Knowledge and attitudes of health professionals in Chile towards people living with human immunodeficiency virus: A cross-national survey.

Introduction: People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) often experience discrimination from both other individuals and the health personnel who care for them. Chile has experienced a marked increase in the number of new HIV cases.Methods: Prospective cross-sectional study. The HIV/AIDS questionnaire for providers and health personnel was obtained from the International Planned Parenthood Federation, initially carrying out a pilot test and evaluating its validity.Results: A total of 784 health professionals answered the questionnaire correctly. Among them, 68.4% (n = 536) were women, and 36.2% (n = 284) were physicians. The study revealed that more than 90% of respondents had a positive attitude towards caring for people living with HIV, and more than 75% did not mind buying food from them or sharing services with them. Furthermore, more than 99% rejected the religiously endorsed labeling of people living with HIV/AIDS as immoral. Additionally, 95.5% (n = 749) mentioned that they did not feel anxious about knowing whether the next patient on their care list was living with HIV, and 76.9% (n = 603) of the respondents felt safe taking blood samples.Conclusions: Chilean health professionals have good knowledge about HIV infection and its mode transmission. Their attitudes towards people living with HIV are also generally positive.

Beneficios del consumo de dieta mediterránea en individuos con elevado riesgo cardiovascular: un patrón que debe convertirse en el común denominador

Las enfermedades cardiovasculares siguen siendo la principal causa de morbilidad y mortalidad en el mundo. Y aunque existen herramientas terapéuticas y farmacológicas que ayudan a controlar la incidencia de desenlaces cardiovasculares con la reducción del riesgo cardiovascular, las inequidades en el acceso oportuno a servicios de salud y de determinantes sociales de la salud impiden que toda la población con esta necesidad pueda recibir esta ayuda terapéutica. Es así, como se da prioridad a las intervenciones no farmacológicas, dentro de las que se destaca, la dieta, la cual ha demostrado influir significativamente en la salud cardiovascular y en la expectativa de vida del ser humano. Particularmente, la dieta mediterránea, basada esencialmente en el consumo de frutas, vegetales, granos, legumbres, aceite de oliva, especias, seguido de proteína derivada de pescado y comida de mar, ha demostrado proveer cierto grado de protección frente a enfermedades cardiometabólicas. Sin embargo, se desconoce con certeza cuál es el impacto en la población con elevado riesgo cardiovascular y, por ende, enfermedad cardiovascular establecida. Considerando la evolución de la evidencia en los patrones dietarios, así como la necesidad de conocer qué tanto impactan las dietas viables en nuestro medio, sobre todo en aquellos con mayor riesgo de morbilidad y mortalidad por enfermedad cardiovascular, el objetivo de esta revisión consiste en exponer evidencia actualizada sobre los beneficios de la dieta mediterránea en individuos con elevado riesgo cardiovascular. Para esto, se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en las bases de datos PubMed, Science Direct y Scielo.

Cardiovascular diseases continue to be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although there are therapeutic and pharmacological tools that help control the incidence of cardiovascular outcomes by reducing cardiovascular risk, inequities in timely access to healthcare services and social determinants of health prevent the entire population in need from receiving this therapeutic assistance. Thus, non-pharmacological interventions are prioritized, among which the diet stands out, as it has been shown to significantly influence cardiovascular health and life expectancy. Particularly, the Mediterranean diet, primarily based on the consumption of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, olive oil, spices, followed by fish and seafood-derived protein, has demonstrated a certain degree of protection against cardiometabolic diseases. However, the impact on a population with high cardiovascular risk and established cardiovascular disease remains uncertain. Considering the evolving evidence on dietary patterns and the need to understand how viable diets in our context affect individuals with a higher risk of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease, the objective of this review is to present updated evidence on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet in individuals with high cardiovascular risk. For this purpose, a literature search was performed in the PubMed, Science Direct, and Scielo databases.

Surgical research in Colombia part 3: Authorship and publications of Colombian medical students in surgery in Colombian medical journals-cross-sectional study.

