Tuberculosis in pregnancy and adverse neonatal outcomes in two peruvian hospitals.

Background: According to the World Health Organization, tuberculosis (TB) ranks among the top 10 causes of death worldwide. The significance of TB during pregnancy lies in its symptoms, which can be mistaken for physiological changes associated with pregnancy. This confusion can lead to maternal-perinatal complications. Objective: To evaluate the association between pulmonary TB in pregnancy and adverse neonatal outcomes in two Peruvian hospitals. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. The target population consisted of pregnant women with and without pulmonary TB whose deliveries were attended at two public hospitals, located in Lima, Peru. The adverse neonatal outcomes were prematurity, low birth weight (LBW), and being small for gestational age (SGA). Crude and adjusted relative risks (RRa) were calculated with their respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Results: Information from 212 patients was analyzed; 48.1% had TB during pregnancy, and 23.1% had adverse neonatal outcomes (8%, 11.3%, and 12.3% for LBW, prematurity, and SGA, respectively). In the adjusted model, pregnant women with pulmonary TB had a 3.52 times higher risk of having a newborn with at least one of the adverse outcomes than those who were not exposed (aRR, 3.52; 95%CI: 1.93-6.68). Conclusion: Pulmonary TB in pregnancy was jointly and independently associated with adverse neonatal outcomes, including LBW, prematurity, and being SGA.

New non-local mean methods for MRI denoising based on global self-similarity between values.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive medical imaging technique that provides high-resolution 3D images and valuable insights into human tissue conditions. Even at present, the refinement of denoising methods for MRI remains a crucial concern for improving the quality of the images. This study aims to improve the prefiltered rotationally invariant non-local principal component analysis (PRI-NL-PCA) algorithm. We relaxed the original restrictions using particle swarm optimization to determine optimal parameters for the PCA part of the original algorithm. In addition, we adjusted the prefiltered rotationally invariant non-local mean (PRI-NLM) part by traversing the signal intensities of voxels instead of their spatial positions to reduce duplicate calculations and expand the search volume to the whole image when estimating voxels' signal intensities. The new method demonstrated superior denoising performance compared to the original approach. Moreover, in most cases, the new algorithm ran faster. Furthermore, our proposed method can also be applied to process Gaussian noise in natural images and has the potential to enhance other NLM-based denoising algorithms.

Validación de una escala enfermera para evaluar las actitudes del profesorado en la atención diabética / Validation of a nursing scale for assessing teachers' attitudes to diabetes care

Objetivo: Validar el Inventario de Actitudes Negativas del Profesorado hacia la Atención del Alumnado con Diabetes Mellitus tipo 1 (INAPAD) y estudiar su fiabilidad mediante los coeficientes Alfa de Cronbach y Omega de McDonald. Material y método: Este estudio describe el proceso de diseño y validación de la escala enfermera INAPAD en una muestra de 382 docentes en las etapas de Educación Infantil, Educación Primaria, Educación Secundaria Obligatoria, Bachillerato y Formación Profesional en una provincia española. El INAPAD pretende valorar diversas dimensiones actitudinales sobre la atención educativa al alumnado con Diabetes Mellitus tipo 1, incidiendo tanto en el perfil docente y profesional del profesorado, como en las características y necesidades específicas de este alumnado. Por su parte, la validez de constructo se ha evaluado mediante análisis factoriales exploratorios por componentes principales y rotación varimax. Resultados y Conclusión: Los resultados obtenidos informan de la viabilidad del INAPAD para ser utilizado como un instrumento útil para el diagnóstico del prejuicio o predisposición del profesorado hacia la atención del alumnado con DM tipo 1 y, por ende, para predecir el éxito de las medidas psicopedagógicas y los cuidados del niño y adolescente con diabetes. (AU)

Objective: To validate the Inventory of Teachers' Negative Attitudes towards the Care of Students with Diabetes Mellitus type 1 (INAPAD) and to study its reliability using Cronbach's Alpha and McDonald's Omega coefficients. Enfermería GlobalNº 74 Abril 2024Página 195Methods: This study describes the design and validation process of the INAPAD nursing scale in a sample of 382 teachers in the stages of Early Childhood Education, Primary Education, Compulsory Secondary Education, Baccalaureate and Vocational Training in a Spanish province. In order to validate the INAPAD, its reliability has been studied using Cronbach's Alpha and McDonald's Omega Coefficients. Hence, the construct validity has been evaluated through exploratory factor analysis by principal components and varimax rotation. Results and conclusion: The findings obtained inform the viability of the INAPAD to be used as an effective instrument for the diagnosis of prejudice or predisposition of educators towards the care of learners with type 1 DM and for the prediction of the success of psycho-pedagogical measures and of the care for children and adolescents with diabetes. (AU)

