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Objective: To analyse the prevalence and intensity of smoking among pregnant women and their partners, and factors associated with quitting smoking among pregnant women.Design: A prospective cohort study, starting in 2013.Setting: Andalusia, the south of Spain.Sample: A cohort of 486 healthy pregnant women followed-up on three occasions during pregnancy.Methods: Estimation of the proportions of women and partners who quit smoking at each trimester.Main Outcome Measures: To determine factors associated in a multivariable model, considering sociodemographic, obstetric, anthropometric, lifestyle variables, and the smoking habits of their partners.Results: A high proportion of women quit smoking during pregnancy (61.08%; 95% confidence interval, 95% CI 53.61-68.55%). The smoking rate amongst mothers decreased from 36.06% (n = 167) before pregnancy to 14.08% (n = 65), 12.39% (n = 54), and 11.92% (n = 51) during the three pregnancy trimesters (P < 0.001), and consumption decreased from 8.71 cigarettes/day in the first trimester to 5.51 cigarettes/day in the second trimester (P < 0.001) and 5.96 cigarettes/day in third trimester (P = 0.0002 first versus third trimester). There was only a minimal decrease in the frequency of smoking among the partners, however: 38.44% (n = 178) before pregnancy, and 36.07% (n = 167), 32.72% (n = 143), and 31.85% (n = 136) during the three trimesters of pregnancy. The consumption of cigarettes did not decrease among partners: 11.75, 11.67, and 12.09 cigarettes/day (P = 0.4299 first versus second trimester; P = 0.654 first versus third trimester). Women whose partner smoked were less likely to quit (adjusted odds ratio, aOR 0.26; 95% CI 0.12-0.55).Conclusions: About one in ten pregnant women smoked and one in four was a passive smoker. Strategies to reduce tobacco exposure in pregnancy should include a focus on partner smoking.Tweetable Abstract: Pregnant women quit smoking cigarettes in pregnancy. What about their partners? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This entomological survey examines the spatial and seasonal distribution patterns of flea species infesting dogs in Spain. Bioclimatic zones covering broad climate and vegetation ranges were surveyed according to size. In a cross-sectional spatial survey carried out from late May 2013 to mid- July 2015, 1084 dogs from 42 different locations were examined. A total of 3032 fleas were collected and identified as belonging to the following species: Ctenocephalides felis ( Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) (81.7%, 2476 fleas); Ctenocephalides canis (11.4%, 347 fleas); Pulex irritans ( Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) (6.9%, 208 fleas), and Echidnophaga gallinacea ( Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) (0.03%, one flea). Variables observed to have effects on flea abundance were animal weight, sex, length of hair and habitat. In the seasonal survey conducted from June 2014 to June 2015, 1014 fleas were collected from 239 dogs at 30 veterinary practices across Spain. Peaks in C. felis abundance were observed in early summer and late autumn, whereas high numbers of P. irritans and C. canis were recorded in autumn. Numbers of fleas detected in winter were low overall. Based on these findings, the present study updates the spatial and seasonal distributions of flea species in Spain and assesses the impacts of host and habitat variables on flea infestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Several questionnaires have been developed for the detection of neuropathic pain. Objectives This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of the Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs ( LANSS) pain scale and the Douleur Neuropathique en 4 questions ( DN4) questionnaire for the detection of peripheral neuropathic pain in the Spanish population, and to analyse in detail the diagnostic quality of each item in these questionnaires. Methods A total of 192 patients were enrolled. We compared the validity of the DN4 and LANSS questionnaires by studying sensitivity and specificity and using receiver operating characteristic ( ROC) curve analysis. We also analysed the validity of each item in the questionnaires. Results The sensitivity of the DN4 questionnaire with an accepted cut-off value of ≥4 was 95.04% and that of the LANSS questionnaire with an accepted cut-off value of ≥12 was 80.17%. The specificity of the DN4 instrument was 97.18% and that of the LANSS instrument was 100%. The estimated area under the ROC curve (95% confidence interval) was 0.989 (0.977-1) for the DN4 instrument and 0.973 (0.956-0.991) for the LANSS questionnaire. The area under the ROC curve was significantly larger for the DN4 than the LANSS questionnaire ( p < 0.05). Analyses of specific items showed that tingling and numbness in the DN4 tool, and light touch pain and altered pinprick threshold in the LANSS scale, were the most important features of neuropathic pain. Conclusions These results show that although both questionnaires are good screening tools, the DN4 questionnaire is particularly recommended for identifying patients with neuropathic pain in clinical practice and research studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims Epidemiological data about neuropathic pain are still scarce. A national survey, based on neurologic clinical diagnosis, was performed to determine its prevalence among patients attending pain clinics. Methods An epidemiological cross-sectional study involving pain clinics across all regions in Spain was carried out. Pain specialists evaluated the medical files and the clinical condition of patients attending their practices systematically during 1 day. They used the revised definition and grading system proposed in 2008 to decide whether a given patient had definite (i.e., confirmed), probable (potential) or possible (believed) neuropathic pain. Also, they provided a diagnostic label for neuropathic pain conditions and appraised treatment adequacy. Results In a single day, 178 pain specialists provided data from 2173 patients. Definite, probable and possible neuropathic pain was cited in 639 (29.4%), 304 (14.0%) and 97 (4.5%) patients, respectively. Almost two-thirds of these were women. A diagnostic label of primary pure central and/or peripheral neuropathic pain was cited in 344 (15.8%) patients. The most common diagnostic label (568 patients) was low back pain or sciatica causing mixed neuropathic pain. Definite neuropathic pain diagnosis was less likely in patients with mixed pain conditions and in women derived from primary care. Co-morbid depressive or anxiety symptoms were usual. Conclusions Definite (confirmed) neuropathic pain alone was as prevalent as neuropathic pain ascertained with screening questionnaires in prior recent European studies. The clinical relevance of the surplus of patients with potential and believed neuropathic pain ascertained by clinicians is uncertain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dogs are the main domestic reservoir of Leishmania infantum in the Old World (Leishmania chagasi in the New World) a parasite responsible for many cases of human visceral leishmaniasis in both endemic and non-endemic regions. One strategy for the control of leishmaniasis would be to prevent dogs from being bitten by sandflies, the vector of leishmaniasis. This study was designed to assess the efficacy of spraying a combination of permethrin and pyriproxyfen on to dogs artificially exposed to sandflies. Two groups of four male dogs, one of them treated and the other left untreated as controls, were exposed for one hour to 100 female sandflies seven days before the treatment, on the day of treatment and seven, 14, 21, and 28 days later. After each exposure, sandflies were collected, counted and scored. The prevention of sandfly bite was calculated by measuring the number of fed sandflies (dead and alive) after treatment. In this experimental assay, the repellent effect of the treatment against sandfly bites after 21 days was 71.4 per cent, but the insecticidal effect was only 7.2 per cent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]