Research training, scientific activity and publications are cornerstones of academic surgery. Knowing the activity and trends of medical students aspiring to become surgeons it allows to identify gaps and skills to be strengthened. Currently, there is no data on the authorship and scientific activity of medical students in surgery in Latin America and Colombia. Methods: A bibliometric cross-sectional study was carried out, in which the Colombian medical journals were reviewed from 2010 to 2020. The articles with topics in general surgery and subspecialties where the authorship of medical students could be identified, were selected. Data on the sociodemographic and scientific characteristics of the authors and their publications were extracted and analyzed. Results: A total of 14 383 articles from 34 Colombian medical journals were reviewed. From 2010 to 2020, 807 articles related to surgery were published in Colombia. The most frequent typology of these articles was original articles (n=298; 37%), followed by case reports (n=222; 28.2%) and reviews (n=137; 17.3%). A total of 132 medical students and 141 authorships and were found, specifically in 9.9% (n=80/807) of these publications, with a higher frequency in original articles (n=32; 40%) and case reports (n=29; 36.2%). Collaboration of students with professors or surgeons was evidenced in 97.5% of the publications. Conclusions: The authorship of Colombian medical students in scientific publications in surgery in Colombian medical journals was low. From 2010 to 2020, student authors were found in 1 out of every 10 publications, mainly in original articles and clinical cases.

Research and Publication Trends in Pediatric Surgery in Latin America: A Bibliometric and Visual Analysis from 2012 to 2021.

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric surgery is a developing specialty with increasing volume in Latin America. However, the research and scientific activity trends carried out in this region in recent years are unknown. This study aimed to analyze and visualize Latin American research in pediatric surgery from 2012 to 2021. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Bibliometric cross-sectional study of scientific articles on pediatric surgery published by Latin American authors from 2012 to 2021 in Scopus was performed. Statistical and visual analysis was performed with R programming language and VOS viewer. RESULTS: 449 articles were found. Observational studies (44.7%; n = 201), case reports (20.4%; n = 92) and narrative reviews (11.4%; n = 51) were found to be the most common study designs. The published articles were predominantly monocentric (73.1%; n = 328), only 17% (n = 76) involved authors from 2 or more countries, and mostly there was no collaboration with high-income countries (80.6%; n = 362). The Journal of Pediatric Surgery was the journal with the highest volume of articles published (n = 37). The most used terms were Laparoscopy, Complications, and Liver Transplantation, and the countries with the highest number of articles published were Brazil and Argentina. CONCLUSIONS: This study found a progressive increase in the scientific activity of Latin authors in pediatric surgery from 2012 to 2021. The evidence produced was mainly from observational studies and case reports, predominantly conducted in Brazil. Multinational and international collaboration was low; the most frequent topics of interest were laparoscopy and minimally invasive surgery. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Prophylactic surgical wound management with negative pressure therapy in emergency abdominal surgery: is it really useful? / Manejo profiláctico de herida quirúrgica con terapia por presión negativa en cirugía abdominal de emergencia: ¿realmente es útil?

Mr Editor Infection at the operating site (ISO) is the most common postoperative surgical complication in general surgery. This is more frequent in cases of emergency interventions, compromises the patient's prognosis, causes high health costs, and signicantly increases the risk of reintervention. Negative pressure therapy (NPT) is an innovative strategy that was proposed about two decades ago, and has been gradually replicated around the world. This means that there are still many gaps in the evidence when it is used in many diseases and under different contexts. Nevertheless, it allows obtaining conclusive results in the time of healing, reduction of complications (mainly dehiscence and ISO), decrease in hospital stay, among other factors. In Latin America, there is very little evidence on the use of this strategy, and it is null regarding its use in emergency cases without being able to determine its impact on our environment. Recently, Lakhani et al 3 conducted a meta-analysis of 7 studies with a total of 1199 patients, where they evaluated the ISO rate in patients undergoing emergency laparotomy in whom NPT was used (n=566) vs. control group (standard care, n=633). The NPT group had a lower infection rate (13.6% vs. 25.1%), with a 57-percentage point reduction in the probability of presenting ISO (OR 0.43; 95% CI: 0.30 - 0.62).

Sr Editor La infección en el sitio operatorio (ISO), es la complicación quirúrgica postoperatoria más frecuente en cirugía general. Esta es más frecuente en casos de intervenciones de emergencias, compromete el pronóstico del paciente, ocasiona elevados costos en salud, y aumenta considerablemente el riesgo de reintervención. La terapia por presión negativa (TPN) es una estrategia innovadora que se planteó hace aproximadamente dos décadas, y que se ha reproducido paulatinamente en todo el mundo. Esto ocasiona que aún existan muchos vacíos en la evidencia cuando es utilizada en muchísimas enfermedades y bajo diferentes contextos. No obstante, permite obtener resultados contundentes en el tiempo de cicatrización, disminución de complicaciones (principalmente dehiscencia e ISO), disminución de estancia hospitalaria, entre otros factores.

