Frequency of symptoms and the associated factors of eating disorders in a group of dental students in Medellín, Colombia.

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders (EDs) are considered a public health problem. Scientific research has focused on teenagers due to their higher prevalence in this population. However, other groups, such as university students, may be exposed to suffering from EDs due to their academic, social and personal characteristics. Identifying the magnitude of EDs and the associated characteristics may impact the generation of prevention strategies. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to establish the prevalence of the risk of EDs (anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN)) and the associated factors in dental students at the University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 278 students (76 males, 202 females) with the use of a Google-Forms survey. The validated Spanish version of the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) and the Sick, Control, One Stone, Fat, Food (SCOFF) questionnaire were used. Other recorded variables included sociodemographic data, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related factors, health, and social support (the Duke-11 profile). The bivariate analysis of the risk of EDs was conducted according to different variables (95% confidence interval (CI)), followed by the logistic regression models adjusting for different variables (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) and 95% CI). RESULTS: According to EAT-26, the risk of EDs was 27.6% (18.8-38.6) for males and 28.7% (22.9-35.3) for females. However, differences between males and females were higher when the SCOFF questionnaire was applied (males: 6.6% (2.8-14.5); females: 22.3% (17.1-28.5); p < 0.01). According to the SCOFF instrument, after adjusting for sociodemographic and health variables, women were more likely to report the symptoms of EDs (aPR: 2.20; 95% CI: 1.06-4.57). Women receiving information from social networks were more likely to report the symptoms of EDs (aPR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.19-2.88). Multivariate models showed that women reporting poor self-rated health and some symptoms during the mandatory confinement caused by the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely to report the symptoms of EDs. CONCLUSIONS: A higher risk of EDs was found in dental students. Healthcare, psychological and/or psychiatric interviews, and educational/early prevention strategies are required.

Efectos del virus del dengue durante el embarazo. Medellín, Colombia / Dengue virus effects during pregnancy, Medellín, Colombia

El riesgo de infección durante la gestación aumenta ante mayores y más severas epidemias de dengue y sus consecuencias sobre el embarazo y el feto han sido poco estudiadas o muestran resultados contradictorios. Por este motivo el presente estudio tiene como fin describir los efectos del virus del dengue en el embarazo. Se evaluaron, mediante estudio descriptivo retrospectivo, 24gestantes que presentaron dengue durante la epidemia ocurrida en Medellín en 1998 y se compararon con 24 embarazadas sin dengue. Se consideró caso de dengue toda paciente con presencia de anticuerpos IgM contra el virus del dengue o con clínica compatible y asociaciónepidemiológica. Los hallazgos presentados en la cohorte expuesta vs cohorte no expuesta fueron los siguientes: siete casos (29.2 por ciento) de amenaza de aborto Vs dos (8.3 por ciento); dos casos (8.3 por ciento) de abortoVs ninguno; seis casos (25 por ciento) de amenaza de parto prematuro Vs cuatro (16.6 por ciento); tres casos (12.5 por ciento) de parto prematuro Vs ninguno; cuatro casos (16.6 por ciento) de ruptura prematura de membranas Vs uno (4.1 por ciento), nueve casos (37.5 por ciento) de hemorragia vaginal Vs uno (4.1 por ciento) y en cuatro pacientes de la cohorte expuesta se desencadenó trabajo de parto concomitante con el dengue. De las anteriores observaciones, sólo hubo diferencia estadísticamente significativa con respecto a la presencia de hemorragia vaginal entre los grupos de estudio (Prueba de Fisher, p < 0.05). En conclusión, las mujeres que desarrollaron infección por dengue durante la gestación, tuvieron riesgo de hemorragia vaginal y presentan con mayor frecuencia actividad uterina desencadenada por la infección, acontecimientos con efectos negativos sobre el binomio madre - hijo