Telemedicine- versus outpatient-based initiation and management of ketogenic diet therapy in children with drug-resistant epilepsy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: Initiation of ketogenic diet therapies (KDT) for pediatric epilepsy is usually done on an inpatient basis and the diet is managed during clinical appointments following a protocol of visits and routine tests. Because of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the associated lock-down measures, we switched from outpatient to telemedicine-based KDT initiation. OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility, effectiveness, and safety of online KDT initiation and follow-up by comparing a group of children with drug-resistant epilepsy that was managed by telemedicine compared to a group that was treated on an outpatient basis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An observational study was conducted in two groups of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy who initiated KDT and were followed up with an online versus an outpatient modality by the interdisciplinary KDT team of Hospital Pediatria JP Garrahan in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dietary compliance, ketosis, retention rate, adverse effects, number of contacts, and clinical outcome were evaluated at 1, 3, and 6 months on the diet. RESULTS: Overall, 37 patients were included, of whom 18 started the KD by telemedicine and 19 on an outpatient basis. Minimum follow-up of the patients was 6 months. All patients received the classic ketogenic diet. No statistical differences between the two groups regarding efficacy and safety of the diet were found. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the feasibility and safety of initiating and management of KDT by telemedicine. Patients and their families should be carefully selected in order to guarantee a good outcome.

Situación nutricional y acciones implementadas en niños internados en salas de cuidados intermedios y moderados de un hospital pediátrico de alta complejidad de la ciudad de Buenos Aires / Nutritional status and actions implemented in children admitted to intermediate and moderate care wards of a tertiary-care pediatric hospital in the city of Buenos Aires

Introducción: La malnutrición es un estado de deficiencia o exceso de nutrientes que provoca efectos nocivos y puede alterar el crecimiento aumentando la morbi-mortalidad. Materiales y métodos: estudio retrospectivo, descriptivo. Incluyó niños/as de 1-18 años hospitalizados entre 2016-2018. Se obtuvieron datos de caracterización de la muestra y antropométricos. La herramienta de tamizaje nutricional pediátrico (HTNP) se utilizó para detectar riesgo nutricional y en este subgrupo se analizó: variación de peso, intervención nutricional, complicaciones infecciosas y estadía hospitalaria. El análisis de variables se realizó con SPSS Statistics 20. Resultados: Se evaluaron 745 pacientes, 373 niñas (50,1%). Mediana de edad 7,3 años. Estancia hospitalaria media de 4 días (1-123). Se observó 5,9% emaciados, 56,4% eutróficos, 16,8% sobrepeso y 20,9% obesidad. Con baja talla 13%. Se detectó riesgo nutricional con HTNP en 50,7% de los ingresos. Las patologías de base más frecuentes fueron cardiopatías y neoplasias. En pacientes con riesgo nutricional: estadía hospitalaria media de 5 días, 13,5% cursó con infecciones intrahospitalarias, 68% mantuvo o aumentó de peso durante la internación, 13,5% requirió apoyo nutricional (más utilizado el gavage en 59%). Conclusiones: El niño hospitalizado se encuentra en una situación de vulnerabilidad, por lo que el tamizaje y evaluación nutricional resultan acciones claves para prevenir el deterioro nutricional. En los niños con malnutrición las acciones llevadas a cabo por el Nutricionista Clínico como integrante del equipo de atención, revisten un rol clave para promover y garantizar el derecho de los pacientes a la alimentación adecuada y así mejorar su condición nutricional. (AU)

