Ideal Cardiovascular Health in the southern cone of Latin America.

OBJECTIVE: The American Heart Association developed the concept of 'Ideal Cardiovascular Health', which is based on the presence of ideal levels across seven health factors. The goal of this study is to assess the prevalence of Ideal Cardiovascular Health in the Southern Cone of Latin America. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis as part of CESCAS I cohort. METHODS: This report included 5458 participants aged between 35 and 75 years who were selected using stratified multistage probability sampling in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. Interviews included demographic information, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and a food frequency questionnaire on dietary habits. Participants were classified as current, former or non-smokers. Weight, height and blood pressure were measured by trained personnel, and fasting cholesterol and glucose plasma levels were measured. RESULTS: Only 0.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.0-0.2) met the seven criteria that define the Ideal Cardiovascular Health. The least prevalent healthy behaviour was having a healthy diet: 0.5% (95% CI: 0.3-0.7), while the least prevalent health factor was having blood pressure < 120/80 mmHg: 23.6% (95% CI: 22.1-25.0). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of Ideal Cardiovascular Health is very low in a representative sample of population from the Southern Cone of Latin America, and the levels of healthy lifestyle behaviours are even lower than ideal biochemical parameters. These results highlight the challenge of developing strategies to improve the levels of Ideal Cardiovascular Health at primary prevention levels.

Lower tract respiratory infection in children younger than 5 years of age and adverse pregnancy outcomes related to household air pollution in Bariloche (Argentina) and Temuco (Chile).

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the association between household air pollution with lower tract respiratory infection (LRTI) in children younger than 5 years old and adverse pregnancy outcomes. This retrospective cohort study took place in two cities in Patagonia. Using systemic random sampling, we selected households in which at least one child <5 years had lived and/or a child had been born alive or stillborn. Trained interviewers administered the questionnaire. We included 926 households with 695 pregnancies and 1074 children. Household cooking was conducted indoors in ventilated rooms and the use of wood as the principal fuel for cooking was lower in Temuco (13% vs. 17%). In exposed to biomass fuel use, the adjusted OR for LRTI was 1.87 (95% CI 0.98-3.55; P = 0.056) in Temuco and 1.12 (95% CI 0.61-2.05; P = 0.716) in Bariloche. For perinatal morbidity, the OR was 3.11 (95% CI 0.86-11.32; P = 0.084) and 1.41 (95% CI 0.50-3.97; P = 0.518), respectively. However, none of the effects were statistically significant (P > 0.05). The use of biomass fuel to cook in traditional cookstoves in ventilated dwellings may increase the risk of perinatal morbidity and LRTI.

Psychosocial factors and obesity in 17 high-, middle- and low-income countries: the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiologic study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Psychosocial stress has been proposed to contribute to obesity, particularly abdominal, or central obesity, through chronic activation of the neuroendocrine systems. However, these putative relationships are complex and dependent on country and cultural context. We investigated the association between psychosocial factors and general and abdominal obesity in the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiologic study. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This observational, cross-sectional study enrolled 151 966 individuals aged 35-70 years from 628 urban and rural communities in 17 high-, middle- and low-income countries. Data were collected for 125 290 individuals regarding education, anthropometrics, hypertension/diabetes, tobacco/alcohol use, diet and psychosocial factors (self-perceived stress and depression). RESULTS: After standardization for age, sex, country income and urban/rural location, the proportion with obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg m(-)(2)) increased from 15.7% in 40 831 individuals with no stress to 20.5% in 7720 individuals with permanent stress, with corresponding proportions for ethnicity- and sex-specific central obesity of 48.6% and 53.5%, respectively (P<0.0001 for both). Associations between stress and hypertension/diabetes tended to be inverse. Estimating the total effect of permanent stress with age, sex, physical activity, education and region as confounders, no relationship between stress and obesity persisted (adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) for obesity 1.04 (95% confidence interval: 0.99-1.10)). There was no relationship between ethnicity- and sex-specific central obesity (adjusted PR 1.00 (0.97-1.02)). Stratification by region yielded inconsistent associations. Depression was weakly but independently linked to obesity (PR 1.08 (1.04-1.12)), and very marginally to abdominal obesity (PR 1.01 (1.00-1.03)). CONCLUSIONS: Although individuals with permanent stress tended to be slightly more obese, there was no overall independent effect and no evidence that abdominal obesity or its consequences (hypertension, diabetes) increased with higher levels of stress or depression. This study does not support a causal link between psychosocial factors and abdominal obesity.

