Elimination of cervical cancer in U.S. Hispanic populations: Puerto Rico as a case study.

Cervical cancer remains a major burden for women around the world. In 2018, the World Health Organization called for the elimination of cervical cancer worldwide (<4 cases per 100,000 women-years), within the 21st century. In the U.S., despite great progress toward this goal, existing disparities among racial/ethnic groups in cervical cancer raise concerns about whether elimination can be achieved for all women. We describe: 1) disparities in cervical cancer among Hispanics in the U.S. and factors that contribute to their increased risk, 2) prevention and control efforts to increase equity in the elimination of cervical cancer in this population, and 3) cervical cancer control efforts in Puerto Rico (PR), a U.S. territory, as a case study for cervical cancer elimination among a minority and underserved Hispanic population. Hispanics have the highest incidence rates of cervical cancer among all racial/ethnic groups in the U.S. Despite being more likely to complete HPV vaccination series, lower cervical cancer screening and access to treatment may lead to a higher cervical cancer mortality in Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic White women. These disparities are influenced by multiple individual-, sociocultural-, and system-level factors. To achieve the goal of cervical cancer elimination in the U.S., systematic elimination plans that consider the needs of Hispanic populations should be included within the Comprehensive Cancer Control Plans of each state. Because PR has implemented coordinated efforts for the prevention and control of cervical cancer, it represents a notable case study for examining strategies that can lead to cervical cancer elimination among Hispanics.

Association of genetic ancestry with colorectal tumor location in Puerto Rican Latinos.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the first cause of cancer deaths among Puerto Ricans. The incidence and mortality of CRC in Puerto Rico continue to be on the rise. The burden of CRC in Puerto Rico is higher than among US Hispanics and is second only to African Americans, thus supporting the importance of studying this CRC health disparity. The genetic background of the Puerto Rican population is a mix of European, African, and Amerindian races, which may account, in part, for the differences observed in the CRC mortality rates among Puerto Ricans. The objective of the study was to assess the role of genetic ancestry in CRC risk and its association with clinicopathological features of CRC tumors in Puerto Ricans. RESULTS: We used a validated panel of 105 ancestry informative markers (AIMs) to estimate genetic ancestry in 406 Puerto Rican CRC cases and 425 Puerto Rican controls. We examined the association of genetic ancestry with CRC risk and tumor clinicopathological characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The mean ancestry proportions in the study population were 61% European, 21% African, and 18% Amerindian. No association was observed between genetic ancestry and risk of CRC. However, African ancestry was associated with an increased risk of developing rectal tumors (OR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.04-2.31). Additional studies are needed to fully elucidate the role of African ancestry in CRC carcinogenesis.

Ubiquitous neurocognitive dysfunction in familial adenomatous polyposis: proof-of-concept of the role of APC protein in neurocognitive function.

BACKGROUND: Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by germline mutations in the APC gene. Patients with FAP have multiple extraintestinal manifestations that follow a genotype-phenotype pattern; however, few data exist characterizing their cognitive abilities. Given the role of the APC protein in development of the central nervous system, we hypothesized that patients with FAP would show differences in cognitive functioning compared to controls. METHODS: Matched case-control study designed to evaluate cognitive function using the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence-4, the Bateria III Woodcock-Munoz, and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions-Adult. Twenty-six individuals with FAP (mean age = 34.2 ± 15.0 years) and 25 age-gender and educational level matched controls (mean age = 32.7 ± 13.8 years) were evaluated. RESULTS: FAP-cases had significantly lower IQ (p = 0.005). Across all tasks of the Batería III Woodcock-Muñoz, FAP-cases performed significantly lower than controls, with all of the summary scores falling in the bottom quartile compared to controls (p < 0.0001). Patients with FAP scored within the deficient range for Long-Term Retrieval and Cognitive Fluency. CONCLUSION: APC protein has an important role in neurocognitive function. The pervasive nature of the observed cognitive dysfunction suggests that loss or dysfunction of the APC protein impacts processes in cortical and subcortical brain regions. Additional studies examining larger ethnically diverse cohorts with FAP are warranted.

