The Catalonian Newborn Screening Program (CNSP) began in 1969, in Barcelona. It was promoted by Dr. Juan Sabater Tobella and supported by Barcelona Provincial Council and Juan March Foundation. That ...is how the Institute of Clinical Biochemistry was born, whose aims were diagnosis, research and teaching, along with the spirit of contributing to the prevention of mental retardation. The CNSP began with the detection of phenylketonuria (PKU), and, in 1982, the Program was expanded with the inclusion of congenital hypothyroidism detection. Towards 1990, the Program covered almost 100% of all newborns (NB) in Catalonia. In 1999, the CNSP was expanded with the incorporation of cystic fibrosis. It took fourteen years, until 2013, to make the largest expansion so far, with the incorporation of 19 metabolic diseases to the screening panel. The detection of sickle cell disease began in 2015 and in 2017 the detection of severe combined immunodeficiency was included. Currently, the CNSP includes 24 diseases in its main panel. Since 1969, 2,787,807 NBs have been screened, of whom 1,724 have been diagnosed with any of these diseases, and 252 of other disorders by differential diagnosis with those included in the main panel. The global prevalence is 1: 1,617 NBs affected by any of the diseases included in the CNSP and 1: 1,140 NBs if incidental findings diagnosed through the CNSP are included.
Allergic diseases are under-investigated and overlooked health conditions in developing countries. We measured the prevalence of food allergy (FA), airborne allergic disease, and allergic ...sensitisation among adolescents living in 2 socio-demographically disparate regions in Ecuador. We investigated which risk factors are associated with these conditions.
A cross-sectional study involved 1338 students (mean age: 13 ± 0.9 years old) living in Cuenca (n = 876) and Santa Isabel (n = 462). History of allergic symptoms (noted by parents or doctor) to food, house dust mites (HDM), pollen, and pets were recorded. Sociodemographic characteristics, environmental exposures, and parental history of allergic disorders data were collected. Sensitisation to 19 food and 20 aeroallergens was measured by skin-prick testing (SPT). FA and airborne allergic diseases (to HDM, pollen, cat, or dog) were defined as a report of allergic symptoms noted by doctor, together with a positive SPT (wheal size ≥3 mm). Logistic regression models were used to identify environmental and parental factors associated with allergic conditions.
FA was prevalent among 0.4% (95% CI 0.2%–0.9%), and food sensitisation among 19.1% of the adolescents. Shrimp was the most frequent food linked with FA and food sensitisation. Risk factors associated with FA could not be evaluated due to the low prevalence. Food sensitisation was higher among adolescents exposed to family smoking (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.14–2.34, p = 0.008) and those with parental history of allergic disorders (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.13–2.49, p = 0.01), but less common among adolescents owning dogs (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.41–0.84, p = 0.003).
Airborne allergic diseases were prevalent amongst 12.0% of the adolescents (95% CI: 10.4–13.9, n = 1321), with HDM as the primary allergen (11.2%). Airborne allergic diseases were less common among adolescents with more siblings (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.65–0.96, p = 0.02) and those who lived with farm animals in the first year of life (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.23–0.95, p = 0.04), but, most common among adolescents with a smoking family (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.04–2.70, p = 0.03) and with a parental history of allergic disorders (OR self-perceived: 2.62, 95% CI 1.46–4.71, p = 0.001; OR diagnosed by a doctor: 4.07, 95% CI 2.44–6.80, p < 0.001).
FA and airborne allergies are less prevalent in Ecuador than in developed regions; there is a great dissociation between the prevalence of allergic disease and allergic sensitisation. Shrimp and HDM were the most prevalent allergens. Risk factors identified in this study to be related to allergic diseases should be considered by physicians, health practitioners, and epidemiologists in Ecuador.
On March 11, 2020, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) as a pandemic. The spread and evolution of the pandemic is ...overwhelming the healthcare systems of dozens of countries and has led to a myriad of opinion papers, contingency plans, case series and emerging trials. Covering all this literature is complex. Briefly and synthetically, in line with the previous recommendations of the Working Groups, the Spanish Society of Intensive, Critical Medicine and Coronary Units (SEMICYUC) has prepared this series of basic recommendations for patient care in the context of the pandemic.
Background and objectives: Consumption of convenient ready-prepared foods and eating out-of-home has raised in low- and middle income countries. Eating out-of-home has been associated with unhealthy ...dietary patterns rich in processed and ultra-processed foods. The aim of this study is to compare the dietary quality and foods processing levels between Substantial out-of-home (SOH) and Non-substantial out-of-home (NSOH) eaters. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed among 779 adolescents from an urban and a rural area in Ecuador (2008- 2009). Two non-consecutive 24-hour recalls were used to estimate dietary intake; eating out-of home was defined when food items were prepared in any place different than: the student home and relative's or friends home. Participants were classified as SOH eaters if they obtained more than 25% of their daily energy intake out-of-home; meanwhile, those who obtained ≤25% of daily energy intake out-of-home were identified as NSOH. Food processing levels were categorized using the NOVA Brazilian classification into non-processed, culinary ingredients, processed and ultra- processed foods. Two sample t-test was used to compare mean daily energy intake, energy density and macronutrient energy %, as well as energy % intake by food processing levels between SOH and NSOH eaters. Results: Overall, 71.89% of participants were classified as SOH eaters. Total energy intake (1927 kcal vs. 1825 kcal; p = 0.01), energy density (1.82 kcal/g vs. 1.62 kcal/g; p = 0.00) and total fat % 24.7% vs. 22.1%; p = 0.00) intakes were higher among SOH eaters compared with NSOH eaters. In addition, SOH eaters obtained less energy from non-processed food (48.4% vs. 60.7%; P<0.001) but more energy from processed (4.5% vs. 2.2%; P<0.001) and ultra- processed (34.7% vs. 22.5%; P<0.001) foods when compared with NSOH eaters. Conclusions: A great percentage of our population were SOH eaters and their dietary quality was considerably unhealthy. SOH eaters consumed more processed and ultra-processed foods, which are associated with the development of non-communicable diseases. Therefore, out-of-home preparation places should be considered when establishing nutritional policies.
PDF
