Ibero⁻American Consensus on Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners: Safety, Nutritional Aspects and Benefits in Food and Beverages.

International scientific experts in food, nutrition, dietetics, endocrinology, physical activity, paediatrics, nursing, toxicology and public health met in Lisbon on 2⁻4 July 2017 to develop a Consensus on the use of low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) as substitutes for sugars and other caloric sweeteners. LNCS are food additives that are broadly used as sugar substitutes to sweeten foods and beverages with the addition of fewer or no calories. They are also used in medicines, health-care products, such as toothpaste, and food supplements. The goal of this Consensus was to provide a useful, evidence-based, point of reference to assist in efforts to reduce free sugars consumption in line with current international public health recommendations. Participating experts in the Lisbon Consensus analysed and evaluated the evidence in relation to the role of LNCS in food safety, their regulation and the nutritional and dietary aspects of their use in foods and beverages. The conclusions of this Consensus were: (1) LNCS are some of the most extensively evaluated dietary constituents, and their safety has been reviewed and confirmed by regulatory bodies globally including the World Health Organisation, the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Food Safety Authority; (2) Consumer education, which is based on the most robust scientific evidence and regulatory processes, on the use of products containing LNCS should be strengthened in a comprehensive and objective way; (3) The use of LNCS in weight reduction programmes that involve replacing caloric sweeteners with LNCS in the context of structured diet plans may favour sustainable weight reduction. Furthermore, their use in diabetes management programmes may contribute to a better glycaemic control in patients, albeit with modest results. LNCS also provide dental health benefits when used in place of free sugars; (4) It is proposed that foods and beverages with LNCS could be included in dietary guidelines as alternative options to products sweetened with free sugars; (5) Continued education of health professionals is required, since they are a key source of information on issues related to food and health for both the general population and patients. With this in mind, the publication of position statements and consensus documents in the academic literature are extremely desirable.

Latin American Dialysis and Transplant Registry: 2008 prevalence and incidence of end-stage renal disease and correlation with socioeconomic indexes.

In 2008, 563,294,000 people were living in Latin America (LA), of which 6.6% were older than 65. The region is going through a fast demographic and epidemiologic transition process, in the context of an improvement in socio-economic indices. The Latin American Dialysis and Renal Transplant Registry has collected data since 1991, through an annual survey completed by 20 affiliated National Societies. Renal replacement treatment (RRT) prevalence and incidence showed an increase year by year. The prevalence rate (in all modalities) correlated with the World Bank country classification by income and the epidemiologic transition stage the countries were experiencing. RRT prevalence and kidney transplantation rates correlated significantly with gross national income (GNI), health expenditure in constant dollars (HeExp), % older than 65, life expectancy at birth, and % of the population living in urban settings. Kidney transplantation increased also, year by year, with more than 50% of transplants performed using kidneys from deceased donors. Double transplants were performed in six countries. RRT prevalence and incidence increased in LA, and are associated with indexes reflecting higher and more evenly distributed national wealth (GNI and HeExp), and the stage of demographic and epidemiological transition.

Desarrollo y validación de un instrumento para la evaluación de distorsiones cognitivas en pacientes con insuficiencia renal crónica terminal / Development and validation of a questionnaire for the assessment of cognitive distortions among Mexican patients with end-stage renal disease

Background Psychological disturbances are common in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). From the cognitive-behavioral theoretical perspective, they may be due largely to specific cognitive distortions (CD) that are likely to be modified by brief interventions. The aim of this study was to develop and validate an instrument for evaluation of specific CD among patients with CRF. Method A questionnaire with an encouraging phrase for each of five categories of CD (catastrophizing, dichotomous thinking, outside self-worth, negative self-labeling, and perfectionism) was developed. This was applied to 21 patients with CRF (11 women and 10 men). Based on the technique of natural semantic networks, a set of responses (defining words) with greater semantic weight to each sentence stimulus (core network) were identified and a pilot instrument was developed. This one was applied along with Beck's inventories of anxiety and depression among 255 patients with CRF (118 women, 137 men) attended in four different hospitals. Results The pilot questionnaire was composed of 46 items with greater semantic weight between 343 original defining words. Sixteen items were discarded for lack of ability to discriminate (1), low internal reliability (8) and duplicated in more than one factor (7). The final instrument of 30 items had an internal consistency of 0.93 for the total scale and more than 0.75 in all subscales. The five factors correlated positively and significantly with each other and with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Conclusions The instrument that is presented is a valid and reliable measure to assess five CD associated with depression and anxiety in Mexican patients with CRF. It is suggested as a useful tool for the design and evaluation of cognitive behavioral interventions for depression and anxiety among patients with CRF.

