Beneficios de una intervención educativa en la dieta y en el perfil antropométrico de mujeres con un factor de riesgo cardiovascular / Benefits of an educational intervention on diet and anthropometric profile of women with one cardiovascular risk factor

Fundamento y objetivo: Evaluar si una intervención educativa en mujeres perimenopáusicas con hipertensión, diabetes mellitus y/o dislipidemia sería capaz de mejorar la adherencia a un patrón de dieta mediterráneo y conseguir cambios en parámetros antropométricos. Pacientes: Ensayo clínico aleatorizado de grupos paralelos: 320 mujeres (45-60 años) de 2 servicios de atención primaria urbanos. Variables a estudio: perímetro abdominal y de cadera, índice de masa corporal (IMC), grasa corporal total, visceral y de tronco (medidas con bioimpedancia) y adherencia a dieta mediterránea (cuestionario MEDAS-14). Grupo intervención: 3 talleres interactivos sobre prevención de enfermedad cardiovascular, y grupo control: información por correo. Resultados: Concluyeron el estudio 230 mujeres (113 en el grupo control y 117 en el grupo intervención). Un año después, las diferencias entre grupos fueron significativas en todos los parámetros. En la comparación intragrupos, las mujeres del grupo intervención mantuvieron el IMC y mejoraron la adherencia a la dieta mediterránea. El grupo control aumentó el IMC, el perímetro abdominal y de cadera y los parámetros de grasa (corporal total, visceral y tronco). Conclusiones: Una sencilla intervención educativa en mujeres perimenopáusicas con riesgo cardiovascular puede mejorar sus hábitos saludables (AU)

Background and objective: To assess whether an educational intervention in perimenopausal women with hypertension, diabetes mellitus and/or dyslipidaemia would improve adherence to a Mediterranean diet pattern and achieve changes in anthropometric parameters. Patients: Randomized clinical trial of parallel groups: 320 women (45-60 years) in 2 urban primary care services. Variables studied: hip and waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), total, visceral and trunk fat (bioimpedance measures) and adherence to Mediterranean diet (MEDAS-14 questionnaire). Intervention group: 3 interactive workshops on prevention of cardiovascular disease, and control group: information by post. Results: Two hundred and thirty women completed the study (113 control group and 117 intervention group). The differences between groups were significant in all parameters one year later. In the intragroup comparison, the intervention group maintained their BMI and improved adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The control group increased their BMI, abdominal and hip circumference and fat parameters (total, visceral and trunk fat). Conclusions: A simple educational intervention in perimenopausal women with cardiovascular risk can improve their healthy habits (AU)

[Benefits of an educational intervention on diet and anthropometric profile of women with one cardiovascular risk factor]. / Beneficios de una intervención educativa en la dieta y en el perfil antropométrico de mujeres con un factor de riesgo cardiovascular.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To assess whether an educational intervention in perimenopausal women with hypertension, diabetes mellitus and/or dyslipidaemia would improve adherence to a Mediterranean diet pattern and achieve changes in anthropometric parameters. PATIENTS: Randomized clinical trial of parallel groups: 320 women (45-60 years) in 2 urban primary care services. VARIABLES STUDIED: hip and waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), total, visceral and trunk fat (bioimpedance measures) and adherence to Mediterranean diet (MEDAS-14 questionnaire). Intervention group: 3 interactive workshops on prevention of cardiovascular disease, and control group: information by post. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty women completed the study (113 control group and 117 intervention group). The differences between groups were significant in all parameters one year later. In the intragroup comparison, the intervention group maintained their BMI and improved adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The control group increased their BMI, abdominal and hip circumference and fat parameters (total, visceral and trunk fat). CONCLUSIONS: A simple educational intervention in perimenopausal women with cardiovascular risk can improve their healthy habits.

Neuropsychological impairment and gender differences in HIV-1 infection.

AIMS: Research into neuropsychological consequences of HIV has focused mainly on male subjects, and therefore very little is known about the disease in female subjects and, of course, about gender differences. The aim of the present research was therefore to investigate neuropsychological impairment rates and pattern in HIV male and female patients, with regard to the study of gender differences in tasks assessing attention, memory for texts, digits and words, psychomotor speed, verbal intelligence and abstract reasoning. METHODS: A clinical sample was recruited consisting of 122 subjects, divided into four groups: (i) 57 HIV+ men; (ii) 31 HIV+ women; (iii) 18 HIV- men and (iv) 16 HIV- women. All the subjects had more than 18 years, being the average of age of 34.08 for men and 33.35 for women. The evaluation of each subject consisted of a semistructured interview investigating sociodemographic, clinical and toxicological aspects and a neuropsychological assessment, with a battery of tests specifically selected for this study and chosen for their validity and because they have been shown to be sensitive to neuropsychological impairment in HIV-infected patients in other studies. RESULTS: None of HIV- male and female groups fulfilled impairment criteria. Regarding the HIV+ group, a rate of neuropsychological impairment of 51.9% was obtained for the men and 54.8% for the women, but there were no significant differences between groups. Nevertheless, were detected significant differences in neuropsychological impairment rates between HIV+ and HIV- women, and also between HIV+ and HIV- men. Although HIV+ women presented multiple factors that could increase their neuropsychological vulnerability to the effects of HIV, HIV+ men had the same probability of having neuropsychological impairment as HIV+ women. CONCLUSIONS: A different neuropsychological impairment pattern was detected between genders: while HIV+ men had greater impairment in visual memory, attention, psychomotor speed and abstract reasoning, HIV+ women had greater impairment on attention, psychomotor speed and verbal memory for texts.