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Endophthalmitis is a potentially vision-threatening complication associated with nearly every intraocular or periocular procedure, including cataract surgery and intravitreal injection. Post-operative endophthalmitis after cataract surgery is a familiar entity with well-established features and treatment. However, infectious endophthalmitis after intravitreal injection is not as well understood. The current widespread use of intravitreal injections of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antagonists has raised increasing concern for post-injection endophthalmitis. Endophthalmitis associated with intravitreal injections occurs with a similar low incidence rate as endophthalmitis associated with cataract surgery. Post-surgical and post-injection endophthalmitis exhibit similar clinical features, though post-injection endophthalmitis might present slightly earlier. These entities share the most common causative organism, Staphylococcus epidermidis, although there is a higher incidence of more virulent and resistant organisms such as Streptococcal species in post-injection endophthalmitis. The proportion of eyes with a culture-negative endophthalmitis has been found more commonly after intravitreal injection, raising concerns for distinguishing infectious endophthalmitis from “sterile endophthalmitis” which may be associated with anti-VEGF therapy. The Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study (EVS) guides the treatment of exogenous endophthalmitis after cataract extraction. The treatment of post-injection endophthalmitis is an area of new interest with emerging literature of clinic presentation and therapeutic management.

Antecedents and Objective: The declining birth rate and increasing life expectancy have led to an aging population, causing challenges at the economic, social and healthcare levels. Ensuring and maintaining high levels of well-being and mental health in older adults is crucial for successful aging. Given that previous literature indicates that perceived loneliness and depressive symptoms constitute significant obstacles to their quality of life, the aim of this study is to examine how perceived loneliness and depression intertwined in community-dwelling older adults over time., Methodology: For this purpose, we conducted a longitudinal research study with a total of 46,317 European older adults (57.40% women), using the SHARE database (Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe), at waves 6, 7, and 8, spanning a recent four-year period from 2016 to 2020. Several cross-lagged panel models were estimated using the structural equation modeling package Mplus., Results: The results show that loneliness and depression are bidirectionally related, which is difficult to combat because of their feedback and stability over time., Conclusions: We discuss the practical implications of these findings concerning the potential double-edged sword of these reciprocal relationships on treatment and preventive interventions, as well as the study's limitations and future research directions., (Copyright © 2024 SEGG. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objetivo: Conocer las diferentes respuestas de adolescentes centroamericanos que migran solos en México ante la ausencia familiar. Material y métodos. Se utilizaron métodos cualitativos y visuales (entrevistas semiestructuradas, técnica de elicitación visual, taller de dibujo y análisis temático). Se entrevistaron migrantes de entre 14 y 19 años no acompañados y trabajadores en servicios para migrantes., Resultados: Se identificaron tres respuestas: independización, resiliencia y formación de redes de apoyo fuera de la familia tradicional. Conclusión. Las diferentes respuestas muestran que la familia -como núcleo de personas cercanas- es una necesidad humana y la reunificación familiar debe ser prioridad cuando ésta es viable. Sin embargo, falta reconocimiento institucional de la complejidad de las múltiples situaciones familiares de adolescentes migrantes. Esta falta puede justificar su deportación sin debido análisis de la situación.

The aim of the study was to identify the environmental factors that influence alcohol consumption, according to university students, and assess the relative importance and the frequency attributed to each factor. A study using Concept Mapping methodology was performed with a sample of nursing students, who participated in two face-to-face data collection sessions. In session 1, a consensus about the environmental aspects that influence their alcohol consumption was obtained. In session 2, the statements obtained were rated according to their relative importance and frequency in alcohol use (1 = minimum; 5 = maximum). Subsequently, all data were analyzed with the RCMAP of the statistical package R 3.6.1.Approximately 60 students participated in each session. Most were women aged 20 to 24. In session 1, a total of 55 statements were obtained and classified into 7 different clusters: Advertising (9 statements); Family environment (4 statements); Social pressure (12 statements); Responsibilities/norms (4 statements); Holidays and leisure time (7 statements); Emotional situations (8 statements); Accessibility (11 statements). Factors related to social pressure, holidays and leisure time, and alcohol accessibility were considered the most important and frequent in alcohol consumption. In contrast, alcohol advertising was considered the least important (mean 2.6 out of 5) and frequent (mean 2.1 out 5) factor. In conclusion, the factors considered most relevant among nursing students match those having more resources allocated for prevention and health promotion, except for alcohol advertising, which was perceived as less important and frequent compared with the other factors.

