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Janinne Ortega-Montiel,1 Luis A Martinez-Juarez,1,2 Alejandra Montoya,1 Linda Morales-Juárez,3 Héctor Gallardo-Rincón,1,4 Victoria Galicia-Hernández,1 Rodrigo Garcia-Cerde,1 María Jesus Ríos-Blancas,1 Diego-Abelardo Álvarez-Hernández,1 Julieta Lomelin-Gascon,1 Gisela Martínez-Silva,1 Lucía M Illescas-Correa,5 Daniel A Diaz Martinez,6 Francisco Javier Magos Vázquez,6 Edwin Vargas Ávila,6 Ma Concepción Carmona-Ramos,7 Ricardo Mújica‐Rosales,1 Enrique Reyes-Muñoz,8 Roberto Tapia-Conyer9 1Carlos Slim Foundation, Mexico City, Mexico; 2Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; 3Institute for Obesity Research, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico City, Mexico; 4Health Sciences University Center, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico; 5Maternal and Childhood Research Center (CIMIGEN), Mexico City, Mexico; 6Ministry of Health of the State of Guanajuato, Tamazuca, Guanajuato, Mexico; 7Ministry of Health of the State of Hidalgo, Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico; 8Coordinatión of Gynecological and Perinatal Endocrinology, National Institute of Perinatology Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Mexico City, Mexico; 9National Autonomous University of Mexico, School of Medicine, Mexico City, MexicoCorrespondence: Alejandra Montoya, Carlos Slim Foundation, Lago Zurich 245, Presa Falcon Building (Floor 20), Col. Ampliación Granada, Miguel, Hidalgo, Mexico City, 11529, Mexico, Tel +52 55 4976 0344, Email airainmr@fundacioncarlosslim.orgPurpose: This study explores the impact of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) subtypes classified by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) values on maternal and perinatal outcomes.Patients and Methods: This multicenter prospective cohort study (May 2019–December 2022) included participants from the Mexican multicenter cohort study Cuido mi Embarazo (CME). Women were classified into four groups per 75-g 2-h OGTT: 1) normal glucose tolerance (normal OGTT), 2) GDM-Sensitivity (isolated abnormal fasting or abnormal fasting in combination with 1-h or 2-h abnormal results), 3) GDM-Secretion (isolated abnormal values at 1-h or 2-h or their combination), and 4) GDM-Mixed (three abnormal values). Cesarean delivery, neonates large for gestational age (LGA), and pre-term birth rates were among the outcomes compared. Between-group comparisons were analyzed using either the t-test, chi-square test, or Fisher’s exact test.Results: Of 2,056 Mexican pregnant women in the CME cohort, 294 (14.3%) had GDM; 53.7%, 34.4%, and 11.9% were classified as GDM-Sensitivity, GDM-Secretion, and GDM-Mixed subtypes, respectively. Women with GDM were older (p = 0.0001) and more often multiparous (p = 0.119) vs without GDM. Cesarean delivery (63.3%; p = 0.02) and neonate LGA (10.7%; p = 0.078) were higher in the GDM-Mixed group than the overall GDM group (55.6% and 8.4%, respectively). Pre-term birth was more common in the GDM-Sensitivity group than in the overall GDM group (10.2% vs 8.5%, respectively; p=0.022). At 6 months postpartum, prediabetes was more frequent in the GDM-Sensitivity group than in the overall GDM group (31.6% vs 25.5%). Type 2 diabetes was more common in the GDM-Mixed group than in the overall GDM group (10.0% vs 3.3%).Conclusion: GDM subtypes effectively stratified maternal and perinatal risks. GDM-Mixed subtype increased the risk of cesarean delivery, LGA, and type 2 diabetes postpartum. GDM subtypes may help personalize clinical interventions and optimize maternal and perinatal outcomes.Keywords: Gestational Diabetes, GDM-Mixed, GDM-Secretion, GDM-Sensitivity, macrosomia, cesarean delivery, pre-term delivery

Héctor Gallardo-Rincón,1 Rodrigo Saucedo-Martínez,1 Ricardo Mujica-Rosales,1 Evan M Lee,2 Amy Israel,2 Braulio Torres-Beltran,3 Úrsula Quijano-González,3 Elena Rose Atkinson,3 Pablo Kuri-Morales,4 Roberto Tapia-Conyer1 1Fundación Carlos Slim, Mexico City, Mexico; 2Lilly Global Health, Eli Lilly and Company, Vernier, Switzerland; 3C230 Consultores, Mexico City, Mexico; 4Mexican Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate how the benefits of online continuing medical education (CME) provided to health care professionals traveled along a patient “educational chain”. In this study, the educational chain begins with the influence that CME can have on the quality of health care, with subsequent influence on patient knowledge, disease self-management, and disease biomarkers. Methods: A total of 422 patients with at least one noncommunicable disease (NCD) treated in eight different Mexican public health clinics were followed over 3 years. All clinics were participants in the CASALUD Model, an NCD care model for primary care, where all clinic staff were offered CME. Data were collected through a questionnaire on health care, patient disease knowledge, and self-management behaviors; blood samples and anthropometric measurements were collected to measure patient disease biomarkers. Results: Between 2013 and 2015, the indexes measuring quality of health care, patient health knowledge, and diabetes self-management activities rose moderately but significantly (from 0.54 to 0.64, 0.80 to 0.84, and 0.62 to 0.67, respectively). Performing self-care activities – including owning and using a glucometer and belonging to a disease support group – saw the highest increase (from 0.65 to 0.75). A1C levels increased between 2013 and 2015 from 7.95 to 8.41% (63–68 mmol/mol) (P

