Association between multimorbidity with cognitive dysfunction in a Peruvian population.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that multimorbidity is a risk factor for cognitive dysfunction (CD).Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hypertension (HT) are very common risk factors.The association between multimorbidity due to both diseases and CD has been understudied in low and middle-income countries, in which the strength of the association might be stronger. AIM: To evaluate the association between multimorbidity due to T2DM and HT with CD among adults ≥50 years in Tumbes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A secondary analysis of a population-based cross-sectional study was conducted. The exposure variable was the presence of both T2DM and HT, split into categories: without HT or T2DM, only T2DM, only HT, and with T2DM and HT; whereas CD was the outcome variable, defined as a score ≤26 in the Leganes Cognitive Test. Crude and adjusted generalized linear models were used to estimate the association of interest, and prevalence ratio (PR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were reported. RESULTS: 688 participants were analyzed. The prevalence of CD was 39.1%. There was a 56.1% of participants without TDM2 nor HT, 8.3% with T2DM, 28.9% with HT and 6.7% with both diseases. A significant association was found between multimorbidity and CD (PR = 1.43, 95%CI 1.04-1.97). Multimorbidity had a statistically significant association with CD in the group of participants with ≥7 years of education (PR = 2.56,95%CI 1.55-4.21), but no in the group with <7 years. CONCLUSIONS: There is association between the morbidity of T2DM and HT, and CD among adults ≥50 years of age in Tumbes. Education was an effect modifier of the association between HT and T2DM on the presence of CD.

Intermediate hyperglycaemia and 10-year mortality in resource-constrained settings: the PERU MIGRANT Study.

AIM: To determine whether intermediate hyperglycaemia, defined by fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c criteria, is associated with mortality in a 10-year cohort of people in a Latin American country. METHODS: Analysis of the PERU MIGRANT Study was conducted in three different population groups (rural, rural-to-urban migrant, and urban). The baseline assessment was conducted in 2007/2008, with follow-up assessment in 2018. The outcome was all-cause mortality, and the exposure was intermediate hyperglycaemia, using three definitions: (1) impaired fasting glucose, defined according to American Diabetes Association criteria [fasting plasma glucose 5.6-6.9 mmol/l (100-125 mg/dl)]; (2) intermediate hyperglycaemia defined according to American Diabetes Association criteria [HbA1c levels 39-46 mmol/mol (5.7-6.4%)]; and (3) intermediate hyperglycaemia defined according to the International Expert Committee criteria [HbA1c levels 42-46 mmol/mol (6.0-6.4%)]. Crude and adjusted hazard ratios and 95% CIs were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: At baseline, the mean (sd) age of the study population was 47.8 (11.9) years and 52.5% of the cohort were women. The study cohort was divided into population groups as follows: 207 people (20.0%) in the rural population group, 583 (59.7%) in the rural-to-urban migrant group and 198 (20.3%) in the urban population group. The prevalence of intermediate hyperglycaemia was: 6%, 12.9% and 38.5% according to the American Diabetes Association impaired fasting glucose definition, the International Expert Committee HbA1c -based definition and the American Diabetes Association HbA1c -based definition, respectively, and the mortality rate after 10 years was 63/976 (7%). Intermediate hyperglycaemia was associated with all-cause mortality using the HbA1c -based definitions in the crude models [hazard ratios 2.82 (95% CI 1.59-4.99) according to the American Diabetes Association and 2.92 (95% CI 1.62-5.28) according to the International Expert Committee], whereas American Diabetes Association-defined impaired fasting glucose was not [hazard ratio 0.84 (95% CI 0.26-2.68)]. In the adjusted model, however, only the American Diabetes Association HbA1c -based definition was associated with all-cause mortality [hazard ratio 1.91 (95% CI 1.03-3.53)], whereas the International Expert Committee HbA1c -based and American Diabetes Association impaired fasting glucose-based definitions were not [hazard ratios 1.42 (95% CI 0.75-2.68) and 1.09 (95% CI 0.33-3.63), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: Intermediate hyperglycaemia defined using the American Diabetes Association HbA1c criteria was associated with an elevated mortality rate after 10 years in a cohort from Peru. HbA1c appears to be a factor associated with mortality in this Peruvian population.

