Malnutrición e inadecuados hábitos de alimentación en bomberos de Panamá

La malnutrición por exceso es un problema de salud pública en Panamá. En bomberos, la malnutrición tiene graves implicaciones en la salud. El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar el estado nutricional, los hábitos alimentarios y el riesgo cardiovascular de unidades del Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos de la Región de Panamá Oeste en Panamá. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y transversal de marzo a diciembre 2022. Para la recopilación de hábitos alimentarios se utilizó el formulario de frecuencia de consumo. Para la evaluación nutricional se midió peso, talla y circunferencia de la cintura. El riesgo cardiovascular fue estimado a partir de la razón cintura-altura (WHtR, por su acrónimo en inglés). Se evaluaron 100 participantes (79% son hombres) con edad entre 18 a 60 años. El exceso de peso se observó en el 88%, la obesidad en el 58%. El 97% consume frituras y 94% consume bebidas azucaradas. Solo el 20% y 16% consume vegetales y frutas diariamente. El 51% presenta riesgo cardiovascular por WHtR, siendo 39.2% en hombres y 95% en mujeres (p= 0.000). Se observa una alta proporción de exceso de peso, obesidad, obesidad abdominal y riesgo cardiovascular entre los bomberos evaluados. Bajo consumo de frutas y vegetales junto con un alto consumo de bebidas azucaradas y frituras. Es necesario implementar programas de prevención y control de la obesidad, así como brindar educación en alimentación y nutrición para abordar estos problemas de salud.

Malnutrition is a public health problem in Panama. In firefighters, malnutrition has serious health implications. We aim to evaluate the nutritional status, eating habits, and cardiovascular risk of units of the Fire Department of the West Panama Region in Panama. A descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out from March to December 2022. For the collection of eating habits, a food frequency questionnaire was used. Weight, height, and waist circumference were used for the nutritional status evaluation. Cardiovascular risk was estimated from the waist-height ratio (WHtR). 100 participants (79% are men) aged between 18 and 60 years were evaluated. Excess weight was observed in 88%, and obesity in 58%. Cardiovascular risk by WHtR was presented in 51%, 39.2% of males, and 95% of females (p= 0.000). 97% consume fried foods and 94% consume sugary drinks. Only 20% and 16% consume vegetables and fruits daily. A high proportion of excess weight, obesity, abdominal obesity, and cardiovascular risk among the evaluated firefighters was observed. Low consumption of fruits and vegetables along with a high consumption of sugary drinks and fried foods. It is necessary to implement obesity prevention and control programs, as well as provide food and nutrition education to address these health problems.

A Prospective Evaluation of Point of Care Ultrasound Teaching in Switzerland.

CONTEXT: As the utility of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) continues to expand in the medical field, there is a need for effective educational methods. In Switzerland, medical education follows the European model and lasts 6 years, focusing on preclinical training during the first 2 years. No previous studies have evaluated the optimal time for teaching ultrasound in European medical education. AIMS: The aim of this study is to provide ultrasound training to medical students in Switzerland at varying times during their clinical training to determine if the level of training plays a role in their ability to comprehend and to apply basic POCUS skills. METHODS: We performed an observational study utilizing a convenience sample of Swiss medical students between July 11, 2016 and August 6, 2016. They were taught a 2-day POCUS course by five American-trained 1st-year medical students. Following this course, students were evaluated with written and clinical examination. RESULTS: 100 Swiss medical students were enrolled in the study. A total of 59 of these students were early clinical students, and 41 students were late clinical students. A two-tailed t-test was performed and demonstrated that the late clinical students performed better than the early clinical students on the written assessment; however, no difference was found in clinical skill. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that Swiss medical students can learn and perform POCUS after a 2-day instructional taught by trained 1st-year American medical students. No difference was found between students in early clinical training and late clinical training for the ability to perform POCUS.

Deterioro de la memoria visuoespacial en estadios 2 y 3 de la enfermedad de Parkinson / Impairment of visuospatial memory in stages 2 and 3 of Parkinson's disease

Objetivo: la enfermedad de Parkinson no solo suele relacionarse con dificultades motoras sino también con deterioro cognitivo. En este sentido, cabe preguntarse si las funciones cognitivas relacionadas con información visuoespacial se ven afectadas a medida que aumenta la severidad de la enfermedad. Método: a partir de la evaluación y análisis del procesamiento y la memoria visuoespacial mediante el test Figura compleja de Rey-Osterrieth en 27 sujetos con enfermedad de Parkinson en estadios 2 y 3 se pretenden establecer diferencias según el estadio. Resultados: los resultados evidencian diferencias significativas en la memoria visuoespacial, lo que podría indicar que la evolución de la enfermedad parece determinar la severidad de la alteración cognitiva, principalmente en lo que respecta a memoria visuoespacial. Conclusión: a partir de los resultados, se sugiere incorporar evaluaciones fonoaudiológicas de la información visuoespacial en esta población con el fin de diseñar planes terapéuticos enfocados en el déficit neuropsicológico

