Molecular Prevalence and Subtypes Distribution of Blastocystis spp. in Humans of Latin America: A Systematic Review.

Blastocystis spp. are among the few enteric parasites with a prevalence that can reach up to approximately 80% in communities of developing countries. This systematic review updates and summarizes available literature on the molecular prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis spp. in Latin American people. This work follows the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. The literature revised covers from 1 January 2015 to 6 October 2023 in seven different scientific databases, and the material was selected through inclusion and exclusion criteria. According to data found in the 36 selected articles, the prevalence of Blastocystis spp. in Latin America ranged between 5.8% (Bolivian rural communities) and 94.0% (Colombian general public). Generally, genomic DNA was extracted from approximately 200 mg fecal sediments using commercial kits, such as the QIAamp Stool Mini Kit (QIAGEN, Hilden, Germany) or the Norgen Stool DNA Isolation Kit (Norgen Biotek Corporation, Thorold, ON, Canada). Subtype-specific primers (such as the couple of primers BhRDr-RD5) developed from unique sequences of the SSU rRNA gene were applied to Blastocystis subtyping. Ten specific subtypes (STs) were found as well as various mixed infections, and the most circulating Blastocystis STs were in the order ST3, ST1, ST2, and ST4. The most recent data about Blastocystis spp. molecular epidemiology and the STs in communities of Latin America are limited to studies from specific countries. Novel scientific data from the other countries are required to obtain a complete picture and truly understand the distribution and prevalence of Blastocystis spp. and the STs.

Efficacy of ozone injections for reducing musculoskeletal pain in comparison with corticosteroid injections: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Corticosteroid injections are frequently used in the short-term treatment of musculoskeletal pain, but their use is controversial as repeated exposures to corticosteroids can lead to deleterious effects on musculoskeletal tissue. Ozone injections have been proposed as a possible treatment for musculoskeletal pain; however, their effectiveness has not been compared with corticosteroids. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of ozone injections for reducing pain in individuals with musculoskeletal pain in comparison with corticosteroid injections through a meta-analysis. METHODS: An online systematic search was performed using electronic databases up to September 2023. We searched for studies that compared corticosteroid injections with ozone injections in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain of diverse origins. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included comprising a total of 534 individuals. In the overall pooled analysis, a pain reduction in favor of corticosteroid injections was found in the short term (d= 0.31, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.60, p (z) 0.04, I2 = 32%). In the medium term, no significant differences were found in reducing pain between groups (d=-0.17, 95% CI -0.42 to 0.07, p (z) 0.15, I2 = 0%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that corticosteroids injections are more effective in reducing musculoskeletal pain in the short term, but equally effective in the medium term when compared with ozone injections. Nonetheless, better-quality clinical trials are necessary to corroborate these results.

Description of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli based on phylogenetic grouping, virulence factors, and antimicrobial susceptibility.

Background and Objectives: Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) is a recently recognized and highly diverse pathotype of E. coli. Its significance as a pathogen has increased due to the emergence of hypervirulent and multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains. The aim of this study was to characterize ExPEC isolates from humans based on their phylogenetic group, virulence factor profile, and antimicrobial susceptibility. Materials and Methods: The isolates were collected from patients with extraintestinal infections caused by E. coli, including urinary tract infections, bacteremia, and surgical site infections. The E. coli phylogenetic groups were determined using multiplex PCR. Additionally, the isolates were evaluated for their biofilm-forming abilities, susceptibility to antimicrobial agents, and presence of virulence genes. Results: In this study, the isolates were classified into four phylogenetic groups: A (48.3%), B2 (25.8%), D (19.35%), and B1 (6.45%). All isolates exhibited at least one of the ten analyzed virulence factors. However, there was no direct evidence linking a specific phylogenetic group to a particular virulence factor. Nevertheless, the presence of the fimH, fyuA, ompT, traT, and kpsMTII virulence genes was correlated with the production of strong biofilms, multidrug resistance (MDR), and the production of alpha hemolysin. Conclusion: This study provides a description of the phylogenetic groups in ExPEC and their potential association with virulence factor profiles and antimicrobial susceptibility.