Prognostic performance of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and platelet/lymphocyte ratio for mortality in patients with acute stroke / Rendimiento pronóstico de la razón neutrófilos/linfocitos y la razón plaquetas/linfocitos para la mortalidad en pacientes con ictus agudo

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic performance of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) for mortality in patients with acute stroke treated at a Peruvian hospital. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Tertiary care hospital. Patients: Patients aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of acute stroke and admitted to the hospital from May 2019 to June 2021. Interventions: None. Main variables of interests: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and mortality. Results: A total of 165 patients were included. The mean age was 66.1±14.2 years, and 59.4% were male. Only NLR had a performance superior to 0.7 (AUC: 0.75; 95%CI: 0.65–0.85), and its elevated levels were associated with an increased risk of mortality (aRR: 3.66; 95%CI: 1.77–8.85) after adjusting for confounders. Conclusion: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio has an acceptable prognostic performance for mortality in patients with acute stroke. Its use may be considered to stratify patients’ risk and to consider timely alternative care and management.(AU)

Objetivo: Evaluar el desempeño pronóstico de la relación neutrófilos-linfocitos (NLR) y la relación plaquetas-linfocitos (PLR) para la mortalidad en pacientes con stroke agudo tratados en un hospital peruano. Diseño: Estudio de cohorte retrospectivo. Ámbito: Hospital de atención terciaria. Participantes: Pacientes ≥18 años con diagnóstico de stroke agudo e ingresados en el hospital entre mayo de 2019 y junio de 2021. Intervenciones: Ninguna. Variables de interés principales: Razón neutrófilos/linfocitos, razón plaquetas/linfocitos y mortalidad. Resultados: Se incluyeron un total de 165 pacientes. La edad media fue de 66,1±14,2 años, y el 59,4% eran varones. Sólo el NLR tuvo un rendimiento superior a 0,7 (AUC: 0,75; IC95%: 0,65-0,85), y sus niveles elevados se asociaron con un mayor riesgo de mortalidad (RRa: 3,66; IC95%: 1,77-8,85) tras ajustar por factores de confusión. Conclusiones: La razón neutrófilos/linfocitos tiene un rendimiento pronóstico aceptable para la mortalidad en pacientes con stroke. Su uso puede ser considerado para estratificar el riesgo de los pacientes y considerar oportunamente cuidados y manejo alternativos.(AU)

Prognostic performance of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and platelet/lymphocyte ratio for mortality in patients with acute stroke.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prognostic performance of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) for mortality in patients with acute stroke treated at a Peruvian hospital. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS: Patients aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of acute stroke and admitted to the hospital from May 2019 to June 2021. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN VARIABLES OF INTERESTS: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 165 patients were included. The mean age was 66.1±14.2 years, and 59.4% were male. Only NLR had a performance superior to 0.7 (AUC: 0.75; 95%CI: 0.65-0.85), and its elevated levels were associated with an increased risk of mortality (aRR: 3.66; 95%CI: 1.77-8.85) after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSION: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio has an acceptable prognostic performance for mortality in patients with acute stroke. Its use may be considered to stratify patients' risk and to consider timely alternative care and management.

Systemic lupus erythematosus following COVID-19 vaccination. A systematic review of case reports and case series.

