Physical activity and energy expenditure in rheumatoid arthritis patients and matched controls.

OBJECTIVES: To compare daily energy expenditure between RA patients and matched controls, and to explore the relationship between daily energy expenditure or sedentariness and disease-related scores. METHODS: One hundred and ten patients with RA and 440 age- and sex-matched controls were included in this study. Energy expenditure was assessed using the validated physical activity (PA) frequency questionnaire. Disease-related scores included disease activity (DAS-28), functional status (HAQ), pain visual analogue scale (VAS) and fatigue VAS. Total energy expenditure (TEE) and the amount of energy spent in low- (TEE-low), moderate- (TEE-mod) and high-intensity (TEE-high) PAs were calculated. Sedentariness was defined as expending <10% of TEE in TEE-mod or TEE-high activities. Between-group comparisons were computed using conditional logistic regression. The effect of disease-related scores on TEE was investigated using linear regression. RESULTS: TEE was significantly lower for RA patients compared with controls [2392 kcal/day (95% CI 2295, 2490) and 2494  kcal/day (2446, 2543), respectively, P = 0.003]. A significant difference was found between groups in TEE-mod (P = 0.015), but not TEE-low (P = 0.242) and TEE-high (P = 0.146). All disease-related scores were significantly poorer in sedentary compared with active patients. TEE was inversely associated with age (P < 0.001), DAS-28 (P = 0.032) and fatigue VAS (P = 0.029), but not with HAQ and pain VAS. CONCLUSION: Daily energy expenditure is significantly lower in RA patients compared with matched controls, mainly due to less moderate-intensity PAs performed. Disease activity and fatigue are important contributing factors. These points need to be addressed if promoting PA in RA patients is a health goal. Trial registration. ClinicalTrials.gov, http://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01228812.

Protección tecnológica y contractual de las obras con derecho de autor: ¿Hacia una privatización del acceso a la información?

Los problemas que el gran desarrollo de la información digital e Internet están provocando al derecho de autor se están intentando solucionar a través de tres vías: legislativa, tecnológica y contractual. La protección proporcionada a las obras con derecho de autor mediante medidas tecnológicas complementa a las condiciones de uso establecidas en las licencias y, además, ambos tipos de protección están respaldados por las nuevas leyes surgidas para adaptarse al nuevo contexto tecnológico. Como resultado de esta triple protección se están poniendo en grave peligro las excepciones y limitaciones a los derechos de autor reconocidas por las leyes de derecho de autor para beneficiar a las bibliotecas, sus usuarios y los ciudadanos en general, dando lugar a una fuerte y peligrosa privatización del acceso a la información.

Acceso abierto a la ciencia

El acceso abierto (open access) a la ciencia es el movimiento que persigue la disponibilidad libre y gratuita de los contenidos científicos en internet. A pesar de tratarse de una iniciativa conocida, existen aún ideas confusas y también malas interpretaciones sobre algunos de sus objetivos, características o funcionamiento. Este libro se ha organizado para dar respuesta a estas dudas y malentendidos. En primer lugar, se presentan los fundamentos y antecedentes del acceso abierto, entendido como un cambio radical en el funcionamiento del sistema de comunicación científica. En los capítulos siguientes se analiza la situación de las revistas científicas y los repositorios (que constituyen las dos vías establecidas para conseguir este cambio de modelo), los aspectos legales relacionados con la información científica, la actitud de los científicos respecto del acceso abierto y las políticas desplegadas para facilitar la extensión de este modelo. Para finalizar, se presenta una valoración de los logros conseguidos hasta el momento por el movimiento y sus retos de futuro.

Official Positions for FRAX® clinical regarding rheumatoid arthritis from Joint Official Positions Development Conference of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry and International Osteoporosis Foundation on FRAX®.