Introduction and Objectives: Late gadolinium-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance (LGE-CMR) allows noninvasive detection of left atrial fibrosis in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, whether the same methodology can be used in the right atrium (RA) remains unknown. Our aim was to define a standardized threshold to characterize RA fibrosis in LGE-CMR., Methods: A 3 Tesla LGE-CMR was performed in 53 individuals; the RA was segmented, and the image intensity ratio (IIR) calculated for the RA wall using 1 557 767 IIR pixels (40 994±10 693 per patient). The upper limit of normality of the IIR (mean IIR+2 standard deviations) was estimated in healthy volunteers (n=9), and patients who had undergone previous typical atrial flutter ablation (n=9) were used to establish the dense scar threshold. Paroxysmal and persistent AF patients (n=10 each) were used for validation. IIR values were correlated with a high-density bipolar voltage map in 15 patients undergoing AF ablation., Results: The upper normality limit (total fibrosis threshold) in healthy volunteers was set at an IIR = 1.21. In the postablation group, 60% of the maximum IIR pixel (dense fibrosis threshold) was calculated as IIR = 1.29. Endocardial bipolar voltage showed a weak but significant correlation with IIR. The overall accuracy between the electroanatomical map and LGE-CMR to characterize fibrosis was 56%., Conclusions: An IIR > 1.21 was determined to be the threshold for the detection of right atrial fibrosis, while an IIR > 1.29 differentiates interstitial fibrosis from dense scar. Despite differences between the left and right atria, fibrosis could be assessed with LGE-CMR using similar thresholds in both chambers., (Copyright © 2023 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Magnetic resonance has become a first-line imaging modality in various clinical scenarios. The number of patients with different cardiovascular devices, including cardiac implantable electronic devices, has increased exponentially. Although there have been reports of risks associated with exposure to magnetic resonance in these patients, the clinical evidence now supports the safety of performing these studies under specific conditions and following recommendations to minimize possible risks. This document was written by the Working Group on Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Cardiac Computed Tomography of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC-GT CRMTC), the Heart Rhythm Association of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC-Heart Rhythm Association), the Spanish Society of Medical Radiology (SERAM), and the Spanish Society of Cardiothoracic Imaging (SEICAT). The document reviews the clinical evidence available in this field and establishes a series of recommendations so that patients with cardiovascular devices can safely access this diagnostic tool., (Copyright © 2022 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

A new paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome, linked to SARS-CoV-2, has been described. The clinical picture is variable and is associated with an active or recent infection due to SARS-CoV-2. A review of the existing literature by a multidisciplinary group of paediatric specialists is presented in this document. Later, they make recommendations on the stabilisation, diagnosis, and treatment of this syndrome., (Copyright © 2020 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Many teenagers experiment with addictive substances such as alcohol. The objective of this study was to estimate the frequency of binge drinking among secondary school students and its relationship with sex, grade, and type of school, as well as with urban contextual factors of the school neighborhood: socioeconomic level, density of alcohol outlet premises, and tourist pressure., Methods: This was an observational cross-sectional study. The study population were the students of 8th and 10th grade (2nd and 4th year of ESO) in the city of Barcelona in 2016. Alcohol use, sex, grade, type of school and school neighborhood were taken from the FRESC survey. The wealth of the neighborhood and tourist pressure were extracted from municipal statistics. The density of alcohol outlets was obtained by direct observation with the OHCITIES instrument. We estimated the prevalence of binge drinking (consumption of five or more units on one occasion) stratifying by age, sex and ownership of the school. We calculated a robust Poisson regression model with the individual and contextual variables and analyzed the situation of those neighborhoods with the highest prevalence of binge., Results: The self-declared frequency of binge drinking in the last 30 days was 6.1% in this sample of 2,329 students, 2.2% in 8th grade and 10.3% in 10th grade. It was higher in boys (7%) than in girls (5.1%), and slightly higher in private subsidized schools (6.4%) than in public schools (5.5%). In the Poisson regression models, neither the coefficients of the three contextual variables nor the type of school reached statistical significance, contrary to those obtained with the individual variables of sex and year. The adjusted prevalence of binge in the 36 neighborhoods ranged from 0 to 18.2%. Comparing the contextual variables of the 8 neighborhoods with the lowest prevalence of binge with the others, both a greater density of local alcohol sales and higher tourism pressure were associated with a higher prevalence of binge drinking, while for wealth there were no significant differences., Conclusions: The use of alcohol in early adolescence is related to individual variables such as sex and age. Urban contextual factors such as a higher tourist pressure and the density of premises that sell alcohol may exert also some influence., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

