Acute Stroke Care in Mexico City: The Hospital Phase of a Stroke Surveillance Study.

Background: Acute stroke care has greatly improved in recent decades. However, the increasing stroke mortality in low-to-middle income countries suggests that progress has not been reached completely by these populations. Here we present the analysis of the hospital phase of the first population-based stroke surveillance study. Methods: A daily hospital surveillance method was used to identify adult patients with acute stroke during 18 months in six hospitals. We abstracted data on demographics, vascular risk factors, neuroimaging-confirmed stroke types, and clinical data. Results: A total of 1361 adults with acute stroke were identified (mean age 69.2 years; 52% women) with transient ischemic attack (5.5%), acute ischemic stroke (68.6%), intracerebral hemorrhage (23.1%), cerebral venous thrombosis (0.2%), and undetermined stroke (2.6%). The main risk factors were hypertension (80.7%) and diabetes mellitus (47.6%). The usage rate of thrombolysis was 3.6%, in spite of the fact that 37.2% of acute ischemic stroke patients arrived in <4.5 h. The 30-day case fatality rate was 32.6%, higher in hemorrhagic than ischemic stroke. Conclusion: We identified limitations in acute stroke care in the Mexico City, including neuroimaging availability and thrombolysis usage. The door-to-door phase will help to depict the acute stroke burden in Mexico.

Conocimiento, actitudes y prácticas sobre la Malaria en comunidades de Maniapure, Estado Bolívar

Introducción: La Malaria es una enfermedad de importancia epidemiológica, la cual ha tenido un repunte en los últimos años en el Estado Bolívar. Al ser potencialmente mortal, es vital la elaboración de estrategias preventivas basadas en los conocimientos y prácticas comunitarias. Objetivos: Identificar los conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas relacionados con la malaria y comparar con hallazgos de otras áreas endémicas. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo y de corte transversal en la región de Maniapure del 28 al 31 de agosto del 2018. Se aplicó un cuestionario de 30 preguntas de respuestas cerradas. Los resultados fueron presentados según su frecuencia absoluta y relativa. Resultados: Se entrevistaron a 77 jefes de familia, de los cuales 63,64 % (n=49) refirió tener antecedente de malaria y 38,96 % (n=30) conoció a alguien que haya fallecido en su comunidad por esta. En cuanto a conocimientos, 79,22 % (n=61) sabe que la enfermedad se adquiere por la picadura de un mosquito, 51,95 % (n=40) cree que se transmite por el agua y 97,4 % (n=75) asocia la fiebre como síntoma principal. A nivel de actitudes y prácticas, el 92,21 % (n=71) acudiría al médico para tratar la enfermedad, 62,34 % (n=29) mantiene los canales y zanjas limpias y 70,13 % (n=54) usa mosquitero y/o repelente. Conclusión: El área de Maniapure se ubica en una región endémica, y al tratarse de poblaciones susceptibles con diferente trasfondo cultural, se deben elaborar planes educativos individualizados orientados a la prevención, y evaluar su impacto en la práctica.

Introduction: Malaria is a disease with public health significance, with an increase in the last years in Bolivar State. As a potentially life-threatening infection, the development of preventive strategies based on community knowledge and practices is necessary. Objectives: To identify the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to malaria and compare it with findings from other endemic areas. Methods: An observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted in the Maniapure region from August 28 to 31, 2018. A questionnaire of 30 questions with closed answers was applied. The results were presented according to their absolute and relative frequency. Results: 77 family leaders were interviewed, of which 63.64 % (n=49) reported having a history of malaria and 38.96 % (n=30) knew someone who had died in their community from it. About knowledge, 79.22 % (n=61) knew that the disease is acquired by a mosquito bite, 51.95 % (n=40) believed that it's transmitted through water, and 97.4 % (n=75) associate fever as the main symptom. In relation to attitudes and practices, 92.21 % (n=71) would go to the doctor to treat the disease, 62.34 % (n=29) kept the channels and ditches clean and 70.13 % (n= 54) used a mosquito net and/or repellent. Conclusion: Maniapure is located in an endemic region, and since they have susceptible population with different cultural backgrounds, individualized educational plans (focused on prevention) should be elaborated, as well as test the impact in practices.