Rheumatoid arthritis is the only secondary cause of osteoporosis that is considered independent of bone density in the FRAX(®) algorithm. Although input for rheumatoid arthritis in FRAX(®) is a dichotomous variable, intuitively, one would expect that more severe or active disease would be associated with a greater risk for fracture. We reviewed the literature to determine if specific disease parameters or medication use could be used to better characterize fracture risk in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. Although many studies document a correlation between various parameters of disease activity or severity and decreased bone density, fewer have associated these variables with fracture risk. We reviewed these studies in detail and concluded that disability measures such as HAQ (Health Assessment Questionnaire) and functional class do correlate with clinical fractures but not morphometric vertebral fractures. One large study found a strong correlation with duration of disease and fracture risk but additional studies are needed to confirm this. There was little evidence to correlate other measures of disease such as DAS (disease activity score), VAS (visual analogue scale), acute phase reactants, use of non-glucocorticoid medications and increased fracture risk. We concluded that FRAX(®) calculations may underestimate fracture probability in patients with impaired functional status from rheumatoid arthritis but that this could not be quantified at this time. At this time, other disease measures cannot be used for fracture prediction. However only a few, mostly small studies addressed other disease parameters and further research is needed. Additional questions for future research are suggested.

Flora aloctona de origen americano en los cultivos de CataluÑa

Se comentan las principales características corológicas, históricas y agronómicas de las treinta principales malas hierbas de origen americano que crecen en los cultivos de Cataluña. Las zonas litorales con elevada densidad de población constituyen las principales vías de entrada -posiblemente en forma de semillas que acompañan grano de importación-. Las áreas de regadío de las comarcas con agricultura intensiva suelen comportarse como centros receptores secundarios. Los cultivos más afectados son los de regadío, tanto herbáceos como leñosos, aunque también aparecen las tales malas hierbas entre los cultivos de secano y unas pocas se localizan en los arrozales.

Canakinumab (Acz885) Relieves Pain And Controls Inflammation Rapidly In Patients With Difficult-To-Treat Gouty Arthritis : Comparison With Triamcinolone Acetonide

Background : Monosodium urate (MSU) crystals stimulate the productionof interleukin-1b (IL-1b), a potent inflammatory cytokine. Targeted IL-1b blockade with canakinumab, a fully human monoclonal anti-IL-1b antibody, is a novel treatment for gouty arthritis. Its effects on pain and inflammation in acute gouty arthritis flares were compared with triamcinolone acetonide (TA). TA has been shown to be effective in the treatment of acute gouty arthritis flares.Methods : This was an 8-week, dose-ranging, multicenter, blinded, active-controlled trial. Patients _18 to _80 years with an acute gouty arthritis flare, refractory to or contraindicated to NSAIDs and/or colchicine were randomized to one subcutaneous dose of canakinumab (10, 25, 50, 90, or 150 mg; n¼143) or one intramuscular dose of TA (40 mg; n¼57). Primary outcome was pain intensity at 72 hours post dose on VAS scale (0-100 mm). Secondary outcomes included Creactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), and physician's assessment of tenderness, swelling and erythema of target joint at 72 hours, 7 days, 4 and 8-weeks post dose.Results : 191/200 patients completed the study. Canakinumab showed a statistically significant dose response at 72 hours. The 150mg dose group reached superior pain relief compared to TA group starting from 24 hours as previously reported. At 72 hours post dose, 78% of canakinumab 150mg treated patients achieved _75% and 96% achieved _50% reduction in pain from baseline. In contrast, 45% and 61% of patients treated with TA achieved _75% and _50% pain reduction, respectively. Median CRP/SAA levels were normalized by Day 7 for all canakinumab doses above 10mg and remained below the upper limit of normal [(ULN): CRP 3.0 mg/L; SAA 6.7 mg/L)] for rest of the study. In TA group, median CRP levels remained above the ULN throughout the study while median SAA levels decreased below ULN only 28 days after first dose. At 72 hours post dose, canakinumab 150mg group was 3.2 (95% CI, 1.27-7.89) times more likely to have less joint tenderness and 2.7 (95% CI, 1.09-6.5) times more likely to have less joint swelling than TA group (p<0.05). At 72 hours post dose, erythema disappeared in 74.1% of patients receiving canakinumab150mg and 69.6% of patients receiving TA. At 7 days post dose, erythema was absent in 96.3% of canakinumab 150mg treated patients vs. 83.9% of patients receiving TA. The overall incidence of AEs was similar for canakinumab (41%) and triamcinolone acetonide (42%). Serious AEs (canakinumab treatment groups n¼4, TA n¼1) were not considered treatment-related by investigators. No discontinuationsdue to AEs occurred.Conclusions : Canakinumab 150mg provided superior pain relief compared to TA for acute flares in difficult-to-treat gouty arthritis patients. Canakinumab provided rapid normalization of markers of inflammation accompanied by reduction of clinical signs and symptoms of inflammation.Disclosure statement : U.A., V.M., D.R. and P.S. are shareholders and employees of Novartis Pharma AG. A.P. has received research support from Novartis Pharma AG. N.S. has received research support from and acts as a consultant for Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, has served on advisory boards for Novartis, Takeda, Savient, URL Pharma and Enzyme Rx, and is/has been a member of a speakers' bureau for Takeda. A.S. has received consultancy fees from Novartis Pharma AG, Abbott, Wyeth, UCB, Roche, MSD, Pfizer, Essex and Bristol-Myers Squibb. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Presentación de REICESMA - Red Española de Investigación en Cuidados de Enfermería de Salud Mental y Adicciones

