Conectar
Self-management is a key component of effective chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management and is mainly promoted through pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programmes. However, less than 2% of patients participate in PR programmes. Among those who do, approximately 40% fail to complete the programme. The reasons for this are multifactorial and include dyspnoea, reduced exercise tolerance, lack of motivation and inadequate transportation and infrastructure to access PR centres. In this context, self-management digital health interventions emerge as a promising approach to support the development of self-management competencies, contribute to changing and maintaining behaviours and prevent a downward spiral of deconditioning in this population. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effects of a theory-based self-management digital intervention (Respir’air BPCO) designed to promote physical activity in patients with COPD.
This pilot randomised controlled trial will enrol 20 patients with COPD who are being followed at a Swiss pulmonary centre. Participants will be randomised using Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage stratification (1:1) at the end of the in-person PR programme into either an experimental group receiving a mobile app-based self-management intervention aimed at promoting physical activity or a control group receiving only usual care. Data will be collected at three time points: immediately after completion of the PR programme (T0), 3 months post-PR (T1) and 6 months post-PR (T2). The study will assess trial methodological feasibility, including recruitment duration, consent rate, retention rate, acceptance of the allocated group and data completeness. Intervention feasibility will be evaluated through intervention fidelity, the number and type of technical problems reported by patients, and patients’ and/or researchers’ observations regarding the intervention design, content and use to inform future refinements. Intervention acceptability will be assessed using mobile app usage data and the Treatment Acceptability and Preferences questionnaire. In addition, preliminary effects will be evaluated through daily step count (pedometer), self-management (Self-Care in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Inventory), motivational regulation of physical activity (Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-3), quality of life (St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire and EuroQol 5-Dimensions-5 Levels), severity of dyspnea (Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale) and the number of exacerbations and hospitalisations. Analyses will include descriptive statistics and estimation-based comparative analyses using generalised linear mixed-effects models under the intention-to-treat principle, which accommodate missing data under standard assumptions, with reporting of effect sizes and CIs.
The study protocol has been approved by the Ethics Commission of the Canton of Vaud (registration no.: 2025-01697). Results will be published in international peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences.
Crohn's disease (CD) is primarily characterised by chronic gastrointestinal inflammation; however, its systemic nature frequently leads to musculoskeletal complications. Among these, clinically significant foot pathologies can impair mobility and negatively impact patients' overall quality of life. Despite their relevance, the specific influence of podiatric manifestations on health-related quality of life in individuals with CD remains insufficiently explored, underscoring a critical gap in current disease management. The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which foot-related health issues affect the quality of life in people living with CD compared with a healthy population. This multicenter observational case–control study was conducted across five provinces in southern Spain—Málaga, Granada, Jaén, Sevilla, and Cádiz—between January 2024 and February 2025. The study included 110 participants, evenly divided between individuals diagnosed with CD (n = 55) and healthy controls (n = 55), matched for age, sex, and body mass index. All participants completed the validated Spanish version of the Foot Health Status Questionnaire (SFHSQ), which assesses four foot-specific domains and four general health domains. Due to the non-normal distribution of the data, non-parametric statistical methods were applied, with the Mann–Whitney U test used to evaluate differences between groups. Participants with CD exhibited significantly lower scores across all domains of the SFHSQ, with the exception of the Footwear domain, which showed no statistically significant difference (p = 0.406). Compared with healthy controls, individuals in the CD group reported greater impairments in foot pain, foot function, general foot health, and in broader health-related domains including general health, physical activity, and social capacity (p < 0.01 for all). CD significantly compromises foot-related QoL. These results highlight the need to include podiatric evaluations as part of comprehensive, multidisciplinary care approaches aimed at enhancing mobility, functional capacity, and general well-being in affected individuals.
Dental caries is the most prevalent chronic condition among Argentine children, with distribution and severity strongly shaped by social and territorial inequalities. This study evaluated caries treatment needs and their spatial and socio-economic associations among preschool children in Buenos Aires.