Genetic Polymorphisms Associated with Thrombotic Disease Comparison of Two Territories: Myocardial Infarction and Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is an important inhibitor of fibrinolysis and plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of arterial thrombosis; genetic polymorphisms of the TAFI gene affect its activity and increase the risk of thrombosis. Moreover, studies in young patients are still scarce. The aim was to examine the contribution of the Thr325Ile and Ala147Thr polymorphisms with ST acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) or idiopathic ischemic stroke (IIS) in the young Mexican population. METHODS: A total of 244 patients with STEMI ≤45 years of age and 244 controls. In a second study, 250 patients with IIS ≤45 years of age were recruited, including 250 controls. In both studies, cases and controls were matched by age and sex. The polymorphisms were determined in all participants by PCR-RFLP. RESULTS: There was significant difference in the Thr325Ile genotype distribution (P = 0.001) and allele frequency (P = 0.001) between STEMI and control groups, but no difference in the Ala147Thr genotype distribution (P = 0.24) and allele frequency (P = 0.46), neither in the Thr325Ile genotype distribution (P = 0.25) nor in the Ala147Thr genotype distribution (P = 0.46) or their allele frequencies; there was significant difference between IIS and the control group. There were independent factors for STEMI: the Ile allele (P = 0.01), type 2 diabetes mellitus (P = 0.001), hypertension (P = 0.001), smoking (P = 0.001), dyslipidemia (P = 0.001), and family history of atherothrombotic disease (P = 0.001). The independent factors for IIS were hypertension (P = 0.001), smoking (P < 0.01), and family history of atherothrombotic disease (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The Thr325Ile polymorphism, but no Ala147Thr polymorphism, represents an independent risk factor for STEMI in the young Mexican population.

Enfermedad de Devic. Reporte de caso y revisión de literatura / Devic's disease. A case report and literature review

Resumen La neuromielitis óptica (NMO) o enfermedad de Devic, es una enfermedad inflamatoria infrecuente del sistema nervioso central (SNC) que afecta predominantemente el nervio óptico y la médula espinal. El mecanismo de la enfermedad es dado por la producción de anticuerpos IgG cuyo principal blanco inmunitario es el canal acuaporina 4 (AQP4), los cuales desencadenan un proceso inflamatorio y desmielinizante en dichas estructuras. Presentamos el caso de una paciente, quien desarrolló episodios sensitivos crónicos fluctuantes con afección visual, sin mejoría con el tratamiento convencional; durante el abordaje diagnóstico se encontraron lesiones desmielinizantes y anticuerpos anti-AQP4 positivos, por lo que se concluyó el diagnóstico de NMO, y respondió de manera positiva al tratamiento con anticuerpos monoclonales.

Abstract Optic neuromyelitis or Devic's disease is a rare inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that predominantly affects the optic nerve and spinal cord. The mechanism of the disease is given by the production of IgG antibodies whose main target is the acuaporine channel 4 (AQP4) that trigger an inflammatory and demyelinating process in the aforementioned structures. We present the case of a patient who developed chronic and fluctuating sensitive episodes with visual impairment, without improvement after conventional treatment. During the diagnostic approach we found demyelinating lesions and positive AQP4-antibodies, this lead to a diagnosis of optic neuromyelitis. A positive response was obtained to the therapy with monoclonal antibodies.

Hypofibrinolytic State in Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Aggravated by the Metabolic Syndrome before Clinical Manifestations of Atherothrombotic Disease.