Introduction: Malnutrition is a state of nutrient deficiency or excess that causes harmful effects and can alter growth increasing morbidity and mortality. Materials and methods: retrospective, descriptive study. Children aged 1-18 years admitted to the hospital between 2016-2018 were included. Sample characterization and anthropometric data were collected. The pediatric nutritional screening tool (PNST) was used to identify nutritional risk and in this subgroup we analyzed: weight variation, nutritional intervention, infectious complications, and length of hospital stay. The analysis of variables was performed with SPSS Statistics 20. Results: 745 patients were evaluated, 373 were girls (50.1%). Median age was 7.3 years. Mean hospital stay was 4 days (1- 123). Among the patients, 5.9% were emaciated, 56.4% eutrophic, 16.8% overweight, and 20.9% obese. Thirteen percent of the patients had short stature. Nutritional risk was detected using HTNP in 50.7% of the admitted patients. The most frequent underlying diseases were heart disease and cancer. In patients at nutritional risk: mean hospital stay was 5 days, 13.5% had hospital-acquired infections, 68% maintained or gained weight during the hospital stay, 13.5% required nutritional support (gavage was the most frequently used in 59%). Conclusions: Hospitalized children are in a vulnerable situation, therefore nutritional screening and evaluation are key actions to prevent nutritional deterioration. In children with malnutrition, the Clinical Nutritionist, as a member of the health care team, plays a key role in promoting and guaranteeing the right of patients to adequate food and thus improve their nutritional condition (AU)

Tamizaje de riesgo nutricional en el niño hospitalizado: validación de una herramienta elaborada en un hospital de alta complejidad de Ciudad de Buenos Aires / Nutritional risk screening in hospitalized children: validation of a tool developed at a tertiary hospital in the City of Buenos Aires

Introducción: El niño hospitalizado se encuentra en estado de vulnerabilidad nutricional. El tamizaje nutricional permite identificar malnutrición y/o el riesgo de desarrollarla, para realizar un abordaje precoz. El Área de Alimentación del Hospital Garrahan desarrolló la "Herramienta de Tamizaje Nutricional Pediátrico" (HTNP), dada la falta de consenso sobre un estándar de oro y para ajustar criterios a la población asistida. El objetivo de esta investigación fue su validación para niños en cuidados intermedios/ moderados. Métodos: estudio prospectivo, descriptivo y transversal. Entre agosto de 2016 y abril de 2018 se reclutaron niños de 1 a 18 años internados en salas de cuidados intermedios/moderados seleccionadas, que cumplieran los criterios de inclusión. Se aplicaron: la HTNP y la valoración nutricional global subjetiva (VNGS) como prueba de comparación. La HTNP consta de tres criterios: Patología de base y motivo de internación- Disminución de peso- Deterioro de la actitud alimentaria. Se define riesgo nutricional si se cumple con dos criterios. Se analizaron: Sensibilidad, especificidad, valor predictivo positivo (VPP) y valor predictivo negativo (VPN), factibilidad y reproducibilidad. Resultados: Se evaluaron 745 niños (50,1% sexo femenino; mediana de edad: 7,2 años). La HTNP detectó riesgo nutricional en 50,7% (n378) de los niños y la VNGS en 48,7% (n363). La HTNP presentó: Sensibilidad 87,3% (IC95% 83,8-90,9), Especificidad 84,0% (IC95% 80,2-87,8), VPP 83,9% (IC95%: 80,0­87,7) y VPN 87,5% (IC95%: 83,9-91,0). Del análisis de reproducibilidad con dos evaluadores independientes (n42) se obtuvo coeficiente kappa de 0,91 (0,74-1,0) y 0,78 (0,5-1,0) respectivamente. Su implementación llevo un promedio de tres minutos y medio (1-5 minutos). Conclusión: La HTNP es un instrumento simple, reproducible, práctico y factible de implementar para identificar pacientes en riesgo nutricional (AU)

Introduction: Hospitalized children are nutritionally vulnerable. Nutritional screening may identify malnutrition and/or the risk of developing malnutrition in order to start early intervention. The Food Services Area of Garrahan Hospital has developed a "Pediatric Nutritional Screening Tool (PNST) because of the lack of consensus on a gold standard and to finetune the criteria to the care population. The aim of this study was to validate the tool in children in intermediate/moderate care. Methods: A prospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted. Between August 2016 and April 2018 children from 1 to 18 years of age who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled on selected intermediate/ moderate care wards. The PNST was administered together with the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) as a comparison test. The PNST consists of three criteria: Underlying disease and reason for admission- Weight loss- Deterioration of eating behavior. A patient was defined as being at nutritional risk was defined if two criteria were met. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV), feasibility, and reproducibility were analyzed. Results: 745 children (50.1% female; median age: 7.2 years) were assessed. The PNST detected nutritional risk in 50.7% (n378) and the SGA in 48,7% (n363) of the children. The PNST showed: Sensitivity 87.3% (95%CI: 83.8-90.9), specificity 84.0% (95%CI: 80.2-87.8), PPV 83.9% (95%CI: 80.0­87.7), and NPV 87.5% (95%CI: 83,9-91,0). In a reproducibility analysis with two independent evaluators (n42) kappa coefficients of 0.91 (0.74-1.0) and 0.78 (0.5-1.0) were obtained, respectively. Administration of the tool took a mean of 3.5 inutes (1-5 minutes). Conclusion: The PNST is a simple, reproducible, practical, and feasible tool to use for the identification of patients at nutritional risk (AU)

