Challenges to reduce the '10/90 gap': mental health research in Latin American and Caribbean countries.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the status of mental health research in 30 Latin American and Caribbean countries (LAC). METHOD: Medline and PsycInfo databases were searched to identify the LAC authors. Their publications were classified according to the topic, type of research and target population studied. Scientific indicators of these countries were assessed in other two different databases: Essential Scientific Information and Atlas of Science Project, both from Institute for Scientific Information. RESULTS: Indexed-publications were concentrated in six countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela. Most studies dealt with the burdensome mental disorders but neglected important topics such as violence and other mental health priorities. CONCLUSION: Mental health research is mostly concentrated in a few LAC countries, but these countries would contribute to reduce the research gap, if they provide research training to their neighbors and engage in bi- or multi-lateral research collaboration on common region priorities.

Hematoma subcapsular hepático por fasciolasis / Hepatic subcapsular hematoma caused by fascioliasis

Hepatic fasciolasis is a worldwide spread zoonoses mainly affecting cattle-raising countries. It is caused by the trematode Fasciola hepßtica and it is characterized by abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomitus, weight loss, diahrrea, paleness, general malaise, and hypereosinophilia. Immunological diagnosis as well as stool eggs count may be performed. Hepatic subcapsular and intraparenchymatous hematoma is an infrequent complication of human fascioliasis. Nevertheless, for establishing a proper diagnosis and treatment, any suspicion of its presence must be carefully discarded through, clinical epidemiology, laboratory and imaging exams and procedures. The aim of this study is to expand knowledge on this unfrequently dealt pathology in medical literature by presenting four case reports related to patients undergoing a two-year treatment. All of them had been referred from Departamento de Cajamarca, Peru.

La fasciolasis hepática es una zoonosis mundialmente difundida, sobre todo en los países productores de ganado; causada por la fasciola hepática. Se manifiesta por dolor abdominal, fiebre, nauseas y vómitos, baja de peso, diarrea, palidez, malestar general e hipereosinofilia. El diagnóstico es inmunológico y también puede hacerse por recuento de huevos en heces. El hematoma subcapsular e intraparenquimatoso hepático es una complicación rara de la fasciolasis humana pero se debe tener un alto índice de sospecha uniendo epidemiología, clínica, laboratorio e imaginologia para un adecuado diagnóstico y tratamiento. El propósito de reportar estos casos es dar a conocer una patología poco frecuente en la literatura, con una casuística de cuatro pacientes tratados en el lapso de dos años, todos referidos del Departamento de Cajamarca.

[Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in schizophrenia during treatment with clozapine and conventional antipsychotic drugs]. / Síntomas obsesivo-compulsivos en esquizofrenia durante el tratamiento con clozapina y antipsicóticos clásicos.

INTRODUCTION: We compare the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in schizophrenic patients in treatment with clozapine and those who receive classic antipsychotic drugs. METHOD: Outpatients with schizophrenia treated with clozapine (n = 56) or classic antipsychotic drugs (n = 54) at the Honorio Delgado-Hideyo Noguchi Specialized Institute in Mental Health (Lima-Peru), were evaluated for the presence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms by means of the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Module of Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV and Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms Checklist. RESULTS: 46.4 % of patients treated with clozapine presented obsessive-compulsive symptoms while this occurred in 20.4 % of those with classic antipsychotic drugs (p = 0.005). In addition, 21.4 % of patients with clozapine and 13 % of those treated with classic antipsychotics presented obsessive-compulsive disorder according to DSM-IV criteria (p = 0.31). CONCLUSION: In schizophrenic patients, treatment with clozapine is associated with a higher rate of obsessive-compulsive symptoms than treatment with classic antipsychotic drugs.