Quality of life in caregivers of children with asthma: Validity and reliability of the IFABI-R questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: Parents'/caregivers' quality of life is an important aspect to consider when handling paediatric asthma, but there is a paucity of valid and reliable instruments to measure it. The Family Impact of Childhood Bronchial Asthma (IFABI-R) is a recently developed questionnaire to facilitate the assessment of asthma-related parents'/caregivers' quality of life. This study researches the psychometric properties of IFABI-R. METHODS: Parents/main caregivers of 462 children between 4 and 14 years of age with active asthma were included in the sample. IFABI-R was administered on two different occasions and a number of other variables related to the parents'/caregivers' quality of life were measured: child's asthma control, family functioning, and parents'/caregivers' perception of asthma symptoms in the child. IFABI-R evaluative and discriminative properties were analysed, and the minimal important change in the IFABI-R score was identified. RESULTS: IFABI-R showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.941), cross-sectional construct validity (correlation with the degree of child's asthma control, family functioning and parent/caregiver perception of the child's asthma symptoms), longitudinal construct validity (correlation of changes in the IFABI-R with changes in asthma control and changes in the perception of symptoms), sensitivity to change and test-retest reliability. An absolute change of 0.3 units in IFABI-R related to a minimal significant change in the parents'/caregivers' quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: IFABI-R is a reliable and valid instrument to study the quality of life of parents/caregivers of children with asthma.

Diez años de AEPap. Parte IV. Un proyecto de futuro / No disponible

No disponible

[Allergic sensitization profile in 0-5 year old children with wheezing and/or atopic dermatitis]. / Perfil de sensibilización alérgica en niños de 0 a 5 años con sibilancias o dermatitis atópica.

BACKGROUND: Although allergic diseases are frequent in childhood, few studies have characterised the IgE sensitization profile among young children with allergic-like symptoms. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and the type of allergic sensitization, as well as the demographic and environmental factors related to both characteristics, among 0-5 year old children presenting with wheezing and/or atopic dermatitis. METHODS: Collaborative cross-over study developed in the paediatric setting of 20 Spanish Primary Health Care Centres. An allergology evaluation including blood determination of specific IgE antibodies to common inhalant and food allergens was performed on 468 children who presented with wheezing and/or atopic dermatitis. RESULTS: Allergic sensitization was detected in 32.4% of the children with wheezing (95% confidence interval, 95%CI, 26.3-38.6%), in 54.8% of the children who had atopic dermatitis (95%CI, 42.1-67.6%) and in 39.2% of the children with both processes (95%CI, 32.0-46.4%). The risk of allergic sensitization was sex related (male versus female adjusted odds ratio, OR(A), 1.91, 95%CI, 1.24-2.95), and also related to the age (3-5 versus 0-2 year old OR(A) 1.96, 95%CI, 1.27-3.0), type of early feeding (maternal milk versus infant formula OR(A) 0.51, 95%CI, 0.31-0.84) and geoclimatic area (OR(A) Continental versus Atlantic 2.26, 95%CI, 1.30-3.93). Compared to the Atlantic area, the Continental area the sensitization was lower to mites (OR(A) 0.16, 95%CI, 0.07-0.36) and higher to grass (OR(A) 4.65, 95%CI 1.99-10.86), cow milk (OR(A) 5.17, 95%CI, 1.71-15.62) and egg (OR(A) 5.26, 95%CI, 2.04-13.62), whereas in the Mediterranean area the sensitization was lower to mites (OR(A) 0.29, 95%CI, 0.13-0.64) and higher to cow milk (OR(A) 3.81, 95%CI, 1.20-12.14) and egg (OR(A) 5.24, 95%CI, 1.94-14.20). CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of small children treated at the paediatric primary health care centres due to wheezing and/or atopic dermatitis had allergic sensitization. There appears to be a geoclimatic variation in the prevalence of sensitization to inhalant and food allergens among young children with allergic like symptoms who live in Spain.