Maternal-fetal outcomes of pregnancies in women treated at an inborn errors of metabolism unit.

INTRODUCTION: Intermediate Inborn Errors of Metabolism (IEM) are a group of inherited diseases that include phenylketonuria (PKU), tyrosinemia II (TSII), organic acidaemias and ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD), among others. They are increasingly more common in adults due to improved management. This has allowed more affected women to consider having children with good prospects. However, pregnancy may worsen metabolic control and/or increase maternal-fetal complications. The objective is to analyse the characteristics and outcomes of pregnancies of our patients with IEM. METHODS: Retrospective descriptive study. Pregnancies of women with IEM attended to at the adult IEM referral unit of the Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío were included. The qualitative variables were described as n(%) and the quantitative as P50 (P25-P75). RESULTS: 24 pregnancies were recorded: 12 newborns were healthy, 1 inherited their mother's disease, 2 had maternal phenylketonuria syndrome, 1 was stillborn (gestational week 31 + 5), 5 were spontaneous abortions and 3 were voluntarily terminated. The gestations were divided into metabolically controlled and uncontrolled. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy planning and multidisciplinary management through to postpartum is essential to ensure maternal and fetal health. The basis of treatment in PKU and TSII is a strict protein-limited diet. Events that increase protein catabolism in organic acidaemias and DOTC should be avoided. Further investigation of pregnancy outcomes in women with IEM is needed.

Association between Genetic Variants of CELSR2-PSRC1-SORT1 and Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

A cluster of three genes CELSR2, PSRC1, and SORT1 has been associated with cardiovascular diseases. Thus, the aim of this study was (i) to perform a systematic review and updated meta-analysis of the association of three polymorphisms (rs646776, rs599839, and rs464218) of this cluster with cardiovascular diseases, and (ii) to explore by PheWAS signals of the three SNPs in cardiovascular diseases and to evaluate the effect of rs599839 with tissue expression by in silico tools. Three electronic databases were searched to identify eligible studies. The meta-analysis showed that the rs599839 (allelic OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.13-1.26, dominant OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.06-1.39, recessive OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.15-1.32), rs646776 (allelic OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.17-1.82) polymorphisms showed an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. PheWas analysis showed associations with coronary artery disease and total cholesterol. Our results suggest a possible involvement of the CELSR2-PSRC1-SORT1 cluster variants in the risk association of cardiovascular diseases, particularly coronary artery disease.

Chronic Pain and Depression are Increased in Outpatient Adults with Somatic Symptoms from Secondary Health Care Services.

BACKGROUND: Somatic symptom disorder is described as excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors related to physical symptoms. The presence of somatic symptoms has been associated with depression, alexithymia, and the presence of chronic pain. Individuals with somatic symptom disorder are frequent attenders of primary health care services. AIM: We focused on investigating if the presence of psychological symptoms, alexithymia, or pain could be risk factors for somatic symptoms in a secondary health care service. METHODS: A cross-sectional and observational study. A total of 136 Mexican individuals who regularly attend a secondary health care service were recruited. The Visual Analogue Scale for Pain Assessment, the Symptom Checklist 90, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 were applied. RESULTS: Of all the participants, 45.2% showed somatic symptoms. We observed that these individuals more frequently presented with complaints of pain (χ2 = 18.4, p < .001), as well as more severe (t = -4.6, p < .001), and prolonged (χ2 = 4.9, p = 0.02). They also exhibited higher severity in all psychological dimensions assessed (p < .001). Finally, cardiovascular disease (t = 2.52, p = .01), pain intensity (t = 2.94, p = .005), and SCL-90 depression (t = 7.58, p < .001) were associated with somatic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we observed a high frequency of somatic symptoms in outpatients attending secondary health care services. They may be accompanied by comorbid cardiovascular conditions, higher pain intensity, and other mental health-related symptoms, which may aggravate the general clinical picture presented by the patient seeking health care. The presence and severity of somatization should be taken into consideration in the first and second level health care services for an early mental state evaluation and treatment of these outpatients to have a better clinical assessment and health outcome.

