Search

OBJECTIVE: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of the rapid diagnostic test OptiMAL® for diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax malaria. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included all the patients who sought medical attention in the San Martin Pangoa Hospital, Junin, an area endemic for vivax malaria in Peru, between October and December 1998, who had fever during the previous 72 hours and who were older than 12 months. The gold standard for diagnosis was thick blood film microscopy. We determined the parasitemia rate for each of the positive slides. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the test. RESULTS: We included 72 patients; 39 of them were positive for P. vivax by microscopic examination. The sensitivity of the Optimal test was 92.3%, the specificity 100%, the positive predictive value 100% and the negative predictive value 91.6%. The accuracy of the test was 95.8%. The sensitivity of the OptiMAL® test progressively decreased when parasitemia was lower than 1,000 parasites/microliter. CONCLUSIONS: the OptiMAL® test has a high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of P. vivax malaria. However, its sensitivity decreased when parasitemia levels were lower. It is a very simple technique, which makes it a good alternative for malaria diagnosis in remote places, although its elevated cost is still a problem.

Objetivo: Comparar la medición de la satisfacción de pacientes atendidos en un hospital del Perú mediante el uso de las escalas Likert y Vigesimal. Material y métodos: Estudio transversal. 2445 pacientes atendidos en el Instituto de Salud del Niño fueron evaluados mediante una encuesta durante el mes de marzo de 1998, para medir satisfacción mediante dos escalas: Likert y Vigesimal. Resultados: Existe asociación significativa baja entre ambas escalas (rho=0.483, p

Objetivos: Identificar algunos factores académicos, sociales y personales de los ingresantes a la Facultad de Medicina Alberto Hurtado de la Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (UPCH) durante el periodo 1994-1999 asociados al tiempo de ingreso, y describir las tendencias de las características de los ingresantes ocurridas durante este periodo. Material y Métodos: Estudio transversal analítico. Los datos se obtuvieron de las actas de notas escolares solicitadas a cada ingresante. Resultados: Los egresados de colegios particulares son de menor edad y demoran menos en ingresar (p

Objetivo: Comparar las densidades parasitarias y resultados de la gota gruesa obtenidos por puncion venosa y los obtenidos por digitopuncion en malaria por Plasmodium. vivax . Material y Metodos: Estudio transversal analitico. Se incluyo a los pacientes con sintomatologia sugerente de malaria que acudieron a atenderse al Hospital San Martin de Pangoa (Junin), zona endemica para malaria por P. Vivax , entre Octubre y Diciembre de 1999. A cada paciente se le realizo dos gotas gruesas, una obtenida por puncion venosa y la otra por digitopuncion. Resultados: Se incluyo a 73 pacientes: 40 tuvieron malaria por P. vivax diagnosticada por examen de gota gruesa positiva tanto a partir de venopuncion como de digitopuncion, 1 caso fue diagnosticado solo por examen obtenido de venopuncion (densidad parasitaria: 79 parasitos/ul) y ninguno diagnosticado solo por examen de digitopuncion. Se obtuvo un indice de concordancia Kappa=0.94. No hubo diferencia significativa en la media de las densidades parasitarias obtenidas por ambos metodos (5750 vs 5577 parasitos/ul respectivamente). Conclusiones: No se encontro diferencia estadisticamente significativa entre ambos procedimientos de obtencion de muestra en cuanto a densidad parasitaria ni rendimiento diagnostico. (Rev Med Hered 2002; 13: 140-143 )

La fiebre chikungunya afecta seriamente la salud de las personas, causando dolores articulares crónicos e incluso discapacidad. Es transmitida por picadura de los mosquitos Aedes aegypti y Aedes albopictus. Se han reportado brotes en diversas partes del mundo, incluyendo Latinoamérica. Estudios de modelamiento matemático de dichos brotes han calculado valores de parámetros epidemiológicos. En base a ellos, se elaboró un modelo matemático para simular un brote epidémico de chikungunya en una población local, transmitido desde una población vecina infectada. Mediante análisis de sensibilidad e incertidumbre se obtuvo que la tasa de transmisión mosquito-humano y humano-mosquito son las variables con mayor correlación con la cantidad de infectados, la cual se pierde significativamente a partir de los 60 días del primer caso en la población vecina. Se recomienda tomar esto en cuenta al planificar medidas de control sobre dichas variables como aislamiento de infectados, repartición de mosquiteros y repelentes, fumigación, entre otras.

