Prevalence of hypertension in indigenous inhabitants of traditional communities from the north of Mexico.

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of hypertension in adults indigenous to their traditional communities from the north of Mexico. The study was based on a cross- sectional survey of inhabitants from Mexicaneros, Huicholes and Tepehuanos communities, which have not been influenced by a western lifestyle. A home interview and clinical examination that included blood pressure and anthropometric measurements of 217 men and 598 non-pregnant women aged between 35 to 64 years was carried out. Eligible indigenous subjects must have had no migratory history to partially or totally urbanised areas. Target population represented approximately 100% of the indigenous people who have spent all their life time in the community of birthplace. Age and body mass index average was 48.9+/-12.9 years and 25.6+/-5.1 kg/m2. Hypertension was identified in 56 individuals, 45 women and 11 men (prevalence 6.87%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.1-8.6). Forty-one percent of the hypertensive subjects were aware of being hypertensive. Hypertensive subjects had a higher intake of saturated fats than non-hypertensives. Salt consumption was lower than 6 g per day in subjects with and without hypertension. High intake of saturated fats (odds ratio 6.4, 95% CI 2.1-12.3; P<0.01) was an independent predictor for hypertension. This study presents, for the first time, data concerning hypertension in adults who are indigenous to and living in traditional communities from Mexico. Prevalence of hypertension was lower than in the partly urbanised rural communities with a westernised lifestyle and the urban areas of Mexico.

Treatment of chronic ulcers in the lower extremities with topical becaplermin gel .01%: a multicenter open-label study.

This prospective, multicenter, open-label study assessed the efficacy and tolerability of recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor BB (becaplermin) in the treatment of chronic ulcers of the lower extremities in 73 patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus. Becaplermin gel .01% was applied once daily for 12 weeks. Efficacy was assessed in terms of progression to healing (100% epithelialization); the secondary efficacy endpoint was time to complete healing. Safety was assessed in terms of incidence of adverse events. Ninety-five percent of all ulcers were completely healed at week 9; only 5% remained incompletely healed at week 12 and were considered treatment failures. Healing time did not differ between diabetic and nondiabetic patients. The major adverse events were pain, burning sensation, and pruritus at the ulcer site, with an overall incidence of 10%. No patients dropped out because of adverse events. Becaplermin gel .01% was safe and well tolerated. Further studies are necessary to assess the durability of healing with this treatment.

[Accumulated probability of hypertension in diabetes and of diabetes in hypertension]. / Probabilidad acumulada de hipertensión en diabéticos y de diabetes en hipertensión.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the cumulative probability of hypertension in type 2 diabetic patients, and of diabetes in patients with essential arterial hypertension. METHODS: A 15-years follow-up study of 308 subjects, 156 with type 2 diabetes and 152 with arterial hypertension. Time zero (T0) was the date in which the diabetes or the hypertension were established. The time in years from T0 up to diagnosis of hypertension in diabetics or diabetes in hypertensives was determined. The cumulative probability was calculated with the method of Kaplan and Meier. RESULTS: The incidence of hypertension in the diabetics was 4.36 patient-year, and that of diabetes in hypertensives of 1.23 patient-year (p = < 0.00001; Cl95% 4.8-14.7). After the first 5 years, 40% of the diabetics had hypertension and 12% of the hypertensives developed diabetes; at 15-years follow-up, these figures were 71% and 21% respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The probability of essential arterial hypertension in type 2 diabetes was significantly higher than the incidence of diabetes in hypertensive subjects. In both instances, the risk was greater for men than for women.

[Familial myxoma. Report of a case and review of the literature]. / Mixoma familiar. Informe de un caso y revisión de la literatura.

This is a report of two family members (mother and her first son) with atrial myxoma detected by echocardiography, computed axial tomography and cardiac catheterization, the former located in the left atrium and the latter in the right ventricle. They were successfully treated with heart surgery. We emphasize the need to detect myxoma in the other members of the family, especially when it is of multicentric localization.