Efecto de la fortificación de la harina con ácido fólico sobre la evolución de las tasas de prevalencia al nacimiento de malformaciones congénitas en los hospitales chilenos del ECLAMC / Effects of folic acid fortification in the rates of malformations at birth in Chile

Background: The effects of folic acid fortification on neural tube defects is well known. Other reports show a beneficial effect of the fortification on orofacial clefts, urinary malformations and defects caused by limb reduction. Aim: To determine the changes in prevalence of congenital malformations after the start of flour folic acid fortification in Chile. Material and methods: The rates of 22 malformations occurring in the maternity of the University of Chile Clinical Hospital and other Chilean hospitals participating in the Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations (ECLAMC) were compared before and after the start of flour folic acid fortification. Results: After the start of folic acid fortification a significant reduction in the rates of anencephalia, spina bifida and diaphragmatic hernia, was observed. The rates of all other malformations remained stable or increased. The rates of all malformations at the University of Chile Clinical Hospital had a steady increase until 2005 and were significantly higher than in the rest of hospitals participating in ECLAMC. Conclusions: Folic acid fortification was associated with an expected reduction in rates of spina bifida and anencephalia and an unexpected reduction in the rates of diaphragmatic hernia.

Pólipos endometiiales: manejo con histeroscopia quirúrgica y correlación histológica / Endometrial polyps: management with surgical hysteroscopy and histological correlation

Se presenta la experiencia quirúrgica en 160 pacientes con diagnóstico ecográfico de pólipo endometrial. Se evalúan las características epidemiológicas, clínicas y la correlación histológica. La edad promedio fue de 50 años, se analizaron las variables diferenciándolas en premenopáusicas o post menopáusicas, y presencia de síntomas. En todos los subgrupos la incidencia fue igualmente alta para los pólipos endometriales, seguida en frecuencia por los leiomiomas, hiperplasia endometrial y endometrio proliferativo, entre otros. Se encontraron 3 casos de adenocarcinoma endometrial, todos en el subgrupo de las pacientes postmenopáusicas sintomáticas. El procedimiento fue bien tolerado, y sin complicaciones. Destacamos a la histeroscopia como el estándar dorado por su alta sensibilidad y especificidad en el diagnóstico de pólipo endometrial.

The surgical experience in 160 patients with echographic diagnostic of endometrial polyps, are analyzed. Clinical and pathological characteristics are evaluated. The patient average age was 50 years old; variables were analyzed differentiating them in pre menopausal or post menopausal, according to the presence of symptoms. In all sub-groups the incidence was equally high for the endometrial polyps, followed in frequency by leiomyomas, endometrial hyperplasia and endometria proliferative among others. Three cases of endometrial adenocarcinoma were found, all in the sub-group of the symptomatic post menopausal patients. The procedure was well tolerated, without complications. We emphasized the hysteroscopy procedure as the gold standard by its high sensitivity and specificity in the endometrial polyp diagnosis.