Objective To characterize the epidemiological profile of chronic kidney disease among the pediatric population in Colombia. Methods An observational study using panel data from the "Cuenta de Alto Costo" registry was conducted. Patients under 18 years of age with a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease reported between July 2019 and June 2020 were included. Prevalence was calculated and stratified by age, sex, and region. Etiologies were also described. Results The prevalence of chronic kidney disease among patients under 18 years was 153.1 cases per million population (pmp), with an upward trend from 2019 to 2023, increasing from 100 to 367.1 pmp. The most frequent etiology was unknown (75.8%), followed by congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (10.7%) and glomerulonephritis (5.3%). Conclusions In Colombia, the prevalence of chronic kidney disease in the pediatric population is higher than that reported globally. However, the high proportion of cases with unknown etiology is notable; among identified etiologies, congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract and glomerulopathies were the most frequent. These findings highlight the need to improve epidemiological records and establish diagnostic guidelines to determine the etiology of chronic kidney disease.
Introduction Cancer is a global public health problem. Population-Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs) are essential tools for characterizing the epidemiology of the disease and evaluating the impact of public health interventions aimed at controlling it. Aim To estimate cancer incidence and mortality in the Metropolitan Area of Bucaramanga (AMB) during 2013-2017. Methods Descriptive retrospective population-based study of incidence and mortality. Invasive cancer cases were obtained from the Population-Based Cancer Registry of the AMB database, and population and mortality data from the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE). Crude and age-standardized incidence and mortality rates were calculated, both overall and sex-specific. Results During the study period, 11,815 incident cancer cases were recorded, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer. Age-standardized incidence rates per 100,000 person-years were 173.6 in men and 179.6 in women. The leading sites were prostate, stomach, and colorectal in men, and breast, thyroid, and colorectal in women. The age-standardized mortality rates were 117.56 per 100,000 man-years and 89.91 per 100,000 woman-years. Conclusions Incidence and mortality rates for most sites are higher than those observed in the previous fiveyear periods. PBCRs are the main cancer surveillance tool and are essential for formulating and evaluating public cancer-control policies.
Objective This study aimed to determine frailty prevalence among patients aged >= 65 diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and investigate its relationship with disease severity, hospitalization rates, and acute exacerbation frequency. Methods This cross-sectional study evaluated 112 elderly patients with COPD. Patient records, pulmonary function tests, Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scores, COPD Assessment Test (CAT) scores, and the previous year's exacerbations and hospitalizations were analyzed. Frailty was assessed using the FRAIL scale. Results Frailty prevalence was 49.1% (55/112). A significant negative correlation was found between FRAIL and FEV1% values (r(s):-0.695, 95% CI:-0.782 to-0.581, p <0.001). Conversely, FRAIL Scores correlated positively with CAT (r(s): 0.840, 95% CI: 0.773 to 0.888, p <0.001) and mMRC values (r(s): 0.733, 95% CI: 0.631 to 0.811, p <0.001). Significant differences in CAT, mMRC, and FEV1% were observed between high and low frailty groups. COPD exacerbations and hospitalizations were significantly higher in patients with higher FRAIL Scores (p <0.001). Conclusion The FRAIL scale is strongly associated with higher rates of exacerbations and hospitalizations in elderly COPD patients, reflecting increased disease severity and poorer clinical outcomes.
La hospitalización pediátrica implica, además del tratamiento, la exposición del niño a un entorno desconocido, lo que puede aumentar el miedo, la ansiedad y la despersonalización del cuidado. Este artículo narra una experiencia de transformación en la práctica pediátrica, destacando cómo las intervenciones de humanización contribuyen al bienestar de los niños con enfermedades graves y de sus familias, con el objetivo de integrar el bienestar emocional en la práctica clínica. El programa EL AMOR ES LA MEJOR MEDICINA busca crear un entorno de acompañamiento que complemente la atención tradicional, promoviendo el bienestar emocional, psicológico y social mediante iniciativas lúdicas, artísticas y afectivas. Esta experiencia resalta el poder de la empatía y la compasión como pilares esenciales para una atención significativa, que busca cuidar no solo con el conocimiento, sino también con el ser, pasando de una atención centrada en la enfermedad a un modelo centrado en la experiencia humana del paciente.
Estimado editor, Leímos con gran atención el artículo de revisión sobre el síndrome del X frágil en niños (1), recientemente publicado en Colombia Médica. Sin embargo, consideramos importante destacar la necesidad de reconocer y abordar la insuficiencia ovárica primaria asociada al síndrome X frágil.Los profesionales clínicos deben conocer esta asociación específica entre el síndrome X frágil y la insuficiencia ovárica primaria, a fin de evitar retrasos en el diagnóstico y en el inicio de una terapia hormonal de reemplazo adecuada.
