Background
Asthma remains highly prevalent, with more severe symptoms in low-income to middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with high-income countries. Identifying risk factors for severe asthma symptoms can assist with improving outcomes. We aimed to determine the prevalence, severity and ris...k factors for asthma in adolescents in an LMIC.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey using the Global Asthma Network written and video questionnaires was conducted in adolescents aged 13 and 14 from randomly selected schools in Durban, South Africa, between May 2019 and June 2021.
Results
A total of 3957 adolescents (51.9% female) were included. The prevalence of lifetime, current and severe asthma was 24.6%, 13.7% and 9.1%, respectively. Of those with current and severe asthma symptoms; 38.9% (n=211/543) and 40.7% (n=147/361) had doctor-diagnosed asthma; of these, 72.0% (n=152/211) and 70.7% (n=104/147), respectively, reported using inhaled medication in the last 12 months. Short-acting beta agonists (80.4%) were more commonly used than inhaled corticosteroids (13.7%). Severe asthma was associated with: fee-paying school quintile (adjusted OR (CI)): 1.78 (1.27 to 2.48), overweight (1.60 (1.15 to 2.22)), exposure to traffic pollution (1.42 (1.11 to 1.82)), tobacco smoking (2.06 (1.15 to 3.68)), rhinoconjunctivitis (3.62 (2.80 to 4.67)) and eczema (2.24 (1.59 to 3.14)), all p<0.01.
Conclusion
Asthma prevalence in this population (13.7%) is higher than the global average (10.4%). Although common, severe asthma symptoms are underdiagnosed and associated with atopy, environmental and lifestyle factors. Equitable access to affordable essential controller inhaled medicines addressing the disproportionate burden of asthma is needed in this setting.
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There is increasing interest in understanding the role of air pollution as one of the greatest threats to human health worldwide. Nine of 10 individuals breathe air with polluted compounds that have a great impact on lung tissue. The nature of the relationship is complex, and new or updated data are... constantly being reported in the literature. The goal of our review was to summarize the most important air pollutants and their impact on the main respiratory diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, lung cancer, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, respiratory infections, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis) to reduce both short- and the long-term exposure consequences. We considered the most important air pollutants, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, ozone, particulate matter and biomass smoke, and observed their impact on pulmonary pathologies. We focused on respiratory pathologies, because air pollution potentiates the increase in respiratory diseases, and the evidence that air pollutants have a detrimental effect is growing. It is imperative to constantly improve policy initiatives on air quality in both high- and low-income countries.
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In one of his final essays, statesman and former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan said, ‘Snakebite is the most important tropical disease you’ve never heard of’. Mr. Annan firmly believed that victims of snakebite envenoming should be recognised and afforded greater efforts at impro...ved prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. During the last years of his life, he advocated strongly for the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the global community to give greater priority to this disease of poverty and its victims.
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Ces orientations relatives à la prescription par les infirmières sont destinées à aider les infirmières, les équipes, les associations, les organisations, les enseignants, les organismes de réglementation et les gouvernements du monde entier. Les nations et les régions peuvent évaluer les b...esoins de leur population, tout en équilibrant les capacités des infirmières. La planification, la mise en œuvre, le maintien et le suivi de résultats ciblés nécessitent d’adopter une stratégie réfléchie.
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Technical guidelines for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary and inter-institutional approach to people with diabetic neuropathy
29 Dec 2021. Comprehensive slideset updated regularly to include the latest data and guidance on best practices for COVID-19 diagnosis and prevention of COVID-19 transmission.
Guide to bio-safety procedures for dental practices during the COVID-19 pandemic
Editorial Review
AIDS 2019, 33:1411–1420
Misceláneo
Capítulo J.8
Edición: Matías Irarrázaval & Andres Martin
Traducción: Fernanda Prieto-Tagle & Gonzalo Ros
SODIS manual - updated version
The SODIS manual contains detailed information about technical and promotional aspects of the SODIS method.
Former version also available in French, Portuguese, Spanish, Uzbek, Russian
Several challenges face asthma management in Egypt, including the high percentage of uncontrolled patients, inadequate compliance, and overuse of short-acting beta-agonists (SABAs) leading to increased asthma-related morbidity and mortality. In this regard, the recent Global Initiative for Asthma (G...INA) recommendations included inhaled corticosteroids containing therapy for mild asthma. Local healthcare systems and healthcare professionals (HCPs) often experience practical challenges when implementing global guidelines.
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PLOS Medicine | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002514 March 1, 2018
Psiquiatría y pediatría
Capítulo I.4
Edición: Matías Irarrázaval & Andres Martin
Traductores: Fernanda Prieto-Tagle & Juan Jairo Ortiz Guerra
Petersen et al. Int J Ment Health Syst (2016) 10:30 DOI 10.1186/s13033-016-0060-z
Durante muchos años, la enfermedad de Chagas ha sido una entidad olvidada en nuestro medio, pese a que Colombia posee las condiciones apropiadas para que esta infección se desarrolle y se perpetúe en el tiempo.
Esto se refleja en el poco conocimiento de la enfermedad y en la existencia de muchos... individuos que sufren una pérdida significativa de su calidad y esperanza de vida, así como en costos importantes para el sistema de salud.
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Clinical guidelines for the comprehensive care of patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis
Clinical guideline for paediatric care of tuberculosis and TB-HIV co-infection
Recommendations for in-patient management of COVID-19 in adult patients
Version 10, November 2020.
Trastornos de ansiedad
Capítulo F.3
Editores: Laura Revert, Matías Irarrázaval & Andres Martin
Traducción: Régis Villegas, Paula Placencia, José Ángel Alda & Paula Cox