Riesgo cardiovascular en pacientes recuperados de COVID-19 a corto y mediano plazo: ¿qué concluye la evidencia actual?

El riesgo y enfermedades cardiovasculares en pacientes recuperados de COVID-19 es un campo de análisis reciente en la literatura médica mundial y de vital importancia, porque existe una gran cantidad de pacientes con complicaciones una vez terminada la fase aguda de la enfermedad. El gran espectro del daño al miocardio en esta enfermedad puede variar desde una elevación asintomática de los niveles de troponinas cardíacas, hasta la aparición de una miocarditis fulminante y/o shock circulatorio, lo que puede dejar secuelas significativas. A pesar de que no existe una estrategia clara para abordar los eventos cardíacos que aparecen durante la COVID-19, y teniendo en cuenta que el manejo se hace principalmente para controlar los síntomas del paciente a medida que surgen, el objetivo de este trabajo fue conocer y recopilar la evidencia actual en esta temática, de tal manera que se pueda ofrecer al lector una guía de consulta en español que contribuya al desarrollo de su profesión sanitaria. La metodología utilizada fue una búsqueda de literatura en bases de datos como Medline, Scopus, Science Direct, con una ventana de tiempo entre 2019 y 2022. Los principales resultados revelaron que dentro de los mecanismos moleculares y fisiopatológicos implicados en este síndrome pos-COVID, se encuentra la afectación del sistema renina-angiotensina-aldosterona, al estar ligado el tropismo del SARS-Cov-2 a la enzima convertidora de angiotensina 2. Esto ocasiona una alteración de la respuesta neuro-humoral del sistema cardiovascular, renal y digestivo, lo que genera déficit en las vías de señalización y ocasiona lesión directa sobre corazón, pulmones y otros órganos. El síndrome pos-COVID-19, en general, se define como la aparición o persistencia de los síntomas posteriores a 3 o 4 semanas de aparecida la fase aguda de la enfermedad. Entonces, esta podría considerarse como una ventana de tiempo de riesgo y seguimiento estricto, para valorar de forma personalizada el riesgo entre los distintos grupos de pacientes, sobre todo de aquellos con antecedentes personales de enfermedad cardiovascular. Los principales resultados revelaron la presencia de trastornos como la insuficiencia cardiaca, las arritmias, la pericarditis y la miocarditis, que requieren de detección precoz y que se presentan días e incluso semanas posteriores a la fase aguda de la COVID-19.

Cardiovascular risk and diseases among patients recovered from COVID-19 is a recent field of study in the world medical literature and is also of vital importance because a large number of patients develop complications once the acute phase of the disease is over. The broad spectrum of myocardial injury in cardiovascular diseases can range from the asymptomatic elevation of cardiac troponin levels to the development of fulminant myocarditis and/or circulatory shock, which can leave significant sequelae. Despite the fact that there is no clear strategy to treat cardiac events that occur during COVID-19 infection and taking into account that treatment is mainly aimed at relieving patients' symptoms as they arise, the objective of this work was to find out and collect current evidence on this subject, so that readers can be offered a reference guide in Spanish that contributes to the development of their health profession. The methodology used was a literature search in databases including Medline, Scopus and ScienceDirect within a time window between 2019 and 2022. The main results revealed that the molecular and pathophysiological mechanisms involved in post-COVID-19 syndrome include the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system since SARS-CoV-2 tropism is linked to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. This causes an alteration of the neurohumoral response of the cardiovascular, renal and digestive systems, generating deficits in the signaling pathways and causing direct damage to the heart, lungs and other organs. PostCOVID-19 syndrome, in general, is defined as the occurrence or persistence of symptoms three or four weeks after the acute phase of the disease. This could then be considered as a time window of risk and strict follow-up to assess in a personalized way the risk among the different groups of patients, especially those with a past history of cardiovascular disease. The main results revealed disorders such as heart failure, arrhythmias, pericarditis and myocarditis, which require early detection and occur days or even weeks after the acute phase of COVID-19.

