Infección por el virus de la hepatitis C y nuevas estrategias de tratamiento

Hepatitis C is a major public health problem worldwide. This disease is caused by the hepatitis C virus, which is characterised by its genetic diversity. The infection is usually asymptomatic. However, between 60% and 80% of HCV-infected individuals will progress to chronic hepatitis, 20% to liver cirrhosis in the medium-to long-term and, each year, between 1% and 4% of these patients with cirrhosis will develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A Spanish consensus document has recently been drafted to diagnose hepatitis C in a single step, consisting of active investigation (antibodies and viremia) in a single sample, which according to the experts, would reduce the time to access treatment and avoid tracking losses. To definitively change the hepatitis C treatment paradigm, direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs) have been approved, whose development has been based on achieving cure rates close to 100% regardless of the genotype of the virus, ie, pangenotypes, with good tolerance and bioavailability. These drugs have constituted a real therapeutic revolution. Supplement information: This article is part of a supplement entitled «SEIMC External Quality Control Programme. Year 2016», which is sponsored by Roche, Vircell Microbiologists, Abbott Molecular and Francisco Soria Melguizo, S.A.© 2019 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosasy Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.     

Intra-seasonal variation of injury patterns among German Bundesliga soccer players

ObjectiveHigh fluctuations in injury-risk during the playing season in soccer have been reported. As seasons are structured in periods with homogenous loads and intensities, we investigated injury-risk over season periods, contrarily to previous studies adopting a month-based approach.DesignCohort study; Level of evidence, 2.MethodsIncidence-rate ratios (IRRs) for match and training injuries were compared across six consecutive seasons of German Bundesliga, divided into six periods each: Pre-season (PS), winter-break (WB), quarter 1–4: (Q1–Q4).ResultsSignificant variations in injury-risk were observed for match and training injuries. IRRs in matches was 1.30 (95% CI: 1.11–1.53) times higher in Q3 and 1.53 (95% CI: 1.31–1.78) higher in Q4 compared to Q1. For training injuries, IRR peaked in Q1 and Q3 followed by a marked decrease in each subsequent quarter. Compared to Q4, IRR was 1.62 (95% CI: 1.40–1.86) times higher during Q3 and 1.78 (95% CI: 1.53–2.07) times higher in Q1. IRR was significantly higher in the competitive season compared to pre-season across match (IRR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.30–3.00) and training (IRR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.11–1.43) injuries.ConclusionsThe increased match IRRs later during the season indicate that, in practice, coaches should consider putting even more emphasis on recovery in the last part of the season. Moreover, training injuries seem to indicate a carry-over effect. Further studies need to investigate how training during preparatory phases can be implemented in a way that prevents injuries during the competitive season.     

Epidemiology of gout and hyperuricemia in New Caledonia

ObjectivesNew Caledonia is a Pacific island of 270,000 inhabitants with mixed ethnicities, including Polynesians (10.2%), people from European ancestry (27.2%), and Melanesians (39.1%),. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of gout and hyperuricemia in the general population and the various ethnicities of New Caledonia.MethodsA 3-degree random sample of the population aged 18 to 60 years was adjusted according to the 2014 New Caledonia census. Face-to-face planned interviews and physical measurements were performed by trained nurses. All consenting participants underwent capillary measurement of creatinine; all consenting men and only women older than 40 years underwent point-of-care uricemia testing. Gout was defined by a validated algorithm. Two definitions of hyperuricemia were used: capillary level equivalent to plasma uric acid level > 360 μmol/l (6 mg/dl) and > 420 μmol/l (7 mg/dl) and/or urate-lowering drug treatment for both thresholds.ResultsWe included 1144 participants (adjusted mean age 37.7 ± 12.0 years; adjusted sex ratio 50.4% men). The adjusted prevalence of gout was 3.3% (95% confidence interval 2.2–4.9). Prevalence was 6.7% (2.5–16.8), 4.1% (1.8–8.9), and 2.6% (1.4–4.7) for Polynesians, Europeans and Melanesians, respectively, and 1.9% (0.5–6.6) for other ethnicities. Prevalence of hyperuricemia, determined in 658 participants, was 67.0% (61.9–71.6) and 37.0% (32.3–42.0) for the 360- and 420-μmol/l thresholds, respectively, and was significantly greater for Polynesians and Melanesians than Europeans for both thresholds.ConclusionsThe prevalence of gout and hyperuricemia in New Caledonia was high, including in patients of European descent.     

