Iron is essential for health but in excess may be harmful. The living organism has ability to store and re-use the iron body and as such its requirement is small (1-2 mg absorbed/day). Hepcidin, a hormone produced in the liver, has an important role in iron homeostasis by blocking the iron transport protein and inhibiting iron absorption. Maternal anemia due to iron deficiency is a public health problem when it is moderate (7-<9 g/dL) and severe (Hb<7 g/dL) since it increases the risk of maternal and neonatal morbi-mortality. Similarly, high levels of hemoglobin during pregnancy affect the mother and newborn. In Peru, there is a National Program to supplement with iron to all pregnant women anemic or not. Scientific evidence shows that hemoglobin values between 9-10.5 g/dL are optimal for best fetal growth and that treatment with iron supplementation to non anemic women increases levels ...

Although the prevalence of anemia has decreased in the last decades, global anemia prevalence remains at around 30 % and is estimated to contribute to nearly 9 % of global years lived with disability. An increased appreciation of the multiple interacting causes of anemia to include nutritional, infectious and genetic causes is not reflected in government programs to address anemia which focus only on iron supplementation, which may underlie their limited effectiveness. Additionally, several studies question the validity of the hemoglobin cut-off points used to define anemia, first proposed in 1969 by the WHO, especially those recommended for use in populations at high altitude (HA), as populations at HA generally exhibit higher hemoglobin levels as one of several possible adaptations to living at HA. Use of this criteria may increase 5-6 times the prevalence of anemia, particularly in po...

Iron is essential for health; its deficiency and excess are harmful. Our bodies have a high capacity to store and reuse iron so that its requirement is small (1-2 mg absorbed/day). Hepcidin, a hormone produced in the liver, has an important role in this element’s homeostasis by blocking its transport protein, inhibiting its absorption in the duodenum and its release from the iron stores. During pregnancy, there is a new iron requirement for the placenta and fetus. This causes an increase in erythropoiesis; however, hemoglobin concentration decreases due to the greater vascular expansion. This results in hemodilution, which is evident starting the second trimester and returns to pre-gestational values at the end of the third trimester. Maternal iron deficiency anemia becomes a public health problem when it is moderate (7-14,5 g/dL) during pregnancy adversely affect the mother and neonat...

Carta al editor: Sr. Editor. En reciente carta al editor se menciona la producción científica de los miembros vitalicios de la Academia Nacional de Investigadores Médicos (1). De los treinta miembros vitalicios doce publicaron un artículo una vez en su vida, y cuatro al menos un artículo en los dos últimos años. En la carta se menciona que los resultados concuerdan con las investigaciones realizadas previamente en términos de la baja producción científica (2).

Anemia is a worldwide public health problem that affects both the health and survival of people. It is estimated that 25% of the world population suffers it. Although most of the countries have been intervening during fifty years to reduce the rates of anemia, these efforts are unsatisfactory. Among the arguments used to explain this low success, is the low adherence to the consumption of iron supplements. The hepcidin discovery in 2000 has changed our knowledge about the mechanisms that regulate iron homeostasis, which shows that the inflammatory processes, which are responsible for 42% of anemia cases in the world will not respond to the intervention with oral iron, due to the increase in the value of hepcidin by inflammation. In this review it is also argued that the criteria used to determine the cut-off points in children and pregnant women to define iron deficiency anemia do not ag...

Carta al editor para hacer la corrección del punto de corte de la hemoglobina a gran altitud favorece la clasificación errónea de anemia, eritrocitosis y eritrocitosis excesiva.

La Cumbre Mundial de Armonización en Medicina Tradicional, Alternativa y Complementaria se realizó en Lima, del 7 al 11 de noviembre del 2007, con 600 participantes de todo el mundo. Esta reunión fue organizada por el Colegio Médico del Perú, incluyó 7 secciones, comenzando con un panorama de la situación actual de la Medicina Tradicional, Alternativa y Complementaria. La segunda sección trató experiencias de diferentes países en regulaciones y control de calidad de productos y servicios usados en la Medicina Tradicional, Alternativa y Complementaria. Una parte muy importante de la Cumbre fue la experiencia en educación y práctica en Medicina Tradicional, Alternativa y Complementaria que expusieron conferencistas de España, Alemania, Argentina, Italia, Brazil, Cuba y Perú. La reunión incluyó los siguientes temas: homeopatía, acupuntura, medicina mente-cuerpo, terapia neu...

