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A Arnedo Pena

Publications and source records attributed to A Arnedo Pena.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

BCG immunization at birth and atopic diseases in a homogeneous population of Spanish schoolchildren.

BACKGROUND: The role of immunization with bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in the prevalence of asthma, hay fever and atopic dermatitis is not definitely established and seems to be influenced by ethnic background. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between this immunization and the prevalence of those diseases in a homogeneous population of Spanish schoolchildren. METHODS: The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) core and environmental questionnaires were used in four different centers of the Spanish North Atlantic coast. Bilbao, San Sebastián and Asturias have a universal BCG immunization policy during the first days of life, whereas La Coruña discontinued this practice in 1989. Except for this center, immunization coverage was above 90%. A random sample of schools of Asturias or all schools in the city district (rest of centers) with children 6 and 7 years old was surveyed. RESULTS: The participation rate was above 70%. After excluding those children born outside Spain, the numbers were 6,762 immunized and 2,828 nonimmunized. After adjusting for gender, age, smoking habits of the father and mother, truck traffic near the household, older and younger siblings and having a cat or a dog during the first year of the child's life, the adjusted ORs of the BCG-immunized children suffering from asthma, hay fever and atopic dermatitis were respectively 0.87 (95% CI 0.76-1.00), 0.87 (0.75-1.01) and 0.89 (0.76-1.05). CONCLUSIONS: BCG immunization offers a weak but significant protection against asthma and hay fever in Spanish schoolchildren.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2004

Stabilization of asthma prevalence among adolescents and increase among schoolchildren (ISAAC phases I and III) in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Most studies show a steep increase in asthma prevalence in the last decades, although few studies had applied the same methodology. Recent reports point out the possibility that the epidemic has come to an end. We have studied the prevalence of asthma in a very large sample of children, repeating the study eight years apart. METHODS: Repeated cross-sectional studies using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) protocol in a sample of Spanish schoolchildren 6-7 (parent-reported) and 13-14 (self-reported) years old in 1994-95 (phase I) and 2002-2003 (phase III). The number of participants was 42 417 in phase I and 42 813 in phase III. The participation rate was over 87% (13-14 years) and 70% (6-7 years). RESULTS: The prevalence of wheezing in the previous year in children aged 13-14 years was 9.0 and 9.3% for boys and 9.6 and 9.2% for girls for phases I and III, respectively. Children 6-7 years of age showed a substantial increase in wheezing in the previous year (7.0 and 10.7% for boys and 5.3 and 8.2% for girls). Other symptoms and severity indexes followed the same patterns. CONCLUSIONS: In the last 8 years, the prevalence of asthma has not changed in 13-14-year-old Spanish children but has increased substantially in 6-7-year olds.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

[Evolution of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the province of Castellón. 1992-1998].

OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency of resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the risk factors associated with resistance in the province of Castellón (Spain). MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective study of M. tuberculosis sensitivity applied Canetti's method of proportions to all strains isolated in Castellón (n = 532) from January 1992 through December 1998 (7 years); 461 cases were new. RESULTS: The overall frequency of resistant strains was 4.7% (25/532), of which 3.9% (18/461) were instances of primary resistance and 11.1% (7/63) were of secondary resistance. Three percent were resistant to isoniazid, 1.87% to rifampicin, 1.87% to streptomycin and 0.56% to ethambutol. Multiple drug resistance was found in 0.2% (1/461) of the new cases and 1.1% (6/532) overall. The presence of resistant M. tuberculosis was associated with a history of antituberculous treatment (OR = 3.14; p = 0.017) and the presence of one or more risk factors for tuberculosis (OR = 3.32; p = 0.066). CONCLUSIONS: The overall rates of resistant M. tuberculosis and multiple drug resistance are low in the province of Castellón; however resistance is associated with higher mortality such that controlling some preventable risk factors might reduce the frequency of resistance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

[The prevalence of asthma-related symptoms in 13-14-year-old children from 9 Spanish populations. The Spanish Group of the ISAAC Study (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood)].

BACKGROUND: Asthma is one of the more prevalent diseases in childhood. Geographical differences have been found but it is unknown if they are true or are a consequence of the different methods used in the study of asthma. POPULATION AND METHODS: In 9 Spanish populations: Almería, Barcelona, Bilbao, Bahía de Cádiz, Cartagena, Castellón, Pamplona, Valencia and Valladolid, 27,407 children aged 13-14 years were interviewed using the asthma written and video questionnaires of the ISAAC protocol. Comparisons among geographical areas were performed using a cluster analysis and a Poisson regression model adjusting by gender. RESULTS: The prevalence of resting wheezing using the video questionnaire was higher in males than in females (15.4% versus 12.6%) for wheezing ever. In the last year the prevalence of wheezing was 7.8% in males versus 7.0% in females. The analysis shows a group of centers with low prevalence of asthma symptoms: Valladolid, Almería, Castellón and Pamplona. Nevertheless there are also centers with higher prevalences as Bilbao, Barcelona and Bahía de Cádiz. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of asthma and asthmatic symptoms is high in Spanish children aged 13-14 years. There are true geographical differences in Spain, being Valladolid, Almería, Castellón and Pamplona the areas with lowest prevalence.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

[Outbreak of Salmonella enteritidis food poisoning. Potential protective effect of alcoholic beverages].

