Behavioral intervention seems not to be superior to standard care for children with autistic spectrum disorder

La conclusión más importante de este artículo es que en la actualidad no existe evidencia de que la terapia conductual aplicada sea superior a los cuidados estándar en los pacientes con autismo

Behavioral intervention seems not to be superior to standard care for children with autistic spectrum disorder

La conclusión más importante de este artículo es que en la actualidad no existe evidencia de que la terapia conductual aplicada sea superior a los cuidados estándar en los pacientes con autismo

In children with epilepsy, the late onset of the disease, a good control of it and receiving an adequate professional training can facilitate the integration into a normal working life

Este artículo pretende determinar el estatus laboral a largo plazo y los factores pronósticos que influyen en el mismo en adultos con epilepsia de aparición en la infancia y que viven en la comunidad

In children with epilepsy, the late onset of the disease, a good control of it and receiving an adequate professional training can facilitate the integration into a normal working life

Este artículo pretende determinar el estatus laboral a largo plazo y los factores pronósticos que influyen en el mismo en adultos con epilepsia de aparición en la infancia y que viven en la comunidad

Prevalence of anemia in elderly subjects living at home: role of micronutrient deficiency and inflammation

Artículo de publicación ISIObjective: Aging is associated with increased risk of developing anemia and micronutrient deficiencies. Wheat-based staple foods are iron fortified in Chile. We aimed to establish the prevalence and etiology of anemia in apparently healthy free-living elderly subjects. Design and setting: A cross-sectional study was performed in an outpatient clinic of Santiago, Chile. Subjects and methods: A group of 274 subjects (93 men, 181 women) greater than or equal to 60 y old living at home and apparently healthy was studied. Clinical and anthropometric evaluations and dietary survey were performed. Complete blood count, and status of iron, copper, folate, vitamins B-12 and A and C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were measured. Results: Prevalence of anemia was 5.4% for men and 4.4% for women. Subjects with inflammatory process had a higher prevalence of anemia (22.2% men, 31.6% women). Abnormal serum retinol (< 0.35 <mu>mol/l) was found in 13.7% of men and 15.9% of women. Prevalence of folate deficiency (< 7 nmol/l) was 50.5% in men and 33.1% in women. Low serum vitamin B-12 (< 148 pmol/l) was present in 51.1% of men and 30.9% of women. Iron and copper deficiencies were infrequent. Conclusions: Anemia is not prevalent in free-living elderly subjects when iron intake is adequate. Inflammatory process is the main etiology of anemia in this age group. Vitamin A, folate and vitamin B-12 deficiencies were found in a significant proportion of the study group

One-month of calcium supplementation does not affect iron bioavailability: A randomized controlled trial

Artículo de publicación ISIObjectives: Calcium (Ca) and iron (Fe) are essential minerals for normal growth and development. Although previous studies have shown that Ca inhibits acute Fe absorption, there is no evidence of the possible long- or medium-term effects of Ca supplementation on Fe bioavailability. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 34 d of Ca supplementation on heme Fe and non-heme Fe bioavailability in non-pregnant women of ages 33 to 47 y. Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Twenty-six healthy women (40 5 y) were randomly assigned to receive either 600 mg of elemental Ca/d as CaCO3 (Ca group, n ¼ 13) or a placebo (P group, n ¼ 13) for 34 d. Heme Fe and non-heme Fe bioavailability were determined before and after treatment using 55Fe and 59Fe radioisotopes. A two-factor, repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to assess differences by treatment and timing. Results: The geometric mean (range 1 SD) of heme Fe bioavailability before and after treatment was 16.5% (8.3–32.8) and 26% (15.5–43.6) for the Ca group and 21.8% (13.0–36.6) and 25.1% (16.5–38.3) for the P group. Non-heme Fe bioavailability before and after treatment was 39.5% (19.9–78.7) and 34.1% (19.1–60.6) for the Ca group, and 44.6% (24.9–79.7) and 39.3% (24.3–63.4) for the P group. There were no differences in either heme Fe or non-heme Fe bioavailability either at baseline or after treatment. Conclusion: The administration of calcium supplements for 34 d does not affect iron bioavailability. This trial is registered with Controlled-trials.gov, number ISRCTN 89888123.The study was supported by grants from the Chilean National Research Council (FONDECYT 1095038). We would like to thank Sotiris Chaniotakis for his work editing this manuscript

Differential response of interleukin-2 production to chronic copper supplementation in healthy humans

