Influencia del contexto en el desarrollo cognitivo infantil: revisión sistemática

(analítico) Durante los últimos años diversas investigaciones analizaron la asociación entre contexto y desarrollo infantil. Un problema central es si el ambiente influye en el desarrollo cognitivo. El contexto está compuesto por diferentes niveles que interactúan entre sí e influyen en las personas: el microsistema, mesosistema, exosistema y el macrosistema. El objetivo de esta revisión sistemática es indagar acerca de los factores que pertenecen al contexto y modularían el desarrollo infantil. A través de una búsqueda de artículos empíricos en revistas científicas indexadas, se seleccionaron 22 artículos, los cuales fueron analizados mediante la comparación de las variables: población, país, instrumento de evaluación, constructo evaluado, frecuencia de evaluación y resultados. Los resultados muestran que los factores ambientales pertenecientes a cada nivel analizado tienen la capacidad de modular el desarrollo infantil.

(analytical) Over the past few years, research has focused on the association between context and child development. One of the central problems addressed is whether a child's environment influences cognitive development. The context consists of different levels that interact with each other and influence people: the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem and macrosystem. The goal of this systematic review is to investigate factors that form part of the context and affect child development. Twenty-two articles were selected through a search of empirical articles in indexed scientific journals. These were analyzed by comparing the variables used: population, country, evaluation instrument, evaluated construct, evaluation frequency and results. The results show that environmental factors belonging to each context level have the capacity to modulate child development.

(analítico) Nos últimos anos, a investigação analisou a parceria entre o contexto e o desenvolvimento infantil. Um dos problemas centrais é se o ambiente influencia no desenvolvimento cognitivo. O contexto é composto por diferentes níveis que interagem entre si e influenciam as pessoas: o microssistema, o mesosistema, o exosistema e o macrosistema. O objetivo desta revisão sistemática é indagar sobre os fatores que pertencem ao contexto e modular o desenvolvimento infantil. Através de uma pesquisa de artigos empíricos em revistas científicas indexadas, foram selecionados 22 artigos, os quais foram analisados mediante a comparação das variáveis: população, país, instrumento de avaliação, constructo avaliado, frequência de avaliação e resultados. Os resultados mostram que os fatores ambientais pertencentes a cada nível analisado têm a capacidade de modular o desenvolvimento infantil.

Beneficial effect of a high number of copies of salivary amylase AMY1 gene on obesity risk in Mexican children.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Childhood obesity is a major public health problem in Mexico, affecting one in every three children. Genome-wide association studies identified genetic variants associated with childhood obesity, but a large missing heritability remains to be elucidated. We have recently shown a strong association between a highly polymorphic copy number variant encompassing the salivary amylase gene (AMY1 also known as AMY1A) and obesity in European and Asian adults. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the association between AMY1 copy number and obesity in Mexican children. METHODS: We evaluated the number of AMY1 copies in 597 Mexican children (293 obese children and 304 normal weight controls) through highly sensitive digital PCR. The effect of AMY1 copy number on obesity status was assessed using a logistic regression model adjusted for age and sex. RESULTS: We identified a marked effect of AMY1 copy number on reduced risk of obesity (OR per estimated copy 0.84, with the number of copies ranging from one to 16 in this population; p = 4.25 × 10(-6)). The global association between AMY1 copy number and reduced risk of obesity seemed to be mostly driven by the contribution of the highest AMY1 copy number. Strikingly, all children with >10 AMY1 copies were normal weight controls. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Salivary amylase initiates the digestion of dietary starch, which is highly consumed in Mexico. Our current study suggests putative benefits of high number of AMY1 copies (and related production of salivary amylase) on energy metabolism in Mexican children.

Long-term effect of continuous positive airway pressure on BP in patients with hypertension and sleep apnea.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the long-term effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on ambulatory BP in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and hypertension, and to identify subgroups of patients for whom CPAP could be more effective. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, long-term follow-up trial (24 months) in 55 patients with OSA and hypertension (mean CPAP use, 5.3 +/- 1.9 h/d [+/- SD]). Twenty-four-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) was measured at baseline and after intervention with CPAP on an intention-to-treat basis. In addition, the correlation between the changes in 24-h mean arterial pressure (24hMAP) and CPAP compliance, OSA severity, and baseline ABPM was assessed. RESULTS: At the end of follow-up, a significant decrease was shown only in diastolic BP (- 2.2 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval [CI], - 4.2 to - 0.1; p = 0.03) but not in 24hMAP or other ABPM parameters. However, a correlation between changes in 24hMAP and baseline systolic BP (r = - 0.43, p = 0.001), diastolic BP (r = - 0.38, p = 0.004), and hours of use of CPAP (r = - 0.30, p = 0.02) was observed. A significant decrease in the 24hMAP was achieved in a subgroup of patients with incompletely controlled hypertension at entry (- 4.4 mm Hg; 95% CI, - 7.9 to - 0.9 mm Hg; p = 0.01), as well as in those with CPAP compliance > 5.3 h/d (- 5.3 mm Hg; 95% CI, - 9.5 to - 1.2 mm Hg; p = 0.01). Linear regression analysis showed that baseline systolic BP and hours of CPAP were independent predictors of reductions in BP with CPAP. CONCLUSION: Long-term CPAP reduced BP modestly in the whole sample. However, patients with higher BP at entry and good CPAP compliance achieved significant reductions in BP.

Effect of continuous positive airway pressure on ambulatory BP in patients with sleep apnea and hypertension: a placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is an independent risk factor for arterial hypertension. Several controlled trials have investigated the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on BP in patients with OSAS, but its effect on hypertensive patients has not been analyzed specifically. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of CPAP on ambulatory BP in patients with OSAS and hypertension who were undergoing antihypertensive treatment. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: We conducted a parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 68 patients with OSAS and hypertension, who were receiving treatment with antihypertensive medication. Patients were randomly allocated to either therapeutic or subtherapeutic CPAP for 4 weeks. Ambulatory BP was registered at baseline and after treatment. Antihypertensive treatment was not changed during the study. Changes in BP were assessed on an intention-to-treat basis. RESULTS: There were no baseline differences in the apnea-hypopnea index, comorbidities, or ambulatory BP between groups. Objective compliance with CPAP was similar in both the therapeutic and subtherapeutic groups (5.0 +/- 1.4 h/d vs 4.4 +/- 1.9 h/d, respectively; p = 0.13 [mean +/- SD]). There was a small and statistically nonsignificant decrease (- 0.3 +/- 6.3 mm Hg vs - 1.1 +/- 7.9 mm Hg; difference, - 0.8 mm Hg [95% confidence interval, - 2.7 to 4.3]; p = 0.65) in 24-h mean BP (24hMBP) in both subtherapeutic and therapeutic groups after 4 weeks of treatment. No significant changes in systolic, diastolic, daytime, or nighttime BP were observed. The normal circadian dipper pattern was restored in a higher proportion of patients in the therapeutic group compared to the subtherapeutic CPAP group, although differences were not significant (11 of 32 patients vs 3 of 25 patients; odds ratio, 3.84; 95% confidence interval, 0.82 to 20.30; p = 0.10). There was no correlation between the magnitude of change in 24hMBP and CPAP compliance, OSAS severity, or number of antihypertensive drugs used. CONCLUSION: Four weeks of CPAP did not reduce BP in patients with OSAS and hypertension who were treated with antihypertensive medication, compared to placebo group.