Effect of an Educational Video to Increase Calls and Screening into an Anal Cancer Clinical Trial Among HIV+ Hispanics in PR: Results from a Randomized Controlled Behavioral Trial.

Anal cancer incidence is higher in persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) than in the general population. Participation of PLWHA in anal cancer clinical trials (CTs) is essential; Hispanic PLWHA are underrepresented in CTs. We conducted a behavioral CT among 305 PLWHA in Puerto Rico to measure the efficacy of an educational video in increasing calls and screening into an anal cancer CT. Participants received printed educational materials on anal cancer and CTs; the intervention group also received an educational video. Outcome assessment based on follow-up interviews showed that printed materials increased awareness about CTs and high-resolution anoscopy (HRA), and willingness to participate in an anal cancer CT in both groups. However, the addition of the video increased the likelihood of participants to call the CT for orientation (RRadjusted = 1.66, 95% CI 1.00-2.76; p = 0.05) and pre-screening evaluation (RRadjusted = 1.70, 95% CI 0.95-3.03; p = 0.07). This intervention could help increase participation of Hispanics into anal cancer-related CTs.

Disparities in human papillomavirus-related cancer incidence and survival among human immunodeficiency virus-infected Hispanics living in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes 10% of cancers among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected people in the United States. Because Hispanics are disproportionally affected by the HIV epidemic and by infection-related cancers, this study compared incidence rates for HPV-related cancers and survival between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites (NHWs) and non-Hispanic blacks (NHBs) in the HIV-infected US population. METHODS: Based on data from the HIV/AIDS Cancer Match Study, standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were used to estimate cancer risk in HIV-infected Hispanics and the general US Hispanic population. Among HIV-infected people, cancer rates were compared with incidence rate ratios (IRRs), and survival was compared with hazard ratios between Hispanics and NHWs and NHBs. RESULTS: Five hundred two HPV-related cancers occurred in 864,067 person-years of follow-up among HIV-infected Hispanics. Except for oropharyngeal cancer, the risk of HPV-related cancers was higher among HIV-infected Hispanics than in the general population (SIR range, 3.59 [cervical cancer] to 18.7 [anal cancer in men]). Among HIV-infected females, Hispanics had higher cervical cancer rates than NHWs (IRR, 1.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-2.43) but lower vulvar cancer rates than NHWs (IRR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.24-0.67) and NHBs (IRR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.41-0.95). Among HIV-infected males, Hispanics had higher penile cancer rates than NHWs (IRR, 2.60; 95% CI, 1.36-4.96) but lower anal cancer rates than NHWs (IRR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.46-0.63) and NHBs (IRR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.56-0.77). Among HIV-infected Hispanics, 5-year survival was greater than 50% across HPV-related cancer types, with no major differences by racial/ethnic group. CONCLUSIONS: HIV-infected Hispanics have an elevated risk for HPV-related cancers. Similarly to the general population, HIV-infected Hispanics have higher rates of cervical and penile cancer than NHWs and NHBs. HPV vaccination should be promoted among HIV-infected individuals to reduce the burden of HPV-related cancers.

Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Hispanics living in Puerto Rico: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori is an important etiologic factor for peptic ulcers and gastric cancer, one of the top ten leading causes of cancer death in Puerto Rico. However, the prevalence of H. pylori infections in this population was previously unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the seroprevalence of H. pylori and its associated risk factors in Puerto Rico. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was designed using an existing population-based biorepository. Seropositivity was determined using the Premier™ H. pylori immunoassay. Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence was estimated with 95% confidence using marginal standardization following logistic regression. To assess the risk factors associated with H. pylori seropositivity, a multivariable log-binomial model was fitted to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI). RESULTS: A total of 528 population-based serum samples were analyzed. The mean age of the study population was 41 ± 12 years, of whom 55.3% were females. The overall seroprevalence of H. pylori was 33.0% (95% CI = 28.3%-38.1%). Increasing age and having <12 years of education were significantly (P < .05) associated with H. pylori seropositivity in the multivariable model; however, residing in counties with low population density reached marginal significance (P = .085). CONCLUSIONS: We report that H. pylori infection is common among Hispanics living in Puerto Rico. The H. pylori seroprevalence observed in Puerto Rico is similar to the seroprevalence reported in the overall population of the United States. The association between H. pylori seroprevalence and the risk factors analyzed offers insight into the epidemiology of gastric cancer in Puerto Rico and warrants further investigation.