OBJECTIVE: Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 reduced morbidity and mortality rates due to COVID-19 worldwide. However, several adverse effects have been documented and of great interest such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). The aim of the present study was to perform a systematic review of case reports and case series describing the development of SLE following COVID-19 against vaccination. METHODS: Case report and case series studies were included. Systematic reviews, narratives, letters to the editor, correspondence, etc. were excluded. A selective bibliographic search was performed in the PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE databases. In addition, the Web of Science platform was consulted. The Joanna Brigs Institute (JBI) tool was used to assess the risk of bias and quality of the studies. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 23.0 was used for the formal analysis of the descriptive data. RESULTS: 12 studies met the eligibility criteria and reported a total of 16 patients. The mean age was 42.4 ± 18.69 years. A slight predominance of post-vaccination SLE was observed in females (females (n = 9) and males (n = 7). A higher association was found with Pfizer-BioNTech-162b2 vaccine (75%), followed by Sinopharm (12.5%), Moderna (6.25%). and AstraZeneca (6.25%) vaccines. Most cases were associated with the first dose (56.25%), followed by the second dose (37.5%) and only one case associated with the third dose. The number of days elapsed from vaccine administration to the appearance of the first clinical manifestations was between 1 and 30 days. Mainly there was involvement of the musculoskeletal and cutaneous system. All patients responded well to treatment with good evolution and there was no case of death. CONCLUSION: Cases of SLE associated with COVID-19 vaccination against are infrequent. However, clinical monitoring is recommended for persons receiving the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, mainly those receiving the first dose and the Pfizer-BioNTech-162b2 vaccine.

Assessment of the Integrity and Function of Human Term Placental Explants in Short-Term Culture.

Human placental explants (HPEs) culture has generated significant interest as a valuable in vitro model for studying tissue functions in response to adverse conditions, such as fluctuations in oxygen levels, nutrient availability, exposure to pathogenic microorganisms, and toxic compounds. HPEs offers the advantage of replicating the intricate microenvironment and cell-to-cell communication involved in this critical and transient organ. Although HPEs culture conditions have been extensively discussed, a protocol for assessing the viability and function of HPEs during short-term culture has not been previously outlined. In this study, we have developed a short-term HPEs culture protocol, specifically up to 72 h, and have employed quantitative, semi-quantitative, and qualitative analyses to evaluate tissue viability and function over time. Under our standardized conditions, placental villi explants began to regain their structural properties (the integrity of the trophoblast and villous stroma) and the functionality of the HPEs (production of angiogenic, endocrine, and immunological factors) starting from 48 h of culture. This restoration ensures a suitable environment for several applications. The data presented here can be highly valuable for laboratories aiming to implement an HPEs model, whether in the process of standardization or seeking to enhance and optimize working conditions and timing with placental tissue.

Morphology of the pygidial glands and chemical composition of their secretions in two species of tiger beetles (Carabidae: Cicindelinae).

Pygidial glands are a common feature of all adephagans and their products play an important role in defense against predators. The morphology of the pygidial glands and the chemistry of their secretion were studied for the first time in two species of tiger beetles - Cicindela (Cicindela) sylvicola Dejean, 1822 and Cylindera (Cylindera) germanica (Linnaeus, 1758). The glands were examined by both bright-field microscopy and nonlinear microscopy. All morphological structures of the glands were measured and described in detail. The structures mentioned were compared with those of related taxa. The secretion extracts from the pygidial glands of the investigated taxa contained a total of 24 compounds, which were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The secretion mixture of C. (C.) germanica was more complex (21 chemicals) than that of C. (C.) sylvicola (11 ones). Benzaldehyde was present in both secretion samples. Hydrocarbons were the most abundant group of secretory compounds. The purpose of the compounds, their distribution within the subfamily Cicindelinae and their effects on the ecology of the group were discussed.

A 12-month follow-up study of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus after immunization against SARS-CoV-2.

OBJECTIVE: To identify all post-BNT162b2 vaccination (BioNTech and Pfizer) events during the ensuing 12 months in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) from the Immuno-Rheumatology Department at Cayetano Heredia Hospital's cohort, Lima, Perú. METHODS: A 12-month follow-up study was conducted from the first dose of immunization with the BNT162b2 vaccine, which was given between May and June 2021, to SLE patients from this cohort. RESULTS: The initial population was constituted by 100 patients (100 patients received the 1st dose, 90 the 2nd dose, and 85 the 3rd dose of this vaccine); 33 patients presented a SLE reactivation (flare), 9% (9/100) post 1st dose, 26.6% (24/90) post 2nd dose, and 16.4% (14/85) post 3rd dose. The most common types of flare were articular (26) and renal (14) with 5/33 (15.1%) requiring hospitalization for flare management. A negative association with flare occurrence was found between the use of hydroxychloroquine RR 0.43 (0.21-0.85) and the opposite was the case for azathioprine RR 2.70 (1.39-5.25). During follow-up, 26 patients developed SARS-CoV-2 infection of whom three required hospitalization, one of whom died. CONCLUSIONS: 33 of 100 SLE patients immunized with BNT162b2 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, presented SLE flares (47 episodes in total); 5 of these patients required in-hospital management and all fully recovered; 26 patients had SARS-CoV-2 infection; three required hospitalization, one died.