The aetiology of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) is defined by a diversity of factors, and recent studies suggest that premorbid personality could be a risk factor for BPSD. This study aimed to review studies on the relationship between premorbid personality and BPSD. Studies were identified using PsycInfo, MedLine, and PubMed. The searches combined terms for premorbid personality, dementia and BPSD. Ten studies have been included in this review. Eight out of ten studies show a relationship between premorbid personality and BPSD. Neuroticism is associated with behavioural disturbances and anxiety. Extraversion is associated with wandering. Low agreeableness is associated with affective disturbance and aggression-related behaviours and high agreeableness is associated with wandering. The studies found no congruent results for openness and conscientiousness. In conclusion, premorbid personality may increase the risk of developing BPSD during the course of the disease. Even so, the relationship between personality and BPSD is complex due to multifactorial aetiology., (Copyright © 2018 SEGG. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Several authors question the performance of systematic renal ultrasound after first urinary tract infection (UTI) in young children, given the high sensitivity of prenatal ultrasounds to detect major malformations and the low prevalence of clinical relevant findings. The aims of this study are to evaluate the yield of renal ultrasound performed after the first UTI in patients aged less than 2 years and to analyse potential risk factors (RF) of altered renal ultrasound., Patients and Methods: Retrospective study, including patients aged less than 2 years diagnosed with UTI in the Emergency Department between July 2013 and December 2014. Patients with an underlying nephro-urological pathology, previous UTIs and those without prenatal or post-infection renal ultrasound were excluded. Altered renal ultrasound was defined as the presence of dilated urinary tract or structural abnormalities. Potential RF analysed were: male, age less than 3 months, presence of fever and microorganism other than Escherichia coli. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed., Results: A total of 306 patients were included. Altered renal ultrasound was found in 35 cases (11.4%; 95% CI 8.3-15.5): 24 (68.6%) urinary tract dilation, and 11 (31%) structural abnormalities. Among the cases with altered ultrasound, 68.6% were male, 51.4% were younger than 3 months, 74.3% were febrile, and 31.4% were caused by microorganisms other than E. coli, compared to 45% (P=.009), 31.7% (P=.021), 78.2% (P=.597) and 10% (P=.001) of cases with normal ultrasound. In the multivariate analysis, age less than 3 months (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.0-4.3, P=.05) and microorganism other than E. coli (OR 3.8; 95% CI 1.7-8.7, P=.002) remained as RF., Conclusions: The yield of renal ultrasound after the first UTI is low. Its indication should be individualised according to the presence of RF: age less than 3 months and microorganism other than E. coli., (Copyright © 2018 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of binge drinking by regions in Spain and assess the effect of individual and contextual factors related to this drinking pattern in adolescents. A cross-sectional study was performed with data from the 2014 Spanish School Survey on Drug Use (ESTUDES) in students aged 14-18 years (N = 34,259). The outcome was binge drinking in adolescents during the last 30 days. Individual independent variables were socioeconomic variables and variables related to access to alcohol and its availability. Contextual variables consisted of adult alcohol consumption, public policies on alcohol, and socioeconomic factors. Multilevel Poisson regression models with robust variance were estimated, obtaining prevalence ratios (PR) and their 95% confidence intervals.  The results showed that the prevalence of youth binge drinking by region of residence was similar for both sexes (r = 0.72). At the individual level, binge drinking was mainly associated with the perception of easy access to alcohol (PR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.23-1.55), consumption in open areas [(PR: 3.82; 95% CI: 3.44-4.24) < once a month and (PR: 6.57; 95% CI: 5.85-7.37) ≥ once a month], at least one parent allowing alcohol consumption (PR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.37-1.47), and receiving >30 euros weekly (PR :1.51; 95% CI: 1.37-1.67). Contextual variables were not associated with youth binge drinking when individual variables were considered. In conclusion, youth binge drinking was associated with individual variables related to high alcohol accessibility and availability, regardless of contextual variables. These variables explained the variability in binge drinking among Spanish regions.