This is a descriptive study on the maternal population in Huaraz City at 3052 m in the central highlands of the Departament of Ancash.  Objetive: to record sociodemographic characteristics of pregnant women, and conditions associated with pregnancy, delivery and newborn children.  Materials and methods: cross-sectional and descriptive study based on history records from the pregnancies attended from 2001 to 2005 at the Hospital Víctor Ramos Guardia, City of Huaraz. The sample included 10 354 deliveries, at from 28 to 42 weeks of pregnancy.  Results: The mean hemoglobin value was 12,84 g/dL (± 1,36). According to Ministry of Health (MINSA) guidelines which correct hemoglobin values according to altitude of residence, the prevalence of anemia was 49,67 %. Out of all mothers, 42 % were primiparas, 48% had had several pregnancies, and a low percentage of women had great mult...

Durante muchos años, el dióxido de cloro ha sido utilizado por su principal característica como desinfectante, abarcando diversas áreas de aplicación como la sanitaria, alimenticia, industrial, etc. La evidencia reportada hasta la fecha cita diversos estudios en modelos animales, desde revisiones sobre la toxicocinética hasta la aplicación o usos del compuesto. Su poder como bactericida, virucida y eliminador microbiológico lo convirtió en una fuente de control y potabilización de aguas. La controversia generada actualmente es sobre el uso de este compuesto para el tratamiento y control de la COVID-19. Se ha evidenciado incongruencia con algunos resultados reportados y que su aplicación en pacientes positivos a SARS-CoV-2 o para prevenir COVID-19 puede tener efectos adversos, como un acrecentado número de intoxicaciones y, en otros casos, la muerte. En la presente revisión s...

El Dr. Roger Guerra-García en horas de la tarde de un 11 de agosto de 2020 se ha alejado físicamente de la vida terrenal para dejar perennizado su mensaje de amor al prójimo; falleció dejando como legado sus grandes enseñanzas de cuales numerosas promociones de estudiantes del pregrado y postgrado entre los que me cuento fuimos sus discípulos. El Dr. Roger Guerra-García se recibió en el año 1959 de médico-cirujano en la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM).

Fernando Alberto Cazorla Tálleri nace en Lima el 6 de septiembre de 1925, y un 3 de marzo de 2022 nos ha dejado para descansar en la paz del Señor. En vida fue una persona prodigiosa, de gran sensibilidad humana, de porte caballeroso, siempre risueño y muy ocurrente.

Sacha inchi is a seed produced in the Peruvian Amazonian and its oil is recognized by the lowering lipids effect in humans. The remaining material transformed to flour has a higher amount of protein, but, the nitrogen balance once ingested orally has not been studied. The present study was designed to evaluate the nitrogen balance after single consumption of 30 g of sacha inchi flour and compared with that obtained after consumption of 30 g soybean flour in adult men and women. This was a double-blind cohort study in 15 men and 15 women between 18 and 55 years old. Fifteen subjects received soy meal and 15 subjects received sacha inchi meal. Group receiving sacha inchi flour has comparable initial parameters as those receiving soybean flour (p > 0.05). Blood samples at different times were obtained. Urine for 24 h was collected to calculate nitrogen balance, p < 0.05 was considered signi...

Anemia is a worldwide public health problem that affects both the health and survival of people. It is estimated that 25% of the world population suffers it. Although most of the countries have been intervening during fifty years to reduce the rates of anemia, these efforts are unsatisfactory. Among the arguments used to explain this low success, is the low adherence to the consumption of iron supplements. The hepcidin discovery in 2000 has changed our knowledge about the mechanisms that regulate iron homeostasis, which shows that the inflammatory processes, which are responsible for 42% of anemia cases in the world will not respond to the intervention with oral iron, due to the increase in the value of hepcidin by inflammation. In this review it is also argued that the criteria used to determine the cut-off points in children and pregnant women to define iron deficiency anemia do not ag...