BACKGROUND: On may 1994, a foodborne outbreak took place in Almazora (Castellón, Spain) after a meal with 116 persons. A sanitary study was made to find out the causes and control the outbreak. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Inspection of the setting and a case-control study were carried out. Several foods and faecal specimens of 23 patients were investigated. We also study the effect of alcohol on the occurrence of the outbreak. RESULTS: A hundred people was interviewed (86%), 58 ill persons. Salmonella enteritidis was isolated from faeces and statistically implicated food (odds ratio = 75, IC 95 = 15.6-361), a sandwich with tuna, boiled eggs and vegetables. Among adults, epidemiological analysis showed a protective effect of alcohol, adjusted for age, sex and consumption of the implicated food (p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: In the study of foddborne outbreaks by Salmonella enteritidis simultaneous consumption of alcoholic drinks and foods should be taken into account to explain some exposed non-cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

[Collective scombroid fish poisoning following tuna consumption in Castellon].

BACKGROUND: To investigate and control of a collective scombroid-fish poisoning (SFP) outbreak, that took place in Castellón, Spain. METHODS: Description of the outbreak and case-control study in order to identify risk factors. Active surveillance of SFP cases, and inspection of implicated markets. Histamine determination in urine of cases and foods. RESULTS: During June 1994, 15 cases of SFP were found out, with 12 cases occurred on June, 28 and 29. Five families were affected (attack rate 68.2%). The median incubation period was 45 minutes. Disease symptoms included facial or general flushing, headache, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, and peppery taste. Implicated food was fresh tuna, bought in a hypermarket of Castellón (odds ratio = 26.4, 95% confidence intervals: 1.05-666.8), adjusted by age and sex using logistic regression analysis. Four samples of urine from cases presented histamine concentration above 35 micrograms/l. Three samples of tuna consumed by cases and one sample of tuna from the hypermarket had histamine concentration above a 200 ppm. Considering the situation of risk, remaining suspected tuna was confiscated from the hypermarket. Rest unknown if the descompositions of tuna occurred in the hypermarket or during capture and distribution. CONCLUSIONS: SFP was caused by fresh tuna ingestion with epidemiologic and analytic confirmation. Determination of histamine in urine of patients could permit to confirm SFP.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Familial outbreak of pneumonia by psittacosis].

A familial outbreak (4 cases) of pneumonia by psittacosis in Vall de Uxó (Castellón) during the month of April in 1990 is described. In addition to the epidemiologic, clinical and serologic (complement fixation) studies carried out a survey and serology of 11 healthy controls (neighbors, and employees from a bird shop) were performed. The serum of a parrot recently acquired by the patients (positive at 1/8) was analyzed. The habit of petting the animal was significantly associated with the disease. The patient's response to treatment was good. The titers of antibodies versus Chlamydia psittaci were higher than those of the controls examined and the established threshold for positivity (1/36). In addition to clinical intervention the roles of epidemiology and the participation of veterinary services are fundamental to control this disease the exact prevalence of which is unknown.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Epidemic outbreak of parotiditis in a school population and efficacy of antiparotiditis vaccination].

We report an epidemic outbreak of parotiditis in Villafranca del Cid (Castellón) in 1987. The overall number of cases was 104, of which 96 were schoolchildren aged 9.4 +/- 8 years. The attack rates were 3.5% for the town population and 41.9% for schoolchildren at risk. Ninety-two patients had not received parotiditis vaccination. The effectiveness of parotiditis vaccine was 86.0% (95% confidence limits: 63.5%-94.6%) for schoolchildren. To erradicate parotiditis it is suggested that vaccination should be carried out in all children at risk, not previously vaccinated, at the beginning of the school term, and/or revaccination at ages 6-12 years with triple viral vaccine.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Liver cirrhosis: study of the evolution of mortality in Spain (1951-1983)].

In this study we review the mortality in Spain from liver cirrhosis between 1951 and 1983. There was a decrease in the general mortality due to this cause, while in the study of mortality by sexes there was only a tendency to decrease in males but not in females. When an analysis was made according to age groups, there was a tendency to rise in younger patients, while there was a lowering in older ones. We also studied comparatively the mortality data for the same cause in France.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Clinico-epidemiologic study of accidental poisoning with Robinia pseudoacacia L. in school children].

A clinical-epidemiological study of an accidental poisoning by Robinia pseudoacacia L. (lucust tree) in six school children has been made. The case had sucked and/or chewed the bark of this plant. The clinical symptoms were abdominal pain, thirst, nausea, vomiting, dry throat, muscle weakness, mydriasis, headache, dizziness and diarrhea. The treatment was activated charcoal in 5 cases and subsequent gastric lavage in 3 cases. The results was favorable. The poisoning took place in the school yard during the mid-morning recreation period. Only girls were affected (average age 6.5 +/- 2.1 years old). The attack rate was 31.6% for the school children who tasted the bark, and chewing it constituted the highest factor of risk (p = 0.03). Recommendations have been made to prevent childhood accidents.

