Quantifying alcohol use among Ecuadorian human immunodeficiency virus positive individuals and assessing alcohol as an independent risk factor for human immunodeficiency virus: A case control study STROBE.

Alcohol abuse has been identified as a risk factor for contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and accelerating disease progression. Our study aims to determine alcohol consumption rates among Ecuadorian HIV positive (HIV+) patients prior to diagnosis to evaluate its impact as an independent risk factor for contracting HIV. Additionally, we will examine post-diagnosis consumption rates among the HIV+ population.We provided anonymous questionnaires to 300 HIV+ patients and 600 internal medicine patients at 3 hospitals in Quito, Ecuador. Questionnaires quantified alcohol usage prior to HIV diagnosis, at time of diagnosis, and post-diagnosis while accounting for other potential HIV risk factors. We then determined frequencies of alcohol consumption and confounding variables. Finally, we performed a multivariable logistic regression controlling for confounders to determine the statistical significance of alcohol consumption as an independent risk factor for HIV.Our results showed increased odds for contracting HIV among those who drank daily (OR 5.3, CI 2.0-14.0) and those who consumed 6 or more alcoholic beverages on days they drank (OR 5.0, CI 3.1-8.2). Through multivariable analysis, we found that abstaining from binge drinking was a protective factor with an OR 0.5 (0.3-0.96). The percentage of HIV+ patients abstaining from alcohol increased from 30% twelve months prior to diagnosis to 57% after diagnosis.Our results show that alcohol abuse significantly increases the risk of contracting HIV. We found that prior to diagnosis, HIV patients consistently drank more frequently and a greater amount than the control group. Alcohol use significantly decreased among HIV+ patients after diagnosis.

Treatment Eligibility and Therapeutic Responses of an Ecuadorian Population at High Cardiovascular Risk Based on the ATP III Guidelines

Abstract Background The Adult Treatment Panel III (ATPIII) guidelines aim to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In Ecuador, 20% of people have high LDL cholesterol levels, and 39% have high triglyceride levels. Objective To analyze lipid-lowering regimens in Ecuadorian patients and determine the achievement rate of the ATPIII goals for lipid profile. Methods Using a retrospective analysis, 385 subjects older than 30 years, who received pharmacological treatment for dyslipidemia for at least three months was randomly selected from institutions at two large cities in Ecuador. Data were collected from patients' medical records and analyzed by chi-square test or paired t-test; p-values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results Baseline total cholesterol values were above 200 mg/dL in 75% of subjects, LDL-c values above 129 mg/dL in 83% of subjects and triglycerides values above 150 mg/dL in 79% of subjects. Most (n = 253, 95.8%) patients at very high cardiovascular risk were taking statins, 50% of them atorvastatin. Considering the ATPIII guidelines' goals, only 24 subjects (19%) at high CV risk achieved an LDL-c < 100 mg/dl, while a significantly lower percentage (p = 0.04) of patients at very high risk reached an LDL-c < 70mg/dl (11%; n = 30). Conclusion These data indicate a low rate of compliance with the ATPIII guidelines, independent of the medication used or duration of the treatment. This may be attributed to the prescription of low doses of medication and a therapy targeting isolated lipid fractions rather than a complete lipid profile. (Int J Cardiovasc Sci. 2020; 33(4):371-376)

Tactile vibration thresholds after acute poisonings with organophosphate insecticides.

This study evaluated the association between acute poisoning with organophosphate pesticides (OPs) and quantitative tactile vibration thresholds. Thresholds of the dominant index fingers and big toes of 56 men hospitalized for acute poisoning with OPs were measured at hospital discharge (1-24 days after poisoning) and around seven weeks later (24-176 days after poisoning), and compared with those of controls. Thresholds of the big toes of men with severe intentional poisonings due to neuropathic OPs (metamidophos and chlorpyrifos) increased between the first and second examinations. Threshold impairment was not detected in the index finger regardless of poisoning agent or severity. The development of threshold impairment as a consequence of severe intentional poisonings with neuropathic OPs is consistent with other reports indicating that only severe OP poisonings produce sensory peripheral nerve effects.

