Résumé
Abstract Background Systemic inflammation, documented before rheumatoid arthritis (RA) diagnosis, is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis. We aimed to compare the prevalence of carotid plaque (CP) in RA patients in the first five years since diagnosis and healthy controls, and to determine disease characteristics associated with the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in RA patients. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. We recruited 60 RA patients in the first five years since diagnosis and 60 matched healthy controls. Carotid ultrasound was performed to detect the presence of CP and measure carotidintima media thickness (cIMT). Subclinical atherosclerosis was considered as the presence of CP and/or increased cIMT. Distribution was evaluated with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Comparisons were made with Chi-square or Fisher's exact test for qualitative variables and Student's t or Mann-Whitney's U test for quantitative variables. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results There were no differences in the demographic characteristics between RA patients and controls. The mean disease duration was 2.66 ± 1.39 years. A higher prevalence of CP (30.0% vs. 11.7%, p = 0.013), bilateral CP (18.3% vs. 3.3%, p = 0.008), increased cIMT (30.0% vs. 6.7%, p = 0.001), and subclinical atherosclerosis (53.3% vs. 18.3%, p = < 0.001) was found in RA patients. RA patients with subclinical atherosclerosis were older (56.70 years vs. 50.00 years, p = 0.002), presented a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia (53.1% vs. 14.3%, p = 0.002), and higher prevalence of classification in moderate-high disease activity category measured by DAS28-CRP (68.8% vs. 35.7%, p = 0.010). The latter variable persisted independently associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in the binary logistic regression (OR 6.11, 95% CI 1.51-24.70, p = 0.011). Conclusions In the first five years since diagnosis, higher prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis, including CP was found in RA patients. Carotid ultrasound should be considered part of the systematic CVR evaluation of RA at the time of diagnosis.
Résumé
En Venezuela el Dengue es una enfermedad endémica, con brotes cíclicos en casi todos los asentamientos humanos ubicados por debajo de los 1800 metros sobre el nivel del mar. Casi todos los estudios realizados en esta enfermedad se han efectuado acerca de los hábitos del vector Aedes aegypti, como son los lugares de su cría y los condicionantes socioeconómicos y culturales. Objetivo General: Describir la dinámica ecoepidemiológica del Dengue en el municipio Naguanagua durante el lapso 2006-2010.Material y Métodos: Se realizo un estudio Descriptivo La muestra fue de tipo No Probabilística e Intencional. Los datos se colectaron a través de fuentes de información secundarias, por la revisión de base de datos. Resultados: Se identificaron 06 áreas de mayor morbilidad por Dengue en el Municipio. La infección afecto de la siguiente manera: 0-4 años fue afectado el sexo masculino, de 5-9 años: el sexo femenino, de 10-14 y de 15-19 años prevaleció la arbovirosis en varones. Los índices aedicos a casa (IAC) y a deposito (IAD) permanecieron por encima del 5%. Predominaron los criaderos útiles: tanques de barriles, seguidos de materos, en área muy urbanizada, en criaderos inservibles sobresalieron depósitos diversos y los cauchos. Conclusión: Existen áreas repetidoras de dengue, la infección prevalece en masculinos de 0 a19 años de edad, los índices entomológicos son muy altos, predominaron tanques, barriles, depósitos diversos y cauchos como criaderos del vector.
In Venezuela Dengue is endemic, with cyclical outbreaks in almost all human settlements located below 1800 meters above sea level., Studies of this disease have been made about the habits of Aedesaegypti vector, , their breeding sites and socioeconomic and cultural conditions. General Objective: To describe the dynamics of eco-epidemiological Naguanagua Dengue in the town during the period 2006-2010.Material and Methods: A descriptive study nonrandom sample type and intentional. The data were collected through secondary sources, by reviewing database. Results: We identified 06 areas of increased morbidity from Dengue in the Municipality. Infection affection as follows: 0-4 years was affected males, 5-9 years: females, 10-14 and 15- 19 years in men prevailed arboviruses. Indexes aedicos home (IAC) and deposit (IAD) remained above 5%. Farms predominated helpful: tanks barrels, followed materos in highly urbanized area in various deposits stood useless hatcheries and rubbers. Conclusion: There are repetitive areas of dengue infection in male prevails 0 a19 year old entomological indices are very high, dominated tanks, barrels, tanks and various rubbers as vector breeding sites.
Résumé
The evaluation of new antimalarial agents using older methods of monitoring sensitivity to antimalarial drugs are laborious and poorly suited to discriminate stage-specific activity. We used flow cytometry to study the effect of established antimalarial compounds, cysteine protease inhibitors, and a quinolone against asexual stages of Plasmodium falciparum. Cultured P. falciparum parasites were treated for 48 h with different drug concentrations and the parasitemia was determined by flow cytometry methods after DNA staining with propidium iodide. P. falciparum erythrocytic life cycle stages were readily distinguished by flow cytometry. Activities of established and new antimalarial compounds measured by flow cytometry were equivalent to results obtained with microscopy and metabolite uptake assays. The antimalarial activity of all compounds was higher against P. falciparum trophozoite stages. Advantages of flow cytometry analysis over traditional assays included higher throughput for data collection, insight into the stage-specificity of antimalarial activity avoiding use of radioactive isotopes.