Effect of risperidone on serum IL-6 levels in individuals with schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Risperidone has been significant correlated with a direct effect of interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in patients with schizophrenia. This fact allows the opportunity to link the probable immunomodulatory effect of antipsychotic medication. Specially, a proper functioning of IL-6 pathway plays a potential role in the treatment or development of schizophrenia. OBJECTIVE: Our primary aim was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the effect of risperidone on IL-6 levels in individuals with schizophrenia. METHODS: Studies were identified through a systematic search using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The articles found were subjected to the inclusion and exclusion criteria; then, the mean and standardised differences were extracted to calculate the standardised mean differences using the CMA software. RESULTS: IL-6 levels in individuals with schizophrenia were compared before and after receiving risperidone as treatment. Increased levels of IL-6 levels were observed in individuals with schizophrenia who received risperidone (point estimate 0.249, lower limit 0.042, upper limit 0.455, p-value 0.018). In the Asian population sub-analysis, no statistically significant differences were observed (point estimate 0.103, lower limit -0.187, upper limit 0.215, p value 0.890). When we compared individuals with schizophrenia to the control groups, a significant increase of IL-6 levels was observed in the group with schizophrenia (point estimate 0.248, lower limit 0.024, upper limit 0.472, p-value 0.30). CONCLUSIONS: Risperidone appears to play an important role in IL-6 levels in schizophrenia. Potential implications of increased IL-6 levels in people with schizophrenia should be considered in future studies.KEY POINTSIncreased levels of IL-6 levels were observed in individuals with schizophrenia who received risperidone.Risperidone appears to play an important role in IL-6 levels in schizophrenia.This study could serve for future research focussed on IL-6.

Association between the HTR1A rs6295 gene polymorphism and suicidal behavior: an updated meta-analysis.

Several association studies have indicated that the HTR1A gene is associated with suicidal behavior (SB). Thus, a systematic assessment of the association of HTR1A was performed based on a literature review and pooled analysis. Four electronic databases were comprehensively searched to find and pinpoint all case-control articles related to this study. When analyzing the genetic association with SB, data were divided into: (A) SB cases vs. healthy controls and (B) SB cases vs. psychiatric controls. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were assessed as measures of association. Heterogeneity among included studies was analyzed using sensitivity test and Q statistics. Publication bias was also explored by Egger and rank correlation test. Thirteen case-control studies were selected in this meta-analysis, involving 2817 SB patients, 2563 healthy controls and 545 psychiatric controls. In the overall comparison between SB cases and healthy controls, result showed that the rs6295 polymorphisms of HTR1A gene was associated with SB, but only when using the recessive model (OR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.80-2.71, P < 0.001). In the smaller sample size comparison between SB and psychiatric controls, no significant association was detected with rs6295 in any of the five genetics models tested. The present meta-analysis suggests that rs6295 polymorphism of HTR1A gene could increase the risk for SB. Well-designed studies with more patients will be required to validate these results.

High Serum Levels of IL-6 Are Associated with Suicide Attempt but Not with High Lethality Suicide Attempts: A Preliminary Case-Control Study.

Suicide attempts are an emerging health problem around the world. Increased levels of IL-6 have been associated with suicidal behavior. Therefore, the aims of this study were to evaluate the serum levels of IL-6 in individuals with suicide attempts and a comparison group and to associate the IL-6 levels with the lethality of the suicide attempt. Additionally, we associated the rs2228145 polymorphism of the IL6R gene with suicide attempts or with the IL-6 serum levels. Suicide attempts and their lethality were evaluated using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. The serum concentrations of IL-6 were measured by the ELISA technique in individuals with suicide attempts and then compared to a control group. The rs2228145 polymorphism of the IL6R gene was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. We found elevated serum levels of IL-6 in the suicide attempt group when compared to the control group (F = 10.37, p = 0.002). However, we found no differences of the IL-6 levels between high and low lethality. The IL6R gene polymorphism rs2479409 was not associated with suicide attempts. Our data suggest that IL-6 serum is increased in individuals with suicide attempts.

