Corrective bandages and daily manipulations for treatment of congenital vertical talus: a thirteen year follow-up.

PURPOSE: To analyze the results of a conservative method for treating congenital vertical talus in children with early start and to know in which cases surgical treatment was needed. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all children diagnosed with idiopathic vertical talus was carried out during the years 2008-2021. Thirty-two children (46 feet) were finally included. Children were treated with serial manipulations, muscle stimulation, and corrective bandages. Age at the time of initiation of treatment, duration of treatment, and correction or not of the deformity without surgical intervention were recorded as variables of interest. The talocalcaneal angle, TAMBA, and ankle range of motion were measured before treatment, after treatment, and at the end of the follow-up period. Statistics decision tree was used to determine which variable best discriminated whether the patient needed surgery. To complement the tree diagram, a two-step cluster analysis was carried out. RESULTS: After treatment, TAMBA and talocalcaneal angle changed from "vertical" to "oblique" category in 45 and 37 feet, respectively. The pathological dorsal flexion of the ankle changed to normal in 37 feet and ankle plantar flexion was normal in 46 feet. These variables showed significant changes between the three measurement moments. The results of the statistics decision tree and cluster analysis indicate that "No surgery" was associated with an age equal to or lower than one week when treatment was started, and with an ankle plantar flexion range of motion lower than 36°. CONCLUSIONS: The beginning of this conservative treatment in the first week of life and having a plantar flexion of the ankle lower than 36° were related to the success of the treatment without surgery.

Ustekinumab in Crohn's disease: real-world outcomes and predictors of response.

BACKGROUND: ustekinumab is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits interleukins IL-12 and IL-23, and is approved for the treatment of Crohn's disease (CD) and, more recently, also ulcerative colitis (UC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ustekinumab, as well as to identify possible predictive factors of response in a real-life setting. METHODS: an observational, retrospective, multicenter study was carried out in 4 hospitals in Andalusia. Adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CD treated with ustekinumab from 2017 to 2019 were included. Clinical response was analyzed at 3, 6 and 12 months of treatment. Clinical disease activity was assessed with the Harvey-Bradshaw index (HBI) and the Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI); biochemical response was assessed with lab parameters such as CRP and ESR. One-year ustekinumab drug-survival was analyzed. RESULTS: a total of 98 patients were analyzed (mean age, 43 years; 52 % were male); 56 % had failed with ≥ 2 previous biologicals therapies. At 3 months, 69 % of the patients were in response and 40.8 % in remission. At 6 months, 56 % were in clinical remission. At 12 months, 73.7 % were in clinical response and 60.5 % in remission. Corticosteroid-free remission was 32.4 %, 44 %, and 47.4 % at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Cumulative survival after one year of treatment with ustekinumab was 85.3 %. Biochemical parameters such as CRP and ESR showed a statistically significant decrease between baseline and control levels at 3, 6, and 12 months. A lower HBI at baseline and female sex were predictors of corticosteroid-free clinical remission in a univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis no variables were found as predictors of corticosteroid-free clinical remission. CONCLUSION: ustekinumab therapy is safe and useful, inducing clinical response in more than 50 % of patients, including patients who failed with other biological therapies.

The Validity and Reliability of a New Simple Instrument for the Measurement of First Ray Mobility.

Several methods have been described to quantify the first ray mobility. They all have certain disadvantages (great size, sophistication, or lack of validation). The objective of this work was to study the validity and reliability of a new instrument for the measurement of first ray mobility. Anterior-posterior radiographs were obtained from 25 normal feet and 24 hallux valgus feet, with the first ray in a neutral position, maximally dorsiflexed and maximally plantarflexed. The first ray mobility was radiographicaly measured in both groups, and was also manually examined with the new device. A cluster analysis determined whether normal and hallux valgus feet were correctly classified, and a graphic analysis of Bland-Altman was performed to compare the radiographic and manual measurement techniques. Based on the radiographs, the first ray mobility only showed significant differences in dorsiflexion between both groups (P = 0.015). First ray dorsiflexion, plantarflexion and total range of motion measured with the new device were different between both groups (P = 0.040, P = 0.011 and P = 0.006, respectively). The silhouette measure of the cohesion and separation coefficients from the cluster analysis was greater than 0.50 for the dorsiflexion, plantarflexion and total range of motion obtained from the radiographs and from the new device. The Bland-Altman graph suggested that 96% of the data presented agreement between both measurement methods. These results suggested that the new instrument was valid and reliable.

