Inhaled corticosteroids may have a protective effect against coronavirus infection.

Background: Spain has been severely affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, with 195,944 persons infected and 20,453 deaths at the time of writing. Older people with respiratory or cardiac conditions are most at risk.

Objective: The aim was to compare respiratory symptoms in nursing home residents and patients with uncontrolled asthma, who are considered vulnerable to COVID-19.

[How is an instrument for measuring health to be validated?].

It is increasingly necessary to have a measuring instrument available in the health field that can be used in clinical practice and research. In order to guarantee the quality of their measurements it is essential that the instruments should be subjected to a process of validation. This process consists in adapting the instrument culturally to the setting where its psychometric characteristics are to be administered and checked, such as: reliability, validity, sensitivity and feasibility.

The use of psychostimulants in cancer patients.

Purpose Of Review: This article reviews the most recent studies that examine the efficacy of psychostimulants for the relief of symptoms such as asthenia and depression in cancer patients.

Recent Findings: Although most research to date has focused on the use of methylphenidate for the relief of symptoms such as asthenia and depression in cancer patients, there is growing interest in the use of modafinil, a psychostimulant with a structure and mechanism that differs from other drugs belonging to this group. Initial studies mainly investigated the treatment of depressive symptoms in patients with advanced cancer; however, more recent studies have evaluated the use of psychostimulants in cancer-related fatigue identifying subgroups of patients and clinical settings in which psychostimulants are most efficient.

[Imported infectious diseases associated with international trips by adult immigrants to visit family and friends].

Objective: To describe the infectious diseases imported by immigrants visiting friends and relatives in their countries of origin.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional descriptive study of all imported infectious diseases among adult patients between 01/2001-12/2008. The study population was classified in 3 groups: a) immigrants visiting friends and relatives; b) tourists, and c) non-travelling immigrants.