Impact of COVID-19 on the prevalence of dyslipidemia in Ecuador: A cross-sectional study between 2017 and 2022.

OBJECTIVE: To determine changes in the prevalence of dyslipidemias during the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 years in three regions of Ecuador. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SITE: Quito, Guayaquil, and El Coca. PARTICIPANTS: Adults with cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels at primary care centers from January 2017 to December 2022. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Data were obtained from five BIODIMED primary care centers. Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels were classified according to the ATP III guidelines. Dyslipidemia was considered present when one or more parameters exceeded specific thresholds. Sociodemographic variables and the year of examination were included as independent variables. RESULTS: The study analyzed 110,521 participants' laboratory results, where 65.3% were males and an average age of 38±12 years. The study spanned the Andean (72.4%), Coast (15.4%), and Amazonic region (12.3%). Pre-pandemic exams constituted 60.9% of the sample. The prevalence of dyslipidemia increased gradually from 43.1% in 2017 to 64.1% in 2022. Cholesterol levels, HDL, and LDL exhibited changes during the pandemic, with an increased risk of hypercholesterolemia, low HDL, and high LDL. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, a notable increase in the prevalence of dyslipidemias, including hypercholesterolemia, high triglycerides, and high LDL, was determined across three regions in Ecuador.

Risk factors for COVID-19 and their association with mortality in Ecuadorian patients admitted to the ICU: A retrospective cohort multicentric study.

Several risk factors were associated with mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in intensive care units (ICU). We assessed the effect of risk factors related to the characteristics and clinical history of the population, laboratory test results, drug management, and type of ventilation on the probability of survival/discharge from the ICU. A retrospective cohort multicentric study of adults with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU between March 2020 and December 2021. Data were collected from 6 hospitals in 5 cities in Ecuador. The primary outcome was ICU survival/discharge. Survival analysis was conducted using semi-parametric Cox proportional hazards models. Of those admitted to the ICU with COVID-19, (n = 991), mean age was 56.76 ±â€…13.14, and 65.9% were male. Regarding the primary outcome, 51.1% (n = 506) died and 48.9% (n = 485) survived. Of the group that died, their mean age was higher than the survivors (60.7 vs 52.60 years, respectively), and they had a higher prevalence of comorbidities such as arterial hypertension (37.2% vs 20.4%, respectively) and diabetes mellitus (26.9% vs 15.7%, respectively), with P < .001. In ventilatory management, 32.7% of patients used noninvasive ventilation and high-flow nasal cannula, and 67.3% required invasive ventilatory support. After adjusting for confounders, Cox regression analysis showed that patients were less likely to be discharged alive from the ICU if they met the following conditions: arterial hypertension (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.83 95% CI 0.723-0.964), diabetes mellitus (HR = 0.80 95% CI 0.696-0.938), older than 62 years (HR = 0.86 95% CI 0.790-0.956), obese (body mass index ≥ 30) (HR = 0.78 95% CI 0.697-0.887), 1 unit increase in SOFA score (HR = 0.94 95% CI 0.937-0.961), PaO2/FiO2 ratio <100 mm Hg (HR = 0.84 95% CI 0.786-0.914), and the use of invasive mechanical ventilation (HR = 0.68 95% CI 0.614-0.769). Risk factors associated with increased mortality were older age, obesity, arterial hypertension, and diabetes. Factors such as male gender, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute kidney injury, and cancer reported in other investigations did not have the same effect on mortality in our study.

Safety Profile of Homologous and Heterologous Booster COVID-19 Vaccines in Physicians in Quito-Ecuador: A Cross-Sectional Study.

More than 600 healthcare workers died due to COVID-19 infection until January 2022 in Ecuador. Even though the COVID-19 vaccines are safe, local and systemic reactions were reported among physicians. This study aims to analyze the adverse events of COVID-19 with an emphasis on comparing the homologous and heterologous booster doses in physicians that received three approved vaccines in Ecuador. An electronic survey was performed in Quito, Ecuador, directed at physicians who were vaccinated with the three doses of COVID-19 vaccines. A total of 210 participants were analyzed after administering any dose of the vaccines. At least one AE was identified in 60.0% (126/210) of the sample after the first dose, 52.40% (110/210) after the second dose, and 75.2% (158/210) after the booster dose. The most frequent AEs were localized pain, myalgia, headache, and fever. At least one drug was used in 44.3% of the population after the first dose, 37.1% after the second dose, and 63.8% in the booster dose. Heterologous booster produces more AEs compared with homologous booster (80.1% vs. 53.8%), and 77.3% of participants reported that interfered with daily activities. Similar studies agree that reactogenicity occurs mainly with heterologous vaccination compared to homologous vaccination. This situation affected physicians' performance in daily activities and led them to use medication for the symptoms. In the future, it is recommended to perform cohort studies, where adverse events that are associated with vaccine boosters in the general population can be analyzed longitudinally, thus improving the level of evidence of the results.

