Prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis: A multicenter study on a pediatric population evaluated at thirty-six Latin American gastroenterology centers. / Prevalencia de esofagitis eosinofílica: estudio multicéntrico en población pediátrica evaluada en 36 centros de gastroenterología de América Latina.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Eosinophilic esophagitis is a chronic, immune-mediated disease described in case series and publications worldwide. Over the past twenty years, the authors of different studies have attempted to evaluate its incidence and prevalence. The objetive of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis in a group of children seen at 36 pediatric gastroenterology centers in ten Latin American countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multicenter, observational, and cross-sectional study was conducted that estimated the period prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis in children seen at outpatient consultation and that underwent diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for any indication at 36 centers in 10 Latin American countries, within a 3-month time frame. RESULTS: Between April and June 2016, 108 cases of eosinophilic esophagitis were evaluated. Likewise, an average of 29,253 outpatient consultations and 4,152 diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopies were carried out at the 36 participating centers. The period prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis in the population studied (n=29,253) was 3.69 cases×1,000 (95% CI: 3.04 to 4.44), and among the children that underwent routine upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (n=4,152), it was 26x1,000 (95% CI: 22.6 to 29.4). CONCLUSIONS: The general period prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis in a group of children evaluated at 36 Latin American pediatric gastroenterology centers was 3.69×1,000, and in the children that underwent endoscopy, it was 26×1,000. There was important prevalence variability between the participating countries and centers. The present analysis is the first study conducted on the prevalence of pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis in Latin America.

[Cardiovascular risk factors in healthy adult men: influence of physical activity and dietary habits]. / Factors de riesgo cardiovascular en hombres adultos sanos: influencia de la actividad física e ingesta dietaria.

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of physical activity and certain dietary habits on cardiovascular risk factors in middle age men. DESIGN: Prospective cross sectional study. SETTING: Primary care. SUBJECTS: Healthy male workers participating in a preventive medical examination. INTERVENTIONS: All participants were subjected to a physical activity inquiry, dietary recall, inquiry about smoking habits and anthropometric assessment. Also, blood pressure was measured and a fasting blood sample was obtained to assess serum total and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and blood glucose. Multiple stepwise and canonical regressions were used to analyze data. RESULTS: Four hundred eleven subjects aged 46.8 +/- 10 years old were studied. Twenty four percent smoked, mean body mass index was 26.2 +/- 2.6, mean calorie intake was 11.7 +/- 3 MJ/day and mean calorie expenditure 10.6 +/- 1.1 MJ/day or 1.52 +/- 0.13 times the resting metabolic rate. Physical activity, body mass index and fiber intake appeared as independent but weak predictors of total and LDL cholesterol. Alcohol intake, age and body mass index were predictors of HDL cholesterol and blood pressure was predicted by age, fiber intake and body mass index. Canonical analysis showed that 54% of blood pressure variation is explained by age, body mass index and fiber intake and that 31% of HDL cholesterol variation is explained by alcohol intake. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity has a weak influence on serum total and LDL cholesterol. Alcohol intake is the main predictor of HDL cholesterol in these workers.