Serum IL-12 is increased in Mexican obese subjects and associated with low-grade inflammation and obesity-related parameters.

Interleukin-(IL-) 12 has been recently suggested to participate during development of insulin resistance in obese mice. Nevertheless, serum IL-12 levels have not been accurately determined in overweight and obese humans. We thus studied serum concentrations of IL-12 in Mexican adult individuals, examining their relationship with low-grade inflammation and obesity-related parameters. A total of 147 healthy individuals, 43 normal weight, 61 overweight, and 43 obese subjects participated in the study. Circulating levels of IL-12, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- α ), leptin, insulin, glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride were measured after overnight fasting in all of the study subjects. Waist circumference and body fat percentage were recorded for all the participants. Serum IL-12 was significantly higher in overweight and obese individuals than in normal weight controls. Besides being strongly related with body mass index (r = 0.5154), serum IL-12 exhibited a significant relationship with abdominal obesity (r = 0.4481), body fat percentage (r = 0.5625), serum glucose (r = 0.3158), triglyceride (r = 0.3714), and TNF- α (r = 0.4717). Thus, serum levels of IL-12 are increased in overweight and obese individuals and show a strong relationship with markers of low-grade inflammation and obesity in the Mexican adult population. Further research is needed to understand the role of IL-12 in developing obesity-associated alterations in humans.

[Trends of hospitalizations for chronic heart failure in Andalusia in the last decade]. / Evolución de las hospitalizaciones por insuficiencia cardíaca en Andalucía en la última década.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The cost of hospitalization represents the greatest proportion of total expenditure due to heart failure. Our objective was to analyze the trends of morbidity of chronic heart failure in Andalusia between 1990-2000. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data on hospitalizations in Andalusia (title 428 of the ninth revision of the International Disease Classification) were obtained from the National Survey of Hospital Morbidity of the National Institute of Statistics. The rates, standardized by age and gender, of admission due to heart failure were calculated by the direct standardization method. RESULTS: The absolute number of hospitalizations due to hear failure in people over 45 years was 4,345 in 1990 and 10,153 in 2000 (a relative increase of 230%) and it represents 14.2% hospitalizations in Spain. The increase was focused on those over 65 years and the standardized rates were slightly greater in women than in men. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalization discharge rates increased mostly in the population older than 65 and women showed hospitalization rates slightly greater than men.

Evolución de las hospitalizaciones por insuficiencia cardíaca en Andalucía en la última década / Trends of morbidity of chronic heart failure in Andalusia in the last decade

Fundamento y objetivos. Las hospitalizaciones ocasionan la mayor parte del gasto sanitario por insuficiencia cardíaca. Nuestro objetivo es analizar las tendencias de estas hospitalizaciones en Andalucía en el período 1990-2000. Material y método. Los datos sobre hospitalizaciones en Andalucía (rúbrica 428 de la novena revisión de la Clasificación Internacional de Enfermedades) se tomaron de la Encuesta Nacional de Morbilidad Hospitalaria del Instituto Nacional de Estadística. Mediante el método de estandarización directa se calcularon las tasas, estandarizadas por edad y sexo, de ingreso por insuficiencia cardíaca. Resultados. El número absoluto de hospitalizaciones por insuficiencia cardíaca en mayores de 45 años pasó de 4.345 en 1990 a 10.153 en el año 2000, lo que representa un crecimiento relativo de un 230% y correspondió al 14,2% de los ingresos en España en el año 2000. El aumento se centró en mayores de 65 años y las tasas estandarizadas fueron ligeramente superiores en mujeres que en hombres. Conclusiones. El número de hospitalizaciones por insuficiencia cardíaca en Andalucía en la década de los noventa creció de forma importante, y esto se produjo fundamentalmente en mayores de 65 años, tanto en mujeres como en hombres

Background and objectives. The cost of hospitalization represents the greatest proportion of total expenditure due to heart failure. Our objective was to analyze the trends of morbidity of chronic heart failure in Andalusia between 1990-2000. Material and methods. The data on hospitalizations in Andalusia (title 428 of the ninth revision of the International Disease Classification) were obtained from the National Survey of Hospital Morbidity of the National Institute of Statistics. The rates, standardized by age and gender, of admission due to heart failure were calculated by the direct standardization method. Results. The absolute number of hospitalizations due to hear failure in people over 45 years was 4,345 in 1990 and 10,153 in 2000 (a relative increase of 230%) and it represents 14.2% hospitalizations in Spain. The increase was focused on those over 65 years and the standardized rates were slightly greater in women than in men. Conclusions. Hospitalization discharge rates increased mostly in the population older than 65 and women showed hospitalization rates slightly greater than men