Hunger Disease in Southern France Internment Camps during World War II: The Pioneering Studies of Dr. Joseph Weill.

BACKGROUND: Dr. Joseph Weill was a French Jewish doctor who made significant contributions to the knowledge of hunger disease in the refugee camps in southern France during World War II. He was involved with the clandestine network of escape routes for Jewish children from Nazi-occupied France to Switzerland. Take home messages • During the Holocaust, in the ghettoes and death camps, a few research projects, mainly on hunger and infectious diseases, were performed by Jewish physicians and scientists • Jewish and non-Jewish prisoners were incarcerated within the notorious system of internment camps in southern France • Dr. Joseph Weill (1902-1988), a French Jewish physician and a distinguished member of the Résistance managed to enter the internment camps and medically assist the inmates in addition to performing systematic research and follow-up of those who presented with hunger disease.

Visiting Holocaust-Related Sites with Medical Students as an Aid in Teaching Medical Ethics.

During the Nazi period numerous doctors and nurses played a nefarious role. In Germany they were responsible for the sterilization and killing of disabled persons. Furthermore, the Nazi doctors used concentration camp inmates as guinea pigs in medical experiments for military or racial purposes. A study of the collaboration of doctors with National Socialism exemplifies behavior that must be avoided. Combining medical teaching with lessons from the Holocaust could be a way to transmit Medical Ethics to doctors, nurses and students. The authors describe a study tour with medical students to Poland, to the largest Nazi extermination camp, Auschwitz, and to the city of Krakow. The tour is the final component of a formal course entitled: "The Holocaust, a Reflection from Medicine" at the Autónoma University of Madrid, Spain. Visiting sites related to the Holocaust, the killing centers and the sites where medical experiments were conducted has a singular meaning for medical students. Tolerance, non-discrimination, and the value of human life can be both learnt and taught at the very place where such values were utterly absent.

[Active interventions in hypercholesteroloemia patients with high cardiovascular risk in primary care; estudio ESPROCOL]. / INTERVENCIÓN ACTIVA EN LA HIPERCOLESTEROLEMIA DE PACIENTES CON RIESGO CARDIOVASCULAR ALTO DE ATENCIÓN PRIMARIA; ESTUDIO ESPROCOL.

INTRODUCTION: Hypercholesterolemia is a major modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Its reduction reduces morbidity and mortality from ischemic heart disease and CVD in general, primary prevention and secondary prevention especially. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a notarized and intensive clinical practice can overcome inertia and achieve the therapeutic goal (OT) LDL-C <100 mg/dL in high-risk patients attended in Primary Care (PC) in our country. METHODOLOGY: Epidemiological, prospective, multicenter study conducted in centers of different ACs By AP consecutive sampling 310 patients at high cardiovascular risk (diabetic or established CVD) previously treated with statins, which did not reach the OT included c-LDL. RESULTS: The study subjects had a mean age of 65.2 years, of which 60.32% were male. The 41.64% had a previous EVC, acute myocardial infarction (20.33%), angina (16.07%), stroke/TIA (9.19%), arthropathy (5.25%), diabetes (70.87%), hypertension (71.01%), and abdominal obesity (69.62%). The 43.57% (95% CI: 37,21; 50,08) of patients who performed the 2nd visit (241) got the OT. 62.50% (95% CI: 55.68, 68.98) of those who took the 3rd (216) got the OT. Finally, 77.56% (95% CI: 72.13, 83.08) patients who performed the last visit (205) got the OT. Throughout the study there was a reduction in LDL-C levels from 135.6 mg/dL at baseline, 107.4 mg dL in the 2nd visit, 97.3 mg/dL in the 3rd visit, up to 90.7 mg/dL at the final visit (p < 0.0001). The increase in HDL-C from baseline (50.9 mg/dL) and final (53.6 mg/dL) was also significant (p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: The reassessment and intensification of treatment in patients at high cardiovascular risk treated in primary care, applying the indications of the guides, achieves the OT in more than three quarters of the previously uncontrolled within half a year. These results should encourage us to overcome the therapeutic inertia in the control of CVD by early and energetic performance against hypercholesterolemia.

