Polimiositis primaria asociada a HTLV-I / Primary polymyositis associated to HTLV-I

We report a 68 years old male with a polymyositis associated to HTLV-I. Diagnosis was based on clinical picture, an increased creatin-phosphokinase levels, electromyography and muscle biopsy. The patient had positive HTVL-I antibodies, measured by particle agglutination test, indirect immunofluorescence and polymerase chain reaction in lymphocytes. Skin biopsy showed a mycosis fungoides. Schirmer test and minor salivary gland biopsy showed a dacryosialoadenitis. There was no central nervous system involvement. This patient is the only with positive HTLV-I antibodies, among 18 patients with polymiositis in whom these antibodies were measured

Validación de un instrumento de tamizaje para el estudio de la prevalencia de enfermedades cerebrovasculares en la población chilena / Assessment of a screening instrument to study the prevalence of cerebrovascular diseases in the chilean population

We assessed a screening instrument, adapted from a model suggested by WHO, aimed to perform population studies on the prevalence of cerebrovascular disease in Chile. Sixty-two subjects, 31 with cerebrovascular diseases and 31 without, were asked about symptoms and requested to do simple movements by trained interviewers. The results of the instrument were compared with a neurological examination performed by two specialists. Global sensitivity and specificity of the instrument, using WHO evaluation criteria, were 100 and 38.7 percent respectively. When three or more symptoms and one positive sign were considered as cutoff points, global specificity increased to 61 percent and sensitivity decreased to 93 percent. It is concluded that the present instrument is highly sensitive but lacks specificity

Aplicación de un índice de estabilidad fisiológica en unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátrica / Use of a psysiologic stability index in a pediatric intensive care unit

Se aplicó el Indice de Estabilidad Fisiológica (PSI) a todos los pacientes ingresados a la UCI pediátrica del Hospital Clínico de la Universidad Católica de Chile en el período comprendido entre abril de 1987 y agosto de 1988. La edad de los pacientes varió entre los 10 días de vida y los 15 años de edad y se evaluaron 152 niños. El PSI fue aplicado durante los 4 primeros días de estadía de dichos pacientes en la UCI y se obtuvo una calificación promedio que se correlacionó con la probabilidad de morir mediante un análisis de regresión logística. Mediante un análisis de varianza se logró determinar que existen diferencias significativas entre la calificación de los no-sobrevivientes (21,71 puntos) y la calificación máxima de los sobrevivientes (9,39 puntos), según la prueba T de Student