[Trends in motorcycle road deaths in Colombia, 2008-2021Tendências de mortalidade por acidentes de motocicleta na Colômbia, 2008-2021]. / Tendencias en la mortalidad por accidentes de tránsito en motocicleta en Colombia, 2008-2021.

Objective: To identify trends in motorcycle road deaths in Colombia between 2008 and 2021. Methods: An observational and descriptive study of trends in motorcycle road deaths was conducted using official death records from 2008 to 2021. Jointpoint Poisson regression analysis was performed to detect inflection points in mortality rates specific to age, sex, and area of residence. Results: A total of 28 200 motorcycle road deaths were identified during the period; 24 271 men and 3 929 women died. Of the deaths, 74.1% occurred in urban areas and 25.9% in rural areas. In rural areas, there was an increasing trend in fatalities in young adults of both sexes during the period. The same occurred in men over 65 years of age. In urban areas, there was an upward trend in fatalities in the age group from 45-64 for both sexes during the period. Only one inflection point was detected, in 2015, showing a downward trend in adolescent females. Conclusion: The trend in motorcycle road deaths in Colombia continued to rise during the 2008-2021 period, both in rural areas for young adults and in urban areas for middle-aged adults.

Objetivo: Identificar tendências de mortalidade por acidentes de motocicleta na Colômbia entre 2008 e 2021. Métodos: Realizou-se um estudo observacional e descritivo das tendências de mortalidade por acidentes de motocicleta com base em registros oficiais de óbitos entre 2008 e 2021. Conduziu-se uma análise baseada na regressão de Poisson (Joinpoint) para detectar pontos de inflexão em taxas de mortalidade específicas por idade, sexo e área de residência. Resultados: Foram identificadas 28 200 mortes por acidentes de motocicleta durante todo o período, correspondendo a 24 271 homens e 3 929 mulheres. As mortes ocorreram tanto na área urbana (74,1%) quanto rural (25,9%). Na área rural, observou-se uma tendência crescente na mortalidade de adultos jovens de ambos os sexos ao longo de todo o período. O mesmo ocorreu em relação a homens com mais de 65 anos. Na área urbana, identificou-se uma tendência de aumento da mortalidade na faixa etária de 45 a 64 anos, em ambos os sexos, durante todo o período. Apenas um ponto de inflexão foi detectado em 2015, mostrando uma redução na tendência em adolescentes do sexo feminino. Conclusão: A tendência de mortalidade por acidentes de motocicleta na Colômbia continuou a aumentar durante todo o período (2008 a 2021), tanto na área rural, para jovens adultos, quanto na área urbana, para pessoas de meia-idade.

Internet-Based Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services Among Colombian Youth: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a sensitive subject, and young people may be unfamiliar with how to access SRH services. In this cross-sectional study, we examined young people's internet use to understand how they accessed SRH clinics in Colombia. This study also explored Colombian youth's interest in online material teaching how to access SRH services. Methods: During August 2019-February 2020, patients aged 10-24 years old presenting at two SRH clinics in Colombia were invited to answer a survey. Chi-square tests were performed to assess possible differences in how participants inquired how to access the clinic according to sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Among the 812 patients who participated, 91.4% were female and the median age was 19 years. To inquire how to access the SRH clinic, 30.7% of participants asked their parent(s) and 24.0% used the internet. Participants aged 20-24 years old were more likely to use the internet compared to younger participants (p < .001). Most respondents (81.5%) were interested in the availability of online material explaining how to access SRH services. Conclusions: While Colombian youth learned about how to access SRH clinics from several different sources, the vast majority indicated their interest in having access to online materials explaining how to access SRH services.

Persistent Food Insecurity and Material Hardships: A Latent Class Analysis of Experiences among Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants in Urban Colombia.

