Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Introduction: cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive disease that affects the cells that produce sweat, mucus and digestive juices. This pathology affects 1 of every 2,000-3,500 live births, being the most frequent of the deadly hereditary diseases in the white population. Objective: to evaluate the adherence to treatment of patients under 18 years of age with cystic fibrosis in the Robert Reid Cabral Children’s Hospital in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, during the period February - April 2018. Material and methods: prospective, descriptive and cross-sectional study in which questionnaires were made to 32 guardians of patients in the pediatric pulmonary service with cystic fibrosis of a hospital. Results: the level of adherence to treatment was low, represented by 41%. The main reason for non-adherence to treatment was the high monetary cost with 61%. Regarding adherence and socioeconomic level, it was shown that the most frequent socioeconomic level was D +, which is in the lower half of the scale and the majority of patients were non-adherent. The preferred treatment route of administration was oral with 78%. Most patients have a low level of knowledge of treatment, represented by 32%. Conclusions: patients had low adherence to treatment due to the high monetary cost of the medications. Most of them preferred orally administered treatments, belonged to the D + socioeconomic level and had low knowledge about the treatment.

Introduction: resistance is emerging as a serious threat throughout the world. Every day new mechanisms of resistance that threaten our ability to treat infectious diseases are being produced and spread worldwide. Methods: a cross-sectional community-based survey was executed in Paya en medio-Baní of the Peravia province, a structured interview was applied to collect the data of the total population, the representatives of 67 children under 5 years, it was a retrospective taking as parameter the use of antibiotics during the last 3 months. Results: it was determined that 46% of the sample used antibiotics in the last 3 months. 68% of the infants who consumed antibiotics obtained it under medical prescription and 32% obtained it by free sale. The most commonly used antibiotic was Amoxicillin. The reason of the highest use of antibiotic was related to symptoms of the respiratory system. Conclusion: in a short period of only 3 months, children under 5 years were highly exposed to antibiotics, because their use can contribute to bacterial resistance, these results have important implications for public health education and regulations of antibiotic sales in the Dominican Republic.

Adolescence is defined as the period of human growth and development between the ages 10 and 19. An early pregnancy is the one that occurs in this age group, regardless of the maturity or dependence of their family. In the Dominican Republic, 22% of adolescents have been pregnant. The objective is to assess the risk factors of pregnancy in adolescents in the community of Las Tablas, municipality of Matanzas, province of Peravia, Dominican Republic, during the period from November 2017 to January 2018. This was a prospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study in which 45 fertile adolescents from the Las Tablas community were interviewed. As a result, it was found that 20% (29 cases) presented family dysfunction as a risk to trigger a teenage pregnancy. Of the girls with active sexual life, 100% (12 cases) indicated that they started at age 14 or older. 69% (31 cases) have received information on the use of contraceptive methods. It should be noted that 15 adolescents (33%) have been victims of violence in the community. In conclusion, adolescent pregnancy is a multifactorial problem, where family dysfunction predominates, along with being the daughter of a mother with history of teenage pregnancy, use of alcohol, among others.

 Background: the quality of life in patients with asthma is of particular interest and one of the aspects that are affected by the disease. Children with asthma not only suffer the physical consequences of the disease, but also the impact in the social, emotional and educational sphere.   Objective: to determine the quality of life in patients with asthma followed in the pulmonology clinic of the Dr. Robert Reid Cabral Children’s Hospital in the period of April-May 2018.  Method: a descriptive study was conducted to determine the quality of life in patients with asthma between 6-17 years of age followed in the pulmonology clinic of the Dr. Robert Reid Cabral Children’s Hospital in the period April-May 2018. The PAQLQ questionnaire was used (Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire).  Results: 43 patients were evaluated, 59% male sex; 93% between the age ranges of 7-12 years. 65% do not practice sports due to discomfort such as cough (58%), appearance of acute episode (49%), shortness of breath or whistle (39.5%) and feeling of “tight chest” in 37%. 77% felt tired at some point of daily activities, 60.4% felt difficulty breathing, 39.6% had shortness of breath, 32.6% nighttime desperation and 32.5% sleep problems. 56% felt uncomfortable at some point, 49% reported some degree of concern, 37% presented a bad mood, 30% angered, 28% scared and 11% reported having felt some degree of disappointment.  Conclusion: it highlights a significant percentage of patients with some alteration of the quality of life.

Introduction: despite the fact that Zika virus infection isn’t a lethal disease, it is considered by the WHO as a global sanitary emergency. Its incidence rate varies depending on the country; however it increases exponentially according to the weather. This behavior is due to the fact that the primary disease vector reproduces in tropical climates. Objectives: 1) assess the level of knowledge about the Zika virus infection in the population of La Bahia de Las Calderas. (2) Compare the data according to whether they contracted the disease or not. (3) Identify sources of information used to obtain this knowledge. Materials and methods: 214 questionnaires were applied where several variables were evaluated to determine the level of general understanding about the issue and establish a contrast between said variables. Results: 70.9% said they had heard about Zika virus infection, however when questioned about symptoms and transmission route their knowledge were poor or confusing. The fact that 61.2% mentioned as maculopapular rash symptom is highlighted. Having had the disease or not does not influence the degree of knowledge. The most common source of information was television.

