Abstract Eggs are a highly nutritive food. They contain high quality protein and several nutrients with potential health benefits. Nevertheless, the appearance of cardiovascular disease as an important public health issue, with high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide, along with the identification of high blood cholesterol levels as a risk factor for this disease, was responsible for the advice to limit dietary cholesterol (and, therefore, eggs) that was promoted by health care professionals and institutions during the 70s. To date, several cohort studies show that the intake of one egg a day does not increase cardiovascular risk in the general population. However, this evidence is not clear among diabetic patients, and raises the question whether its consumption in large quantities is entirely safe in this particular population. Additionally, intervention studies have shown that egg consumption does not adversely affect cardiovascular risk factors neither in healthy individuals nor in those with cardiometabolic disease. Moreover, these studies suggest that the incorporation of egg to the diet could bring additional benefits such as promoting a less atherogenic lipid profile.

Resumen El huevo es un alimento que aporta proteína de alta calidad y numerosos nutrientes con potenciales beneficios para la salud. Sin embargo, la aparición de la enfermedad cardiovascular como importante causa de morbilidad y mortalidad en el mundo, junto con la identificación de los niveles elevados de colesterol plasmático como factor de riesgo para esta patología, llevó, en los años 70, a profesionales e instituciones de salud a limitar el consumo de colesterol y, por tanto, de huevo en la población. Hasta la fecha, los análisis de cohortes prospectivas tienden a mostrar que el consumo de hasta un huevo diario no aumenta significativamente el riesgo cardiovascular en la población sana. Sin embargo, esta evidencia no es clara en los pacientes diabéticos y pone en duda que este alimento consumido en cantidades elevadas sea del todo inocuo en esta población en particular. Asimismo, estudios de intervención a corto plazo han mostrado que, en general, el consumo de huevo no afecta negativamente los factores de riesgo cardiovascular en individuos sanos así como en aquellos con enfermedad cardiometabólica. Además, estos estudios sugieren que la incorporación del huevo en la dieta podría traer beneficios adicionales, promoviendo un perfil lipídico menos aterogénico.

RESUMEN El huevo es un alimento altamente nutritivo con potenciales beneficios para la salud. Sin embargo, debido a su elevado contenido de colesterol, su consumo ha sido restringido en la población general. El objetivo de esta revisión es difundir en la comunidad científica la evidencia más reciente sobre los efectos del consumo de huevo específicamente en sujetos con diabetes mellitus. Estudios observacionales muestran que el consumo de hasta un huevo al día no se asocia a una mayor prevalencia de enfermedad cardiovascular en la población general, pero podría aumentar el riesgo entre los diabéticos. Asimismo, algunos de estos estudios han mostrado que un elevado consumo de huevo se asocia a un aumento en la incidencia de diabetes en la población general. Por otro lado, estudios de intervención a corto plazo en este subgrupo muestra que el consumo de huevo no afecta negativamente los factores de riesgo cardiovascular ni control glicémico en estos pacientes. Además, su consumo podría aumentar el impacto del uso de dietas hipocalóricas en la disminución de peso corporal, una importante herramienta en el manejo médico de la diabetes.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a recognized atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ACVD) risk factor. This association has yet to be quantified in the Chilean population. Aim: To compare the frequency of ACVD between diabetic and non-diabetic Chilean subjects. Material and Methods: Data was extracted from the Chile National Health Survey (ENS) performed in 2009-2010. DM diagnosis was made with fasting glucose. ACVD (coronary, cerebral and peripheral vascular disease) was established by self-report. Major cardiovascular risk factors were identified by clinical and laboratory assessment. Results: A total of 5,416 adults (2,200 men and 3,216 women) were surveyed in ENS 2009-2010. Of these, 508 were diabetic and 375 reported ACVD. ACVD frequency was 16.1% and 6.1% in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects, respectively. In diabetic men, the frequency of ACVD steadily increased with age, from 5.1% to 22.1%. In diabetic women, the highest frequency of ACVD (17.4%) was found in ages ranging from 45 to 54 years. In people younger than 54 years, the odds ratio for ACVD in diabetic compared to non-diabetic subjects, was 3.59 in men (χ2 = 4.03 p < 0.03) and 5.26 in women (χ2 = 7.7 p < 0.007). Cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic syndrome were significantly more common in diabetic subjects with reported ACVD. Conclusions: DM is associated with an increased frequency of ACVD and cardiovascular risk factors in Chilean adults. In line with international reports, our findings suggest that DM is also a cardiovascular risk factor in Chile, particularly relevant for women.