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Background: This study investigated the effect of sex and age at type 2 diabetes (T2D) diagnosis on the influence of T2D-related genes, parental history of T2D, and obesity on T2D development., Methods: In this case-control study, 1012 T2D cases and 1008 healthy subjects were selected from the Diabetes in Mexico Study database. Participants were stratified by sex and age at T2D diagnosis (early, ≤ 45 years; late, ≥ 46 years). Sixty-nine T2D-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms were explored and the percentage contribution (R 2 ) of T2D-related genes, parental history of T2D, and obesity (body mass index [BMI] and waist-hip ratio [WHR]) on T2D development was calculated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models., Results: T2D-related genes influenced T2D development most in males who were diagnosed early (R 2  = 23.5%; females, R 2  = 13.5%; males and females diagnosed late, R 2  = 11.9% and R 2  = 7.3%, respectively). With an early diagnosis, insulin production-related genes were more influential in males (76.0% of R 2 ) while peripheral insulin resistance-associated genes were more influential in females (52.3% of R 2 ). With a late diagnosis, insulin production-related genes from chromosome region 11p15.5 notably influenced males while peripheral insulin resistance and genes associated with inflammation and other processes notably influenced females. Influence of parental history was higher among those diagnosed early (males, 19.9%; females, 17.5%) versus late (males, 6.4%; females, 5,3%). Unilateral maternal T2D history was more influential than paternal T2D history. BMI influenced T2D development for all, while WHR exclusively influenced males., Conclusions: The influence of T2D-related genes, maternal T2D history, and fat distribution on T2D development was greater in males than females., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Given the barriers to early detection of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), this study aimed to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based prediction model for GDM in pregnant Mexican women. Data were retrieved from 1709 pregnant women who participated in the multicenter prospective cohort study 'Cuido mi embarazo'. A machine-learning-driven method was used to select the best predictive variables for GDM risk: age, family history of type 2 diabetes, previous diagnosis of hypertension, pregestational body mass index, gestational week, parity, birth weight of last child, and random capillary glucose. An artificial neural network approach was then used to build the model, which achieved a high level of accuracy (70.3%) and sensitivity (83.3%) for identifying women at high risk of developing GDM. This AI-based model will be applied throughout Mexico to improve the timing and quality of GDM interventions. Given the ease of obtaining the model variables, this model is expected to be clinically strategic, allowing prioritization of preventative treatment and promising a paradigm shift in prevention and primary healthcare during pregnancy. This AI model uses variables that are easily collected to identify pregnant women at risk of developing GDM with a high level of accuracy and precision., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: As the leading cause of disability and the fourth leading cause of premature death in Mexico, type 2 diabetes (T2D) represents a serious public health concern. The incidence of diabetes has increased dramatically in recent years, and data from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) indicate that many people remain undiagnosed. Persistent socioeconomic health care barriers exacerbate this situation, as T2D morbidity and mortality are worsened in vulnerable populations, such as those without social security. We evaluated the performance of public primary health centers (PHCs) in T2D medical attention through the measure of effective coverage (EC, a combined measure of health care need, use, and quality) at national, state, health jurisdiction, and municipality levels., Methods: This retrospective analysis used blinded data recorded during 2017 in the Non-communicable Diseases National Information System (SIC) and T2D prevalence reported in 2018 ENSANUT to evaluate the EC achieved. We included individuals ≥ 20 years old without social security who did not declare the use of private health care services. Each EC component (need, use, and quality) was estimated based on the Shengelia adapted framework. The Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to evaluate the associations among EC quintiles and demographics., Results: In 2017, 26.5 million individuals, aged ≥ 20 years, without social security, and without the use of private health care services, were under the care of 12,086 PHCs. The national prevalence of T2D was 10.3%, equivalent to 2.6 million people living with T2D in need of primary health care. Large contrasts were seen among EC components between and within Mexican states. We found that only 37.1% of the above individuals received health services at PHCs and of them, 25.8% improved their metabolic condition. The national EC was 9.3%, and the range (by health jurisdiction) was 0.2%-38.6%, representing a large geographic disparity in EC. We found an evident disconnect among need, utilization, and quality rates across the