Vedolizumab response in inflammatory bowel disease. Two years of follow-up.

BACKGROUND: vedolizumab is an α4ß7 integrin antagonist. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical response and remission rates with vedolizumab. METHODS: this was a retrospective study of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients who received vedolizumab between 2016 and 2019. Response and remission rates were analyzed at three, six, 12, 18 and 24 months after induction. RESULTS: fifty-five patients were included. Clinical remission rates in CD and UC at three, six, 12, 18 and 24 months were 19.35 %, 26.67 %, 30.43 %, 30 %, 38.89 % and 29.17 %, 26.09 %, 19.05 %, 26.67 % and 20 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: vedolizumab is effective for induction and maintenance of clinical remission, both in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Effectiveness of custom-made foot orthoses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE:: To determine the effect of custom-made foot orthoses versus placebo insoles on pain, disability, foot functionality, and quality of life. DESIGN:: Double-blinded randomized controlled trial. SETTING:: University Podiatric Clinical Area. SUBJECTS:: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis. INTERVENTIONS:: Patients were randomly assigned to either group A, which received custom-made foot orthoses, or group B, which received placebo, flat cushioning insoles, for three months. MAIN MEASURES:: The primary outcome was foot pain, measured by visual analog scale. Foot functionality, foot-related disability, and quality of life were measured using the Foot Function Index, the Manchester Foot Pain and Disability Index, and 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) questionnaires, respectively, at the beginning and at days 30, 60, and 90. RESULTS:: A total of 53 patients, aged 59.21 ± 11.38 years, received either the custom-made foot orthoses ( N = 28) or the placebo ( N = 25). For the analysis of the data, only participants who had been measured at the four time points (0, 30, 60, and 90 days) were included. In group A, all variables showed statistically significant differences when comparing the initial and final measurements. Pain showed 6.61 ± 2.33 and 4.11 ± 2.66 in group A, at baseline and at 90 days, respectively, and Group B showed 6.16 ± 1.77 and 5.60 ± 2.71 at baseline and at 90 days, respectively. This was the only variable that showed statistically significant difference between groups ( P = 0.048). CONCLUSION:: The custom-made foot orthoses significantly reduced the participants' foot pain, although they did not have positive effects on disability, foot functionality, and quality of life compared with only cushioning.

Impact of peripheral artery disease on the quality of life of patients with diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) has become one of the main problems of health, which might lead to a series of complications, such as peripheral vasculopathy. PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were to determine whether peripheral artery disease affects the quality of life and pain level and functionality of the foot in patients with DM. METHODS: The sample consisted of 150 participants: with peripheral vasculopathy and DM, with DM, without peripheral vasculopathy, with neither DM nor peripheral vasculopathy. Questionnaires SF-12, EuroQol 5D, FFI, and the Manchester Foot Pain and Disability Index were used. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the physical component of SF-12, in the visual health scale of EuroQol 5D and the functional component of the Manchester Foot Pain and Disability Index the best score was obtained by group C. CONCLUSION: Peripheral vasculopathy influences the quality of life of patients with DM and causes functional limitations.