[Effect of inspiratory muscle training on muscle strength and quality of life in patients with chronic airflow limitation: a randomized controlled trial]. / Efecto del entrenamiento muscular inspiratorio sobre la fuerza muscular y la calidad de vida en pacientes con limitación crónica del flujo aéreo. Ensayo clínico aleatorizado.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic airflow limitation (CAL) is a significant cause of illness and death. Inspiratory muscle training has been described as a technique for managing CAL. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of inspiratory muscle training on improving physiological and functional variables. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Randomized controlled trial in which 35 patients with CAL were assigned to receive either an experimental (n=17) or control (n=18) intervention. The experimental intervention consisted of 2 months of inspiratory muscle training using a device that administered a resistive load of 40% of maximal static inspiratory mouth pressure (PImax). Inspiratory muscle strength, exercise tolerance, respiratory function, and quality of life were assessed. RESULTS: Significant improvement in inspiratory muscle strength was observed in the experimental training group (P=.02). All patients improved over time in both groups (P<.001). PImax increased by 8.9 cm H2O per month of training. Likewise, the health-related quality of life scores improved by 0.56 points. CONCLUSION: Use of a threshold loading device is effective for strengthening inspiratory muscles as measured by PImax after the first month of training in patients with CAL. The long-term effectiveness of such training and its impact on quality of life should be studied in a larger number of patients.

Revisión sistemática de la efectividad funcional del vendaje neuromuscular en sujetos con inestabilidad de tobillo / A systematic review of the functional effectiveness of kinesiotaping in individuals with ankle instability

INTRODUCCIÓN La inestabilidad de tobillo presenta mayor frecuencia en personas que han sufrido repetidos esguinces de tobillo. Aunque el Kinesio Tape es una técnica masificada en los últimos años en el tratamiento de esta lesión, se desconoce su efectividad. OBJETIVO Determinar la efectividad funcional del Kinesio Tape en individuos con inestabilidad de tobillo. DISEÑO Revisión sistemática. FUENTES DE DATOS Se realizó una búsqueda sistemática de artículos en donde se aplicó Kinesio Tape en sujetos con inestabilidad de tobillo en las siguientes bases de datos: PubMed Central; PubMed/Medline; Cochrane; Embase; Sciencedirect; Biomed Central; CINAHL; Lippincott Williams &Wilkins; SAGE y Wiley-Blackwell. MÉTODOS DE LA REVISIÓN Se seleccionaron solo estudios experimentales tipo ensayo clínico, en donde se interviniera a pacientes con inestabilidad de tobillo mediante la aplicación de Kinesio Tape y que incluyeran al menos una variable de resultado asociada a la función del tobillo. Se aplicó la escala PEDro a cada artículo para medir su calidad metodológica. RESULTADOS Se obtuvieron 364 artículos. Diez cumplieron los criterios de inclusión; cinco de alta y cinco de moderada calidad metodológica. En la mayoría de los artículos se midió más de una variable. Dos artículos presentaron mejoras en la fuerza muscular; cuatro artículos midieron equilibrio, dos observaron mejoras; un artículo observó mejoras en la propiocepción; dos artículos midieron control postural, sin mejoras significativas y un artículo no observó mejoras significativas en control neuromuscular. Estabilidad articular (un artículo), actividad muscular (un artículo) y funcionalidad (un artículo), no reportaron mejoras significativas con el uso de Kinesio Tape. CONCLUSIÓN El Kinesio Tape es efectivo para obtener mejoras en la fuerza muscular, el equilibrio y la propiocepción en individuos con inestabilidad de tobillo. Sin embargo, el Kinesio tape no reporta mejoras significativas en control postural, control neuromuscular, actividad muscular, estabilidad articular y funcionalidad en sujetos con inestabilidad de tobillo.

INTRODUCTION Ankle instability often seen in people who have suffered repeated ankle sprains. Kinesio Tape is a technique widely applied in recent years, despite not having enough evidence to support its application. OBJECTIVE To determine the functional effectiveness of Kinesio Tape in individuals with ankle instability. DESIGN Systematic review. DATA SOURCES A systematic search of articles was performed where Kinesio Tape was applied in subjects with ankle instability in the following databases: PubMed Central; PubMed/Medline; Cochrane; Embase; Sciencedirect; Biomed Central; CINAHL; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; SAGE and Wiley-Blackwell. METHODS OF THE REVIEW Only clinical trials were selected, in which patients with ankle instability were intervened by applying Kinesio Tape and which included at least one outcome variable associated with ankle function. RESULTS364 articles were found. Ten met the inclusion criteria; five presented high and five moderate methodological quality. In most cases, one article measured more than one variable. Two articles showed improvements in muscle strength. Of four articles that evaluated balance, two observed improvements; one article observe improvements in proprioception; two articles measured postural control, without significant improvements; one article did not observe significant improvements in neuromuscular control. Stability (one article), muscular activity (one article) and functionality (one article) did not report significant improvements with the use of Kinesio Tape. On the other hand, Kinesio tape does not report significant improvements with respect to postural control, neuromuscular control, muscle activity, joint stability and functionality in subjects suffering from ankle instability. CONCLUSION Kinesio Tape is effective for improvement of muscle strength, balance and proprioception in subjects with ankle instability. However, Kinesio Tape does not report significant improvement of postural control, neuromuscular control, muscle activity, joint stability and functionality in people with ankle instability.