Hernan Rincon

Objective: To determine HIV presence and risk behaviors of persons of low socio-economic status in the city of Popayan, Colombia. Methods: Cross-sectional study; between 2008 and 2009, 363 participants of Popayan signed informed consent and received pre and post HIV test counseling. Socio-demographic characteristics and history of STDs, risk behaviors and previous HIV testing were assessed. Descriptive statistics, correlations and multivariate logistic regression were calculated. Results: Mean age 33.5±10.2; 66.0% women. Frequency of HIV positive patients was 3.86% (95% CI: 1.87-5.85), greater in men (7.38%; p= 0.013). Greater frequency of HIV-positive patients was observed in people age 29-37, those without a stable partner, and those with history of risky alcohol consumption (more than five drinks in 2 hrs). Conclusions: HIV-positive patients frequency in this population was greater than national estimate for general population, aged 15-49 in Colombia, with even greater frequency ...

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 Médico psiquiatra. Jefe de la Sección de Psiquiatría y Psicología, Fundación Valle del Lili. Profesor asistente de la Facultad de Medicina del Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud (CES). 2 Médico psiquiatra, Fundación Valle del Lili. ...

Background: An accurate understanding of co-occurrence and comorbidity of alcohol use disorders (AUD) in Colombia is crucial for public health. Objective: A secondary analysis was conducted, using a 2003/2004 government´s population database to determine the lifetime associations between AUD and other mental and addictive disorders in people of Colombia aged 18-65 years. Methods: Several statistical analysis were performed: testing prevalence difference in mental disorders by whether the individual had an AUD; a stratified analysis by gender and logistic regression analyses accounting for differences in demographic, socio-economic, behavioral and self-reported health status variables. Results: People with AUD comprised 9% of the population, of which 88% were males and on average 37 years old. They were more likely to be males, be working, and be current smokers; and less likely to be at home or retired. The population with AUD had greater chance to comply with criteria for all disor...

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Objective. Painful physical symptoms occur frequently in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), and although numerous studies report the effect of antidepressants on emotional aspects of depression, few focus on their effect on physical symptoms. This observational study was conducted, in a clinical practice setting, to determine antidepressant treatment decisions and their outcome on the physical and emotional symptoms of MDD. Methods. Patients with a mean score ≥2 for pain-related items on the Somatic Symptom Inventory (SSI) were classified with painful physical symptoms (PPS +) and differentiated from the remaining patients (PPS -). Severity of depression and physical pain were determined using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD17) and Clinical Global Impressions of Severity Scale (CGI-S), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS), respectively. Results. At baseline, 72.6% of patients were PPS+. Compared to PPS- patients, PPS +patients were, on average, significantly more depressed at baseline (mean difference [95% CI]: HAMD17 4.6 [3.6, 5.5] and CGI-S 0.3 [0.2, 0.4]; all p<0.0001), and remained more depressed and in greater pain at endpoint (HAMD17p=0.0074, CGI-S P =0.0151, and VAS P <0.0001). In addition, fewer PPS+ patients (65.8%) achieved remission (total HAMD17≤7) compared to PPS- patients (74.6%, P =0.0180). Conclusions. Painful physical symptoms are prevalent in MDD patients, highlighting the importance of addressing both the physical and emotional symptoms of depression.

Objective. Painful physical symptoms occur frequently in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), and although numerous studies report the effect of antidepressants on emotional aspects of depression, few focus on their effect on physical symptoms. This observational study was conducted, in a clinical practice setting, to determine antidepressant treatment decisions and their outcome on the physical and emotional symptoms of MDD. Methods. Patients with a mean score ≥2 for pain-related items on the Somatic Symptom Inventory (SSI) were classified with painful physical symptoms (PPS +) and differentiated from the remaining patients (PPS -). Severity of depression and physical pain were determined using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD17) and Clinical Global Impressions of Severity Scale (CGI-S), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS), respectively. Results. At baseline, 72.6% of patients were PPS+. Compared to PPS- patients, PPS +patients were, on average, significantly ...