Predictors for limb amputation in war vascular trauma: A 20-years retrospective analysis from the Colombian armed conflict.

BACKGROUND: The Latin American military vascular trauma is virtually unknown. The aim of this study was to describe severe war vascular trauma during the last 20 years of the Colombian armed conflict, and to identify predictors of limb amputation. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of a follow-up cohort from 1999 to 2019 of patients with associated severe vascular injuries (ISS >15) in the Colombian armed conflict treated at the Hospital Militar Central. RESULTS: Out of 5948 patients, 243 had military vascular trauma with 430 vascular injuries. The most frequent trauma mechanisms were gunshot wounds (n = 153; 63%). The most common injured vessels were femoral. 24 (10%) patients required amputations. Mortality was 4.1%. Amputation was associated with arteriovenous lesions (RR 4.82, p = 0.025), compartment syndrome (RR 4.2, p = 0.007), arteriovenous femoropopliteal injuries (RR 3.5, p = 0.0026), multiple arterial injuries (RR 3.35, p = 0.0218), associated fractures (RR 3.1, p = 0.0032). CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant arteriovenous injuries in popliteal and femoropopliteal lesions, multiple arterial lesions, bone fractures, and compartment syndrome are associated with amputation in severe vascular injury.

Utilidad de la midodrina para controlar el síncope vasovagal: ¿la recomienda la evidencia? / Usefulness of Midodrine for the Control of Recurrent Vasovagal Syncope: Does the Evidence Recommend it? / Utilidade da midodrina no controle da síncope vasovagal: as evidencias a recomendam?

Introducción:El síncope vasovagal es la principal causa de pérdida transitoria de la conciencia, y es un motivo de consulta cada vez más frecuente en pediatría y medicina del adulto. La midodrina es un agonista de los recepto-res alfa, de acción periférica, empleada principalmente en el manejo de la hipotensión ortostática; sin embargo, también se ha evaluado en el síncope vasovagal, con resultados prometedores.Objetivo:Analizar la evidencia más reciente sobre la utilidad de la midodrina para el control y la prevención del síncope vasovagal.Materiales y métodos: Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica utilizando términos de búsqueda como Vasovagal Syncope y Midodrine, así como sinónimos, que se combinaron con operadores booleanos, en cinco bases de datos, hasta octubre del 2022. Se incluyeron estudios originales, revisiones sistemáticas y metanálisis, publicados tanto en inglés como en español.Resultados:Ensayos controlados aleatorizados y revisiones sistemáticas y metanálisis difieren ligeramente entre resultados, pero estos demuestran un efecto global protector. La evidencia más reciente y completa indica que utilizar este agente reduce significativamente la positividad al realizar la prueba de la mesa inclinada y que previene la aparición de episodios sincopales.Conclusiones:Aunque la evidencia actual sobre la eficacia de la midodrina respecto a la prevención y control del síncope vasovagal es limitada, se observa un efecto protector significativo, porque disminuye el riesgo de sufrir un episodio sincopal, aproximadamente hasta en un 50 %.Palabras clave: midodrina; síncope vasovagal; síncope; adrenérgicos; medicina basada en la evidencia

Introduction: Vasovagal syncope is the main cause of transient loss of consciousness, being an in-creasingly frequent reason for consultation in pediatrics and adult medicine. Midodrine, a periphe-rally acting alpha-receptor agonist, is mainly used in the management of orthostatic hypotension. However, it has also been evaluated in vasovagal syncope, with promising results. Objective: To analyze the most recent evidence on the usefulness of midodrine for the control and prevention of vasovagal syncope. Materials and Methods: A literature search was performed using search terms such as "Vasovagal Syncope" and "Midodrine," as well as synonyms, which were combined with Boolean operators, in 5 databases until October 2022. Original studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, published in both English and Spanish, were included. Results: Randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews and meta-analyses differ slightly between results, but these demonstrate an overall protective effect. The most recent and complete evidence shows that using this agent significantly reduces the probability of positivity when performing the tilt table test and prevents the occurrence of syncopal episodes. Conclusions: Although current evidence on the efficacy of midodrine with respect to the prevention and control of vasovagal syncope is limited, a significant protective effect is observed, reducing the risk of suffering syncopal episode by approximately up to 50%