Optimization Method to Predict Optimal Noise Reduction Parameters for the Non-Local Means Algorithm Based on the Scintillator Thickness in Radiography.

The resulting image obtained from an X-ray imaging system depends significantly on the characteristics of the detector. In particular, when an X-ray image is acquired by thinning the detector, a relatively large amount of noise inevitably occurs. In addition, when a thick detector is used to reduce noise in X-ray images, blurring increases and the ability to distinguish target areas deteriorates. In this study, we aimed to derive the optimal X-ray image quality by deriving the optimal noise reduction parameters based on the non-local means (NLM) algorithm. The detectors used were of two thicknesses (96 and 140 µm), and images were acquired based on the IEC 62220-1-1:2015 RQA-5 protocol. The optimal parameters were derived by calculating the edge preservation index and signal-to-noise ratio according to the sigma value of the NLM algorithm. As a result, a sigma value of the optimized NLM algorithm (0.01) was derived, and this algorithm was applied to a relatively thin X-ray detector system to obtain appropriate noise level and spatial resolution data. The no-reference-based blind/referenceless image spatial quality evaluator value, which analyzes the overall image quality, was best when using the proposed method. In conclusion, we propose an optimized NLM algorithm based on a new method that can overcome the noise amplification problem in thin X-ray detector systems and is expected to be applied in various photon imaging fields in the future.

Cesarean section prevalence based on prenatal care provider, location, and wealth index: A comparative analysis in peru's healthcare systems.

BACKGROUND: Cesarean section rates are increasing and surpassing WHO guidelines. While sometimes necessary, excessive use poses risks and additional costs to pregnant women and healthcare systems. AIM: To evaluate the prevalence of cesarean section according to healthcare professionals, facility location, and the wealth index of pregnant women in each Peruvian healthcare system. METHODS: A cross-sectional study analyzed 20,870 records of women aged 12 to 49 from the Demographic and Family Health Survey (ENDES). The evaluated healthcare systems were the Ministry of Health, Social Health Insurance, Armed Forces and National Police, and private institutions. FINDINGS: The highest cesarean section prevalence was observed in women receiving prenatal care in private hospitals or clinics (69.13%) and Social Health Insurance hospitals (51.54%). Urban settings, "richest" wealth index, and medical professional involvement increased the probability of cesarean sections. Conversely, the probability of cesarean section was reduced in Ministry of Health facilities when pregnant women belonged to the "poorest" or "poorer" wealth index category and when prenatal care was provided by a midwife in a private facility. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of cesarean sections in Peru during 2021 is 33.75%, warranting evaluation of strategies to regulate their indiscriminate use in each system.

Ethnic disparities in out-of-pocket expense on medicines in Peru: Evidence from a nationwide survey.

Background: Despite improvements in health insurance coverage, out-of-pocket (OOP) health spending remains a public health issue in Peru, and OOP payment has implications for disease treatment in ethnic minorities. We aimed to analyze the ethnic disparities in the OOP payment and estimate the gaps related to observable risk factors in the OOP payment on medicines by ethnic conditions during 2014-2016 in Peru. Study design: cross-sectional study. Methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis using the National Health User Satisfaction Survey. The outcome was the participants' OOP payment in self-reported medications. Ethnic minorities were considered participants who habitually spoke a language other than Spanish at home. Crude and adjusted linear regression models were performed, and the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition method was used to assess the OPP payment differential by ethnic minority condition, explained by their individual and sociodemographic characteristics. Results: We analyzed 11,346 surveyed, the mean age was 40.78 years, and 57.67 % were women. There was lower OOP payment in medications among ethnic minorities in the adjusted analysis (Beta coefficient [ß]: -0.11; 95 % confidence interval [95%CI]: -0.21 to -0.01; p = 0.043). In the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition analysis, a gap of 0.19 USD in the OOP payment in medicines among ethnic minorities was found (p < 0.001), and the explained component by the variables measured in this research only represents 40.5 % of the gap (p = 0.001). Conclusion: There was less OOP expenditure on medicines in ethnic minorities. However, the measured variables explain only 40.5 % of these gaps. Therefore, we recommend future research that measures other variables that explain aspects of OOP spending on medicines not identified in this research. Likewise, our findings can be used to establish policies with an intercultural approach that adapt health documents to native languages or are disseminated by trained people from their communities.