country., Conclusions: Expansion and improvement of EC are urgently needed to address the growing number of people living with T2D in Mexico, particularly in states with vulnerable populations., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Currently, there is scant information regarding the features associated to the persistence of post-COVID-19 syndrome, which is the main aim of the present study., Methods: A cohort study of 102 COVID-19 patients was conducted. The post-COVID-19 symptoms were assessed by a standardised questionnaire. Lymphocyte immunophenotyping was performed by flow cytometry and chemokines/cytokines, neutrophil extracellular traps, the tripartite motif 63, anti-cellular, and anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies were addressed in serum. The primary outcome was the persistence of post-COVID-19 syndrome after six months follow-up., Results: Thirteen patients (12.7%) developed the primary outcome and had a more frequent history of post-COVID-19 syndrome 3 months after infection onset ( p  = .044), increased levels of IL-1α ( p  = .011) and IP-10 ( p  = .037) and increased CD57 expression in CD8 + T cells ( p  = .003). There was a trend towards higher levels of IFN-γ ( p  = .051), IL-1β ( p  = .062) and IL-6 ( p  = .087). The history of post COVID-19 in the previous 3 months, obesity, baseline serum MIP-1α and IP-10, and CD57 expression in CD8 + T cells were independently associated with the persistence of post-COVID-19 syndrome., Conclusion: Our data suggest an important relationship between a pro-inflammatory state mediated through metabolic pathways related to obesity and increased cellular senescence as a key element in the persistence of post-COVID-19 syndrome at six months of follow-up.

Introduction: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is underdiagnosed in Mexico. Early GDM risk stratification through prediction modeling is expected to improve preventative care. We developed a GDM risk assessment model that integrates both genetic and clinical variables., Research Design and Methods: Data from pregnant Mexican women enrolled in the 'Cuido mi Embarazo' (CME) cohort were used for development (107 cases, 469 controls) and data from the 'Mónica Pretelini Sáenz' Maternal Perinatal Hospital (HMPMPS) cohort were used for external validation (32 cases, 199 controls). A 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with 75 g glucose performed at 24-28 gestational weeks was used to diagnose GDM. A total of 114 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with reported predictive power were selected for evaluation. Blood samples collected during the OGTT were used for SNP analysis. The CME cohort was randomly divided into training (70% of the cohort) and testing datasets (30% of the cohort). The training dataset was divided into 10 groups, 9 to build the predictive model and 1 for validation. The model was further validated using the testing dataset and the HMPMPS cohort., Results: Nineteen attributes (14 SNPs and 5 clinical variables) were significantly associated with the outcome; 11 SNPs and 4 clinical variables were included in the GDM prediction regression model and applied to the training dataset. The algorithm was highly predictive, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.7507, 79% sensitivity, and 71% specificity and adequately powered to discriminate between cases and controls. On further validation, the training dataset and HMPMPS cohort had AUCs of 0.8256 and 0.8001, respectively., Conclusions: We developed a predictive model using both genetic and clinical factors to identify Mexican women at risk of developing GDM. These findings may contribute to a greater understanding of metabolic functions that underlie elevated GDM risk and support personalized patient recommendations., Competing Interests: Competing interests: MZ, LM, MA, and LS are employees of Patia Europe. HG-R, LAM-J, JL-G, JO-M, and AM are employees of the Carlos Slim Foundation. MdlAM-M, EdSCR, HM-Z, JdJGG, and RT-C have no conflicts of interest to declare., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Mexico faces a challenge due to the burden imposed by type 2 diabetes (T2D)., Objective: To analyze T2D epidemiology and burden in Mexico from 1990 to 2021, at the national and state levels., Material and Methods: Estimates from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study were used to evaluate the prevalence, incidence, mortality, fatal and non-fatal burden. Metabolic, environmental and behavioral factors were considered. Comparative analyses were carried out by gender, age and state of the country., Results: The prevalence of T2D increased by 25%. The incidence increased in those younger than 45 years, with a mortality decrease being found among women. The rate of disability-adjusted life years (DALY) showed an increase in all states, from 45.2% in Nuevo León to 237.6% in Tabasco. In 2021, T2D caused the loss of 3.1 million DALYs, which accounted for 6.6% of total burden in Mexico, out of which 64% was due to premature deaths. Diabetic neuropathy affected 47%, and there were 270,000 cases of visual impairment; 66.3% of the burden was attributed to obesity., Conclusions: Comprehensive policies are urgently needed in order to reduce the burden of T2D in Mexico, through standardized guidelines, evidence-based strategies and technological resources that improve medical care accessibility and efficiency., (Copyright: © 2023 Permanyer.)

