About the Authors

Valmore Bermúdez

valmore@gmail.com

Affiliation Medicine Faculty, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, The University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela

Maikol Pacheco

Affiliation Medicine Faculty, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, The University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela

Joselyn Rojas

Affiliation Medicine Faculty, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, The University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela

Evelyn Córdova

Affiliation Quantitative Methods Department, School of Economics, The University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela

Rossibel Velázquez

Affiliation Medicine Faculty, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, The University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela

Daniela Carrillo

Affiliation Medicine Faculty, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, The University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela

María G. Parra

Affiliation Medicine Faculty, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, The University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela

Alexandra Toledo

Affiliation Medicine Faculty, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, The University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela

Roberto Añez

Affiliation Medicine Faculty, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, The University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela

Eneida Fonseca

Affiliation Medicine Faculty, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, The University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela

Rafael París Marcano

Affiliation Medicine Faculty, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, The University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela

Clímaco Cano

Affiliation Medicine Faculty, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, The University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela

José López Miranda

Affiliations Lipid and Atherosclerosis Unit, Department of Medicine, IMIBIC/Reina Sofia University Hospital/University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain, CIBER Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Córdoba, Spain

Competing Interests

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: VJB RPM JLM CC. Performed the experiments: VJB MP JJR RV DC MGP AT. Analyzed the data: VJB MP EBC AT RPM. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: CC. Wrote the paper: JJR MP VJB JLM. Was part of the team that formulated, designed and undertook the current study: EF. Was part of the medical team in situ enrolling the patients: EF RA. Was part of the statisticians team analyzing the data: RA. Helped in the addition of the methodological aspects of the manuscript: RA.