Prevalence of Synchronous Oligopolyposis in Incident Colorectal Cancer: A Population-Based Study.

OBJECTIVE: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading causes of cancer death among men and women. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of oligopolyposis (≥20 synchronous colorectal adenomas) and its associated clinicopathological characteristics in Hispanics with incident CRC. METHODS: Pathology reports from individuals diagnosed with CRC (2007 to 2011) were obtained from the PR Central Cancer Registry. Colorectal polyp burden was calculated using pathology reports and the data was normalized to colon segment size. Comparisons of demographic and clinicopathological characteristics by synchronous oligopolyposis status (<20 vs. <= *20) were performed using the chi-square or Fisher's exact test. Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the adjusted prevalence odds ratios (aPOR), with 95% confidence intervals (CI). All analyses were performed using Stata (v.12.0). RESULTS: Analyses of 1,573 colectomy specimens was performed. Oligopolyposis was observed in 9.47% (149 of 1,573) of the subjects with incident CRC. Increasing age (aPOR50-64 = 1.72, 95% CI: 0.59-5.02; aPOR65-74 = 1.83, 95% CI: 0.64-5.27; aPOR≥75 = 2.67, 95% CI: 0.93-7.64) and proximal CRC tumor location (POR = 2.91, 95% CI:1.98-4.30) were significantly associated with having oligopolyposis at CRC diagnosis. However, subjects diagnosed with CRC at a regional stage (aPORRegional = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.32-0.79) or distant stage (aPORDistant = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.29-0.69) were less likely to have synchronous oligopolyposis (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that genetic syndromes associated with colorectal polyposis may be implicated in a higher than expected number of CRC cases. Individuals with CRC and synchronous oligopolyposis should receive genetic counseling.

Assessing Colorectal Cancer Knowledge Among Puerto Rican Hispanics: Implications for Cancer Prevention and Control.

In Puerto Rico, colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality rates are increasing. Moreover, adherence rates to CRC screening (52.2%) are still below the goals (70.5%) established by Healthy People 2020. Lack of knowledge is described as a significant barrier to adherence to CRC screening. The aim of this study was to assess CRC knowledge and screening rates among Puerto Rican Hispanics. Participants aged 40-85 years were recruited from the internal medicine outpatient clinics at the University of Puerto Rico. Demographic characteristics and knowledge about CRC, including risk factors and CRC screening tests, were obtained through face-to-face interviews. A mean CRC knowledge score was calculated based on correct responses to 13 validated questions. Mean knowledge scores were evaluated according to demographic characteristics using the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test. A total of 101 participants were recruited with mean age of 63 (±10.6) years. Fifty-eight (58%) of participants were females, 59% reported ≥12 years of education, and 71% reported ever screening for CRC. The mean CRC knowledge score was significantly lower (p < 0.05) among participants with lower annual family income, those who had never received a recommendation for CRC screening by a healthcare provider, and those who had no history of CRC screening. Knowledge about CRC must be improved in Puerto Rico. Efforts must be made to promote and develop culturally appropriate CRC educational strategies. Future studies should focus on identifying other barriers and factors that may limit CRC screening in the Puerto Rican Hispanic population.

Community-Academic Partnership to Implement a Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Education Program in Puerto Rico.

