Edema pulmonar agudo por hidroclorotiazida: una reacción adversa poco conocida / Hydrochlorothiazide-induced acute pulmonary edema: a rare adverse reaction

In Chile, hydrochlorothiazide is frequently prescribed as first line antihypertensive therapy. Among it’s well known adverse reactions are: electrolytic disorders, hyperuricemia, dyslipidemia, agranulocytosis and azotemia. Acute pulmonary edema is a rare and potentially lethal adverse effect. Only 50 cases have been reported since 1968. In this article, we discuss a case of a 70 year old woman who, one hour after the ingestion of hydrochlorotiazide, presented acute and progressive dyspnea. Her clinical and radiologic findings are compatible with non-cardiogenic acute pulmonary edema.

En Chile, la hidroclorotiazida se utiliza ampliamente como terapia de primera línea en la hipertensión arterial esencial. Entre los efectos adversos más conocidos destacan: trastornos hidroelectrolíticos, hiperuricemia, dislipidemia, azotemia, entre otros. El edema pulmonar agudo es un efecto adverso infrecuente y potencialmente grave. Desde 1968, se han reportado 50 casos clínicos en la literatura. En este artículo presentamos el caso clínico de una mujer de 70 años atendida en el Hospital Santiago Oriente quien, una hora posterior a la ingesta de hidroclorotiazida, presenta disnea aguda progresiva. El estudio clínico y radiológico es compatible con edema pulmonar agudo no cardiogénico.

Concomitancia de anticuerpos antimembrana basal y ANCA en el síndrome riñón-pulmón / Concomitance of glomerular basement membrane antibodies and ANCA in pulmonary - renal syndrome

La enfermedad antimembrana basal glomerular (anti-MBG) es una condición que se manifiesta clínicamente como glomerulonefritis rápidamente progresiva y hemorragia alveolar, también llamada Síndrome Riñón- Pulmón. Se asocia a la presencia de autoanticuerpos dirigidos contra el colágeno tipo IV de la membrana basal glomerular. Las vasculitis sistémicas asociadas a ANCA también pueden manifestarse como Síndrome Riñón-Pulmón, cuadro clínico a veces indistinguible de la enfermedad anti-MBG. La concomitancia de ANCA y anticuerpos anti-MBG en el Síndrome Riñón-Pulmón es del orden de un 30 por ciento, según distintos reportes de la literatura. El perfil clínico, el pronóstico y el rol fisiopatológico de cada anticuerpo en este grupo de pacientes todavía son materia de investigación. El mecanismo patogénico inicial parece ser el daño mediado por ANCA, que puede inducir la aparición de anticuerpos anti-MBG, los que perpetúan el daño en el glomérulo.

Anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-MBG) disease is a condition that is manifested clinically as rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and alveolar hemorrhage, also known as Pulmonary-Renal Syndrome. It is associated with the presence of autoantibodies directed against type IV collagen of the glomerular basement membrane. Systemic vasculitis associated with ANCA may also manifest as Pulmonary-Renal Syndrome, sometimes clinically indistinguishable from the anti-MBG disease.The concomitance of ANCA and anti-MBG antibodies in the Pulmonary-Renal Syndrome is about 30 percent, according to various reports in literature. The clinical profile, prognosis and physiopathologic roles of each antibody in this group of patients is still under investigation. The pathogenic mechanism appears to be the initial damage mediated by ANCA, which may induce the appearance of anti-MBG, those who perpetuate the glomerulus damage.

Adición de un cortocircuito arterio-venoso durante el soporte vital extracorpóreo veno-arterial de un paciente con síndrome cardiopulmonar por Hantavirus: Caso clínico / Addition of an arterio-venous shunt during veno-arterial extracorporeal life support in a patient with Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome

A subgroup of patients infected with the Hantavirus develops a pulmonary syndrome (HPS) characterized by severe acute respiratory failure and myocardial depression, that has a high mortality rate. Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) could be a valuable therapeutic tool in such patients. We report a 24 years old male with HPS that was successfully managed when an arterio-venous shunt was added to a conventional veno-arterial ECLS technique. Precise criteria have been developed to predict which patients should be considered for this treatment.

Trasplante hepático en adultos: casuística de Clínica Alemana de Santiago / Adult liver transplantation: a single center experience from Chile

Background: The success of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has resulted in its widespread use for different liver diseases. Aim: To report our 8 years experience with adult OLT at Clinica Alemana de Santiago. Patients and methods: In all transplantations done at the center, we recorded patient's overall data and survival, postoperative medical and surgical complications and causes of death. Results: Between November 1993 and September 2001, 51 consecutive OLT were performed in 44 patients (22 females, median age 45 years old). Thirty eight patients presented with chronic and 6 with acute or sub-acute liver failure. Cryptogenic cirrhosis and hepatitis C infection were the most common causes for OLT. Postoperative bleeding and extra-hepatic biliary complications were seen in 17.6 and 21.5 percent of cases respectively. Acute rejection, bacterial infections, CMV infection or disease and post OLT hemodialysis were the most common medical complications (51, 31, 19.6 and 19.6 percent of cases respectively). The overall 1 and 5 years survival rates were 80 percent and 73 percent respectively. Considering exclusively the last 22 OLT performed since January 1999, the 1 year survival rate has improved to 91 percent. Conclusions: Liver transplantation in Chile provides a good long term survival with acceptable morbidity, due to a multidisciplinary approach management. The survival rates have improved over the last few years probably due to better surgical techniques, ICU care and immunosuppression. These overall results are comparable with those from other Centers in developed countries

Síndrome hemolítico urémico y streptococcus pneumoniae / Hemolytic uremic syndrome after an infection caused by streptococcus pneumoniae

Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) is an uncommon complication of pneumococcal infection. Highly suggesting findings in a patient with Streptococcus pneumoniae infection are: microangyopatic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and acute renal failure. We report a 41 years old woman, admitted to the hospital due to a severe pneumonia, that required the surgical drainage of an empyema. On admission, a drop in packed red cell volume from 41 to 25 percent, the presence of schistocytes in the blood smear, an elevation of LDH to 1,700 IU/L, a fall in haptoglobin to 5.8 mg/dL and a thrombocytopenia of 72,000 per mm3 were detected. These alterations coincided with an oliguric acute renal failure. She was treated with hemodialysis and the hemolytic syndrome was managed with plasmapheresis. She was discharged 35 days after admission and in the follow up, after 2.5 months, her serum creatinine is 1.2 mg/dL and her packed red cell volume is 41 percent