Cost-of-illness analysis of chronic urticaria clinical management in five countries of Latin America.

Introduction: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a disease with a high impact on the quality of life of patients. There are some evaluations of the economic cost of the disease in developed countries, but there is little information about the economic cost of the disease in developing countries. Our aim was to assess the economic diagnostic and therapeutic expenses of CSU in five Latin American (LA) countries.

The potential of Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4 (GPT-4) to analyse medical notes in three different languages: a retrospective model-evaluation study.

Background: Patient notes contain substantial information but are difficult for computers to analyse due to their unstructured format. Large-language models (LLMs), such as Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4 (GPT-4), have changed our ability to process text, but we do not know how effectively they handle medical notes. We aimed to assess the ability of GPT-4 to answer predefined questions after reading medical notes in three different languages.

Rasch Analysis of the Dermatology Life Quality Index.

Background And Aims: Previous results of the Dermatology-Life-Quality-Index (DLQI) validation in Colombia based on the classical test theory (CTT) perspective have showed the need to delve into its measurement properties. Therefore, we aimed to assess the structural validity, internal consistency and item response analysis of the DLQI through the item response theory (IRT) or the Rasch model.

Material And Methods: We assessed the dimensionality of the DLQI, determined its difficulty, discrimination and differential functioning and went on to evaluate its internal consistency and discriminative validity among patients with inflammatory and non-inflammatory skin disease.

Molecular characteristics of atopic dermatitis patients with clinical remission.

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a frequent disease in infants with diverse clinical evolution. Although multiple studies have assessed inflammatory changes in chronic AD, little is known about the molecular transition from symptomatic stage to clinical remission without pharmacotherapy.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate clinical and inflammatory factors and its relationship with AD clinical evolution.

Five-year overall survival of early- and late-onset colorectal cancer in Medellín, Colombia: a comparative study.

Purpose: Early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) (EOCRC, < 50 years) has distinct clinicopathological features from late-onset CRC (LOCRC, ≥ 50 years). However, evidence on survival outcomes is contradictory. We aimed to analyse the differences in 5-year overall survival (OS) between EOCRC and LOCRC.

Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum and Subcutaneous Emphysema: A Rare Complication Associated With Cocaine Consumption.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) is a rare clinical entity typically associated with underlying pulmonary disease or trauma. However, it has also been linked to illicit drug use, with cocaine being one of the most common. We present the case of a previously healthy 23-year-old patient who arrived at the emergency department with retrosternal pain, odynophagia, dyspnea, and crepitus in the neck and chest after inhaling cocaine for three consecutive days.

Directional Atherectomy for Critical Lower Limb Ischemia: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Objective: Chronic arterial obstructive disease of the lower limbs is a significant global health issue. Directional atherectomy offers advantages in treating critical ischemia. The objective of this study is to determine the clinical outcomes of patients with critical ischemia who underwent directional atherectomy using the TurboHawkdevice.

Associations between nutritional status and abdominal adiposity with cognitive domains and depressive symptoms in older persons with multimorbidity: Understanding an understudied population.

Background: Malnutrition is a prevalent issue among older persons and has been linked to adverse outcomes. Limited information exists regarding its connection with cognition and depression in older persons burdened by chronic diseases, experiencing heightened nutritional and psychosocial vulnerability. In this study, we examined the association between nutritional status, cognitive performance, and depressive symptomatology, in a cohort of older persons with multimorbidity.

Characteristics, Treatment, and Prognosis of Heart Failure Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in the Colombian Heart Failure Registry (RECOLFACA).

The impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on heart failure (HF) has yet to be well assessed in the Latin American population. This study aimed to analyze the impact of COPD on HF patients from the Colombian Heart Failure Registry (RECOLFACA). The primary outcome was all-cause mortality.

Potentially inappropriate medication on communitydwelling older adults: Longitudinal analysis using the International Mobility in Aging Study.

Introduction: Medications are a fundamental part of the treatment of multiple pathologies. However, despite their benefits, some are considered potentially inappropriate medications for older people given their safety profile. Epidemiological data differences related to potentially inappropriate medications make it difficult to determine their effects on elderly people.

Diabetes mellitus in patients with heart failure and effect modification of risk factors for short-term mortality: An observational study from the Registro Colombiano de Falla Cardíaca (RECOLFACA).

Introduction: Heart failure and type 2 diabetes mellitus are critical public health issues.

Objective: To characterize the risk factors for mortality in patients with heart failure and type 2 diabetes mellitus from a large registry in Colombia and to evaluate the potential effect modifications by type 2 diabetes mellitus over other risk factors.

Materials And Methods: Heart failure patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus enrolled in the Registro Colombiano de Falla Cardíaca (RECOLFACA) were included.

Selection of allergen extract for immunotherapy in polysensitized allergic rhinitis patients.

To evaluate the criteria used by allergists in selecting an immunotherapy extract (allergen immunotherapy [AIT]-extract) in rhinitis patients with polysensitization. First, a cross-sectional study was carried out by evaluating different factors that influence the medical choice of AIT-extract. Second, a literature review was performed by evaluating the diagnostic performance of atopy tests.

Impact of Vancomycin trough levels monitoring on uncomplicated methilcillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia in chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis, retrospective cohort.

Background: CKD patients on hemodialysis (HD) with Staphylococcus aureus (SA) bacteremia present high morbidity, mortality and increased risk of MRSA. Vancomycin is the antibiotic of choice in these cases, it has a narrow therapeutic margin and inadequate dosage generates a risk of toxicity, therefore, the recommendation is to dosage it through serum levels.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study in 3 hospitals of third level of complexity in the city of Medellin in which there were differences in the measurement and implementation of vancomycin25 dosage based on trough levels (VL) in patients with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis (CKD- HD) with uncomplicated bacteremia based infection by methilcillin-resistant Staphyloccocus aureus (MRSA).

Validation of Math Model Using Porous Media for Determining Alveolar CO 2 in Ventilated Patients.

Objectives: To validate a mathematical model using porous media theory for alveolar CO2 determination in ventilated patients.

Design: Mathematical modeling study with prospective clinical validation to simulate CO2 exchange from bloodstream to airway entrance.

Setting: ICU.

Conformity: the hidden actor in surgical decisions.

Conformity in decision making has a relevant impact in surgical environments. This manuscript reveals how group-based opinions can distort the surgeon's individual judgment, even in critical situations. Two key phenomena are analysed: communication cascades and group polarisation, which amplify conformity and lead to extreme and sometimes harmful decisions.

Evaluation of Guideline Line-Care Approach to the Treatment of Chronic Inducible Urticaria.

Background: Chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU) management often follows chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) guidelines, but a step-by-step evaluation of their effectiveness in CIndU is lacking.

Objective: To assess the clinical impact of adapting CSU international guidelines for CIndU management.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study involving patients diagnosed with CIndU based on challenge tests and a Urticaria Control Test (UCT) score of ≤11 points.

Sarcopenia measured by tomography as a predictor of morbidity and mortality in thoracic surgery, a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Sarcopenia has been identified as a risk factor for perioperative adverse events. Several studies have shown that tomographic assessment of muscle mass can be an appropriate indicator of sarcopenia associated with morbidity and mortality. The aim of the study was to determine the association between height-adjusted area of ​​the pectoral and erector spinae muscles (haPMA and haESA) and perioperative morbidity and mortality in thoracic surgery.