Acacia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The short-term effects of air pollution on mortality: the results of the EMECAM project in Castellón, 1991-95. Estudio Multicéntrico Español sobre la Relación entre la Contaminación Atmosférica y la Mortalidad].

BACKGROUND: In the last decade several studies have found out an association between air pollution and mortality in levels below the standards allowed by regulations. Castellón is a small city (134,000 inhabitants) with low air pollution levels. This work aims to identify if there is a short term relation between these both variables in this city. METHODS: We used mortality data and air pollution data (black smoke and sulphur dioxide), from 1.991 to 1.995, doing an ecological study using a time series analysis with the day as unit of the analysis. Poisson regression allow us to get the relative risk adjusted by others variables (meteorological, trend, influenza, day of the week, season) in autoregresive models. RESULTS: Black smoke and SO2 daily means were respectively 34.6 and 15.7 micrograms/m3. Results showed a 3.6% (IC95 0.3-7.0) of SO2 and 3.5% (IC95% 0.5-6.5) increment of cardiovascular mortality for an increment of 10 micrograms/m3 of SO2 and black smoke respectively. Sulphur dioxide was positively associated with all four groups of mortality causes but only in cold season. CONCLUSION: Even in a small city with low air pollution levels, we found an association between air pollution and immediate mortality. In some cases, the analysis by periods (warm and cold) show an strong effect modification.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Diffusion of hepatitis B among residents of an institution for handicapped children].

BACKGROUND: To estimate the prevalence of serologic markers of hepatitis B (SMHB) among residents of an institution for social or mental handicapped children in Castellón, and its association with risk factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with determination of SMHB by radioimmunoassay. 98 of the 100 residents participate in the study. RESULTS: Prevalence of SMHB was 24.5% (95% confidence interval: 16.4%-34.1%). Seven residents were hepatitis B surface antigen positive with three hepatitis B e antigen positive. SMHB prevalence was 0 in infants, 18.8% in toddlers, 24.5% in schoolchildren, 11.1% in special education, and 76.9% in permanent residents. Logistic regression analysis found associations of SMHB prevalence with age (Odds ratio [OR] = 5.8, 95% CI: 1.1-29.0), old age at admission with protective character (OR = 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4-0.8), and duration of stay (OR = 1.2 95% CI: 1.0-1.3), adjusting by sex, mental deficiency, and hepatitis B (HB) determinants like surgery, blood transfusion, odontology, bites, and injections. CONCLUSIONS: A predominant transmission of HB in young ages is suggested. Vaccination against HB, hygienic measures, and periodic serologic studies of HB are essential to prevent this disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Prevalence of Hepatitis B serologic markers among the personnel of the institution for children with deficiencies].

BACKGROUND: The risk of infection by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) in institutions for children with deficiencies has been established in several studies. The purpose of this work was to know the prevalence of HBV markers, among the employees in an institution of that kind, and its association with several risk factors. METHODS: A transveral epidemiologic survey has been carried out to determine the markers prevalence of infection by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and its association with certain risk factors, among the 200 workers of an institution for children with deficiencies. Determinations, by radioimmunoassay were: HBs Ag, anti-HBs and anti HBe. RESULTS: The participation was 95%, with a prevalence of any marker of 7.9% (IC95 + 4.1-11.7). No HBs Ag carriers were detected, taking occupation as an indicator variable with three categories: Trades and auxiliary health personnel versus teachers, the logistic regression analysis showed odds ratios, adjusted for age, sex and working time, for trades and auxiliary health personnel, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccination is the preventive recommendation for HBV in these institutions, because of the difficulty to find other factors associated to HBV. The possibility of introducing a universal vaccination is controversial.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Leishmaniasis in Castellón: an epidemiological study of human cases, the vector and the canine reservoir].

BACKGROUND: Incidence of human leishmaniasis in Castellón is among the highest in Spain. In order to know epidemiologic situation of leishmaniasis, human incidence, Phlebotomus' presence and canine reservoir were studied. METHODS: The study was carried out during 1989-1990, and included review of different registers of cases and glucantime use, Phlebotomus catching, and leishmaniasis serology (immunofluorescent test, IFT) of dogs from municipal kennel and rabies vaccine programme. RESULTS: Hospitals' underreporting visceral leishmaniasis was noted. Glucantime's distribution permitted identification of some no reported cases. 2267 sandflies were caught, which 196 were vectors: P. perniciosus (182), P. sergenti (6), P. papatasi (4) and P. ariasi (4). Dog's prevalence of leishmaniasis (IFT > or = 1/80) was 5.1% (CI 95%: 1.1-9.1) in dogs fron the municipal kennel, and 0% in dogs from the vaccine programme. CONCLUSIONS: Human leishmaniasis is hypoendemic in Castellón, with a low-middle rank in canine leishmaniasis. Entomologic results agree with other spanish studies. However, P. sergenti and P. ariasi were not described in Catellón until now. Leishmaniasis surveillance should be maintained.

Adolescent↗