Population-Based Study of Gastric Cancer Survival and Associations in Rural Western Honduras.

Background: Two-thirds of global cancers occur in low/middle income countries (LMIC). Northern Central America is the largest LMIC region in the Western Hemisphere and lack cancer registries to guide cancer control. We conducted a gastric cancer survival study in rural Western Honduras, characterized as having among the highest gastric cancer incidence rates in Latin America.

Prevalence of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in the High Cardiovascular Risk Setting of Rural Western Honduras.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS) in the population older than 45 years in rural Western Honduras and contribute to the limited literature on MS in Central America.

Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in the District of Copan. The study includes 382 men and women aged 45 to 75 years.

High-Dose vs. Low-Dose Dexamethasone in Patients With COVID-19: A Cohort Study in Rural Central America.

To compare the clinical outcomes of a low dose dexamethasone strategy vs. a high-dose dexamethasone strategy in hypoxemic COVID-19 patients. A retrospective observational study comparing low-dose (8 mg) and high-dose dexamethasone (24 mg) of COVID-19 patients admitted from September 1, 2020 to October 31, 2020 in a hospital in Honduras.

Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer: Delays in Diagnosis and Treatment Caused by Barriers to Healthcare in the Latino Community.

We report a case of an 81-year-old male immigrant from a Latin American developing country with a high burden of upper gastrointestinal neoplasms, who presented with a small bowel gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) after 2 years of delay in the diagnosis due to multiple barriers to healthcare. The patient presented with a partial intestinal obstruction in an abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan suggestive of a GIST. Surgical resection was performed, and adjuvant therapy was initiated with imatinib (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor) after the diagnosis was confirmed.

Prevalence and Associated Dietary Factors of Rome IV Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in Rural Western Honduras.

Background: The literature is limited regarding the prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in Central America, and the role of dietary factors.

Methods: The Rome IV diagnostic questionnaire and National Cancer Institute Diet History questionnaire were administered in one-on-one interviews to a distributed cross section of the general adult population of Western Honduras. Our aim was to estimate prevalence of common FGIDs and symptoms and their relationships to dietary habits.

Health Barriers and Patterns of Gastric Cancer Care in Rural Central American Resource-Limited Settings.

This population-based, case-control study analyzes the potential barriers to cancer care resources in rural Honduras in a cohort of patients with gastric cancer.

Congenital Malformations of the Central Nervous System in Rural Western Honduras: A 6-Year Report on Trends.

Background: Central nervous system (CNS) malformations, including neural tube defects (NTDs), are the second most common type of birth defects worldwide and are major causes of childhood disability and mortality. We report the first analysis of birth prevalence in Western Honduras of CNS malformations including NTDs over 6 consecutive years.

Methods: Data from all patients with congenital CNS malformations and total live births for the period 2010-2015 were obtained through institution and regional registries from all 3 public referral hospitals in Western Honduras, representing 67 municipalities.