Determinantes económicos en la incidencia de tuberculosis en México / Economic determinants in the incidence of tuberculosis in Mexico

Resumen Introducción La tuberculosis es la causa principal de muerte por un solo agente infeccioso en el mundo. Anualmente, ocurren 10 millones de casos nuevos y más del 95% en países en vías de desarrollo; este problema de salud se vincula a las condiciones sociales y económicas de la población. Objetivo Analizar la relación entre el gasto en salud y la pobreza con la incidencia de tuberculosis en México. Material y métodos Investigación no experimental en el que se analizan reportes económicos y epidemiológicos de tuberculosis de México, periodo 2009-2015. Resultados El producto interno bruto (PIB) de México creció 45% en 2014 con relación al año 2009. El porcentaje del PIB invertido en salud disminuyó desde 2009, pasando de 6.2 a 5.9% en 2015. La población en pobreza aumentó de 2010 a 2014, de 46.1 a 46.2%; la pobreza extrema disminuyó de 11.3 a 9.5%. En 2015, se diagnosticaron 20,561 casos nuevos de tuberculosis, con una incidencia de 17 casos por cada 100,000 habitantes, incrementando dos décimas con relación al año previo. Conclusión El incremento de la incidencia de tuberculosis en México se relaciona con las condiciones socioeconómicas de la población. Las políticas públicas deberán atender los determinantes sociales.

Abstract Introduction Tuberculosis, the main cause of death by a single infectious agent in the world. Annually there are 10 million new cases and more than 95% in developing countries; this health problem is linked to the social and economic conditions of the population. Objective To analyze the relationship between health spending and poverty with the incidence of tuberculosis in Mexico. Material and methods Non-experimental research, analyzing economic and epidemiological reports of tuberculosis in Mexico, period 2009-2015. Results Mexico's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 45% in 2014 compared to 2009. The percentage of GDP invested in health decreased since 2009, from 6.2 to 5.9% in 2015. The population in poverty increased from 2010 to 2014, from 46.1 to 46.2%; extreme poverty decreased from 11.3 to 9.5%. In 2015, 20,561 new cases of tuberculosis were diagnosed, with an incidence of 17 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, increasing two tenths in relation to the previous year. Conclusion The increase in the incidence of tuberculosis in Mexico is related to the socioeconomic conditions of the population. Public policies must address social determinants.

Effect of branched-chain amino acid supplementation on insulin resistance and quality of life in chronic hepatitis C patients.

The incidence rate of insulin resistance (IR) in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is high. Recently, branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) have been shown to attenuate IR in CHC patients; however, their effect on patient quality of life remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of the current prospective study was to determine the effects of BCAA supplement on IR and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in patients with CHC. In the study, 20 non-diabetic patients with CHC, who were non-responders to peginterferon-α and ribavirin, were recruited. Patients took a BCAA supplement once a day (30 g, after a minimum 10-h overnight fast) for 3 months. Serum levels of glucose, insulin, albumin, triglycerides and cholesterol were measured at 0 and 3 months. Additionally, IR was measured using the Homeostasis Model Assessment-IR, HR-QoL was assessed using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey and viral load was measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction using Taqman probes. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to determine statistical significance. The results indicated that 70% of the subjects were positive for IR, which decreased to 50% by the end of the study; furthermore, 85% of the subjects demonstrated some level of improvement. Overall, the BCAA treatment significantly decreased IR (P=0.006) and augmented serum albumin concentration (P=0.008) compared with basal values. Additionally, by the end of the treatment, viral load and triglycerides levels had decreased, though these results were not significant (P=0.084 and P=0.080, respectively). BCAA treatment also improved HR-QoL regarding role limitations due to physical health problems (P=0.017), role limitations due to emotional problems (P=0.026) and social function (P=0.008). In conclusion, BCAA supplementation reduced IR and improved HR-QoL in patients with CHC. These findings support the application of IR therapy as a possible therapeutic strategy for hepatitis C infection.

Educational and evaluation strategies in the training of physician specialists / Estrategias educativas y de evaluación en la formación de médicos especialistas

Background: Teaching strategies have been defined as procedures, means or resources that teachers used to promote meaningful learning. Aim: Identify teaching strategies and evaluation used by the professor with residents in tertiary hospitals health care. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted with full, associate and assistant professors of various medical specialties. A questionnaire was applied to evaluate the strategies used by professors to teach and evaluate students. Results: We included a sample of 90 professors in 35 medical specialties. The most frequent teaching activities were: organizing students to develop presentations on specific subjects, followed by asking questions on previously reviewed subjects, In terms of the strategies employed, the most frequent "always" option was applied to case analyses. The most frequent methods used for the evaluation of theoretical knowledge were: participation in class, topic presentation and exams. Conclusions: Teaching activities were primarily based on the presentation of specific topics by the residents. The most commonly used educational strategies were clinical case analyses followed by problem-based learning and the use of illustrations. Evaluation of the residents' performance in theory knowledge, hinged on class participation, presentation of assigned topics and exams.