Reproducibility and safety of the 30" sit to stand test in individuals with obesity and cardiovascular risk factors.

BACKGROUND: The 30″ sit to stand test is a submaximal exercise test that assesses functional capacity and it has been validated for various pathologies. Although it has been used in individuals with obesity, its reproducibility in this population has not yet been determined. The main objective of this study was to determine the reproducibility and safety of the 30″ sit to stand test in individuals with overweight or obesity and with cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed. Individuals with obesity or overweight who also presented cardiovascular risk factors were evaluated with the 30″ sit to stand test. The reproducibility and safety of the 30" sit to stand test were determined, as well as its association with other functional tests and anthropometric characteristics. RESULTS: 59 individuals (27 men, 32 women) with obesity or overweight and cardiovascular risk factors, aged 57.93 (9.62) years, were included in the study. The 30″ sit to stand test showed good overall reproducibility (0.907 ICC) and significant correlation with the 6-minute walk test, handgrip strength test, body fat percentage and waist - height index, with a similar hemodynamic response to the 6-minute walk test. CONCLUSION: The 30" sit to stand test is a highly reproducible and safe test for individuals with obesity and cardiovascular risk factors, with a significant correlation to anthropometric characteristics and other functional tests regularly used for the evaluation of individuals with obesity.

Needs assessment of cancer survivors in Alaska.

PURPOSE: Little is known about cancer survivors' needs in Alaska. To address this knowledge gap, the Alaska Cancer Partnership conducted a needs assessment survey; our objectives were to identify unmet needs of Alaska's cancer survivors; identify survivor sub-populations that might benefit from targeted interventions or programming; and develop recommendations for public health and community organizations and healthcare providers for addressing cancer survivors' unmet needs. METHODS: Cancer survivors were identified using data from the Alaska Cancer Registry. A random sample of 2,600 individuals was selected to receive the survey, which assessed unmet needs across the following domains: information needs and medical care issues; quality of life; emotional and relationship issues related to cancer diagnoses; and support services. We calculated descriptive statistics for survey responses and assessed demographic predictors of unmet needs using Poisson regression. RESULTS: We received 335 survey responses, for a response of 13.7%. Only 29.9% of cancer survivors expressed that all their needs were met. The most highly ranked unmet needs were as follows: help to reduce stress in life; to know doctors were coordinating care; and managing concerns about cancer coming back. After adjustment, men, adults younger than 65 at diagnosis, Alaska Native people, survivors still receiving or who had recently received care, and people who had to travel 50+ miles for most of their care had significantly greater unmet needs than their comparison groups. CONCLUSION: This assessment provided some of the first information regarding the needs of Alaska's cancer survivors. These results will be used by Alaska Cancer Partnership members across the state to inform healthcare delivery, programs, and public health messaging to support survivors.

Association between TPH1 polymorphisms and the risk of suicide behavior: An updated meta-analysis of 18,398 individuals.

Objectives: We aimed to examine the association of TPH1 polymorphisms with the risk of suicide behavior (SB). Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Method: All relevant studies that evaluated the association between the A218C (rs1800532), A779C (rs1799913) and A6526G (rs4537731) polymorphisms and the susceptibility to SB published up to September 2021 were identified through a comprehensive systematic search in PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO and Science Direct electronic databases. The association between TPH1 gene polymorphisms and SB was evaluated using inherence models by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analyses, heterogeneity analyses, and publication bias were also tested in this meta-analysis. Results: The meta-analysis for TPH1 A218C revealed an increased risk of SB in the dominant model (OR = 1.11, 95%CI 1.01-1.22). We also observed a positive association in the allelic (OR = 1.13, 95%CI 1.05-1.21), homozygous (OR = 1.22, 95%CI 1.06-1.40), heterozygous (OR = 1.21, 95%CI 1.08-1.37) and dominant (OR = 1.21, 95%CI 1.09-1.34) inherence models with the suicide attempt. Additionally, in the heterozygous (OR = 0.84, 95%CI 0.73-0.97) and dominant (OR = 0.79, 95%CI 0.68-0.91) inherence models we detected an association with completed suicide. Based on ethnicity, an association of SB in the European population also was observed (OR = 1.29, 95%CI 1.12-1.51). However, for both A779C and A6526G polymorphisms we did not find evidence of an association with SB. Conclusion: This meta-analysis suggests that the A218C polymorphism of TPH1 gene could be a possible risk factor of SB. Future large-scale studies are required to analyze the molecular mechanisms by which affect the susceptibility of developing suicide behavior.

