Santiago Domínguez Coello

Inverse Association Between Obesity and Antinuclear Antibodies in Women

To the Editor: More than 70% of all autoimmune illnesses occur in women, a figure that has been attributed to stimulation of the Th2 response by estrogens. However, a little-explored relationship is that which may exist between obesity and autoimmune disorders in women. Since the discovery of leptin1 it has been known that the cytokine-producing capacity of adipose tissue is high. Serum concentration of leptin is 3- to 4-fold higher in women than in men. However, little is known about the reasons for this difference. To date no studies have investigated the relationship between leptin and autoimmune disease in the…

Validación de un cuestionario de frecuencia de consumo de alimentos adaptado para el estudio y seguimiento de la población adulta de las Islas Canarias

Background: The registering of eating habits requires a valid and reliable method. The purpose of this study is to validate the food intake frequency questionnaire, CDC-FFQ, which is an adaptation of another questionnaire, in order to assess the nutrition of the adult population of the Canary Islands. Methods: The CDC-FFQ questionnaire was given to 1,067 individuals taken from the general population (GP) and to 106 university students, aged 19 to 30. The second group was surveyed also in three 24-hour follow-ups. The nutrients were compared according to the CDC-FFQ in the GP and university students. The correlations were estimated between the CDC-FFQ and the follow-ups for nutrients and groups of foods and the concordance of the intakes of nutrients and groups of foods in the extreme quintiles, for the university students. Results: The mean values between nutrients of the CDC-FFQ between the GP, university students and the general population with university studies showed no significant differences except for vitamin B12 (p=0.004) and vitamin D (p=0.005). Correlations between the CDC-FFQ and the mean of the three follow-ups were obtained in the 0.202-0.601 range between nutrients adjusted by calories consumed in the case of the university students. By groups of foods, the correlations ranged between 0.243-0.542 for the CDC-FFQ and the follow-ups. The concordance of nutrients ranged between 39% and 100% and for groups of foods, between 41% and 100%. Conclusions: The CDC-FFQ questionnaire is valid for classifying the subjects in the relative ranges of their level of intake of foods and nutrients and, therefore, it could be useful in epidemiological studies with a diet assessment in the adult population of the Canary Islands.

Factores asociados al conocimiento y el control de la hipertensión arterial en Canarias

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES To analyze the factors associated with knowledge and control of hypertension in the adult population of the Canary Islands (18-75 years). METHODS We recruited a random sample of the general population aged ≥18 years. Hypertension was defined as systolic/diastolic blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg or known hypertension (self-declared, or controlled hypertension <140/90 mmHg). The bivariate association of known and controlled hypertension with age, sex, anthropometry, serum lipids, medication, and lifestyle was corroborated by adjusting a multivariate logistic model. RESULTS We included 6675 participants. The prevalence of hypertension was higher in men (40% vs 31%, P<.001), who also had a lower frequency of treated and controlled hypertension. Female sex (P<.001), age ≥55 years (P<.001), obesity (P<.001), and diabetes (P<.001) were associated with known hypertension. The modifiable factors that, in spite of treatment, increased the risk of poor control of hypertension were alcohol consumption (>30 g/day, odds ratio [OR]=2.4, P<.001; >15-≤30 g/day, OR=2, P=.009; >5-≤15, g/day, OR=1.83, P=.004), obesity (body mass index ≥30, OR=2, P=.003; >24.9-<30, OR=1.7, P=.024), serum cholesterol >250 mg/dL (OR=1.6, P=.006) and elevated heart rate (>80 bpm, OR=1.45, P=.045; >70-≤80 bpm, OR=1.36, P=.038). CONCLUSIONS The awareness of hypertension increases with frequent use of the health system and with factors associated with known hypertension: female sex, age, underlying health problems. The modifiable factors associated with poor control of known hypertension are alcohol consumption, obesity, elevated heart rate, and hypercholesterolemia.