Introduction: This paper describes the presence of alcohol in the public space, assessing establishments that offer it, its advertising, and signs of consumption, as factors that may influence its consumption., Method: Descriptive observational study based on cluster sampling with two-step selection. Results are described, and the spatial association between variables is assessed., Results: In the 20 census tracts studied, 306 premises were identified that offered alcoholic beverages: 204 were on-premises and 102 were off-premises, mainly supermarkets and food retail stores. Their spatial distribution was uneven, concentrated in two central districts. We identified 72 publicity items, mostly sponsorship of musical events. There were many promotional items linked to on- premises, especially in their terraces. Five people were detected promoting consumption or selling alcohol in the Old Town. In each time slot, between 39 and 51 signs of consumption on the public space were observed (mostly abandoned beer cans), more frequent at night and in the Old Town. There is an association between the presence of establishments that offer alcohol and advertising. There is no relationship between these variables and signs of consumption in the public space; these are concentrated in the Old Town, which has greater presence of tourism., Conclusions: The urban environment is characterized by elements that stimulate alcohol use and its distribution is uneven, with a strong influence of tourism-related activities. Further regulation of alcohol promotion, availability and consumption in the public space may change its social image and decrease its use.

Introduction: The Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for People with Learning Disabilities (HoNOS-LD) is a brief instrument that assesses functioning in people with intellectual development disorder and mental health problems/behaviour disorders. The aim of the present study was to examine the evidence on the validity of the scores based on the Spanish version of the HoNOS-LD., Material and Methods: The study included 111 participants that were assessed by the Spanish version of the HoNOS-LD and other questionnaires that measured different variables related to the scale. Thirty-three participants were assessed by 2 examiners, and retested 7 days later, in order to study inter-examiner reliability and test-retest reliabilities., Results: Based on clinical and conceptual criteria, and on the results of the parallel analysis, a factorial solution with one factor was selected. Internal consistency was good (Omega coefficient of 0.87). Inter-examiner and test-retest reliabilities were excellent (intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.95 and 0.98, respectively). Correlations between sections of the HoNOS-LD and the related instruments showed the expected direction, and were highly significant (P<.001), and the HoNOS-LD score increased with the intensity of the support required by the participants. These results showed evidence of the validity of association with other external variables., Conclusions: The Spanish version of the HoNOS-LD is a brief, valid and reliable instrument, which will enable a routine assessment of functioning for different uses, including diagnosis and intervention., (Copyright © 2016 SEP y SEPB. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Objectives: There is little evidence on the optimal strategy for bifurcation lesions in the context of a coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO). This study compared the procedural and mid-term outcomes of patients with bifurcation lesions in CTO treated with provisional stenting vs 2-stent techniques in a multicenter registry., Methods: Between January 2012 and June 2016, 922 CTO were recanalized at the 4 participating centers. Of these, 238 (25.8%) with a bifurcation lesion (side branch ≥ 2mm located proximally, distally, or within the occluded segment) were treated by a simple approach (n=201) or complex strategy (n=37). Propensity score matching was performed to account for selection bias between the 2 groups. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) consisted of a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and clinically-driven target lesion revascularization., Results: Angiographic and procedural success were similar in the simple and complex groups (94.5% vs 97.3%; P=.48 and 85.6% vs 81.1%; P=.49). However, contrast volume, radiation dose, and fluoroscopy time were lower with the simple approach. At follow-up (25 months), the MACE rate was 8% in the simple and 10.8% in the complex group (P=.58). There was a trend toward a lower MACE-free survival in the complex group (80.1% vs 69.8%; P=.08). After propensity analysis, there were no differences between the groups regarding immediate and follow-up results., Conclusions: Bifurcation lesions in CTO can be approached similarly to regular bifurcation lesions, for which provisional stenting is considered the technique of choice. After propensity score matching, there were no differences in procedural or mid-term clinical outcomes between the simple and complex strategies., (Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the impact of a socio-educational intervention to improve the quality of life of patients with fibromyalgia., Method: Out of 132 eligible candidates, 128 patients participated with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia (ACR 1990/2010), over 18 years of age, who did not have cognitive problems or mental disorders in acute phase and lived in the catchment area of the participating CAPs. The patients underwent intervention for 5 weeks to strengthen self-management of pain and improve quality of life. Socio-demographic variables, satisfaction and quality of life (SF-36) were studied. Pre-post measurements were made on the 128 participants and follow-up at 2 months on 120 (8 did not agree to be contacted)., Results: Comparing the pre-post-intervention scores (non-parametric Wilcoxon test), it was found that 71.09% reported a higher perception of quality of life in the Mental health domain and lower percentage of improvement (28.91%) in the Physical role domain. When comparing pre-post-follow-up scores (Friedman's test), mean perception improved in all domains and remained at 2-month follow-up (P<.001). Finally, the average satisfaction with the intervention received was 90.55% (SD 9.86; min. 41, max. 100)., Conclusions: When assessing the impact of the intervention, there was an improvement in the post and follow-up scores. This finding is largely due to the fact that the intervention strengthens the patient's self-mastery of their abilities to control pain and improve their perception of quality of life., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Cirrhotic patients often develop severe complications requiring ICU admission. Grade III-IV hepatic encephalopathy, septic shock, acute-on-chronic liver failure and variceal bleeding are clinical decompensations that need a specific therapeutic approach in cirrhosis. The increased effectiveness of the treatments currently used in this setting and the spread of liver transplantation programs have substantially improved the prognosis of critically ill cirrhotic patients, which has facilitated their admission to critical care units. However, gastroenterologists and intensivists have limited knowledge of the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of these complications and of the prognostic evaluation of critically ill cirrhotic patients. Cirrhotic patients present alterations in systemic and splanchnic hemodynamics, coagulation and immune dysfunction what further increase the complexity of the treatment, the risk of developing new complications and mortality in comparison with the general population. These differential characteristics have important diagnostic and therapeutic implications that must be known by general intensivists. In this context, the Catalan Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology requested a group of experts to draft a position paper on the assessment and treatment of critically ill cirrhotic patients. This article describes the recommendations agreed upon at the consensus meetings and their main conclusions., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y AEEH y AEG. All rights reserved.)

