sleep disorders

Insomnio y factores asociados entre los estudiantes de medicina que se recuperaron de la infección aguda por COVID-19. Insomnia and associated factors among medical students recovering from acute COVID-19 infection

Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic significantly affected the mental health of a large portion of the population, with sleep disorders, including insomnia, being notable after COVID-19 infection. One of the populations most affected were university students in the healthcare field, which was the focus of our study.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between factors associated with insomnia in medical students during the Long-Covid period.
Methods: Data was collected through a survey that included questions about sociodemographic aspects, health habits, sleep disturbances such as insomnia, and COVID-19 history. The severity of insomnia and subjective sleep quality were measured using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Descriptive statistics, Spearman and Kendall correlations, one-way ANOVA, and odds ratios were evaluated.

Results: A total of 117 students were included in the study, with a mean age of 21.8 ± 1.96 years and 58.1% being female. It was found that 65% of medical students experienced some degree of insomnia, while 78.6% reported difficulty sleeping. The Kendall and Spearman correlation coefficients between PSQI and ISI were 0.49 and 0.55, respectively (p < 0.001). Significant correlations were found between self-reported physical health, emotional health, among others.
Discussion: The prevalence of subclinical insomnia (39.3%) and moderate sleep difficulty (47%) is noteworthy. Significant correlations were found between insomnia scales, sleep quality, and an inverse correlation with emotional health. Limitations of the study include the use of ordinal and nominal variables, as well as the number of participants. It is recommended to replicate the study with a larger sample size and utilize a longitudinal design to assess the evolution of insomnia and sleep difficulty over time.

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Palabras clave: calidad de sueño, COVID persistente, Insomnio, SARS-CoV-2, trastornos del sueño,

Keywords: Insomnia, Long COVIDs, SARS-CoV-2, sleep disorders, sleep quality,

Fundamentos Neurobiológicos del Sueño. Neurobiological Basis Of Sleep

Sleep is one of the most important behaviors for the cognition of the human being. It has between 4 to 6 cycles that are characterized by presenting different electromagnetic activity that causes a certain brain activity to occur in each of them. When the sleep pattern is affected, there are alterations in the daily life of the subject who suffers it, generating a negative impact on the activities carried out in the personal, family and social environment. In this article we report a theoretical review of the dream, its electrical activity during each of its phases, sleep disorders and the impact of sleep disorders on the individual’s life. It is concluded by emphasizing the role of maintaining a balance in the sleep pattern as a benefit for the daily life of the subject.

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Palabras clave: conducta humana, ondas electromagnéticas, REM, Sueño, trastornos del sueño,

Keywords: electromagnetic waves, human behavior, REM, sleep, sleep disorders,

Salud Cardiovascular en Habitantes de Atahualpa: Características y Correlatos. Cardiovascular Health Status In Atahualpa Residents: Characteristics And Correlates

Stroke and cardiovascular diseases will be the next epidemics in Latin America due to changes in lifestyle and increased life expectancy. Knowledge of cardiovascular health (CVH) status of the population is mandatory to implement cost-effective strategies directed to reduce the burden of vascular diseases in the region. In the Atahualpa Project, we assessed the CVH status of participants using the metrics proposed by the American Heart Association. The basal study included 616 subjects free of stroke and ischemic heart disease aged ≥40 years. Of these, 2.1% had ideal, 28.1% had intermediate and 69.8% had poor CVH status. Poorest metrics were blood pressure, fasting glucose, and BMI. The odds for having a poor CVH status were increased in persons aged ≥ 60 years and in those with only primary school education. Then, we compared our results with the Hispanic population of the Northern Manhattan Stroke Study (NOMAS), and found that Atahualpa residents had significantly better metrics than those enrolled in the NOMAS, with the exception of fasting glucose levels. Likewise, the odds for having 5 to 7 ideal metrics were also better in Atahualpa residents, irrespective of age. We also conducted a case-control study to assess the CVH status of Atahualpa residents according to their living arrangements, and found that social isolation was associated with a worse CVH status in this population. A couple of studies showed correlation between some sleep related disorders and poor CVH status. We have also started an ongoing program called “known your numbers”, which, together with community talks, is directed to improve the CVH status and to reduce the burden of vascular diseases in the region.

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Palabras clave: apoyo comunitario, Atahualpa, Ecuador, epidemiología, estudio poblacional, salud cardiovascular, síndrome metabólico, trastornos de sueño,