UNLABELLED: STUDY OBJECTIVE AND SETTING: The aim of this study is to determine the incidence rate of type 1 diabetes in the metropolitan region of Santiago, Chile from 1 January 1986 to 31 December 2003. DESIGN: Population-based incidence study. PARTICIPANTS: A case must fulfill the following requirements to be included in this study: age at onset: 0 to 14 years, diagnosed with diabetes and placed on insulin, diagnosed within the defined time period, and to be a resident of the metropolitan region of Santiago at the time of the diagnosis. The population 'at risk' is the population less than 15 years of age. RESULT: The overall rate of type 1 diabetes was estimated as 4.02 cases per 100 000 children per year (95% confidence interval: 2.98-4.83). CONCLUSION: The incidence of type 1 diabetes in Santiago, Chile has increased during the last years. This data are concordant with the observation that the incidence of type 1 diabetes is increasing in Latin America and worldwide.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Plasma leptin and insulin levels in Aymara natives from Chile.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of plasma leptin levels with respect to obesity, gender, age and insulin levels in the native Aymara population. The Aymara natives live at high altitudes in isolated regions in the north of Chile, and they maintain distinctive genetic and cultural characteristics. Plasma leptin and insulin levels were correlated with body mass index (BMI), sex and age in a sample of 147 adult Aymara subjects who participated in a cross-sectional study. Multivariate analysis showed significant differences in leptin levels (dependent variable: natural log of leptin) by gender (p < 0.0001), and by BMI (p < 0.001), without significant statistical interaction between gender and BMI. The effect of age achieved statistical significance in the multivariate analysis (p = 0.02). Gender, BMI and insulin are independently associated with plasma leptin levels. On the other hand, the multivariate analysis of the plasma insulin concentration (dependent variable: natural log of insulin levels) shows that insulin is strongly associated with BMI (p < 0.0001), although non-statistically significant differences of insulin levels by sex (p = 0.07) or age (p = 0.9) were detected at alpha 0.05 level. Thus, in the special ecosystem where the Aymara population live, a strong and independent association between sex, obesity and insulin levels with plasma leptin levels has been detected.

Altitude↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The acceptability, safety and efficacy of nedocromil sodium in long-term clinical use in patients with perennial asthma.

The safety, acceptability and efficacy of nedocromil sodium, given by metered dose inhaler at a dosage of 4 mg four times daily, were investigated in a 52-week open assessment study of 79 perennial bronchial asthmatic patients maintained on oral bronchodilator therapy. Extensive laboratory monitoring of renal, hepatic and haematological functions before, during and at the end of the study failed to provide any evidence of drug-induced toxic effects. Nedocromil sodium was well tolerated with no serious adverse effects reported. Nineteen patients were withdrawn from the study, two complaining of sore throats and one of severe cough after nearly 1 year of treatment. The remainder were withdrawn because of intolerance to theophylline (one patient), non-cooperation (three), relocation outside the trial area (seven), onset of uncontrolled asthma (two) and pregnancy (three patients). Although this was an open assessment study, analysis of the diary card measurements and clinic assessments indicated that nedocromil sodium is an effective long-term therapy in the maintenance treatment of bronchial asthma.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Nocturnal eating syndrome].

AIM: A clinical and polysomnographic study of two patients with nocturnal eating syndrome (recurrent awakenings associated with the need to eat and difficulty in returning to sleep it the patient does not eat). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two patients, one 36-year-old male and one 41-year-old woman underwent clinical tests (including a psychopathological study based on a structured interview and a series of psychometric tests) and polysomnographical tests with audiovisual recording. RESULTS: The two patients presented a history since adolescence and insidious, progressive course of multiple nocturnal episodes associated with the need to eat and difficulty in returning to sleep if they did not do so. The polysomnographic study with video demonstrated awakenings in all the phases of sleep which were rapidly followed by food intake discarding other diseases. The biochemical, hormonal and neuroimaging studies were normal. The two patients showed alterations in alimentary habits characterized by gorging and a psychiatric profile of obsessive and compulsive traits. Bulimia and anorexia nervosa were excluded. CONCLUSIONS: The association of nocturnal eating syndrome with a compulsive alimentary pattern and the presence of obsessive-compulsive features in exception and suggests a common mechanism characterized by compulsive acts. Polysomnographic recording allows confirmation of the clinical diagnosis of nocturnal eating syndrome and discards other diseases.

Adult↗