Validación del modelo REI para medir la clase social en población adulta

Fundamento: La clase social generalmente se mide de manera categorica y basada en la ocupacion laboral, lo cual tiene multiples limitaciones. El objetivo de este trabajo es elaborar un indicador cuantitativo de clase social, facilmente estandarizable, validarlo en poblacion adulta y comprobar su aptitud para medir el impacto de la clase social como determinante de salud. Metodos: estudio transversal de 6.729 individuos para medir la clase social con las variables: Renta familiar per capita, Indice de hacinamiento, Estudios realizados, Ocupacion laboral y Situacion laboral. Se crearon dos modelos y mediante curvas COR se selecciono el mejor para validarlo analizando su capacidad de estimar los riesgos relativos de: residir en barrio pobre o rico, mantener un patron dietetico tipico de clases sociales pobres y presentar problemas de salud actualmente asociados a la pobreza. Resultados: el modelo solo incluyo las variables Renta, Estudios e Indice de hacinamiento (REI), produjo un indicador con rango de valores entre 4 y 21 y mostro correlacion inversa con la edad (r= -0,28; p <0,001), con el consumo de papas (r= -0,17; p<0,001) y con el consumo de legumbres (r= -0,03; p=0,01), ademas de correlacion directa con el consumo de ensalada (r = 0,10; p<0,001); su sensibilidad para detectar la residencia en barrio pobre alcanzo el 97% para valores menores a 10. REI estimo que las clases sociales pobres presentan riesgos significativos de situacion laboral de desempleo (OR=5,4), ocupacion laboral de baja cualificacion (OR=40,9), habitar en barrios pobres (OR =30,2), bajo consumo de ensaladas (OR = 2,2), gran consumo de papas (OR = 4,5) y alto consumo de legumbres (OR = 1,6). En ambos sexos las clases pobres presentaron mayor riesgo de problemas de salud, con mayor fuerza en las mujeres: sedentarismo (OR = 1,8), obesidad (OR = 4,4), obesidad abdominal (OR = 5,4), sindrome metabolico (OR = 3,4) y diabetes mellitus (OR = 2,0). Conclusiones: REI es un indicador valido, no basado en la ocupacion ni en la situacion laboral, facilmente estandarizable, apto para medir cuantitativamente la clase social en estudios que precisen analizar el impacto de la misma como determinante de salud.

C-peptide as a risk factor of coronary artery disease in the general population:

OBJECTIVE To analyse the association between serum C-peptide and coronary artery disease in the general population. METHODS Follow-up study of 6630 adults from the general population. They were stratified into group 1 (no insulin resistance: C-peptide < third tercile and glycaemia < 100 mg/dL), group 2 (initial insulin resistance: C-peptide ⩾ third tercile and glycaemia < 100 mg/dL) and group 3 (advanced insulin resistance: glycaemia ⩾ 100 mg/dL). RESULTS After 3.5 years of follow-up, group 2 had a higher incidence of myocardial infarction (relative risk (RR) = 4.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.7-10.6) and coronary artery disease (RR = 3.5, 95% CI = 1.9-6.6) than group 1. Group 3 also had increased incidences of both diseases. In multivariable analysis of the entire population, groups 2 and 3 showed significant risks of myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease (RR > 3 and RR > 2, respectively). However, when people with diabetes were excluded, the increased risks were corroborated only in group 2 for myocardial infarction (RR = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.1-6.9; p = 0.025) and coronary artery disease (RR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.3-4.6; p = 0.007). CONCLUSION Elevated C-peptide is associated with the incidence of myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease in the general population. It can be an earlier predictor of coronary events than impaired fasting glucose.Objective: To analyse the association between serum C-peptide and coronary artery disease in the general population. Methods: Follow-up study of 6630 adults from the general population. They were stratified into group 1 (no insulin resistance: C-peptide 3 and RR > 2, respectively). However, when people with diabetes were excluded, the increased risks were corroborated only in group 2 for myocardial infarction (RR = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.1–6.9; p = 0.025) and coronary artery disease (RR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.3–4.6; p = 0.007). Conclusion: Elevated C-peptide is associated with the incidence of myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease in the general population. It can be an earlier predictor of coronary events than impaired fasting glucose.