Introduction: caustic esophageal injury due to ingestion of alkalis or, less frequently, acids, may be accidental in children or by attempted suicide in adolescents and adults. The esophageal sequela of the ingestion of a caustic is a scar on the wall of the esophagus that is often related to the formation of severe stenosis and in many cases, it requires a conduit to restore the function of the esophagus. Material and method: in the following work the clinical case of a male patient of 7 years of age is presented, presenting hypersalivation and difficulty in swallowing due to ingestion of caustic substance accidentally, endoscopy was performed reporting esophageal stenosis of 2 mm, to guarantee its feeding was a gastrostomy, the dilatation scheme was not possible, with the need to proceed to an esophageal replacement by inverted gastric tube via retrosternal. He presented a postoperative complication of pneumothorax. A 12 day stay with beginning of the oral route at 11 days post-surgery after performing an esophagogram. Conclusion: the purpose is to describe the presentation and clinical progress of the patient after this technique of esophageal replacement by inverted gastric tube via retrosternal.

Introduction: paraquat (1, 1’-dimethyl-4, 4’-bipyridinium dichloride) is a toxic chemical used worldwide as an herbicide. Paraquat poisoning in its vast majority is due to a suicidal ingestion. Pathophysiologically, the lung, the liver and the kidney are the specially affected organs due to their high oxygen saturation. Paraquat poisoning has a very high mortality rate, close to 80%, being pulmonary fibrosis the most common cause of death. Objetive: the following document has the intention to identify the principal signs and symptoms that constitute the clinical presentation of paraquat poisoning in a pediatric patient. Even though there is limited bibliography, we try to compare the clinical presentation and progress with other cases of paraquat poisoning. Material and Methods: we present the case of a 15 years old woman, who ingested approximately 250 ml of paraquat as a suicidal attempt. Even though there is limited bibliography, we try to compare the clinical presentation and progress with other cases of paraquat poisoning. She presented with lesions in the GI tract, followed by hepatic, renal and pancreatic alterations, and respiratory difficulty. Conclusion: after describing the clinical presentation of our patient, and comparing it with those from other similar cases, we conclude that early diagnosis and a comprehensive, exhaustive management reduces mortality due to the inexistence of a specific antidote for this poisoning. As a result, we recommend that paraquat intoxication should always be kept in mind when receiving patient with the characteristic presentation after the intake of unknown substances.

Background: the investigation was conducted with the objective of determining the scope of an outbreak of severe acute respiratory infection, occurred in the municipality of Santo Domingo Norte in the Dominican Republic. The objectives of the research were to examine the epidemiological and descriptive characteristics of the cases, generate hypotheses (possible source of infection), take samples for laboratory diagnosis and implement control measures. Methods: descriptive study of an epidemic outbreak due to severe acute respiratory infection. Sociodemographic variables, signs and symptoms, laboratory data and clinical evolution of those affected were evaluated. Active search was carried out and containment measures were adopted. Results: 22 cases were detected, with overcrowding as the main risk factor. There were no deaths. The most affected population corresponded to children under one year of age with 50%. The affectation was the same in both sexes. Conclusion: the isolation of respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza and adenovirus type 3 in respiratory samples confirmed the presence of an outbreak. We emphasize the need to intensify surveillance and apply vaccination recommendations for people with risk factors, especially in children.

Introduction: Childhood Tuberculosis represents 6 to 10 % of TB cases, WHO estimates about 750 cases in children under 15 in the Dominican Republic1. Of the 122 cases diagnosed in RD, 53 were in our hospital. Adverse effects is one of the first causes of treatment abandonment in TB, infants do not escape this reality. Objective: To determine the adverse reactions to antituberculosis drugs in patients (RAFA) from 0 to 18 years old treated in the tuberculosis unit of the Dr. Robert Reid Cabral Children's Hospital, June - December 2017. Methodology: Descriptive and transversal study, retrospective data collection. We reviewed all the records of the tuberculosis unit diagnosed during June-December 2017. Results: Of the 29 patients with anti-TB treatment, 16 (55.2 %) had adverse effects (RAFA), 62 % in the first phase. The sex most affected was male (51.7 %). The highest prevalence in the groups of 5-9 and 10-14 years with 27.6 % respectively. 62 % of the cases were of rural origin. The education of the father was unknown in 79 % and of the mother 37.9 %. 89.7 % of the cases with adverse effects received first line drugs, and 10.3 % second line drugs. The gastrointestinal effects were the most frequent; nausea in 17.2 %, followed by vomiting with 10.3 % of first line. While those who used the second line, nausea occurred in 6.9 % and vomiting in 10.3 %. Among the adverse effects, 93.8 % were classified as mild. 37 % of patients completed treatment successfully, 58 % are in the support phase without complications. Conclusion: The anti-tuberculosis medication is safe and the adverse effects did not affect the adherence to the treatment in the group studied.

Introduction: in the epidemiological landscape of human fascioliasis, two aspects are of fundamental importance: a) presence of definite hosts (especially cattle and humans) parasitized with trematode adults and b) presence of invertebrate intermediate hosts, mollusks of the family Lymnaeidae, in which larval stages develop, in addition to aquatic plants for human consumption. Material and methods: in order to prevent outbreaks of human fascioliasis by correctly identifying aspects of epidemiological interest, a wetland was selected in the sector of Palo Blanco, municipality of Jarabacoa, province of La Vega, in which a malacological study was carried out in October 2016, in search of limneid mollusk species and associated hydrophytes. Natural and experimental infection rates to Fasciola hepatica were obtained in the laboratory. Results: the lymnaeid Pseudosuccinea columella was identified, in proportions of 250 specimens collected per person/hour. The predominant vegetable was the watercress (Nasturtiun officinale), commercially cultivated in three quadrants of the wetland and in the other quadrant were observed cattle grazing. The rate of experimental infection of mollusks was 94 % to the sympatric strain of F. hepatica of Dajabón; no naturally parasitized mollusks were found. Conclusions: Pseudosuccinea columella should be considered as a mollusk of epidemiological relevance in the transmission of fascioliasis in the Dominican Republic, due to its dispersion and high rate of experimental infection obtained in the present study.