Revista médico científica

Prevalence of refraction errors in medical students at the University of Panama.

Anabella Fong Moreno. — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

OBJECTIVES: Refractive errors are a serious health problem. Medical students depend on their visual system to lay a solid foundation of fundamental knowledge in the practice of the medical profession. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism in medical students at the University of Panama.

METHODOLOGY: Cross-sectional descriptive observational study.

The universe was the medical students from the University of Panama in basic, preclinical, and clinical cycles which correspond to 1370 students, between the months of October and November 2021.

The calculation of the sample was 301 students. A simple, randomized design was used. A questionnaire was applied to medical students from the University of Panama in the basic, preclinical or clinical cycle. For the database, data analysis, and preparation of tables and graphs, the Microsoft Excel program was used. The study was approved by the Bioethics Committee of the University of Panama.

RESULTS: A total of 349 responses were obtained, of which 19 were omitted because they did not meet the inclusion criteria, leaving 330 participants. A total of 221 students (66.9%) reported having some refractive error, being myopia plus astigmatism being the most prevalent in 33.9% (n=112), followed by myopia in 23.3% (n=77) and astigmatism in 6.36% (n=21).

CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of refractive errors and an increased need for the use of corrective lenses on the students.

ANABOLIC STEROIDS

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Anabolic steroids are synthetic derivates of natural testosterone broadly used by sports amateurs and athletes to improve their physical performance. Anabolic steroids have three different types of effect: proteic, activating the synthesis of proteins for improving muscular mass; anti-catabolic, by blocking glucocorticoid effects which decrease protein synthesis; and neurological, increasing the ability to tolerate intense physical activity.

Consumption must be careful, because of adverse effects on cardiovascular, endocrine, dermatologic, hepatic, and renal systems. Nonetheless, AS are justified in cases of hypogonadism, sexual impotence, and diseases that cause emaciation.

The most common cardiac diseases caused by the abuse of anabolic steroids are arterial hypertension, coronary disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, heart failure, and cardiomyopathy.

COVID-19 AGGRAVANTING A JEJUNAL DIVERTICULUM

Francisco Alonso Campos Herrera, Genesis Estefania Him Rios, Oscar Barnes — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

INTRODUCTION: Jejunal diverticula are very rare, and most are diagnosed incidentally. 15% present complications and, among these, perforation is associated with a 40% mortality.

CLINICAL CASE: A 74-year-old male patient with a diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia presented with gross hematuria and required dialysis due to acute renal failure after 6 days in the ICU. In addition, he presented vomiting. A computed tomography of the abdomen was requested, and it showed a complicated jejunal diverticulum which was managed with resection and primary anastomosis of the small intestine. One week later, the patient died due to an anastomotic leak.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REVIEW: This pathology is more frequent at 60-80 years and the majority are asymptomatic as in our case. Although it is true, COVID-19 cannot be determined as the sole or main cause, if we know how it could aggravate the condition.

CONCLUSION: Although the patient received the correct treatment, risk factors and the appearance of complications worsen the prognosis of the patient.

TAKAYASU’S ARTERITIS

Ediana Narváez-Marquez, Cristina Ryall-Rojas, Verónica Wong-Feng — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Takayasu's arteritis is a chronic vasculitis of large vessels, occurring in the aorta and its main branches. We present the case of a 57-year-old female, who went to the Complejo Hospitalario Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid due to stabbing chest pain and numbness of the upper and lower left limbs. A difference in blood pressure was found between both arms, with the absence of Korotkoff sounds in the left arm; the left radial and brachial pulses were absent, and the intensity of the left pedal pulse was decreased. Among the studies, the arteriography of the supra-aortic trunks stands out, showing absence of the right common carotid artery and right vertebral artery, dilatation of the right subclavian artery, and stenosis (82%) of the left subclavian artery and left common carotid artery. The rheumatology service confirmed the diagnosis of Takayasu's arteritis and treated with methotrexate and scheduled a surgery for carotid stent placement.

PEDIATRIC PATIENT WITH COMPLETE ATRIOVENTRICULAR SEPTAL DEFECT AND POSITIVE SARS-COV-2

Anabella Fong Moreno, Aldair Carrasco — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We report the case of a 14-month-old female patient with a complete atrioventricular canal, phenotypically non-syndromic, who on admission presented a positive real-time (Polymerase chain reaction) PCR test for SARS-CoV-2, the novel virus that causes the COVID-19 pandemic, current context where much is still unknown regarding its clinical outcome and proper management, particularly in pediatric patients with pre-existing cardiac conditions. Atrioventricular septal defect is a complex congenital heart disease strongly associated with Down syndrome, characterized by a malformation during the development of the heart cross (crux cordis) or atrioventricular area. She is discharged with a referral to Cardiology. Despite her condition, the patient did not develop severe COVID-19 illness.

Editorial

Francisco José Palma García — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000