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Introduction The objective of this study was to validate the format and contents of an instrument to assess research projects that apply for a fellowship by the Sociedad Argentina de Pediatria using an expert consultation technique, such as the Delphi method. Material and methods A coordinating group selected a panel of research experts who were members of the Sociedad Argentina de Pediatria,designed, and analyzed each of the rounds of consultations. Semistructured questionnaires were sent by personalized e-mail. Agreement among experts > 80 % was established as the criterion for consensus. At each round of consultation, non-consensual aspects were reformulated and new aspects suggested by experts were included. A measure of stability to conclude the consultation was determined when more than 70 % of experts sustained their opinion in successive rounds. Results Thirteen research experts participated in the process. After 3 rounds, the consultation process was concluded. The consensual instrument contains 47 items. In relation to the total score, 10 % corresponds to the general presentation; 40 %, to methodological quality; 20 %, to relevance and applicability; 20 %, to feasibility; and 10 %, to the fellow's and director's background. Conclusions The format and contents of the instrument to assess research projects that apply for a fellowship by the Sociedad Argentina de Pediatria were validated based on expert consensus and objective assessment criteria were established.

Population aging has taken place intensively worldwide, even in developing countries. These countries have population groups with low resources and basic unmet needs that are frequently omitted from epidemiological studies. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of cognitive impairment (CI) and dementia in an economic and socially vulnerable population from Argentina. METHODS: A door-to-door observational population-based survey among adults over 60 years of cognitive impairment and dementia in the social vulnerable area of the Matanza Riachuelo Basin, in the suburban area of Buenos Aires, Argentina was conducted. Trained psychologists interviewed subjects and a proxy informant. A standardized protocol including a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Geriatric Depression Scale and a functional inventory for IADL and ADL was administered. Diagnoses were divided into three general categories: normal cognitive function, cognitive impairment-no dementia (CIND) and dementia. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: A total of 2437 elderly persons were assessed, of which 73.6% fulfilled inclusion criteria. The prevalence of CI among those over 60 was 26.4% (18.1% CIND and 8.3% dementia) with higher prevalence of dementia in younger individuals than rates reported in developed counties, probably due to low control of vascular risk factors. This information can help inform health public decisions in the generation of programs and plans for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cognitive impairment in this type of socially vulnerable population. O envelhecimento da população idosa tem aumentado mundialmente, mesmo em países em desenvolvimento. Estes países têm grupos populacionais de poucos recursos, com necessidades básicas não satisfatórias, frequentemente omitidas nos estudos epidemiológicos. OBJETIVO: O propósito deste estudo foi determinar a prevalência de comprometimento cognitivo (CC) e demência em uma população socioeconomicamente vulnerável na Argentina. MÉTODOS: Foi realizada pesquisa observacional de base populacional porta-a-porta entre adultos acima de 60 anos numa área de vulnerabilidade social em Matanza Riachuelo, no subúrbio de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Psicólogos treinados entrevistaram o sujeito e um acompanhante. Um protocolo estandardizado que incluiu um questionário sociodemográfico, o MEEM, a escala de depressão geriátrica e um inventário funcional para ABVD e AIVD foram administrados. Os diagnósticos foram divididos em três categorias: função cognitiva normal, comprometimento cognitivo sem demência (CCSD) e demência. RESULTADOS: Foram avaliados um total de 2437 de idosos, dos quais 73,6% preencheram os critérios de inclusão. A prevalência de CC entre aqueles acima de 60 anos foi de 26,4% (18,1% CCSD e 8,3% de demência) com maiores prevalência de demência em indivíduos mais jovens do que os reportados em países desenvolvidos, provavelmente devido a controle inadequado dos fatores de risco vasculares. CONCLUSÃO: Esta informação pode contribuir para tomada de decisões em saúde pública para geração de programas e planos que apontem para a prevenção, diagnóstico e tratamento de CC neste tipo de população em vulnerabilidade social.

The ongoing CRoatian Islands Birth Cohort Study (CRIBS) is a national project and the first birth cohort study in the South-Eastern Europe designed to follow a representative sample of about 500 pregnant women and their children up to two years of age. The aim of the project is to assess the prevalence of risk factors (biological, environmental and behavioral) for the Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) in populations from Croatian Dalmatian islands (Hvar and Brač) and mainland population (city of Split with surroundings), the Mediterranean area with very high prevalence of the MetS. So far, over 300 pregnant women and 150 of their newborns have been involved in the study. Here we present the preliminary results of testing the association of maternal diet in pregnancy with newborns` anthropometric parameters (birth weight, length and head circumference) using the data from questionnaires and obstetric records. Initially we included 131 mother – newborn pairs from the population of Split (N=71) and islands of Brač and Hvar (N=60) in this report but, since nine newborns were preterm, further analyses were performed for the remaining 122 children whose mothers filled out two questionnaires. An excessive food frequency questionnaire was filled out during the second trimester (around 32nd week of gestation) and the data on the socioeconomic status (SES) (educational level, marital status and income), lifestyle characteristics (smoking and self-estimated physical activity) and reproductive health background were collected in a different questionnaire during the first trimester of pregnancy. Information on birth weight, length, head circumference and infant sex were taken from obstetric records. Statistical analysis included the factor analysis of 20 food items with a factor loading coefficient >0.20 from validated Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and the associations between the food items and the estimated factor scores were measured using Pearson`s correlations. We also conducted a multivariate linear regression analysis for each factor including mothers` characteristics (age, SES status – income and level of education, lifestyle characteristics - years of smoking) to assess independent associations. The estimated factor scores, age, level of physical activity, smoking and socioeconomic status were further used as independent variables in the logistic regression with the weight-at-birth, height-at-birth and head circumference-at- birth, for the lowest and the highest 15% of newborns as dependent variables. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 11.0. P values ≤0.05 were considered statistically significant for all the analyses. Pregnant women were between the ages of 19.6 and 41.7 (mean age 30.54±4.37 years) and they gave birth to 69 girls and 53 boys. In comparison to newborn girls, newborn boys from the CRIBS study had significantly higher length-at-birth (51.28±1.75 cm vs. 50.48±1.77 cm, p