TRANSCULTURALIZATION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEVELOPING LATIN AMERICAN CLINICAL PRACTICE ALGORITHMS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY--PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2015 PAN-AMERICAN WORKSHOP BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGISTS AND AMERICAN COLLEGE OF ENDOCRINOLOGY.

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) and American College of Endocrinology (ACE) convened their first Workshop for recommendations to optimize Clinical Practice Algorithm (CPA) development for Latin America (LA) in diabetes (focusing on glycemic control), obesity (focusing on weight loss), thyroid (focusing on thyroid nodule diagnostics), and bone (focusing on postmenopausal osteoporosis) on February 28, 2015, in San Jose, Costa Rica. A standardized methodology is presented incorporating various transculturalization factors: resource availability (including imaging equipment and approved pharmaceuticals), health care professional and patient preferences, lifestyle variables, socio-economic parameters, web-based global accessibility, electronic implementation, and need for validation protocols. A standardized CPA template with node-specific recommendations to assist the local transculturalization process is provided. Participants unanimously agreed on the following five overarching principles for LA: (1) there is only one level of optimal endocrine care, (2) hemoglobin A1C should be utilized at every level of diabetes care, (3) nutrition education and increased pharmaceutical options are necessary to optimize the obesity care model, (4) quality neck ultrasound must be part of an optimal thyroid nodule care model, and (5) more scientific evidence is needed on osteoporosis prevalence and cost to justify intervention by governmental health care authorities. This 2015 AACE/ACE Workshop marks the beginning of a structured activity that assists local experts in creating culturally sensitive, evidence-based, and easy-to-implement tools for optimizing endocrine care on a global scale.

Diabetes Care in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The diabetes epidemic affects most countries across the world and is increasing at alarming rates in Latin America. Nearly 12 million individuals have diabetes in Brazil, and the current prevalence ranges from 6.3% to 13.5%, depending on the region and the diagnostic criteria adopted in each study. OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview of diabetes care in Brazil, focusing on studies of diabetes epidemiology, prevalence of patients within the standard targets of care, and economic burden of diabetes and its complications. METHODS: SciELO and PubMed searches were performed for the terms "diabetes," "Brazil," "Brazilian," and "health system"; relevant literature from 1990 to 2015 was selected. Additional articles identified from reference list searches were also included. All articles selected were published in Portuguese and/or English. FINDINGS: Recent studies detected a prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus of nearly 20%. Among patients with type 1 diabetes, almost 90% fail to reach target of glycemic control, with less than 30% receiving treatment for both hypertension and dyslipidemia. More than 75% of patients with type 2 diabetes are either overweight or obese. Most of these patients fail to reach glycemic targets (42.1%) and less than 30% reached the target for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Only 0.2% of patients reach all these anthropometric and metabolic targets. CONCLUSIONS: Brazil is the fourth country in the world in number of patients with diabetes. Regardless of the diabetes type, the majority of patients do not meet other metabolic control goals. The economic burden of diabetes and its complications in Brazil is extremely high, and more effective approaches for preventions and management are urgently needed.

Impact of binge eating disorder in the psychopathological profile of obese women.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to evaluate the psychopathological profile of obese women with binge eating disorder (BED) using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). METHODS: Two hundred twelve obese women who seek for weight loss treatment were sequentially selected to participate in the study. Binge eating disorder was diagnosed using the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Binge eating disorder severity was assessed using Binge Eating Scale. Depressive symptoms were assessed using Beck Depression Inventory. The psychopathological profile was assessed using the SCL-90. RESULTS: Binge eating disorder was diagnosed in 54 patients (26.6%). Obese patients with BED presented significant higher scores in all domains of SCL-90 (P < .05 for all) in comparison with obese patients without BED. A significant relationship was found among Binge Eating Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and all domains of the SCL-90 (P < .05 for all). After linear regression, obsessivity-compulsivity (P = .03), interpersonal sensitivity (P = .0064), paranoid ideas (P = .03), and psychoticism (P = .01) were independently related to the severity of BED. CONCLUSION: Obese women with BED presented a more severe psychopathological profile than obese controls. Among all, obsessivity-compulsivity, interpersonal sensitivity, paranoid ideas, and psychoticism seem to be strongly linked to BED severity.

