Epidemiologic characteristics and burden of psoriasis: a multicenter, cross-sectional study

Antecedentes: La carga de enfermedad y el tratamiento de la psoriasis han sido bien caracterizados en los países desarrollados, pero los estudios epidemiológicos realizados en América Latina son escasos. Objetivos: Describir las características sociodemográficas, clínicas y económicas de la psoriasis en pacientes pediátricos y adultos de Colombia. Métodos: Este fue un estudio observacional transversal que incluyó pacientes recolectados en consultorios privados de dermatología, instituciones prestadoras de salud y hospitales de siete ciudades de Colombia. Se incluyeron datos relacionados con la distribución de la enfermedad, peso, altura, índice de masa corporal, medición de la cintura/cadera, severidad de la enfermedad, tratamiento, antecedentes de comorbilidades y costos directos para el paciente o la familia. Se realizó un análisis de regresión logística múltiple para evaluar las asociaciones entre la severidad de la psoriasis y las variables sociodemográficas y clínicas. Resultados: Se incluyeron 203 pacientes (43.8% mujeres y 56.2% hombres) con un rango de edad entre 7 a 89 años. El subtipo principal fue la psoriasis vulgar y la edad media de diagnóstico fue de 37,1 años. Las comorbilidades más frecuentes fueron la obesidad, la hipertensión arterial, la artritis psoriásica, la dislipidemia y la diabetes. Las mujeres tuvieron un mayor riesgo de presentar artritis psoriásica. El índice de masa corporal y la hipertensión se asociaron significativamente con la severidad de la psoriasis, mientras que ser mujer y no obeso se relacionó con un menor riesgo, respectivamente. Un tercio de los pacientes tenía antecedentes familiares de psoriasis y trastornos del sueño. Cuarenta y uno por ciento de los participantes no tenían ingresos o tenían ingresos inferiores a 224 dólares estadounidenses por mes y >20% de sus ingresos los gastaron en la enfermedad. Conclusiones: Este estudio muestra un gran impacto de la psoriasis en los pacientes afectados y contribuye a comprender la carga de la psoriasis en América Latina aportando datos científicos sólidos a la comunidad dermatológica y a las autoridades sanitarias colombianas con respecto a los estándares de atención médica. También crea conciencia sobre la carga económica de la enfermedad y también enfatiza la necesidad de un seguimiento estrecho de los pacientes con psoriasis para prevenir, identificar y manejar sus comorbilidades.

Background: Although psoriasis burden and treatment have been well characterized in developed countries, there are scarce in-depth epidemiological studies in Latin American countries. Objectives: To describe the sociodemographic and clinical features and the economic burden of psoriasis among children and adult patients from Colombia. Methods: This cross-sectional study included patients from dermatology private practice offices, health provider institutions and hospitals in seven Colombian cities. We collected data on disease distribution, weight, height, body mass index, waist-hip ratio, disease severity, therapy, personal history of comorbidities, and direct costs. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the associations between severity scales and sociodemographic and clinical variables. Results: Two-hundred-three patients (43.8% women, 56.2% men) with an age range between 7 to 89 years old were included. The main subtype was psoriasis vulgaris and mean age of diagnosis was 37.1 years. The most common comorbidities were obesity, hypertension, psoriatic arthritis, dyslipidemia and diabetes. Women had a significant increased odds of presenting with psoriatic arthritis. Body-mass-index and hypertension were significantly associated with a higher psoriasis severity, whereas being female and non-obese was associated with a lower risk. A third of the patients had a family history of psoriasis and sleeping disorders. Forty-one percent of participants either had no income or had an income below 224 US dollars per month and >20% of their income was spent on their disease. Conclusions: This study is supported by robust scientific data and contributes to understanding the burden of psoriasis in Latin America. This study adds well-supported data through an in-depth clinical and economical characterization of Colombian children and adult patients with psoriasis and shows the high impact and burden of the disease on patients and their families.

Estudio etiológico y epidemiológico de las micosis cutáneas en un laboratorio de referencia - Antioquia - Colombia / Etiological and epidemiological study on superficial mycoses performed in a referral laboratory center - Antioquia -Colombia

