Clinical and thyroid profile in patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in an intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to summarize the epidemiological and clinical features of thyroid function in COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Civil Fray Antonio Alcalde Hospital in Mexico. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study that included 63 ICU patients with COVID-19 from August 2021 to December 2021. Thyroid function was evaluated through the TSH, T4, T3, and FT3 measures. Comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM), arterial hypertension (HT), body mass index (BMI), and biochemical biomarkers, including procalcitonin (PCT) and C reactive protein (CRP), were also analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 63 patients with COVID-19 were hospitalized in the ICU; 42 (67%) were male, and 21 (33%) were female, with a mean age of 47 (range of 26-76 years). A total of 49 (78%) patients were non-vaccinated, 5 (8%) had an incomplete vaccination schedule, and 4 (6%) had completed the vaccination schedule. Regarding BMI, 10 (16%) were overweight, and 26 (40%) reported obesity. When assessing thyroid function, 8 (13%) patients were euthyroid, and 55 (87%) showed alterations on the thyroid hormonal axis, mainly a low concentration of TSH (0.56±0.79; p=0.0001) and FT3 (2.34±0.52; p=0.0006). In addition, increased PCT concentrations were associated with a higher risk to decease (1.22 vs. 8.21; p=0.0001) in this group of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our findings, it appears that COVID-19 patients with low TSH and FT3 levels, who have not been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, are overweight or obese, and exhibit high levels of PCT are more likely to experience a poor prognosis and even mortality.

Abordaje terapéutico integral de la hipertensión arterial. Recomendaciones para Centroamérica y el Caribe / Comprehensive Therapeutic Approach to Hypertension. Recommendations for Central America and the Caribbean

Las guías clínicas latinoamericanas de hipertensión arterial (HTA), elaboradas a la medida de las necesidades de los países de Centro y Sudamérica deben ser aplicadas y conocidas por la mayoría de los médicos latinoamericanos. El conocimiento e implementación de las guías es uno de los mayores desafíos de las sociedades de hipertensión del área latinoamericana tales como la Sociedad Centroamericana y del Caribe de Hipertensión Arterial (SCCH), la Sociedad latinoamericana de Hipertensión (LASH) y La Sociedad Interamericana de Cardiología (SIAC). En el año 2020, la SIAC publicó su posicionamiento sobre las guías vigentes de hipertensión arterial debido a la necesidad de estandarizar la evaluación, diagnóstico, tratamiento y control de la HTA, estableciendo recomendaciones que deberían adoptarse en todos los países de América Latina, encaminadas a optimizar el manejo del riesgo cardiovascular y conseguir una mejora sustancial en la disminución de eventos y mortalidad cardiovascular. El presente documento pretender reforzar las propuestas de la guía LASH y el posicionamiento de la SIAC en relación con el abordaje terapéutico y recomendaciones de tratamiento farmacológico de la HTA, con la finalidad de que se logre un mejor control de HTA en el área Centroamericana y del Caribe y, consecuentemente, mejorar el pronóstico de las enfermedades cardiovasculares en el área. (AU)

Latin American hypertension guidelines, tailored to the needs of countries of Central and South America, should be applied and known by most Latin American physicians. The knowledge and implementation of the Guidelines is one of the greatest challenges of hypertension societies in Latin America such as the Central American and Caribbean Society of Arterial Hypertension (SCCH), the Latin American Society of Hypertension (LASH) and the Inter-American Society of Cardiology (SIAC). In 2020, the Inter-American Society of Cardiology (SIAC) published its position on the current Guidelines for Arterial Hypertension due to the need to standardize the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and control of hypertension, establishing recommendations that should be adopted in all Latin American countries, aimed at optimizing the management of cardiovascular risk and achieving a substantial improvement in the reduction of cardiovascular events and mortality. This document intends to reinforce all proposals by the LASH guidelines and the position of the SIAC in relation to the therapeutic approach and pharmacological recommendations for patients with hypertension (HT), in order to achieve better HT control in the Central American and Caribbean area, and the consequently prognosis improvement of cardiovascular disease in the area. (AU)

[Comprehensive Therapeutic Approach to Hypertension. Recommendations for Central America and the Caribbean]. / Abordaje terapéutico integral de la hipertensión arterial. Recomendaciones para Centroamérica y el Caribe.