Post-prandial hypoglycemia after bariatric surgery: pharmacological treatment with verapamil and acarbose.

Postprandial hypoglycemia is a common complication of bariatric surgery. It is usually caused by late dumping syndrome, but a few other causes have already been described, including insulinoma and noninsulinoma pancreatogenous hypoglycemic syndrome (NIPHS). Considering that NIPHS is a recently described syndrome and is also very rare, therapeutic approaches are still not consensual. We report the case of a 26-year-old woman who was submitted to bariatric surgery and presented episodic postprandial hypoglycemic episodes after 16 months. Fasting C-peptide, insulin, and glucose were normal. Because of the possibility of NIPHS, clinical treatment was initiated with verapamil and acarbose, leading to a significant reduction of hypoglycemic episodes and also their severity. Surgery is the most common approach to NIPHS. However, in cases of mild or moderate symptoms, it is important to consider the possibility of pharmacological treatment. This approach may result, at least for some time, in an amelioration of symptoms without the need of an aggressive procedure.

Does binge eating disorder alter cortisol secretion in obese women?

It is still poorly determined whether the presence of Binge Eating Disorder (BED) would alter cortisol secretion in obese patients. We aimed at investigating levels of salivary cortisol (SC) in patients with and without BED. Forty seven (47) obese women between 30 and 65 years old were sequentially selected to participate in the study. The diagnosis of BED was assessed according to the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Binge Eating Scale (BES) was used to assess binge severity. A trend toward a negative correlation was observed between SC and body mass index in the whole sample (p=0.06). The presence of BED was not associated with increased levels of SC. In women without BED, SC levels correlated inversely with BMI (p=0.01). On the other hand, in women with BED, SC levels correlated significantly with BES (p=0.01). Although obesity is associated with decreased levels of cortisol, this relationship may be lost in patients with BED. In patients with BED, binge eating severity may be a more relevant regulator of cortisol secretion than obesity itself.

Tradução para o português e avaliação da confiabilidade de uma escala para diagnóstico da polineuropatia distal diabética / Translation into portuguese and assessment of the reliability of a scale for the diagnosis of diabetic distal polyneuropathy

O objetivo deste trabalho é traduzir para o português e avaliar a confiabilidade de uma escala para diagnóstico da polineuropatia distal diabética (PNDD). O processo de tradução e adaptação para o português das versões simplificadas do Escore de Sintomas Neuropáticos (ESN) e Escore de Comprometimento Neuropático (ECN) foi realizado conforme as orientações internacionais padronizadas. As escalas foram aplicadas por dois avaliadores em 57 pacientes diabéticos selecionados seqüencialmente. Foi utilizada a correlação de Spearman para avaliação da concordância inter-avaliador e o alfa de Cronbach para avaliação da consistência interna do ESN. Tanto a aplicação do ECN como do ESN apresentou uma boa concordância entre os avaliadores (r= 0,77, p< 0,0001 e r= 0,76, p< 0,0001, respectivamente). O ESN apresentou boa consistência interna (alfa= 0,74). O diagnóstico de PNDD, realizado através da combinação dos escores, também apresentou boa concordância (r= 0,63, p< 0,0001). As versões em português do ECN e do ESN se mostraram adequadas para o diagnóstico da PNDD na população avaliada.

Eating avoidance disorder and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome following gastric bypass: an under-diagnosed association.

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) and disordered eating behavior have been reported separately after bariatric surgery. We report a patient who following a bariatric operation developed WKS associated with a disturbed eating behavior without vomiting. This morbidly obese man developed an intense fear of gaining weight in the postoperative period and engaged in an extreme form of "food avoidance behavior". 2 months postoperatively after severe weight loss, he was hospitalized with disorientation and an amnesic syndrome. He was discharged 2 months later with stable weight and regular eating habits. Despite this, at the last follow-up visit 2 years postoperatively, he still had a residual partial amnesic syndrome. The surgical team must be aware of peculiar forms of pathological eating that may appear after bariatric surgery; the emergence of an eating avoidance disorder may be associated with the development of WKS.

