Health literacy and adherence to treatment in different districts in Chile.

The relationship between health literacy and adherence has been described in medical literature, especially for patients with non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, the relevance that an individual's local context can have has not been considered. This study aimed to examine the association of both concepts at a population level and estimate the correlation between health literacy and adherence to pharmacological treatment in adults from 14 districts in different regions in Chile. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 14 districts from 3 different regions of Chile. Sampling was carried out by volunteers. Three questionnaires were applied: sociodemographic; Morisky-Green-Levine (MMAS-4) and the Short Assessment of Health Literacy for Spanish Adults test (SAHLSA-50). Data were analyzed descriptively, and a Multilevel Poisson Regression model was fitted to evaluate the relationship between health literacy and adherence to pharmacological treatment, considering the districts as fixed intercepts. A total of 1,336 persons were surveyed; 811 self-reported as having at least 1 NCD. A 83.4% had adequate literacy and 37.1% were adherent to pharmacological treatment, regardless of their health literacy. A 3.6% (variance partition coefficient = 0.036) correlation of adherence to treatment was observed in respondents living in the same district. Those with inadequate health literacy had a 12% greater prevalence of being non-adherent (prevalence ratio 1.12; IC 95% 0.87 - 1.47) when adjusting for individual variables. These results could suggest that the individual's local context does not influence the relation of functional health literacy and adherence to pharmacological treatment in populations with basic and intermediate levels of education. We suggest further studies in this matter.

HIV/AIDS-related Knowledge and Behavior among School-attending Afro-Descendant Youths in Ecuador.

BACKGROUND OR OBJECTIVES: HIV/AIDS transmission in Ecuador is considered a concentrated epidemic; therefore, there are some studies on high risk groups but there is limited published data regarding the HIV/AIDS risk factors among adolescents of African descent. In this study, we sought to explore the determinants of HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and behavior among afro-descendant youths attending schools in the city of Esmeraldas, Ecuador. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey among school-attending youths was conducted in Esmeraldas, Ecuador in 2010. Our target population was afro-descendant youths attending the last two years of high school. Thirty public high schools enrolling students in junior and senior years were identified. Outcome data were analyzed in the form of three composite variables. A multivariate linear regression model was built for each outcome. RESULTS: A total of 213 school-attending afro-descendant youths aged 14 to 21 years old were enrolled in this study. Gender distribution was almost equal with a 1:1.17 male to female ratio. Overall, students in this population scored well in comprehensive knowledge of HIV with 88% having medium or higher knowledge. CONCLUSION AND GLOBAL HEALTH IMPLICATIONS: Knowledge of HIV and its determinants was medium to high, but knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases was low among afro-descendant Ecuadorian adolescents in our study. Results of this study might be instrumental in facilitating decision-making processes related to the planning, implementation, and evaluation of HIV/AIDS prevention and control strategies in this specific population.

Neoplasia mucinosa papilar intraductal como hallazgo en paciente con pancreatitis / Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm as a finding in a patient with pancreatitis

Introducción: La neoplasia mucinosa intraductal papilar (NMIP) del páncreas es una masa quística dependiente del sistema ductal pancreático. Presentación del caso: Paciente de 65 años, femenino, antecedentes mórbidos de diabetes mellitus tipo 2 sin tratamiento e hipertensión arterial esencial en tratamiento. Consulta por cuadro clínico de 9 horas caracterizado por epigastralgia opresiva/urente de inicio súbito, con irradiación en faja a dorso, intensidad EVA 10/10, asociado a náuseas, sin vómitos, diarrea ni fiebre. Ingresa hemodinámicamente estable, afebril, hidratada, sin signos de irritación peritoneal, sin masas palpables y con ruidos hidroaéreos presentes. Destaca en exámenes de laboratorio: amilasa 390 UI/L, lipasa 1760.9 U/L.Se diagnostica pancreatitis aguda y por sospecha de etiología biliar se realiza colangiopancreatografia por resonancia magnética (CPRM). Como hallazgo se describe formación quística de 13mm a nivel de la transición entre cuerpo y cola del páncreas, compatible con NMIP de rama secundaria y se diagnostica pancreatitis aguda leve Balthazar B de etiología litiásica. Se realiza manejo de la pancreatitis y debido a las características del NMIP encontrado el plan es seguimiento tomográfico en 2 a 3 años. Discusión: Las NMIP son hallazgos imagenológicos frecuentemente incidentales, pues la mayoría de los pacientes se mantienen asintomáticos. La característica imagenológica habitual corresponde a una lesión quística multilocular lobulada situada en el proceso unciforme y en contigüidad con el conducto pancreático principal dilatado. Según las características de la lesión, el manejo puede ser quirúrgico o seguimiento. Las tasas de supervivencia global a 5 años se acercan a 61-87%