Although the prevalence of anemia has decreased in the last decades, global anemia prevalence remains at around 30 % and is estimated to contribute to nearly 9 % of global years lived with disability. An increased appreciation of the multiple interacting causes of anemia to include nutritional, infectious and genetic causes is not reflected in government programs to address anemia which focus only on iron supplementation, which may underlie their limited effectiveness. Additionally, several studies question the validity of the hemoglobin cut-off points used to define anemia, first proposed in 1969 by the WHO, especially those recommended for use in populations at high altitude (HA), as populations at HA generally exhibit higher hemoglobin levels as one of several possible adaptations to living at HA. Use of this criteria may increase 5-6 times the prevalence of anemia, particularly in po...

For many years, chlorine dioxide has been used for its main characteristic as a disinfectant, covering various areas of application such as sanitary, food, industrial, etc.The evidence reported to date cites various studies in animal models, from reviews on toxicokinetics to the application or uses of the compound. Its power as a bactericide, virucidal and microbiological eliminator made it a source of water control and purification.The controversy currently generated is about the use of this compound for the treatment and control of COVID-19.There has been evidence of inconsistency with some reported results and that its application in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients or to prevent COVID-19 may have adverse effects, such as an increased number of poisonings and, in other cases, death. In the present review it is detailed, from the scientific evidence reported, the effects of this compound o...

El reciente derrame de petróleo ocurrido el 15 de enero del 2022 en Ventanilla, Callao, durante un procedimiento de carga y descarga de combustible en el terminal de la Refinería La Pampilla, donde se estima que cerca de 12 000 barriles de petróleo fueron vertidos en el mar (Figura1), nos debe hacer reflexionar sobre el impacto que tienen estos desastres no solo en el aspecto ecológico y económico sino también en la salud humana.

Recently, in our country, chemical castration has called the attention of politicians once again as a possible measure to reduce rape and sexual abuse of childs. Chemical castration, a therapy mediated by pharmacological treatment, has been used for 50 years in some countries against those sentenced for sexual crimes. Chemical castration reduces androgen levels but it is reversible after the end of the therapy. Androgens, particularly testosterone, can modulate almost all aspects of sexual behavior thanks to the wide distribution of their receptors throughout the brain. Therefore, it is expected that androgen reduction through chemical castration can reverse atypical and aggressive sexual behaviors that are exacerbated in paraphilias, such as pedophilia. The most common medications used in chemical castration to treat paraphilic disorders are synthetic steroid analogs, gonadotropin-relea...

La pandemia de COVID-19 oficialmente ha ocasionado, a mayo de 2022, más de 6,9 millones de muertes en el mundo; sin embargo, esta cifra se encuentra tres veces por debajo de los excesos de muerte para el mismo periodo. El Perú, al 14 de agosto de 2022, tiene la mayor tasa de mortalidad en el mundo. Esto se debe a que corrigió las muertes por COVID-19, incorporando el exceso de mortalidad el 31 de mayo de 2021, pasando de 70 mil muertes a 180 mil. El número de casos en los países más pobres es menor que en los países de mayores ingresos, sin embargo, la tasa de letalidad (muertes/casos* mil) es mayor. La mayor severidad de la infección en los países más pobres se debe a la desigualdad en los servicios de salud y en la menor cobertura de vacunación. Luego del primer caso de COVID-19, presentado en marzo de 2020 en Perú, han ocurrido cuatro olas con diferentes intensidades y amp...

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This is a descriptive study on the maternal population in Huaraz City at 3052 m in the central highlands of the Departament of Ancash.  Objetive: to record sociodemographic characteristics of pregnant women, and conditions associated with pregnancy, delivery and newborn children.  Materials and methods: cross-sectional and descriptive study based on history records from the pregnancies attended from 2001 to 2005 at the Hospital Víctor Ramos Guardia, City of Huaraz. The sample included 10 354 deliveries, at from 28 to 42 weeks of pregnancy.  Results: The mean hemoglobin value was 12,84 g/dL (± 1,36). According to Ministry of Health (MINSA) guidelines which correct hemoglobin values according to altitude of residence, the prevalence of anemia was 49,67 %. Out of all mothers, 42 % were primiparas, 48% had had several pregnancies, and a low percentage of women had great mult...