Latin American hypertension guidelines, tailored to the needs of countries of Central and South America, should be applied and known by most Latin American physicians. The knowledge and implementation of the Guidelines is one of the greatest challenges of hypertension societies in Latin America such as the Central American and Caribbean Society of Arterial Hypertension (SCCH), the Latin American Society of Hypertension (LASH) and the Inter-American Society of Cardiology (SIAC). In 2020, the Inter-American Society of Cardiology (SIAC) published its position on the current Guidelines for Arterial Hypertension due to the need to standardize the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and control of hypertension, establishing recommendations that should be adopted in all Latin American countries, aimed at optimizing the management of cardiovascular risk and achieving a substantial improvement in the reduction of cardiovascular events and mortality. This document intends to reinforce all proposals by the LASH guidelines and the position of the SIAC in relation to the therapeutic approach and pharmacological recommendations for patients with hypertension (HT), in order to achieve better HT control in the Central American and Caribbean area, and the consequently prognosis improvement of cardiovascular disease in the area.

A New Record of the Introduced Species Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in Mexico.

Here, we report a new record of Triatoma infestans (Klug) in Mexico after 50 years and provide a brief description of the discovery area. Fifty-nine specimens (71.2% adults) of the introduced species were collected from the peridomestic areas of a single house in the port of Manzanillo in the state of Colima, Mexico. Thirty-one specimens (52.5%) were collected from the exterior walls of the house and were apparently attracted to light. The other specimens (47.5%) were associated with chickens. No specimen was infected with Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, the causative agent of Chagas disease, possibly because they were feeding on chickens. We speculate that the introduced species travelled from South America to Mexico via seed shipment in a twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) maritime container. Because Mexican phytosanitary regulations demand only the cargo to be inspected, the triatomines could have escaped notice during inspection. Subsequently, as the cargo was unloaded and the TEU was stored, the triatomines likely flew to and invaded the nearby residential areas. The rediscovery of this domestic vector of T. cruzi in Mexico warrants further investigation owing to the potential risk of transmission to the inhabitants of the study area.

Biological Parameters of Two Triatoma protracta Subspecies (Hemiptera: Reduviidae).

In recent years, concerns about Chagas disease in the United States have increased. Triatomine bug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) populations are the vectors of the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas (Trypanosomatida: Trypanosomatidae), which causes Chagas disease, although the route of transmission is considered inefficient in United States. However, more studies on triatomine feeding and defecation behavior are needed. In this study, six related biological parameters from two populations of Triatoma protracta protracta (Uhler) and T. p. woodi (Uhler) from Mexican locations near the U.S. border were evaluated. The four population life cycles were less than 6 mo (161-171 d), with 9-10 blood meals needed to molt. Mortality rates were similar (31-38%) among the four populations. Triatoma p. woodi from Hidalgo, Coahuila was the most aggressive one. Feeding times were over 10 min, increasing with instar in all populations. Defecation behaviors varied among populations. High percentages of male and female fourth- and fifth-instar nymphs of T. p. protracta from Imuris and both populations of T. p. woodi defecated immediately after or <1 min of feeding. Lower percentages were observed for T. p. protracta from Jacumé. Because most parameters were similar among the four populations, independent of their subspecies and their geographic origin, we considered that T. p. protracta and T. p. woodi are efficient vectors of T. cruzi. In contrast, defecation patterns were noticeably different among some of the four triatomine populations studied. Our results highlight the importance of studying the biological parameters of local triatomine populations. They also contribute to increasing the knowledge of North American triatomine behavior and defecation patterns.

Registro Latinoamericano de monitorización ambulatoria de la presión arterial (MAPA-LATAM): una necesidad urgente / Latin-American Ambulatory Blood Pressure Registry (MAPA-LATAM): An urgent need

La hipertensión arterial (HTA) es el principal factor de riesgo de enfermedad cardiovascular. Aunque es un problema global, independiente de la situación económica, región, raza o cultura, los datos disponibles con respecto a Latinoamérica no son muy abundantes. Por otra parte, las guías clínicas enfatizan la importancia de obtener lecturas fiables de la presión arterial. Por ello, se recomienda el uso de la monitorización ambulatoria de la presión arterial (MAPA), que mejora su precisión y reproducibilidad, ayudando a un mejor diagnóstico, en la toma de decisiones terapéuticas, y representa una mejor estimación pronóstica que las medidas en consulta. Lamentablemente, no existe ningún registro prospectivo global de MAPA para toda Latinoamérica que analice la prevalencia de HTA, el grado de su conocimiento, su porcentaje de tratamiento y el grado de control. En consecuencia, los autores de este artículo consideran prioritaria su puesta en marcha (AU)

Hypertension (HT) is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Although it is a global problem, independently of economic situation, region, race or culture, the data available on Latin America are limited. Clinical guidelines emphasise the importance of obtaining reliable blood pressure readings. For this reason, the use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is recommended. This improves precision and reproducibility, resulting in better diagnosing and therapeutic decision-making, and constitutes a better estimation of prognosis than office measurements. Unfortunately, there is no global prospective ABPM registry for all of Latin America that analyses HT prevalence, the level of knowledge about it, treatment percentage and the degree of control. Consequently, the authors of this article consider its implementation a priority (AU)

Latin-American Ambulatory Blood Pressure Registry (MAPA-LATAM): An urgent need.

