Salivary markers of oxidative stress and periodontal pathogens in patients with periodontitis from Santander, Colombia.

Introduction: Periodontitis affects more than 20% of the Latin American population. Oxidative markers are associated with greater progression of periodontitis; therefore, its role in pathogenesis should be studied.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of the main oral bacteria and viruses associated with periodontitis and estimate the total antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation in saliva from patients with periodontitis.

Potential Role of Antioxidants as Adjunctive Therapy in Chagas Disease.

Chagas disease (CD) is one of the most important neglected tropical diseases in the American continent. Host-derived nitroxidative stress in response to infection can induce tissue damage contributing to the progression of Chagas disease. Antioxidant supplementation has been suggested as adjuvant therapy to current treatment.

Measuring mitochondrial respiration in adherent cells infected with Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, 1909 using Seahorse extracellular flux analyser.

Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, 1909 is reported to increase the production of reactive oxygen species in patients with Chagas disease. Mitochondria dysfunction, host inflammatory response and inadequate antioxidant response are described as the main factors leading to oxidative stress during acute and chronic stages of the disease. The Seahorse XFe24 extracellular flux platform allows energy metabolism determination through mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis measurements.

Comparison of four pharmacological strategies aimed to prevent the lung inflammation and paraquat-induced alveolar damage.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare in vivo effect of five pharmacological options on inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis induced by paraquat.

Methods: 54 Wistar SPF rats were used. After 2 h post-intoxication with paraquat ion, groups of 9 animals were randomly assigned to (1) cyclophosphamide plus dexamethasone (2) low molecular weight heparin (3) unfractionated heparin (4) vitamin C every 24 h, (5) atorvastatin or (6) placebo with intraperitoneal saline.

[Cost-effectiveness of diagnostic strategies of severe bacterial infection in infants with fever without a source].

Serious bacterial infections in infants under 2-years-of-age with fever without a source remains, despite advances in vaccination, a matter of concern for both physicians and parents. Having cost-effectiveness information is relevant to guide decision making in clinical practice in this scenario. Objective: To determine the cost-effectiveness of four different strategies of screening in Argentina for serious bacterial infection in children presenting with fever without a source.

Cardiac-specific overexpression of thioredoxin 1 attenuates mitochondrial and myocardial dysfunction in septic mice.

Sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction is associated with increased oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Current evidence suggests a protective role of thioredoxin-1 (Trx1) in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. However, it is unknown yet a putative role of Trx1 in sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction, in which oxidative stress is an underlying cause.

[Drug prescription patterns in patients attended at a middle- and high-complexity level institution].

Objective: Determining prescription patterns for outpatient medication authorised for patients affiliated to an EPS and assisted by medium- and high-level complexity IPS.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study where medication prescription was evaluated in 331 second- and third-level complexity hospitals from 27 Colombian departments during 2006.

Results: 38 863 prescriptions for 3 663 patients' medication were analysed.

Using systematic reviews for evidence-based health promotion: basic methodology issues.

Systematic reviews and evidence-based recommendations are becoming increasingly important for decision-making in health and medicine. Systematic reviews of population-health interventions are challenging and methods will continue evolving. This paper provides an overview of how evidence-based approaches in public health and health promotion are being reviewed to provide a basis for Colombian Guide to Health Promotion, analysing limitations and recommendations for future reviews.