Low publication of the papers presented at the Congresses of Gastroenterology Society of Peru 1998-2008.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the proportion of abstracts presented at the Congreso Peruano de Gastroenterología (the major Peruvian gastroenterological scientific meeting), that had been published in scientific journals, the date of publication and its associated factors. MATERIALS & METHODS: Longitudinal retrospective and analytic study; the publication rate of all the abstracts presented in the biennial Congreso Peruano de Gastroenterología between 1998 and 2008 was assessed. Google Scholar engine was used. The searching strategy performed included: (“Study location” AND “population studied” AND “main outcome”) AND (autor:First OR autor:Second OR autor:Last). Logistic regression was used, considering p<0.05 statistically significant. RESULTS: Publication rate was 8.2% (34/217), statistically significant differences were found among meeting years (p<0.001). There were also differences between study design, objectives (more in analytic studies) and measurement (more in longitudinal studies)(p<0.001). 82.4% were published in the Revista de Gastroenterología del Perú. The median time for publication was 10.8±10.4 months; this variable and the meeting year, study type, journal of publication or accordance between the abstract and publication characteristics showed no statistical differences. The mean authors’ number was 5.02±2.4; analytic studies have less authors than the descriptive ones (3.6 vs 6.1; p=0.012) CONCLUSION: The Congreso Peruano de Gastroenterología presents a low publication rate of the abstracts presented, which can be used as a quality indicator of the abstracts and the reviewing process.
Authors: Pereyra Elías, Reneé; Ng-Sueng, Luis Fernando; Toro-Polo, Luis Miguel; Nizama Vía, Ayar; Piscoya, Alejandro;Mayta Tristán, Percy
Source: Rev. gastroenterol. Perú

URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10757/314559

Fecal leukocytes in children with acute diarrhea: time to reconsider the clinical usefulness of the test?

INTRODUCTION. Fecal leukocytes are widely used to identify invasive diarrhea and to make then the decision of prescribing or not antibiotics. This test has been hardly assessed in small hospitals of developing countries with efficient laboratory processes. We aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of different thresholds of fecal leukocytes in children under-five with acute diarrhea. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Retrospective study of clinical and laboratory records in the Pediatric Emergency Hospital, Lima, Peru. All cases with a stool culture and fecal leukocytes independently and systematically performed were studied. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, likelihood ratios (LR), and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were calculated. RESULTS. Out of 1,804 stool samples assessed, 901 (49,9%) were positive for one or more bacterial entheropathogens. Sensitivity (Sn), specificity (Sp), and positive LR varied for different thresholds: more than 5 (S: 93.2%, Sp: 21.9%, LR+:), more than 20 (Sn: %, Sp: %, +LR: ), more than 50 (Sn: 74.9%, Sp: 56.7%, +LR: 1.73), and more than 100 fecal leukocytes per high power field (Sn: 60.7%, Sp: 71.9%, LR+: 2.17). The general area under the ROC curve was 0.69 (CI 95%: 0.67-0.72).
Authors: Yhuri Carreazo, Nilton; Ugarte, Karim; Huicho, Luis
Source: Rev. gastroenterol. Perú

URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10757/314558

Low levels of knowledge and refusal attitudes towards to tuberculosis treatment.

Señor Editor: La tuberculosis (TB) es una enfermedad con una condición altamente trascendente en salud pública, no sólo por su elevada frecuencia en países en vías de desarrollo, sino también por las repercusiones económicas y sociales que ésta tiene, debido a su efecto sobre la población económicamente activa, situación a la que el Perú no es ajena (1-3). En ese sentido, nos ha sido grato leer el contenido del tercer número la Revista Peruana de Medicina Experimental y Salud Pública (RPMESP), donde se incide en la TB como un campo de acción prioritario que cuenta con una estrategia nacional para su control, tratamiento y prevención –aunque, su efectividad se encuentra en tela de juicio– y adicionalmente se proponen otros mecanismos para abordar el problema (3-5).
Authors: Antón Neyra, Robert; Mezones Holguin, Edward
Source: Rev. perú. med. exp. salud publica
URL:  http://hdl.handle.net/10757/314474

Atypic toxocariasis: a case report from the Peruvian north coast.

We present the case of a 4.5 years old boy with atypic toxocariasis, from La Matanza, Morropon, Piura. The patient had non-specific symptoms during 9 days. Suspicion of Toxocariasis was supported by marked eosinophilia in the cell blood count (15% or 1470 cells/µL). Diagnosis was confirmed by laboratory with ELISA serology demonstrating the presence of IgG and IgM anti-Toxocara antibodies. Symptoms receded before the patient received a five-day treatment with albendazol 15mg/kg/day.
Authors:Terrones-Campos, Cynthia; Andrade, Teresa; Lachira, Arnaldo; Valladolid, Omar; Lanata, Claudio F.
Source: Rev. perú. med. exp. salud publica
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10757/314463

High frequency of plagiarism in medical thesis from a peruvian public university.

An observational study was conducted to describe the presence of plagiarism in medical thesis in 2008 performed at a public university in Peru. Search for plagiarism in 33 thesis introductions using a Google search algorithm, characterizes of the study type and we search in electronic form if the thesis mentor have published articles in scientific journals. We found evidence of plagiarism in 27/33 introductions, 37.3% (171/479) of all the paragraphs analyzed had some degree of plagiarism, literal plagiarism was the most frequent (20/27) and journals were the most common sources of plagiarism (19/27). The characteristics of the studies were observational (32/33), cross-sectional (30/33), descriptive (25/33) and retrospective (19/33). None of the authors had published in a scientific journal, and only nine of his tutors of them had at least one publication. No association was found between the characteristics of the thesis and the presence of plagiarism. In conclusion, we found a high frequency of plagiarism in theses analyzed. Is responsibility of medical schools take the necessary actions to detect and avoid plagiarism among their students.
Authors: Saldaña-Gastulo, J. Jhan C.; Quezada-Osoria, C. Claudia; Peña-Oscuvilca, Américo; Mayta Tristán, Percy
Source: Rev. perú. med. exp. salud publica

URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10757/314462