Background. Metabolic and genetic factors induce plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) overexpression; higher PAI-1 levels decrease fibrinolysis and promote atherothrombosis. Aim. To assess PAI-1 antigen levels among subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) plus Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) before clinical manifestations of atherothrombosis and the contribution of metabolic factors and 4G/5G polymorphism of PAI-1 gene on the variability of PAI-1. Methods. We conducted an observational, cross-sectional assay in a hospital in Mexico City from May 2010 to September 2011. MetS was defined by the International Diabetes Federation criteria. PAI-1 levels and 4G/5G polymorphism were determined by ELISA and PCR-RFLP analysis. Results. We enrolled 215 subjects with T2DM plus MetS and 307 controls. Subjects with T2DM plus MetS had higher PAI-1 levels than the reference group (58.4 ± 21 versus 49.9 ± 16 ng/mL, p = 0.026). A model with components of MetS explained only 12% of variability on PAI-1 levels (R2 = 0.12; p = 0.001), with ß = 0.18 (p = 0.03) for hypertension, ß = -0.16 (p = 0.05) for NL HDL-c, and ß = 0.15 (p = 0.05) for NL triglycerides. Conclusion. Subjects with T2DM plus MetS have elevated PAI-1 levels before clinical manifestations of atherothrombotic disease. Metabolic factors have a more important contribution than 4G/5G polymorphism on PAI-1 plasma variability.

Clinical features of Guillain-Barré Syndrome in a tertiary-level hospital in Mexico / Síndrome de Guillain-Barré en el Hospital de Especialidades del Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI

Background: Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an acute polyneuropathy characterized by symmetrical weakness of the limbs with hyporeflexia or areflexia with a maximum progression within four weeks and can impair respiratory function and implies disability at a long. The aim of this paper was to describe the clinical, epidemiological and neurophysiological features of patients with GBS at the Hospital de Especialidades del Centro Medico Nacional Siglo XXI (HECMNSXXI) Methods: An observational, retrospective cross-sectional study, data were collected form clinical records of adults with GBS hospitalized in HECMNSXXI from March 2012 to March 2016. The recorded variables were demographics, previous infection, clinical presentation, disability scores, prognosis scores and neurophysiological subtypes. Results: Clinical records of 94 patients were analysed with a mean age of 53 years, 61% male, with previous infection in 80%. Albumin cytologic dissociation was present in 50%. Medical Research Council (MRC) sum scores mean was 32, the SGB disability score at admittance with a mean of 3.63. The axonal subtype was in 68%, and demyelinating in 29%, not conclusive in 3%. Conclusions: In this study the demographic and clinical features are similar to other previous reports, we documented a greater proportion of axonal subtype, which are related with important disability and worse prognosis.

Introducción: El síndrome de Guillain-Barré (SGB) es una polirradiculoneuropatía aguda caracterizada por debilidad simétrica progresiva de las extremidades con hipo o arreflexia, que progresa en un máximo de 4 semanas y que puede llevar a la falla respiratoria y a discapacidad a largo plazo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir las características clínicas, epidemiológicas y neurofisiológicas de pacientes con SGB del Hospital de Especialidades del Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI (HECMNSXXI). Métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional de tipo transversal retrolectivo. Se obtuvieron datos de expedientes clínicos de adultos con diagnóstico de SGB hospitalizados en el HECMNSXXI en el periodo de marzo de 2012 a marzo de 2016. Se registraron variables demográficas, clínicas y neurofisiológicas. Resultados: Se incluyeron 94 pacientes con un promedio de edad de 53 años, en su mayoría hombres, con infección previa en 80%. La fuerza muscular medida con la escala del Medical Research Council (MRC) fue en promedio de 32, la escala de discapacidad del SGB (Hughes) al ingreso tuvo un promedio de 3.63. La variedad axonal se encontró en 68%, la desmielinizante en 29% y en 3% no concluyente. Conclusiones: Se documentan en esta muestra características demográficas y clínicas similares a lo reportado en la literatura, así como la mayor proporción de variedades axonales, las cuales tienen mayor severidad en la presentación clínica así como mal pronóstico.