Introducción: la hipercolesterolemia es uno de los principales factores de riesgo modificables de la enfermedad cardiovascular (ECV). Su reducción disminuye la morbimortalidad por cardiopatía isquémica y ECV en general, en prevención primaria y, especialmente, en prevención secundaria. Objetivo: comprobar si una práctica clínica protocolizada e intensiva permite vencer la inercia y alcanzar el objetivo terapéutico (OT) de c-LDL < 100 mg/dL en pacientes de alto riesgo asistidos en Atención Primaria (AP) de nuestro país. Metodología: estudio epidemiológico, prospectivo, multicentrico, realizado en centros de AP de diferentes CC. AA. Mediante muestreo consecutivo se incluyeron 310 pacientes de alto riesgo cardiovascular (diabéticos o con ECV establecida), tratados previamente con estatinas, que no alcanzaban el OT de c-LDL. Resultados: los sujetos del estudio tenían una edad media de 65,2 años, de los que el 60,32 % eran varones. El 41,64 % presentaban un EVC previo, infarto agudo de miocardio (20,33 %), angina (16,07 %), ictus/AIT (9,19 %), artropatía (5,25 %), diabetes (70,87 %), hipertensión (71,01 %) y obesidad abdominal (69,62 %). El 43,57 % (IC95 %: 37,21; 50,08) de los pacientes que realizaron la segunda visita (241) consiguieron el OT. El 62,50 % (IC95 %: 55,68; 68,98) de los que realizaron la tercera (216) consiguieron el OT. Finalmente, el 77,56 % (IC95 %: 72,13; 83,08) de los pacientes que realizaron la última visita (205) consiguieron el OT. A lo largo del estudio hubo una reducción de los niveles de c-LDL desde los 135,6 mg/dL en la visita basal, 107,4 mg/dL en la segunda visita, 97,3 mg/dL en la tercera visita, hasta los 90,7 mg/dL en la visita final (p < 0,0001). El incremento de c-HDL entre la visita basal (50,9 mg/dL) y la final (53,6 mg/dL) también fue significativo (p = 0,013). Conclusiones: la reevaluación e intensificación del tratamiento en pacientes de alto riesgo cardiovascular atendidos en Atención Primaria, aplicando las indicaciones de las guías, permite alcanzar el OT en más de las tres cuartas partes de los previamente no controlados en el plazo de medio año. Estos resultados nos deben estimular a superar la inercia terapéutica en el control de la ECV mediante una actuación precoz y enérgica ante la hipercolesterolemia.

[Active interventions in hypercholesteroloemia patients with high cardivascular risk in primary care]. / INTERVENCIÓN ACTIVA EN LA HIPERCOLESTEROLEMIA DE PACIENTES CON RIESGO CARDIOVASCULAR ALTO DE ATENCIÓN PRIMARIA; ESTUDIO ESPROCOL.

INTRODUCTION: Hypercholesterolemia is a major modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Its reduction reduces morbidity and mortality from ischemic heart disease and CVD in general, primary prevention and secondary prevention especially. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a notarized and intensive clinical practice can overcome inertia and achieve the therapeutic goal (OT) LDL-C <100 mg / dL in high-risk patients attended in Primary Care (PC) in our country. METHODOLOGY: epidemiological, prospective, multicenter study conducted in centers of different ACs By AP consecutive sampling 310 patients at high cardiovascular risk (diabetic or established CVD) previously treated with statins, which did not reach the OT included c-LDL. RESULTS: The study subjects had a mean age of 65.2 years, of which 60.32% were male. The 41.64% had a previous EVC, acute myocardial infarction (20.33%), angina (16.07%), stroke / TIA (9.19%), arthropathy (5.25%), diabetes (70 , 87%), hypertension (71.01%), and abdominal obesity (69.62%). The 43.57% (95% CI: 37,21; 50,08) of patients who performed the 2nd visit (241) got the OT. 62.50% (95% CI: 55.68, 68.98) of those who took the 3rd (216) got the OT. Finally, 77.56% (95% CI: 72.13, 83.08) patients who performed the last visit (205) got the OT. Throughout the study there was a reduction in LDL-C levels from 135.6 mg / dL at baseline, 107.4 mg / dL in the 2nd visit, 97.3 mg / dL in the 3rd visit, up to 90.7 mg / dL at the final visit (p <0.0001) The increase in HDL-C from baseline (50.9 mg / dL) and final (53.6 mg / dL) was also significant (p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: The reassessment and intensification of treatment in patients at high cardiovascular risk treated in primary care, applying the indications of the guides, achieves the OT in more than three quarters of the previously uncontrolled within half a year. These results should encourage us to overcome the therapeutic inertia in the control of CVD by early and energetic performance against hypercholesterolemia.