Hypertension (HT) is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although it is a global problem, independently of economic situation, region, race or culture, the data available on Latin America are limited. Clinical guidelines emphasise the importance of obtaining reliable blood pressure readings. For this reason, the use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is recommended. This improves precision and reproducibility, resulting in better diagnosing and therapeutic decision-making, and constitutes a better estimation of prognosis than office measurements. Unfortunately, there is no global prospective ABPM registry for all of Latin America that analyses HT prevalence, the level of knowledge about it, treatment percentage and the degree of control. Consequently, the authors of this article consider its implementation a priority.

Relationships of body surface thermography with core temperature, birth weight and climatic variables in neonatal lambs born during early spring in an arid region.

The main cause of death in newborn lambs is hypothermia, so is necessary to identify the factors affecting variations in body surface temperatures of sheep neonates because approximately 60% of their body heat losses occur through the skin. This study aimed to establish relationships among body surface thermography from different regions with rectal temperature (RT), birth weight (BW) and climatic variables in hair breed newborn lambs during early spring in an arid region. Data of body surface temperatures measured by infrared thermography (entire head, eye, muzzle, ear, entire body, shoulder, rump, loin, right flank, belly and leg), RT and BW were collected at 0, 12 and 24 h post-lambing in 85 lambs born in early spring. Relative humidity [RH], temperature [Te] and temperature-humidity index [THI] were also recorded. RT was not correlated with surface temperatures at 0 and 24 h, but it was at 12 h with all of them (0.36 ≤ r ≤ 0.44). BW and some surface temperatures were negatively correlated at 0 and 24 h (-0.24 ≤ r ≤ -0.30), but positively at 12 h (0.25 ≤ r ≤ 0.27). All surface temperatures were positively correlated (0.51 ≤ r ≤ 0.85) with Te and THI in the three sampling times. Principal component (PC) analysis showed that PC1 explained the majority of the variance (71-72%), followed by PC2 (8-9%) at 0, 12 and 24 h. Body surface temperatures increased as Te and THI also increased, but decreased with the increase in HR. In conclusion, under early spring environment (predominantly cold), the variations in body surface temperatures of hair sheep neonates were more closely related to climatic variables than to RT and BW. Thermography proved to be an effective tool to determine body heat loss by radiation in skin of neonate lambs.

Farmacovigilancia: conocimiento básico de los profesionales de salud del primer nivel de atención / Pharmacovigilance: basic knowledge of health professionals of the first level of care

Se realizó un estudio de tipo observacional descriptivo, de corte transversal con el fin de determinar el grado de conocimiento básico sobre la Farmacovigilancia en los profesionales de salud que trabajan en los establecimientos de salud de primer nivel del área urbana del Municipio de Sucre - Bolivia, en el año 2019. La muestra está representada por 35 establecimientos de salud de primer nivel del área urbana del Municipio de Sucre. El presente estudio se realizó en 2 etapas. La primera etapa donde se desarrolló un cuestionario autoadministrado y en la segunda etapa se realizó la encuesta; donde solo 76 profesionales quisieron participar del estudio. Se descartaron 2 cuestionarios por diversos motivos (información incompleta), quedando así, solo 74 cuestionarios que se incluyeron en el estudio. En las consideraciones éticas se determinó por los investigadores que no era necesario el llenado de un consentimiento informado. De los datos obtenidos se observó que el conocimiento básico sobre Farmacovigilancia de los profesionales de salud que trabajan en los establecimientos de salud de primer nivel del área urbana del Municipio de Sucre, en el año 2019 se ubica en un grado medio.

A descriptive, cross-sectional observational study was carried out in order to determine the degree of basic knowledge about Pharmacovigilance in health professionals working in the first level health establishments of the urban area of the Municipality of Sucre - Bolivia, in the year 2019. The sample is represented by 35 first level health facilities in the urban area of the Municipality of Sucre. The present study was carried out in 2 stages. The first stage where a self-administered questionnaire was developed and in the second stage the survey was conducted; where only 76 professionals wanted to participate in the study. Two questionnaires were discarded for various reasons (incomplete information), leaving only 74 questionnaires that were included in the study. In the ethical considerations it was determined by the researchers that it was not necessary to fill out an informed consent. From the data obtained, it was observed that the basic knowledge about Pharmacovigilance of health professionals working in the first level health establishments of the urban area of the Municipality of Sucre, in 2019 is located in a medium degree.

