Most atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by modifying lifestyles, including unhealthy diets. Eggs contain important carotenoids that may impact cardiovascular risk. The lipid nature of eggs can improve the bioavailability of other carotenoids, such as Annatto (Bixa orellana L.), with reported antioxidant properties. Although numerous studies have shown that there is no association between egg consumption and cardiovascular risk, there is still controversy. In addition, there is limited information about Annatto’s effects on human health. This study evaluated the association between egg consumption and its enrichment with Annatto in lipid biomarkers of cardiovascular disease. In a parallel clinical trial, one hundred and five (n = 105) men and women were randomized by age, sex, and body mass index (BMI), and distributed into three groups. Subjects consumed daily, for 8 weeks, either two eggs, two eggs with Annatto, or two egg whites. Plasma lipids were measured by enzymatic colorimetric methods, plasma apolipoproteins and lipoprotein subfractions and size by nuclear magnetic resonance. There were no differences between groups in age, sex, and BMI. No significant changes were found over time or between groups in plasma triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein (apo) A1, apo B, or lipoprotein subfraction concentrations. In healthy adults, the intake of two eggs a day, or two eggs with Annatto for eight weeks, did not generate adverse changes in cardiovascular risk markers.

Meningitis viral meningitis bacteriana antibióticos técnicas de diagnóstico molecular enterovirus RESUMEN Antecedentes Los enterovirus son la principal causa de meningitis infecciosa en la edad pediátrica. Hacer la diferenciación por clínica y laboratorio entre las diversas etiologías infecciosas resulta impreciso.Resumen del caso En este estudio realizamos la descripción de 13 pacientes pediátricos que ingresaron a nuestra institución con un cuadro clínico compatible con meningitis y en quienes se realizó detección de enterovirus en líquido cefalorraquídeo mediante técnicas moleculares.Conclusiones A través de métodos como la detección de enterovirus en el líquido cefalorraquídeo, puede obtenerse el diagnóstico de meningitis viral de forma rápida, disminuyendo el uso de antibiótico y la estancia hospitalaria.

The Allgrove syndrome (also known as Triple A syndromes), was described by Allgrove et al. in 1978 as a familiar clinical entity of unknown etiology whose characteristic features are adrenal insufficiency, achalasia and alacrima. The usual presentation is during the first 10 years of life with dysphagia or severe adrenal insufficiency, few new cases have been discovered in adults, whose autonomic symptoms and neurological manifestations such as mental retardation, hyperreflexia, nasal speech, anisocoria, ataxia, postural hypotension and sexual dysfunction are predominant. At the Pediatric Endocrinology Service of Hospital Universitario San Vicente de Paúl, Medellín, Colombia, 5 patients have been identified with the clinical features of Allgrove syndrome. All patients have showed both alacrima and adrenal insufficiency. Achalasia has not been diagnosed in one patient, whose symptomatology is highly suggestive to the syndrome. Mental retardation is the most frequent neurological alteration seen. The mean age of presentation for alacrima was 3.8 years, for adrenal insufficiency was 4.7 years and for achalasia was 7.2 years. An interesting finding and occasionally reported is the presence of hypothyroidism, which is subclinic in three patients, transient hypothyroidism in one patient and clinical hypothyroidism in the other one.