La Red Española de Investigación en Cuidados de Enfermería de Salud Mental y Adicciones (REICESMA) es una estructura formada por grupos enfermeros de investigación que desarrollan su actividad científica en el ámbito de los cuidados de la enfermería de salud mental y adicciones. REICESMA es un proyecto de larga evolución: como es sabido, no se puede crear una red de forma espontánea sino que se requieren unas bases y unos requisitos previos imprescindibles. Si revisamos esos requisitos en plan descendente, el paso previo y el que se mantiene en todo el proceso de construcción y desarrollo de una red de investigación es la existencia de Grupos de Investigación. Podríamos aceptar que a partir de la existencia de dos Grupos de Investigación ya se podría configurar una Red. Seguramente es posible, pero en nuestra visión de REICESMA la estructura ha de ser mucho más amplia. Nuestro punto de referencia (aunque no necesariamente tiene que ser el punto de llegada) son las convocatorias oficiales de reconocimiento de redes /los criterios de definición de Red en los que se detalla que una Red deberá estar formada por al menos 10 grupos de investigación de cuatro más comunidades autónomas.

Análisis crítico de evaluaciones macroinstitucionales del proceso de integración

Este artículo hace referencia a la evaluación de la integración escolar realizada desde un macroprograma en un sector amplio de Cataluña y a la evaluación de tres macroprogramas de integración realizada por el Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia en diferentes comunidades autónomas. Desde los cuatro programas evaluados se han puesto en evidencia amplias lagunas y carencias, al igual que otros aspectos que se encuentran en proceso de consolidación y otros que han adquirido una alta madurez. En estos últimos años se ha puesto de manifiesto la obsesión compulsiva por integrar, relegando, secundariamente, la necesidad de evaluar el proceso de integración para reconducir o mejorar dimensiones viciadas por la rutina o realizadas sin una justificación conceptual sólida.