Inverse association of resistin with physical activity in the general population

Aim Resistin is a cytokine related with inflammation and ischemic heart disease. Physical activity (PA) prevents chronic inflammation and ischemic heart disease. We studied the relationship of serum concentration of resistin with HDL cholesterol, a known biomarker of PA, and with different measures of PA, in a large sample of the general adult population in the Canary Islands. Methods Cross-sectional study of 6636 adults recruited randomly. We analyzed the correlation of resistin and HDL cholesterol with PA (as metabolic equivalent level [MET]), and fitted the results with linear and logistic regression models using adjustment for age, alcohol consumption and smoking. Results Mean resistin level was higher in women (p<0.001), correlated inversely with age, HDL cholesterol (p<0.001) and alcohol consumption (p<0.001 in men), and correlated directly with smoking (p<0.001). Resistin correlated inversely with the duration of leisure time PA (p<0.001), leisure time MET (p<0.001) and moderate leisure time PA (p<0.001), with some differences between sexes. Men (OR = 0.78 [0.61–0.99; p<0.05]) and women (OR = 0.75 [0.61–0.92; p<0.01]) in the upper quintile of leisure time PA had a lower risk of elevated resistin. In contrast, a high degree of sedentarism was associated with an increased risk elevated resistin in women (OR = 1.24 [1.04–1.47; p<0.05] and in men (OR = 1.40 [1.01–1.82; p<0.05]). Conclusions In our sample of the general population, resistin was inversely associated with measures and levels of PA and HDL cholesterol. The association of resistin with PA was stronger than the association of HDL cholesterol with PA, making resistin a potentially useful biomarker of PA.

Hospital Mortality in 415 798 AMI Patients: 4 Years Earlier in the Canary Islands Than in the Rest of Spain

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The Canary Islands has the highest mortality from diabetes in Spain. The aim of this study was to determine possible differences in mortality due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during hospital admission between this autonomous community and the rest of Spain, as well as the factors associated with this mortality and the population fraction attributable to diabetes. METHODS Cross-sectional study of hospital admissions for AMI in Spain from 2007 to 2014, registered in the Minimum Basic Data Set. RESULTS A total of 415 798 AMI were identified. Canary Island patients (16 317) were younger than those living in the rest of Spain (63.93 ± 13.56 vs 68.25 ± 13.94; P < .001) and death occurred 4 years earlier in the archipelago (74.03 ± 11.85 vs 78.38 ± 11.10; P < .001). This autonomous community had the highest prevalence of smoking (44% in men and 23% in women); throughout Spain, AMI occurred 13 years earlier in smokers than in nonsmokers. Patients in the Canary Islands had the highest mortality rates whether they had diabetes (8.7%) or not (7.6%), and they also showed the highest fraction of AMI mortality attributable to diabetes (9.4; 95%CI, 4.8-13.6). After adjustment for type of AMI, diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, smoking, cocaine use, renal failure, sex and age, the Canary Islands showed the highest risk of mortality vs the rest of Spain (OR = 1.25; 95%CI, 1.17-1.33; P < .001) and it was one of the autonomous communities showing no significant improvement in the risk of mortality due to AMI during the study period. CONCLUSIONS Mortality due to AMI during hospital admission is higher in the Canary Islands than in the rest of Spain.

Validation of DIABSCORE in screening for Type 2 Diabetes and prediabetes in Tunisian population

Aims To perform a validation of DIABSCORE in a sample of Tunisian adults and find out the optimal cut-off point for screening of Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and prediabetes. Methods 225 adults 18–75 years and a subgroup of 138 adults (18–54 years), with undiagnosed T2D from the region of Cap-Bon, Tunisia were included in the present study. The DIABSCORE was calculated based on: age, waist/height ratio, family history of T2D and gestational diabetes. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves and areas under curve (AUC) were obtained. The T2D and prediabetes prevalences odds ratios (OR) between patients exposed and not exposed to DIABSCORE≥90 and DIABSCORE≥80, respectively were calculated in both age ranges. Results For screening of T2D the best value was DIABSCORE = 90 with a highest sensitivity (Se), negative predictive value (NPV) and lower negative likelihood ratio in participants aged 18–75 yr (Se = 97%; NPV = 97%) when compared to participants aged 18–54 yr (Se = 95%; NPV = 97%); for prediabetes, the best Se and NPV were for DIABSCORE = 80 in both age groups, but it showed a disbalanced sensitivity-specificity. The ROC curves for T2D showed a similar AUC in both age ranges (AUC = 0.62 and AUC = 0.61 respectively). The ROC curves for prediabetes showed a highest AUC in those aged 18–54 years than the older ones (AUC = 0.62 and AUC = 0.57, respectively). The prevalences OR of T2D for DIABSCORE≥90 was higher than for DIABSCORE≥80 in both age ranges. Nevertheless, the prevalences OR of prediabetes for DIABSCORE≥90 was half of the detected for DIABSCORE≥80 in both age ranges. Conclusion The DIABSCORE is a simple clinical tool and accurate method in screening for T2D and prediabetes in the adult Tunisian population.