In recent years, rapid technological advances have allowed the development of new electrophysiological procedures that would not have been possible without the parallel development of imaging techniques used to plan and guide these procedures and monitor their outcomes. Ablation of atrial fibrillation is among the interventions with the greatest need for imaging support. Echocardiography allows the appropriate selection of patients and the detection of thrombi that would contraindicate the intervention; cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography are also essential in planning this procedure, by allowing a detailed anatomical study of the pulmonary veins. In addition, in cardiac resynchronization therapy, echocardiography plays a central role in both patient selection and, later, in device adjustment and in assessing the effectiveness of the technique. More recently, ablation of ventricular tachycardias has been established as a treatment option; this would not be possible without planning using an imaging study such as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging of myocardial scarring., (Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Many studies suggest that in 10-25% of cases of Alzheimer's, the most common dementia in our society, can be prevented with the elimination of some risk factors. Barnes and Yaffe found that one-third of Alzheimer's cases are attributable to depression, but in the scientific literature it is not clear if it has a real causal effect on the development of dementia. The purpose of this study is to analyse the scientific evidence on the hypothesis that depression increases the risk of developing dementia. A systematic review and a meta-analysis were performed on the scientific literature published up until the present day, searching articles that were published between 1990 and 2014. Ten of the studies found met the selection criteria -similar to a) size and characteristics of the sample (origin, age…), b) process of gathering data c) method of studying the relationship (within and/or between group comparison), and d) statistical analysis of the results- and the previously established quality. The value of odds ratio varied from 1.72 to 3.59, and the hazard ratio from 1,72 to 5.44. This indicates that the subjects with a history of depression have a higher risk of developing dementia than others who did not suffer depression., (Copyright © 2015 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Background: Infants less than 3 months of age with urinary tract infection are usually hospitalized. Recent studies show that a less aggressive management for those patients aged ≥ 29 days may be feasible., Objectives: To determine the complication rate in infants<3 months of age with urinary tract infection, and to identify the causative agents and their antibiotic susceptibility., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on infants<3 months of age with positive urinalysis results, together with a positive urine culture from a catheterized specimen and seen in the Emergency Department from 2007 to 2012. Demographics, clinical and microbiology (microorganism isolated and antibiotic susceptibility) data were collected. The complications rate (bacteremia, bacterial meningitis, renal abscess, surgical intervention, Intensive Care Unit admission, or death) were calculated for the overall sample and for different age groups (<29, 29-60, and 61-90 days)., Results: A total of 460 patients are included; 137 (29.8%)<29, 166 (36.1%) 29-60, and 157 (34.1%) 61-90 days of age. Twenty four (5.4%; 95% CI: 3.6-7.8) had bacteremia; 15 (10.9%; 95% CI: 6.7-17.3) were<29 days; 8 (4.9%; 95% CI: 2.5-9.4) were 29-60 days, and one (0.7%; 95% CI: 0.1-3.7) was 61-90 days of age (P<.001). One neonate (0.8%; 95% CI: 0.1-4.1) had bacterial meningitis, and 2, renal abscess. Escherichia coli was the common pathogen identified (87.2%) in the urine culture, with a susceptibility to amoxicillin-clavulanate, gentamicin, and cefixime of 89.2, 97.0, and 96.0%, respectively., Conclusion: Complications are low in infants<3 months of age with UTI, especially in those ≥ 29 days of age. The identification of patients at very low risk for complications would allow a less aggressive management. Escherichia coli antibiotic susceptibility remains stable, but continuing careful surveillance is essential to optimize empirical antibiotic treatment., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease commonly affects the adult population with Down's syndrome. This population presents two characteristic clinical features: a semiologic pattern that differs from the typical Alzheimer's disease, and previous intellectual deficits that may confound the clinical diagnosis. There is a clear need to validate specific instruments adapted to Spanish population., Aim: To adapt and to validate CAMDEX-DS (Cambridge Examination for Mental Disorders of Older People with Down's Syndrome and Others with Intellectual Disabilities) in Spanish population., Patients and Methods: 146 patients with intellectual disability (mild to moderate) were recruited and assessed with CAMDEX-DS, K-BIT I and DMR tests. Test-retest reliability, inter-rater concordance and validity statistic were performed between CAMDEX-DS and clinical diagnosis. This is an observational, multicenter, cross-sectional and validation study., Results: Test-retest and inter-rater reliability achieved kappa coefficient values of 0.92 and 0.91, respectively. Agreement (kappa index) for CAMDEX-DS on clinical diagnosis compared to other clinical criteria was high: CAMDEX-DS vs DSM-IV (kappa = 0.95; p < 0,001); CAMDEX-DS vs ICD-10 (kappa = 0.97; p < 0.001). All item-test correlations ranged between 0,31 and 0,69. Internal reliability-calculated using Chronbach's alpha scored 0.93., Conclusions: The Spanish version of CAMDEX-DS is a valid instrument with high applicability for people with intellectual disability. It shows good psychometric properties. The Cambridge Cognitive Examination for Older Adults with Down's Syndrome (CAMCOG-DS) can set two key points by the level of intellectual disability on the suspicion of cognitive impairment in people with Down's syndrome.