Increased Levels of HbA1c in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes and Depression: A Meta-Analysis of 34 Studies with 68,398 Participants.

Glycosylated hemoglobin is used to diagnose type 2 diabetes mellitus and assess metabolic control. Depression itself has been associated with high levels of HbA1c in individuals with T2DM. The association between diabetes and depression suggests the usefulness of determining HbA1c as a biological marker of depressive symptoms. The aim of this study was to determine HbA1c levels in individuals with T2DM with vs. without depression. Additionally, we analyzed the influence of pharmacological treatments, time of evolution, and complications of disease. We performed a literature search in different databases published up to January 2020. A total of 34 articles were included. Our results showed that individuals with T2DM with depression showed increased levels of HbA1c in comparison to individuals with T2DM without depression (d = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.12−0.29, p(Z) < 0.001; I2 = 85.00). We also found that HbA1c levels remained elevated in individuals with T2DM with depression who were taking hypoglycemic drugs (d = 0.20 95% CI: 0.11−0.30, p(Z) < 0.001; I2 = 86.80), in individuals with less than 10 years of evolution (d = 0.17 95% CI: 0.09−0.26, p(Z) = 0.001; I2 = 66.03) and in individuals with complications of the disease (d = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.07−0.26, p(Z) < 0.001; I2 = 58.41). Our results show that HbA1c levels in individuals with T2DM with depression are significantly increased compared to controls with T2DM without depression. Additionally, these levels remained elevated in individuals who were taking hypoglycemic drugs, those with less than 10 years of disease evolution, and those with complications related to diabetes. It is necessary to examine the existence of a diabetes−HbA1c−depression connection.

Gender Differences in Suicide and Homicide Rates in Mexico City during 2019.

Suicides and homicides are public health problems around the world. The rates of suicide and homicide have increased in the past years. The objectives of this study are to estimate the rates of suicide and homicide in Mexico City, and to determine the rates of suicide and homicide by sex in the different municipalities of Mexico City during 2019. Data analyzed were obtained from files of governmental organizations in Mexico City. From the general victims-in-research-folders, we choose "victims of crime" or "loss of life by suicide" that happened in 2019. Sex and municipality of residence were obtained. The rate of suicide was of 5.65 cases per 100,000 habitants. Stratified by gender and by municipalities, the highest rates observed were 6.8 suicides per 100,000 males and 29.6 suicides per 100,000 females. The sex ratio was 4.2:1 (males: females). Regarding homicides, the rates were 16.68 homicides per 100,000 females and 67.41 homicides per 100,000 males. The Venustiano Carranza Municipality showed the highest homicide rate in men with 131.72 homicides per 100,000 males. The homicide sex ratio was 7.8:1. The findings of the present study highlight that death by suicide is more common in men with 7.8 more times than in women. The municipalities with higher deaths by suicide have lower rates of homicides and the municipalities with higher deaths by suicide showed lower rates of suicide in men.