OBJECTIVE: To describe how a community-academic partnership between Taller Salud Inc., a community-based organization, and the Puerto Rico Community Cancer Control Outreach Program of the University of Puerto Rico was crucial in the adaptation and implementation of Cultivando La Salud (CLS), an evidencebased educational outreach program designed to increase breast and cervical cancer screening among Hispanic women living in Puerto Rico. This collaboration facilitated the review and adaptation of the CLS intervention to improve cultural appropriateness, relevance, and acceptability for Puerto Rican women. METHODS: A total of 25 interviewers and 12 Lay Health Workers (LHWs) were recruited and trained to deliver the program. The interviewers recruited women who were non-adherent to recommended screening guidelines for both breast and cervical cancer. LHWs then provided one-on-one education using the adapted CLS materials. RESULTS: A total of 444 women were recruited and 48% of them were educated through this collaborative effort. CONCLUSION: Our main accomplishment was establishing the academic-community partnership to implement the CLS program. Nevertheless, in order to promote better collaborations with our community partners, it is important to carefully delineate and establish clear roles and shared responsibilities for each partner for the successful execution of research activities, taking into consideration the community's needs.

Risk of Colorectal and Other Cancers in Patients With Serrated Polyposis.

Patients with serrated polyposis develop multiple colorectal hyperplastic and/or serrated sessile adenomas/polyps. We investigated the risk of colorectal and other cancers by analyzing data from 64 patients with serrated polyposis (mean age at diagnosis, 54 y; 41% men; 92% white) listed in the Johns Hopkins Polyposis Registry. Medical, endoscopic, and histopathology reports were evaluated. Six patients (9.4%) had a history of colorectal cancer, diagnosed at a mean age of 56 years; 6 additional patients (9.4%) had at least 1 advanced colorectal adenoma. Extracolonic cancers were found in 16% of the study population. The standard incidence ratio for colorectal cancer in patients with serrated polyposis was 18.72 (95% confidence interval, 6.87-40.74) and for extracolonic cancer was 31.20 (95% confidence interval, 14.96-57.37), compared with the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results population. Patients with serrated polyposis therefore have a high risk for colorectal cancer and require vigilant colorectal surveillance, starting at the time of diagnosis of serrated polyposis. The risk of extracolonic cancer also appears to be increased, but this requires further evaluation.

Association of serum lipid levels and prostate cancer severity among Hispanic Puerto Rican men.

BACKGROUND: While obesity and fat intake have been associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer (PCa) aggressiveness and mortality, the association between lipid levels and PCa phenotype remains unclear. Previous reports evaluating this association are inconsistent and highly variable when considering different racial/ethnic groups. There are scarce data regarding this association among Hispanics, and specifically Puerto Rico's Hispanic men, a population with a higher burden of PCa, metabolic syndrome and overweight. This population has a different ancestry profile than other Hispanics from Central and South America. Due to the above the researchers inquired if there is a relationship between serum lipid levels and PCa phenotype in this understudied population using a cohort of patients treated with radical prostatectomy as their first treatment. METHODS: We performed an exploratory retrospective medical record review study of 199 PCa patients who underwent radical prostatectomy between 2005 and 2012. Variables analyzed included age at PCa diagnosis, Body Mass Index (BMI), preoperative serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), lipid levels, and clinical parameters such as prostatectomy pathologic stage and Gleason Score (GS). PCa severity was defined using pathologic stage and GS. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) to define the relationship among clinical characteristics and PCa severity. RESULTS: Mean age for the cohort was 58.8 years (range: 40-75), 78.9 % were overweight or obese, 36.7 % had hypertriglyceridemia, and 35.2 % had low HDL levels. In the unadjusted logistic regression model, hypertriglyceridemia (OR: 2.11, 95 % CI = 1.13-3.93), low HDL (OR: 1.90, 95 % CI = 1.02-3.56-), and age (OR: 2.34, 95 % CI 1.25-4.40) were significantly associated with a diagnosis of high severity of PCa. CONCLUSIONS: In Puerto Rican men with PCa, elevated hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL levels, and age were statistically associated with high grade PCa on bivariate analysis. Total cholesterol level was not associated with severity of disease. Associations lost significance upon multivariate adjustment. These data generate important hypotheses regarding the potential relationship between lipid pathways and PCa development and underscore the need to perform larger scale and longitudinal studies to sort out whether, hypertriglyceridemia is associated with PCa phenotype and development.