Pulmonary Inflammatory Response in Lethal COVID-19 Reveals Potential Therapeutic Targets and Drugs in Phases III/IV Clinical Trials.

Background: It is imperative to identify drugs that allow treating symptoms of severe COVID-19. Respiratory failure is the main cause of death in severe COVID-19 patients, and the host inflammatory response at the lungs remains poorly understood. Methods: Therefore, we retrieved data from post-mortem lungs from COVID-19 patients and performed in-depth in silico analyses of single-nucleus RNA sequencing data, inflammatory protein interactome network, and shortest pathways to physiological phenotypes to reveal potential therapeutic targets and drugs in advanced-stage COVID-19 clinical trials. Results: Herein, we analyzed transcriptomics data of 719 inflammatory response genes across 19 cell types (116,313 nuclei) from lung autopsies. The functional enrichment analysis of the 233 significantly expressed genes showed that the most relevant biological annotations were inflammatory response, innate immune response, cytokine production, interferon production, macrophage activation, blood coagulation, NLRP3 inflammasome complex, and the TLR, JAK-STAT, NF-κB, TNF, oncostatin M signaling pathways. Subsequently, we identified 34 essential inflammatory proteins with both high-confidence protein interactions and shortest pathways to inflammation, cell death, glycolysis, and angiogenesis. Conclusion: We propose three small molecules (baricitinib, eritoran, and montelukast) that can be considered for treating severe COVID-19 symptoms after being thoroughly evaluated in COVID-19 clinical trials.

Microbiota, probióticos y el comportamiento humano / Microbiota, probiotics, and the human behavior / Microbiota, probióticos e comportamento humano

En la actualidad, ha cobrado una gran importancia la relación que la microbiota intestinal mantiene con varios órganos y sistemas del cuerpo humano. Particularmente importante, son las relaciones de la microbiota con el Sistema Nervioso Central, el comportamiento y el desarrollo y tratamiento de varias enfermedades. La relación existente entre la microbiota intestinal y el cerebro se produce gracias a la actividad de estímulos neuroendocrinos y neuroinmunes que pueden actuar de forma bilateral, llegando incluso a generar modificaciones en el comportamiento del ser humano. Del mismo modo, a través de la realización de estudios clínicos y paraclínicos, se ha conseguido demostrar la asociación entre el eje microbiota-intestino-cerebro y trastornos neurológicos como la enfermedad de Parkinson o el trastorno depresivo. El objetivo del presente artículo es realizar un análisis de los principales estudios identificados en relación a la función del eje microbiota-intestino-cerebro (MIC) así como identificar la nueva evidencia acerca del uso de probióticos en el tratamiento coadyuvante de varios trastornos neuro-psiquiátricos. Se realizó una búsqueda sistemática de la bibliografía utilizando palabras claves y términos MeSH y se presentó en formato de discusión de acuerdo a los subtemas: eje microbiota-intestino-cerebro, mecanismos de acción, microbiota y su relación con el comportamiento y regulación sobre probióticos. Se concluyó que existe evidencia que demuestra la relación entre el eje microbiota-intestino-cerebro y varios trastornos neuropsiquiátricos en el ser humano. Además, que la administración de probióticos puede modificar el eje MIC y pueden constituir una alternativa de terapia coadyuvante en estos trastornos del comportamiento.