Introduction: Pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is a cystic mass dependent on the pancreatic ductal system. Case report: Female, 65 years old, with morbid history of type 2 diabetes without treatment and essential hypertension under treatment. Consults by clinical profile of 9 hours characterized by oppressive/ burning epigastralgia of sudden onset, with irradiation in sash to back, intensity EVA 10/10, associated with nausea, without vomiting, diarrhea or fever. Is hemodynamically stable, afebrile, hydrated, with no signs of peritoneal irritation, with no palpable masses and with bowel sounds present. Highlights in laboratory tests: amylase 390 UI / L, lipase 1760.9 U / L. Acute pancreatitis is diagnosed and due the suspicion of biliary etiology a magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography is performed. A cystic formation of 13mm is described at the transition level between body and tail of the pancreas, compatible with branch duct type IPMN and acute mild pancreatitis Balthazar B of lithiasic etiology is diagnosed. Management of pancreatitis is performed and because of the characteristics of the IPMN found the plan is tomographic follow-up in 2 to 3 years. Discussion: IPMN are frequently incidental imaging findings, as most patients remain asymptomatic. The usual imaging characteristic corresponds to a lobulated multilocular cystic lesion located in the unicular process and in contiguity with the main dilated pancreatic duct. Depending on the characteristics of the lesion, the management may be surgical or follow-up. The 5-year survival rates approach 61-87%.

Expression of CXCR4, E-cadherin, Bcl-2, and survivin in Merkel cell carcinoma: an immunohistochemical study using a tissue microarray.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but highly aggressive cutaneous malignancy with a mortality rate exceeding that of melanoma. Although smaller studies of markers of progression have been performed, large-scale investigation has been difficult due to the rarity of this tumor. Investigation of 4 potential immunohistochemical progression markers using an MCC tissue microarray was performed. An immunohistochemical analysis of CXCR4, E-cadherin, Bcl-2, and Survivin was performed on a tissue microarray of two hundred twenty-seven 0.6-mm tumor cores-110 primary, 73 local/regional metastatic, and 44 distant metastatic-from 87 patients, 23 of which were sampled 2 or more times. There was a statistically significant increase in immunoreactivity to CXCR4 and Survivin in local/regional nodal MCC metastases compared with primary and distant metastatic lesions. No significant differences by disease location were found for either Bcl-2 or E-cadherin. These results suggest a potential role for CXCR4 and Survivin in MCC tumor progression. However, previous data from other studies suggesting a role for Bcl-2 and E-cadherin in MCC progression are not confirmed in this larger sample. Further discovery of additional markers are needed to better characterize this rare but deadly malignancy.

Adrenal progestogen and androgen production in 21-hydroxylase-deficient nonclassic adrenal hyperplasia is partially independent of adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that adrenal steroidogenesis in nonclassic adrenal hyperplasia (NCAH) patients is, at least in part, independent of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) control. DESIGN: Prospective controlled clinical study. SETTING: Patients and healthy volunteers in an academic research environment. PATIENT(S): Four patients with 21-hydroxylase (21-OH) deficient NCAH and four healthy control women. INTERVENTION(S): Patients received the long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRH-a) leuprolide acetate (3.75 mg/month IM) on weeks 0 and 4; and dexamethasone (DEX) in weekly incremented doses (0.25 mg/day, 0.50 mg/day, 1.0 mg/day, and 1.5 mg/day), beginning on weeks 4, 5, 6, and 7, respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The levels of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-HP), progesterone (P4), androstenedione (A4), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHS), and cortisol (F) were measured at the beginning of weeks 0, 4, 5, 6, 7, and at the end of the study (beginning of week 8). RESULT(S): Patients and controls had a similar median age and body mass index (BMI). There were no significant decreases in the median levels of the studied hormones following 4 weeks of treatment with GnRH-a only, in either NCAH patients or controls. Analysis of individual hormonal values demonstrated that by the end of the study (after DEX of 1.5 mg/day during a week) only 2 of 4, 0 of 4, 3 of 4 and 3 of 4 NCAH patients had 17-HP, P4, A4, and DHS levels within the range of control values, respectively. CONCLUSION(S): Ovarian and incremental adrenal suppression did not fully suppress progestogen and androgen production in all of the study patients with 21-OH-deficient NCAH, suggesting that their production was partially independent of ACTH stimulation. Potentially in these patients subtle degrees of adrenocortical hyperplasia and/or abnormal enzymatic kinetics are responsible for the nonsupressibility.

Enfermedad trofoblastica gestacional

La presente revisión trata de la enfermedad trafoblástica gestacional haciendo referencia a los tumores de origen placentario que se derivan del tejido epitelial coriónico. Se describe la clasificación según la OMS, resaltando ls sintomatología clásica de esta patología, así como también los métodos de laboratorio más utilizados como son: La ecosonografía, La dosificación de HCG. Gamagrafía, TAC, estudios de histopatología, medición de alfa feto proteínas dosificación de calcio calmodulina y de CAMP-A quinasa, por último se revisan los esquemas terapéuticos más usados hoy en día.