Browsing by Author "Montalvan-Sanchez, Eleazar E."

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    Cognitive Impairment and Insomnia in Celiac Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
    (Korean Society of Gastroenterology, 2024) Beas, Renato; Godoy, Ambar; Norwood, Dalton A.; Ascencio, Ysaith Orellana; Izquierdo-Veraza, Diego; Montalvan-Sanchez, Eleazar E.; Ramirez, Mirian; Kurada, Satya; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Emerging evidence suggests a broader spectrum of celiac disease (CeD) system involvement, including neurological manifestations. We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available evidence from studies assessing the association of cognitive impairment and insomnia with CeD. A total of 259 participants with CeD were included in the studies investigating insomnia and 179 were included in studies investigating cognitive impairment. The overall pooled odds ratio for insomnia in patients with CeD was 1.83 (95% confidence interval, 1.38 to 2.42; I2=0.00%). The present study provides valuable insights into the available evidence from studies investigating cognitive impairment in patients with CeD and our systematic review and meta-analysis revealed a significant association between CeD and insomnia.
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    Colorectal Cancer Screening Programs in Latin America: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
    (American Medical Association, 2024-02-05) Montalvan-Sanchez, Eleazar E.; Norwood, Dalton A.; Dougherty, Michael; Beas, Renato; Guranizo-Ortiz, Maria; Ramirez-Rojas, Miriam; Morgan, Douglas R.; Imperiale, Thomas F.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Importance: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally, with increasing incidence and mortality in Latin America. CRC screening programs can reduce disease burden, but information on screening programs in Latin America is limited. Objective: To describe characteristics (eg, type of program, uptake, neoplastic yield) of CRC screening programs in Latin America. Data sources: PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, PsycINFO, Web of Science Core Collection, LILACS, and SciELO were searched from inception to February 2023. Relevant references from bibliographies, conference proceedings, and gray literature were considered. The search strategy included English, Spanish, and Portuguese terms. Study selection: Included were studies of CRC screening programs in Latin America using fecal immunochemical test (FIT) or colonoscopy as the primary screening method. Four reviewers independently assessed study eligibility based on titles, with review of abstracts and full texts as needed. Data extraction and synthesis: Guidelines from Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) were followed for data abstraction and quality assessment. Descriptive information was extracted, and data were pooled using a random-effects model. Main outcomes and measures: Program performance indicators included rates of participation and FIT positivity, adenoma detection rate (ADR), advanced adenoma detection rate (AADR), CRC detection rate, and colonoscopy quality indicators. Results: There were 17 studies included from upper middle-income and high-income countries in Latin America with a total of 123 929 participants. Thirteen studies used FIT as the initial screening method, whereas 4 used screening colonoscopy. The participation rate in FIT-based programs was 85.8% (95% CI, 78.5%-91.4%). FIT positivity rates were 15.2% (95% CI, 9.6%-21.8%) for the 50-ng/mL threshold and 9.7% (95% CI, 6.8%-13.0%) for the 100-ng/mL threshold. For FIT-based studies, the pooled ADR was 39.0% (95% CI, 29.3%-49.2%) and CRC detection rate was 4.9% (95% CI, 2.6%-7.9%); for screening colonoscopy-based studies, the pooled ADR was 19.9% (95% CI, 15.5%-24.8%) and CRC detection rate was 0.4% (95% CI, 0.1%-0.8%). Conclusions and relevance: This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that CRC screening in upper middle-income countries in Latin America is feasible, detecting rates of neoplasia comparable with those of high-income regions. Population-based screening programs should be developed or enhanced in these settings. There is a knowledge gap regarding feasibility and yield of screening programs in lower middle-income countries.