Onset of grip- and pinch-strength impairment after acute poisonings with organophosphate insecticides.

The course of organophosphate-induced delayed polyneuropathy (OPIDP) in humans has not been quantitatively measured in epidemiologic studies. This study evaluated the association of acute OP poisonings with motor neurologic impairment. Hand grip and pinch strength were evaluated among 62 Nicaraguan men hospitalized for acute OP poisoning between 1992 and 1996; 39 cattle ranchers and fishermen who had never experienced pesticide poisoning were controls. Exposure categories were moderate and severe poisonings with neuropathic and non-neuropathic OPs. Strength was measured at hospital discharge and seven weeks after poisoning. Grip and pinch strength were impaired among all OP-poisoned subjects at both examinations, more noticeably among those poisoned with OPs with suspected neuropathic effects, methamidophos and chlorpyrifos. In those with severe poisonings with neuropathic OPs, impairments were more marked among intentional than among occupational poisonings. The performances of suicidal subjects worsened at the second examination, consistent with OPIDP. Early motor impairment at the time of hospital discharge is consistent with cholinergic depolarization blockade after acute poisoning. The persistence of deficits in motor strength in all severely poisoned patients regardless of pesticide type was unexpected, and may reflect persistent cholinergic blockade or intermediate syndrome, neuropathy, or a combination of these.

Estudio de las alteraciones oftalmoscópicas en la hipertención arterial / Ophtalmoscopic features studied by opthalmoscopy in arterial hypertension

La oftalmoscopía puede proporcionar información del grado de actividad y antigüedad de la hipertensión arterial sistémica. Con el advenimiento de la terapia antihipertensiva, la historia natural de la retinopatía hipertensiva se ha modificado, así como los cuadros oftalmoscópicos que se obserban en la antigüedad (exceptuando las manifestaciones oftalmoscópicas secundarias a hipertensión maligna). Trataremos de correlacionar las variables de edad, sexo y factores causales de hipertensión arterial tales como nefropatía, uropatía. etc., con el grado de actividad y antigüedad de la hipertensión, demostrable en las alteraciones oftalmoscópicas

Teratoma orbitario congénito. Presentación de un caso / Orbital congenital teratoma. Case report

Se presenta el caso clínico de paciente del sexo femenino de 24 horas de nacida, con teratoma de órbita izquierda, diagnosticada por su cuadro clínico radiológico característico y confirmado histopatológicamente, tratado quirúrgicamente con exenteración orbitaria, con seguimiento por nueve meses

Nuevos conceptos en el tratamiento de la diarrea aguda

Presentamos los resultados obtenidos en niños con diarrea aguda tratados con Sacharomyces Boulardil, una levadura que actúa regulando la ecología intestinal. Se encontraron los siguientes agentes etiológicos: Parásitos 17.5 por ciento de los casos, bacterias 30 por ciento, virus 12.5 por ciento, Candidiasis 5 por ciento muestras de heces fecales negativas 35 por ciento. El primer grupo de 40 pacientes fue tratado con SRO más S. Boulardii. Los resultado fueron buenos con reducción de 82 por ciento en el número de evacuaciones en la primeras 48 horas. El segundo grupo de 32 pacientes recibió FORMULA UNO, solución hidratante oral de facil uso, promocionando por nosotros y S Boulardii. Los resultados fueron excelentes observando que las heces estaban de apariencia normales despúes de 24 horas, no requiriendo tratamiento superior a 3 días. El tercer grupo de 12 pacientes recibieron hidratación venosa en las primeras 6 horas, continuando el tratamiento con el mismo esquema anterior, los resultados muy buenos, obtubieron el alta hospitalaria en 24 horas, siguiendo después el tratamiento domiciliario. En el grupo control contamos con 20 niños, sometidos al tratamiento con SRO y se tomaron entre 7 o más días para que se autolimiten las diarreas.