Maxillofacial fractures surgically treated: a 3-year experience of a Cuban hospital.

AIM: The aim of the study was to characterize the maxillofacial fractures surgically treated in a Cuban hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a descriptive and retrospective cross-sectional study based on the medical records of patients attended between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019 in the Maxillofacial Surgery Department of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes General University Hospital, Cuba. Age, gender, residency, municipality, etiology, month and year of trauma, number and type of fractures, and alcohol consumption at the time of trauma were recorded. RESULTS: 126 cases and 304 fractures were investigated. Males were the most affected (n = 115; 91.27%). The main etiology was interpersonal violence (IPV) (46.03%). Seventy-one (56.35%) patients had zygomatico-maxillary complex fractures. In the multivariate analysis, alcohol consumption was significantly lower as the age increased (a PR: 0.989; confidence interval [CI] 95%: 0.979-0.99; p = 0.026), as well as in those patients who lived in urban zones (a PR: 0.57; CI 95%: 0.44-0.74; p < 0.001), adjusted by the side of the fracture and the municipality. CONCLUSIONS: The profile of the maxillofacial fractures in this Cuban hospital seems to be mixed by age, affecting young people and the elderly. IPV was the major cause of maxillofacial fractures, while zygomatico-maxillary complex bones and mandible were the most affected maxillofacial areas.

OBJETIVO: Caracterizar las fracturas maxilofaciales tratadas quirúrgicamente en un hospital cubano. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo y transversal basado en las historias clínicas de los pacientes atendidos entre el 1 de enero de 2017 y el 31 de diciembre del 2019 en el departamento de Cirugía Maxilofacial del Hospital General Universitario Carlos Manuel de Céspedes. Las variables estudiadas fueron: edad, sexo, residencia, municipio, etiología, mes y año del trauma, número y tipos de fracturas, y consumo de alcohol. RESULTADOS: Se estudiaron 126 pacientes con 304 fracturas. Los hombres fueron los más afectados (n = 115; 91.27%). La principal etiología fue la violencia interpersonal (46,03%). 71 pacientes tuvieron fracturas del complejo cigomático-maxilar. En el análisis multivariado, se encontró que el consumo de alcohol fue menor conforme aumentaba la edad (RPa: 0,989; IC 95%: 0,979-0,99; p = 0,026), así como en los pacientes que vivían en la zona urbana (RPa: 0,57; IC 95%: 0,44-0,74; p < 0,001); ajustados por el lado de la fractura y el municipio de residencia. CONCLUSIONES: El perfil de las fracturas maxilofaciales en este hospital cubano muestra afectación tanto de jóvenes como adultos. La violencia interpersonal fue la principal etiología de las fracturas y las áreas más afectadas fueron la cigomático-maxilar y mandibular.

Cuban Scientific Production on Diabetes, 2000-2017: Peer-reviewed Publications, Collaboration and Impact.

INTRODUCTION The steadily increasing prevalence of diabetes globally has captured researchers' attention. Cuban production of scientific articles on diabetes has not been studied from a bibliometric perspective. OBJECTIVE Characterize the production and impact of research and review articles on diabetes by Cuban authors in journals listed in the Scopus bibliographic database, as well as related collaboration among Cuban institutions and between Cuban and non-Cuban institutions. METHODS A bibliometric analysis was conducted using 2000-2017 data from the Scopus database. The following search strategy was used: descriptor (diabetes), country (Cuba), publication source (journal), article type (original research, review article). Bibliographic indicators of production, visibility, impact and collaboration were examined. RESULTS Cuba contributed 3.2% of Latin American production and 0.1% of global production related to diabetes. Within Cuba's scientific production (610 articles, 538 original research and 72 review), 85.9% had a Cuban corresponding author (Cuban leadership). In articles with international collaboration (22.9%), however, most (67.9%) had non-Cuban corresponding authors. A total of 47% (287) were articles involving a single institution. Only 11.1% were published in top-ranked journals, and 14.4% were cited >10 times. Cubans were lead authors on 0.3% of the most frequently cited (top 10%) articles on diabetes in Scopus. A total of 38.4% of this production appeared in low-impact journals and 57.9% in Cuban journals. Articles published in English accounted for 30% of total and obtained higher impact in terms of citations than articles in Spanish. The strongest networks for scientific collaboration were those that connected Cuban and US researchers. CONCLUSIONS Cuban scientists conduct research on diabetes, but their work is not highly visible in the peer-reviewed literature, particularly in top-ranked journals. The problem is not simply one of publishing more, but of knowing how and where to publish. It is urgent that Cuban universities training health professionals at all levels include instruction on scientific writing.