Treatment of postnatal depression in low-income mothers in primary-care clinics in Santiago, Chile: a randomised controlled trial.

Background: The optimum way to improve the recognition and treatment of postnatal depression in developing countries is uncertain. We compared the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention with usual care to treat postnatal depression in low-income mothers in primary-care clinics in Santiago, Chile.

Methods: 230 mothers with major depression attending postnatal clinics were randomly allocated to either a multicomponent intervention (n=114) or usual care (n=116).

[Psychopathology and social functioning among offspring of depressed women].

Background: Offspring of depressive parents have two times more risk of developing a depression, other psychiatric diseases or a poor social functioning.

Aim: To assess psychopathology and social functioning among offspring of currently depressed mothers.

Material And Methods: We enrolled 290 depressed mother-child pairs in five primary-care clinics in Santiago.

[A randomized trial of pharmacotherapy with telephone monitoring to improve treatment of depression in primary care in Santiago, Chile].

Background: Depression is a public health problem, due to its high prevalence and its associated disability.

Aim: To compare a pharmacological intervention for depression controlled by phone from a central level (TM) and the usual treatment (TH) in a randomized clinical trial.

Material And Methods: Three hundred and forty five women, aged 22 to 59 years were studied.

Common mental disorders and the built environment in Santiago, Chile.

Background: There is growing research interest in the influence of the built environment on mental disorders.

Aims: To estimate the variation in the prevalence of common mental disorders attributable to individuals and the built environment of geographical sectors where they live.

Method: A sample of 3870 adults (response rate 90%) clustered in 248 geographical sectors participated in a household cross-sectional survey in Santiago, Chile.

[Quality of life of women depressed in the post-partum period].

Background: Depression is common among women, specially during breeding.

Aim: To characterize post-partum depression in a group of women attending a primary health care clinic and its relationship to quality of life.

Material And Methods: The sample included women meeting criteria for Major Depression, with a child of up to 11 months old.

[Comparative bioavailability study of two formulations of risperidone available in the Chilean market].

Background: Bioavailability of a particular drug can vary according to the formulation used. Therefore, studies of comparative bioavailability of different formulations of a same drug are worthwhile.

Aim: To compare the bioavailability of two risperidone formulations available in the Chilean market.

The internal mammary vein: an alternate route for central venous access with an implantable port.

Central venous catheterization in pediatric patients has, among other risks, flebitis and thrombosis, and finally occlusion of the superior and inferior venae cavae, making long-term catheterization and multiple venous cutdown more difficult. Use of the internal mammary vein might be an alternative procedure to provide sure and easy access to the central venous circulation. The authors report on a patient with multiple venous cutdown and thrombosis of the inferior vena cava, in whom the internal mammary vein was used for placement of a vascular device.

[Achalasia of the esophagus: modified Heller's esophagomyotomy and floppy Nissen fundoplication, via the abdomen].

Six patients with achalasia of the esophagus were submitted to an abdominal esophagomyotomy which extended two centimeters in width and six to eight centimeters in length, descending one or two centimeters from the esophagealgastric union without having to remove the mucosa in 50% of the esophageal circumference while also performing total funduplication of the floppy Nissen type. The clinical evaluation showed the disappearance of all symptoms. Both the endoscopic as well as the X-rays studies showed the obsence of obstructive symptoms or reflux of any sort.