Risk scores for type 2 diabetes mellitus in Latin America: a systematic review of population-based studies.

AIM: To summarize the evidence on diabetes risk scores for Latin American populations. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted (CRD42019122306) looking for diagnostic and prognostic models for type 2 diabetes mellitus among randomly selected adults in Latin America. Five databases (LILACS, Scopus, MEDLINE, Embase and Global Health) were searched. type 2 diabetes mellitus was defined using at least one blood biomarker and the reports needed to include information on the development and/or validation of a multivariable regression model. Risk of bias was assessed using the PROBAST guidelines. RESULTS: Of the 1500 reports identified, 11 were studied in detail and five were included in the qualitative analysis. Two reports were from Mexico, two from Peru and one from Brazil. The number of diabetes cases varied from 48 to 207 in the derivations models, and between 29 and 582 in the validation models. The most common predictors were age, waist circumference and family history of diabetes, and only one study used oral glucose tolerance test as the outcome. The discrimination performance across studies was ~ 70% (range: 66-72%) as per the area under the receiving-operator curve, the highest metric was always the negative predictive value. Sensitivity was always higher than specificity. CONCLUSION: There is no evidence to support the use of one risk score throughout Latin America. The development, validation and implementation of risk scores should be a research and public health priority in Latin America to improve type 2 diabetes mellitus screening and prevention.

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles for health purposes: a systematic review of experimental studies.

BACKGROUND: Unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs) have had a rapid escalation in manageability and affordability, which can be exploited in healthcare. We conducted a systematic review examining the use of drones for health-related purposes. METHODS: A search was conducted in Medline, Embase, Global Health, Scopus, CINAHL and SciELO. Experimental studies were selected if the population included human subjects, the intervention was the use of UAVs and there was a health-related outcome. RESULTS: Of 500 results, five met inclusion criteria during an initial search. An updated search yielded four additional studies. Nine studies, all in high-income countries, were included for systematic syntheses: four studies addressed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest emergencies, three assessed drones for identification of people after accidents, one used drones to transport blood samples and one used drones to improve surgical procedures in war zones. CONCLUSIONS: Research on the use of drones in healthcare is limited to simulation scenarios, and this review did not retrieve any studies from low- and middle-income countries.

Diagnosis of erectile dysfunction can be used to improve screening for Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

AIMS: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of four undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes mellitus risk scores accounting for erectile dysfunction status. METHODS: This was a population-based cross-sectional study. Type 2 diabetes was defined according to a oral glucose tolerance test and self-reported physician diagnosis. Erectile dysfunction was defined according to the answer to the question, 'Have you had difficulties obtaining an erection in the last 6 months?' (yes/no). The risk scores used were the FINDRISC, LA-FINDRISC, American Diabetes Association score and the Peruvian Risk Score. A Poisson regression model was fitted to assess the association between Type 2 diabetes and erectile dysfunction. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve was estimated overall and by erectile dysfunction status. RESULTS: A total of 799 men with a mean (sd) age of 48.6 (10.7) years were included in the study. The overall prevalence of Type 2 diabetes was 9.3%. Compared with healthy men, men with Type 2 diabetes had 2.71 (95% CI 1.57-4.66) higher chances of having erectile dysfunction. Having excluded men aware of Type 2 diabetes status (N=38), the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of three of the risk scores (not the American Diabetes Association score) improved among those who had erectile dysfunction in comparison with those who did not; for example, the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of the LA-FINDRISC score was 89.6 (95% CI 78.7-99.9) in men with erectile dysfunction and 76.5 (95% CI 68.5-84.4) overall. CONCLUSIONS: In a population-based study, erectile dysfunction was more common in men with Type 2 diabetes than in the otherwise healthy men. Screening for erectile dysfunction before screening for Type 2 diabetes seems to improve the accuracy of well-known risk scores for undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes.

