Background: Chronic non-communicable diseases are prevalent conditions in developing countries, such as Colombia. Several socioeconomic and educational factors have been associated with these pathologies. However, there is little country-specific information regarding the self-reported prevalence of chronic diseases and their association with the aforementioned factors in Colombia. Objectives: To evaluate the current situation of chronic non-transmissible diseases in Colombia by self-report and to analyze its potential relationship with sociodemographic, economic and educational factors. Methods: This is a cross-sectional baseline sub-analysis from the prospective, standardized collaborative PURE study in Colombia. Participants were recruited between 2005 to 2009, in 11 departments of the country, and included 7,485 subjects of 35 to 70 years old. Questionnaires of self-reported chronic non-communicable diseases, and demographic, socioeconomic and educational variables were applied. Results: Hypertension was the most prevalent chronic condition reported with a prevalence of 22.2% (21.2%-23.1%, 95% CI), followed by diabetes with a prevalence of 5.7% (5.1%-6.2%, 95% CI), asthma 2.7% (2.2%-3.0%, 95% CI), coronary heart disease 2.4% (2.0%-2.7%, 95% CI), stroke and heart failure 1.5% (1.2%-1.8%, 95% CI) each, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 1.2% (0.6%-1.5%, 95% CI), and cancer 1.2% (1.0%-1.5%, 95% CI). Among the study sample, 23.3% (22.4%-24.3%, 95% CI) reported having one chronic NCDs, and 6.4% (5.9%-7.0%, 95% CI) reported Camacho et al: Self-Reported Prevalence of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in Relation to Socioeconomic and Educational Factors in Colombia Art. 35, page 2 of 11having multiple chronic NCDs. The prevalence of multiple NCDs increased significantly with age, was more common in those from households with higher income, whereas it was significantly lower in persons with high education. The central and central-east regions of the country are those with the higher prevalence of self-reported NCDs. Conclusion:The results of the current study indicate the presence of socioeconomic and educational inequalities in the distribution of chronic NCDs in the Colombian population.

Chronic hyperglycaemia and glucose variability are associated with the development of chronic diabetes-related complications. We conducted a pooled analysis of patient-level data from three 24-week, randomized, phase III clinical trials to evaluate the impact of lixisenatide (LIXI) on glycaemic variability (GV) vs placebo as add-on to basal insulin. The main outcome GV measures were standard deviation (s.d.), mean amplitude of glycaemic excursions (MAGE), mean absolute glucose (MAG) level, area under the curve for fasting glucose (AUC-F), and high (HBGI) and low blood glucose index (LBGI). The change in GV metrics over 24 weeks and relationships among baseline GV, patient characteristics and outcomes were assessed. Data were pooled from 1198 patients (665 LIXI, 533 placebo). Values for s.d., MAG level, MAGE, HBGI, and AUC-F significantly decreased with LIXI vs placebo, while LBGI values were unchanged. Higher baseline GV measures correlated with older age, longer type 2 diabetes duration, lower body mass index, higher baseline glycated/haemogobin, greater reduction in postprandial glucose (PPG) level, and higher rates of symptomatic hypoglycaemia. These data show that LIXI added to basal insulin significantly reduced GV and PPG excursions vs placebo, without increasing the risk of hypoglycaemia (LBGI).

Background Adiposity is a major component of the metabolic syndrome (MetS), low muscle strength has also been identified as a risk factor for MetS and for cardiovascular disease. We describe the prevalence of MetS and evaluate the relationship between muscle strength, anthropometric measures of adiposity, and associations with the cluster of the components of MetS, in a middle-income country. Methods MetS was defined by the International Diabetes Federation criteria. To assess the association between anthropometric variables (waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (W/H), body mass index (BMI)), strength (handgrip/kg bodyweight (HGS/BW)) and the cluster of MetS, we created a MetS score. For each alteration (high triglycerides, low HDLc, dysglycemia, or high blood pressure) one point was conferred. To evaluate the association an index of fat:muscle and MetS score, participants were divided into 9 groups based on combinations of sex-specific tertiles of WC and HGS/BW. Results The overall prevalence of MetS in the 5,026 participants (64% women; mean age 51.2 years) was 42%. Lower HGS/BW, and higher WC, BMI, and W/H were associated with a higher MetS score. Amongst the 9 HGS/BW:WC groups, participants in the lowest tertile of HGS/BW and the highest tertile of WC had a higher MetS score (OR = 4.69 in women and OR = 8.25 in men;p < 0.01) compared to those in the highest tertile of HGS/BW and in the lowest tertile of WC. Conclusion WC was the principal risk factor for a high MetS score and an inverse association between HGS/BW and MetS score was found. Combining these anthropometric measures improved the prediction of metabolic alterations over either alone.

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A potential limitation is that there is no direct comparator for the dual glucose- and lipid-lowering effect of colesevelam HCl in the prediabetes cohort. However, results of this trial will help to define the extent to which colesevelam HCl can help improve cardiometabolic risk factors for complications of type 2 DM in the first-line environment, and will also indicate the extent to which early intervention with colesevelam HCl can help to correct metabolic abnormalities associated with prediabetes.