The causes and conditions of displacement often increase the vulnerability of migrant and refugee populations to food insecurity, alongside other material hardships. We aimed to examine the multidimensional aspects and patterns of food insecurity and other material hardships in a cross-sectional sample of 6221 Venezuelan refugees and migrants in urban Colombia using a latent class analysis. Using multinomial and logistic regression models, we investigated the demographic and migratory experiences associated with identified classes and how class membership is associated with multiple health outcomes among Venezuelan refugees and migrants, respectively. Approximately two thirds of the sample was comprised cisgender women, and the participants had a median age of 32 years (IQR: 26-41). Four heterogeneous classes of food insecurity and material hardships emerged: Class 1-low food insecurity and material hardship; Class 2-high food insecurity and material hardship; Class 3-high income hardship with insufficient food intake; and Class 4-income hardship with food affordability challenges. Class 2 reflected the most severe food insecurity and material hardships and had the highest class membership; Venezuelans with an irregular migration status were almost 1.5 times more likely to belong to this class. Food insecurity and material hardship class membership was independently associated with self-rated health, mental health symptoms, and recent violence victimization and marginally associated with infectious disease outcomes (laboratory-confirmed HIV and/or syphilis infection). Social safety nets, social protection, and other interventions that reduce and prevent material hardships and food insecurity among refugees and migrants, alongside the host community, may improve public health, support development, and reduce healthcare costs. In the long term, regularization and social policies for migrants aimed at enhancing refugees' and migrants' social and economic inclusion may contribute to improving food security in this population.

Impacts of attacks to female health care workers in three territories of Colombia.

BACKGROUND: This study explores the impacts of attacks perpetrated in the context of armed conflict, to female health workers in three Colombian territories. METHODS: We conducted a document review of the reports and databases of the Colombian Truth Commission, 17 in-depth semi-structured interviews with experts on the national and regional armed conflict and the medical mission, and 26 female health workers who were victims of attacks. RESULTS: Experts and female health workers reported attacks to health activities, facilities, equipment, and personnel, including attacks to traditional doctors belonging to indigenous communities. The most frequent attacks were threats and retention of health personnel; theft of supplies and medicines; damage and use of infrastructure and means of transport for purposes other than health care; and hinderance of health service provision. The attacks occurred in a framework of structural violence that intersects with poverty, racism, and gender bias. The impacts of these attacks include gender-based violence, significant disruption of the lives of health workers, and physical, emotional, psychological, social, and economic effects on the victims and their families. The government response to protect victims and populations has been absent or insufficient. CONCLUSIONS: Attacks to health care were reported in all the studied territories obstructing adequate health care. Impacts of these attacks affect negatively the professional and personal life of the workers and are aggravated by structural violence and absent or little institutional response.

Perceived Ageism is Associated With Recurrent Falling Among Older Colombian Adults.

Literature on the association between ageism and falling among older adults is limited. Using data from the nationwide cross-sectional SABE (Salud, Bienestar y Envejecimiento) Colombia Survey in 2015 with 18,875 participants aged ≥60 years living in the communities, the study aims to evaluate the association between perceived ageism within the family, neighborhood, health services, and public services, and recurrent falling. Participants had a mean age of 69.2 ± 7.1; 56.1% were female. Recurrent falling prevalence was 15%, and experiencing any ageism was 10%. Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed higher odds of recurrent falling for any ageism (OR = 1.81, 95% CI 1.61-2.02, p < .0001). High depressive symptoms mediated 10.1% of the association between any ageism and recurrent falling, followed by low instrumental activities of daily living (9.7%) and multimorbidity (9.3%). Current findings open new areas of gerontological research by expanding the risk factors for falling among older adults to include ageism perceptions.

The Impact of Health Inequities on Population-Based Breast Cancer Survival in a Colombian Population, 2008-2015.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain breast cancer survival estimates in Manizales, Colombia, considering socioeconomic level, health insurance regime and residential area, while adjusting for age, histology and stage at diagnosis. METHODS: Analytical cohort study based on breast cancer incident cases recorded by the Population-based Manizales Cancer Registry between 2008-2015. Patients were followed-up for 60 months. Cause-specific survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method for variables of interest, with the Wilcoxon-Breslow-Gehan test for differences. Cox multivariate regression models were fitted. RESULTS: 856 breast cancer cases were included. The 5-year cause-specific survival for the entire cohort was 78.2%. It was higher in women with special/exception health insurance, high socioeconomic level, <50 years old, ductal carcinoma, and stages I and II. Residential area did not impact survival. In Cox models, the subsidized health insurance regime (HR: 4.87 vs contributory) and low socioeconomic level (HR: 2.45 vs high) were predictors of the hazard of death in women with breast cancer, adjusted for age, histology, stage and interactions age-stage and insurance-stage. A positive interaction (synergistic effect modification) between health insurance regime and stage regarding to survival was observed. CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic factors significantly contribute to the inequities in breast cancer survival, independent of the stage at diagnosis. This suggests the need for comprehensive interventions to remove barriers to accessing the health system. This research provides evidence of survival gaps mediated by certain social determinants of health and generates data on the overall performance of the Colombian health system.

