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Objective-: Insulin resistance (IR) is an important risk factor for type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM2) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Metabolic Syndrome (MS) is a clustering of metabolic alterations associated to IR; however, there is no international consensus for defining its diagnosis. Our objective was to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of MS identified by the ATP III and IDF criteria in adults from Talca city. Research and methods-:We studied 1007 individuals, aged 18-74, and residents from Talca. MS subjects were defined according to ATP III (three altered factors) and IDF criteria (patients with waist circumference >80/90 cm (W/M) and two others altered factors). Results-:The prevalence of metabolic syndrome according to the IDF and ATP III criteria was 36.4% and 29.5%, respectively after adjustment for age and sex. The agreement for both criteria was 89%. The prevalence in men was higher than in women for both MS definitions, although not significant. MS probability increased with age, and the highest risk was in the 57-68 age group (ATP-MS) and 53-72 age group (IDF-MS). Hypertension, high triglycerides and abdominal obesity are the most frequent alterations in MS.Conclusion-: MS prevalence in adults was higher when diagnosed with IDF than with ATP criterion; in both, age is directly related with the MS presence. The MS subjects showed higher levels of blood pressure, waist circumference and plasma triglycerides. Considering our results, it is worrisome that one third of our population has a high risk of developing DM2 and CVD in the future.

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In essential hypertension (EH) patients, blood pressure can modify serum concentrations of some soluble forms of cell adhesion molecules (CAM), e.g., soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1). The objective of this study was to compare the serum levels of these CAMs in compensated (CH) and non-compensated (NCH) EH patients. Our findings show that sE-selectin and sVCAM-1 levels are higher in EH patients than normotensive subjects (sVCAM-1: 796+/-52 vs. 605+/-24 ng/mL, p<0.0001, and sE-selectin: 71+/-21 vs. 48+/-14 ng/mL, p<0.0001). Serum concentrations of both CAMs was higher in NCH patients than CH patients. High arterial blood pressure (ABP) may therefore increase the production of cell adhesion molecules, probably through endothelial activation.

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Background Seroprevalence studies provide an accurate measure of SARS-CoV-2 spread and the presence of asymptomatic cases. They also provide information on the uneven impact of the pandemic, pointing out vulnerable groups to prioritize which is particularly relevant in unequal societies. However, due to their high cost, they provide limited evidence of spatial spread of the pandemic specially in unequal societies. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Chile and model its spatial risk distribution. Methods During Oct–Nov 2020, we conducted a population-based serosurvey in Santiago, Talca, and Coquimbo–La Serena (2493 individuals). We explored the individual association between positive results and socio-economic and health-related variables by logistic regression for complex surveys. Then, using an Empirical Bayesian Kriging model, we estimated the infection risk spatial distribution using individual and census information, and compared these results with official records. Results Seroprevalence was 10.4% (95% CI 7.8–13.7%), ranging from 2% (Talca) to 11% (Santiago), almost three times the number officially reported. Approximately 36% of these were asymptomatic, reaching 82% below 15 years old. Seroprevalence was associated with the city of residence, previous COVID-19 diagnosis, contact with confirmed cases (especially at household), and foreign nationality. The spatial model accurately interpolated the distribution of disease risk within the cities finding significant differences in the predicted probabilities of SARS-CoV-2 infection by census zone (IQR 2.5–15.0%), related to population density and education. Conclusions Our results underscore the transmission heterogeneity of SARS-CoV-2 within and across three urban centers of Chile. Socio-economic factors and the outcomes of this seroprevalence study enable us to identify priority areas for intervention. Our methodological approach and results can help guide the design of interdisciplinary strategies for urban contexts, not only for SARS-CoV-2 but also for other communicable diseases.