Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Personal Wellbeing Index-School Children (PWI-SC) in Chilean School Children

Child and adolescent measures of the quality of life or subjective well-being are scarce in Latin American countries. Chile is no exception to this situation that represents a gap in the literature for South American countries research. Thus, the aim was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Personal Well-being Index for School Children (PWI-SC) of Cummins et al. Social Indicators Research, 64(2), 159–190, (2003) in a sample of Chilean school children. We use a sample of 1096 pupils between 10 and 12 years old (M?=?11.03; SD?=?0.89) and residents of three major Chilean cities. Results of Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis provided evidence for only one single factor solution. Moreover, an acceptable level of internal reliability was observed (α?=?0.77). The discussion of results considers other internationals applications of PWI-SC.     

Differential diagnosis and treatment of enchondromas and atypical cartilaginous tumours of the pelvis: analysis of 21 patients

Introduction

Studies focusing on enchondroma and atypical cartilaginous tumour (ACT) of the pelvis are lacking. The purpose of this study was to verify possible clinical and radiological findings with regard to distinguishing enchondromas from ACT of the pelvis. In addition, this study analysed functional and oncological outcomes in patients with enchondromas or ACT of the pelvis treated with curettage or resection.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 21 patients with confirmed enchondroma or ACT of the pelvis treated by curettage or resection from 1985 to 2018. The minimum follow-up was 18 months. The relationship between clinical and radiological factors and tumour type or local recurrence was assessed using Fisher exact test and Mann–Whitney U test.

Results

Endosteal scalloping (p = 0.039), tumour size (0.005) and age (0.006) were shown to statistically favour ACT over enchondroma; by contrast, enchondroma and ACT patients had no difference in pain frequency (p = 0.5528). All patients with enchondroma had no local recurrence; in contrast, local recurrence occurred in one patient with ACT, initially treated with resection. The patient with local recurrence had a disease progression with a higher histological grade than the original tumour. Patients treated with curettage had better functional outcomes than patients treated with resection (p = 0.001).

Discussion

Endosteal scalloping, tumour size and age could be helpful in the differential diagnosis between enchondroma and ACT of the pelvis. In addition, our study showed that ACT of the pelvis can be safely treated with curettage due to a low risk of local recurrence and better functional results compared with resection. In case of recurrence, we suggest to treat these patients with resection for the risk of disease progression.

     

Perspectivas futuras del tratamiento de la hepatitis C, ¿sin interferón y sin ribavirina?

The hepatitis C virus is an important health problem worldwide. Currently, the standard treatment of genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C is the combination of pegylated interferon, ribavirin and a first-generation protease inhibitor: telaprevir or boceprevir. This triple therapy has improved the efficacy of treatment but has also increased regimen complexity, costs, and the number of adverse effects (mainly hematological and cutaneous). Unfortunately, viral response rates are still suboptimal in patients with cirrhosis, particularly those with a prior null response. Moreover, studies carried out in clinical practice have shown that the presence of advanced fibrosis confers a high risk of developing severe adverse effects during treatment (infection, decompensation and even death). It is therefore essential to select candidates for triple therapy according to their risk of complications and possibilities for cure. In this scenario, interferon (and ribavirin)-free combinations are very safe and well tolerated first-line treatments.     

Lack of Amphetamine-Like Effects After Administration of Mefenorex in Normal Young Subjects

Mefenorex is an indirect sympathomimetic amine which acts as an anorectic drug and is used in combination with low diet to treat excess weight. The central nervous system (CNS) effects of mefenorex were assessed in a randomized, double-blind, three-way cross-over, placebo-controlled study involving nine healthy young male volunteers. They received either a single oral dose of mefenorex 80 mg (twice the recommended dose) or d-amphetamine sulfate 18 mg or a placebo at 1-week intervals. CNS pharmacodynamic measurements consisted of subjective evaluation (visual analogue scales and the Addiction Research Centre inventory (ARCI)), EEG, psychomotor performance and attention (tracking, simple and choice reaction times, tapping, continuous performance task, DSST, body sway) and memory (working memory and recall of a word list). d-Amphetamine produced a typical psychostimulant EEG profile (significant decrease in slow delta waves and increase in fast beta activities), significantly increased amphetamine, benzedrine and morphine–benzedrine scores of ARCI and significantly decreased body sway compared to placebo and mefenorex. A trend in favour of a stimulant effect occurred for all other parameters (particularly speed of reaction) and no changes of memory were noticed. In contrast, mefenorex did not produce an amphetamine-like EEG profile, neither significantly changed ARCI scores nor significantly modified psychomotor and memory performance compared to the placebo, although it induced a decrease in body sway. In conclusion, the present results indicate that a single oral dose of mefenorex, at twice the recommended daily dose, does not possess amphetamine-like subjective and EEG stimulant effects or sensations of well-being, often encountered with drugs of abuse liability potential, in a healthy young population.     

Ultrasound Morphologic Features of Steatocystoma Multiplex With Clinical Correlation

The ultrasound features of 87 steatocytoma multiplex (SCM) lesions detected in 9 patients are reported. Steatocytoma multiplex is a hamartomatous condition derived from the pilosebaceous duct junction that generates multiple cutaneous cystic lesions. It appeared as clusters of well-defined hypoechoic nodules with mild posterior enhancement in 100% of cases, with both dermal and subcutaneous locations in 67%. No calcification foci were detected within or at the periphery of the lesions. Fifty-six percent of the cases showed signs of hypervascularity in the edge of the nodules, and 44% of the lesions were associated with another dermatologic condition, most frequent being hidradenitis suppurativa (75%), followed by vellus hair cysts (25%). Steatocytoma multiplex shows ultrasound features that allow discrimination from other common cutaneous entities.     

Clinical, dermoscopy and histological correlation study of melanotic pigmentations in excision scars of melanocytic tumours

BACKGROUND: Melanotic pigmentations in scars consecutive to the excision of melanocytic tumours can be secondary to a reactive phenomenon related to the scar tissue or to a recurrence of the melanocytic lesion excised in the first case. Recurrent naevi may sometimes adopt unusual features that make them difficult to differentiate from a melanoma. OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical, dermoscopic and histological features of melanotic pigmentations in scars consecutive to the excision of melanocytic tumours, and to correlate the histological diagnosis with the dermoscopic features. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study using macrophotography, dermoscopy and histopathological study. Ninety-five melanotic pigmentations (77 patients) in scars secondary to the excision of melanocytic tumours were prospectively collected in the Department of Dermatology at the Instituto Valenciano de Oncología in Valencia, Spain. Histopathological study was performed in 57 scars. RESULTS: Thirteen dermoscopic structures were identified. Four criteria allowed a differentiation between reactive and specific melanocytic pigmentations. Presence of globules and presence of heterogeneous pigmentation were features associated with specific melanocytic pigmentations (P < 0.0001). Presence of a regular network and presence of streaks were more frequently found in reactive pigmentations (P = 0.023 and 0.026, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Dermoscopic examination of melanotic pigmentations in excision scars of melanocytic tumours provides useful information about the origin of that pigmentation. Based on such information, recurrent naevi can be differentiated from reactive pigmentations in most cases. Excision and histopathological diagnosis continue to be imperative in some cases of recurrent naevi with atypical clinical features.