Association between Cervical Cancer and Dietary Patterns in Colombia.

Cervical cancer is a global public health problem. It is the second leading cause of death among women of childbearing age worldwide. Several factors, including diet, have been shown to influence the risk of persistent HPV infection and tumor progression. This paper determines the relationship between dietary patterns and cervical cancer. It is an ecological study of multiple groups, based on two national sources: the High-Cost Account and the National Survey of Nutritional Situation of Colombia of 2015. The population consisted of 3472 women aged 35 to 64. The incidence of cervical cancer was used as the dependent variable while the independent variables included food consumption according to established patterns, area of residence, age, physical activity, and BMI, among other variables. The statistical analysis performed through associations between variables was evaluated by multiple linear regression using R2. 38.9% of the evaluated population belonged to the first quartile of wealth, and 76.5% resided in the municipal capital. The incidence of cervical cancer in Colombia was associated with being affiliated to a state-subsidized health regime and having diabetes mellitus. A conservative eating pattern, as well as belonging to a rural area, are evidenced as protective factors. These results invite the need to encourage public policies and promote healthy lifestyles.

Factors Associated with Dietary Patterns in Colombia.

The selection of food depends on various factors such as cultural, social, economic and biological. This paper determines the factors associated with dietary patterns in Colombia. It is an observational, descriptive exploratory study collecting secondary data from the National Survey of Nutritional Status of Colombia (ENSIN, 2015) of 16,216 people between 15 and 64 years of age. The variables were the following: area, age range, sex, educational level, high blood pressure arterial hypertension (HTA), diabetes (DM), cancer, wealth quartile and dietary pattern. For the data analysis, logistic regression models were generated for each pattern and OR was used as a measure of association. Of those studied, 74.6% live in urban areas, all were aged between 15 and 49 years and 45.4% were in the first wealth quartile (Q1). There was a greater probability of traditional and conservative dietary patterns in people with diabetes and hypertension. Consumption of the conservative pattern was associated with being a woman, while consumption of the traditional pattern was associated with people in the first and second wealth level. Consumption of grill/beverage was more likely in men. Socio-demographic factors and chronic non-communicable diseases are associated with dietary patterns. This makes it relevant for health professionals to take into account these characteristics for nutritional interventions.

Correlación entre indicadores antropométricos y niveles de leptina en madres e hijos. Cali, Colombia, 2012-2013 / Correlation Between Anthropometric Indicators and Leptin Levels in Mothers and Children. Cali, Colombia, 2012-2013

Resumen Antecedentes: la obesidad es un factor de riesgo para las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles. Objetivo: explorar la relación entre indicadores antropométricos y niveles de leptina en un grupo de madres y en sus hijos. Materiales y métodos: estudio transversal en 74 binomios madre-hijo de Cali, Colombia. Se realizó caracterización sociodemográfica, evaluaciones antropométricas y leptina sérica en 56 madres y 26 niños. Se usaron coeficientes de correlación entre los indicadores antropométricos y la leptina. Resultados: las madres presentaron 35,5 % de exceso de peso, elevada grasa corporal en un 80 % y niveles de leptina de 20,5 ng/mL. Los niños tenían 20,7±2,4 meses de edad; 8,2 % de exceso de peso; 4,1 % desnutrición aguda y niveles de leptina de 1,85 ng/mL. En madres e hijos las correlaciones entre indicadores antropométricos fueron significativas y positivas, lo mismo con leptina en las madres, pero en los niños solo correlacionó débilmente con peso/talla e IMC-edad. La leptina en las madres se correlacionó débilmente con indicadores antropométricos de los niños, pero no al contrario. Conclusión: la prevalencia de exceso de peso es alta en las madres y menor en los niños. La leptina en las madres se correlaciona débilmente con indicadores antropométricos de los niños, pero no al contrario.

Abstract Background: Obesity is a risk factor for non-communicable chronic diseases. Objective: Explore the relationship between anthropometric indicators and leptin levels in a group of mothers and their children. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study in 74 mother-child pairs from Cali, Colombia. Sociodemographic characterization, anthropo-metric evaluations, and serum leptin measurements were performed in 56 mothers and 26 children. Correlation coefficients were used between anthropometric indicators and leptin. Results: 35.5% of mothers had excess weight, 80% had high body fat, and leptin levels of 20.5 ng/dL. The children were 20.7 ± 2.4 months old; 8.2% presented with excess weight; 4.1% had acute malnutrition, and leptin levels of 1.85 ng/dL. In mothers and children, the correlations between anthropometric indicators were significant and positive, the same with leptin in mothers, but in children leptin only correlated weakly with weight / height and BMI-age. Leptin in mothers was weakly correlated with anthropometric indicators in children, but not vice versa. Conclusion: The prevalence of excess weight was high in mothers and less so in their children. Leptin in mothers weakly correlated with anthropometric indicators in their children, but not vice versa.

Pruebas diagnósticas: cómo aplicarlas Parte I / Diagnostic tests. How to implement them. Part I

Las pruebas diagnósticas pueden ser elementos del interrogatorio, hallazgos físicos, pruebas de laboratorio e imágenes radiológicas. La prueba ideal debe tener la capacidad de separar adecuadamente las personas sanas de las enfermas y no producir falsos positivos y negativos. Además debe ser fácil de realizar, poco invasiva y económica. Deben escogerse inicialmente pruebas con alta sensibilidad, para descartar el diagnóstico rápidamente e instaurar las medidas necesarias y en el tamizado para detectar tempranamente enfermedades. Deben usarse pruebas con alta especificidad, para confirmar un diagnóstico, sugerido por otras pruebas y cuando haya grandes costos o riesgos al obtener un resultado falsamente positivo. Cuanto más sensible sea una prueba, mayor será su valor predictivo negativo y mayor seguridad ofrecerá un resultado negativo. Cuanto más específica sea una prueba, mayor será su valor predictivo positivo y mayor seguridad ofrecerá un resultado positivo.

Diagnostic tests may be elements of the interrogation, physical findings, laboratory tests and radiological images. The ideal test should have the ability to properly separate the healthy from the sick and it should not result in false positives and negatives. It should also be easy to perform, minimally invasive and inexpensive. It is important to choose tests that have a high sensitivity in order to rapidly rule out the diagnosis and take the necessary measures and screening for early detection of diseases. It is vital to use high specificity tests in order to confirm a diagnose that has been suggested by other tests and whenever these involve high costs or the risk of getting a false-positive result. The more sensitive a test, the greater its negative predictive value and a negative result shall give a greater certainty. The more specific a test, the greater its positive predictive value and a positive result shall give a greater certainty.