La investigación cooperativa

La "Collaborative Research" (Investigación cooperativa) se presenta como una alternativa del diseño "R and D" en Educación y una de las modalidades de la "Action Research". Puede considerarse a E. E. U. U. como país pionero de sus más importantes realizaciones. El artículo intenta presentar una síntesis de la evolución histórica de este tipo de investigación, deteniéndose especialmente en sus orígenes, vinculados a la "Action Research"; la crisis de esta ultima; la creación de los diseños interactivos IR and DT de Tikunoff, Ward y Griffin en 1975 (Interactive Research and Development on teaching) en un contexto internacional favorable al resurgimiento de la Action Research y explicitado en diversidad de corrientes y movimientos orientados a potenciar el cambio educativo y social a través de la investigación; finalmente, su expansión actual. Del estudio de las obras de sus representantes principales (Griffin, Oja, Pine, Smulyan, Tikunoff, Ward, etc. ), se extraen los elementos que podemos considerar claves para una definición de la Collaborative Research, los procesos y diseños de investigación empleados y las condiciones requeridas para que pueda llevarse a cabo. A partir de este análisis se ofrece una reflexión sobre los problemas concretos vinculados a este tipo de investigación: los que surgen al inicio de la misma; los que se dan en torno al proceso de comunicación y, sobre todo los relacionados con la producción real de conocimiento científico, señalando en cada uno de estos apartados posibles vías de soluci6n, apuntadas desde los nuevos enfoques de la investigación educativa. * Profesora Catedrática del Departamento de Métodos de Investigación y Diagnóstico en Educación.

CREI-SANTS: Un modelo multiinterviniente y contextual para la formación de maestros de educación especial

En este artículo, al tiempo que se reclama la necesidad de llevar a cabo investigaciones que permitan conocer qué está pasando en la escuela primaria, se señalan y analizan cuatro aspectos que pueden servir como indicadores de una situación que se define como de «calma blanca», es decir, de tiempo de espera en el que casi nada sucede: (a) la preeminencia de la noción de aprendiz frente a la de sujeto pedagógico; (b) el papel de los libros de texto como mediadores de aprendizaje; (c) las concepciones sobre la enseñanza y el aprendizaje y (d) la organización del curriculum por materias. Estos cuatro aspectos se consideran como ejemplos de una situación en la educación primaria, frente a la que se proponen algunas vías para repensar el estado actual de cosas y salir de él.

Predictive value of readiness, importance, and confidence in ability to change drinking and smoking.

BACKGROUND: Visual analog scales (VAS) are sometimes used to assess change constructs that are often considered critical for change. Aims of Study: 1.) To determine the association of readiness to change, importance of changing and confidence in ability to change alcohol and tobacco use at baseline with the risk for drinking (more than 21 drinks per week/6 drinks or more on a single occasion more than once per month) and smoking (one or more cigarettes per day) six months later. 2.) To determine the association of readiness, importance and confidence with alcohol (number of drinks/week, number of binge drinking episodes/month) and tobacco (number of cigarettes/day) use at six months. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of data from a multi-substance brief intervention randomized trial. A sample of 461 Swiss young men was analyzed as a prospective cohort. Participants were assessed at baseline and six months later on alcohol and tobacco use, and at baseline on readiness to change, importance of changing and confidence in ability to change constructs, using visual analog scales ranging from 1-10 for drinking and smoking behaviors. Regression models controlling for receipt of brief intervention were employed for each change construct. The lowest level (1-4) of each scale was the reference group that was compared to the medium (5-7) and high (8-10) levels. RESULTS: Among the 377 subjects reporting unhealthy alcohol use at baseline, mean (SD) readiness, importance and confidence to change drinking scores were 3.9 (3.0), 2.7 (2.2) and 7.2 (3.0), respectively. At follow-up, 108 (29%) reported no unhealthy alcohol use. Readiness was not associated with being risk-free at follow-up, but high importance (OR 2.94; 1.15, 7.50) and high confidence (OR 2.88; 1.46, 5.68) were. Among the 255 smokers at baseline, mean readiness, importance and confidence to change smoking scores were 4.6 (2.6), 5.3 (2.6) and 5.9 (2.7), respectively. At follow-up, 13% (33) reported no longer smoking. Neither readiness nor importance was associated with being a non-smoker, whereas high confidence (OR 3.29; 1.12, 9.62) was. CONCLUSIONS: High confidence in ability to change was associated with favorable outcomes for both drinking and smoking, whereas high importance was associated only with a favorable drinking outcome. This study points to the value of confidence as an important predictor of successful change for both drinking and smoking, and shows the value of importance in predicting successful changes in alcohol use. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN78822107.