Purpose: Few pregnant women in low-resource settings are screened for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) using the gold standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). This study compared capillary blood glucose testing with 2-h plasma glucose measurements obtained using the 75-g OGTT to screen for GDM at primary healthcare clinics in Mexico., Patients and Methods: Pregnant women who participated in a previous prospective multicenter longitudinal cohort study and who had not been previously diagnosed with diabetes were included. Participants were evaluated using the plasmatic 2-h 75-g OGTT with simultaneous capillary blood glucose measurements using a glucometer. The study endpoint was the comparability of the glucometer results to the gold standard OGTT when collected simultaneously. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve of the glucose measurements obtained for capillary blood compared with venous plasma (gold standard) were calculated to determine diagnostic accuracy., Results: The study included 947 pregnant women who had simultaneous glucose measurements available (blood capillary [glucometer] and venous blood OGTT). Overall, capillary blood glucose testing was very sensitive (89.47%); the specificity was 66.58% and the area under the curve (95% confidence interval) was 0.78 (0.74-0.81). The sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve of each capillary measurement were: 89.47%, 66.58% and 0.78 (0.74-0.82) for the fasting measurement, 91.53%, 93.24% and 0.92 (0.88-0.96) for the one-hour measurement, and 89.80%, 93.32%, 0.91 (0.87-0.95) for the second-hour measurement, respectively. No adverse events were reported., Conclusion: Capillary OGTT is a valid alternative to the gold standard OGTT for screening of GDM in low-resource situations or in situations where there are other limitations to performing the OGTT as part of primary healthcare services., Competing Interests: HGR, JLG, LAMJ, AM, JOM, VGH, DAAH, RAD and RMR, are employees of the Carlos Slim Foundation. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2022 Gallardo-Rincón et al.)

Screening, prevention, and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs, including obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes) is the core function of Integrated Measurement for Early Detection (MIDO), a digital strategy developed by the Carlos Slim Foundation in Mexico. An extension of this strategy, MIDO COVID, was developed to address the need for an integrated plan in primary health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. MIDO COVID facilitates planning, surveillance, testing, and clinical management of SARS-CoV-2 infections and the major NCDs and their pre-disease states, to streamline the continuum of care. MIDO COVID screening was applied in 1063 Carso Group workplaces in 190 municipalities of the 32 Mexican states. Staff were trained to screen healthy workers for NCDs using a questionnaire, anthropomorphic measurements, and blood work; healthy individuals returning to work also received a SARS-CoV-2 antibody test. Between June 26 and December 31, 2020, 58,277 asymptomatic individuals underwent screening. The prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes was 32.1%, 25.7%, and 9.7% respectively. Only 2.2%, 8.8%, and 4.5% of individuals, respectively, were previously aware of their condition. Pre-obesity was identified in 38.6%, pre-hypertension in 17.4%, and prediabetes in 7.5% of the population. Risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection was highest for individuals with multiple NCDs. Many Mexicans are unaware of their health status and potentially increased risk of COVID-19 and serious complications. As a universal strategy implemented regardless of social factors, MIDO COVID promotes equity in access to health care prevention and early stage detection of NCDs; the information gained may help inform decisionmakers regarding prioritising vulnerable populations for immunisation., Competing Interests: HGR, JLG, LMJ, AM, RSM, and RMR are employees of The Carlos Slim Foundation, a non-profit commercial entity that funded this research (this does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials). RTP has no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright: © 2022 Gallardo-Rincón et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Until now, most of the research addressing long-term humoral responses in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had only evaluated the serum titers of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) IgGs, without the assessment of the baseline antiviral clinical and immune profile, which is the aim of this study and may be the key factor leading to a broad and sustained antibody response., Methods: We included 103 patients with COVID-19. When the patients sought medical attention (baseline), a blood sample was drawn to perform immunophenotype of lymphocytes by flow cytometry. The patients were assessed 15 days after baseline and then every month until the third month, followed by a last visit 6 months after recruitment. We evaluated the anti-SARS-COV-2 IgG at all time points, and the serum levels of cytokines, chemokines, anti-cellular (AC) antibodies and neutrophil extracellular traps were also assessed during the follow-up. The primary outcome of the study was the presence of a sustained immune humoral response, defined as an anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG titer >4.99 arbitrary units/mL in at least two consecutive measures. We used generalized lineal models to assess the features associated with this outcome and to assess the effect of the changes in the cytokines and chemokines throughout time on the development of a sustained humoral immune response., Results: At baseline the features associated to a sustained immune humoral response were the diagnosis of critical disease, absolute number of lymphocytes, serum IP-10, IL-4, IL-2, regulatory T cells, CD8 + T cells, and positive AC antibodies. Critical illness and the positivity of AC antibodies were associated with a sustained humoral immune response after 3 months, whilst critical illness and serum IL-13 were the explanatory variables after 6 months., Conclusion: A sustained immune humoral response is strongly related to critical COVID-19, which is characterized by the presence of AC antibodies, quantitative abnormalities in the T cell compartment, and the serum cytokines and chemokines during acute infection and throughout time., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Torres-Ruiz, Lomelín-Gascón, Vargas-Castro, Lira-Luna, Pérez-Fragoso, Tapia-Conyer, Nuñez-Aguirre, Alcalá-Carmona, Absalón-Aguilar, Maravillas-Montero, Mejía-Domínguez, Núñez-Álvarez, Rull-Gabayet, Llorente, Romero-Ramírez, Sosa-Hernández, Cervantes-Díaz, Juárez-Vega, Meza-Sánchez, Martínez-Juárez, Morales-Juárez, López-López, Negrete-Trujillo, Falcón-Lezama, Valdez-Vázquez, Gallardo-Rincón and Gómez-Martín.)

