Gender differences and health inequality: Evolution of cardiovascular risk in workers.

The aim was to find out if there are any such differences due to gender in a cohort of workers followed for ten years, comparing their lifestyles and following the evolution of the main cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) and their impact on cardiovascular risk. An observational longitudinal study of 698 civil servants workers (186 women and 512 men) of a local government office from Córdoba (Spain), was conducted over the period 2003-2014. We compared the initial and final prevalence of physical activity, smoking, obesity, hypertension, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Cardiovascular risk was also assessed using the REGICOR (Registre Gironí del Cor) and SCORE (Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation) equations. There was a greater rise in the prevalence of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia in the cohort in women than in men (94.2% vs. 38% and 92% vs 21.1%), while the reduction in smoking also differed by gender (26.4% vs. 36.5%). It could be that since women present a lower cardiovascular risk profile, they are treated less or less effort is made to keep the risk factors low, resulting in a worse evolution of smoking, hypercholesterolemia and hypertension in women.

Dolor en la artrosis de rodilla / Pain in knee osteoarthritis

El dolor constituye el síntoma fundamental de la artrosis, sus características e interpretación permiten el diagnóstico certero y también conocer la magnitud de esa entidad. El objetivo de este trabajo, es profundizar los conocimientos sobre los elementos más esenciales relacionados con el dolor en la artrosis de la rodilla. Se describen las causas mecánicas y bioquímicas del dolor, entre las que resaltan el dolor óseo, sinovial, así como los factores bioquímicos relacionados con ese síntoma. Se hace referencia a las principales estructuras anatómicas responsables del dolor y sus mecanismos de acción. Se mencionan la relación existente entre ese síntoma y las modalidades imagenológicas, así como los patrones del dolor. Para finalizar, se hace referencia a las escalas de dolor usadas.

Pain is the main symptom of osteoarthritis. Determining the distinctive features of pain in knee osteoarthritis allows for an accurate diagnosis. This article gives a review of the results from research work on the typical features of knee osteoarthritic pain. The mechanics and biochemical causes of pain are described including both bone and synovial biochemical symptom-related factors. The relationships between knee pain, various imaging techniques and pain mechanism are also identified. Finally, the used pain scales are presented.