Nowadays, the relationship that the intestinal microbiota maintains with various organs and systems of the human body has gained more importance. Especially relevant are the relationships of the microbiota with the Central Nervous System, behavior, and the development and treatment of various diseases. The relationship between the intestinal microbiota and the brain is a product of neuroendocrine and neuroimmune stimuli that can act bilaterally, even generating changes in human behavior. Moreover, clinical and paraclinical studies have demonstrated the association between the microbiota-gut-brain axis and neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease or depressive disorder. The objective of this article is to carry out an analysis of the studies concerning the function of the microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) axis, as well as to identify new evidence about the use of probiotics in the adjunctive treatment of several neuropsychiatric disorders. A systematic search of the bibliography was carried out using keywords and MeSH terms and presented in a discussion format according to the subtopics: microbiota-gut-brain axis, mechanisms of action, microbiota, and its relationship with behavior and regulation on probiotics. The conclusion was that the evidence demonstrates the relationship between the microbiota-gut-brain axis and several neuropsychiatric disorders in humans. In addition, the administration of probiotics can modify the MGB axis and constitute an alternative for adjuvant therapy in these behavioral disorders.

A relação da microbiota intestinal com vários órgãos e sistemas do corpo humano tem se tornado cada vez mais importante. Particularmente importantes são as relações da microbiota com o sistema nervoso central, o comportamento e o desenvolvimento e tratamento de várias doenças. A relação entre a microbiota intestinal e o cérebro ocorre através da atividade de estímulos neuroendócrinos e neuroimunes que podem agir bilateralmente, levando até mesmo a mudanças no comportamento humano. Da mesma forma, estudos clínicos e paraclínicos demonstraram a associação entre o eixo microbiota-cérebro-cérebro e desordens neurológicas, como a doença de Parkinson ou desordem depressiva. O objetivo deste artigo é rever os principais estudos identificados em relação ao papel do eixo microbiota-cérebro-cérebro (MIC) e identificar novas evidências sobre o uso de probióticos no tratamento adjuvante de vários distúrbios neuropsiquiátricos. Uma pesquisa sistemática da literatura foi realizada usando palavras-chave e termos MeSH e apresentada em formato de discussão de acordo com os subtemas: eixo microbiota-cérebro-cérebro, mecanismos de ação, microbiota e sua relação com o comportamento e regulamentação sobre probióticos. Concluiu-se que há evidência de uma relação entre o eixo microbiota-cérebro-cérebro e vários distúrbios neuropsiquiátricos em humanos. Além disso, a administração de probióticos pode modificar o eixo MIC e pode constituir uma terapia adjuvante alternativa nestes distúrbios comportamentais.

Neurocitoma Central Atípico: reporte de un caso en Ecuador / Atypical Central Neurocytoma: report of a case in Ecuador

El Neurocitoma Central es un tumor benigno infrecuente del Sistema Nervioso Central que afecta principalmente a adultos jóvenes. Clínicamente se manifiesta con síntomas neurológicos debido a la hipertensión intracraneana. Para establecer el diagnóstico es necesario el uso de estudios de imagen, histopatología e inmunohistoquímica. El tratamiento de elección es la resección quirúrgica total, acompañada en casos selectos de radioterapia y quimioterapia. El pronóstico que generalmente es bueno depende del porcentaje de resección quirúrgica y de las características inmunohistoquímicas del tumor. El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo reportar un caso de un tumor neuroepitelial de baja incidencia y actualizar el manejo diagnóstico y terapéutico. Se presenta el caso de una paciente afrodescendiente de 22 años con un Neurocitoma Central atípico intraventricular bilateral (dominante izquierdo) a quien se le realizó una resección microquirúrgica subtotal del tumor y se colocó un catéter ventricular externo de seguridad y, como terapia coadyuvante, se le administró quimioterapia y radioterapia concurrente. En el seguimiento a los 6 meses luego de la intervención, la paciente presenta una evolución clínica y neurológica favorable.

Central Neurocytoma is a rare benign tumor of the Central Nervous System that mainly affects young adults. Clinically, it manifests with headache, nausea, vomiting, and visual disturbances due to intracranial hypertension. To establish the diagnosis, the use of imaging, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry is necessary. The treatment of choice is total surgical resection, accompanied in selected cases of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The prognosis that generally is good, depends on the percentage of surgical resection and the characteristics of the tumor. The present work aims to report the case of a low incidence neuroepithelial tumor, such as atypical Central Neurocytoma, and to describe clearly and concisely the main characteristics of the tumor, as well as the diagnostic and therapeutic methods that currently are considered of choice according to international guidelines. We present the case of a 22-year-old patient with an atypical intraventricular Central Neurocytoma who underwent a subtotal microsurgical resection of the tumor and a safety external ventricular catheter placement and received concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy as adjunctive therapy. In the follow up 6 months after the intervention, the patient presented a favorable clinical and neurological evolution.