Backgound. Copper (Cu) is an essential trace element for many biological processes including maintenance of both innate and acquired branches of immunity. Objective. To measure the effect of copper supplementation on IL-2 and TNF-α production in subjects with lower and higher ceuloplasmin (Cp) values within normal range. Design. Healthy adults (17 men and 16 women) with normal-low (low Cp) and normal-high Cp (high Cp) values were supplemented with 10 mg Cu/day (as CuSO4) during 2 months. Method. Before and after supplementation blood mononuclear cells were incubated in the absence or presence of phytohaemagglutinin or lipopolysaccharide for induction of IL-2 and TNF-α, respectively. The secretion of cytokines was measured by ELISA. Cu supplementation did not modify classical biochemical markers of Cu status. Results. After supplementation, a significant increase in IL-2 production was found only in subjects with normal-low plasma Cp. Before and after Cu supplementation geometric mean and range ± 1 SEM values were 1,566 (1,287-1,905) and 2,514 (2,159-2,927) pg/mL, respectively (two way ANOVA for repeated measures: Cp level p < 0.001; time = NS; interaction Cp level and time p < 0.05). We did not observe changes in TNF-α production after Cu supplementation. Conclusions. Cu supplementation increased secretion of IL-2 and not TNF-α, which suggests an activation of proliferative but not inflammatory cytokines. These results support hypothesis that IL-2 may be a good indicator to identify a subgroup of individuals (polymorphism) who differs in Cu metabolism

Scholastic Achievement: A Multivariate Analysis of Nutritional, Intellectual, Socioeconomic, Sociocultural, Familial, and Demographic Variables in Chilean School-Age Children

Artículo de publicación ISI.OBJECTIVE: We determined relative effects of nutritional status, intellectual ability, exposure to mass media, and socioeconomic, sociocultural, familial, demographic, and educational variables on scholastic achievement (SA). METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. Exposure to mass media and nutritional, intellectual, socioeconomic, sociocultural, familial, demographic, and educational factors, including approximately 2000 variables, were measured in a representative and proportional sample of 4509 school-age children from elementary and high schools in Chile's Metropolitan Region. The field study was carried out between 1986 and 1987, and data processing, which lasted 15 y, was completed in 2002. RESULTS: Within the total sample, intellectual ability, level of maternal schooling, head circumference-for-age Z score, book reading, in-door plumbing, level of paternal schooling, type of school, quality of housing, height-for-age Z score, and calcium intake were the independent variables with the greatest explanatory power in SA variance (r(2) = 0.508). In most grades, IA was the independent variable with the greatest explanatory power in SA variance. In adolescents in their fourth year of high school and whose physical growth and intellectual development processes are consolidated, intellectual ability, age, head circumference-for-age Z score, book reading, type of school, and level of paternal schooling were the independent variables with the greatest explanatory power in SA variance (r(2) = 0.60). CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that SA is conditioned by multiple factors depending on the characteristics of school-age children, their families, and the educational system. Nutritional indicators of past nutrition are significantly associated with SA, especially head circumference-for-age Z score. This information may be useful for health and educational planning.This study was supported in part by grants 1841167 and 1880818 from the National Fund for Scientific and Technologic Development and grant S 2169-924F from the Research and Development Department, University of Chile

Less than adequate vitamin D status and intake in Latin America and the Caribbean: A problem of unknown magnitude

Artículo de publicación ISIBackground. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Latin America and the Caribbean is unknown. Objective. To examine the prevalence data available on vitamin D deficiency in Latin America and the Caribbean. Methods. A systematic review was conducted in 2011. Studies using biochemical biomarkers and dietary intake estimation were included. Studies conducted in apparently healthy individuals, independently of age, latitude, skin pigmentation, and season of the year at the time of blood collection, were included. Results. A total of 243 studies were identified. The final number of selected studies was 28, including two National Health Surveys (Mexico and Argentina). There are studies that report the vitamin D status of specific subgroups conducted in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico. However, the small sample sizes in these studies and thus the low national representativeness of the reported data do not allow for an accurate assessment of vitamin D status at the regional level. In the majority of the countries with available data, we observed that vitamin D insufficiency was classified as a mild, moderate, or severe public health problem. The only country with a nationally representative sample was Mexico, which found 24%, 10%, 8%, and 10% prevalence rates of vitamin D insufficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D < 50 nmol/L) in preschoolers, schoolchildren, adolescents, and adults, respectively. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D < 20 nmol/L) was less than 1% for all groups. Conclusions. There is some indication that vitamin D insufficiency may be a public health problem in Latin America and the Caribbean, but the exact magnitude is currently unknown