To determine the prevalence of peptic ulcer and gastric adenocarcinoma in a population of middle and high socio-economic status in Lima, Peru, between 1985 and 2002.The prevalence of gastroduodenal ulcer and gastric adenocarcinoma was determined after studying by esophagogastroduodenoscopy 31,446 patients at the Policlínico Peruano Japonds (PPJ) between 1985 and 2002. All patients had chronic upper gastrointestinal symptoms and had endoscopically proven diagnosis of active peptic ulcer or histological diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma.Analysis of PPJ population identified a decrease in the prevalence of gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer from 3.15% and 5.05% respectively in 1985, to 1.62% and 2.00% respectively in 2002. Gastric adenocarcinoma prevalence also decreased from 3.19% in 1988 to 0.92% in 2002. The prevalences of gastric ulcer (OR = 1.49, 95% IC 1.26-1.77, p0.001), duodenal ulcer (OR = 1.32, 95% IC 1.15-1.51, p0.001) and gastric adenocarcinoma (OR = 1.53, 95% IC 1.25-1.86, p0.001), decreased in the last eight years.Over the study period, there was a significant decrease in the prevalence of peptic ulcer and gastric adenocarcinoma at the Policlinico Peruano Japonés, where patients from middle and high socio economic status are attended.

To compare the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in native Peruvians and Japaneses residing in Peru.Prospective study carried out at "Policlinico Peruano-Japonés" (Lima-Perú). We included Peruvians and Japaneses residing in Peru with chronic symptoms of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Both groups were from medium to high socioeconomic status. We excluded patients with peptic ulcer. PCR, rapid ureasa test and IgG ELISA were used to diagnose the infection.We evaluated 168 Japaneses (mean age 54.6 +/- 12.62 years, 75% female), and 161 Peruvians (mean age of 42.12 +/- 14.48 years, 61.5% female). Using the rapid ureasa test, the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in Peruvians was 47.8%, and in Japaneses 47.0% (p=0.88). Using PCR, in Peruvians was 49.7% and in Japaneses 43.5% (p=0.28).Peruvians and Japaneses residing in Peru have a similar prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection, after controlling factors such as socioeconomic status and age, suggesting that in Peru and in these ethnic groups, there is no racial predisposition to acquire the infection.

The most accepted treatment for infection by Helicobacter pylori is the proton pump inhibitor based therapy with two antibiotics. However, there is no consensus regarding the duration. The purpose here was to compare eradication percentages in the omeprazole+amoxicillin+clarithromycin regimen administered during 7 days versus 10 days and confront the results with a previous 14-day* experience in Peru.Patients from the Central Military Hospital and Peruvian-Japanese Hospital evidencing chronic upper gastrointestinal tract symptoms were recruited. We excluded patients with peptic ulcer. Biopsies were taken for diagnosis, for urease and PCR tests, culture and coloring with silver. Omeprazole+clarithromycin+amoxicillin was used during 7 days versus 10 days. Control endoscopy was performed one month after treatment had been completed and molecular biology techniques were used to differentiate recurrences from new infections. Susceptibility to clarithromycin was assessed.36 patients were included in each group. Eradication was the same in both groups: 86.1% (31/36). In several patients in whom the bacteria persisted, the same initial nucleus was found. In a previous study* using this same regimen during 14 days, a 93% eradication was obtained. 91.18% of our samples were susceptible to clarithromycin.In Peru, the omeprazole+clarithromycin+amoxicillin combination gives results higher than 80% in the eradication of infection by Helicobacter pylori. The 7 and 10 days regimens eradicated the bacteria in 86% of our patients.

