Evaluación de presencia y severidad de periodontitis en pacientes chilenos con artritis reumatoide atendidos en el Hospital Padre Hurtado / Frequency and severity of periodontitis among patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Background: Periodontitis may have a triggering and aggravating role of various medical conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. Aim: To evaluate the periodontal status in Chilean patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), treated in a public hospital. Patients and Methods: A trained professional conducted a periodontal examination in 40 patients with RA aged 23 to 73 years (85% women). When present, the severity of periodontitis and its relationship with gender, smoking, age, corticosteroids dose and AR activity were assessed. AR activity was evaluated using the Disease Activity Score Calculator for Rheumatoid Arthritis (DAS 28). Results: Thirty five of the 40 patients had periodontitis and in 13, it was severe. Men, smokers, and older patients had more severe stages. Patients using higher doses of corticosteroids had lower severity of periodontitis. No relationship between the severity of periodontitis and AR activity was found. Conclusions: Periodontitis is common and severe in patients with RA, and is influenced by gender, age, smoking and corticosteroid dose.

Prevalencia de la infección por Helicobacter pylori en niños: estimando la edad de adquisición / Frequency of Helicobacter pylori infection in 144 school age Chilean children

Background: A 73% prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection was estimated in adults in the 2003 Chilean National Health Survey. However, this infection is usually acquired during childhood. Aim: To determine the frequency of H. pylori infection in healthy Chilean children from a school in Santiago. Material and Methods: A cross sectional study in a private/ subsidized school in Santiago. Children aged less than 18 years were invited to participate. The parents of those who accepted answered a demographic survey and a stool sample was obtained from participants to detect H. pylori antigen using a monoclonal antibody ELISA kit. Results: We studied 144 students aged 10.6 ± 3.1 years (54% females). Twenty six participants (18.1%, 95% CI: 12.4-24.9%) had a positive test. Children from higher socioeconomic levels had a non-significant lower frequency of infection. No differences in the frequency of infection were observed by age, gender, household type or number of people living in it or history of breastfeeding. Conclusions: In this sample of children, an 18.1% frequency of H. pylori infection was observed.

Marcadores de síndrome metabólico como predictores de elevación de alanino aminotransferasa en niños / Association of metabolic syndrome markers with abnormal alanine aminotransferase levels in healthy children

Background: There is a high prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) among pediatric patients. The identification of clinical predictors of these conditions would allow a timely treatment. Aim: To evaluate the relationship between serum alanine aminotransferase levels and parameters of metabolic syndrome in asymptomatic school students without hepatic illness. Subjects and Methods: A randomized sample of 175 children aged between 9 and 14 years (54% females) was selected, from a database of 3010 students living in Santiago, Chile. Weight, height, abdominal circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured. A fasting blood sample was obtained to measure glucose, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and insulin levels. Results: Forty percent of participants were obese, 17% had metabolic syndrome and 13.1% had abnormal ALT levels. Compared with children with normal ALT levels, the latter had significantly higher waist obesity, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and triglycerides. However on multiva-riate analysis, only waist obesity was independently associated with abnormal ALT levels (adjusted odds ratio 3.93, 95% confidence intervals 1.44-10.78, p = 0.008). Conclusions: Only waist obesity was independently associated with abnormal ALT levels in this sample of children.