Objective: Parkinson's disease is not only related to motor difficulties but also to cognitive impairmet. Hence, it is worth knowing if the cognitive functions related to visuospatial information are affected as the severity of the disease increases. Method: this study intends to establish differences according to the Parkinson's disease stage from evaluation and analysis of visuospatial information in 27 patients using the Complex figure of Rey-Osterrieth test. Results: the results show significant differences in the visuospatial memory between both groups, which could indicates that the evolution of the disease seems to determine the severity of the cognitive alteration, mainly with regard to visuospatial memory. Conclusion: the results suggest to incorporate visuospatial information in speech-language evaluations of Parkinson's disease patients in order to design therapeutic plans focused on the neuropsychological deficit

Tricuspid annular plane of systolic excursion to prognosticate acute pulmonary symptomatic embolism (TAPSEPAPSE study).

INTRODUCTION: The imaging standard for evaluation of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) includes a computed tomography pulmonary angiogram. Ultrasonography has shown promise in obtaining the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) measurements, which may be of clinical importance in patients with acute PE. The objective of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic capability of TAPSE measurements for patients with suspicion for acute PE. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled patients who came to the emergency department with suspicion of acute PE. Each patient underwent a point-of-care sonogram where a TAPSE measurement was obtained, followed by computed tomography pulmonary angiogram. Based on the computed tomography pulmonary angiogram findings, patients were grouped into 3 categories: no acute PE, clinically insignificant acute PE, or clinically significant acute PE. RESULTS: We enrolled 87 patients in this study. Twenty-three (26.4%) of these patients were diagnosed with PE. Of patients with PE, 15 (65%) were found to have a clinically significant acute PE. Analysis of mean TAPSE measurements between patients with clinically significant acute PE and those with insignificant or no PE was 15.2 mm and 22.7 mm, respectively (P ≤ .0001). Following receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, optimum TAPSE measurement to identify clinically significant acute PE is 18.2 mm. A cutoff TAPSE measurement of 15.2 mm shows a sensitivity of 53.3% (95% confidence interval, 26.7%-80%) and a specificity of 100% (95% confidence interval, 100%-100%) for the diagnosis of a clinically significant PE. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that TAPSE measurements less than 15.2 mm have a high specificity for identifying clinically significant acute PE.

Hígado graso agudo del embarazo, una patología infradiagnosticada. A propósito de 2 casos clínicos / Acute fatty liver of pregnancy, an underdiagnosed disease. Apropos of 2 cases

El hígado graso agudo del embarazo es una urgencia obstétrica infrecuente y potencialmente fatal. Es característico del tercer trimestre, aunque se han descrito casos en gestaciones inferiores a 28 semanas. Un diagnóstico precoz con la consiguiente inducción al parto es preciso debido al riesgo de muerte materna y perinatal al que se asocia. Este diagnóstico precoz puede ser difícil de establecer debido a características clínicas y analíticas que comparte con otras patologías como la preeclampsia, las hepatitis víricas y la colestasis del embarazo, entre otras. En los siguientes casos, se exponen presentaciones atípicas de esta patología y la dificultad que puede conllevar realizar un diagnóstico precoz correcto (AU)

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy is a rare and potentially fatal obstetric emergency. It typically occurs in the third trimester or the early postpartum period but has also been described in pregnancies of less than 28 weeks. An early diagnosis and rapid induction of delivery are essential because this disease carries a significant risk of perinatal and maternal mortality. Early diagnosis of AFLP can sometimes be difficult because it shares clinical and laboratory features with other common conditions such as preeclampsia, viral hepatitis and cholestasis of pregnancy. The cases reported herein showed atypical presentation of the disease and illustrate the difficulty of making a correct early diagnosis (AU)

Analgesic efficacy of lidocaine for suction-assisted lipectomy with tumescent technique under general anesthesia: a randomized, double-masked, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Suction-assisted lipectomy is one of the most common procedures performed in plastic surgery. To minimize blood loss and to obtain adequate analgesia, a liquid solution is infiltrated into the subcutaneous plane before suction. The objective of this study was to determine whether the use of lidocaine in the infiltration solution reduces postoperative pain. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, double-masked, clinical trial was designed. Each side of patients' body zones to be treated with suction-assisted lipectomy was randomized to receive infiltration solution with or without lidocaine. Treatment allocation was performed using computer-generated random numbers in permuted blocks of eight. Pain was assessed using the visual analogue scale and registered 1, 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours after the procedure. RESULTS: The trial was stopped after a first interim analysis. The use of lidocaine in the dilute solution reduced pain by 0.5 point on the visual analogue scale (95 percent CI, 0.3 to 0.8; p<0.001). The effect was independent of the suctioned body zone (p=0.756), and lasted until 18 hours after surgery. Its analgesic effect was lost at the 24-hour postoperative control. Pain increased an average of 0.018 point on the visual analogue scale per hour (95 percent CI, 0.001 to 0.036; p=0.043). CONCLUSIONS: The use of lidocaine in the infiltration solution is effective in postoperative pain control until 18 hours after surgery. Nevertheless, its clinical effect is limited and clinically irrelevant, and therefore it is no longer used by the authors. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, I.

