intervention, 19 subjects had COVID-19 (11 receiving K8 vs. 8 receiving placebo, p = 0.457). Subgroup analysis in these patients showed that levels of IgG were significantly higher in those receiving K8 compared to placebo (p = 0.038). Among subjects >85 yrs that did not get COVID-19, administration of K8 tended to increase the IgA levels (p = 0.082). The administration of K8 may enhance the specific immune response against COVID-19 and may improve the COVID-19 vaccine-specific responses in elderly populations.

Prevalencia y relaciones de la hipotensión ortostática en los pacientes de 80 o más años de edad de una unidad de atención primaria / Prevalence and relations of orthostatic hypotension in patients 80 years old and over from a primary care unit

Objetivo: Estimar la prevalencia de la hipotensión ortostática (HO) en pacientes de 80 o más años de edad que demandan consulta en una unidad de atención primaria. Relacionar la HO con las enfermedades más prevalentes y los fármacos más consumidos. Diseño: Transversal observacional. Localización: Unidad de atención primaria, Santiago de Compostela. Participantes: Se reclutaron 81 pacientes de 80 o más años representativos de una unidad de atención primaria. Se excluyeron 10 pacientes. Mediciones principales: Se realizó la medición de la presión arterial en decúbito y posteriormente en bipedestación en el instante siguiente a la incorporación y tras 3 min. Se revisaron en la historia clínica electrónica los diagnósticos y los tratamientos activos mediante una entrevista al paciente y cuidador. Resultados: En un 26,76% de los pacientes se produjo un descenso mayor o igual de 20 mmHg en la presión arterial sistólica y/o 10 mmHg en la presión arterial diastólica, en el instante siguiente al cambio postural. El descenso se mantuvo tras 3min de la incorporación de decúbito a bipedestación en el 16,90% de los pacientes. Ningún paciente estaba diagnosticado de HO. La mayor razón de prevalencia se dio con la diabetes mellitus (1,6; p = 0,412), no habiendo diferencias para la hipertensión arterial (p = 0,881). La HO se relacionó de forma estadísticamente significativa con la toma de bloqueadores de sistema renina-angiotensina-aldosterona (OR: 8,174; IC95%: 1,182-56,536; p = 0,033) y benzodiacepinas (OR: 5,938; IC95%: 1,242-28,397; p = 0,026). Conclusión: La HO tuvo una prevalencia del 16,90% en los pacientes de edad avanzada que acudieron a consulta. Debe tenerse en cuenta su relación con algunos fármacos (bloqueadores de sistema renina-angiotensina-aldosterona y benzodiacepinas)

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of orthostatic hypotension (OH) in patients 80 years old and over attending a primary care unit. To relate OH to the most prevalent pathologies and to the most used drugs. Design: Transversal observational study. Location: Primary care unit, Santiago de Compostela. Participants: Eighty one patients 80 years old or over representative of a primary care unit were recruited. Ten patients were excluded. Main measurements: Blood pressure was measured in decubitus and later in erect position first immediately after standing and then after 3 minutes. Diagnoses and active treatments were reviewed in the electronic clinical history and through an interview with the patient and caregiver. Results: In 26.76% of patients the systolic blood pressure fell by 20 mmHg or more and/or the diastolic blood pressure fell by 10 mmHg in the instant following the postural shift. In 16.90% of patients the drop persisted after 3 minutes of standing from decubitus position. None of the patients was diagnosed with OH. The highest prevalence ratio was observed for diabetes mellitus (1.6; P=.412), not existing differences for arterial hypertension (P=.881). OH related in a statistically meaningful way to the use of renin angiotensin aldosterone system inhibitors (OR: 8.174, CI95%: 1.182-56.536); P=.033] and benzodiazepines (OR: 5.938, CI95%: 1.242-28.397; P=.026)]. Conclusion: OH had a prevalence of 16.90% among the elderly patients who had a consultation. Its connection with some drugs (renin angiotensin aldosterone system inhibitors and benzodiazepines) must be considered

[Prevalence and relations of orthostatic hypotension in patients 80 years old and over from a primary care unit]. / Prevalencia y relaciones de la hipotensión ortostática en los pacientes de 80 o más años de edad de una unidad de atención primaria.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of orthostatic hypotension (OH) in patients 80 years old and over attending a primary care unit. To relate OH to the most prevalent pathologies and to the most used drugs. DESIGN: Transversal observational study. LOCATION: Primary care unit, Santiago de Compostela. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty one patients 80 years old or over representative of a primary care unit were recruited. Ten patients were excluded. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Blood pressure was measured in decubitus and later in erect position first immediately after standing and then after 3 minutes. Diagnoses and active treatments were reviewed in the electronic clinical history and through an interview with the patient and caregiver. RESULTS: In 26.76% of patients the systolic blood pressure fell by 20mmHg or more and/or the diastolic blood pressure fell by 10mmHg in the instant following the postural shift. In 16.90% of patients the drop persisted after 3 minutes of standing from decubitus position. None of the patients was diagnosed with OH. The highest prevalence ratio was observed for diabetes mellitus (1.6; P=.412), not existing differences for arterial hypertension (P=.881). OH related in a statistically meaningful way to the use of renin angiotensin aldosterone system inhibitors (OR: 8.174, CI95%: 1.182-56.536); P=.033] and benzodiazepines (OR: 5.938, CI95%: 1.242-28.397; P=.026)]. CONCLUSION: OH had a prevalence of 16.90% among the elderly patients who had a consultation. Its connection with some drugs (renin angiotensin aldosterone system inhibitors and benzodiazepines) must be considered.

