Purpose The infant mortality rate is a key indicator of human welfare and development. However, in Colombia, the Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística has set the registered rate for 2009 as 13.69 per 1,000 live births, while the estimated rate is 20.13, suggesting the presence of inconsistencies in the data, as in many other transitional economies. Objective To set the record straight on Colombia’s Infant mortality rate reporting since 1980 by using all available data that have recently become public. Methods . The study analyzes 8,636,510 records of live births (1998-2009) and 443,338 records of deaths (1979-2009), and considers information from all available sources births and death registries, census data, Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística, and Profamilia surveys. First, following a descriptive analysis, an exponential function is used to estimate the Infant mortality rates in Colombia for 1980-2009 while resolving internal inconsistencies in the data from all sources. The objective is to evaluate the infant mortality rate in Colombia, 1980-2009. Results The analysis demonstrates that the registered and the estimated rates for 2009 are incompatible since they follow inconsistent long-term rates of decline in Infant mortality rate. While the registered rate underestimates the real situation, the estimated rate appears to grossly overestimate it. Analyses, based on other sources, put the Infant mortality rate between 15.81 and 17.58 in 2009, with rates of decline between 3.0 and 5.0 percent for the period 1980-2009. Conclusions The study concludes that during the period 1980-2009, the Infant mortality rate for Colombia on average fell from about 54 to about 17, suggesting a long-term annual rate of decline of about 4.0 percent.Aim To assess the risk of tuberculosis (infection and disease) in children less than 15 years’ old who are household contacts of pulmonary tuberculosis patients in three Colombian cities (Medellín, Cali, and Popayán). Methods A cohort of 1,040 children household contacts of 380 adults with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis was followed up for 24 months. Study period 2005-2009. Results Tuberculin skin test was positive (≥10 mm) in 43.7% (95% CI 39.2-48.2). Tuberculin skin test positivity was associated with age 10-14 years (Prevalence Ratio -PR= 1.43, 95% CI 1.1-1.9), having a BCG vaccine scar (PR= 1.52, 95% CI 1.1-2.1), underweight, closer proximity to the index case and exposure time >3 months. The annual risk of infection (tuberculin skin test induration increase of 6 mm or more per year) was 17% (95% CI 11.8-22.2) and was associated with a bacillary load of the adult index case (Relative Risk -RR= 2.12, 95% CI 1.0-4.3). Ivosidenib solubility dmso The incidence rate of active tuberculosis was 12.4 cases per 1,000 persons-year. Children less then 5 years without BCG vaccine scar had a greater risk of developing active disease (Hazard Ratio -HR= 6.00, 95% CI 1.3-28.3) than those with scar (HR= 1.33, 95% CI 0.5-3.4). The risk of developing active tuberculosis augmented along with the increase from initial tuberculin skin test (tuberculin skin test 5-9 mm HR= 8.55, 95% CI 2.5-29.2; tuberculin skin test ≥10 mm HR= 8.16, 95% CI 2.0-32.9). Conclusions There is a need for prompt interruption of adult-to-children tuberculosis transmission within households. Conducting proper contact investigation and offering chemoprophylaxis to infected children could reduce tuberculosis transmission.Aim To characterize the Tpeak-Tend, the Tpeak-Tend dispersion and Tpeak-Tend/QT in children and its relationship with clinical variables. Methods Cross-sectional study in 126 children between 9 and 12 years of the Camilo Cienfuegos School in Santa Clara, Cuba. Clinical and anthropometric variables were obtained to determine their relationship with electrocardiographic parameters Tpeak-Tend V5, Tpeak-Tend dispersion and Tpeak-Tend/QT ratio V5. In addition, laboratory tests were conducted. Results Age and systolic blood pressure are associated with an increased probability of having values of Tpeak-Tend/QT V5 ≥75 percentile for both sexes (OR 1.72, CI 95% 1.02-2.91; p= 0.043), (OR 1.08, CI 95% 1.01-1.16; p= 0.017) respectively. The body mass index and systolic blood pressure are linearly and significantly correlated with the Tpeak-Tend/QT V5 (r= 0.224; p= 0.012) and (r= 0.220; p= 0.014) respectively. Conclusions The age of the patients and the systolic blood pressure figures are factors that increase the probability of having values of the Tpeak-Tend/QT V5 ≥75 percentile. There was a significant linear correlation between the Tpeak-Tend/QT V5 with the body mass index and the systolic blood pressure.Background Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities and abdominal obesity; its pathophysiologic basis, insulin resistance, has been shown to act as agent in thyroid cell proliferation. Few studies analyze the relationship between metabolic syndrome and thyroid nodular disease, with a substantial knowledge gap. Objective Determine the association between metabolic syndrome and nodular thyroid disease in a region with adequate iodine intake. Methods Case-control study. A total of 182 patients referred to radiology to undergo thyroid ultrasonography due to suspicion of thyroid disease. Cases had at least one thyroid nodule greater than 3 mm (n= 91). Controls did not have evidence of thyroid nodules (n= 91). Results Bivariate analysis showed a significant association between metabolic syndrome and the presence of thyroid nodule (OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.41-4.66, p less then 0.05). Low levels of HDL (OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.54-5.12, p less then 0.05) and impaired fasting glucose (OR 2.05, 95%CI 1.10 to 3.78, p less then 0.05) were significantly associated with the presence of thyroid nodule, independent of the presence of metabolic syndrome. Multivariate analysis maintained the association between metabolic syndrome and thyroid nodule with an OR of 2.96 (95%CI 1.47 to 5.95, p less then 0.05); similarly, the associations of low levels of HDL (OR 2.77, 95%CI 1.44 to 5.3, p less then 0.05) and impaired fasting glucose (OR 2.23, 95%CI 1.14 to 4.34, p less then 0.05) with thyroid nodule remained significant. Conclusion The thyroid nodular disease is associated with increased risk of metabolic syndrome, specifically decreased HDL and impaired fasting glucose levels were the factors that increased association was found.