Introduction: Chorea due to a mutation in the TITF1 gene, which is also known as benign hereditary chorea, is an autosomal dominant disorder that usually begins before the age of 5 years. In most cases, the chorea tends to improve as the child gets older. It may be associated to hypothyroidism and respiratory problems, such as neonatal alveolar respiratory distress syndrome or interstitial disease, since TITF1 is a transcription factor that is essential for the development of the brain, thyroid gland and lung., Case Reports: We report on the clinical phenotype of a family with chorea, in which two sisters presented congenital hypothyroidism and one of them also had alveolar respiratory distress syndrome. A mutation was detected in TITF1 (c.825delC) in both of them and clinical improvement was observed in the response to treatment with low doses of levodopa-carbidopa., Conclusions: Chorea due to mutation of TITF1 is an underdiagnosed cause of chorea in children. Since it is possible to conduct a genetic diagnosis, we believe that performing it is always indicated in dominant familial cases, bearing in mind the variable penetrance, as well as in patients who present concomitant involvement of the lungs or hypothyroidism. Occasionally, it may be recommendable in cases of chorea with an unknown causation, which will enable us to avoid other tests, give a non-degenerative prognosis, offer genetic counselling and carry out more guided and effective therapeutic trials. For the time being, levodopa seems to be the preferred symptomatic treatment.

Introduction: The study of polymicrogyria with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has made possible the report of several series of patients in which the main clinical manifestations differ considerably. The aims of the study were to review the literature and to know the clinical variability of the patients attended in a neuropediatric service., Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted between 1989-2011 for the patients attended in our neuro-pediatric service and diagnosed of polymicrogyria by MRI., Results: On the totality of 44 patients having polymicrogyria, 9 did not satisfy de inclusion criteria (Barkovich's radiological criteria). The polymicrogyria was bilateral in 22/35 patients (1 frontal, 22 perisylvian) and unilateral in 13/35 (2 frontal, the rest perisylvian). All patients with bilateral polymicrogyria had intellectual disability, 71% had global development delay, 75% had oromotor disorder and 40% had epilepsy. Patients with unilateral polymicrogyria had the following symptoms: 65% intellectual disability, 55% global development delay, 55% oromotor disorder, 55% epilepsy and 2 patients where free of symptoms (the oldest 2 year old). The initial symptoms were depending upon the age: the oromotor disorder was the most common in the newborn period, global development delay if the symptoms started before 2 years old and after 2 years epilepsy was the initial most common symptom., Conclusion: In our study the most common symptom was intellectual disability (independently of the type of poly-microgyria), followed by oromotor disorder and, with fewer proportion, epilepsy (in contrast with other series).