Human papillomavirus-related cancers among people living with AIDS in Puerto Rico.

The objective of this study was to estimate the incidence of cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers and the risk of death (by cancer status) among people living with AIDS (PLWA) in Puerto Rico. We used data from the Puerto Rico AIDS Surveillance Program and Central Cancer Registry (1985-2005). Cancers with highest incidence were cervix (299.6/100,000) for women and oral cavity/oropharynx for men (150.0/100,000); the greatest excess of cancer incidence for men (standardized incidence ratio, 86.8) and women (standardized incidence ratio, 52.8) was for anal cancer. PLWA who developed a cancer had decreased survival and increased risk of death compared with those who did not have cancer. Cancer control strategies for PLWA will be essential for improving their disease survival.

Guiding questions for appraising epidemiologic literature.

OBJECTIVE: Scientific findings need to be summarized for the better understanding of the community and for the development of the respective preventive actions that they espouse, suggest, or imply. The news media play a critical role in communicating health information to the public. Among chronic diseases, cancer receives a great deal of attention from the media, possibly because of its position as a leading cause of death. While the news media are vital to the dissemination of health information, one of the main information sources comes from epidemiological studies. Thus, it is important that health professionals interpret the results of these studies in order to efficiently communicate the results in a thorough and comprehensible manner. This special article aims to guide health professionals through the process of reading and interpreting the most relevant components of epidemiological literature. METHODS: Guiding questions were prepared based on the main components of the aforementioned literature. RESULTS: An abstract that was chosen from the available literature was used for the responses to the proposed guiding questions. CONCLUSION: We expect that reading the proposed questions will improve the communication and dissemination of epidemiological findings, thereby contributing to the understanding of the health problems of our community. Also, we expect the readers to visit the recommended web sites presented at the end of this document for more complete definitions of the epidemiological terms found herein.

Cervical Pap screening among women living with HIV in Puerto Rico and the United States - Medical Monitoring Project, 2018-2021.

Our objective was to determine the prevalence of cervical Pap screening among women living with HIV (WLWH) in Puerto Rico (P.R.) and other selected United States (U.S.) jurisdictions. Additionally, we sought to compare selected characteristics of WLWH who underwent cervical Pap screening between P.R. and the other U.S. jurisdictions. We analyzed data from the 2018-2021 cycles of CDC's Medical Monitoring Project (MMP), a national surveillance system among adults with HIV residing in P.R. (n = 218) and 22 other MMP jurisdictions (n = 3,653). Weighted percentages and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for selected characteristics were estimated. Prevalence ratios with predicted marginal means were calculated. An estimated 91.6 % and 84.6 % of WLWH underwent cervical Pap screening in P.R. and the other 22 MMP jurisdictions, respectively (Prevalence Ratio = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.03-1.13). Among WLWH who underwent cervical Pap screening, those in P.R. were more likely to be 50+ years of age, have a household annual income below $20,000, engage in binge drinking, never smoke, and have Medicaid/other public insurance than those in the other 22 MMP jurisdictions (p < 0.05). No differences were found between P.R. and the other 22 MMP jurisdictions in the percentage reporting higher than the median HIV-stigma score, experiencing HIV health care discrimination, and having ≥ 1 sexual partner in the past 12 months. Although cervical Pap screening rates among WLWH were higher in P.R. than in the other 22 MMP jurisdictions, both surpass the Healthy People 2030 target. Future research should assess adherence and compliance with updated cervical cancer screening guidelines.

Anal cancer risk and HPV infection knowledge and awareness among Hispanic persons living with HIV in Puerto Rico.

