Trachoma Rapid Assessments in Venezuela, an Example of the Integration of Data Gathering with Service Delivery in Hard-to-reach Populations.

A) PURPOSE: The objective of the study was to assess the presence of trachoma in high priority districts in the Amazon state of Venezuela (the Bolivarian Republic of), and use trachoma data gathering platform to offer integrated primary health care services to underserved hard-to-reach populations living in the border with Colombia. B) METHODS: Trachoma Rapid Assessments (TRA) were conducted in indigenous communities of three municipalities of the Amazonas State of Venezuela from June 2018 to April 2019 using the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Integrated health services were delivered based on the identified needs of the population of the assessed communities. C) RESULTS: 1,185 children aged 1-9 years were examined for trachoma in the three municipalities, of which 6.92% had active trachoma; 994 people 15 years and above were examined for trachomatous trichiasis (TT) finding two cases (0.2%). 1,635 people were examined for other health-related problems and the most common diagnoses were intestinal parasites (54.74%), eye diseases (16.81%), cavities (7.34%), scabies (5.56%), headache (4.40%), and malaria (2.81%); additionally, 2,233 vaccine doses were provided to children and adults to complete vaccination series. D) CONCLUSION: The results of the TRA in the Amazon state of Venezuela suggest that trachoma could be a public health problem and standardized population-based surveys to establish the prevalence and determine the interventions to implement are needed.

[Comparison of fasting and 2 hours postprandial blood glucose in the control of patients with type 2 diabetes]. / Comparación de la glucemia en ayuno y dos horas postprandial en el control de pacientes con diabetes tipo 2.

BACKGROUND: Fasting glycemia is a questionable control test for subjects with diabetes mellitus. 2-h postprandial glycemia is an element that must be considered as complementary in controlling the disease. OBJECTIVES: Compare usefulness of fasting glycemia and 2-h postprandial glycemia as control tests in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. DESIGN: Study of diagnostic test. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 112 patients were included in the study, age mean 59 +/- 10.9 and evolution of diagnosis 10.2 +/- 8.3 years. We calculated the mean of three fasting glycemias at the beginning of the study and three determinations of 2-h postprandial glycemia. The habitual drug administration was continued. Sensibility, specificity, predictive values, and precision of each measurement were calculated in relation to HbA1C as a Gold Standard. RESULTS: Correlation of fasting glycemia was 0.74 p < 0.01, and correlation of postprandial glycemia was 0.79 p < 0.01. Fasting glycemia had a sensibility of 0.71 and a specificity of 98. 2-h postprandial glycemia had a sensibility of 0.79 and a specificity of 0.86. When combining fasting glycemia and postprandial glycemia, sensibility was 0.85 and specificity was 1. CONCLUSION: 2-h postprandial glycemia level is more precise than fasting glycemia. Both determinations used together increase usefulness in controlling blood glucose level when lacks hemoglobin A1C.