Objective: Adapt the Primary Care Assessment Survey (PCAS) questionnaire to the Spanish language and determine its validity and reliability in identifying strengths and weaknesses in primary health care (PHC)., Methods: Study of the adaptation and validation of a questionnaire-survey. The suitable sample selected was 244 users of PHC services. The users were over 18 years of age and had had at least two institutional visits prior to being included in the study. The variables used were access, continuity, comprehensiveness, integration, clinical interaction, interpersonal treatment, and trust. Participation was confirmed through analysis of the distribution of responses; participation and patterns of nonresponse; the construct, through exploratory factorial analysis, using principal component analysis and the varimax rotation; the criterion, through the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient; and reliability using Cronbach's alfa and the intraclass correlation coefficient., Results: The exploratory factorial analysis obtained 11 factors that explain 68.38% of the original variability. The criterion validity showed a sufficient correlation between the summary measure of the scale and the ad hoc variables Q33b (value of r x1x2 = 0.569; P = 0.01) and Q32 (value of r x1x2 = 0.600; P = 0.01). The scale obtained a coefficient of Cronbach's alfa of 0.94. The test-retest reliability (F [1 140] = 0.155 [P = 0.694]) demonstrated that the scale is stable over time., Conclusions: The psychometric properties of the adapted version of the PCAS questionnaire make it possible to state that it is a valid and reliable scale to evaluate primary care from a standpoint of ongoing care based on the physician-patient relationship.

Objectives: This study describes the outcomes of an intervention program in Nursing Homes and their effects on emergency room attendance, hospital admissions, and pharmaceutical expenditure., Material and Methods: This involved non-randomised community intervention in Nursing Homes with a control group. The program was implemented gradually from 2007 to 2009 in 10 Nursing Homes (857 beds) which participated voluntarily. The control group consisted of 14 Nursing homes (1,200 beds), which refused to participate or were not assigned to our Primary Care centres. Intervention consisted of comprehensive geriatric assessment and follow-up visits by trained personnel, review and adjustment of drug treatment, case management and staff training., Results: In the Nursing Homes where the program was carried out, emergency room attendance decreased from 1165‰ (95%CI 1100-1240]) in 2006 to 674‰ (95%CI 620-730) in 2009, while in the control group it increased from 1071 (95%CI 1020-1130) to 1246‰ (95%CI 1190-1310). The hospital admissions also decreased from 48.4% (95%CI 45-52) in 2006 to 32.1% (95%CI 29-35) in 2009, while in the control group increased from 43.5% (95%CI 41-46) to 55.8% (95%CI 53-59). There was also a 9% reduction in pharmacy cost compared with an increase of 11.9% in the control group., Conclusions: The intervention has proved effective at reducing hospital admissions and emergency room attendance in institutionalised patients, thereby streamlining pharmacy costs., (Copyright © 2010 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Measles is an acute, highly contagious illness that affects humans, the only natural host. Although effective attenuated virus vaccines exist for this disease, outbreaks continue to occur in susceptible subgroups. From August 2006 to July 2007, an outbreak of measles occurred in the Barcelona (Spain) area, resulting from an imported case. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of children with microbiologically confirmed measles diagnosed at our hospital., Methods: Retrospective, descriptive study. The clinical histories and emergency records of children diagnosed with measles and evaluated at our hospital during the outbreak were analyzed., Results: Of the 130 children with suspected measles evaluated, 99 cases were confirmed by laboratory tests. Median age at diagnosis was 12.4 months (25th-75th percentile: 9.6-14.4 months; 74.6% 6-15 months of age) and 51.4% were boys. Among the total, 23.6% of patients had been vaccinated against measles and 55.3% reported previous contact with a confirmed measles case. The most frequent symptoms/signs were fever (100%; mean evolution 4.3 days (standard deviation [SD]: 2.2 days), rash (82.7%), Koplik's spots (60.2%), and red eyes (59.2%). Complementary tests were performed in 35.7% of children. Most common complications were acute otitis media (20.4%) and pneumonia (15.3%). Among the total, 23.5% of patients were hospitalized for a mean duration of 6.6 days (SD: 3.6 days)., Conclusion: Geographical mobility facilitates the reappearance of diseases having a low incidence. Infants 6-15 months of age were the patient group most highly affected by the measles outbreak. Most cases were diagnosed with typical signs and symptoms of the infection, but as the outbreak advanced, patients were diagnosed based on less specific symptoms because of the epidemiological context., (Copyright (c) 2008 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Asymptomatic unilateral tonsillar enlargement is usually treated with systematic tonsillectomy under suspicion of malignancy. Due to the fact that most of the cases are benign pathologies, we set out to study the clinical signs that would help us in the diagnosis in order to avoid unnecessary tonsillectomies., Material and Methods: We reviewed 267 tonsillectomies performed from 1996 to 2006 and 30 of these were indicated because of asymmetry. We evaluated risk factors for malignancy: cervical lymphatic node enlargement, sex, age, tonsillar enlargement noticed by the patient, suspicious appearance, systemic symptoms, history of malignancy and immunocompromise., Results: Histopathologic study revealed 80 % to be benign and 20 % malignant. The risk factors with the strongest association were enlargement of cervical lymphatic nodes and suspicious appearance of the tonsil., Conclusions: Strict control of a unilateral tonsillar enlargement is possible, but it is mandatory to perform a tonsillectomy when the appearance of the tonsil raises suspicions or there are enlarged lymphatic nodes.