Introduction: Several reports have emerged describing the long-term consequences of COVID-19 and its effects on multiple systems., Methods: As further research is needed, we conducted a longitudinal observational study to report the prevalence and associated risk factors of the long-term health consequences of COVID-19 by symptom clusters in patients discharged from the Temporary COVID-19 Hospital (TCH) in Mexico City. Self-reported clinical symptom data were collected via telephone calls over 90 days post-discharge. Among 4670 patients, we identified 45 symptoms across eight symptom clusters (neurological; mood disorders; systemic; respiratory; musculoskeletal; ear, nose, and throat; dermatological; and gastrointestinal)., Results: We observed that the neurological, dermatological, and mood disorder symptom clusters persisted in >30% of patients at 90 days post-discharge. Although most symptoms decreased in frequency between day 30 and 90, alopecia and the dermatological symptom cluster significantly increased ( p  < 0.00001). Women were more prone than men to develop long-term symptoms, and invasive mechanical ventilation also increased the frequency of symptoms at 30 days post-discharge., Conclusion: Overall, we observed that symptoms often persisted regardless of disease severity. We hope these findings will help promote public health strategies that ensure equity in the access to solutions focused on the long-term consequences of COVID-19., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement: The authors declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The Carlos Slim Foundation funded this study. The funding source was involved in the design of the study, analysis, interpretation of data, and in writing the manuscript. R.R.V.V., E.X.R.C., C.A.R.V., M.L.R.C., S.A.F., M.S.F., H.H.B., L.M.C., M.A.A., J.A.H.C., N.A.M., L.F.C., L.R.G.C., and A.J.F. are employees of the Temporary COVID-19 Hospital. J.L.G., L.M.J., L.A.M.J., D-A.A-H., H.G-R., and R.T-C. are employees of The Carlos Slim Foundation. All authors confirm that they had full access to all the study data and accept responsibility to submit for publication., (© The Author(s), 2022.)

Introduction: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy in patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure due to COVID-19 is poorly understood and remains controversial., Methods: We evaluated a large cohort of patients with COVID-19-related hypoxemic respiratory failure at the temporary COVID-19 hospital in Mexico City. The primary outcome was the success rate of HFNC to prevent the progression to invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). We also evaluated the risk factors associated with HFNC success or failure., Results: HFNC use effectively prevented IMV in 71.4% of patients [270 of 378 patients; 95% confidence interval (CI) 66.6-75.8%]. Factors that were significantly different at admission included age, the presence of hypertension, and the Charlson comorbidity index. Predictors of therapy failure (adjusted hazard ratio, 95% CI) included the comorbidity-age-lymphocyte count-lactate dehydrogenase (CALL) score at admission (1.27, 1.09-1.47; p  < 0.01), Rox index at 1 hour (0.82, 0.7-0.96; p  = 0.02), and no prior steroid treatment (0.34, 95% CI 0.19-0.62; p  < 0.0001). Patients with HFNC success rarely required admission to the intensive care unit and had shorter lengths of hospital stay [19/270 (7.0%) and 15.0 (interquartile range, 11-20) days, respectively] than those who required IMV [104/108 (96.3%) and 26.5 (20-36) days, respectively]., Conclusion: Treating patients with HFNC at admission led to improvement in respiratory parameters in many patients with COVID-19., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement: The Carlos Slim Foundation funded this study. APC, ESL, MGN, RRVV, HHB, LMJ, MAA, LERG, LMC, RVB, RVAW, BSO, and MLRC are full-time employees of the Temporary COVID-19 Hospital. HGR, JLG, LAMJ, and RTC are full-time employees of the Carlos Slim Foundation in Mexico. The authors declare no other conflicts of interest or outside funding from any other organizations., (© The Author(s), 2021.)