Self-regulation of the Peruvian food industry: health message cues in the context of food and beverage advertisements.

OBJECTIVES: One strategy to prevent the onset of non-communicable diseases is to motivate healthy lifestyles through health media messages. In Peru, the food industry is currently implementing such strategy with health message cues, in the form of a small icon of a walking person or a healthy dish, appearing on televised food and beverage advertisements. Yet the extent of this practice is unknown. Thus, the objective of this study was three-fold: to identify (1) the food and beverage advertisements showing health cues, (2) the types of health cues, and (3) their length in time. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of televised food and beverage advertisements that children and adolescents encounter on Peruvian television. METHODS: Content analysis of the presence of a health cue, type of health cue (physical activity and healthy diets), and the length in time of the health cue appearing on televised food and beverage advertisements in Peru. RESULTS: Health cues appeared on over 70% of advertisements for sugary drinks and tended to promote healthy diets more so than physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the food industry is currently advertising their products along with health message cues, and children and adolescents are exposed to this practice. Thus, we call for further testing of the effect of these health cues on children's and adolescents' food preferences and behaviors.

Association between sleep difficulties as well as duration and hypertension: is BMI a mediator?

Sleep difficulties and short sleep duration have been associated with hypertension. Though body mass index (BMI) may be a mediator variable, the mediation effect has not been defined. We aimed to assess the association between sleep duration and sleep difficulties with hypertension, to determine if BMI is a mediator variable, and to quantify the mediation effect. We conducted a mediation analysis and calculated prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals. The exposure variables were sleep duration and sleep difficulties, and the outcome was hypertension. Sleep difficulties were statistically significantly associated with a 43% higher prevalence of hypertension in multivariable analyses; results were not statistically significant for sleep duration. In these analyses, and in sex-specific subgroup analyses, we found no strong evidence that BMI mediated the association between sleep indices and risk of hypertension. Our findings suggest that BMI does not appear to mediate the association between sleep patterns and hypertension. These results highlight the need to further study the mechanisms underlying the relationship between sleep patterns and cardiovascular risk factors.

Prevalence and risk factors of restrictive spirometry in a cohort of Peruvian adults.

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have described the prevalence of and lung function decline among those with a restrictive spirometric pattern (RSP) in low- and middle-income countries. METHODS: We analyzed prospective data from 3055 adults recruited across four diverse settings in Peru over a 3-year period. Multivariable logistic regression was used to study the association between the presence of restriction and associated risk factors. Multivariable linear mixed models were used to determine lung function decline. RESULTS: Among 3055 participants, the average age was 55.4 years (SD 12.4); 49% were male. Overall prevalence of RSP was 4.7%, ranging from 2.8% (Lima) to 6.9% (Tumbes). The odds of having RSP were higher among those who lived in a rural environment (OR 2.19, 95%CI 1.43-3.37), had a diagnosis of diabetes (OR 1.94, 95%CI 1.10-3.40) and among women (OR 2.09, 95%CI 1.41-3.09). When adjusting for baseline lung function, adults with RSP had accelerated decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) compared with non-obstructed, non-restricted individuals. DISCUSSION: RSP is prevalent particularly among women and in individuals living in rural settings of Peru. When adjusted for baseline lung function, participants with RSP had accelerated rates of FEV1 decline. Our findings are consistent with the notion that RSP is an insidious inflammatory condition with deleterious effects of lung function decline.

Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c ) and fasting plasma glucose relationships in sea-level and high-altitude settings.