Introducción: las micosis superficiales son infecciones frecuentes de los tejidos queratinizados, causadas por levaduras, dermatofitos, mohos ambientales. Su etiología varía de acuerdo a la población de estudio. Objetivo: determinar la frecuencia etiológica y algunas características poblacionales y clínicas de los pacientes con diagnóstico presuntivo de micosis superficiales, que consultaron al Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical (I.C.M.T.) durante el período 2008 al 2011. Materiales y métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo de corte retrospectivo en el que se analizaron los datos poblacionales y los resultados micológicos de 2 282 muestras provenientes de 1 645 pacientes con diagnóstico presuntivo de micosis superficiales. Resultados: el 71,8 % de los pacientes fueron de género femenino y la edad promedio fue 44,3 años. De las 2 282 muestras se reportó identificación micológica en 82,6 %, siendo los microorganismos más frecuentemente aislados Candida spp (25 %), Fusarium spp, Trichophyton mentagrophytes y Candida krusei (10 % cada uno) y Rhodotorula spp en 8 %. La onicomicosis, tanto de manos como de pies, fue la infección fúngica superficial encontrada con mayor frecuencia. Conclusiones: las micosis superficiales son enfermedades comunes, con variaciones en su frecuencia según la edad, el sexo y la región de donde provienen los pacientes. Su diagnóstico oportuno constituye una de las principales herramientas para un tratamiento adecuado y bien dirigido, evitando así fallas terapéuticas y aparición de cepas de hongos resistentes.

Introduction: Superficial mycoses are frequent infections caused by yeasts, dermatophytes and environmental molds on keratinized tissue. Objectives: To characterize the species of dermatophytes, yeasts and environmental molds that cause superficial mycoses and to analyze their relationship to sex, age and localization in patients evaluated at the Tropical Medical Institute in Valle de Aburrá Antioquia during the time period 2008-2011. Materials and methods: A descriptive retrospective cross-sectional study was performed, and 2282 samples from 1645 patients were included. Patients of all ages were included with a presumptive diagnosis of a superficial mycosis. A KOH was performed with culture of material from the lesions. The characterization of the fungi was done according to morphology and biochemical studies. Results: Out of 1645 patients 1182 (71.8 %) were women and the average age was 44.3 years. From the 2282 samples taken the mycological identification could be done in 82,6 % of them and the microorganisms most frequently isolated were Candida spp (25 %); Fusarium spp, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Candida Krusei each represented 10 % and Rhodotorula was isolated in 8 % of samples. Hand and feet onychomycosis was the most frequent superficial fungal infection. Conclusions: Superficial mycoses are frequent pathologies that vary according to age, sex and the diagnostic methods used. The pertinent diagnosis constitutes one of the main tools for a timely and efficacious treatment, avoiding therapeutic failures and the appearance of resistant strains.

Two cases of visceral leishmaniasis in Colombia resistant to meglumine antimonial treatment / Dois casos de leishmaniose visceral da Colômbia, resistentes ao tratamento com antimoniato de meglumina

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) affects over 500 000 people worldwide each year. The disease occurs in the Mediterranean basin, Central and South America and is caused by Leishmania infantum (syn L. chagasi). VL is an endemic disease in Colombia, particularly along the Caribbean coast and the Magdalena River Valley and 90% of VL cases occur in children under the age of five. The first line of treatment is chemotherapy with pentavalent antimonial compounds, including sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam®) and meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime®). These compounds are the ones most used in Colombia, at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day for 28 days. Nevertheless resistance of L. infantum to pentavalent antimonials is becoming an important problem. No cases of VL resistant to pentavalent antimonial compounds have previously been reported from Colombia. This report describes the two cases of VL resistance to antimonial compounds in a girl and a boy who did not respond to previous treatment with Pentacarinat® and Glucantime® regimens but were treated successfully with liposomal amphotericin B. Based on our findings, we recommend liposomal amphotericin B as the first line of treatment for VL due to its low toxicity, shorter administration period and the low price obtained by WHO.

A leishmaniose visceral (VL) afeta aproximadamente 500000 pessoas anualmente no mundo. A doença ocorre no mediterrâneo, na América Central e na América do Sul, sendo causada por Leishmania infantum (syn. L. chagasi). Na Colômbia VL é uma doença endêmica, presente no litoral do Caribe e no Vale do rio Magdalena sendo que 90% de casos de VL ocorrem em crianças menores de cinco anos. O principal tratamento é a quimioterapia com compostos de antimoniais pentavalentes, incluindo stibogluconato de sódio (Pentostam®) e antimoniato de meglumina (Glucantime®). Estes compostos são os mais usados na Colômbia em dosagem de 20 mg/kg/dia durante 28 dias. Entretanto, a resistência de L. infantum aos antimoniais pentavalentes está se tornando problema importante. Na Colômbia não existiam relatos de casos de VL resistentes aos antimoniais pentavalentes. Este trabalho descreve os dois primeiros casos colombianos de VL resistentes aos compostos antimoniais em uma menina e um menino, que foram tratados com regime de Pentamidina e Glucantime®, e demonstra o sucesso obtido no tratamento com anfotericina B liposomal. Em conclusão, sugerimos como primeira opção de tratamento a anfotericina B liposomal porque é altamente efetiva no tratamento da VL, dada sua baixa toxicidade, curtos períodos de administração e o baixo preço obtido pela organização Médicos Sem Fronteiras.