Leprosy (Hansen’s disease) is a chronic granulomatous condition caused by Mycobacterium leprae, a microorganism that affects the skin and Schwann’s cells. Making a diagnosis of this condition is difficult in non-endemic areas because of low clinical suspicion. During the 2012-2019 time period, three cases of Hansen’s disease were diagnosed and treated in the ID service of Dos de Mayo Hospital. The average time history of the disease was 4 years. Patients started their condition with the appearance of pruriginous papular lesions affecting specific body regions, progressing to generalized nodular lesions. Paresthesia and tactile, thermal, pain, and vibratory hypoesthesia were found. These manifestations later progressed to anesthesia. Diagnosis was made through bacilloscopy in lymphatic fluid and skin node biopsy. Clinical features for each patient are also described. We emphasize th...

Background: Adolescent and young adults (AYA) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) represent a unique complex group, particularly, with respect to the therapeutic approach. The current trend is to treat AYAs with pediatric ALL treatment regimens, which has been associated with higher survival rates. Blinatumomab is a bispecific monoclonal antibody that binds to CD19 antigen on B-lymphoblasts and CD3 on T cells. Favorable outcomes regarding the utilization of blinatumomab have been obtained in both children and adults, for the treatment of relapsed/refractory (r/r) and minimal residual disease (MRD)-positive B-cell precursor ALL (B-ALL). Nevertheless, the safety and efficacy of blinatumomab in early stages of the disease as frontline therapy is not fully elucidated. Case Description: A 20-year-old male was referred to our hospital in critical condition for untreated newly diagnosed Phi...

Leprosy (Hansen’s disease) is a chronic granulomatous condition caused by Mycobacterium leprae, a microorganism that affects the skin and Schwann’s cells. Making a diagnosis of this condition is difficult in non-endemic areas because of low clinical suspicion. During the 2012-2019 time period, three cases of Hansen’s disease were diagnosed and treated in the ID service of Dos de Mayo Hospital. The average time history of the disease was 4 years. Patients started their condition with the appearance of pruriginous papular lesions affecting specific body regions, progressing to generalized nodular lesions. Paresthesia and tactile, thermal, pain, and vibratory hypoesthesia were found. These manifestations later progressed to anesthesia. Diagnosis was made through bacilloscopy in lymphatic fluid and skin node biopsy. Clinical features for each patient are also described. We emphasize th...

Introducción: El consumo de sustancias psicoactivas en la adolescencia y adultez temprana se ve sujeto a una naturaleza dinámica compleja. Objetivo: Evaluar los factores de riesgo para el consumo de SPA en jóvenes peruanos que participaron en la cohorte mayor de “Niños del Milenio” en dos periodos durante el 2009 al 2016. Materiales y métodos: Realizamos un estudio observacional, analítico, tipo cohorte basado en la revisión secundaria de la cohorte mayor de “Niños del Milenio” en Perú. Nuestra población incluyó aquellos registros con datos completos de la 1era a la 5ta ronda analizados en dos periodos de seguimiento. Se excluyeron aquellos registros que reportaron el consumo alguna SPA al inicio de cada periodo. Se obtuvo una potencia mayor al 80%. Realizamos un Modelo Lineal Generalizado familia Poisson con función de enlace log ajustado por clústeres que permitió...

"Objetivo: Determinar los factores sociodemográficos y nutricionales asociados a la anemia en niños de 1 a 5 años de Perú según la Encuesta Nacional Demográfica y de Salud Familiar (DHS, por sus siglas en inglés Demographic and Health Survey). Metodología: Para determinar los posibles factores sociodemográficos y nutricionales asociados a la anemia, se hizo un subanálisis de la DHS 2017, tomando en cuenta un intervalo de confianza del 95% y considerando los parámetros de complejidad de la encuesta. Se describieron las frecuencias relativas en el análisis univariado. Para el análisis bivariado se empleó el test de chi cuadrado para las variables categóricas y t-Student para las variables continuas. Para el modelo de regresión múltiple, se realizó una regresión de Poisson cruda y ajustada con el método de selección de variables tipo backward. Principales resultados: La...

Objetivo: Determinar los factores sociodemográficos y nutricionales asociados a la anemia en niños de 1 a 5 años de Perú según la Encuesta Nacional Demográfica y de Salud Familiar (DHS, por sus siglas en inglés Demographic and Health Survey). Metodología: Para determinar los posibles factores sociodemográficos y nutricionales asociados a la anemia, se hizo un subanálisis de la DHS 2017, tomando en cuenta un intervalo de confianza del 95% y considerando los parámetros de complejidad de la encuesta. Se describieron las frecuencias relativas en el análisis univariado. Para el análisis bivariado se empleó el test de chi cuadrado para las variables categóricas y t-Student para las variables continuas. Para el modelo de regresión múltiple, se realizó una regresión de Poisson cruda y ajustada con el método de selección de variables tipo backward. Principales resultados: La ...

Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is a group of highly heterogeneous tumors of mesenchymal origin that have variable primary site locations and clinical behavior. Despite the broad diversity of STS, the standard of care involves surgical resection with or without radiation therapy (RT) to control local recurrence and systemic treatment in select cases. The complexities of STS require a critical understanding of the preoperative work-up process, surgical treatment, and postoperative management. Advanced imaging plays a vital role in the characterization of the soft tissue mass, preoperative biopsy planning, and disease staging. Surgical treatment prioritizes wide resection with negative margins, supported by newer margin classification systems for better prognosis. Further, advancements in surgical technique have enabled limb-salvage surgery to largely replace amputation in the management of thes...

Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is a group of highly heterogeneous tumors of mesenchymal origin that have variable primary site locations and clinical behavior. Despite the broad diversity of STS, the standard of care involves surgical resection with or without radiation therapy (RT) to control local recurrence and systemic treatment in select cases. The complexities of STS require a critical understanding of the preoperative work-up process, surgical treatment, and postoperative management. Advanced imaging plays a vital role in the characterization of the soft tissue mass, preoperative biopsy planning, and disease staging. Surgical treatment prioritizes wide resection with negative margins, supported by newer margin classification systems for better prognosis. Further, advancements in surgical technique have enabled limb-salvage surgery to largely replace amputation in the management of thes...

Objetivo: Determinar la asociación entre los factores sociodemográficos y reproductivos, y la fecundidad adicional no deseada (FAND) en el Perú según la Encuesta Demográfica y de Salud Familiar (ENDES) del 2018. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional, analítico transversal, a partir de la ENDES del Perú del año 2018. La FAND es una variable que se creó a partir de la diferencia numérica entre la fecundidad obtenida y la fecundidad deseada. Se categorizó la variable FAND en dos categorías: la diferencia numérica positiva correspondió a presencia de FAND; y la diferencia numérica negativa o nula correspondió a ausencia de FAND. Se realizó una regresión de Poisson, tanto cruda como ajustada. Resultados: Se analizaron los datos de 6944 mujeres entre 40 y 49 años, con una edad promedio de 44,3. Se halló una prevalencia de FAND de 72,5% (IC95%: 70,4%-74...

Background: Ensuring broad COVID-19 vaccination coverage among migrants is a global public health concern. Thus, our study aimed to assess the factors associated with not receiving the primary series and booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine among Venezuelan migrants in Peru. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study based on secondary data analysis of the 2022 Venezuelan Population Residing in Peru Survey. Our population included Venezuelan migrants and refugees over 18 years old living in Peru with complete information for the variables of interest. Two outcome variables were assessed: not receiving the primary series and not receiving the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Crude and adjusted prevalences were calculated with 95% confidence intervals. Results: A total of 7,727 Venezuelan adults were included in our study, of whom 6,511 completed the primary series. The overall COVID-1...

Objective: To assess the correlation between COVID-19 vaccination coverage and the Human Development Index (HDI) at the provincial level in Peru. Study design: Ecological study. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional ecological study based on secondary data analysis. Coverages of the first, second, and third doses of the vaccine against COVID-19 and the HDI were evaluated. The magnitude of the correlations was assessed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficients with their corresponding bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Scatter plots were also constructed. Results: A total of 196 provinces were included. There was a moderate correlation between the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and the HDI (r = 0.3807 [95% CI 0.2585–0.5030], p < 0.0001). The same direction was found for the second (r = 0.4064 [95% CI 0.2853–0.5276], p < 0.0001) and third dose (r = 0.4435 [95% C...

Objective: To assess the association between ethnicity and self-reported refractive errors (REs) among Peruvian children aged 7–11 years. Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study incorporating a secondary data analysis of 2017–2021 data from the Peruvian Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). REs and ethnicity were obtained from focal child's mother's report. Four outcomes were assessed: hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism and any RE. We included potential confounders, such as age, sex, wealth index, area of residence, region of origin, frequency of watching TV and watching screens at less than 30 cm distance. Generalised linear models with the Poisson family and log link function were used to calculate crude prevalence ratio and adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: Data from a total of 52,753 children were included. The prevale...