AIM: Higher haemoglobin levels and differences in glucose metabolism have been reported among high-altitude residents, which may influence the diagnostic performance of HbA1c . This study explores the relationship between HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in populations living at sea level and at an altitude of > 3000 m. METHODS: Data from 3613 Peruvian adults without a known diagnosis of diabetes from sea-level and high-altitude settings were evaluated. Linear, quadratic and cubic regression models were performed adjusting for potential confounders. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed and concordance between HbA1c and FPG was assessed using a Kappa index. RESULTS: At sea level and high altitude, means were 13.5 and 16.7 g/dl (P > 0.05) for haemoglobin level; 41 and 40 mmol/mol (5.9% and 5.8%; P < 0.01) for HbA1c ; and 5.8 and 5.1 mmol/l (105 and 91.3 mg/dl; P < 0.001) for FPG, respectively. The adjusted relationship between HbA1c and FPG was quadratic at sea level and linear at high altitude. Adjusted models showed that, to predict an HbA1c value of 48 mmol/mol (6.5%), the corresponding mean FPG values at sea level and high altitude were 6.6 and 14.8 mmol/l (120 and 266 mg/dl), respectively. An HbA1c cut-off of 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) had a sensitivity for high FPG of 87.3% (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 76.5 to 94.4) at sea level and 40.9% (95% CI 20.7 to 63.6) at high altitude. CONCLUSION: The relationship between HbA1c and FPG is less clear at high altitude than at sea level. Caution is warranted when using HbA1c to diagnose diabetes mellitus in this setting.

Rural-to-urban migration and risk of hypertension: longitudinal results of the PERU MIGRANT study.

Urbanization can be detrimental to health in populations due to changes in dietary and physical activity patterns. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of migration on the incidence of hypertension. Participants of the PERU MIGRANT study, that is, rural, urban and rural-to-urban migrants, were re-evaluated after 5 years after baseline assessment. The outcome was incidence of hypertension; and the exposures were study group and other well-known risk factors. Incidence rates, relative risks (RRs) and population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated. At baseline, 201 (20.4%), 589 (59.5%) and 199 (20.1%) participants were rural, rural-to-urban migrant and urban subjects, respectively. Overall mean age was 47.9 (s.d.±12.0) years, and 522 (52.9%) were female. Hypertension prevalence at baseline was 16.0% (95% confidence interval (CI) 13.7-18.3), being more common in urban group; whereas pre-hypertension was more prevalent in rural participants (P<0.001). Follow-up rate at 5 years was 94%, 895 participants were re-assessed and 33 (3.3%) deaths were recorded. Overall incidence of hypertension was 1.73 (95%CI 1.36-2.20) per 100 person-years. In multivariable model and compared with the urban group, rural group had a greater risk of developing hypertension (RR 3.58; 95%CI 1.42-9.06). PAFs showed high waist circumference as the leading risk factor for the hypertension development in rural (19.1%), migrant (27.9%) and urban (45.8%) participants. Subjects from rural areas are at higher risk of developing hypertension relative to rural-urban migrant or urban groups. Central obesity was the leading risk factor for hypertension incidence in the three population groups.

Chronic respiratory disease and high altitude are associated with depressive symptoms in four diverse settings.

SETTING: Depression is a prevalent comorbidity of chronic respiratory disease (CRD), and may indicate worse clinical outcomes. The relationship between depression and living with chronic hypoxia due to CRD or residence at altitude has received little attention in resource-poor settings. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between CRD conditions and depressive symptoms in four settings in Peru. DESIGN: We collected data on CRD and depressive symptoms in adults aged ⩾35 years. Depressive symptoms were measured according to the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression was used to assess the adjusted odds of being in a higher category of depressive symptoms as a function of CRD. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 2953 participants (mean age 55.3 years, 49% male). The prevalence of major depressive symptoms was 19%, with significant variation according to setting. Participants with at least one CRD (OR 1.34, 95%CI 1.06-1.69) and those living at altitude (OR 1.64, 95%CI 1.10-2.43) had an increased adjusted odds of being in a higher category of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: We found a high prevalence of depressive symptoms, and a positive association between depressive symptoms with CRD and with living at altitude, both of which cause chronic hypoxia.