Regional, household and individual factors that influence soil transmitted helminth reinfection dynamics in preschool children from rural indigenous Panamá.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated the relative influence of individual susceptibility versus household exposure factors versus regional clustering of infection on soil transmitted helminth (STH) transmission. The present study examined reinfection dynamics and spatial clustering of Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworm in an extremely impoverished indigenous setting in rural Panamá over a 16 month period that included two treatment and reinfection cycles in preschool children. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPLE FINDINGS: Spatial cluster analyses were used to identify high prevalence clusters for each nematode. Multivariate models were then used (1) to identify factors that differentiated households within and outside the cluster, and (2) to examine the relative contribution of regional (presence in a high prevalence cluster), household (household density, asset-based household wealth, household crowding, maternal education) and individual (age, sex, pre-treatment eggs per gram (epg) feces, height-for-age, latrine use) factors on preschool child reinfection epgs for each STH. High prevalence spatial clusters were detected for Trichuris and hookworm but not for Ascaris. These clusters were characterized by low household density and low household wealth indices (HWI). Reinfection epg of both hookworm and Ascaris was positively associated with pre-treatment epg and was higher in stunted children. Additional individual (latrine use) as well as household variables (HWI, maternal education) entered the reinfection models for Ascaris but not for hookworm. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Even within the context of extreme poverty in this remote rural setting, the distinct transmission patterns for hookworm, Trichuris and Ascaris highlight the need for multi-pronged intervention strategies. In addition to poverty reduction, improved sanitation and attention to chronic malnutrition will be key to reducing Ascaris and hookworm transmission.

Prediction of child health by household density and asset-based indices in impoverished indigenous villages in rural Panamá.

Chronic infection over a 16-month period and stunting of preschool children were compared between more spatially dense versus dispersed households in rural Panamá. Chronic protozoan infection was associated with higher household density, lower household wealth index, poor household water quality, yard defecation, and the practice of not washing hands with soap before eating. Models for chronic diarrhea confirmed the importance of household wealth, water quality, sanitation, and hygiene practices. Furthermore, chronic protozoan infection was an important predictor for low height-for-age, along with low household wealth index scores, but not household density. Thus, despite better access to health related infrastructure in the more densely populated households, chronic protozoan infection was more common, and was associated with higher rates of child stunting, compared with more dispersed households.

Ecocardiografía transesofágica intraoperatoria: utilidad en la monitorización cardiovascular durante la cirugía abdominal / Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography: usefulness for cardiovascular monitoring during abdominal surgery

Antecedentes: la ecocardiografía transesofágica (ETE) puede ser un sistema útil de monitorización cardiovascular intraoperatoria durante una cirugía no cardíaca, con la ventaja de ser una técnica mínimamente invasiva que brinda información anatómica y funcional sobre el corazón y sus grandes vasos en tiempo real. Objetivo: Evaluar la utilidad de ETE intraoperatoria en el manejo hemodinámico de pacientes con alto riesgo cardiovascular sometidos a cirugía abdominal. Lugar: Servicio de Anestesiología de Hospital Clínico Universitario. Diseño: Estudio prospectivo de casos clínicos. Población: Adultos portadores de patología cardiovascular sometidos a cirugía abdominal. Método: Se monitorizaron pacientes con ETE utilizando transductor multiplanar, describiéndose características y tipos de cirugías. Para objetivar la utilidad clínica, al finalizar la monitorización se clasificó a cada paciente en uno de los siguientes grupos: 1= ETE sin utilidad, 2 = la ETE cambió el manejo de volúmenes y fármacos, 3 = nuevo diagnóstico y 4 = la ETE fue sustituta del catéter de arteria pulmonar. Resultados: De un total de 98 pacientes estudiados, solo 2 (2 por ciento) fueron clasificados en el grupo 1; 45 pacientes (51 por ciento), en el grupo 2; 21 (24 por ciento) en el grupo 3 y 30 (34 por ciento) en el grupo 4. No hubo complicaciones con la técnica. Conclusiones: La ETE durante el intraoperatorio de cirugía abdominal permitió al anestesiólogo manejar mejor, en forma adecuada y segura el estado hemodinámico de pacientes con riesgo cardiovascular, ya que las imágenes y mediciones obtenidas fueron de alta calidad y sencillas de obtener en tiempo real.