[Evaluation of the sibutramine effect on satiety with a visual analogue scale in obese adolescents]. / Avaliação do efeito da sibutramina sobre a saciedade por escala visual analógica em adolescentes obesos.

Initially used to measure algic symptoms, visual analogue scales (VAS) can also be useful for the evaluation of satiety. The antiobesity agent sibutramine, unlike anorectic agents, decreases food intake mainly by stimulating satiety. To evaluate the effect of sibutramine on satiety, we used a VAS in obese adolescents participating in a double-blind, randomized trial comparing 10 mg of sibutramine to placebo. Each patient received 13 scales to be checked at hourly intervals, in a single day, from 9 am to 9 pm. A 500 kcal deficit diet was divided into 3 meals, with previously fixed times: 9:30 h, 12:30 h, 18:30 h. Using the scores obtained from each scale, a line graph was designed to represent the average satiety score throughout the day. Comparing the area under the curve for the 2 groups, we found 4.609 +/- 1.309 for the group treated with sibutramine and 4.141 +/- 1.432 for the placebo group, not reaching statistical significance (p= NS). Therefore, sibutramine does not seem do have an effect on satiety of obese adolescents, at least when satiety is evaluated by a VAS.

Avaliacão do efeito da sibutramina sobre a saciedade por escala visual analógica em adolescentes obesos / Evaluation of the sibutramine effect on satiety with a visual analogue scale in obese adolescents

Inicialmente empregadas para mensuracão de sintomas álgicos, as escalas visuais analógicas (EVAs) podem ser também um instrumento útil para avaliacão da saciedade. O agente antiobesidade sibutramina, ao contrário dos anorexígenos, parece exercer seu efeito de reducão de ingestão alimentar principalmente por estímulo da saciedade. Com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da sibutramina sobre a saciedade, utilizamos uma EVA em adolescentes obesos que participaram de um estudo duplo-cego randomizado, comparando sibutramina 10mg com placebo. Cada paciente recebeu 13 escalas para serem preenchidas em intervalos de uma hora, num único dia, das 9 às 21h. Uma dieta com déficit de 500kcal diárias foi dividida em 3 refeicões, com horários previamente estipulados: 9:30h, 12:30h, 18:30h. A partir da pontuacão obtida em cada uma das escalas, construiu-se um gráfico de linha representativo da pontuacão média de saciedade ao longo do dia. Comparando-se a área sob a curva dos 2 grupos, encontramos 4.609 n 1.309 para o grupo tratado com sibutramina e 4.141 n 1.432 para o grupo placebo (p= NS). Desta forma, a sibutramina não parece apresentar efeito sobre a saciedade de adolescentes obesos, pelo menos quando avaliado através de uma EVA.

[Translation into Portuguese and assessment of the reliability of a scale for the diagnosis of diabetic distal polyneuropathy]. / Tradução para o português e avaliação da confiabilidade de uma escala para diagnóstico da polineuropatia distal diabética.

The aim of this study was to translate into Portuguese and to assess the reliability of an instrument for the diagnosis of diabetic distal polyneuropathy (DPN). The process for translation and adaptation into Portuguese of the Neuropathy Symptom Score (NSS) and the Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS) was performed following internationally standardized procedures. The instruments were applied by 2 raters in 57 consecutive subjects. Spearman correlation was used to evaluate the reliability and Cronbachs' alpha to evaluate the internal consistency of the items. Both, ECN and ESN, showed a good reliability (r= 0.77, p< 0.0001 and r= 0.76, p< 0.0001, respectively). ESN showed a good internal consistency (alpha= 0.74). The diagnosis of DPN, defined as the combination of the two scores (ECN+ESN) also showed a good reliability (r= 0.63, p< 0.0001). The Portuguese versions of the ESN and the ECN seem to be adequate for the diagnosis of DPN in this population.

