Merck Navarro, Belén

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a prevalent but preventable complication in low-and-middle income countries (LMIC), with reported incidence varying from 8–30%. In 2018, the MEDIPINAS surgical mission to the Philippines observed a 28.8% rate of SSI despite adherence to WHO intraoperative protocols. The objective of this study was to introduce an educational program for wound care and early identification of wound infection. This program included provision of wound care materials and systematic protocol to ensure adequate and effective follow-up. Barriers to SSI prophylaxis in the Philippines include limited resources in regional hospitals and isolation of patients living in rural areas. The MEDIPINAS mission utilized mobile health software to connect with regional providers and to reinforce the wound care educational program introduced at discharge. Methods: The 2019 MEDIPINAS mission returned to the Philippines and operated on 187 patients in San Antonio de Padua Diocesan Hospital and Santa Maria Josefa Hospital. Before discharge, patients were individually consulted about maintaining the cleanliness of their surgical wound. Each patient was discharged with a wound care infographic and a kit to change dressings. In collaboration with regional care providers, we utilized a secure mobile health software to monitor wound healing 7 and 30 days following the operation. Results: Between the 2018 and 2019 surgical missions, we observed a decrease in SSI from 28.8% to 9.7%. Fourteen patients (7.5%) were lost to follow-up. Postoperative infection was diagnosed using photos provided by hospital-based nurses. Individuals with infections were treated with antibiotics and all but two SSI resolved after 30 days. Conclusions: Patient education, discharge with basic sanitary resources, and development of a mobile health-based follow-up infrastructure may contribute to significant reductions in SSI in LMICs. A limitation to implementation of such a program was integration of the mobile health software into the practice of local healthcare providers.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the periodontium, or the supportive tissues around the tooth. This disease has been related to different risk factors, such as the presence of plaque and calculus, tobacco smoking, low socioeconomic status, and the immune state of the host. Importantly, the chronic inflammatory environment generated by periodontitis may lead to tooth loss and diverse systemic complications, such as cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis and metabolic disease. Recent investigations have supported the role of obesity as a risk factor for periodontitis. Furthermore, studies have found obesity to compromise healing after periodontal therapy; however, the mechanisms underlying this association are not well understood. Proteins called 'adipokines' could be the factor linking obesity to periodontitis. Adipokines are bioactive molecules with hormonal properties and a structure similar to cytokines produced by the adipose tissue. Although adipokines have both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects, the shift towards pro-inflammatory actions occurs when the adipose tissue becomes pathological, as observe in the progression of conditions such as obesity or adiposopathy. This article reviews the role of adipokines in the pathophysiology and progression of periodontitis by focusing on their impact on inflammation and the molecular mechanisms through which adipokines contribute to the onset and development of periodontitis.