Ustekinumab en la enfermedad de Crohn: resultados en la vida real y posibles factores de respuesta / Ustekinumab in Crohn's disease: real-world outcomes and predictors of response

Antecedentes: ustekinumab es un anticuerpo monoclonal que inhibe las interleucinas IL-12 e IL-23, y está aprobado para el tratamiento de la enfermedad de Crohn (EC) y, más recientemente, también de la colitis ulcerosa (CU). El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la eficacia y seguridad de ustekinumab, así como identificar posibles factores predictivos de respuesta en un entorno de la vida real.Métodos: se realizó un estudio observacional, retrospectivo y multicéntrico en 4 hospitales de Andalucía. Se incluyeron pacientes adultos con diagnóstico confirmado de EC tratados con ustekinumab entre 2017 y 2019. Se analizó la respuesta clínica a los 3, 6 y 12 meses de tratamiento. La actividad clínica de la enfermedad se evaluó con el índice de Harvey-Bradshaw (HBI) y el índice de actividad de la enfermedad de Crohn (CDAI); La respuesta bioquímica se evaluó con parámetros de laboratorio como CRP y ESR. Se analizó la supervivencia al fármaco ustekinumab a un año.Resultados: Se analizaron un total de 98 pacientes (edad media, 43 años; el 52 % eran hombres); El 56 % había fracasado con ≥ 2 terapias biológicas previas. A los 3 meses, el 69 % de los pacientes estaban en respuesta y el 40,8 % en remisión. A los 6 meses, el 56 % estaba en remisión clínica. A los 12 meses, el 73,7 % estaba en respuesta clínica y el 60,5 % en remisión. La remisión sin corticosteroides fue del 32,4 %, 44 % y 47,4 % a los 3, 6 y 12 meses, respectivamente. La supervivencia acumulada tras un año de tratamiento con ustekinumab fue del 85,3 %. Los parámetros bioquímicos como CRP y ESR mostraron una disminución estadísticamente significativa entre los niveles de referencia y de control a los 3, 6 y 12 meses. Un HBI más bajo al inicio y el sexo femenino fueron predictores de remisión clínica libre de corticosteroides en un análisis univariante. (AU)

Predictors of 10-year smoking abstinence in smokers abstinent for 1 year after treatment.

AIMS: To identify factors predicting long-term relapse to smoking in people attending smoking treatment services who have maintained at least 1 year abstinence. DESIGN: Observational, prospective study with multiple logistic regression used to model predictors of relapse between 1 and 10 years from cessation using variables measured pre-cessation. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Among smokers receiving behavioural support for cessation in a clinic in Spain, in some cases with nicotine patches or bupropion, 366 had remained abstinent after 1 year of follow-up and were included into the study. MEASUREMENTS: Predictive measures (disease history, psychological disorder, age of starting smoking, years of smoking, cigarette dependence and smoking cessation treatment used) were obtained at the time of the quit attempt, and 'failure' (defined as reported smoking, loss to follow-up, died or an expired air carbon monoxide reading of > 5 parts per million) was assessed 10 years later. FINDINGS: At follow-up, abstinence status was confirmed in 50.5% (n = 185) of participants, while 21.0% (n = 77) reported that they had resumed smoking, and 28.5% (n = 104) were lost to follow-up (also counted as having resumed smoking). In the multiple regression model, the main factor that predicted relapse had a psychological disorder (odds ratio = 1.85, 95% confidence interval = 1.13-3.05; P < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Having a psychological disorder at the time of stopping smoking is a risk factor for relapse to smoking, even after more than 1 year of abstinence.

Vedolizumab response in inflammatory bowel disease. Two years of follow-up

BACKGROUND: vedolizumab is an alpha4Beta7 integrin antagonist. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical response and remission rates with vezolizumab. METHODS: this was a retrospective study of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients who received vedolizumab between 2016 and 2019. Response and remission rates were analyzed at three, six, 12, 18 and 24 months after induction. RESULTS: fifty-five patients were included. Clinical remission rates in CD and UC at three, six, 12, 18 and 24 months were 19.35 %, 26.67 %, 30.43 %, 30 %, 38.89 and 29.17 %, 26.09 %, 19.05 %, 26.67 % and 20 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: vedolizumab is effective for induction and maintenance of clinical remission, both in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis

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