Diversity of Leaf Fungal Endophytes from Two Coffea arabica Varieties and Antagonism towards Coffee Leaf Rust.

Coffee has immense value as a worldwide-appreciated commodity. However, its production faces the effects of climate change and the spread of severe diseases such as coffee leaf rust (CLR). The exploration of fungal endophytes associated with Coffea sp. has already found the existence of nearly 600 fungal species, but their role in the plants remains practically unknown. We have researched the diversity of leaf fungal endophytes in two Coffea arabica varieties: one susceptible and one resistant to CLR. Then, we conducted cross-infection essays with four common endophyte species (three Colletotrichum sp. and Xylaria sp. 1) and Hemileia vastatrix (CLR) in leaf discs, to investigate the interaction of the endophytes on CLR colonisation success and severity of infection. Two Colletotrichum sp., when inoculated 72 h before H. vastatrix, prevented the colonisation of the leaf disc by the latter. Moreover, the presence of endophytes prior to the arrival of H. vastatrix ameliorated the severity of CLR. Our work highlights both the importance of characterising the hidden biodiversity of endophytes and investigating their potential roles in the plant-endophyte interaction.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Chagas a Neglected Tropical Disease in Rural Communities of the Colombian Caribbean, CHAGCOV Study.

PURPOSE: Chagas disease (CD) a Neglected Tropical Diseases is an important public health issue in countries where is still endemic, included in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Traditionally restricted to rural areas with diverse routes of transmissions from vectorial to oral with acute manifestations but being more common diagnosed in chronic stages. The aim of this investigation was to characterize the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) related to Chagas disease (CD) in two rural settlements of the Colombian Caribbean with previous records of the disease and/or the parasite. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was made in two rural settlements in Colombia and surveillance instrument was developed to measure Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) related to Chagas disease (CD). RESULTS: In a population with > 60% women and access to social security around 66.5%; 81,6% were homeowners with access to water and electricity > 90% but only 9% of sewerage. The level of knowledge about CD was around 62% but lack of specificity about comprehension of transmission routes (74,6%), and symptoms (85,3%) were found; concluding that 86% of the surveyed sample had very poor level of knowledge about the disease despite preventive campaigns carried out in the two communities studied. CONCLUSIONS: Despite of a low frequency of CD in this Caribbean areas, the presence of vector, risk factors plus poor level of knowledge about the disease justify that public health intervention strategies should be implemented and monitored over time to maintain uninterrupted surveillance of Chagas Disease.

Case report: A novel COL3A1 variant in a Colombian patient with isolated cerebrovascular involvement in vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Introduction: To date, approximately 600 unique pathogenic variants have been reported in COL3A1 associated with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS). The objective of this study was to describe a patient with a novel variant in COL3A1 associated with vEDS. Case report: We describe the clinical history and thorough phenotyping of a patient with brain aneurysms and identified a novel pathogenic variant in COL3A1. This male patient reported transient focal neurologic symptoms. Physical examination showed abnormal atrophic scarring, horizontal stretch marks under the arms, and an acrogeric appearance of the skin of the hands and feet. Brain imaging revealed extensive dilation of both internal carotids and the vertebrobasilar system. Molecular analysis identified a variant in COL3A1 (NM_000090.4):c.3058G>T p.(Gly1020Cys), which was classified as likely pathogenic. Currently, the patient has never had an event concerning dissection/rupture of tissues that could be affected in this condition. Conclusion: This report demonstrates that exhaustive evaluation with clinical and genetic approaches should be considered in patients with vascular abnormalities. vEDS has a variable clinical presentation and often goes unrecognized, even though it is related to life-threatening complications and a shortened life expectancy. Diagnosis confirmed by genetic testing is crucial to determining appropriate surveillance, prevention, treatment, and genetic counseling.

Increased threat of urban arboviral diseases from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Colombia.

Objectives: Our study targets the potential of the local urban mosquito Aedes aegypti to experimentally transmit chikungunya virus (CHIKV), dengue virus (DENV), yellow fever virus (YFV), and Zika virus (ZIKV). Methods: We collected eggs and adults of Ae. aegypti in Medellín, Colombia (from February to March 2020) for mosquito experimental infections with DENV, CHIKV, YFV and ZIKV and viral detection using the BioMark Dynamic arrays system. Results: We show that Ae. aegypti from Medellín was more prone to become infected, to disseminate and transmit CHIKV and ZIKV than DENV and YFV. Conclusions: Thus, in Colombia, chikungunya is the most serious threat to public health based on our vector competence data.

