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Background: The aim of this study was to determine the levels of certain factors of cardiovascular risk in children and adolescents in rural areas of Gallicia., Methods: One thousand eight children between the ages of 6 and 15 years selected from three primary schools were studied. Weight, height, blood pressure, serum levels of cholesterol and self admitted consumption of tobacco were determined in each participant., Results: The patterns of body mass, blood pressure and total cholesterol selected to age and sex are very similar to those observed in a great deal of the Spanish and foreign studies. However, the absolute values do not necessarily coincide. The children studied were more obese than those reported in other studies carried out in the rest of Spain with similar values of systolic blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels. The levels of cholesterol in this study were within the range observed in other Western countries, lower than those found in other parts of Spain but much higher than the ideal quantities recommended by the WHO. Blood pressure was similar to that of a recent meta-analysis of Spanish studies but much higher than that observed in the Second American Task Force Study. With regard to the use of tobacco, this population demonstrated lower prevalences to those of other Spanish populations. From the age of 14 the consumption of cigarettes greatly increases, especially in boys., Conclusions: Obesity and blood pressure appear to be a more important potential problem than cholesterol among the cardiovascular risk factors considered in the children studied in comparison with populations of a similar age. If prevention plans on the use of tobacco are foreseen in Spain, they should be made before the age of 14 when an important number of children already smoke or have tried cigarettes.

Background and Objectives: Our objective was to study in more detail our previous finding that intravenous droperidol inhibits pruritus induced by epidural morphine., Methods: In a double blind study, 107 ASA I or II patients undergoing cesarean section received epidural anesthesia with 150 mg (30 ml) of 0.5% bupivacaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine and 2 mg of morphine hydrochloride in a single injection. They were randomly allocated to either receive (treated group, n = 54) or not receive (control group, n = 53) an intravenous injection of 2.5 mg of droperidol just after delivery. During the postoperative period, the patients were assessed for the occurrence and severity of pruritus or other possible untoward symptoms. Pruritus was classified as absent, mild, moderate, or severe., Results: The incidence of pruritus in control group was absent, 26.4%; mild, 39.6%; moderate, 28.3%; severe, 5.7%; for the treated group, the incidences were, respectively: 59.2; 27.8; 13.0; and 0.0% (p = 0.0003; Mann-Whitney test). As for other side effects of morphine, nausea and vomiting had a similar incidence in the two groups; urinary retention could not be analyzed because of bladder catheterization, and constipation, herpes labialis and clinical evidence of respiratory depression were never observed. Droperidol produced a greater incidence of somnolence (2% in control and 17% in treated group--p < 0.02; Fisher's exact test), but it was never incapacitating. The incidence of hypotension was similar in the two groups., Conclusion: Intravenous droperidol reduces the incidence and severity of pruritus caused by epidural injection of morphine without inducing important side effects.

Although the harmful effects of smoking on health are well documented, this habit continues to be highly prevalent in Latin America. The objective of this study is to evaluate the frequency of this habit and its possible determinants in the adult population of the city of Pelotas, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, using a simplified methodology. With the use of a cross-sectional design, a probabilistic sample of 1,401 adults was studied; the no-response rate was 11%. Of those interviewed, 54% had never smoked, 14% were former smokers, and 33% were smokers at the time of the study; 16% smoked 20 or more cigarettes daily. Smoking was more frequent in men (44%) than in women (23%). In relation to educational level, the highest prevalence of smoking was among individuals with five to eight years of schooling (39.7%). The study showed that it is possible with a limited investment of time and resources, to evaluate the frequency of smoking in a representative sample of a medium-sized city, yielding data that will be highly useful for preventive campaigns.

Maté drinking, a hot infusion of Ilex paraguayensis commonly drunk in parts of South America, has been associated with increased risks of upper digestive cancers. In a population-based survey, we have studied the patterns of maté drinking in a sample of 1400 adults living in a southern Brazilian city. Approximately one third of the population drank maté less than once a month or not at all; another third drank maté at least once a month, but less than once a day; while the remaining third drank maté daily. Daily drinking was most common among individuals aged under 60, those who migrated from rural areas, and among cigarette smokers. Drinkers ingested on average about 1800 ml/day at a mean temperature of 69.5 degrees C. Individuals who had never attended school tended to ingest larger quantities. The temperature of the drink was higher for males and for drinkers of alcoholic beverages. This information may contribute to the design of preventive interventions, since a large proportion of upper digestive cancer cases in those regions might be due to maté drinking.