Guillain-Barré syndrome in Colombia: where do we stand now?

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rapid-onset muscle weakness disease caused by the immune-mediated damage of the peripheral nervous system. Since there is an increase incidence of GBS cases in Latin America, particularly in Colombia, and most of them are currently preceded by Zika virus (ZIKV) infection, we aimed to assess the available evidence of the disease in Colombia through a systematic literature review. Out of 51 screened abstracts, only 16 corresponded to articles that met inclusion criteria, of which 15 were case reports or case series. A total of 796 cases of GBS were reported in the included articles. The majority of patients were males (66.8 %) and younger than 50 years old (94 %). An infectious disease before the onset of GBS was registered in 31 % of patients, with gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms being the most frequently observed. In those cases in which electrodiagnostic tests were performed, the most common subphenotype was acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (17 %). Death was reported in 15 % of patients. Data regarding GBS in Colombia is scant and heterogeneous. Taking into account the burden of the disease and the recent rise of GBS cases associated with ZIKV, a careful patient evaluation and a systematic collection of data are warranted. A form to data gathering is proposed.

Physical activity, nutrition and behavior change in Latin America: a systematic review.

Physical activity (PA) and nutrition are key health behaviors underlying the design and implementation of prevention strategies for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Latin America. Nevertheless, research still reports low prevalence of PA and fruit and vegetable consumption throughout the region. This paper aims at reviewing the ways in which models of behavior change theory have been applied in study development and implementation regarding nutrition and PA in Latin America. In August 2011 we conducted a systematic literature review of the behavior change studies that targeted such NCDs risk factors published until then. Out of 4279 surveyed abstracts, only 29 corresponded to articles that met our inclusion criteria. Twenty-six articles reported the application of behavior change theory, with the trans-theoretical model (n = 12) being the most frequently used. Other theories and models included the socio-ecological model (n = 4), cognitive theory (n = 3), social cognitive theory (n = 2) and theories related to health education and counseling (n = 5). Based on this review, we recommend that the application of behavior change theory be explicitly reported in Latin American peer-reviewed articles, and that outcome evaluations include behavior change constructs so as to better assess their contribution to the effectiveness of nutrition and PA interventions in the region. Furthermore, we state the need for a better understanding of the behavior change mechanisms that may be specific to the Latin American context.