Objectives: The Carlos Slim Foundation implemented the Integrated Measurement for Early Detection (MIDO), a screening strategy for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Mexico as part of CASALUD, a portfolio of digital health services focusing on healthcare delivery and prevention/management of NCDs. We investigated the disease profile of the screened population and evaluated MIDO's contribution to the continuum of care of the main NCDs., Design: Using data from MIDO and the chronic diseases information system, we quantified the proportion of the population screened and diagnosed with NCDs, and measured care linkage/retention and level of control achieved. We analysed comorbidity patterns and estimated prevalence of predisease stages. Finally, we estimated characteristics associated with unawareness and control of NCDs, and examined efficacy of the CASALUD model in improving NCD control., Setting: Public primary health centres in 27/32 Mexican states., Participants: Individuals aged ≥20 years lacking healthcare access., Results: From 2014 to 2018, 743 000 individuals were screened using MIDO. A predisease or disease condition was detected in ≥70% of the population who were unaware of their NCD status. The screening identified 38 417 new cases of type 2 diabetes, 53 133 new cases of hypertension and 208 627 individuals with obesity. Dyslipidaemia was found in 77.3% of individuals with available blood samples. Comorbidities were highly prevalent, especially in people with obesity. Only 5.47% (n=17 774) of individuals were linked with their corresponding primary health centre. Factors associated with unawareness of and uncontrolled NCDs were sex, age, and social determinants, for example, rural/urban environment, access to healthcare service, and education level. Patients with type 2 diabetes treated at clinics under the CASALUD model were more likely to achieve disease control (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.09 to 1.61)., Conclusion: Patient-centred screening strategies such as MIDO are urgently needed to improve screening, access, retention and control for patients with NCDs., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors HGR, AM, RSM, RMR, LSI, LAMJ and RTC are employed by the Carlos Slim Foundation in Mexico, the developer of MIDO and MIDO Plus. RTC is also affiliated with the School of Medicine of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). CR and RL received compensation from the Carlos Slim Foundation for their contributions to this study and the manuscript. The authors declare that no other outside funding was received from any other organisations and declare no further conflicts of interest., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Introduction: In response to the evolution of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the admission protocol for the temporary COVID-19 hospital in Mexico City has been updated to hospitalize patients preemptively with an oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) of >90%., Methods: This prospective, observational, single-center study compared the progression and outcomes of patients who were preemptively hospitalized versus those who were hospitalized based on an SpO 2 ⩽90%. We recorded patient demographics, clinical characteristics, COVID-19 symptoms, and oxygen requirement at admission. We calculated the risk of disease progression and the benefit of preemptive hospitalization, stratified by CALL Score: age, lymphocyte count, and lactate dehydrogenase (<8 and ⩾8) at admission., Results: Preemptive hospitalization significantly reduced the requirement for oxygen therapy (odds ratio 0.45, 95% confidence interval 0.31-0.66), admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) (0.37, 0.23-0.60), requirement for invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) (0.40, 0.25-0.64), and mortality (0.22, 0.10-0.50). Stratification by CALL score at admission showed that the benefit of preemptive hospitalization remained significant for patients requiring oxygen therapy (0.51, 0.31-0.83), admission to the ICU (0.48, 0.27-0.86), and IMV (0.51, 0.28-0.92). Mortality risk remained significantly reduced (0.19, 0.07-0.48)., Conclusion: Preemptive hospitalization reduced the rate of disease progression and may be beneficial for improving COVID-19 patient outcomes., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement: The Carlos Slim Foundation funded this study. The funding source was involved in the design of the study, analysis, interpretation of data, and in writing the manuscript. The authors HGR, JLG, RSM, LAMJ, and RTC are employees of the Carlos Slim Foundation in Mexico. RRVV, RVB, LMJ, MAA, STB, RVAW, ESL, MDNO, AGR, LMBR, PEC, LERG, ACS, JBM, AGR, APC, HHB, LVA, and RARL are employed full-time by the temporary COVID-19 hospital. The authors declare no other outside funding from any other organizations and declare no further conflicts., (© The Author(s), 2021.)