Background: In December 1985, the Nobel Prize of Medicine was awarded to Drs. Joseph L. Goldstein and Michael S. Brown for their fundamental scientific work on the regulation of cholesterol metabolism mediated by the low density lipoprotein receptor pathway. This article briefly reviews the academic and research accomplishments of Drs. Brown and Goldstein as a tribute to these physician-scientists for their well-deserved award and enormous contribution to biomedical science worldwide.

Despite the clinical use of statins to reduce serum levels of LDL cholesterol and treat atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, a high proportion of patients remain at significant residual cardiovascular risk. In this context, low HDL cholesterol levels are an additional risk factor and intervention studies suggest that a fraction of the cardiovascular protection achieved with pharmacotherapy is explained specifically by the increase in serum levels of HDL cholesterol. Pharmacological inhibitors of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) can induce a significant elevation in HDL cholesterol and, potentially, lead to better control of residual cardiovascular risk beyond the benefit demonstrated by statins. While the use of torcetrapib had unexpected side effects, dalcetrapib and anacetrapib are new CETP inhibitors with a better safety profile and are currently under study to evaluate their effects on vascular lesions and clinical events in patients at high cardiovascular risk. If these studies show positive findings, we will witness a new biomedical advance as significant as was the clinical.

Background: Physical activity (PA) has a protective role in cardiovascular diseases. Aim: To quantify PA in young adults and to correlate it with cardiovascular risk factors. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed employing the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ), to measure the PA of 983 randomly selected young adults from Valparaiso region born between 1974 and 1978. Its results were associated with levels of obesity, insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk factors defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP- ATP III) Results: Mean physical activity among men and women was 3731 ± 3923 and 1360 ± 2303 METs-minutes/week, respectively (p < 0.001). Fifty percent of women and 21.5% of men had an insuffcient level of physical activity (p < 0.001). Sixty percent of men and 23.4% of women had an intense level of physical activity (p < 0.001). There was an inverse association of physical activity and insulin resistance. A high physical activity was protective, specially among men, against a low HDL cholesterol level and high triglyceride levels with Odds Ratios of 0.59 (confdence interval (CI): 0,35-0.98) and 0.49 (CI: 0,27-0,87) respectively, after adjusting for body mass index and age. Conclusions: In this sample, men had higher levels of physical activity, that was protective against insulin resistance and the presence of cardiovascular risk factors.

In recent years, a rapidly increasing number of studies have focused on the association between metabolic syndrome and several chronic diseases. However, it is difficult to determine a well defined pathogenic relationship, due to the etiological heterogeneity and comorbidities of these diseases. Research efforts are aiming to identify the convergent biological mechanisms that mediate the effects of hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. All these conditions define the metabolic syndrome, that increases the risk for several diseases. The knowledge of these biological mechanisms associated with this syndrome will elucidate the pathogenic association between a variety of chronic diseases, including its pathogenic link with cardiovascular diseases and the most common forms of dementia. The development of new therapeutic and preventive strategies for these diseases will be a corollary of this research.

Background: There are several diagnostic criteria for Metabolic Syndrome (MS) defnition. Aim: To study their application in the Chilean general adult population. Material and Methods: We analyzed data from a random sub sample of 1.833 adults aged 17 years and older surveyed during the First Chilean National Health Survey conducted in 2003. The prevalence of MS was estimated using the update Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF 2005) criteria. The distribution of MS was analyzed according to age, gender, educational level, geographic area, obesity and sedentary lifestyle. Results: The overall prevalence of MS was 31.6% (95% CI 28.5-34.9) and 36.8% (95% CI 33.5-40.3), according to update ATPIII-NCEP and IDF criteria respectively. Both criteria had a 90% concordance. Demographic and socioeconomic distribution was similar for both criteria. The prevalence of high blood pressure, high fasting glucose, and low HDL cholesterol (MS components) were: 46, 22 and 53% respectively. The prevalence of abnormal waist circumference was 30 and 59% according to update ATPIII-NCEP and IDF criteria, respectively. Using update ATPIII-NCEP criteria, the gender, age and educational level adjusted odds ratio (OR) for having MS was 9.59 (95% IC 6.8- 13.6) for obese subjects compared with normal weight subjects and 2.14 (95% IC 1.3-3.7) for sedentary subjects compared with non sedentary. Conclusions: There was a 90% agreement between update ATPIII-NCEP and IDF criteria for the diagnosis of MS. The overall prevalence of MS in this population was 32% usuing update ATPIII-NCEP criteria, with higher prevalence among obese and sedentary subjects.

