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Fundamentos: Es conocida la asociación inversa que existe entre la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS) y el consumo de consultas. Sin embargo, el sexo es considerado habitualmente como variable de confusión, y son escasos los estudios que han analizado explícitamente las diferencias de sexo en esta cuestión. El objetivo fue conocer la influencia de la CVRS sobre el uso de consultas de Atención Primaria en las personas >65 años, en un análisis diferenciado por sexo. Métodos: La selección de participantes se realizó a lo largo de 2013, 191 mujeres y 155 varones de ≥65 años fueron estudiados mediante entrevista y análisis de historias clínicas. Se utilizó el Cuestionario EuroQol-5D y fueron analizadas variables demográficas, clínicas y de apoyo social. Se elaboraron 2 modelos de regresión múltiple, uno dirigido a las mujeres y otro a los varones. Resultados: La CVRS se correlacionó de forma negativa con el consumo de consultas (Rho-Spearman=-0,22; p=0,0001), con una OR cruda de 1,85 (IC95%: 1,2-2,9). La asociación se mantuvo significativa al ajustar tanto por variables demográficas [OR=1,99 (IC95%: 1,2-3,2)], como por variables clínicas [OR=1,79 (IC95%: 1,1-2,9)] o de apoyo social [OR=1,83 (IC95%: 1,1-2,9)]. En el análisis de regresión, los valores del coeficiente estandarizado (β) asociado a la CVRS fueron 0,22 (IC95%: -36,7- -6,9) en las mujeres, y 0,03 (-15,6-23,1) en los varones. Conclusiones: En las mujeres de ≥65 años la CVRS es la variable con mayor capacidad explicativa de consumo de consultas, tras ajustar por variables demográficas, clínicas y de apoyo social. Por el contrario, en los varones su influencia es prácticamente nula. Background: It is well known the inverse relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and the use of consultations. However, most studies deal sex as a confounding variable rather than to explicitly investigate sex differences. The study aims to know the influence of HRQoL of the elderly on the use of Primary Care consultations in a sex analysis. Methods: Throughout 2013, 191 women and 155 men aged 65 years or older were enrolled in the study and assessed with interviews and analysis of medical records. We used the EuroQol-5D to assess the HRQoL and several demographic, clinical and social support variables were also analyzed. Two multiple linear regression models were developed. Results: HRQoL showed a negative correlation with the use of consultations (Spearman's rho=-0,22; p=0,0001) and a crude OR value of 1,85 (95% CI:1,2-2,9). The association remained significant after adjusting for demographic [OR=1,99 (95% CI: 1,2-3,2)], clinical [OR=1,79 (95% CI: 1,1-2,9)] or social support covariates [OR=1,83 (95% CI: 1,1-2,9)]. In regression analysis, the values of standardized coefficient (β) related to HRQoL were 0,22 (95% CI:-36,7- -6,9) in females and 0,03 (95% CI:-15,6-23,1) in males. Conclusions: In women ≥65 years, HRQoL shows the greatest explanatory power of use of consultations, after adjusting for demographic, clinical and social support covariates. By contrast, its influence on men is negligible.

This paper describes the aerosol measurement setup and results obtained during the BEXUS18 (Balloon-borne Experiments for University Students) stratospheric balloon within the A5-Unibo (Advanced Atmospheric Aerosol Acquisition and Analysis) experiment performed on 10 October 2014 in northern Sweden (Kiruna). The experimental setup was designed and developed by the University of Bologna with the aim of collecting and analyzing vertical profiles of atmospheric ions and particles together with atmospheric parameters (temperature, relative humidity, and pressure) all along the stratospheric ascent of the BEXUS18 stratospheric balloon. Particle size distributions were measured with the MeteoModem Light Optical Aerosol Counter (LOAC) and air ion density was measured with a set of two commercial and portable ion counters. Though the experimental setup was based upon relatively low-cost and light-weight sensors, vertical profiles of all the parameters up to an altitude of about 27 km were successfully collected. The results obtained are useful for elucidating the relationships between aerosols and charged particles between ground level and the stratosphere, with great potential in collecting and adding useful information in this field, also in the stratosphere where such measurements are rare. In particular, the equipment detected coherent vertical profiles for particles and ions, with a particularly strong correlation between negative ions and fine particles, possibly resulting from proposed associations between cosmic rays and ions as previously suggested. In addition, the detection of charged aerosols in the stratosphere is in agreement with the results obtained by a previous flight and with simulations conducted with a stratospheric ion–aerosol model. However, further measurements under stratospheric balloon flights equipped with a similar setup are needed to reach general conclusions about such important issues.