[Alcohol consumption among high school students from the Araucanía-Chile: ethnicity and residence].

Introduction: This study describes the alcohol consumption in association with residence, gender and ethnicity among high school students from the coastal area of the Araucania Region in Chile.

Subjects And Method: Cross-sectional study on a population of 2,763 high school students aged bet ween 14 to 18 years.

Statistical Analysis: exploratory-descriptive analysis was used for all variables and inferential statistical analysis for associations among variables using 95% confidence interval for the estimates and 5% statistical significance for the statistical test.

Latin American Clinical Epidemiology Network Series - Paper 1: The Latin American Clinical Epidemiology Network "LatinCLEN".

The Latin American Clinical Epidemiology Network (LatinCLEN) was born in the 90s as a branch of the International Clinical Epidemiology Network. Clinical Epidemiology Units that made up this network in the region were initially composed of health professionals trained in Australia and North America. From these units, second- and third-generation training centers started to develop in the region, with the main purpose of introducing clinical research methodology and critical appraisal, as well as health economics and biostatistics.

[Association between overweight and early childhood caries].

Objective: To determine whether overweight is a risk factor for the development of early childhood caries (ECC) in preschoolers.

Patients And Method: An observational retrospective cohort study was performed in 196 children under 2 years of age at Calbuco Hospital, Los Lagos Region, Chile, who were admitted between 2007 and 2009. Patients were grouped based on their nutritional status at admission in the two following categories: eutrophic and overweighed children as a result of excessive intake.

[Estimation of thyroid cancer incidence in Chile based on pathological reports].

Background: Thyroid cancer (TC) detection is increasing steadily.

Aim: To determine the incidence of TC based on pathological reports of thyroidectomies.

Material And Methods: Fifty pathology laboratories performing thyroid gland pathological studies were identified.

[Risk factors for metabolic syndrome in a case control study in Temuco, Chile].

Background: Metabolic syndrome is becoming an important public health problem in affluent societies.

Aim: To identify factors associated to metabolic syndrome in a Southern Chilean city.

Material And Methods: Using a case control design, 200 participants, aged 35 to 70 years with at least three criteria for metabolic syndrome according to the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP_ATPIII) and 200 subjects with less than three criteria, were studied.

[Risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus among users of atypical antipsychotic drugs or conventional treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis].

Atypical antipsychotic drugs have less extra pyramidal side effects and are more effective to control the clinical manifestations of schizophrenia. However, their use may be associated to a higher incidence of weight gain, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. We performed a systematic literature search to evaluate the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus incidence associated to the use of atypical antipsychotic drugs, compared to conventional treatment.

[Natural history of gallbladder cancer. Analysis of biopsy specimens].

Background: There is scarcity of knowledge about the development of gallbladder cancer.

Aim: To study the features of development and progression of gallbladder cancer.

Material And Methods: Review of histopathological studies of gallbladder obtained in 25,971 cholecytectomies performed in patients aged 45+/- 16 years, 79% females, between 1993 and 2004.

[Some methodological issues about measurements in health].

Measurement process is a part of everyday work of health professionals. Technological advances have created precise and sensitive instruments whose results are highly accurate and cast little doubt. However, health care has diversified, becoming a multidimensional and complex task.