Sleep time and sleep-related symptoms across two generations – results of the community-based RHINE and RHINESSA studies

Study objectivesTo analyze the association between sleep-related symptoms and sleep length in parents and their children in relation to other risk factors in both generations.MethodThe participants were parents (n = 5,855, age 54.3 ± 6.5 years, 45.2% men) who participated in the community-based Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE) study and one random member of their adult offspring (n = 5,855, age 30.2 ± 7.7 years, 41.5% men) who participated in the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain and Australia (RHINESSA) study. Both generations responded to identical questionnaires on sleep symptoms, including difficulty initiating sleep (DIS), difficulty maintaining sleep (DMS), early morning awakening (EMA), snoring, nocturnal sweating, nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux (nGER), sleep time and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Insomnia was defined as either, or both, DIS and DMS in combination with EDS.ResultsAll sleep variables except nocturnal sweating were more common in offspring whose parents had reported the same symptom. After adjusting for age, gender, BMI, smoking, physical activity, education, center and parents' total number of children, there were independent associations between sleep symptoms in parents and offspring for DIS (adj. OR, 95% CI: 1.52, 1.20–1.93), DMS (1.34, 1.15–1.56), snoring (1.45, 1.15,1.83), nGER (1.65, 1.15–2.37), insomnia (1.39, 1.13–1.73), short sleep time (<6 h/night) (2.51, 1.72–3.68) and EDS (1.48, 1.26,1.72). There were no independent relationships between symptoms in parents and offspring for EMA, nocturnal sweating or long sleep time (>9 h/night).ConclusionThe familiar aggregation of many sleep disturbances was not explained by investigated lifestyle and environmental factors. This supports a heritable factor in sleep problems.     

Prevalence and correlates of mild cognitive impairment among diverse Hispanics/Latinos: Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging results

IntroductionWe estimated the prevalence and correlates of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among middle-aged and older diverse Hispanics/Latinos.MethodsMiddle-aged and older diverse Hispanics/Latinos enrolled (n = 6377; 50–86 years) in this multisite prospective cohort study were evaluated for MCI using the National Institute on Aging–Alzheimer's Association diagnostic criteria.ResultsThe overall MCI prevalence was 9.8%, which varied between Hispanic/Latino groups. Older age, high cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, and elevated depressive symptoms were significant correlates of MCI prevalence. Apolipoprotein E4 (APOE) and APOE2 were not significantly associated with MCI.DiscussionMCI prevalence varied among Hispanic/Latino backgrounds, but not as widely as reported in the previous studies. CVD risk and depressive symptoms were associated with increased MCI, whereas APOE4 was not, suggesting alternative etiologies for MCI among diverse Hispanics/Latinos. Our findings suggest that mitigating CVD risk factors may offer important pathways to understanding and reducing MCI and possibly dementia among diverse Hispanics/Latinos.     

The Course of Eating Disorders Involving Bingeing and Purging Among Adolescent Girls: Prevalence,Stability, and Transitions

Purpose

To quantify eating disorder (ED) stability and diagnostic transition among a community-based sample of adolescents and young adult females in the United States.

肛管腺癌49例的临床特点及其治疗

目的 探讨肛管腺癌的临床特点和治疗方法。方法 回顾性分析我院1965年1月至2002年3月间收治的肛管腺癌共49例的临床资料。结果 男女比例1．3：1，平均年龄52岁，中位年龄56岁。肛门出血、便条变细和肛门肿物是最常见的症状。36．7％伴有慢性肛周疾病史。治疗后中位随访时间66个月。局部复发和腹股沟淋巴结转移各7例，肺转移2例，锁骨上淋巴结转移和纵隔转移各1例。单纯手术组、单纯放化疗组、综合治疗组（腹会阴联合切除加术后辅助放化疗）和无局部治疗组患者的3年总生存率分别是41，3％、20．0％、56．3％和15．0％，5年总生存率分别是34．4％、0、37．5％和0。结论 早期诊断是改善肛管腺癌预后的最基本保证，综合治疗是目前疗效较好的治疗手段。