Introduction and Objectives: Pharyngocutaneous fistula is the most frequent complication after total laryngectomy. Risk factors involved in its appearance have been studied by many authors without conclusive results. Our main objective is to identify the risk factors involved in the onset of fistulae at our institution., Methods: A retrospective case-control study was designed. Thirty-three patients subjected to total laryngectomy with the same protocol were included in both groups. Patients who required a complex surgical reconstruction were excluded in order to avoid biases., Results: The only risk factor with statistical significance (P=.04) for the onset of fistulae in our setting is the extension of the surgery to the pharynx (OR=2.83). The association of prior radiotherapy and concurrent neck dissection displayed a notable trend (OR=0.32) but without significance (P=.099). Patient age, prior radiotherapy, concurrent neck dissection, prior tracheotomy and post-operative haemoglobin level did not predispose to this complication in our study. Non-surgical closure of the pharyngocutaneous fistula was achieved in most cases (72.7 %) but patients who had pre-operative radiotherapy required surgical closure more frequently (P< .01) than those not irradiated., Conclusions: At our centre the main risk factor associated with post-laryngectomy fistulae is the extension of surgery to the pharynx. In previously-irradiated patients, fistulae have a lower incidence of non-surgical closure and require more aggressive surgery to resolve them.

Background: There are few data available in our community regarding the prevalence of hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) virus infection in the general population., Material and Method: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and serologic characteristics of HBV and HCV in Catalonia. For this purpose, HBsAg and anti-HCV were assessed in serum aliquots obtained from a sample of 2194 individuals, who were chosen at random out from different Catalonian counties. In those cases in which any of the markers were positive, the following analyses were performed afterwards: serum transaminases, HBV-DNA detection by PCR (in HBsAg positives) and HCV-RNA detection by PCR and genotypes (in antiHCV positives). All subjects yielding positive results were interviewed in order to determine possible risk factors., Results: HBV prevalence was 1.69% (95% CI, 1.62-1.76) and that of HCV was 2.64% (95% CI, 2.53-2.75). HCV prevalence increased with age (1.7% in younger than 50 years and 3.6% in older than 50 years, p < 0.01), but not that of HBV. Only a small proportion (12.1%) of HBV carriers had detectable HBV-DNA levels. On the contrary, quite an important proportion of HCV carriers (68.6%) had detectable HCV-RNA levels. Predominant HCV genotype was 1 (79.3%). Transaminases levels were within normal limits in many HBV and HCV carriers (70.9 and 60%, respectively)., Conclusions: Prevalence of HBV and HCV in Catalonia was 1.69% and 2.64%, respectively. Most HCV carriers had positive serum HCV-RNA, whereas serum HBV-DNA was negative in most HBV carriers

Consumption of tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs is a major public health problem in developed countries. The aim of the study is to describe the impact and associated characteristics of preventive programs addressed at those problems in the school setting. Meta-analysis focusing on evaluations of programs focusing on smoking, alcohol and/or cannabis at the school setting are reviewed. The search was done at Cochrane Library and Medline databases of articles published between 1993 and 1999, and including as keywords programs, education, drugs prevention, prevention, smoking, alcohol, school, adolescence, teenagers, young people, evaluation, health education, effectiveness, review, meta-analysis. We found 5 meta-analysis of programs summarizing the effect of preventive programs, most of them dealing with legal and illegal drugs. However, most of the interventions reporting changes in behavior measured only smoking. More effective interventions addressed social influences, used active methodology and were implemented by teachers or peers. The importance of booster sessions, the quality of implementation and thorough evaluation is stressed. Overall, meta-analysis of evaluated programs shows a small effect, although the population impact may be relevant. Some limitations point to new areas of interest for future research.