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    Delays in Colorectal Cancer Screening for Latino Patients: The Role of Immigrant Healthcare in Stemming the Rising Global Incidence of Colorectal Cancer
    (Elmer Press, 2024) Montalvan-Sanchez, Eleazar E.; Beas, Renato; Karkash, Ahmad; Godoy, Ambar; Norwood, Dalton Argean; Dougherty, Michael; Medicine, School of Medicine
    The significant global burden of colorectal cancer accentuates disparities in access to preventive healthcare in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) as well as large sections of underserved populations within high-income countries. The barriers to colorectal cancer screening in economically transitioning Latin America are multiple. At the same time, immigration from these countries to the USA continues to increase. This case highlights the delays in diagnosis experienced by a recent immigrant from a country with no established colorectal cancer screening program, to an immigrant population in the USA with similar poor screening coverage. We discuss common challenges faced by Latinos in their home countries and the USA, as well as strategies that could be implemented to improve screening coverage in US immigrant populations.
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    Population-Based Study of Gastric Cancer Survival and Associations in Rural Western Honduras
    (American Association for Cancer Research, 2024) Dominguez, Ricardo L.; Montalvan-Sanchez, Eleazar E.; Norwood, Dalton A.; Rodriguez-Murillo, Aida; Dominguez, Lucia; Estevez Ordoñez, Dagoberto; Beasley, Timothy; Bravo, Luis Eduardo; Morgan, Douglas R.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Background: Two-thirds of global cancers occur in low/middle income countries (LMIC). Northern Central America is the largest LMIC region in the Western Hemisphere and lack cancer registries to guide cancer control. We conducted a gastric cancer survival study in rural Western Honduras, characterized as having among the highest gastric cancer incidence rates in Latin America. Methods: The cohort of incident gastric cancer diagnosed between 2002 and 2015 was studied with active follow-up with household visits. The regional gastric cancer registry was primary for case identification, with completeness examination with hospital data and national death certificates. Cox regression models were used for survival calculations. Results: Survival follow-up was achieved in 741/774 patients (95.7%). Household interviews were conducted in 74.1% (n = 549); 65.7% were male, median age at diagnosis was 64 years, 24.5% were <55 years; 43.9% of tumors had pyloric obstruction; 45.2%, 43.2%, and 7.3% of histology was intestinal, diffuse, and mixed, respectively. A total of 24.7% patients received treatment. The 5-year survival rates were 9.9% for both males and females, 7.7% for age <45, and 7.9% for diffuse gastric cancer. Median survival time was 4.8 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 4.2-5.6]. In the final Cox regression model including age, sex, Lauren subtype, and poverty index, only treatment was significantly associated with survival (hazard ratio = 2.43, 95% CI, 1.8-3.2). Conclusions: Markedly low gastric cancer 5-year survival rates are observed in rural Central America. The majority of patients present with advanced disease and a minority have access to therapy. Impact: The findings have implications for cancer control in the Central America LMICs and for US Latino populations. See related commentary by Riquelme and Abnet, p. 1550.
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    Prevalence of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in the High Cardiovascular Risk Setting of Rural Western Honduras
    (Ethnicity & Disease, 2024-04-10) Montalvan-Sanchez, Eleazar E.; Rodriguez-Murillo, Aida; Carrasco-Stoval, Tiffani; Carrera, Keila; Beas, Renato; Giron, Roberto; Jerez-Moreno, Valeria; Soriano-Turcios, Roque Antonio; Reyes-Guerra, Orlando; Torres, Karla; Izquierdo-Veraza, Diego; Torres, Tatiana; Beran, Azizullah A.; Montalvan-Sanchez, Daniela; Norwood, Dalton A.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Objective: To determine the prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS) in the population older than 45 years in rural Western Honduras and contribute to the limited literature on MS in Central America. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in the District of Copan. The study includes 382 men and women aged 45 to 75 years. With proper consent, anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, blood sugar, and lipid profile were evaluated. MS was diagnosed by using the National Cholesterol Education Program Criteria - Adult Panel Treatment III (NCEP-ATP III). Data were stored in REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) and analyzed with STATA14. Results: Data were collected on 382 patients; of these, 38% were male and 62% female. The prevalence of obesity was 24.1% for both sexes. The prevalence of MS was 64.9%. Prevalence in males and females was 54% and 71%, respectively. Notable parameters were elevated triglycerides (71%), low High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (63.4%), and abdominal obesity (56.8%). In men, the distribution of MS was more homogeneous, with a mean result of 80% amongst all ages. Conclusions: The overall prevalence of obesity and MS is severely underestimated in rural Honduras. The most remarkable parameter for MS was high triglycerides (71%). Sixty-nine percent of the population has above-normal Body Mass Index (BMI). Public health efforts to control comorbidities and tackle risk factors in this population should take utmost priority.