Microfilaremic infection in canine filariosis in Colombia: a challenge in morphological and molecular diagnostics.

Canine filariosis is caused by filiform nematodes and affects several species of animals as well as humans. The disease produces a wide range of symptoms that can often be confused with other diseases, which increases the complexity of its diagnosis. The search for methodologies to facilitate its diagnosis is a challenge, and specific and differential identification of the parasite species causing the disease holds key to a successful diagnosis. In Colombia, there is a problem of underdiagnosis of filariosis in microfilaremic dogs infected by Dirofilaria immitis and Acanthocheilonema reconditum, and of microfilaremias not related to heartworm disease. The highest prevalences have been reported for D. immitis infections, although new cases of A. reconditum infections are beginning to appear. The aim of this study was to differentiate the microfilariae infections caused by D. immitis and A. reconditum by a morphological and molecular characterization of microfilariae so as to facilitate an accurate diagnosis of canine filariosis in the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga (Colombia). For this purpose, 400 blood samples with anticoagulants were collected from the dogs and analyzed with the help of a commercial immunochromatography kit for the detection of D. immitis circulating antigen. The Woo, Knott, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques were employed for determining the parasite count, morphological observation, and molecular identification of microfilariae present in the dogs respectively. The prevalence of microfilaremic dogs in Bucaramanga metropolitan area was 18.75% (75/400). The prevalence of dogs that tested positive for D. immitis in the antigen and in PCR tests was 1.25% (5/400) and 1% (4/400), respectively. Furthermore, the PCR test revealed that 17.75% of the microfilaremic dogs tested positive for A. reconditum (71/400) (first report in the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga), with one animal co-infected by both species, and 0% for D. repens (0/400). However, by morphological characterization, 4% of the microfilariae (3/75) corresponded to D. immitis, 20% (15/75) to D. repens, and 76% (57/75) to A. reconditum. The use of molecular diagnostic methods such as PCR aids in the specific identification of the parasite, thus making it a more accurate method than the morphological characterization of microfilariae. The identification of the parasites by PCR helps improve the veterinary diagnosis of canine filariosis in Colombia, which would lead to the establishment of an appropriate treatment protocol for each species of filaria and also to the generation of reliable data to be used at the clinical and epidemiological levels.

Mitochondrial genome comparison and phylogenetic position of Fannia pusio among the Calyptratae flies.

Fannia pusio, the chicken dung fly species, remains unexplored despite its forensic, sanitary, and veterinary importance in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions. In this study, we obtained the complete mitochondrial genome of Fannia pusio for the first time using next-generation sequencing. We compared it with previously published mitogenomes of the genus from the Palearctic region, and its phylogenetic position was studied based on the concatenated protein-coding genes (PCGs) dataset of Calyptratae flies. The circular mitochondrial genome of F. pusio is 16,176 bp in length, with a high A + T content (78.3%), whose gene synteny, codon usage analysis, and amino acid frequency are similar to previously reported Fannia mitogenomes. All PCGs underwent purifying selection except the nad2 gene. Interspecific K2P distances of PCGs of Fannia yielded an average of 12.4% (8.1%-21.1%). The Fannia genus is monophyletic and closely related to Muscidae based on molecular data. Further taxonomic sampling is required to deep into the phylogenetic relationships of the originally proposed species-groups and subgroups within the genus. These results provide a valuable dataset for studying the mitochondrial genome evolution and a resource for the taxonomy and systematics of Fannia.

Zika virus prevention behaviors and knowledge among male partners of pregnant people and lack of condom use as a prevention behavior from the Zika en Embarazadas y Niños (ZEN) prospective cohort study, Colombia.

OBJECTIVE: Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in pregnancy can cause brain and eye abnormalities and neurodevelopmental sequelae. In the absence of medical countermeasures, behavioral interventions were recommended to prevent mosquito bites and sexual transmission of ZIKV. This report uses data from the Zika en Embarazadas y Niños (ZEN) prospective cohort study in Colombia to describe the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAB) related to ZIKV prevention in male partners compared to those of their pregnant partners at study enrollment during February 2017-2018. RESULTS: Most male partners reported wearing protective clothing such as long pants (97.6%) and long sleeves (72.8%), as well as covering ankles and feet (89.1%) to prevent ZIKV infection. When comparing the preventive behavior of condom use between male and pregnant partners, 26 pairs (10.0%) both responded that they performed the behavior. Overall, 25.1% of male partners and 18.9% of pregnant people reported any condom use during the three months before enrolling in ZEN. When comparing other preventive behaviors between male and pregnant partners, the behavior which was most frequently reported by both partners was wearing long pants (85.4%), and the least frequently reported by both partners was using condoms after finding out about a partner's pregnancy (3.4%).

