Estandarización del PBI, parenteral bonding instrument, versión adaptada a la población entre 16 y 64 años del gran Santiago / Adapting the PBI, parental bonding instrument, to the greater Santiago population aged 16-64

La presente investigación tuvo por objetivo estandarizar el cuestionario Parental Bonding Instrument, P.B.I (2), a la población de entre 16 y 64 años de edad del gran Santiago. Este instrumento de medición psicológico está basado en la Teoría del Vínculo y mide la percepción del sujeto sobre las conductas y actitudes de sus cuidadores, para conocer la contribución parental en el apego y establecer el tipo de vínculo del sujeto. Se aplicó el cuestionario a una muestra de 542 personas, controlando las variables sexo, edad y nivel socioeconómico (N.S.E). Se realizó un análisis estadístico de los resultados, evaluando las características psicométricas del test, obteniéndose normas generales y diferenciales según las variables estudiadas. Los resultados confirman las propiedades psicométricas del PBI, como un instrumento confiable para la medición de la contribución parental en el apego, estableciendo los diferentes tipos de vínculos

Alta prevalencia de enfermedad tiroidea subclínica en sujetos que concurren a control de salud / High prevalence of subclinical thyroidal disease among individuals attended in occupational health examinations

Background: There is no information about the prevalence of thyroidal diseases in the general Chilean population. Aim: To assess the prevalence of thyroidal diseases in individuals attended in occupational health examinations. Subjects and methods : Four hundred seventy two individuals were examined between 1998 and 1999. In all, serum levels of thyroid hormones, TSH and anti thyroidal antibodies (anti microsomal, anti thyroid peroxidase and anti thyroglobulin) were measured. Results: Forty four subjects were excluded from the study due to an incomplete medical record and 18 due to a personal history of thyroidal disease. Abnormal serum levels of thyroid hormones or TSH were detected in 28 subjects (6.8 percent). Four (1 percent) had hypothyroidism, 23 a subclinical hypothyroidism (5.6 percent) and one (0.2 percent) had hyperthyroidism. In 87 subjects (21.2 percent) at least one of the antibodies was positive. Positive anti thyroid antibodies were found in 14 of 28 subjects (50 percent) with abnormal thyroid hormone levels, compared with 73 of 382 subjects (19.1 percent) with normal thyroid hormone levels. Thyroid dysfunction was twice as frequent in women than in men. Conclusions: In this sample, a 6.8 percent prevalence of abnormal thyroid function tests was detected

Trastorno de pánico e hipertiroidismo: curso clínico en dos pacientes / Panic disorder and hyperthyroidism: report of 2 cases

In two females aged 27 and 32 years old, an aggravation of their panic disorder coincided with the appearance of clinical signs of hyperthyroidism. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed with the finding of raised thyroid hormone levels and undetectable TSH levels. These two cases highlight the importance of routine thyroid function assessment in patients with panic disorder, mainly in those with partial response to medications or when symptoms aggravate, despite an adequate treatment

Relevancia del estudio tiroideo en pacientes con trastornos psiquiátricos / Thyroid function assessment in psychiatric patients

Background: Thyroid dysfunction is frequent in psychiatric outpatients and the correction of their endocrine abnormalities seems to improve the response to psychopharmacologic treatment. Aim: To retrospectively explore the frequency of thyroid abnormalities in psychiatric autpatients. Material and methods: Clinical charts and thyroid assesment of 102 psychiatric patients aged 40.8ñ15 years old (28 male) seen between April 1995 and 1996 were reviewed. Endocrine diagnosis was made according to international criteria and psychiatric diagnosis was made by a single psychiatryist following DSM IV criteria. Results: Forty patients (39.2 percent) had thyroid abnormalities. Thirteen (12.7 percent) had a diagnosis of thyroid problems and were in treatment before they came to the psychiatric clinic. Sixteen patients had hypothyroidism (40 percent), seven had subclinical hypothyroidism (17.5 percent), 12 were euthyroid but had goiter or positive thyroid antibodies (30 percent) and 5 individuals had hyperthyroidism (12.5 percent). The most frequent thyroid abnormality was the presence of positive thyroid antibodies in 16 cases (15.7 percent). No specific associaton was found between psychiatric and endocrine diagnoses. Conclusions: The desing of this study prevents to draw conclusions about prevalence of thyroid alterations in psychiatric patients. Nevertheless results support the need for routine thyroid assessment in this specific population

Respuesta inmune disminuída por estrés académico intenso: cambios de la proliferación linfocitaria en estudiantes de medicina / Decreased immune response by acute academic stress: changes in lymphocyte proliferation in medical students

Blood samples were obtained from 42 medical students during a period of moderate academic stress, immediately before a final examination and after their summer vacations. T lymphocyte proliferation in response to 5, 10 and 20 mg/ml phytohemagglutinin was measured by the incorporation of 3H-thymidine, and plasma cortisol was measured by RIA. Results: T lymphocyte stimulation index in response to all phytohemagglutinin concentrations was significatively lower in the period before examination than in the other two periods.There were no differences in the index between the period of moderate stress and after summer vacations. Plasma cortisol levels were 15.6 ñ 4.3, 18.6 ñ 5.8 and 16.7 ñ 5.1 mg/dl during the periods of moderate stress, before the examination and after vacations, respectively (p < 0.05 for the difference between examination and the other two periods). Conclusions: There is a decrease in lymphocyte proliferation and an increase in cortisol levels during a period of acute academic stress in medical students, suggesting that, the exposure of healthy subjects to common stress ful stimuli, may affect their immunocompetance

Benzodiazepinas y fármacos afines / Benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine-like compounds

Se revisan las propiedades farmacológicas, indicaciones clínicas, efectos adversos y potencial de abuso y dependencia de los fármacos benzodiazepínicos y se comparan con dos agentes de efecto predominantemente hipnótico -zolpidem y zopiclona-, que si bien difieren en su estructura química, comparten con éstas la acción a nivel del complejo receptor GABA. Se comenta a la luz de reportes recientes en la literatura el potencial de dependencia de estos dos compuestos, como también, la normativa chilena de prescripción y dispensación de benzodiazepinas. La no inclusión bajo el mismo régimen de zolpidem y zopiclona ha producido un marcado aumento en la dispensación sin prescripción médica de estos últimos, y limita los alcances positivos sobre uso racional de fármacos que se perseguía con las nuevas normas