Introdução: a síncope vasovagal é a principal causa de perda transitória de consciência e é um motivo cada vez mais comum de consulta em pediatria e medicina de adultos. A midodrina é um agonista do receptor alfa de ação periférica usado principalmente no tratamento da hipotensão ortostática; no entanto, ela também foi avaliada na síncope vasovagal, com resultados promissores. Objetivo: Revisar as evidências mais recentes sobre a utilidade da midodrina para o controle e a pre-venção da síncope vasovagal. Materiais e métodos: Foi realizada uma pesquisa na literatura usando termos de pesquisa como Va-sovagal, Syncope e Medodrine, bem como sinônimos, que foram combinados com operadores boo-leanos, em cinco bancos de dados, até outubro de 2022. Foram incluídos estudos originais, revisões sistemáticas e metanálises, publicados em inglês e espanhol. Resultados: Os ensaios clínicos randomizados, as revisões sistemáticas e as metanálises diferem ligei-ramente entre os resultados, mas demonstram um efeito protetor geral. As evidências mais recentes e abrangentes indicam que o uso desse agente reduz significativamente a positividade no teste de inclinação da mesa e evita a ocorrência de episódios de síncope. Conclusões: Embora as evidências atuais sobre a eficácia da midodrina em relação à prevenção e ao controle da síncope vasovagal sejam limitadas, observa-se um efeito protetor significativo, pois ela diminui o risco de sofrer um episódio sincopal em aproximadamente 50%

Surgical research in Colombia part 2: Scientific production of Colombian academic surgeons.

Introduction: The production of quality surgical evidence and the development of academic surgery have emerged as priorities for the solution of current barriers to achieving the objectives of global surgery. The academic training and scientific production of academic surgeons is essential for the production of new knowledge. In Latin America, specifically in Colombia, there are no studies that have analyzed this production. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional bibliometric study was carried out, in which the Colombian Ministry of Science database was consulted with the validated results up to July 2021. In the search section for research profiles, the key word "Surgery" was used, and all associated CvLAC (profiles where the information of Colombian researchers can be found) and their registered products were reviewed. Results: A total of 1701 researchers in surgery were registered in the database of the Colombian Ministry of Science, of which only 380 corresponded to academic surgeons with correct registration. Only 6 (1.6%) were found to have a Ph.D., 45 (11.8%) a fellow, and 20 (5.3%) a master's degree. 79.5% (n = 302) of Colombian academic surgeons are men. Only 10.2% (n = 39) are formally categorized as researchers. 45.3% (n = 172) have not published scientific articles. The total number of published articles was 2386, and most of them were published in Q4 journals (n = 1121; 47%) or not indexed by SJR/Publindex (n = 517; 21.6%). Only 3 surgeons have more than 100 articles. 9.5% have published at least 1 book, and 40% have participated in at least 1 project. Conclusions: According to data registered with the Colombian Ministry of Science, a large part of the scientific production of Colombian academic surgeons is concentrated in scientific articles, most of which are found in Q4 or non-categorized journals. Approximately half of the academic surgeons have not published at least one scientific article. However, one fifth of those who have, have published at least 8 articles. Less than 20% of surgeons have additional postgraduate studies, and only 1 in 4 academic surgeons is a woman.

[Pituitary apoplexy in pediatric patients: systematic review]. / Apoplejía hipofisaria en pacientes pediátricos: revisión sistemática.

Introduction: Necrosis or hemorrhage associated with pituitary tumors is an infrequent complication. The term pituitary apoplexy is related to the development of an inflammatory process that leads to irritation of the meningeal and periselar areas. Regardless of the mechanism (hemorrhage or infarction), the extent of the hemorrhage and necrosis will produce an increase in intraselar pressure which, in turn, will lead to a more or less pronounced compression of neighboring structures, thus explaining the broad spectrum clinical. Methods: We carried out a systematic review of cases published internationally. The analysis of 8 cases published in the literature was carried out, 5 cases in the male pediatric population (62.5%), and 3 cases of the female gender (37.5%). Results: The mean age was 12.8 years (SD ± 2.5). The clinical manifestations included: headache, impaired vision, nausea and vomiting, fever, cranial nerve involvement, and, to a lesser extent, compromise of consciousness. Seventy-five percent (n = 6) of the patients had a headache, 16.6% had a frontal location, 16.6% accompanied by retroorbital pain, and 66.6% did not specify the location. On the other hand, only 37.5% of the patients had nausea and/or vomiting. While 25% were admitted with fever and 12.5% (n = 1) had changes in the state of consciousness. Conclusion: Pituitary apoplexy is a pathology that requires a multidisciplinary approach at the pediatric level. Management directed by pediatric neurosurgery and endocrinology will allow us to offer our patients the best, evidence-based treatment available.

