Publicación Oficial de la Sociedad Ecuatoriana de Neurología, de la Liga Ecuatoriana Contra la Epilepsia y de la Sociedad Iberoamericana de Enfermedad Cerebrovascular

atahualpa project

 

Avances Recientes del Proyecto Atahualpa: Impacto en la Salud Pública Rural. Recent Advances Of The Atahualpa Project: Impact On Rural Public Health

The Atahualpa Project, since its inception, has made it possible to identify specific risk factors for the development of non-communicable diseases and to suggest public health strategies adapted to local needs.

Through detailed studies, it has been possible to gain a better understanding of the prevalence of these diseases and their impact on the community, which will undoubtedly translate into the implementation of more effective preventive measures. Recent findings have revealed risk patterns that were not previously considered relevant in these populations, such as the influence of dietary habits and the high social vulnerability of their inhabitants.

In addition, the project has demonstrated the importance of epidemiological studies in specific communities and has allowed the establishment of correlations between genetic and environmental factors. These data have opened new lines of research to better understand the interaction between genetics and epigenetics in the development of these pathologies.

Likewise, the Atahualpa Project has served as a model of how research can directly impact people’s quality of life, providing valuable information for the prevention of non-communicable diseases, which, according to the Pan American Health Organization, represent the new epidemics of Latin America.

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Palabras clave: proyecto atahualpa,

Keywords: Atahualpa, atahualpa project,

Intracranial Atherosclerosis And The Earlobe Crease (Frank’s Sign). A Population Study. Aterosclerosis Intracraneal y Pliegue Auricular (Signo De Frank). Estudio Poblacional.

Background: The earlobe crease (ELC) has been linked to coronary artery disease and other vascular conditions, but there is no information on its association with intracranial atherosclerosis. Objective: This study aimed to assess the association between high calcium content in the carotid siphons (as a surrogate of intracranial atherosclerosis) and ELC in communitydwelling adults living in rural Ecuador. Methods: Atahualpa residents aged ≥40 years underwent head CT to estimate calcium content in the carotid siphons, and visual inspection of both earlobes to evaluate the presence of ELC. The association between both variables was assessed by logistic regression models, after adjusting for demographics and cardiovascular risk factors. Results: Of 651 enrolled individuals (mean age: 59.7±12.8 years; 54% women), 225 (35%) had ELC, and 143 (22%) had high calcium content in the carotid siphons. Univariate logistic regression showed a borderline (non-significant) association between high calcium content in the carotid siphons and ELC presence (OR: 1.44; 95% C.I.: 0.99 – 2.12; p=0.057), which disappeared when age (OR: 0.98; 95% C.I.: 0.65 – 1.48; p=0.923) and other covariables (OR: 0.97; 95% C.I.: 0.63 – 1.49; p=0.890) were added to the model. Conclusion: This population study shows no association between high calcium content in the carotid siphons and ELC presence.

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Palabras clave: aterosclerosis intracraneal, calcificaciones de sifón carotídeo, estudio poblacional, Pliegue auricular, proyecto atahualpa,

Keywords: atahualpa project, carotid siphon calcifications, Earlobe crease, intracranial atherosclerosis, population-based study,

Feasibility of Global Sleep Research in Rural Areas of Low-and-Middle-Income Countries. The Atahualpa Project Experience

Changes in lifestyle, including sedentarism, shift work and increased visual contamination, have modified sleep patterns and increased the prevalence of sleep-related disorders in remote rural areas of many low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). However, there is scarce information on the public health impact of sleep-related disorders in these regions and publications lack consistency in their design and use of research tools, which creates barriers for proper comparison of results across populations. Moreover, in the largest studies on sleep-related disorders conducted in LMIC, individuals were interviewed with only one or two questions, which might not reflect the actual magnitude of the problem. In our opinion, the goal should not be to interview tens of thousands of individuals but to study them well by selecting representative populations of different regions to evaluate them thoughtfully and uniformly.

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Keywords: atahualpa project, feasibility, global sleep, income, research, rural areas,
 
 
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