CRONIGAL: Prognostic index for chronic patients after hospital admission.

OBJECTIVE: We have followed patients admitted to a Polypathology and Advanced Age Unit for two years in order to identify the variables that best define the mortality prognosis at medium-term (1-2years) for chronic and polypathological patients requiring admission at an Internal Medicine Department. METHODS: This is an observational, prospective study in clinical practice. Polypathological, chronic or multimorbidity patients were included. The classification of the Spanish Ministry for Health was used in order to classify patients as chronic or polypathological. The Charlson Index and Barthel Index were estimated and the Pfeiffer test was administered. The Spanish PROFUND Index was also used. Logistic regression models and Cox proportional hazard model were built in order to study the influence of prognostic factors on survival. RESULTS: A total of 567 patients were included: 333 met polypathological (PPP) criteria and 234 chronic criteria (CC). Mean age was 84.8+7.3years. A total of 469 were followed up, most patients belonged to category E (282), 174 to category A and 118 to category C. The prognosis at one year of our patients can be estimated with 7 variables: age, neoplasia, delirium, Barthel, Pfeiffer, presence of atrial fibrillation, and creatinine. The area under the curve is 0.74. CONCLUSION: The variables dementia, neoplasia, delirium at admission, Barthel Index under 60, or deceased spouse have mortality prognosis value at one or two years. An index with 7 variables applicable to chronic and polypathological patients after admission may serve as tool to better manage complex chronic patients and follow them up.

Medición de la microcirculación retiniana luego del tratamiento antihipertensivo / Measuring retinal circulation after antihypertensive treatment

Background and objective: With the development of image processing techniques, it has become possible to measure the changes in retinal vessels of hypertensive patients by means of eye fundus photographs. Patients and method: In this paper we aim to classify retinal vessels automatically into arterioles and venules. In order to do so, we have compared three different strategies based on the colour of the pixels in images through an analysis of 78 hypertensive patients' eye fundus images. The first strategy classifies all the vessels by applying a clustering algorithm. The second divides the retinal image into four quadrants and classifies the vessels that belong to the same quadrant independently from the rest of the vessels. The third strategy classifies the vessels by dividing the retinal image into four quadrants that are rotated inside the mentioned image. Results: The third strategy was the one that obtained the best results, since it minimizes the number of unclassified vessels. In the initially analysed set of 20 images, we correctly classified 86.53% of the vessels, and this percentage remains similar in a set of 58 images examined by three medical experts. This confirms the validity of the method that automatically calculates the arteriovenous ratio (AVR).Conclusion: Our results are an improvement on those previously described in the bibliography, reducing the number of non-classified vessels. Furthermore, the method entails low computational costs.

Fundamento y objetivo: El desarrollo de técnicas de procesado de imágenes ha devuelto interés para poder medir de una forma objetiva los cambios en la estructura microvascular del hipertenso a través de las fotografías digitales del fondo de ojo. Pacientes y método: Para clasificar de forma automática los vasos de la retina en arteriolas y vénulas, con una elevada precisión, hemos comparado tres estrategias diferentes basadas en la información del color de los pixeles de la imagen del fondo de ojo, analizando 78 imágenes de fondo de ojo de hipertensos. La primera estrategia clasificaría todos los vasos aplicando un algoritmo de agrupamiento. La segunda divide la retina en cuatro cuadrantes y clasifica los vasos que pertenecen al mismo cuadrante independientemente del resto de los vasos. La tercera estrategia clasifica los vasos dividiendo la retina en cuadrantes que son rotados. Resultados: La mejor estrategia resultó la tercera porque minimiza el error y el número de vasos no clasificados. La característica vectorial más determinante está basada en la media o la mediana del componente gris del espacio de color RGB. Para las 20 imágenes inicialmente analizadas hemos clasificado correctamente el 86.53% de los vasos, y este porcentaje permanece similar en el grupo de 58 imágenes examinadas por tres expertos, lo que confirma la validez del método, para el cálculo del índice arteriovenoso de forma automática. Conclusión: Nuestros resultados son superiores a los descritos previamente, reduciendo además el número de vasos no clasificados. Por otro lado, el costo computacional del método es bajo