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are major global public health issues. Migrants represent a vulnerable group that faces multiple barriers to access to healthcare services, including HIV/STI testing. This study aimed to assess the factors associated with access to HIV/STI testing in male and female Venezuelan migrants in Peru. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving secondary data analysis of the 2022 Venezuelan Population Residing in Peru Survey. The study was conducted in the eight most populated cities inhabited by Venezuelan migrants and refugees. For each city, the sampling design was probabilistic, stratified, and independent. The outcome variable was whether participants had access to HIV or other STI testing during their stay in Peru. Statistical analysis was stratified by sex owing to potential effect...

We have read with interest the short communication published by Segovia-Juarez et al., 2020 in Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology establishing that high altitude reduces the infection rate of COVID-19 but not the case fatality rate in the Peruvian setting. We support this hypothesis, however there could be an important number of under registered deaths on account of a low rate of diagnostic tests performed per inhabitant and mostly in symptomatic patients (Pasquariello and Stranges, 2020).

Introduction: Anemia is a global public health issue that affects mainly children aged less than 5 years. In Peru, despite the reduction in the prevalence of anemia between 2010 and 2018, anemia remains a major concern, especially in high-risk zones such as rural areas. Several sociodemographic factors have been associated with anemia in children; however, components contributing to the urban–rural gap have not been previously assessed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the determinants of the difference in anemia prevalence between urban and rural areas, and its spatial distribution in Peruvian children aged 6–59 months. Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted using the 2019 Peruvian Demographic Health Survey. The study population included 18 846 children aged 6–59 months. A multivariate decomposition analysis for non-linear response model was performed to identif...

Objective: To identify the associated factors and assess the inequalities of full vaccination coverage (FVC) among Peruvian infants aged 12–23 months during the COVID-19 pandemic in a nationally representative sample. Methods: We carried out a population-based cross-sectional study based on a secondary data analysis using the 2021 Peruvian Demographic Health Survey (DHS) in infants aged 12 to 23 months. The sampling design was probabilistic, multistage, stratified, and independent at both departmental and area of residence levels. FVC was defined according to the WHO definition. We performed generalized linear models (GLM) Poisson family log link function to estimate crude (aPR) and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR). Also, for inequality assessment, we calculated the concentration curve (CC), concentration index (CI), and Erreygers normalized concentration index (ECI). Results: We inclu...

Objective: To quantify the inequalities of anemia in Peruvian children aged 6–59 months and uncover its contributing factors. Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study based on the secondary data analysis of the 2021 Peruvian Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). Our sample included Peruvian children aged 6–59 months with complete data for the variables of interest. Anemia was defined as having a hemoglobin level of less than 11 g/dL, adjusted by altitude. Erreygers Concentration Index (ECI) and concentration curves were computed to estimate the socio-economic inequality in anemia among Peruvian children. Moreover, ECI was decomposed to figure out the contributing factors to the inequality of anemia and the residual variation. Results: Nationwide, the prevalence of anemia in Peruvian children was 29.47%. We found a pro-poor inequality regarding anemia at the national...

Background: The growing threat from pre-extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (pre-XDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) poses a major public health concern in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Therefore, this study aimed to summarize the available evidence on the prevalence of pre-XDR-TB and XDR-TB among patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in LAC. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in the following databases on June 3, 2023: PubMed, Scopus, Ovid Medline, Web of Science, Scielo and LILACS. We estimated pooled proportions using a random effects model (Dersimonian and Laird). The 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using the binomial exact method (Clopper-Pearson Method). Subgroup (by time period and country) and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: Twenty-nine studies were eligible for qualitative synthesis and 27 for...

A 27-year-old Peruvian woman living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in clinical stage B3 and not on antiretroviral therapy presented with a ten-day history of fever, chills, night sweats and a two-day history of skin lesions. On physical examination, several erythematous-purplish lesions were found on the face and legs. Meningococcal infection was suspected and ceftriaxone was started. Blood culture grew nontyphoidal Salmonella enterica. A biopsy of the skin lesions showed leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV); therefore, corticosteroids were added. After two weeks of antibiotic and corticosteroid treatment, the lesions had resolved, but they recurred two days after treatment with prednisone was stopped. Corticosteroids and combination antiretroviral therapy were started simultaneously and the lesions resolved without recurrence. HIV infection has been associated with higher rates of...

El curso de Internado en Medicina es un curso de especialidad en la carrera de medicina de carácter práctico dirigido a los estudiantes del 13 ciclo, que busca desarrollar competencias específicas de práctica clínica (diagnóstico, promoción, prevención y tratamiento) y de profesionalismo (sentido ético, legal y responsabilidad profesional) a través de la rotación en las áreas de Medicina. El internado constituye la parte final de la carrera en la cual el estudiante aplica las competencias que ha desarrollado a lo largo de su formación. Es una etapa de preparación pre profesional.