Background: Subjects with glucose intolerance or high fasting glucose levels have a higher cardiovascular rísk and frequently become diabetic. Aim: To assess clinical and metabolic characteristics of patients with glucose intolerance or high fasting glucose levels. Material and methods: Fasting and post glucose load serum glucose and insulin levels were measured in 1404 people, aged 42,0 ± 14,2 years (81% women) with high diabetic rísk. We categorízed subjects in different alterations of blood glucose, according to 2006 Amerícan Diabetes Association categoríes. Insulin resistance (RI), insulin secretion (B %) and insulin disposition (ID), were calculated using fasting blood glucose and insulin levels, using the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA I and II). Results: Sixty percent of studied subjects had first grade relatives with diabetes mellitus and 1097 (78%) were categorízed as normal (N), 45 (3%) as Diabetes Mellitus (DM), 161 (11%) as high fasting glucose levels (GAA) and 103 (7%) as glucose intolerant (ITG). Fifty three of the 106 subjects with GAA (50%), were also glucose intolerant. Subjects with GAA had similar insulin sensitivity and lower B cell function than N (insulin disposition 58 ± 12 and 111 ± 32%, respectively p <0.01). ITG had less insulin sensitivity than N (HOMA-IR 2.6 ± 1.50 ± and 2.0 ± 1.30, respectively) and only a mild decrease in B cell function (insulin disposition 96 ± 26 and 111 ± 32% respectively, p < 0.01). Patients GAA plus ITG had similar alterations than those with DM (HOMA-IR 3.8 ± 2.2 and 4.4 ± 3.7respectively; insulin disposition 57 ± 10 and 56.0 ± 26% respectively. Conclusions: Patients with higher fasting glucose levels behave differently from those with glucose intolerance. High fasting glucose levels are highly prevalent in subjects with high rísk of DM and must be considered as rísk indicator in preventive programs for diabetes mellitus.

A síndrome metabólica (SM) constitui um fator de risco independente para doenças cardiovasculares. Existem evidências de que níveis sangüíneos de proinsulina e o índice proinsulina/insulina estão associados com a presença da SM. O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar proinsulina e insulina, índice de resistência insulínica e o fator proinsulina/insulina para predizer a presença da SM. Este é um estudo transversal envolvendo 440 homens e 556 mulheres com média de 24 anos de idade. O diagnóstico da SM foi feito de acordo com o Painel III do programa de tratamento nacional educacional de colesterol para adultos. Níveis sangüíneos de insulina e proinsulina foram medidos, o índice de resistência insulínica foi estimado através do modelo de avaliação hemostático (HOMA-IR). A prevalência da SM foi de 10%. HOMA-IR demonstrou ser o melhor fator de risco da SM em homens e mulheres (OR = 2,04; 95% CI: 1,68-2,48 e 1,09; 95% CI: 1,05-1,13, respectivamente). HOMA-IR apresentou o melhor valor preditivo positivo para SM: 22% e 36% para homens e mulheres, respectivamente, e foi o melhor indicador da SM. O índice proinsulina/insulina não apresentou associação significativa com SM. HOMA-IR, proinsulina e insulina apresentaram bons valores preditivos negativos para ambos sexos, o que poderia ser usado para identificar uma população de risco.

The Metabolic Syndrome (MS) constitutes an independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease. There is evidence that proinsulin blood levels and the proinsulin/insulin ratio are associated to the MS. The purpose of this study was to compare proinsulin and insulin, insulin resistance index, and the proinsulin/insulin ratio as predictors of MS. This is a cross-sectional study involving 440 men and 556 women with a mean age of 24 years. Diagnosis of MS was made according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. Blood levels of insulin and proinsulin were measured, and the insulin resistance status was estimated using the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR). The prevalence of MS was 10.1%. HOMA-IR was the best MS risk factor for both women and men (OR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.68-2.48 and 1.09; 95% CI: 1.05-1.13, respectively). HOMA-IR presented the best positive predictive value for MS: 22% and 36% for men and women, respectively, and was the best MS indicator. The proinsulin/insulin ratio did not show significant association with MS. HOMA-IR, proinsulin, and insulin presented good negative predictive values for both genders that could be used to identify an at-risk population.