The road from manual to automatic semantic indexing of biomedical literature: a 10 years journey.

Biomedical experts are facing challenges in keeping up with the vast amount of biomedical knowledge published daily. With millions of citations added to databases like MEDLINE/PubMed each year, efficiently accessing relevant information becomes crucial. Traditional term-based searches may lead to irrelevant or missed documents due to homonyms, synonyms, abbreviations, or term mismatch. To address this, semantic search approaches employing predefined concepts with associated synonyms and relations have been used to expand query terms and improve information retrieval. The National Library of Medicine (NLM) plays a significant role in this area, indexing citations in the MEDLINE database with topic descriptors from the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) thesaurus, enabling advanced semantic search strategies to retrieve relevant citations, despite synonymy, and polysemy of biomedical terms. Over time, advancements in semantic indexing have been made, with Machine Learning facilitating the transition from manual to automatic semantic indexing in the biomedical literature. The paper highlights the journey of this transition, starting with manual semantic indexing and the initial efforts toward automatic indexing. The BioASQ challenge has served as a catalyst in revolutionizing the domain of semantic indexing, further pushing the boundaries of efficient knowledge retrieval in the biomedical field.

Niveles plasmáticos de Vitamina D en adultos mayores de Lima Metropolitana, Perú

Objetivo. Determinar los niveles plasmáticos de vitamina D y su relación con la ocupación, procedencia y los valores de calcio, leucocitos, hemoglobina y plaquetas en adultos mayores de Lima Metropolitana. Método. Estudio observacional descriptivo de corte transversal, participaron 100 adultos mayores de uno u otro sexo de Lima Metropolitana, ellos fueron reclutados durante las estaciones de invierno-primavera del 2022, los niveles de vitamina D se categorizó como suficiente, insuficiente y deficiente, las concentraciones séricas de vitamina D se midieron por radioinmunoensayo. La relación de variables se realizó con el coeficiente de correlación de Spearman y regresión logística. Resultados. La edad media fue 69.6 años, el 71%, fueron del sexo femenino, la concentración media de vitamina D fue 36.56 ng/ml, el 13% tuvieron niveles de deficiente, y el 32% de insuficiente y el 53% suficientes. Según sexo, el 77,7% de los que tuvieron niveles de deficiente/insuficiente fueron mujeres. En el análisis bivariado no hubo correlación entre los valores de vitamina D con calcio, hemoglobina leucocitos y plaquetas, los que procedieron de distritos de menor temperatura tuvieron 2,25 veces más riesgo de tener niveles insuficientes/deficiente de vitamina D. Conclusiones. El 45% de los adultos mayores tuvieron niveles deficientes/insuficiente de vitamina D, siendo más frecuente en las mujeres y de los procedentes de distritos de menor promedio de temperatura.

Objective. To determine the plasmatic levels of vitamin D and its relationship with the occupation, origin and the values of calcium, leukocytes, hemoglobin and platelets in older adults of Metropolitan Lima. Methods Observational descriptive cross-sectional study, 100 older adults of either sex from Metropolitan Lima participated, they were recruited during the winter-spring seasons of 2022, vitamin D levels were categorised as sufficient, insufficient, and deficient, serum vitamin D concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay. The relationship of variables was established with the Spearman correlation coefficient and logistic regression. Results. The mean age was 69.6 years, 71% were women, the mean vitamin D concentration was 36.56 ng/ml, 13% had deficient levels, 32% were insufficient and 53% sufficient. By sex, 77.7% of those with deficient/insufficient levels were women. In the bivariate analysis, there was no correlation between vitamin D values with calcium, hemoglobin, leukocytes and platelets; those who came from districts with lower temperatures had a 2.25 times greater risk of having insufficient/deficient levels of vitamin D. Conclusions. 45% of older adults had deficient/insufficient levels of vitamin D, more frequent in women and those coming from districts with lower average temperatures.

DENOISING DIFFUSION MRI: CONSIDERATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR ANALYSIS.

