Prevalence of and factors associated with homebound status among adults in urban and rural Spanish populations.

Background: There is a marked growth in the number of homebound older adults, due mainly to increased life expectancy. Although this group has special characteristics and needs, it has not been properly studied. This study thus aimed to measure the prevalence of homebound status in a community-dwelling population, and its association with both socio-demographic, medical and functional characteristics and the use of health care and social services.

Profilin as an aeroallergen by means of conjunctival allergen challenge with purified date palm profilin.

Background: The role of profilin as a food allergen is well established, but little research has been done about its ability to elicit respiratory disease. Profilin is considered more of a confounding allergen on skin testing with whole pollen extracts than other airborne allergens. Our aim was to find out whether or not profilin can cause symptoms in sensitized individuals, which would be compatible with its role as an airborne allergen.

Analysis of the factors determining survival of alcoholic withdrawal syndrome patients in a general hospital.

Aim: To investigate the clinical variables associated with the risk of dying and the causes of death during the course of alcoholic withdrawal syndrome (AWS) in a general hospital.

Methods: Cohort study of AWS patients admitted to Xeral Hospital in Lugo, Spain between 1987 and 2003. The characteristics of patients who died were contrasted with those who survived.

Risk factors for delirium tremens in patients with alcohol withdrawal syndrome in a hospital setting.

Background: The clinical expressions of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) may vary and the factors determining these variations are not well-known. It would be useful to have a set of clinical tools capable of predicting which patients are likely to develop the more severe forms of the syndrome.

Aim: To analyse the clinical variables associated with the development of delirium tremens (DTs) in patients who were admitted to a general hospital with AWS.

Biweekly administration of docetaxel and vinorelbine as second-line chemotherapy for patients with stage IIIB and IV non-small cell lung cancer: a phase II study of the Galician Lung Cancer Group (GGCP 013-02).

The current report aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of a biweekly administration of docetaxel and vinorelbine to patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, who had previously been treated for this disease. In a prospective, multicenter, open-label, phase II trial, patients received 40 mg/m of docetaxel and 20 mg/m of vinorelbine on days 1 and 15, every 28 days. Treatment continued for up to a maximum of six cycles, unless disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurred, or consent was withdrawn.

Presentation and prognosis of gastric cancer in patients aged 80 years and older.

The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics of the presentation and prognosis of patients aged >/= 80 who were diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma. We have used a retrospective cohort study of 2334 patients diagnosed between 1975 and 1993 in northwestern Spain, 263 (11.3%)of whom were >/= 80 years of age.