Clinical and economic burden of systemic lupus erythematosus in Colombia.

AIMS: Our cost-of-illness (COI) model adopted payer and societal perspectives over five years to measure the economic burden of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prevalence-based model was constructed to estimate costs and economic consequences for SLE patients in Colombia. The model included four health states: three phenotypes of SLE representing mild, moderate, and severe states and death. The clinical inputs were captured from the published literature and validated by the Delphi panel. Our model measured direct medical and indirect costs, including disease management, transient events, and indirect costs. One-way sensitivity analysis was also performed. RESULTS: The number of Colombian SLE patients was 37,498. The number of SLE patients with mild, moderate, and severe phenotypes was 5343, 28757 and 3,397, respectively. SLE-patients with moderate (Colombian pesos; COP 146 billion) and severe phenotypes (COP276 billion) incurred higher costs than those with mild phenotypes (COP2 billion), over 5 years. The total SLE cost in Colombia over five years from the payer and societal perspectives was estimated to be COP 915 billion and 8 trillion, respectively. The costs per patient per year from the payer and societal perspectives were COP 4,881,902 ($3,510) and COP 46,637,054 ($33,528), respectively. CONCLUSION: The burden of SLE in Colombia over five years is substantially high, mainly due to the consequences of economic loss because it affects women and men of working age, in addition to the costs of SLE management and its consequences, such as flares, infection, and organ damage. Our COI indicated that disease management costs among patients with moderate and severe SLE were substantially higher than those among patients with a mild phenotype. Therefore, more attention should be paid to limiting the progression of SLE and the occurrence of flares, with the need for further economic evaluation of novel treatment strategies that help in disease control.

The Association of Teen Pregnancy and Violence: A Multilevel Study in Colombia.

Background: Colombia has a high teen pregnancy (TP) rate. In 2018, one in five pregnancies was from teen mothers between 10 and 19 years of age. While TP rates are declining globally, Colombia's TP rate decline has been particularly low, despite sexual education and contraception campaigns. Other factors must be studied to prevent TP. Colombia has a long history of violence. We aim to assess whether there is a relationship between TP and exposure to violence in Colombia. Methods: Data from the Colombian Demographic and Health Survey 2015 and the Colombian National Department of Statistics were analyzed for association between TP and sexual violence, physical violence, physical punishment as a child, and community violence. Univariate, bivariate, multivariate, and multilevel binary logistic regression models were calculated using SPSS v.25 and HLM v.7. Results: Fifteen percent of teens were pregnant. Emotional violence was reported by 47%, sexual harassment by 27%, physical violence by 17%, physical punishment as a child by 7%, and unwanted sex by 2%. Unwanted sex (odds ratio [OR]: 3.18, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.96-5.16), sexual harassment (OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.89-3.14), and physical punishment (OR: 20.30, 95% CI: 7.96-22.81) were associated with adolescent pregnancy. In unadjusted models, emotional violence was associated (OR: 1.22, 95% CI 1.06-1.40) and community violence showed a tendency (OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 0.99-1.55). Physical violence was not associated. Conclusions: Violence exposure and particularly physical punishment, unwanted sex and sexual harassment were associated with TP incidence and should be considered risk factors for TP.

Understanding the dynamics of deceased organ donation and utilization in Colombia.

Objective: To obtain a comprehensive overview of organ donation, organ utilization, and discard in the entire donation process in Colombia. Methods: A retrospective study of 1 451 possible donors, distributed in three regions of Colombia, evaluated in 2022. The general characteristics, diagnosis, and causes of contraindication for potential donors were described. Results: Among the 1 451 possible donors, 441 (30.4%) fulfilled brain death criteria, constituting the potential donor pool. Families consented to organ donation in 141 medically suitable cases, while 60 instances utilized legal presumption, leading to 201 eligible donors (13.9%). Of those, 160 (11.0%) were actual donors (in whom operative incision was made with the intent of organ recovery or who had at least one organ recovered). Finally, we identified 147 utilized donors (10.1%) (from whom at least one organ was transplanted). Statistically significant differences were found between age, sex, diagnosis of brain death, and donor critical pathway between regions. A total of 411 organs were transplanted from 147 utilized donors, with kidneys being the most frequently procured and transplanted organs, accounting for 280 (68.1%) of the total. This was followed by 85 livers (20.7%), 31 hearts (7.5%), 14 lungs (3.4%), and 1 pancreas (0.2%). The discard rate of procured deceased donors was 8.1%. Conclusions: About one-tenth of donors are effectively used for transplantation purposes. Our findings highlight areas of success and challenges, providing a basis for future improvements in Colombia.