Development of diffusion MRI (dMRI) denoising approaches has experienced considerable growth over the last years. As noise can inherently reduce accuracy and precision in measurements, its effects have been well characterised both in terms of uncertainty increase in dMRI-derived features and in terms of biases caused by the noise floor, the smallest measurable signal given the noise level. However, gaps in our knowledge still exist in objectively characterising dMRI denoising approaches in terms of both of these effects and assessing their efficacy. In this work, we reconsider what a denoising method should and should not do and we accordingly define criteria to characterise the performance. We propose a comprehensive set of evaluations, including i) benefits in improving signal quality and reducing noise variance, ii) gains in reducing biases and the noise floor and improving, iii) preservation of spatial resolution, iv) agreement of denoised data against a gold standard, v) gains in downstream parameter estimation (precision and accuracy), vi) efficacy in enabling noise-prone applications, such as ultra-high-resolution imaging. We further provide newly acquired complex datasets (magnitude and phase) with multiple repeats that sample different SNR regimes to highlight performance differences under different scenarios. Without loss of generality, we subsequently apply a number of exemplar patch-based denoising algorithms to these datasets, including Non-Local Means, Marchenko-Pastur PCA (MPPCA) in the magnitude and complex domain and NORDIC, and compare them with respect to the above criteria and against a gold standard complex average of multiple repeats. We demonstrate that all tested denoising approaches reduce noise-related variance, but not always biases from the elevated noise floor. They all induce a spatial resolution penalty, but its extent can vary depending on the method and the implementation. Some denoising approaches agree with the gold standard more than others and we demonstrate challenges in even defining such a standard. Overall, we show that dMRI denoising performed in the complex domain is advantageous to magnitude domain denoising with respect to all the above criteria.

Lung cancer in nonsmokers- A risk factor analysis.

INSTITUTIONS: STONY BROOK MEDICAL CENTERRATIONALE: Lung Cancer screening for the high-risk smoking population has been proven to save lives. However, in 2022, 20% of newly diagnosed lung cancers (47,300) were in nonsmokers. These patients were found to be diagnosed at later stages. This may be at least partly due to not meeting criteria for and participating in current lung cancer screening. This study aims to describe characteristics of a never smoker patient population to help identify common risk factors which might merit inclusion in lung cancer screening and thus improve patient outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective single center study included never-smoker patients diagnosed with lung nodules and never-smoker patients diagnosed with lung cancer from 2016 to 2022. Data was obtained from the Stony Brook Medical Center electronic medical record. 16,056 patients were identified as never-smokers who were asked by the medical assistant if they ever smoked in their lifetime. Patients were eliminated if they had any smoking history up to first diagnosis date. Demographics, radiology, histology, diagnosis dates, comorbidities, smoking status, and exposures collected through ICD10 codes and not self-reported, were investigated. RESULTS: Of 16,056 never-smoking patients, 9315 (58.02%) were females diagnosed with lung nodules and 6741 (41.98%) were males diagnosed with lung nodules. The univariate analysis showed significant differences between gender, age at nodule diagnosis, and patients with and without comorbidities including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension (HTN), and family history (FHX) of lung cancer. The percentage of lung cancer patients among females was significantly higher than among males. Patients having lung cancer were older. The percentages of lung cancer patients with these comorbidities were significantly higher than those without. However, there was no significant difference found between patients with and without diabetes mellitus (DM). The multivariable logistic regression suggested that age at nodule diagnosis and comorbidities including COPD (which included asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis) and family history of lung cancer were significantly associated with lung cancer. Older patients and patients with those comorbidities had a higher risk of developing cancer than those who were younger or without those comorbidities. The study excluded HTN and included age at nodule diagnosis in the logistic regression model as HTN was found to be protective against lung cancer due to age at lung nodule diagnosis. Please refer to the appendix for further details. CONCLUSION: Never-smoker patients who were older and with COPD and Family History of lung cancer had higher risk of developing lung cancer than younger patients without these comorbidities. In this study, gender had no impact on outcome.

Hallazgos citogenéticos y edad materna en pacientes con síndrome down en un hospital de referencia pediátrico en el Perú

