BackgroundWhile it is suggested that the prevalence of asthma in developed countries may have stabilized, this is not clear in currently developing countries. Current available information for both adults and children simultaneously on the burden and impact of allergic conditions in Colombia and in many Latin American countries is limited. The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence for asthma, allergic rhinitis (AR), atopic eczema (AE), and atopy in six colombian cities; to quantify costs to the patient and her/his family; and to determine levels of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) in asthmatic and healthy subjects.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional, population-based study in six cities during the academic year 2009–2010. We used a school-based design for subjects between 5–17 years old. We carried out a community-based strategy for subjects between 1–4 years old and adults between 18–59 years old. Serum samples for total and antigen-specific (IgE) levels were collected using a population-based, nested, case–control design.ResultsWe obtained information on 5978 subjects. The largest sample of subjects was collected in Bogotá (2392). The current prevalence of asthma symptoms was 12% (95% CI, 10.5-13.7), with 43% (95% CI, 36.3-49.2) reporting having required an emergency department visit or hospitalization in the past 12 months. Physician diagnosed asthma was 7% (95% CI, 6.1-8.0). The current prevalence of AR symptoms was 32% (95% CI, 29.5-33.9), and of AE symptoms was 14% (95% CI, 12.5-15.3). We collected blood samples from 855 subjects; 60.2% of asthmatics and 40.6% of controls could be classified as atopic.ConclusionsIn Colombia, symptom prevalence for asthma, AR and AE, as well as levels of atopy, are substantial. Specifically for asthma, symptom severity and absence from work or study due to symptoms are important. These primary care sensitive conditions remain an unmet public health burden in developing countries such as Colombia.

IgE responses to Ascaris are associated with asthma symptoms in a population living in the tropics. Sensitization to the cross-reactive Ascaris and mite tropomyosins partially underlies this finding. These results have potential relevance in asthma diagnosis and management.

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Our findings suggest the presence of previously unknown cultural, environmental and family factors associated with the presence of AR in Colombia.

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Introducción. Las personas que viven con VIH/SIDA refieren menor calidad de vida y menor apoyo social en evidencia proveniente de países desarrollados.Objetivo. Explorar la asociación entre apoyo social percibido; afectivo o de confianza y cada dimensión de calidad de vida relacionada con salud.Materiales y métodos. Estudio de corte transversal en personas que viven con VIH/SIDA seleccionadas por conveniencia de un programa de atención en una red hospitalaria de Bogotá. Se utilizaron los cuestionarios de calidad de vida relacionada con la salud SF36 y el cuestionario genérico de apoyo social funcional Duke-UNC-11. Se realizaron modelos de regresión lineal.Resultados. Existe relación directa entre la dimensión de bienestar emocional de calidad de vida y apoyo social afectivo (β: 7.36 IC95%: 1.04; 13.68) y de confianza (β 11.63 IC95% 5.30; 17.96). También entre las dimensiones de función física, desempeño emocional y dolor corporal y apoyo social percibido de tipo afectivo y entre la percepción de apoyo social de confianza y las dimensiones de vitalidad y función social. En contraposición, se encontró relación inversa entre los promedios de los puntajes de las dimensiones de desempeño emocional, desempeño físico y salud general con apoyo social percibido de tipo afectivo para la primera dimensión y de confianza para las dos últimas.Conclusiones. Los sujetos con mejores niveles de apoyo social percibido tienen un mejor nivel reportado de calidad de vida relacionada con la salud, situación que brinda insumos para la planeación, diseño e implementación de planes de atención médica que incorporen variables clínicas, paraclínicas y del entorno del paciente.

Background: Several studies have shown variations in the prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) around the world, and different potential predisposing factors. More studies are needed on risk factors, specifically in developing countries. This study explored the association of several factors and AR among urban residents in six cities of Colombia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study and a nested case-control study were carried out between 2009 and 2010 involving two Colombian subpopulations: children/adolescents and adults. Cases were affirmative respondents to "In the past 12 months, have you (or your child) had a problem with sneezing or a running or blocked nose, when you (or your child) did not have a cold or the flu?" "Controls" were subjects who never had been diagnosed with asthma, AR or atopic eczema by a physician, and whom did not report any symptoms in the past twelve months. Weighted logistic regression was used to assess the association of different factors with case/control status. Results: Factors associated with AR in children/adolescents were family history of AR, acetaminophen consumption and high socioeconomic status. Among adults, family history of asthma, AR and atopic eczema, and cetaminophen consumption were associated with AR. Consumption of cereals among children/adolescents and eating eggs among adults showed protective associations. Conclusions: Our findings suggest the presence of previously unknown cultural, environmental and family factors associated with the presence of AR in Colombia.

Background Restrictive Cardiomyopathies (R-CMP) represent a wide array of conditions characterized by diastolic heart failure with important impairment in left ventricle filling pressures. These entities require different treatments, rendering etiological diagnosis a key component during the evaluation of these patients. Purpose Report the mortality of a select group of patients with R-CMP referred to CMR in a tertiary care center in Latin-America. Methods We analyzed all patients with CMR performed in our institution, including hospitalized and ambulatory patients, between 2016 and 2021. We extracted data of patients diagnosed by CMR with amyloidosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF). All-cause mortality was extracted from national census data and analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and log-rank test. Results Between June 1st, 2016, and December 31st, 2021, 5000 CMRs were performed at our institution. Among these, 317 (6.3%) patients were diagnosed with R-CMP by CMR as follows: 52 patients (16.4%) had amyloidosis, 250 patients had HCM (78.9%) and 15 patients (4.7%) had EMF. Of these, 40.7% were female (n=129), the median age was 63 yar-old (IQR 51–71) and 64.7% (n=205) were out-patients. At a mean follow-up of 33.3 months, there was a statistically significant difference in mortality between patients with amyloidosis (49,0%) and those with HCM and EMF (7,1% and 13,3%, respectively; P<0.001), as described in Figure 1. Conclusions R-CMP represent a meaningful percentage of patients referred for CMR in our institution with different survival rates. Amyloidosis patients had a significantly higher mortality rate compared to HCM and EMF, at a relatively short follow-up. Increased access to CMR in our region for optimal diagnosis and early treatment may optimize prognosis in these types of patients. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Self funding