Leprosy in Colombia: A look from life experience.

Leprosy continues to be stigmatized, causing harm to fundamental rights, pain and hopelessness in those who have suffered from it and their families. From its relationship with public and mental health, effective strategies must be implemented to reduce stigma and unlearn myths and wrong perceptions, support families, and improve quality of life through early care and detection. This article shows that those affected by leprosy are capable, functional people with much to contribute to society anywhere in the world.

[Analysis of journalistic framing during the Covid-19 pandemic in Colombia's leading newspapers: El Tiempo and El Espectador]. / Análisis del encuadramiento periodístico en tiempos de pandemia de covid-19 en los principales diarios de Colombia: El Tiempo y El Espectador.

This study presents a content analysis of headlines featured on the front pages of Colombia's two most prominent newspapers during the COVID-19 health emergency. The objective was to examine the framing strategies employed by El Tiempo and El Espectador during their journalistic coverage of the initial phase of the pandemic. Criteria for analysis included informational tone, thematic approaches, grammatical structures in the headlines, information sources, coverage scope, and media perspective. Regarding interpretative frameworks, both newspapers predominantly adopted a negative approach towards the crisis and the structural impact the pandemic had on the country, especially within a context marked by uncertainty and tension. Primary themes were associated with economic and social aspects. The most prominent terms in the headlines during this period were linked to the pandemic, Covid-19, and the virus, concepts that consistently maintained a significant presence in the media agenda of the studied outlets.

Se presenta un análisis de contenido de los titulares publicados en las portadas de los dos diarios de mayor tradición en Colombia durante la emergencia sanitaria por covid-19. El objetivo fue analizar el encuadramiento o framing de los periódicos El Tiempo y El Espectador durante el cubrimiento periodístico del primer periodo de la pandemia. Se tomaron como criterios de análisis el tono informativo, los abordajes temáticos, el tipo de estructura gramatical en los titulares, las fuentes de información, la cobertura y la perspectiva mediática. En relación con los marcos de interpretación, los medios privilegiaron un enfoque negativo de la crisis y del impacto estructural que la pandemia desencadenó en el país, sobre todo desde un contexto marcado por la incertidumbre y la tensión. Los principales temas se asociaron a lo económico y social. Los términos que tuvieron mayor visibilidad en los titulares de dicho periodo se asociaron con pandemia, covid-19 y virus, conceptos que transversalmente mantuvieron una marcada presencia en la agenda mediática de los medios objeto de estudio.

Prescription patterns of ambrisentan in some cities of Colombia.

INTRODUCTION: Ambrisentan is a selective type A endothelin receptor antagonist that has shown significant effectiveness and safety in the management of patients with pulmonary hypertension. Its use pattern with real-world evidence in Colombia is unknown. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to determine the prescription patterns of ambrisentan in some cities of Colombia. METHODS: A longitudinal descriptive study on the prescription patterns of ambrisentan in patients with pulmonary hypertension (all the groups) was conducted between January 2021 and December 2022 based on a population database of members of the Colombian Health System. Adherence at 1 year was determined using the Medication Possession Ratio (days the drug was dispensed/days from first dispensing to the end of the follow-up period × 100). Descriptive analysis was carried out. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients taking ambrisentan were identified in 10 cities of the country. The individuals had a median age of 51.5 years (interquartile range-IQR: 39.8-64.0 years), and 82.1% were women. The drug possession rate was 82.2% (IQR: 65.0-96.8%), and persistence at 1 year was present in 49.3% (n = 33) of the cases. The average dose was 8.8 ± 5.0 mg/day, and 76.1% (n = 51) received it in combination therapy, mainly with phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (61.2%, n = 41). CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to ambrisentan was good, but its persistence at 1 year was low. The dosages of the drug used were in accordance with the recommendations of the clinical practice guidelines, and it was used in combination therapy, especially with phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors.