Contextual barriers to infection prevention and control program implementation in hospitals in Latin America: a mixed methods evaluation.

Background: Infection prevention and control (IPC) programs are essential to prevent and control the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms in healthcare facilities (HCFs). The current implementation of these programs in Latin America remains largely unknown.

Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods evaluation of IPC program implementation in HCFs from Guatemala, Panama, Ecuador, and Argentina, March-July 2022.

Efficacy of Hypothermic Compression Bandages in Cardiac Device Surgical Wounds: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Pocket hematoma is the most prevalent complication with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), especially in patients who are undergoing oral anticoagulation and/or antiplatelet therapy.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of hypothermic compression bandaging versus conventional compression bandaging for the prevention of surgical wound hematoma of CIEDs in patients who are undergoing chronic anticoagulant drug use and/or antiplatelet therapy.

Methods: This was a single-center randomized prospective study.

An analysis of the association between breast density and body mass index with breast cancer molecular subtypes in early breast cancer: data from a Spanish population.

Purpose: Breast cancer is an important health problem, like obesity and dyslipidemia, with a strong association between body mass index (BMI) and breast cancer incidence and mortality. The risk of breast cancer is also high in women with high mammographic breast density (MBD). The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between BMI and MBD according to breast cancer molecular subtypes.

Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of Latin American healthcare workers relating to antibiotic stewardship and antibiotic use: a cross-sectional multi-country study.

Background: The burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Latin America is high. Little is known about healthcare workers' (HCWs) knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of antimicrobial stewardship (AS), AMR, and antibiotic use (AU) in the region.

Methods: HCWs from 42 hospitals from 5 Latin American countries were invited to take an electronic, voluntary, anonymous survey regarding knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of AS, AMR, and AU between March-April 2023.

Core curriculum in cariology for dentistry degrees in the Republic of Argentina.

Aim: To prepare a consensus document of the cariology contents and competences included in the curriculum for the dentistry degree at Argentine dental faculties/schools.

Materials And Method: Planning the process in stages: Stage 1- Diagnosis of the situation (Google Form) and invitation to participate extended to the 20 academic units (AU) that offer dentistry degrees. Stage 2- Assessment process of Content (C) and Competences (I) agreements in the five domains: D1 Basic Sciences, D2 Risk and diagnosis of dental caries, D3 Decision-making for non-invasive treatments, D4 Decision-making for invasive treatment, and D5 Evidence-based cariology at community level.

Incidence of cardiac anomalies in congenital vertebral deformity: systematic review and meta-analysis of 2910 patients.

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the overall incidence of cardiac abnormalities in patients with congenital scoliosis and the possible influencing factors.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant studies. The quality of the studies was assessed independently by two authors using the methodological index for nonrandomized studies (MINORS) criteria.

Efficacy of perioperative gabapentin use in patients with idiopathic scoliosis undergoing fusion surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess whether the perioperative use of gabapentin was associated with decreased opioid use.

Methods: A meta-analysis was performed using PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. The randomized clinical trials included were focused on patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who underwent posterior fusion surgery and were treated with gabapentin versus placebo medicine.

Impact of severe lymphopenia on the early prediction of clinical outcome in hospitalized patients with pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of an optimal and reproducible cutoff value set according to a predefined lymphopenia scale as an early predictor of in-hospital mortality and other outcomes in patients hospitalized with pneumococcal pneumonia and positive urinary antigen at admission to the emergency department.

Methods: An observational cohort study was conducted based on analysis of a prospective registry of consecutive immunocompetent adults hospitalized for pneumococcal pneumonia in two tertiary hospitals. Generalized additive models were constructed to assess the smooth relationship between in-hospital mortality and lymphopenia.

Meta-analysis on the efficacy and safety of anterior vertebral body tethering in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Purpose: In this meta-analysis, we analyzed the efficacy and safety of anterior vertebral body tethering in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Methods: We performed a literature search and analyzed the following data: baseline characteristics, efficacy measures (corrections of the main thoracic curve, proximal thoracic curve, and thoracolumbar curve, thoracic kyphosis, lumbosacral lordosis, rib hump, lumbar prominence and SRS-22 scores, and complications. Analyses were performed with Cochrane's Review Manager version 5.

Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of open globe injuries in a North Spain population: a 10-year review.

Objectives: To describe the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of open globe injuries (OGIs) treated in a tertiary hospital and analyse predictors of visual outcome.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included all patients with OGIs admitted to Cruces University Hospital between 2010 and 2020. The descriptive analysis included demographic data, type of injury classified as "rupture", "penetration", "perforation", or "intraocular foreign body", trauma mechanism and setting, injury zone, Ocular Trauma Score, delay to surgery, length of hospital stay, antibiotic prophylaxis, initial and final best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), complications and further surgery.

Meta-analysis of the efficacy of ketamine in postoperative pain control in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients undergoing spinal fusion.

Purpose: In this meta-analysis, we aim to compare ketamine use versus a control group (saline solution) during induction of anesthesia in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients undergoing fusion surgery in terms of postoperative opioid consumption, pain control, and side effects.

