An opinion survey among readers of Revista Médica de Chile ¿Qué opinan suslectores de la Revista Médica de Chile?

Background: A few objective indicators support the relevance of articles published in medical journals, such, as the ISI Impact Factor and Citation indices. However, a feedback from the readers can help to improve a journal. Aim: To report the results of an opinion survey addressed to readers of Revista Médica de Chile, in June-August 2007. Material and methods: A survey was devised and distributed electronically or by mail, among all subscribers. It requested information about gender, age, site of work, proportion of time dedicated to clinical practice, teaching or research, plus their opinion about the contents and format of the journal, inviting them to propose improvements. Results: The survey was distributed to 1274 subscribers (98.7% phydcians, most, living in Chile) and was responded by 309 (24%). Those who responded were practicing medicine for a mean of 24 ± 13 (SD) years and did not differ in gender, age or years of medical practice from those thatdid not respond. Sixty thre

Blood insulin in fasting conditions as a simple marker of insulin resistance in hypertensive patients Insulinemia en ayunas como marcador simple de resistencia a la insulina en hipertensos.

Insulin resistance is associated to hypertension, obesity and diabetes and may be an independent cardiovascular risk factor. The exact assessment of insulin resistance requires complex metabolic studies. However, there is a good correlation between this parameter and fasting serum insulin levels. The aim of this work was to study fasting serum insulin levels by radio immuno analysis in 43 hypertensive patients aged 56 +/- 5.5 years old (27 male, 17 obese and 8 diabetics) and 20 normotensive controls aged 50 +/- 4.8 years old (13 male). Insulin levels were 3.8 UI/L in controls, 12.1 UI/L in normal weight, 15.5 UI/L in obese and 18.3 UI/L in diabetic hypertensives (ANOVA p < 0.001). These levels were above two standard deviations of control values in 50% of normal weight, 66% of obese and 62% of diabetic hypertensives. It is concluded that normal weight, obese and diabetic hypertensive subjects have high fasting insulin levels

Glucose turnover rate and peripheral insulin sensitivity in alcoholic patients without liver damage

Glucose intolerance is frequently found in alcoholic patients and an impaired insulin response has been documented in them. To look for alternative mechanisms that could explain this intolerance, a glucose turnover using tritiated glucose and an euglycemic glucose clamp were performed to measure theglucose production rate and peripheral insulin sensitivity, respectively. Two groups of recently abstinent chronic male alcoholic patients without evidence of liver damage were studied. The glucose turnover technique showed ahigher basal glucose production rate in alcoholics, compared with normal volunteers (2.83 ± 0.29 vs. 1.84 ± 0.22 mg/kg/min); an intravenous ethanol load significantly increased this rate. The euglycemic glucose clamp did not show peripheral insulin resistance in alcoholics, compared with controls. © 1989 S. Karger AG, Basel

Content of hepatic reduced glutathione in chronic alcoholic patients: Influence of the length of abstinence and liver necrosis

1. The relationship between the content of hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH) and the length of abstinence was investigated in 45 chronic alcoholic patients. 2. Hepatic GSH levels were significantly correlated (r=0.58; P<0.001) with the length of alcohol withdrawal in the whole group. According to liver histology patients were divided into two groups, with and without hepatic necrosis. Subjects without necrosis showed a significant positive correlation (r=0.71; P<0.001) between GSH values and the length of abstinence; no correlation (r=-0.22; P<0.40) was observed in the group with necrosis. 3. According to the period of abstinence patients were separated into two groups, with a short (≤5 days) and a prolonged (>5 days) alcohol withdrawal. Patients with and without necrosis exhibited comparable mean levels of liver GSH (2.04 ± SEM 0.21 and 1.74 ± 0.23 μmol/g respectively; P<0.30) when studied after short periods of abstinence. Alcoholics without liver necrosis showed significantly highe

Fatty acid composition of liver total lipids in alcoholic patients with and without liver damage

Alcohol ingestion may promote lipid peroxidation, and the presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids in liver lipids may be essential for the generation of liver damage through this mechanism. The aim of this study is to examine fatty acid composition of liver lipids in chronic alcoholics with and without histological liver damage. A percutaneous liver biopsy was performed to 28 patients hospitalized for treatment of their alcoholism. Liver total lipids were extracted from a portion of the tissue sample and fatty acid composition was measured by gas chromatography. Another piece of the sample was sent for histological study. Six patients had histological cirrhosis or alcoholic hepatitis in their biopsies, the rest of the patients had minimal changes. Patients with liver damage had higher levels of oleic acid end total monoenoic fatty acids, a higher 18:1/18:0 ratio, lower levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, a lower 20:4/18:2 ratio, and a lower peroxidability index in liver total lipid