Introducción: Introducción: La necrosis o hemorragia asociada a tumores hipofisiarios es una complicación infrecuente. El termino apoplejía pituitaria está relacionado con el desarrollo de un proceso inflamatorio que conduce a irritación meníngea y de las zonas periselares. A nivel pediátrico, la apoplejía pituitaria es una patología muy rara y poco analizada en la literatura. Métodos: Realizamos una revisión sistemática de casos publicados a nivel internacional. Se realizo el análisis de 8 casos publicados en la literatura, 5 casos en población pediátrica masculina (62.5%), y 3 casos del género femenino (37.5%). Resultados: La media de edad fue de 12,8 años (DE ±2.5). Las manifestaciones clínicas abarcaron: cefalea, alteración en la visión, náuseas y vómitos, fiebre, compromiso de pares craneales y en menor medida compromiso del estado de conciencia. El 75% (n=6) de los pacientes cursó con cefalea, el 16.6% de localización frontal, 16.6% acompañado de dolor retroorbitario, y un 66.6% no especificaron la localización. Por otro lado, solo el 37.5% de los pacientes presentaron nauseas y/o vómitos. Mientras que un 25% ingresaron con fiebre y un 12.5% (n=1) tuvieron cambios en el estado de conciencia. Conclusión: La apoplejía pituitaria es una patología que requiere un abordaje multidisciplinario a nivel pediátrico, el manejo dirigido por neurocirugía y endocrinología pediátrica permitirá ofrecer a nuestros pacientes el mejor, tratamiento disponible basado en la evidencia.

Eutanasia y suicidio asistido: revisión y análisis de marcos legales internacionales comparados con Colombia / Euthanasia and assisted suicide: review and analysis of international legal frameworks compared with Colombia

El avance en materia de derechos humanos es indispensable durante el desarrollo de políticas públicas en salud y marcos legales que garanticen el cuidado integro de la salud; la eutanasia y suicidio asistido siguen siendo conceptos ampliamente discutidos desde la medicina, y especialmente en la bioética por el peso que poseen en la toma de decisiones del paciente terminal y cuidados paliativos. Estos términos, su uso, aprobación y regulación legal dependen de la influencia de diversos determinantes como la investigación biomédica, las creencias religiosas, los aspectos socioculturales, entre otros. Sin embargo, lo que permite la interpretación y observación de resultados son las practicas soportadas por las legislaciones de cada país; Colombia es el único país que ha despenalizado la eutanasia en la región y que progresa activamente en temas relacionados. En este orden de ideas, el objetivo de esta revisión consiste en analizar los marcos legales internacionales sobre la definición y uso de la eutanasia y el suicidio asistido, que permitan comprender la evolución de la normatividad sobre el cuidado al final de la vida.

Advances in human rights are indispensable during the development of public policies in health and legal frameworks that guarantee integral health care; euthanasia and assisted suicide continue to be concepts widely discussed in medicine, and especially in bioethics due to the weight they have in the decision-making process of the terminal patient and palliative care. These terms, their use, approval, and legal regulation depend on the influence of various determinants such as biomedical research, religious beliefs, and sociocultural aspects. However, what allows the interpretation and observation of results are the practices supported by the legislation of each country; Colombia is the only country that has decriminalized euthanasia in the region and is actively progressing in related issues. In this order of ideas, the objective of this review is to analyze the international legal frameworks on the definition and use of euthanasia and assisted suicide to understand the evolution of regulations on end-of-life care.