Cirurgia bariátrica: aspectos clínico-cirúrgicos e psiquiátricos / Bariatric surgery: clinical, surgical and psychiatric aspects

A obesidade grau III é uma doença crônica, de etiologia multifatorial, que acarreta prejuízos importantes à saúde do indivíduo. Devido a sua gravidade e difícil manejo clínico, novas estratégias de tratamento têm sido propostas, dentre as quais destaca-se a cirurgia bariátrica. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar uma atualização sobre as técnicas cirúrgicas, assim como aspectos clínicos e psiquiátricos envolvidos com este procedimento. Como pacientes com obesidade grave podem apresentar várias complicações clínicas e um aumento da psicopatologia, é de extrema importância uma avaliação multidisciplinar criteriosa visando a reduzir possíveis complicações pós-operatórias.

Insulinoma misdiagnosed as dumping syndrome after bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: Late dumping syndrome is a possible side-effect of gastric bypass. Hypoglycemic symptoms may develop 3-4 hours after certain types of foods. There may exist patients, however, who present hypoglycemia in the absence of dumping syndrome. The presence of only mild symptoms of hypoglycemia may make the evaluation of these patients difficult and delay the identification of other possible sources of hyperinsulinemia, including an insulinoma. CASE REPORT: A 65-year-old woman underwent gastric bypass for continued weight gain and morbid obesity. After surgery, the patient had repeated episodes of hypoglycemia, diagnosed at follow-up as late dumping syndrome. The persistence of hypoglycemic episodes after nutritional counseling and modifications in the feeding pattern led to consideration of an autonomous source of hyperinsulinemia, and MRI and CT identified insulinoma. After a laparotomy and pancreatic tumor resection, she remains free of symptoms. CONCLUSION: Hypoglycemic episodes after obesity surgery are not always related to dumping syndrome. The persistence of hypoglycemia in spite of nutritional counseling should raise the possibility that there may exist other causes. Insulinoma, the most common cause of endogenous hyperinsulinemia, should be investigated in these patients, since it is a tumor that can be cured.

Recomendaçöes de alimentaçäo e nutriçäo saudável para a populaçäo brasileira / Recommendations of the healthy feeding and nutrition for the Brazilian population

Apresentamos sugestões para a definição de guias alimentares para a população brasileira, excetuando as crianças. Os principais objetivos dessas recomedações são a manutenção de peso saudável e a prevenção da obesidade, das doenças cardiovasculares, do diabetes mellitus tipo 2 e da osteoporose. As mensagens para o público têm duas pressuposições: retomar hábitos saudáveis da dieta brasileira e estimular o consumo de alimentação saudável ao invés de formular proibições. As principais mensagens incluem: consumo de alimentos variados, em 4 refeições ao dia; manutenção de um peso saudável; aumento da atividade física diária; ingestão de arroz e feijão todos os dias, acompanhados de legumes e vegetais folhosos; ingestão de 4 a 5 porções de frutas todos os dias; redução do açúcar; evitar uso de refrigerantes; para lanches, comer frutas ao invés de biscoitos, bolos e salgadinhos; comer pouco sal; usar óleos e azeite ao invés de outras gorduras; tomar leite e comer produtos lácteos, com baixo teor de gordura, pelo menos 3 vezes por dia.

A farmacoterapia da obesidade nos consensos / Obesity pharmacotherapy in consensus

Diversos documentos têm sido publicados nos últimos anos com recomendações sobre abordagem do paciente obeso e estratégias de prevenção do excesso de peso. Uma das principais preocupações tem sido a padronização de critérios para a utilização dos agentes anti-obesidade atualmente disponíveis. A partir de uma revisão dos principais documentos de consenso publicados recentemente, discutimos a abordagem que se faz do tema farmacoterapia no Consenso Latino-Americano em Obesidade, no documento da Força Tarefa Internacional de Obesidade e na Guia Clínica para Identificação, Avaliação e Tratamento do Excesso de Peso e da Obesidade em Adultos, editado pelo National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute e pelo National Institute of Health (NIH), dos Estados Unidos.