Methods: A PubMed search of studies published over the last 20 years using the descriptor/terms "ketamine AND scoliosis" was performed. Baseline characteristics of each article were obtained and efficacy measures analyzed (morphine equivalent treatment at 24, 48, and 72 h postoperatively, complications (vomiting/nausea and pruritus), length of hospital stay (days); and pain score (VAS)) (Review Manager 5.

Guselkumab effectiveness and survival in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: Multicenter analysis in daily clinical practice by the Spanish Psoriasis Group.

Guselkumab is a monoclonal antibody that selectively blocks the p19 subunit of interleukin 23 and has been approved for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis in adult patients due to its efficacy in different clinical trials. Therefore, itis important to know the performance of guselkumab in this setting of patients in clinical practice given that a high percentage of them are not represented in these clinical trials. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of guselkumab in clinical practice in the first patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis treated since the date of its approval for psoriasis in Spain, in joint dermatology-rheumatology clinics.

Estimating the risk of bacteraemia in hospitalised patients with pneumococcal pneumonia.

Objective: To construct a prediction model for bacteraemia in patients with pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia (P-CAP) based on variables easily obtained at hospital admission.

Methods: This prospective observational multicentre derivation-validation study was conducted in patients hospitalised with P-CAP between 2000 and 2020. All cases were diagnosed based on positive urinary antigen tests in the emergency department and had blood cultures taken on admission.

Aspiration of excess follicles before intrauterine insemination in high response cycles.

Purpose: To assess the outcome of excess follicle aspiration before intrauterine insemination (EFABI) in intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles with 4-6 follicles ≥14 mm.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study with 1559 patients undergoing IUI (donor and husband's sperm), of whom 86 underwent EFABI. We studied also an historical series of 2213 patients before EFABI implementation.

Next-Generation Sequencing Gene Panels and "Solo" Clinical Exome Sequencing Applied in Structurally Abnormal Fetuses.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the diagnostic yield of 2 different next-generation sequencing (NGS) approaches: gene panel and "solo" clinical exome sequencing (solo-CES), in fetuses with structural anomalies and normal chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA), in the absence of a known familial mutation.

Methodology: Gene panels encompassing from 2 to 140 genes, were applied mainly in persistent nuchal fold/fetal hydrops and in large hyperechogenic kidneys. Solo-CES, which entails sequencing the fetus alone and only interpreting the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man genes, was performed in multisystem or recurrent structural anomalies.

Obesity and Breast Cancer: A Paradoxical and Controversial Relationship Influenced by Menopausal Status.

Breast cancer is the most common tumor in women worldwide, and an increasing public health concern. Knowledge of both protective and negative risk factors is essential for a better understanding of this heterogenous disease. We undertook a review of the recent literature and evaluated the relationship between obesity mediators and breast cancer development depending on menopausal status.

Predictive Role of Leptin Receptor (Ob-R) Overexpression in Patients with Early Breast Cancer Receiving Neoadjuvant Systemic Treatment.

The primary aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the correlation between the immunohistochemical expression of Ob-R (leptin receptor) with pCR (pathological complete response) in early breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NST). A total of 100 women with breast cancer receiving NST (2017-2020) followed by surgical resection were retrospectively obtained. Demographic parameters and clinicopathological factors (e.

Efficacy of tailored recommendations to promote healthy lifestyles: a post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

Prevention is the key to stopping the ravages of cardiovascular diseases, the main cause of death worldwide. The objective was to analyze the efficacy of tailored recommendations to promote healthy lifestyles. Parallel-arm randomized controlled trial with 1 year follow-up.

Improving Informed Consent for Novel Vaccine Research in a Pediatric Hospital Setting Using a Blended Research-Design Approach.

It is necessary to conduct Clinical Trials in children, including for novel vaccines. Children cannot legally provide valid consent, but can assent to research participation. Informed consent and assent communications are frequently criticized for their lack of comprehensibility and often, researchers do not involve patients in informed consent design.

Effects of disease activity on lipoprotein levels in patients with early arthritis: can oxidized LDL cholesterol explain the lipid paradox theory?

Background: An increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) complications has been described in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It is the result of the combined effect of classic CV risk factors and others that are specific to the disease.

Methods: We assessed data from 448 early arthritis (EA) patients: 79% women, age (median [p25-p75]) at onset: 55 [44-67] years and disease duration at study entry 5 [3-8] months; and 72% fulfilled the 1987 RA criteria at 2 years of follow-up.

Sacrococcygeal teratoma with preterm delivery: a case report.

Background: Sacrococcygeal teratoma is one of the most frequently prenatally diagnosed neoplasias. Obstetric ultrasound has a role in the diagnosis and management of these tumors during pregnancy. In this report, we describe a multidisciplinary approach in a case of a patient with sacrococcygeal teratomas and preterm delivery, as well as postnatal outcomes.

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Trial to Determine the Effectiveness a Polyphenolic Extract ( and ) in the Reduction of Body Fat Mass in Healthy Subjects.

The location and quantity of body fat determine the health risks, limiting people with obesity. Recently, polyphenols have attracted the attention of the scientific community because of their potential use for the reduction of obesity. A proprietary formula comprised of a blend of and has been recognized for its high content of polyphenols, powerful antioxidant molecules that may prevent weight gain and could be helpful for the treatment of obesity, as proven previously by in vivo models.