Purpose: To present an overview of type 2 diabetes status in Latin America and the Caribbean region., Methods: The data were collected from the International Diabetes Federation Atlas and other available published sources where we identified the prevalence in Latin America and the Caribbean, the trends by regions, and sex. Also, we summarized the type 2 diabetes direct and indirect costs, and the current preventative programs and policies available for each region., Results: Latin America and the Caribbean has one of the fastest-growing prevalence of type 2 diabetes, in particular the Caribbean region. Costs are relatively high in Central American countries and the Caribbean Islands. Currently, type 2 diabetes prevention, diagnosis, and management are insufficient in Latin America and the Caribbean and they do not offer a multidisciplinary integrative approach., Conclusion: Effective and preventive multidisciplinary policies should be implemented in Latin America and the Caribbean to decrease the high burden of type 2 diabetes., (Copyright © 2020 Primary Care Diabetes Europe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Mexico, like many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), faces an epidemic of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), specifically diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and lipid disorders. Many people with these NCDs may not be aware that they have a disease, pointing to the need for broader screening programs. The traditional prevention policy in Mexico was based on screening with a paper-based risk factor questionnaire. However, this was used to screen patients already seeking healthcare services at facilities, and screening goals were set as a function of the number of questionnaires applied, not number of individuals screened. Due to this, Fundación Carlos Slim developed Medición Integrada para la Detección Oportuna (MIDOTM), or Integrated Measurement for Early Detection, an NCD screening and proactive prevention policy. This document is a policy analysis based on early learnings from the initial implementation of MIDO in eight primary healthcare centers in two central Mexican states. MIDO was found to expand screening programs beyond clinic walls, systematize community screening strategies, emphasize the detection of pre-disease phases, incorporate lifestyle counseling, and propose screening goals based on population targets. In collaboration with the Mexican Ministry of Health, MIDO has successfully screened over 500 000 individuals-about 40% of whom would not have been screened under previous policies. Of these more than 500 000 screened individuals, 13.4% had pre-diabetes (fasting glucose between 100 and 125 mg/dL), and 5.8% had undiagnosed diabetes (defined as fasting glucose above 126 mg/dL or random glucose above 200 mg/dL). However, there is still room for improvement in linking positive results from screening with disease confirmation and with patient incorporation into disease management. The experience of implementing MIDO in Mexico suggests that primary and secondary prevention programs in other parts of the world should consider the need for population-based screening targets, a greater focus on pre-disease stages, and the streamlining of the transition between screening, confirmation of diagnosis, and incorporation of patients into the healthcare system., (© 2017 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.)

Mexico and other Latin American countries are currently facing a dramatic increase in the number of adults suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), which require prolonged, continuous care. This epidemiological shift has created new challenges for health-care systems. Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) have recognised the growing human and economic costs of NCDs and outlined an action plan, recognising that NCDs are preventable, often with common preventable risk factors linked to risky health behaviours. In line with international best practices, Mexico has applied a number of approaches to tackle these diseases. However, challenges remain for the Mexican health-care system, and in planning a strategy for combating and preventing NCDs, it must consider how best to integrate these strategies with existing health-care infrastructure. Shifting the paradigm of care in Mexico from a curative, passive approach to a preventive, proactive model will require an innovative and replicable system that guarantees availability of medicines and services, strengthens human capital through ongoing professional education, expands early and continuous access to care through proactive prevention strategies and incorporates technological innovations in order to do so. Here, we describe CASALUD: an innovative model in health-care that leverages international best practices and uses innovative technology to deliver NCD care, control and prevention. In addition, we describe the lessons learned from the initial implementation of the model for its effective use in Mexico, as well as the plans for wider implementation throughout the country, in partnership with the Mexican Ministry of Health., (© Royal Society for Public Health 2013.)

Despite many successes in the region, Latin American vaccination policies have significant shortcomings, and further work is needed to maintain progress and prepare for the introduction of newly available vaccines. In order to address the challenges facing Latin America, the Commission for the Future of Vaccines in Latin America (COFVAL) has made recommendations for strengthening evidence-based policy-making and reducing regional inequalities in immunisation. We have conducted a comprehensive literature review to assess the feasibility of these recommendations. Standardisation of performance indicators for disease burden, vaccine coverage, epidemiological surveillance and national health resourcing can ensure comparability of the data used to assess vaccination programmes, allowing deeper analysis of how best to provide services. Regional vaccination reference schemes, as used in Europe, can be used to develop best practice models for vaccine introduction and scheduling. Successful models exist for the continuous training of vaccination providers and decision-makers, with a new Latin American diploma aiming to contribute to the successful implementation of vaccination programmes. Permanent, independent vaccine advisory committees, based on the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), could facilitate the uptake of new vaccines and support evidence-based decision-making in the administration of national immunisation programmes. Innovative financing mechanisms for the purchase of new vaccines, such as advance market commitments and cost front-loading, have shown potential for improving vaccine coverage. A common regulatory framework for vaccine approval is needed to accelerate delivery and pool human, technological and scientific resources in the region. Finally, public-private partnerships between industry, government, academia and non-profit sectors could provide new investment to stimulate vaccine development in the region, reducing prices in the long term. These reforms are now crucial, particularly as vaccines for previously neglected, developing-world diseases become available. In summary, a regionally-coordinated health policy will reduce vaccination inequality in Latin America., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has impacted the health systems by demanding unbearable costs of care and diminishing people's quality of life. The Instituto Carlos Slim de la Salud, a non-profit organization, has developed the model Casalud to convene partnerships with state governments to establish a reengineering process of primary care clinics, improving the delivery of services and leveraging on the different technological platforms to connect them with the households. The model Casalud strengthens the delivery of services and increases the timely demand of care. It is actually implemented in seven states seeking a progressive scale-up.