The use of naltrexone to treat ambulatory patients with alcohol dependence

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of Naltrexone in decreasing craving symptoms among Puerto Rican male veterans with alcohol dependence. METHOD: This is a double blind placebo control study with a convenience sample of eleven patients divided in two groups (placebo and Naltrexone). Scales consisting of Zung Depression, Zung Anxiety, MMSE, OCD Screener, Craving, and Somatization were administered at baseline, and weekly for four weeks as follow up. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups on any of the outcome variables at baseline or follow up measurements. A statistical trend was noted toward a decrease in somatization. A decrease in craving symptoms was observed in the experimental group. CONCLUSIONS: Even though our results did not show evidence of the efficacy of Naltrexone in decreasing craving symptoms, a small number of patients did benefit from the medication. The results could have been affected by the small sample size

The use of naltrexone to treat ambulatory patients with alcohol dependence.

UNLABELLED: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of Naltrexone in decreasing craving symptoms among Puerto Rican male veterans with alcohol dependence. METHOD: This is a double blind placebo control study with a convenience sample of eleven patients divided in two groups (placebo and Naltrexone). Scales consisting of Zung Depression, Zung Anxiety, MMSE, OCD Screener, Craving, and Somatization were administered at baseline, and weekly for four weeks as follow up. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups on any of the outcome variables at baseline or follow up measurements. A statistical trend was noted toward a decrease in somatization. A decrease in craving symptoms was observed in the experimental group. CONCLUSIONS: Even though our results did not show evidence of the efficacy of Naltrexone in decreasing craving symptoms, a small number of patients did benefit from the medication. The results could have been affected by the small sample size.

Surveillance, prevention and control of drug abuse in hospitals

Every citizen is morally responsible to contribute to solve the drug problem in the national front. Though we may understand that the uninformed and the naive may experiment with drugs, we do not expect patients nor hospital personnel to abuse them in the treatment environment. But hospitals are also hit by the epidemic. For long we have recognized how drug abuse adds comorbidity to medical care. But abuse of drugs by hospital personnel not only alters community expectations of health care professionals but has a tremendous impact on productivity. Here I recommend specific management strategies for the surveillance, prevention and control drug abuse within the hospital environment

Surveillance, prevention and control of drug abuse in hospitals.

Every citizen is morally responsible to contribute to solve the drug problem in the national front. Though we may understand that the uninformed and the naive may experiment with drugs, we do not expect patients nor hospital personnel to abuse them in the treatment environment. But hospitals are also hit by the epidemic. For long we have recognized how drug abuse adds comorbidity to medical care. But abuse of drugs by hospital personnel not only alters community expectations of health care professionals but has a tremendous impact on productivity. Here I recommend specific management strategies for the surveillance, prevention and control drug abuse within the hospital environment.

Estudio del helicobacter pilori en biopsias gástricas / Study of helicobacter pylori in gastric biopsies

Este artículo trata de un gran porcentaje de pacientes que sufren de gastritis y úlceras es debido a la presencia del Helicobacter pilori, un bacilo gram que requiere condiciones microaerofílicas para crecer y desarrollar lentamente, necesitando de 3 a 7 días, tiene abundante producción de ureasaen su organismo ya preformada, pertenece a la clase Schizomycetes al orden Cubacteriales, a la familia Vibronacea del género Helicobacter y a la especie pilori.Es suceptible a la mayoria de los agentes antimicrobianos excepto a la Vancomicina, el ácido nalidixico y la Polimixina B