Efficacy of prolotherapy in pain control and function improvement in individuals with lateral epicondylitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

AIM: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of prolotherapy when treating individuals with lateral epicondylitis through a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: The search for articles was carried out in electronic databases including PUBMED, CENTRAL, WEB OF SCIENCE, SCIELO and Google Scholar, published up to July 2021. We used the following keywords: prolotherapy OR proliferation therapy OR hypertonic dextrose injections AND tennis elbow OR lateral epicondylitis. The effectiveness was expressed as mean difference or standardized mean difference ((d) and 95% CI). MAJOR RESULTS: Nine clinical trials that used prolotherapy in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis were included. In the pooled analysis, prolotherapy was effective in pain control in the medium (d = -0.85, 95% CI -1.29 to -0.41, p (z) 0.0001) and long terms (d = -1.05, 95% CI -2.06 to -0.03, p (z) 0.04). It was also effective in improving function in the medium term (d = -1.21, 95% CI -1.64 to -0.78, p (z) 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS: Prolotherapy was effective for reducing pain in the medium and long terms, as well as for improving function in the medium term, in individuals with lateral epicondylitis. However, the risk of bias of the studies caused that the quality of evidence was moderate; more studies with a low risk of bias are necessary to corroborate the efficacy of prolotherapy in patients with lateral epicondylitis.

Cannabis smoking increases the risk of suicide ideation and suicide attempt in young individuals of 11-21 years: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis is the most frequently consumed drug around the world. Its use has been associated with increased suicide behaviors; nonetheless, the association of cannabis smoking and suicide behaviors in adolescents has not yet been established. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the risk of suicide attempt, suicidal ideation or suicide planning in individuals of 11-21 years of age who smoke cannabis. METHODS: We performed an online searched using PubMed, EBSCO and Science Direct databases, up to July 2021. We calculated odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals to evaluate the association between suicide attempt, suicidal ideation or suicide planning and cannabis smoking in individuals of 11-21 years of age. RESULTS: Twenty studies reported suicide attempts in 34,859 young individuals, suicidal ideation in 26, 937 individuals, and suicide planning in 9054 young individuals. We found an increased risk of suicide attempt in cannabis smokers than in non-cannabis users (OR: 2.33; 95% CI: 1.78-3.05; Z p value; <0.0001; I2 = 97.12%), as well as a significant association between cannabis smoking and suicidal ideation (OR: 2.04; 95%CI: 1.64-2.53; Z p value: <0.001; I2: 94.88) and suicide planning (OR: 1.674; 95% CI: 1.554-1.804; Z p value: 0.000; I2: 92.609). Subgroup analyses showed that American teens have an increased risk of suicidal ideation; the meta-regression analysis revealed that age was negatively associated with the risk of suicide attempt. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis shows that cannabis smoking increased the risk of suicide attempt, suicidal ideation and suicide planning in young individuals of 11-21 years of age. The high risk of suicide behaviors could vary depending on the population studied; therefore, more studies are necessary to corroborate the risk of presenting suicide behaviors in individuals of 11-21 years of age who smoke cannabis.

Increased Levels of Cortisol in Individuals With Suicide Attempt and Its Relation With the Number of Suicide Attempts and Depression.

Background: Abnormalities in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) have been reported in individuals with suicide behavior. The aim of the study was to evaluate cortisol levels in peripheral plasma of individuals with more than one suicide attempt. Methods: Cortisol concentrations in peripheral plasma were measured using the ELISA technique. Suicide attempts were evaluated by the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, while depression was evaluated by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Results: We found elevated cortisol levels in the suicide attempt group when compared with healthy controls (F = 7.26, p-value = 0.008), but no statistical differences with the psychiatric diseases group (F = 1.49, p-value = 0.22). Cortisol levels were higher in individuals with depression (F = 8.99, P = 0.004) and in individuals with two or more suicide attempts (F = 13.56, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Cortisol levels are increased in individuals who attempt suicide and higher of cortisol concentrations in plasma regard to depression and more attempts of suicide.

Weak Hand Grip Strength Is Associated with Alexithymia in Outpatients in a Mexican Population.