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    Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis-Autoimmune Hepatitis Overlap Syndrome: Significant Barriers in Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Experienced by the Latino Community
    (Springer, 2023-03-14) Guifarro, Daniel A.; De Oliveira-Gomes, Diana; Beas, Renato; Yibirin-Wakim, Marcel J.; Montalvan-Sanchez, Eleazar E.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Overlap syndrome (OS) is a term that comprises the presentation of multiple hepatic disease characteristics in the same patient, such as the presence of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) features in addition to primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) or primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). Standard therapy for AIH is immunosuppression, while ursodeoxycholic acid is the preferred treatment for PBC. Additionally, liver transplantation (LT) may be considered in severe cases. Hispanics have been found to have a higher prevalence of chronic liver disease and develop more complications associated with portal hypertension at the time of listing for LT. Despite being the fastest-growing population in the USA, Hispanics have a higher probability of not receiving an LT due to issues with social determinants of health (SDOH). It has been reported that Hispanics are more likely to be removed from the transplant list. We report a case of a 25-year-old female immigrant from a Latin American developing country who presented with symptoms consistent with worsening liver disease after years of inappropriate workup and late diagnosis due to barriers within the healthcare system. The patient had a history of unresolved jaundice and pruritus and presented with worsening of her previous symptoms and new onset abdominal distention, bilateral leg edema, and telangiectasias. Laboratory and imaging studies confirmed the diagnosis of AIH and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC-AIH syndrome). The patient was started on steroids, azathioprine, and ursodeoxycholic acid, showing improvement. Due to her migratory status, she could not receive an appropriate diagnosis and follow up with a single provider or healthcare institution, putting her at increased risk for life-threatening complications. Although medical management is the first step, the probability of future liver transplants exists. The patient is still undergoing liver transplant evaluation and completing a workup since she was found to have an elevated model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. Even with the introduction of new scores and policies that aim to reduce disparities in LT, Hispanic patients are still at higher risk of being removed from the waitlist because of death or clinical deterioration compared to non-Hispanics. To this day, Hispanics have the highest percentage of waitlist deaths (20.8%) of all ethnicities and the lowest overall rate for undergoing LT. Understanding and addressing the causes that could contribute to and explain this phenomenon is essential. Increasing awareness of this problem is vital to promote more research on LT disparities.
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    Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer: Delays in Diagnosis and Treatment Caused by Barriers to Healthcare in the Latino Community
    (Elmer Press, 2022) Montalvan-Sanchez, Eleazar E.; Beas, Renato; Norwood, Dalton Argean; Alkashash, Ahmad Mahmoud; Rodriguez Murillo, Aida A.; Calderon, Gerardo; Medicine, School of Medicine
    We report a case of an 81-year-old male immigrant from a Latin American developing country with a high burden of upper gastrointestinal neoplasms, who presented with a small bowel gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) after 2 years of delay in the diagnosis due to multiple barriers to healthcare. The patient presented with a partial intestinal obstruction in an abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan suggestive of a GIST. Surgical resection was performed, and adjuvant therapy was initiated with imatinib (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor) after the diagnosis was confirmed. The patient had a successful outcome. Due to his migratory status, the patient planned to follow up with different health providers in two different countries, which constitutes a common challenge in the immigrant population.