Antecedentes: Las estrategias didácticas se han definido como procedimientos, medios o recursos que el docente utiliza para promover el aprendizaje significativo. Objetivo: Identificar las estrategias de enseñanza y de evaluación que utiliza el profesor con residentes en hospitales de tercer nivel de atención médica. Método: Estudio transversal, con profesores de diversas especialidades, en el Centro Médico Nacional La Raza. Se aplicó un cuestionario que valora las estrategias utilizadas en la enseñanza y la evaluación. Resultados: En una muestra de 90 profesores, 35 especialidades médicas con profesores ayudantes, adjuntos y titulares, las actividades de enseñanza que más realizan son organizar a los alumnos a exponer temas, seguido de realizar preguntas sobre temas vistos. Respecto a las estrategias educativas, la más frecuente fue análisis de casos y aprendizaje basado en problemas. Para evaluación del desempeño teórico, los métodos más utilizados fueron participación en clase, exposición de temas y exámenes. Conclusiones: las actividades de enseñanza están basadas en la exposición de temas por los médicos residentes. La estrategia educativa más utilizada fue llevar a cabo análisis de casos clínicos, seguido por aprendizaje basado en problemas. La evaluación del desempeño en aspectos teóricos se realiza a partir de la participación en clase, la exposición de temas y exámenes.

[Knowledge of the Advance Directive (AD) in Physicians at Tertiary Care Hospitals]. / La «voluntad anticipada¼ y su conocimiento por médicos en hospitales de tercer nivel.

UNLABELLED: The Advance Directive is generally conceptualized as the respect that all human beings deserve in the use of their faculties, to deliberate, choose, and decide upon everything that pertains to their existence, including their life goals and personal health. OBJECTIVE: To identify knowledge about the AD that Medical Residents at tertiary care facilities of the Mexican Social Security Institute (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, IMSS) in the District Capital (Mexico City), possess. METHOD: Written survey with 10 questions for Medical Residents (MR) of different specialties at tertiary care hospitals. STUDY DESIGN: Survey. RESULTS: The questionnaire was applied to 280 MR of more than ten different specialties, at the La Raza and the S XXI Medical Centres (Centro Médico La Raza y Centro Médico Siglo XXI). The majority of respondents were first-year MR (67.5%), and the minority were sixth-year Residents (1.9%). Incomplete knowledge about the Federal AD Law exists. DISCUSSION: In Mexico, like on an international plane, the contemporary, social dynamic has fundamentally influenced the practice of healthcare professions. The responsibilities that health care professionals take on obligate them to be current in areas like the rights of healthy and sick individuals to be involved in and decide on aspects related to the phase at the end of their lives. The AD, Vital Testament, Living Will, will push doctors to improve the doctor-patient relationship since the establishment of an AD is not possible without a good patient-doctor rapport.

The epidemiology of fungemia in an infectious diseases hospital in Mexico city: A 10-year retrospective review.

The epidemiology of invasive fungal infections has recently changed in immunosuppressed populations as a result of HIV infection, organ transplant, chemotherapy and in elderly patients. The diagnosis of invasive fungal infections by culture is prolonged since fungi grow slowly in vitro. we wanted to estimate the frequency of fungemia diagnoses established through the Clinical Mycology Laboratory over the past 10 years; through a retrospective study; data was obtained from the laboratory patient registry in the Infectious Disease Hospital's laboratory registry of patients with a systemic fungal isolate between 2005 and 2014. One hundred and thirty two (132) systemic fungal infections were identified. They were more prevalent in males, in the age group between 20 and 59 years and in patients with a diagnosis of AIDS. The most frequently isolated agents belonged to the genus Candida and others such as Histoplasma sp., Cryptococcus sp., Aspergillus sp., and Coccidioides sp. Of all blood and bone marrow cultures received 17.9% had fungal development; of these, in 70% of cases it was through blood cultures. In general, fungal agents were not diagnostically suspected. We identified that Sixty percent (60%) of fungemias developed in AIDS patients, followed by patients with sepsis. The most common agents belonged to the genus Candida, predominantly the albicans species. They were more frequently identified by blood culture than by bone marrow culture. Invasive fungal infections have not followed a usual clinical pattern and are not easily recognizable.

Prevalence of antibodies against Treponema pallidum among HIV-positive patients in a tertiary care hospital in Mexico.

Our objective was to determine the seroprevalence of syphilis among HIV-infected patients in a tertiary care hospital in Mexico City. A cross-sectional study was developed, and 318 HIV-positive patients were evaluated from January to February 2013 at Hospital de Infectología, National Medical Center 'La Raza' (a tertiary care hospital specialising in infectious diseases in Mexico City). Laboratory data were screened for the detection of antibodies against Treponema pallidum. Patients completed a questionnaire relating to socio-demographic data and factors associated with syphilis. Of the 318 patients, 83% were men. The mean age ± SD was 36 ± 11 years; 52% were men who have sex with men and 47% had undertaken higher education. The overall seroprevalence of syphilis among these patients was 25% (95% confidence interval 21%, 30%). Men who have sex with men had a significantly higher seroprevalence (30% vs. 15%, p = 0.009). We conclude that, in Mexico, there is a high seroprevalence of syphilis antibodies in HIV-infected patients and that men who have sex with men are the group most affected.