Hand grip strength has been considered as a possible marker for metabolic and psychiatric disease. To date, however, no research has focused on the association between alexithymia and hand grip strength. The objective of the present study was to investigate the correct association between hand grip strength and alexithymia. A cross-sectional study was carried out in Comalcalco, Tabasco, México. A total of 246 individuals were included. Hand grip strength was evaluated in the dominant hand using a Takei® portable digital dynamometer. Alexithymia was measured using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Two linear regression models adjusted by confounders were used to determine the association between alexithymia and hand grip strength. The rate for positive alexithymia was 39.0% (n = 94). Individuals with alexithymia showed a weaker hand grip strength than the comparison group (t = 2.4, 244 df, p = 0.01). Individuals with alexithymia had significantly reduced levels of hand grip strength (ß = -0.39 ± 0.14; p = 0.006); after additional adjustment for clinical variables, decreased hand grip strength remained (ß = 8.00 ± 1.86; p ≤ 0.001). Our results suggest that a decrease in hand grip strength could be associated with alexithymia. This measurement could be useful as a predictive marker for the identification of alexithymia in Mexican individuals who attend outpatient clinics.

Cardiometabolic and Nutritional Morbidities of a Large, Adult, PKU Cohort from Andalusia.

The establishment of national neonatal screening systems has resulted in improved quality of life and life expectancy in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU). This has led to the development of multidisciplinary treatment units for adult patients with PKU. We present a retrospective descriptive study of a cohort of 90 adult patients (>16 years) with PKU under active follow-up in two reference centers in Andalusia. We analyzed disease severity, treatment type, demographic variables, cardiovascular risk factors, vitamin and hormone profiles, and bone metabolism. The median (interquartile range)age was 29 (23−38) years, 47 (52.2%) were women and 43 (47.8%) were men. Eighty (88.9%) had classical PKU, five (5.6%) moderate PKU, and five (5.6%) mild PKU. Diagnosis was by neonatal screening in 62 (68.9%) of the patients. The rest had late diagnosis. Treatment with sapropterin was given to 18 (20%) patients and diet and nutrition therapy to 72 (80%). There was adequate metabolic control according to Phe levels in 43 (47.78%) patients. Body mass index was 26.61 (22.7−31.1) kg/m2. Twenty-six (29.2%) patients had obesity, 7 (7.9%) hypertension, 2 (2.2%) type 2 diabetes, 26 (28.89%) dyslipidemia, 14 (15.6%) elevated total cholesterol, 9 (15.8%) decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and 16 (17.8%) hypertriglyceridemia. Seven (10.3%) patients had osteoporosis and 28 (41.17%) osteopenia. Twenty-six (30.6%) had vitamin D (25OH) deficiency and four (4.5%) vitamin B12 deficiency. Although we observed no differences with most vascular risk factors, we found a high prevalence of obesity in relation to the age of the cohort. A continued evaluation of comorbidities in these patients is therefore needed, despite adequate metabolic control.

Identification of the nasopharyngeal carriage of Neisseria meningitidis by 16S rRNA Gene sequencing in asymptomatic adolescents and young adults in Cartagena, Colombia (2019-2020).

The bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, a strictly human pathogen, can cause meningitis, meningococcemia, sepsis, and death; repeatedly it scause outbreaks around the world. The frequency of asymptomatic carriage is often high in adolescents and young adults, increasing the invasive meningococcal disease risk and likelihood of transmission. However, detailed analyses of meningococcal carriage in this population in Colombia, particularly in coastal areas, are lacking. In this study, the prevalence and characteristics of Neisseria meningitidis carriage were evaluated in asymptomatic adolescents and young adults (11-25 years old) in Cartagena, Colombia. Oropharynx samples were collected from participants between August and December 2019. The phenotypic identification of bacteria was performed by conventional methods and biochemical testing. Molecular identification to the species level was performed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In total, 12 of 648 samples were positive for Neisseria meningitidis by 16S rRNA sequencing, indicating a prevalence of 1.9%. Isolates were classified into four invasive serogroups (A, B, C, and W) by a comparative sequence analysis of the ribosomal gene. Despite the occurrence of meningococcal disease in Cartagena city in the last several years, the frequency of oropharyngeal carriage in adolescents and young adults was low. Serogroup A had not been previously reported in nasopharyngeal samples in Colombia. This is the first report of Neisseria meningitidis on the Colombian Caribbean coast based on 16S rRNA sequencing and is expected to guide the development of vaccination and follow-up strategies.