Background: Persons living with HIV (PLWH) have a higher risk of persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) and anal cancer. We evaluated knowledge and awareness of HPV infection and risk factors for anal cancer among PLWH in Puerto Rico (PR). Methods: Data from a cross-sectional study (2020-2021) were analyzed (n=212). Inclusion criteria included PLWH, aged ≥ 26 years, and living in PR. Telephone interviews collected information on sociodemographic, lifestyle and clinical characteristics. Two 13-item scales were used to assess knowledge of HPV and anal cancer risk factors; adequate knowledge for both scales were defined as scoring >70%. Logistic regression models using generalized linear models were used to determine the association between 1) HPV infection awareness, 2) HPV infection knowledge, and 3) Anal cancer risk factors knowledge. Results: The median age was 54 years (IQR: 46,58), 67.5% were male, 71.7% reported having an income <$20,000, and 54.3% had an education level of more than high school. HPV awareness was high (82.1%), but only 40.2% and 3.8% had adequate knowledge of HPV and anal cancer risk factors, respectively. In adjusted logistic regression models, men who have sex with men (OR: 1.26, 95%CI: 1.07-1.47) and women (OR: 1.35, 95%CI: 1.15-1.59) aged ≥50 years had higher odds of HPV awareness than heterosexual men in that age group. Moreover, those with history of anal Pap test aged <50 years had more HPV awareness (OR 1.34, 95%CI: 1.08-1.66) than their counterparts. Adequate HPV knowledge was higher among participants with an education level of more than high-school (OR:1.28, 95%CI: 1.10-1.50) and with a history of HPV diagnosis (OR:1.33, 95%CI: 1.08-1.65) than their counterparts. In addition, people with good/very good/excellent health perception had higher odds of HPV knowledge (OR:1.23, 95%CI: 1.03-1.47) than those who reported poor/regular health perception. For anal cancer risk factors, PLWH for ≥15 years had increased odds of having adequate knowledge (OR:1.07, 95%CI: 1.02-1.14) than their counterparts. Conclusions: Despite high awareness of HPV, limited knowledge about HPV and anal cancer risk factors was observed among PLWH. Results from our study highlight the need for educational efforts within this population as an anal cancer prevention strategy.

Human papillomavirus infection in women in Puerto Rico: agreement between physician-collected and self-collected anogenital specimens.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the prevalence and concordance between cervical and anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and compare cervicovaginal and anal self-collection methods for HPV testing between physician and self-collected specimens in women in Puerto Rico. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Specimens for HPV-DNA testing were obtained from 100 women aged 18 to 34 years attending a general gynecology clinic for a routine Pap smear. Human papillomavirus testing was performed using polymerase chain reaction MY09/MY11 primers. Positive samples were typed for 39 genotypes. Agreement between sampling methods was determined by percent agreement and the κ statistic. RESULTS: For the 39 genotypes evaluated, 38.4% (38/99) of cervicovaginal and 33.7% (30/89) of anal physician-collected samples were HPV+, whereas 35.1% (34/97) of cervicovaginal and 32.0% (31/97) of anal self-collected samples were positive. Human papillomavirus type 16 was the most common type identified in the cervix (8.3%, 8/97) and the anus (5.6%, 5/89) of physician-collected samples, with similar prevalence in self-collected samples. Concordance between cervical and anal HPV infection was high (>90%) for all types evaluated. There was a strong percent agreement between physician- and self-collected cervicovaginal and anal samples (>95% for all HPV types) and good to excellent agreement (κ > 0.60) for most HPV types. CONCLUSIONS: The clinic-based prevalence of anal and cervicovaginal HPV infection was high, with a strong concordance between cervical and anal infection and good to excellent agreement between physician- and self-collected samples. This study supports the feasibility of using cervical and anal self-sampling methods in future population-based studies of HPV infection in Puerto Rico and as an HPV screening method in women.

Cervical human papillomavirus infection in a sample of Hispanic women living in Puerto Rico: comparison with cervical cytology reports.