Os avanços nos direitos humanos são indispensáveis para o desenvolvimento de políticas públicas de saúde e marcos legais que garantam a atenção integral à saúde. A eutanásia e o suicídio assistido continuam sendo conceitos amplamente discutidos na medicina e, principalmente, na bioética, devido ao peso que têm no processo de tomada de decisão de pacientes terminais e nos cuidados paliativos. Esses termos, seu uso, aprovação e regulamentação legal dependem da influência de vários determinantes, como pesquisas biomédicas, crenças religiosas, aspectos socioculturais, entre outros. No entanto, o que permite a interpretação e a observação dos resultados são as práticas apoiadas pela legislação de cada país; a Colômbia é o único país que descriminalizou a eutanásia na região e está avançando ativamente em questões relacionadas. O objetivo desta revisão é analisar as estruturas jurídicas internacionais sobre a definição e o uso da eutanásia e do suicídio assistido a fim de compreender a evolução das regulamentações de cuidados no fim da vida.

Surgical research in Colombia part 1: Scientific and academic productivity of the Colombian research groups in surgery.

Introduction: Global surgery has become the undisputed starting point for addressing a myriad of problems in surgery today. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly evaluate the scientific productivity in surgery, its behavior, validity and impact. In Latin America, specifically in Colombia, there are no studies that have analyzed this production. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional bibliometric study was carried out, in which the Colombian Ministry of Science database was consulted with the validated results up to July 2021. In the search section for research groups, the key word "Surgery" was used, and all associated GrupLAC (platform where the information of the research groups can be found) and their registered products were reviewed. Results: 40 groups were included. Only 5 (12.5%) were registered in surgery as main line of research. The great majority of the groups were in the medium-low category, 50% in category C and 22.5% in category B. The vast majority of surgical groups are located in Bogotá (19; 47.5%). The first surgery group in the country was created in 1994 and the last one in 2017. In 27 years of surgical research, a total of 4121 registered scientific articles were found, 83 books, 713 book chapters, 2891 products associated with participation in scientific events, 1221 theses directed, and 1670 projects in colombian surgical research groups. There was evidence of a high rate of underreporting of data, due to duplication of products and incomplete registration of data. Conclusions: There is a high rate of underreporting of products and data in the GrupLAC of Colombian surgical research groups. Most of the production is located in the Andes region (Antioquia, Valle del Cauca and Bogotá), and is predominantly composed of scientific articles and products associated with participation in scientific events.

Euthanasia and assisted suicide: An in-depth review of relevant historical aspects.

End-of-life care is an increasingly relevant topic due to advances in biomedical research and the establishment of new disciplines in evidence-based medicine and bioethics. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are two terms widely discussed in medicine, which cause displeasure on many occasions and cause relief on others. The evolution of these terms and the events associated with their study have allowed the evaluation of cases that have established useful definitions for the legal regulation of palliative care and public policies in the different health systems. However, there are still many aspects to be elucidated and defined. Based on the above, this review aimed to compile relevant historical aspects on the evolution of euthanasia and assisted suicide, which will allow understanding the use and research of these terms.

Impact of helminthiasis on gestational anemia in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of more than 19,000 women.

Intestinal helminthiasis are a common public health problem in developed and developing countries. It is thought that they can influence pregnancy by causing gestational anemia. The aim of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between helminth infection and gestational anemia. A structured review of scientific literature was conducted through active search in the electronic databases MEDLINE® and LILACS® until December 2021, following 2020 PRISMA statement. The studies were reviewed independently by two authors, extracting the most relevant information from each study. Cross-sectional studies, case-control and ecological studies were included, with no date or language limit. Randomized clinical trials were excluded. A total of 38 studies were included in the systematic review. The study populations of all studies belonged to low- and middle-income countries: 28 studies from Africa, 6 from Asia, 3 from Latin America and 1 from Oceania. Overall, the average prevalence of gestational anemia among the included studies was 40% (95% CI 34-46%). Hookworm was the predominant species detected in most studies (19/38; 50%), followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (15/38; 39.5%). Gestational anemia was positively associated with A. lumbricoides (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.12-3.08) and hookworms (OR 3.09, 95% CI 1.99-4.78). Prevalence of malaria was not associated with the magnitude of the effect of hookworm on anemia risk during meta-regression (p=0.5182). The results of this review indicate that there is a statistically significant association between helminthiasis and gestational anemia. Although hookworm is the main species associated with the outcome, prevalence of malaria was not associated with the magnitude of the effect of hookworm on anemia risk. The impact of other species needs to be defined given the expected bias that arises from polyparasitism when defining comparison groups.