Introducción: La hipercolesterolemia es uno de los principales factores de riesgo modificables de la enfermedad cardiovascular (ECV). Su reducción disminuye la morbimortalidad por cardiopatía isquémica y ECV en general, en prevención primaria y en prevención secundaria especialmente. Objetivo: Comprobar si una práctica clínica protocolizada e intensiva permite vencer la inercia y alcanzar el objetivo terapéutico (OT) de c-LDL < 100 mg/dL en pacientes de alto riesgo asistidos en Atención Primaria (AP) de nuestro país. Metodología: Estudio epidemiológico, prospectivo, multicentrico, realizado en Centros de AP de diferentes CC.AA. Mediante muestreo consecutivo se incluyeron 310 pacientes de alto riesgo cardiovascular (diabéticos o con ECV establecida), tratados previamente con estatinas, que no alcanzaban el OT de c-LDL. Resultados: Los sujetos del estudio tenían una edad media de 65,2 años, de los que el 60,32% eran varones. El 41,64% presentaba un EVC previo, infarto agudo de miocardio (20,33%), angina (16,07%), ictus/AIT (9,19%), artropatía (5,25%), diabetes (70,87%), hipertensión (71,01%), y obesidad abdominal (69,62%). El 43,57% (IC95%: 37,21; 50,08) de los pacientes que realizaron la 2a visita (241) consiguieron el OT. El 62,50% (IC95%: 55,68; 68,98) de los que realizaron la 3a (216) consiguieron el OT. Finalmente, el 77,56% (IC95%: 72,13; 83,08) de los pacientes que realizaron la última visita (205) consiguieron el OT. A lo largo del estudio hubo una reducción de los niveles de c-LDL desde los 135,6 mg/ dL en la visita basal, 107,4 mg/dL en la 2a visita, 97,3 mg/ dL en la 3a visita, hasta los 90,7 mg/dL en la visita final (p < 0,0001) El incremento de c-HDL entre la visita basal (50,9 mg/dL) y la final (53,6 mg/dL) también fue significativo (p = 0,013). Conclusiones: La reevaluación e intensificación del tratamiento en pacientes de alto riesgo cardiovascular atendidos en Atención Primaria, aplicando las indicaciones de las guías, permite alcanzar el OT en más de las tres cuartas partes de los previamente no controlados en el plazo de medio año. Estos resultados nos deben estimular a superar la inercia terapéutica en el control de la ECV mediante una actuación precoz y enérgica ante la hipercolesterolemia.

[Motivation to change unhealthy life styles and cardiovascular risk]. / Motivación para cambiar estilos de vida no saludables y riesgo cardiovascular.

OBJECTIVE: Study the relationship between motivation to change unhealthy life styles and cardiovascular risk. METHOD: Cross sectional study, random, stratified by age, carried out in the field of primary care with a sample of 369 people. It was felt that with smoking or smoking cessation active consumption less than a year, the physical habit was valued at work and leisure, food habits were assessed in adherence to mediterranean diet and the stages of motivation were categorized precontemplative phase to maintenance phase. The cardiovascular risk was stratified with the SCORE table calibrated in Spain. RESULTS: The 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women, with an average age of 41.2 years. The prevalence of smoking was 31.4% (95% CI 26.56-36,30), 58% in sedentary lifestyle (95% CI 52.27-62,63) and 68% for bad diet (95% CI 63.97-73,69). The 69.8% of smokers, 77.8% of sedentary and 48.4% of people without proper diet was precontemplative to change their lifestyles. CONCLUSIONS: Precontemplative stages in unhealthy life styles have association with risk factors and increase the global cardiovascular risk. The transtheoretical model is a useful tool for the assessment of unhealthy behaviors in lifestyles.