Background: Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is the main cause of preventable blindness in premature babies. Currently, there is a shortage of trained ophthalmologists, which has resulted in an alarming increase in cases of vision loss and related complications. This study's aim was to determine the utility of examinations conducted by non-ophthalmologist physicians to assess posterior pole vessel abnormalities in eyes at risk for ROP., Method: Non-ophthalmologist physicians (pediatrician and neonatologist) were trained to use an indirect ophthalmoscope to view the posterior pole of babies at risk for ROP. Examinations were conducted on both eyes of premature infants born before 35 weeks gestational age (GA) starting at the third week after birth and weekly thereafter. The presence of Plus disease was identified by the non-ophthalmologist and results compared to the clinical examination by a pediatric ophthalmologist experienced in ROP detection and treatment. Chi-square was used for proportions and the Mann Whitney U test for medians. Fagan's nomogram was determined for diagnostic usability. The Kappa index was used to rate inter-observer agreement., Results: Results of 228 examinations performed on 150 premature infants were analyzed to determine the correlation of the non-ophthalmologist findings and the eye examination. For any vascular change in posterior pole diagnostic, findings were 87% and 87% accuracy for pediatrician and neonatologist, 82% and 83% sensitivity, 90% and 90% specificity respectively. There was no significant difference found in the detection of Plus disease for the examinations performed by the ophthalmologist compared to those performed by the non-ophthalmologist (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: After training in the use of an indirect ophthalmoscope, non-ophthalmologist physicians can reliably detect posterior pole retinal vessel changes for ROP diagnosis.

The re-emergence and subsequent failure to control dengue in Latin America provides a compelling illustration of the clinical, political and socio-economic challenges to eradicating dengue across the world. Insufficient political commitment, inadequate financial resources and increased urbanisation have contributed to the re-emergence and dramatic increase in dengue fever and dengue haemorrhagic fever in all 19 Latin American countries previously certified as free of Aedes aegypti. Difficulties with diagnosis, asymptomatic infection and the lack of effective surveillance systems account for the discrepancies between antibody prevalence against dengue and reported cases. Accurate incidence data and appreciation of the economic impact of dengue at regional, national and international levels are essential to securing political and economic commitment for dengue control efforts as well as increased scientific and social awareness. Environmental control efforts require an integrated and systematic approach at both the national and community level, while successful introduction of a dengue vaccine will require an educational programme that clearly communicates the cost-effectiveness and desirability of this interventional measure. In addition, countries must anticipate their national regulatory requirements, and vaccination strategies should be optimised according to the dengue epidemiology of each country. A broad scope is required to finance vaccination programmes to ensure individual countries' monetary shortcomings are addressed.

In this article, we report the results of a survey taken in towns with less than 2,500 inhabitants in the rural tetanigenic zone of the State of Jalisco. The purpose was to know the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), the Neonatal Tetanus Mortality Rate (NTMR), the incidence of neonatal tetanus, and a partial register of these indicators, as well as the identification of the risk factors associated with fatalities from this disease. The sampling was multistaged with random selection of the conglomerates. The results were as follows: 75 deaths in children of less than one year of age with an IMR of 34.7 per 1,000 Live Births Registered (LBR), 40 deaths in those of less than 29 days old (Neonatal Mortality Rate of 18.5 per 1,000 LBR), eight deaths by neonatal tetanus (NTMR of 3.7 per 1,000 LBR), the estimated annual incidence rate of neonatal tetanus was 4.6 per 1,000 LBR, and the proportion of neonatal deaths due to tetanus was 20 per cent. The main factors studied which were statistically found to be significantly associated with the mortality rate from neonatal tetanus were: a maternal history of two or more prior child deaths having an Odds Ratio (OR) of seven; the existence of cramped living conditions greater than 3.5 persons per room (OR = 7.93); maternal illiteracy (OR = 7.22); and birth at the home (OR = 17.89). When the logistics model was used to control some of the misleading factors and obtain adjusted OR estimates, place of birth and the maternal history or two or more prior child deaths were found to be significant.