Prevalence and associated factors of allergic diseases in school children and adolescents aged 6-7 and 13-14 years from two rural areas in Colombia.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of allergic diseases is increasing worldwide, affecting about 30% of the population in low to middle-income countries. Research trends on allergic diseases within rural pediatric populations of Latin American countries is scarce. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of allergic diseases (allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis) and their associated factors using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood-III (ISAAC-III) questionnaire in school-aged children from two rural municipalities in Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. The ISAAC-III questionnaire was applied to school-aged children attending elementary schools in the municipalities of Soracá and Palmas del Socorro during 2018. The questionnaires were applied to adolescents aged 13-14 years and the parents of 6-7 years old children. Associations were estimated via bivariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Among 261 school-aged children (58.2% adolescents), the prevalence of allergic diseases was: allergic rhinitis 11.49% (95% CI: 8.05-15.78), asthma 8.81% (95% CI: 5.82-12.7), and atopic dermatitis 6.13% (95% CI: 3.69-9.53). Associated factors for allergic rhinitis included: female sex (PR: 2.68, 95% CI: 1.17-5.26), asthma (PR: 4.69, 95% CI: 1.96-8.31), atopic dermatitis (PR: 3.55, 95% CI: 1.09-7.83), and higher maternal education (PR: 4.16, 95% CI: 1.45-8.25). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of allergic diseases in this rural pediatric population was lower compared with that of the previous reports from urban populations. Associated factors found in this study support previous studies. Research addressing modifiable environmental associations is so far scarce in Latin America; further studies are needed to reduce the burden of these diseases in rural populations.

Prevalence and associated factors of allergic diseases in school children and adolescents aged 6–7 and 13–14 years from two rural areas in Colombia

Introduction: The prevalence of allergic diseases is increasing worldwide, affecting about 30% of the population in low to middle-income countries. Research trends on allergic diseases within rural pediatric populations of Latin American countries is scarce. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of allergic diseases (allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis) and their associated factors using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood-III (ISAAC-III) questionnaire in school-aged children from two rural municipalities in Colombia. Materials and methods: This is a cross-sectional study. The ISAAC-III questionnaire was applied to school-aged children attending elementary schools in the municipalities of Soracá and Palmas del Socorro during 2018. The questionnaires were applied to adolescents aged 13–14 years and the parents of 6–7 years old children. Associations were estimated via bivariate and multivariate analysis. Results: Among 261 school-aged children (58.2% adolescents), the prevalence of allergic diseases was: allergic rhinitis 11.49% (95% CI: 8.05–15.78), asthma 8.81% (95% CI: 5.82–12.7), and atopic dermatitis 6.13% (95% CI: 3.69–9.53). Associated factors for allergic rhinitis included: female sex (PR: 2.68, 95% CI: 1.17–5.26), asthma (PR: 4.69, 95% CI: 1.96–8.31), atopic dermatitis (PR: 3.55, 95% CI: 1.09–7.83), and higher maternal education (PR: 4.16, 95% CI: 1.45–8.25). Conclusions: The prevalence of allergic diseases in this rural pediatric population was lower compared with that of the previous reports from urban populations. Associated factors found in this study support previous studies. Research addressing modifiable environmental associations is so far scarce in Latin America; further studies are needed to reduce the burden of these diseases in rural populations (AU)

The backward masking red light effect and schizotypy: the influence of sex.

Previous research has shown a unique effect of red light on visual processing related to both schizophrenia and positive schizotypy. The current study examined whether this effect is influenced by sex in a more broadly-defined schizotypy sample. A location backward masking (BM) task with red, green, and gray backgrounds was administered to 34 undergraduate students (59% female) with a high score on the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) and 38 students (50% female) with a low score. Results revealed that the group by color interaction was significant for the male participants, while it did not approach significance in the females. The male schizotypy participants showed a significant decrease in BM accuracy to the red (vs. green) background, while the male control participants showed a non-significant mean increase in accuracy. A decrease in accuracy to the red background in the male schizotypy participants was related to a higher score on the Social Anxiety subscale of the SPQ. Findings suggest that the previously reported schizophrenia red light effect is limited to males when examining a SPQ-defined sample, and appears to be primarily related to negative schizotypy symptoms. The red light effect continues to show promise as a new endophenotype for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

Prognostic value of peripheral blood mononuclear cell-associated HIV-1 DNA for virological outcome in asymptomatic HIV-1 chronic infection.

BACKGROUND: Studies in primary HIV-1 infection and advanced HIV-1 disease have demonstrated that HIV-1 DNA associated with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC HIV-1 DNA) has predictive value for disease progression. OBJECTIVES: To analyse in asymptomatic HIV-1 chronic infection the predictive value of PBMC HIV-1 DNA for virological failure. STUDY DESIGN: In 115 individuals who had previously participated in study STIR-2102, we retrospectively analysed the PBMC HIV-1 DNA by quantitative real-time PCR. Antiretroviral naïve patients (baseline pre-ART) received 6 weeks of ART prior to randomisation (baseline post-ART). The predictive value of PBMC HIV-1 DNA, HIV-1 RNA in plasma and CD4+ T cells, at baselines pre-ART and post-ART, was determined by Kaplan-Meier and Proportional Hazards Regression analyses. RESULTS: At baseline post-ART, 82% of patients showed suppression of HIV-1 RNA, however they maintained significant amounts of HIV-1 DNA (geometric mean: 690 copies/10(6) PBMC). Pre-ART and post-ART levels of HIV-1 DNA and pre-ART levels of HIV-1 RNA showed predictive value (Log-Rank test: p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.003, respectively). In a multivariate model post-ART PBMC HIV-1 DNA was the stronger predictive variable (adjusted HR, 2.51 [95% CI, 1.33-4.73, p=0.004]) independently of HIV-1 RNA (HR 1.74 [95% CI, 1.16-2.61, p=0.007]). CONCLUSIONS: PBMC HIV-1 DNA is an effective prognostic marker for virological outcome in individuals with asymptomatic HIV-1 chronic infection.