Emelyn Sofia Becerra-Rodríguez

Background and Aims: Numerous clinical and observational studies have examined the role of vitamin D in glycemic control and metabolic regulation among diabetic patients, but findings remain inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the effects of vitamin D supplementation on glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c%), HOMA-IR, HOMA-β, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting insulin, fasting plasma glucose, C-reactive protein, and the likelihood of reversion to normoglycemia in prediabetic individuals. Methods: A comprehensive search of multiple databases was performed using keywords including “diabetes mellitus,” “type 2 diabetes,” “vitamin D supplementation,” and “VD supplementation.” Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. Results: Vitamin D supplementation was associated with significant improvements across several parameters, including HOMA-β (SMD = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.63–0.80; p < 0.00001), HDL cholesterol (SMD = 0.07; 95% CI: 0.05–0.09; p < 0.00001), and others (SMD = −0.40; 95% CI: −0.45 to −0.34; p < 0.00001). Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation appears to provide beneficial effects on glycemic, lipid, and inflammatory markers in patients with diabetes and prediabetes. Specifically, supplementation significantly reduced HbA1c%, HOMA-IR, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting insulin, fasting glucose, and C-reactive protein while increasing the rate of normoglycemia among prediabetic individuals. Further research is needed to strengthen the evidence base regarding vitamin D’s role in diabetes management.

Background: The internal jugular vein (IJV) is a vascular structure that is responsible for the venous drainage of both the head and neck and is commonly found posterior to the internal carotid artery and adjacent to cervical lymph nodes or nerve structures such as the glossopharyngeal and accessory nerves. As a vagal nerve, it is an important reference point for surgical access in neck interventions and dissections. Methods: The databases Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and LILACS were searched until August 2024. Methodological quality was evaluated with an assurance tool for anatomical studies (AQUA). Pooled prevalence was estimated using a random effects model. Results: A total of 10 studies met the established selection criteria in this meta-analysis study. The prevalence of variants of the IJV was 3.36% (CI: 2.81–6.96%), with a heterogeneity of 94.46%. Regarding the subgroup analysis, no study presents statistically significant differences in the studies analyzed for this review. Conclusions: Knowing the IJV variants in detail will make early diagnosis useful, especially in surgeries in the neck region and in classic surgeries such as thyroidectomies and tracheostomies, among others. It will be important to know the position of the IJV.

En este reporte de caso se describe el manejo de una paciente con drepanocitosis que desarrolló un paro cardiorespiratorio y neumonía causada por un germen encapsulado. La paciente fue atendida por un equipo multidisciplinario que implementó medidas de soporte vital y tratamiento antimicrobiano específico. Se destaca la importancia de la detección temprana de complicaciones en pacientes con drepanocitosis y la necesidad de un enfoque integral para su manejo. Este caso resalta la relevancia de la vigilancia estrecha y el tratamiento oportuno en situaciones críticas en pacientes con esta enfermedad hematológica. Se enfatiza la importancia de la colaboración interdisciplinaria y el seguimiento continuo para mejorar los resultados clínicos en pacientes con drepanocitosis.

Purpose: The most common anomaly is an anomalous left coronary artery originating from the pulmonary artery. These variants can be different and depend on the location as well as how they present themselves in their anatomical distribution and their symptomatological relationship. For these reasons, this review aims to identify the variants of the coronary artery and how they are associated with different clinical conditions. Methods: The databases Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and LILACS were researched until January 2024. Two authors independently performed the search, study selection, and data extraction. Methodological quality was evaluated using an assurance tool for anatomical studies (AQUA). Pooled prevalence was estimated using a random effects model. Results: A total of 39 studies met the established selection criteria. In this study, 21 articles with a total of 578,868 subjects were included in the meta-analysis. The coronary artery origin variant was 1% (CI = 0.8–1.2%). For this third sample, the funnel plot graph showed an important asymmetry, with a p-value of 0.162, which is directly associated with this asymmetry. Conclusions: It is recommended that patients whose diagnosis was made incidentally and in the absence of symptoms undergo periodic controls to prevent future complications, including death. Finally, we believe that further studies could improve the anatomical, embryological, and physiological understanding of this variant in the heart.

Objetivo: Evaluar los métodos diagnósticos actuales para la anemia hemolítica autoinmune y todas sus implicaciones diagnósticas con relación a la clínica del paciente y los exámenes paraclínicos realizados, de la misma manera el propósito agregado de este artículo es discutir en detalle la formación y el ciclo de vida de los glóbulos rojos, destacando su papel clave en el transporte de oxígeno por todo el cuerpo. Después de unos 120 días, el bazo destruye estos glóbulos rojos, lo que marca el final de su ciclo de vida normal. La anemia y cuál es su definición especifica, Explicar que cuando los niveles de hemoglobina caen por debajo de cierto umbral (12 mg/dl en mujeres, 13 mg/dl en hombres), se diagnostica anemia. También se busca hablar acerca de hemólisis, que es la destrucción prematura de los glóbulos rojos, acortando su vida media a menos de los 120 días normales. Y definir que es la anemia hemolítica autoinmune y describir cuáles son sus posibles clasificaciones.