Obesity risk in rural, urban and rural-to-urban migrants: prospective results of the PERU MIGRANT study.

BACKGROUND: Although migration and urbanization have been linked with higher obesity rates, especially in low-resource settings, prospective information about the magnitude of these effects is lacking. We estimated the risk of obesity and central obesity among rural subjects, rural-to-urban migrants and urban subjects. METHODS: Prospective data from the PERU MIGRANT Study were analyzed. Baseline data were collected in 2007-2008 and participants re-contacted in 2012-2013. At follow-up, outcomes were obesity and central obesity measured by body mass index and waist circumference. At baseline, the primary exposure was demographic group: rural, rural-to-urban migrant and urban. Other exposures included an assets index and educational attainment. Cumulative incidence, incidence ratio (IR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for obesity and central obesity were estimated with Poisson regression models. RESULTS: At baseline, mean age (±s.d.) was 47.9 (±12.0) years, and 53.0% were females. Rural subjects comprised 20.2% of the total sample, whereas 59.7% were rural-to-urban migrants and 20.1% were urban dwellers. A total of 3598 and 2174 person-years were analyzed for obesity and central obesity outcomes, respectively. At baseline, the prevalence of obesity and central obesity was 20.0 and 52.5%. In multivariable models, migrant and urban groups had an 8- to 9.5-fold higher IR of obesity compared with the rural group (IR migrants=8.19, 95% CI=2.72-24.67; IR urban=9.51, 95% CI=2.74-33.01). For central obesity, there was a higher IR only among the migrant group (IR=1.95; 95% CI=1.22-3.13). Assets index was associated with a higher IR of central obesity (IR top versus bottom tertile 1.45, 95% CI=1.03-2.06). CONCLUSIONS: Peruvian urban individuals and rural-to-urban migrants show a higher incidence of obesity compared with their rural counterparts. Given the ongoing urbanization occurring in middle-income countries, the rapid development of increased obesity risk by rural-to-urban migrants suggests that measures to reduce obesity should be a priority for this group.

Type 2 diabetes and cardiac autonomic neuropathy screening using dynamic pupillometry.

AIM: To determine if changes in pupillary response are useful as a screening tool for diabetes and to assess whether pupillometry is associated with cardiac autonomic neuropathy. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study with participants drawn from two settings: a hospital and a community site. At the community site, individuals with newly diagnosed diabetes as well as a random sample of control individuals without diabetes, confirmed by oral glucose tolerance test, were selected. Participants underwent an LED light stimulus test and eight pupillometry variables were measured. Outcomes were diabetes, defined by oral glucose tolerance test, and cardiac autonomic dysfunction, determined by a positive readout on two of four diagnostic tests: heart rate response to the Valsalva manoeuvre; orthostatic hypotension; 30:15 ratio; and expiration-to-inspiration ratio. The area under the curve, best threshold, sensitivity and specificity of each pupillometry variable was calculated. RESULTS: Data from 384 people, 213 with diabetes, were analysed. The mean (±sd) age of the people with diabetes was 58.6 (±8.2) years and in the control subjects it was 56.1 (±8.6) years. When comparing individuals with and without diabetes, the amplitude of the pupil reaction had the highest area under the curve [0.69 (sensitivity: 78%; specificity: 55%)]. Cardiac autonomic neuropathy was present in 51 of the 138 people evaluated (37.0%; 95% CI 28.8-45.1). To diagnose cardiac autonomic neuropathy, two pupillometry variables had the highest area under the curve: baseline pupil radius [area under the curve: 0.71 (sensitivity: 51%; specificity: 84%)], and amplitude of the pupil reaction [area under the curve: 0.70 (sensitivity: 82%; specificity: 55%)]. CONCLUSIONS: Pupillometry is an inexpensive technique to screen for diabetes and cardiac autonomic neuropathy, but it does not have sufficient accuracy for clinical use as a screening tool.