An ecological population study was conducted among 54 337 6-year-old children attending public schools in Buenos Aires. Caries severity was measured using the Caries Treatment Needs Index (CTNI) by calibrated examiners.
Socio-economic indicators included individual health coverage, neighbourhood housing prices, distance to the nearest primary health centre, population density and the proportion of households with unsatisfied basic needs. Analyses comprised descriptive statistics, multivariate regression, ORs and spatial autoregressive models.
Overall, 67.9% of children had treatment needs (CTNI >2) and 17.5% had high needs (CTNI >10), with significant heterogeneity across municipalities (p
Caries treatment needs in Buenos Aires follow a clear socio-economic and spatial gradient, with both individual and neighbourhood disadvantage independently associated with increased needs and highlighting the need for targeted, territorially focused public health strategies.
High-arched feet affect approximately 10%–15% of the general population. Although the relationship between plantar pressure and bilateral symmetry is well studied, there is limited evidence regarding the use of Symmetry Index and pressure platforms. The objective of the study is to compare dynamic foot pressures and Symmetry Index during gait between subjects with Pes Cavus and subjects with normal feet. The analysis of asymmetric pressure patterns could benefit from studies that compare dynamic foot pressures and Symmetry Index values in subjects with high-arched feet and normal feet. This analysis can promote better clinical understanding of gait alterations and help solve biomechanical problems that may lead to pathologies, as well as prevent and treat them. A descriptive case–control study was developed from October to December 2024 with 82 participants, 41 with Pes Cavus and 41 normal feet and 71 females of 25.52 ± 5.99 years through a consecutive nonrandom technique. For this study, a baropodometry platform (Neo-Plate, Herbitas) was used, which acquired dynamic gait with a 2-step protocol. The inclusion criteria regarding the selection of subjects were age 18–65 years; if both cavus feet, Navicular Drop Test (NDT) < 9 mm; neutral feet and no lower limb problem or surgery. Regarding SI use, the PC demonstrated to have large asymmetries compared to the control group. Left anterior pressure was lower (44.93% ± 4.59% vs. 48.60% ± 3.43%, p = 0.014), left posterior pressure was higher (55.07% ± 4.58% vs. 51.40% ± 3.43%, p = 0.013) and the left Initial Contact Phase (ICP) was prolonged (123.34 ± 51.75 ms vs. 91.30 ± 31.86 ms, p = 0.036); right medial pressure was higher (58.18% ± 4.08% vs. 53.77% ± 4.79%, p = 0.034). SI measurements were greater in normal foot group than in the PC group with SI 94.15% ± 5.00% versus 93.75% ± 4.59%, p = 0.001, respectively; ICP and lateral SI were both p = 0.001. Findings confirmed that subjects with cavus feet tend to present greater alterations in bilateral symmetry, specifically posteromedial pressure movements and altered gait phases, which are indicative of more probability of future injuries. For this reason, pressure platforms are excellent tools for understanding, analysing and therefore applying the correct treatment according to the SI.
No abstract available Objetivo principal: Determinar la prevalencia de úlceras por presión e identificar los factores asociados para su desarrollo en pacientes hospitalizados en el Hospital General Regional N°1 “Vicente Guerrero” del IMSS en Acapulco, Gro, México. Metodología: Estudio observacional, transversal, analítico, realizado con 256 pacientes en los diversos servicios del hospital, se midieron variables demográficas y clínicas, calculando frecuencias absolutas y relativas, Odds Ratio para medir la relación factor /evento, y análisis multivariado de regresión logística para controlar la variable de confusión. Resultados principales: La prevalencia de las UPP fue del 26.95%, el estadio I el más frecuente (55.1%). Los factores asociados al desarrollo de las UPP son: edad, días de estancia, servicio de Medicina Interna y padecer diabetes mellitus II. Conclusión principal: Los hallazgos de prevalencia son alarmantes comparados con el reporte nacional (20.07%), requiriendo una intervención inmediata de gestión de cuidado enfermero, resolviendo los riesgos y problemas asociados a la aparición de UPP.
FreshRSS 