Introducción: El síndrome Down es un trastorno congénito originado por una trisomía total o parcial del cromosoma 21 y es considerada la causa genética más común de malformaciones congénitas y discapacidad intelectual. El objetivo de este estudio fue describir las alteraciones citogenéticas de pacientes con Síndrome Down y su relación con la edad materna. Métodos: Estudio transversal, descriptivo-analítico. Se incluyó 436 pacientes con Síndrome Down admitidos en el Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño durante el período 2017-2019. Se analizaron las variables: alteración citogenética y edad materna. Resultados: Se encontró que el 99,3% (n=433) de pacientes presentaron algún tipo de alteración citogenética y tres pacientes presentaron cariotipo normal. La edad de los pacientes al momento de la toma de muestra estuvo comprendida entre los 0,03 y 17 años, la relación masculino/femenino fue de 1.2:1. La alteración citogenética más frecuente fue la trisomía 21 libre (94,7%), seguida por la translocación Robertsoniana (n=16) y el mosaicismo (n=6). En el caso de la edad materna se encontró una mediana de 37 años (rango: 13-47). Conclusiones: La trisomía 21 libre es la alteración citogenética más común en Síndrome Down; sin embargo, la translocación Robertsoniana y los mosaicismos fueron más frecuentes en edad materna menor de 35 años, sugiriendo que existe otros factores de riesgo diferentes a la edad materna avanzada en este grupo etario.

Introduction: Down syndrome is a congenital disorder caused by a total or partial trisomy of chromosome 21 and is considered the most common genetic cause of congenital malformations and intellectual disability. The objective of this study was to describe the cytogenetic alterations of patients with Down syndrome and their relationship with maternal age. Methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study. 436 patients with Down syndrome admitted to the Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño during the 2017-2019 period were included. The variables analyzed were: cytogenetic diagnosis and maternal age. Results: It was found that 99,3% (n=433) of patients presented some type of cytogenetic alteration and three patients presented a normal karyotype. The age of the patients at the time of sampling was between 0,03 and 17 years, the male/female ratio was 1.2:1. The most frequent cytogenetic alteration was free trisomy 21 (94,7%), followed by Robertsonian translocation (n=16) and mosaicism (n=6). In the case of maternal age, a median of 37 years was found (range: 13-47). Conclusions: Free trisomy 21 is the most common cytogenetic condition in Down syndrome; however, the Robertsonian translocation and mosaicisms were more frequent in patients whose mothers were les than 35 years old, suggesting that there are other risk factors than advanced maternal age in this group.

Factores de riesgo asociados a estancia hospitalaria prolongada en cuidados intensivos neonatales: Un estudio de casos y controles

Objetivo: Identificar las patologías o condiciones neonatales que influyen en la prolongación de la estancia hospitalaria en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales (UCIN). Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional, retrospectivo, de casos y controles; en neonatos hospitalizados de la UCIN, durante el periodo 2015 - 2019, considerando sus diagnósticos perinatales y posnatales como factores a evaluar, así como la estancia hospitalaria. Se dividieron dos grupos: casos (estancia prolongada) y controles (estancia no prolongada). Los datos recolectados fueron procesados en el programa SPSS v.23 obteniendo el OR y la Regresión Logística Binaria. Resultados: Se incluyeron 361 neonatos (91 casos y 270 controles), encontrándose significancia en factores perinatales (p<0.05): Peso al nacer (1000g a <1500g, ORa 8.2: IC3.1 - 21.2) y edad gestacional (28 a 31 sem., ORa 18.6: IC4.8-71.4; 32-33 sem, ORa 8.1: IC3.5 - 18.4); y factores posnatales (p<0.05): Síndrome de distrés respiratorio (ORa 10.3:IC 4.8-22.2), Hipertensión pulmonar persistente (OR 32.2:IC 1.8-559.0), sepsis (ORa 7.1: IC 3.1-16.0), Malnutrición neonatal (ORa 10.2:IC 4.7-22.1) y anemia del prematuro (ORa 8.3:IC 2.4-28.1). No alcanzaron significancia: asfixia, taquipnea transitoria del recién nacido, neumonía, neumotórax, displasia broncopulmonar, síndrome de aspiración meconial, conducto arterioso persistente, cardiopatía congénita, hiperbilirrubinemia, hipoglicemia, enterocolitis necrotizante y apnea del prematuro. Conclusiones: El peso al nacer, edad gestacional, Síndrome de distrés respiratorio, Hipertensión pulmonar persistente, sepsis, malnutrición neonatal y anemia del prematuro son factores de riesgo para estancia hospitalaria prolongada.

