Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Cuba.

INTRODUCTION: With a global adult prevalence of 24%, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a global health problem that parallels the worldwide increase of obesity. Its frequency, clinical characteristics and related diseases in Cuba remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: Describe the clinical characteristics, comorbidities and personal habits of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease who are being treated in secondary and tertiary health facilities in seven Cuban provinces. METHODS: A cross-sectional, multicenter study was carried out in 6601 adults seen at gastroenterology outpatient clinics of nine hospitals in seven Cuban provinces from September 2018 through May 2019. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasound. The study included 1070 patients who met the diagnostic and study criteria and agreed to participate. Their personal habits and anthropometric and clinical characteristics, comorbidities and other aspects of their medical histories were recorded. RESULTS: Of the 1070 participants, 60.7% (649) were women. Participants' average age was 54.5 years and average body mass index was 30.5 kg/m2. A total of 397 (37.1%) were overweight and 574 (53.6%) were obese, 945 (88.3%) led a sedentary lifestyle, 564 (52.7%) had high blood pressure, 406 (37.9%) had lipid disorders and 301 (28.1%) were diabetic. While 484 (45.2%) of patients were asymptomatic, the most frequent clinical signs and symptoms were fatigue (262; 24.5%), dyspepsia (209; 19.5%), abdominal pain (306; 28.5%) and hepatomegaly (189; 17.7%). Liver cirrhosis was present in 37 (3.5%) patients at the time of diagnosis. Family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity were identified in 391 (36.5%) and 279 (26.1%) of participants, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in these Cuban patients coincides with that reported in the Caribbean region, which has high levels of obesity, overweight and sedentary lifestyles. Most were asymptomatic, female or had metabolism-related comorbidities such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia.

Comportamiento de la hemorragia digestiva alta en el Hospital Universitario Calixto García / Behavior of high digestive hemorrhage in the Calixto García Hospital

INTRODUCCIÓN. Muchos de los ingresos en los cuerpos de guardia se deben a hemorragias digestivas altas, pero con frecuencia no se encuentran datos sobre el comportamiento de éstas en el país. El objetivo de esta investigación fue describir los datos demográficos, etiologías y conductas adoptadas en pacientes con este diagnóstico, y de los fallecimientos ocurridos por esta causa. MÉTODOS. Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo que incluyó a los pacientes con diagnóstico de hemorragia digestiva alta, ingresados en el servicio de cirugía del Hospital Universitario Calixto García entre el 2006 y el 2007. RESULTADOS. Por esta causa fueron ingresados 551 pacientes, entre los que prevalecieron los hombres, ancianos, con enfermedades crónicas. Al 92 por ciento se le realizó panendoscopia oral. Las causas más frecuentes de hemorragia reciente fueron las gastroduodenitis agudizadas, y las de hemorragia activa en el momento de la endoscopia fueron las úlceras duodenales. Se indicó tratamiento médico en el 89 por ciento de los casos y quirúrgico en el 11 por ciento . Falleció el 6,8 por ciento de los pacientes y las causas principales fueron las úlceras gastroduodenales, las várices gastroesofágicas y las gastroduodenopatías erosivas. CONCLUSIONES. La hemorragia digestiva alta ocupa un lugar importante entre las causas de ingresos en el Hospital Universitario Calixto García, en La Habana(AU)

INTRODUCTION. Most of admissions in emergency rooms are due to high digestive hemorrhages, but frequently there are not available data on the behavior of this type of hemorrhage in our country. The objective of present research was to describe the demographic data, etiologies and behaviors followed in patients with this diagnosis and also of the deaths provoked by this cause. METHODS. A retrospective study was conducted including patients diagnosed with high digestive hemorrhage admitted in surgery service of the Calixto García University Hospital between 2006 and 2007. RESULTS. Due to this cause 551 patients were admitted prevailing old men with chronic diseases. The 92 percent undergoes oral panendoscopy. The more frequent causes of recent hemorrhage were the worsened gastroduodenitis and those of the active hemorrhage at moment of endoscopy were the duodenal ulcers. Medical treatment was prescribed in the 89 percent of cases and the surgical one in the 11 percent The 6,8 percent of patients deceased and the leading causes were the gastroduodenal ulcers, the gastroesophageal varices and the erosive gastroduodenopaties. CONCLUSIONS. The high digestive hemorrhage has an important place among the causes of admission in the Calixto García University Hospital of La Habana(AU)