Backgroung: Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a minimally invasive technique that can be helpful for cardiovascular monitoring during non-cardiac surgery, because it provides real time anatomical and functional information of the heart and great vessels. Objective: Evaluation of the utility of TEE during abdominal surgery in high-risk cardiovascular patients. Site of application: Anesthesiology Department of University Hospital. Design: Prospective Study of patients. Population: Adults with cardiovascular pathology subjected to abdominal surgery. Method: Patients were monitored with TEE. At the end of surgery each patient was classified in one of the following groups: group: 1 = TEE no utility, 2 = TEE useful for volume and drug guidance; 3 = new diagnosis and 4 = TEE was a substitute for the pulmonary artery catheter. Results: 98 patients were studied. Only two cases were classified in group 1, 45 patients (51 per cent) in group 2, 21 patients (21,5 per cent) in group 3 and 30 patients (30,5 per cent) in group 4. There were no complications following the use of TEE. Conclusions: Intraoperative TEE during abdominal surgery allowed the anesthesiologist a safe and adequate hemodynamic management of high-risk cardiovascular patients. TEE provided high quality and easy to obtain images and measurements in real time.

Antecedentes: A ecocardiografia transesofágica (ETE) pode ser um sistema útil de monitoramento cardiovascular intraoperatório durante uma cirurgia nao cardiaca, com a vantagem de ser uma técnica minimamente invasiva que proporciona informação anatómica e funcional em tempo real sobre o coração e seus grandes vasos. Objetivo: Avaliar a utilidade da ETE intraoperatória no manejo hemodinamico de pacientes com alto risco cardiovascular submetidos à cirurgia abdominal. Lugar: Serviço de Anestesiologia do Hospital Clínico Universitário. Desenho: Estudo prospectivo de casos clínicos. População: Adultos portadores de patología cardiovascular submetidos à círurgia abdominal. Método: Foram monitorizados pacientes com ETE utilizando transductor multiplanar, sendo descritas características e tipos de cirurgias. Finalizado o monitoramento, e a fim de ponderar a utilidade clínica, cada paciente foi classificado em um dos seguintes grupos: 1 = ETE sem utilidade, 2 = a ETE mudou o manejo de volumes e fármacos, 3 = novo diagnóstico e 4 = a ETE substituiu o cateter da artéria pulmonar. Resultados: De 98 pacientes estudados, somente 2 (2 por cento) foram classificados no grupo 1; 45 pacientes (51 por cento), no grupo 2; 21 (24 por cento) no grupo 3 e 30 (34 por cento) no grupo 4. Não houve complicações com a técnica. Conclusoes: Com a ETE, o anestesiologista conseguiu manejar melhor, de forma adequada e segura o estado hemodinamico de pacientes com risco cardiovascular durante o intraoperatório de cirurgia abdominal, pois as imagens e medições foram de alta qualidade e simples de se obter em tempo real.

Estudio sobre el estado nutricional y calidad de vida del adulto(a) mayor que asiste a consulta en centros de salud y policlínicas de San Miguelito y área metropolitana / Study on the nutritional status and quality of life of the older adult who attends consultation in health centers and polyclinics of San Miguelito and metropolitan area

Describe la situación nutricional, patrones de consumo de alimentos y calidad de vida del adulto mayor que asiste a consulta en centros de salud y políclínicas de las Región Metropolitana y San Miguelito

Guía para la producción artesanal y uso de la soya en la alimentación humana / Guide for the artisan production and use of soy in human nutrition

La soya es un cultivo muy antiguo, cuyo grano se consume hace siglos en la China y otros países asiáticos. Es un alimento básico de los pueblos orientales, de gran importancia porque tiene un poder alimenticio similar a la carne, con mayor contenido de proteínas, a un menor precio y se puede preparar en innumerables formas. Además de su gran valor nutritivo en la alimentación humana, este grano produce aceite comestible, tiene muchos usos industriales y se emplea en la producción de alimentos concentrados para aves y otros animales. La producción de soya en países tropicales se ha desarrollado debido a que existen variedades adaptadas a las condiciones de clima caliente y lluvioso, como las de Panamá. La soya se cultiva hace mucho tiempo en países tropicales del Asia, como Filipinas, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, que tienen clima similar a Panamá y la utilizan en la alimentación humana. El uso de la soya como alimento para la población humana ha generado mucho interés, debido a que se puede producir en huertos familiares, se comprende su valor alimenticio y se está divulgando como prepararla con los alimentos típicos del panameño. Esta publicación es una guía para la producción y consumo de la soya a nivel familiar. Contiene información sobre su valor nutritivo, algunas recetas simples para la preparación de platos sencillos, e instrucciones para producir este grano en huertos caseros. Este manual está dirigido a personal de extensión agrícloa y agentes de desarrollo agrícola