Atención pediátrica en el entorno rural: problemas y alternativas / No disponible

Hemos tratado de acercarnos a la problemática de los pediatras que realizan su trabajo en la zona rural. Para ello, hemos realizado dos encuestas: una dirigida a los pediatras que trabajan en zonas rurales de las diferentes comunidades autónomas y otra dirigida a las asociaciones regionales federadas en la Asociación Española de Pediatría de Atención Primaria (AEPap). Los problemas encontrados con mayor frecuencia son: aislamiento profesional y personal, ausencia de enfermería pediátrica, problemas y riesgos derivados de los desplazamientos, precarias condiciones laborales, dificultad para la formación continuada y el preocupante aumento injustificado de los pediatras de área. Se recogen como propuestas o alternativas para poder garantizar una mejor atención pediátrica a la población infantil rural: centralización de la atención pediátrica en el centro de salud de referencia de una zona de salud, enfermería pediátrica específica y exclusiva, ajustar cupos y retribuciones a estas condiciones especiales de trabajo, garantizar la posibilidad de formación pediátrica y desaparición del pediatra de área en los casos factibles

We have made an attempt to approach the underlying problems that paediatricians working in a rural zone face on a daily basis. For this purpose we developed and mailed two separate questionnaires; one aimed directly at paediatricians that are currently working in rural zones of the differing Spanish Autonomic Provinces, and the other one addressed to any federated regional associations to the Spanish Paediatric Primary Care Association (AEPap). The main problems found were: professional and personal isolation, lack of paediatric nursing, increased risks and difficulties created by trips, precarious working conditions, difficulty for paediatric updating and an alarming and unjustified increase of area paediatricians (pediatras de area). We have chosen the best proposals and alternatives given by the people contacted in our surveys and we consider that the following ideas will better guarantee paediatric care for rural area: to centralize primary paediatric care in the referential primary care centre of each medical care area, a specific and exclusive paediatric nursing personnel, an adjustment of patient-doctor quotas and a retribution system for these special working conditions, guarantee the continuous paediatric training and education, and disappearance of the area paediatrician where feasible

How pediatricians in Spain manage the first acute wheezing episode in an atopic infant. Results from the TRAP study.

BACKGROUND: Although the treatment of asthma has been addressed in several guidelines, the management of the first acute wheezing episode in infants has not often been evaluated. We surveyed practicing pediatricians in Spain about the treatment they would provide in a simulated case. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A random sample of 3000 pediatricians and physicians who normally treated children was surveyed. The questionnaire inquired about how they would treat a first mild-to-moderate wheezing attack in a 5-month-old boy with a personal and family history of allergy. Pediatricians were asked about their professional background. RESULTS: A total of 2347 questionnaires were returned with useful data (78.2%). Most (90.4%) of the pediatricians would use a short-acting beta2 agonist (SABA) via a metered-dose inhaler with a spacer and a face mask or nebulizer. However, only 34.5% chose a SABA alone: 31.3% added an oral steroid and 27.6% added an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS). The factors associated with the use of ICS in the acute attack were: (1) lack of specific training in pediatrics (OR 1.45; 1.12-1.85) and (2) primary care health center setting (OR 1.31; 1.01-1.69) or rural setting (OR 1.28; 1.01-1.66). Forty-four percent did not recommend any follow-up treatment while 20.7% prescribed ICS as maintenance therapy. The factors related to this decision were the same as those described above. CONCLUSIONS: The management of a first wheezing episode seems to meet published guidelines among Spanish pediatricians with formal training in pediatrics and in those who work in a hospital setting or in urban areas.

[Parathyroid insufficiency syndrome. Two new cases: type Ia pseudohypoparathyroidism and pseudo-idiopathic hypoparathyroidism]. / Síndrome de insuficiencia paratiroidea. Dos nuevos casos: pseudohipoparatiroidismo tipo Ia e hipoparatiroidismo pseudoidiopático.

Two new cases with parathyroid insufficiency syndrome are described. The first one is a seven year and 6 months old male with Pseudohypoparathyroidism Type Ia, who has presented: hypocalcemia, hyperphoforemia, increased PTH and TSH, prolactin decreased and Albright hereditary osteodystrophy phenotype. The second one in a six year and four months old female with Pseudo-idiopathic hypoparathyroidism who has presented: hypocalcemia, hyperphosforemia, increased PTH, without any hormonal disturbances nor dysmorphias. Ellsworth-Howard test with 50 micrograms of 1-34 hPTH is made in both, remarking the different renal response about phosphaturia and plasmatic, urinary and nephrogenic cyclic AMP. The treatment is performed in both with calcitriol and oral calcium (L-Thyroxine is associated for the first patient). Biochemical disturbances are normalized. Other parathyroid insufficiency syndrome are revised.