In the developed countries, the prevalence of infection by H. Pylori among patients with active chronic gastritis (ACG) and peptic ulcer is diminishing. In developing countries, as far as it is known, neither a time variation of this infection nor a related epidemiological phenomena have been reported.Determine the changes in the prevalence of H. pylori in patients from medium and high socio-economic strata in Lima, with ACG and peptic ulcer from 1985 to 2002.An evaluation by means of an esophago-gastroduodenoscopy was carried out in a private hospital in 1,815 patients from the medium and upper socio-economic strata, all of them residents in Lima, Peru and showing upper gastrointestinal tract symptoms. Coloring with hematoxilin-eosin was used.1,260 patients with ACG were identified: 178 with duodenal ulcer, 55 with gastric ulcer and 292 with histologically normal gastric mucose (HNGM). Prevalence of H. pylori among patients with ACG dropped from 83.3% to 58.7% (p0.001) in males and females under 30 years old and from 31 to 50 years old (p=0.001). In patients with duodenal ulcer it decreased from 89.5% to 71.9% (p=0.004) and in those patients with gastric ulcer, from 84.8% to 77.3% (p=0.36). In patients with HNGM, prevalence remained the same (from 2.7% to 0.0%) (p=0.15).Between 1985 and 2002, in Lima, Peru, H. pylori prevalence in patients from the medium and upper socio-economic strata, with ACG and peptic ulcer, diminished.

Objetivo: Determinar los conocimientos y percepciones de los trabajadores de salud sobre la distribución, criterios de uso y pasos del ParaSight-F(r) en Sullana (Piura, Perú) durante Febrero-Marzo 2000. Material y métodos: Estudio cualitativo que utilizó un cuestionario semiestructurado, incluyendo a trabajadores de salud de las postas donde el Ministerio de Salud repartió el ParaSight-F(r). Se recopiló información sobre la distribución, conocimiento de las condiciones de uso, percepción de viabilidad y utilidad del test. Resultados: La mayoría señaló que la falta de laboratorio en sus postas motivó la distribución, recibiendo indicaciones poco claras sobre cuándo utilizarlo. Todos manifestaron haber recibido capacitación teórica y práctica respecto a las condiciones de uso; sin embargo, pocos explicaron cada paso del procedimiento. La mayoría desconocía la fecha de vencimiento, pero manifestaron no tener problemas para su uso, considerándolo confiable. Todos señalaron que su utilidad se debía a la rapidez en diagnóstico y tratamiento, especialmente en zonas alejadas. Conclusiones: Los trabajadores de salud consideran al test confiable y útil, sugiriendo una alta aceptabilidad en el trabajo de campo. Es necesario mejorar las capacitaciones para garantizar su uso correcto. (Rev Med Hered 2000; 11:115-121 ). Objective: To determine knowledge and perceptions in health workers about distribution, criteria and steps of utilization ParaSight-F(r) in Sullana (Piura, Perú) between February and March 2000. Material and methods: Qualitative study using a semistructured questionnaire that included health workers from all the facilities where the Ministry of Health distributed the test. We obtained information about distribution of the test, the knowledge of the conditions of use, the perception of its viability and utility. Results: About test distribution, almost all manifested that it was because of the absence of laboratory; receiving poor indications about when to use it. In relation to the conditions of use, they referred that they participated in a theoretical and practical workshop, however only a few described adequately all the steps. Despite most of them didn’t know the expired date, they referred no problems for its use and considered the test reliable. In relation to the utility of the test, all the interviewees referred that the test was useful, because allow them to do a rapid diagnosis and treatment, and make better the work. Conclusions: Health workers that used ParaSight-F(r) considered it reliable and useful. This suggests high acceptability of a rapid diagnostic test; however, it is necessary to improve training to assure the right use of the test. ( Rev Med Hered 2000; 11:115-121 ).