Antecedentes Las alteraciones psicológicas son frecuentes en los pacientes con insuficiencia renal crónica terminal (IRC). Desde la perspectiva teórica cognitivo-conductual, éstas pueden deberse en gran medida a distorsiones cognitivas específicas (DC), que son susceptibles de ser modificadas mediante intervenciones breves. El objetivo del presente estudio fue desarrollar y validar un instrumento de evaluación de las DC de pacientes con IRC. Método Se integró un cuestionario con una frase estímulo para cada una de cinco categorías de DC: catastrofismo, pensamiento dicotómico, autovalorización externa, autoetiquetización negativa y perfeccionismo. Éste se aplicó a 21 pacientes con IRC (11 mujeres y 10 hombres). Con base en la técnica de redes semánticas naturales, se identificó el conjunto de respuestas (palabras definidoras) con mayor peso semántico para cada frase estímulo (núcleo de la red), con las que se construyó el instrumento piloto. Éste se aplicó junto con los Inventarios de Ansiedad y Depresión de Beck a 255 pacientes con IRC (118 mujeres, 137 hombres) de cuatro centros hospitalarios. Resultados El cuestionario piloto se integró con 46 reactivos con mayor peso semántico de entre 343 palabras definidoras originales. Se descartaron 16 reactivos por falta de capacidad de discriminación (1), baja confiabilidad interna (8) y duplicidad en más de un factor (7). El instrumento final de 30 reactivos tuvo una consistencia interna de 0.93 para el total y mayor a 0.75 en todas las subescalas. Los cinco factores se correlacionaron positiva y significativamente entre sí y con los síntomas de ansiedad y depresión. Conclusiones El instrumento que se presenta es una medida válida y confiable para evaluar cinco DC asociadas con depresión y ansiedad en pacientes mexicanos con IRC. La medida se sugiere útil para el diseño y valoración de intervenciones cognitivo-conductuales para la depresión y ansiedad de los pacientes con IRC.

Evaluación de eficacia y seguridad del dilevalol en el tratamiento de la hipertensión arterial esencial / Safety and efficacy evaluation of dilevalolin essential hypertensive patients

El dilevalol, isómero óptico del labetalol, tiene efectos vasodilatador y beta-bloqueador, lo que previene la taquicardia refleja; con actividad agonista beta-2 intrínseca. Su escasa actividad alfa-bloqueadora conlleva menos hipotensión ortastática y mejor tolerancia a la primera dosis. Este trabajo evalúa su eficacia y seguridad comparándolo con captopril y nifedipina. Se estudiaron 58 pacientes con hipertensión arterial; después de una fase *placebo* de 2-3 semanas, se incluyeron pacientes con TA diastólica entre 95 y 105 mmHg. En la fase de *tratamiento activo* de 4 semanas, los pacientes fueron asignados aleatoreamente a uno de los 3 fármacos. Inicialmente 15 recibieron dilevalol 200mg/día. Con dilevalol la tensión arterial media (TAM) disminuyó del 118.0+-1.3 a 107.3+-2.7 mmHg en la cuarta semana de tratamiento, con captopril de 117.8+-1.2 a 108.6+-2.7 mmHg. (p<0.05). Cuando se comparó dilevalol con nifedipina, el dilevalol redujo la TAM de 116+-2.0 a 104.3+-3.0 (p<0.05). Ninguno presentó hipotensión ortostática y no hubo efectos secundarios importantes. Estos resultados demuestran que la eficacia y tolerancia de dilevalol es comparable a captopril y nifedipina en pacientes con hipertensión arterial esencial.