[Rapid diagnosis of principal respiratory viruses in the city of Havana, 1995-97]. / Diagnóstico rápido de los principales virus respiratorios en Ciudad de la Habana, 1995-97.

Acute respiratory diseases (ARD) are the most common infections in humans and difficult to prevent. Viruses have been recognized as predominant ethiological agents. In Cuba, ARD constitute a major problem of health and are the first cause of morbidity and important cause of mortality. In this paper, rapid diagnosis was performed to 516 clinical samples which arrived to the Reference Respiratory Viruses Laboratory of the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK) from different parts of Havana City during 1995, 1996 and 1997. The results obtained have shown 218 positive samples (Influenza A, 89; respiratory syncytial virus 52; Influenza B, 45; Adenovirus, 13; human parainfluenza virus(HPIV)-1, 6; HPIV-2, 3 and HPIV-3, 10). Influenza A was the virus most frequently found in adults, whereas in closed population of teen-agers and adults, Influenza B was frequently found. Furthermore, respiratory syncytial virus was the most important pathogen in children's under 1 year of age.

Diagnóstico rápido de los principales virus respiratorios en Ciudad de la Habana, 1995-97 / Rapid diagnosis of principal respiratory viruses in the city of Havana, 1995-97

Acute respiratory diseases (ARD) are the most common infections in humans and difficult to prevent. Viruses have been recognized as predominant ethiological agents. In Cuba, ARD constitute a major problem of health and are the first cause of morbidity and important cause of mortality. In this paper, rapid diagnosis was performed to 516 clinical samples which arrived to the Reference Respiratory Viruses Laboratory of the Pedro KourÝ Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK) from different parts of Havana City during 1995, 1996 and 1997. The results obtained have shown 218 positive samples (Influenza A, 89; respiratory syncytial virus 52; Influenza B, 45; Adenovirus, 13; human parainfluenza virus(HPIV)-1, 6; HPIV-2, 3 and HPIV-3, 10). Influenza A was the virus most frequently found in adults, whereas in closed population of teen-agers and adults, Influenza B was frequently found. Furthermore, respiratory syncytial virus was the most important pathogen in children's under 1 year of age.

Diagnóstico rápido de los principales virus respiratorios en Ciudad de la Habana, 1995-97 / Rapid diagnosis of principal respiratory viruses in the city of Havana, 1995-97

Acute respiratory diseases (ARD) are the most common infections in humans and difficult to prevent. Viruses have been recognized as predominant ethiological agents. In Cuba, ARD constitute a major problem of health and are the first cause of morbidity and important cause of mortality. In this paper, rapid diagnosis was performed to 516 clinical samples which arrived to the Reference Respiratory Viruses Laboratory of the Pedro KourY Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK) from different parts of Havana City during 1995, 1996 and 1997. The results obtained have shown 218 positive samples (Influenza A, 89; respiratory syncytial virus 52; Influenza B, 45; Adenovirus, 13; human parainfluenza virus(HPIV)-1, 6; HPIV-2, 3 and HPIV-3, 10). Influenza A was the virus most frequently found in adults, whereas in closed population of teen-agers and adults, Influenza B was frequently found. Furthermore, respiratory syncytial virus was the most important pathogen in childrens under 1 year of age.(AU)

Diagnóstico rápido de los principales virus respiratorios en Ciudad de la Habana, 1995-97. / [Rapid diagnosis of principal respiratory viruses in the city of Havana, 1995-97]

Acute respiratory diseases (ARD) are the most common infections in humans and difficult to prevent. Viruses have been recognized as predominant ethiological agents. In Cuba, ARD constitute a major problem of health and are the first cause of morbidity and important cause of mortality. In this paper, rapid diagnosis was performed to 516 clinical samples which arrived to the Reference Respiratory Viruses Laboratory of the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK) from different parts of Havana City during 1995, 1996 and 1997. The results obtained have shown 218 positive samples (Influenza A, 89; respiratory syncytial virus 52; Influenza B, 45; Adenovirus, 13; human parainfluenza virus(HPIV)-1, 6; HPIV-2, 3 and HPIV-3, 10). Influenza A was the virus most frequently found in adults, whereas in closed population of teen-agers and adults, Influenza B was frequently found. Furthermore, respiratory syncytial virus was the most important pathogen in childrens under 1 year of age.