Objective: Identify neonatal pathologies or conditions that influence the prolongation of hospital stay in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Materials and methods: An observational, retrospective, case-control study was carried out; in neonates hospitalized in the NICU, during the period 2015-2019, considering their perinatal and postnatal diagnoses as factors to be evaluated, as well as hospital stay. Two groups were divided: cases (prolonged stay) and controls (non-prolonged stay). The collected data were processed in the SPSS v.23 program, obtaining the OR and the Binary Logistic Regression. Results: 361 neonates (91 cases and 270 controls) were included, finding significance in perinatal factors (p<0.05): Birth weight (1000g to <1500g, ORa 8.2: CI3.1 - 21.2) and gestational age (28 to 31 weeks , ORa 18.6: CI4.8-71.4; 32-33 weeks, ORa 8.1: CI3.5 - 18.4); and postnatal factors (p<0.05): RDS (ORa 10.3: CI 4.8-22.2), PHT (OR 32.2: CI 1.8-559.0), sepsis (ORa 7.1: CI 3.1-16.0), Neonatal malnutrition (ORa 10.2: CI 4.7 -22.1) and anemia of prematurity (aOR 8.3: CI 2.4-28.1). The following did not reach significance: asphyxia, transient tachypnea of ​​the newborn, pneumonia, pneumothorax, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, meconium aspiration syndrome, patent ductus arteriosus, congenital heart disease, hyperbilirubinemia, hypoglycemia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and apnea of ​​prematurity. Conclusions: Birth weight, gestational age, RDS, PHPT, sepsis, neonatal malnutrition and anemia of prematurity are risk factors for prolonged hospital stay.

Terapia de estrógenos vaginales y riesgo de recurrencia en mujeres con antecedente de cáncer de mama

El cáncer de mama sigue siendo la neoplasia maligna más frecuente y una de las mortales en mujeres, considerándose un importante objetivo de la salud global y prioridad en salud pública. Con el uso de terapias innovadoras, ha mejorado la supervivencia, apareciendo condiciones asociadas, como el síndrome genitourinario menopaúsico. La terapia hormonal, se utiliza para el manejo de esta condición, mejorando sustancialmente la sintomatología, e incluso, siendo en algunos casos la única solución. La más utilizada, es la terapia de estrógenos vaginales. Sin embargo, se ha descrito un posible riesgo de recurrencia de cáncer de mama con su uso. En habla hispana, no existe evidencia que haya discutido este tópico. Se llevó a cabo una búsqueda en las bases PubMed, ScienceDirect y MEDLINE, utilizando los términos "Terapia de estrógenos vaginales", "Recurrencia" y "Cáncer de mama". Se encontró, que, de forma global, la terapia de estrógenos vaginales es una opción terapéutica eficaz y segura en el manejo del síndrome genitourinario menopaúsico en mujeres con antecedente de cáncer de mama, sin incrementar el riesgo de recurrencia, a excepción de aquellas tratadas con inhibidores de la aromatasa, en quienes se recomienda el uso de otras terapias para evitar acarrear este riesgo.

Breast cancer remains the most common malignant neoplasm and one of the leading causes of mortality in women, making it a significant target for global health efforts and a public health priority. Through the use of innovative therapies, survival rates have improved, leading to the emergence of associated conditions such as genitourinary menopausal syndrome. Hormonal therapy is employed for managing this condition, significantly alleviating its symptoms and, in some cases, serving as the sole solution. The most commonly utilized approach is vaginal estrogen therapy. Nevertheless, there have been reports of a potential risk of breast cancer recurrence associated with its use. In the Spanish-speaking context, there is limited evidence discussing this topic. A search was conducted across PubMed, ScienceDirect, and MEDLINE databases, using the terms "Vaginal Estrogen Therapy", "Recurrence" and "Breast Cancer." It was determined that, on a global scale, vaginal estrogen therapy is an effective and safe therapeutic option for managing genitourinary menopausal syndrome in women with a history of breast cancer. This therapy does not appear to increase the risk of recurrence, with the exception of those undergoing treatment with aromatase inhibitors. For these individuals, alternative therapies are recommended to mitigate this potential risk.

Vocación médica, más allá del deber de cuidar: Revisión de la literatura desde el aspecto ético y filosófico

En este artículo de revisión, se examina la vocación médica como un fenómeno que va más allá del simple deber de cuidar a los pacientes y se centra en la importancia del compromiso ético, la empatía y la resiliencia en la práctica médica. Se discuten las implicaciones para la formación de médicos y la práctica clínica.

This review article explores medical vocation as a phenomenon that extends beyond the mere duty of caring for patients, focusing on the significance of ethical commitment, empathy, and resilience in medical practice. The implications for medical training and clinical practice are discussed.