Background: In Latin America, there are no published studies of the prevalence of prediabetes using the glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) criterion in addition to fasting plasma glucose (FPG). Therefore, here we determined the prevalence of prediabetes using FPG and/or HbA1c in a Mexican population at risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 384 primary care users without a known diagnosis of prediabetes or T2DM and with at least one risk factor for T2DM and cardiovascular disease. An FPG 100–125 mg/dL and/or an HbA1c 5.7–6.4% were considered positive for prediabetes. Point prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated overall and stratified by age, sex, and nutritional status. Mann-Whitney and chi-squared tests were used. P values < 0.05 were considered significant. Results: The prevalence of prediabetes was 74.7% (95% CI, 70.2%–78.8%) using FPG or HbA1c criteria for positivity, 60.4% using FPG alone (95% CI, 55.5%–65.3%), 49.8% using HbA1c alone (95% CI, 44.4–55.3%); and 32.9% using FPG and HbA1c (95% CI, 27.8%–38.0%). Prevalence was higher in patients ≥50 years old (p < 0.001) and in the overweight–obesity group (p = 0.04) using all criteria except for HbA1c alone. Conclusions: The prevalence of prediabetes in a Mexican population at risk for cardiovascular disease and/or T2DM was high. Prediabetes is definitely a public health problem. Future studies are needed to examine the effectiveness and efficiency of pragmatic strategies to reverse the status of prediabetes and, therefore, reduce the incidence of T2DM.

Although the use of ultrasound for the insertion of central catheters has proven to be cost-effective in adults, it is not known if this is the case in the neonatal population. This study compared the cost-effectiveness of ultrasound-guided umbilical venous catheterisation with conventional catheterisation in a neonatal intensive care unit of a Public University Hospital. A retrospective observational study was conducted on newborns that required an umbilical venous catheter before completing their first 24hours of extra-uterine life. Two retrospective cohorts were formed, including one with ultrasound-guided catheterisation and the other with conventional catheterisation. The effectiveness was measured using 2 variables: placement of ideal position and insertion without complications. The cost of human and material resources (consumable and non-consumable), the cost-effectiveness ratio, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio were estimated, as well as carrying out a sensitivity analysis. Catheter obstruction was more frequent in guided catheterisation than in conventional catheterisation (7.7% vs. 0%, p=.04) and catheter dysfunction was higher in the latter (79% vs. 3.8%, p<.0001). The cost-effectiveness ratio of the guided catheterisation was €153.9, and €484.6 for the conventional one. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was €45.5. The sensitivity analysis showed a €2.6 increase in the cost-effectiveness ratio of the guided catheterisation and €47 in the conventional one. The use of ultrasound to guide umbilical catheterisation is more efficient than conventional catheterisation since, despite using more economic resources, it offers greater effectiveness.