Increased tender point counts before and after total hip arthroplasty are associated with poorer outcomes but are not individually predictive.

In a prospective study, total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively (n = 95) to determine if tender points (TPs) are associated with poor THA outcomes. Patients with high follow-up TP counts had higher visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and sleep, higher follow-up Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (pain, stiffness, function), lower Health Assessment Questionnaire, Harris Hip, and Short Form 36 (physical functioning, bodily pain, physical component summary) scores. High follow-up TP were associated with increased pain, pain not relieved by surgery, poor function, and poor sleep. Visual analog scale pain and sleep, Short Form 36 (physical functioning, bodily pain), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index, Health Assessment Questionnaire, and Harris hip scores improved significantly after THA; TP scores did not. Higher preoperative TP were predictive of higher follow-up TP but were poorly predictive of poor outcome measures after surgery in individual patients, suggesting that preoperative TPs are contraindicative for THA.

Quality of life following third molar removal under conscious sedation

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess quality of life (QoL) and degree of satisfaction among outpatients subjected to surgical extraction of all four third molars under conscious sedation. A second objective was to describe the evolution of self-reported pain measured in a visual analogue scale (VAS) in the 7 days after extraction. Study design: Fifty patients received a questionnaire assessing social isolation, working isolation, eating and speaking ability, diet modifications, sleep impairment, changes in physical appearance, discomfort at suture removal and overall satisfaction at days 4 and 7 after surgery. Pain was recorded by patients on a 100-mm pain visual analogue scale (VAS) every day after extraction until day 7. Results: Thirty-nine patients fulfilled correctly the questionnaire. Postoperative pain values suffered small fluctuations until day 5 (range: 23 to 33 mm in a 100-mm VAS), when dicreased significantly. A positive association was observed between difficult ranked surgeries and higher postoperative pain levels. The average number of days for which the patient stopped working was 4.9. Conclusion: The removal of all third molars in a single appointment causes an important deterioration of the patient"s QoL during the first postoperative week, especially due to local pain and eating discomfort.

Sedación odontopediátrica

Numerosas técnicas deben emplearse para tratar niños que no cooperan. En muchos niños se necesita la ayuda de la sedación consciente para poder realizar los tratamientos dentales. Existen diversos fármacos y vías de administración de los mismos.

Cervical radiculopathy: Efficiency of CT-guided cervical facet joint corticosteroid injection : 47

Purpose: Cervical foraminal injection performed with a direct approach of the foramen may induce serious neurologic complications. Cervical facet joint (CFJ) injections are easier to perform and safe, and may diffuse in the epidural and foraminal spaces. We analyzed the efficiency and tolerance of CT-guided CFJ slow-acting corticosteroid injection in patients with radiculopathy related to disc herniation. Methods and materials: Pilot study included 17 patients presenting typical cervical radiculopathy related to disc herniation without relief of pain after medical treatment (one month duration). CFJ puncture was performed under CT guidance with a lateral approach. CT control of the CFJ opacification was performed after injections of contrast agent (1 ml), followed by slow-acting corticosteroid (25 mg). Main criteria for judgment was pain relief one month later (delta visual analogical scale VAS for 0 to 100 mm). Diffusion of iodinated contrast agent in the foramen was assessed by two radiologists in consensus. Results: Pain relief was significant at one month (delta VAS 22 ± 23 mm, p = 0.001) and 41% (7/17) of patients had pain relief more than 50%. In cases with foraminal diffusion, pain relief more than 50% occured in 5 patients (50%) and only in 2 patients (29%) in cases without foraminal diffusion. No complication occurred. Conclusion: CT-guided CFJ slow-acting corticosteroid injection is safe and provided good results at one month follow-up. It may be considered as an interesting percutaneous treatment in patients suffering from cervical radicular pain related to disc herniation.