OBJECTIVE: Persistent infection with high-risk (HR) HPV is a necessary risk factor for the development of cervical cancer. Information on HPV infection is limited in Puerto Rico. This study determined the distribution of HPV types and the association of HR-HPV types with cervical pathology in a clinic-based sample of women in PR. METHODS: Data from 92 female participants aged 18 to 34 years and recruited from the University of Puerto Rico-Gynecology Clinic, were analyzed. Cervical cytology was performed. HPV testing was performed using L1 consensus primer PCR with MY09/ MY11 primers and typed by dot-blot hybridization. Logistic regression modeling was used to determine the crude and covariate adjusted association between HR-HPV and cervical pathology. RESULTS: Twenty percent (n = 18) of the patients had abnormal cytology, 45.7% (n = 42) were HPV positive, and 30.4% (n = 28) were HR HPV-positive. Women infected with HR-risk HPV types were 7.9 (95% CI = 2.5-25.5) times more likely to have abnormal cytology as compared to women without HR infection when adjusted by age and age at first sexual intercourse. CONCLUSION: The burden of HPV infection was high, and, as expected, HR HPVs were strongly associated with dysplasia. A population-based study is needed to estimate HPV prevalence and its association with related malignancies in our population. This will be of great value in determining disease burden and will increase awareness of the HPV vaccination in our population.

Predisposing factors for acute kidney injury in Hispanic patients treated with diuretics for decompensated heart failure.

OBJECTIVE: In patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), use of loop diuretic therapy may result in acute kidney insufficiency (AKI). We assessed the factors that contributed to the development of AKI in patients with CHF treated with loop diuretics in a sample of patients who attended the Cardiovascular Center of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean (CCPRC). METHODS: Medical records of 236 patients admitted between: January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008 with the diagnosis of CHF were reviewed. Diagnosis of CHF based on symptoms and signs was confirmed by echocardiography. Twenty six (26) patients with significant valvular disease and four (4) patients who did not receive diuretics during hospitalization were excluded. Hospital course was observed until diuretic therapy was discontinued or patient was discharged. AKI was defined as a 25% increase in serum creatinine level after the start of diuretic therapy. The study sample was categorized in two groups: patients who developed AKI and those who did not. Variables associated with AKI (p<0.05) in the bivariate logistic regression models were included in the multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: In the multivariate logistic regression model, only a greater dose of diuretic therapy (>80 mg/dl) and history of diabetes mellitus were significantly (p<0.05) associated with AKI. CONCLUSION: Analysis of data shows that increased doses of diuretic therapy and history of diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with AKI in patients with CHF. This study highlights the importance of monitoring the doses of diuretic therapy during hospitalization, in this group of patients.

Correlates of colorectal cancer screening among Hispanics: Results from the 2008 Puerto Rico behavioral risk factor surveillance system survey.

OBJECTIVE: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in Puerto Rico (PR). Given the lack of information on cancer screening behavior, we identified factors associated with CRC screening among adults aged >or= 50 years in PR. METHODS: Age-eligible adults who participated in the PR- Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) in 2008 were included in the analysis (n=2,920). Weighted prevalence of fecal occult blood test (FOBT) within two years and of Sigmoidoscopy/ Colonoscopy examination within five years before the interview were estimated, and logistic regression models were used to assess factors associated with these CRC screening practices. RESULTS: Overall, 8.2% (95% CI 7.1%-9.3%) of the participants had had the FOBT within the past two years, 39.8% (95% CI 37.7%-41.9%) had sigmoidoscopy/ colonoscopy examination within 5 years, and 46.7% (95% CI= 44.5%-48.8%) had ever had any type of CRC screening. Factors positively associated to CRC screening in multivariable analyses included older age, higher education, and having had a routine check-up in the past year. Gender, body mass index, and other relevant covariates evaluated were not associated to screening behavior. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of CRC screening in PR during 2008 was below the goals established by Healthy People 2010 (50.0%) and 2020 (70.5%). We provide the first population-based estimates of CRC screening prevalence and correlates in a US predominantly Hispanic population. Low adherence to CRC screening may result in late stage at diagnosis and poorer disease outcomes. Public health efforts should focus on the promotion of CRC screening and early detection.