ANÁLISE COMPARATIVA DO USO DA ESTATINA E DO ÁCIDO NICOTÍNICO NO TRATAMENTO DA SÍNDROME METABÓLICA

Considering metabolic syndrome (MS) as a pathophysiological condition characterized by arterial hypertension, central obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia, this study aims to compare the use of statins and nicotinic acid in the treatment of MS. To this end, a comparative analysis based on relevant clinical and epidemiological studies was conducted. Thus, it is observed that statins significantly reduce LDL cholesterol by about 50% and decrease the risk of cardiovascular events by 25% to 35%, with an odds ratio (OR) of improvement between 0.70 and 0.80. Statins are widely available and accessible, especially in generic versions, and have a relatively manageable adverse effect profile. In contrast, nicotinic acid reduces LDL cholesterol by 15% to 25%, increases HDL cholesterol, and reduces triglycerides, but with less consistent efficacy in preventing cardiovascular events (OR ranging from 0.90 to 1.10) and significant side effects, such as skin flushing and hepatotoxicity. The cost and availability of nicotinic acid are more limited compared to statins. It is concluded that statins are the preferred choice for the treatment of MS due to their robust efficacy and accessibility, while nicotinic acid may be considered in specific cases, with caution due to its adverse effects.Considerando a síndrome metabólica (SM) como uma condição fisiopatológica caracterizada por hipertensão arterial, obesidade central, resistência à insulina, dislipidemia e hiperglicemia, este estudo objetiva comparar o uso de estatinas e ácido nicotínico no tratamento da SM. Para tanto, procede-se a uma análise comparativa baseada em estudos clínicos e epidemiológicos relevantes. Desse modo, observa-se que as estatinas reduzem significativamente o LDL-colesterol em cerca de 50% e diminuem o risco de eventos cardiovasculares em 25% a 35%, com odds ratio (OR) de melhora entre 0,70 e 0,80. As estatinas são amplamente disponíveis e acessíveis, especialmente nas versões genéricas, e apresentam um perfil de efeitos adversos relativamente manejável. Em contraste, o ácido nicotínico reduz o LDL-colesterol em 15% a 25%, aumenta o HDL-colesterol e reduz os triglicerídeos, mas com uma eficácia menos consistente na prevenção de eventos cardiovasculares (OR variando de 0,90 a 1,10) e efeitos colaterais significativos, como rubor cutâneo e hepatotoxicidade. O custo e a disponibilidade do ácido nicotínico são mais limitados em comparação às estatinas. Conclui-se que as estatinas são a escolha preferida para o tratamento da SM devido à sua eficácia robusta e acessibilidade, enquanto o ácido nicotínico pode ser considerado em casos específicos, com precaução devido aos seus efeitos adversos

NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES: a data set on carnivore distribution in the Neotropics

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non-detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, museum collections, roadkill, line transect, and opportunistic records. Literature (peer-reviewed and grey literature) from Portuguese, Spanish and English were incorporated in this compilation. Most of the data set consists of detection data entries (n = 79,343; 79.7%) but also includes non-detection data (n = 20,262; 20.3%). Of those, 43.3% also include count data (n = 43,151). The information available in NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES will contribute to macroecological, ecological, and conservation questions in multiple spatio-temporal perspectives. As carnivores play key roles in trophic interactions, a better understanding of their distribution and habitat requirements are essential to establish conservation management plans and safeguard the future ecological health of Neotropical ecosystems. Our data paper, combined with other large-scale data sets, has great potential to clarify species distribution and related ecological processes within the Neotropics. There are no copyright restrictions and no restriction for using data from this data paper, as long as the data paper is cited as the source of the information used. We also request that users inform us of how they intend to use the data