Uropatía obstructiva recurrente en arteritis de Takayasu / Recurrent upper urinary tract obstruction in takayasu arteritis

La arteritis de Takayasu (AT) es una enfermedad inflamatoria infrecuente de vasos grandes. A menudo, el daño crónico originado en las grandes arterias requiere de revascularización mediante prótesis vasculares. Excepcionalmente la implantación de las prótesis origina lesiones en otros órganos, como los uréteres, los cuales pueden obstruirse por compresión extrínseca por el tejido fibroso retroperitoneal originado como reacción a la presencia de la prótesis vascular.Se comunica el caso de una mujer que presentó hidronefrosis bilateral en forma asincrónica después de los 2 años de la instalación de una prótesis aorto-ilíaca con insuficiencia renal aguda, la cual pudo revertirse mediante. (AU)

Takayasu's arteritis is a rare inflammatory disease of large vessels. Often, chronic damage resulting in large arteries stenosis requires revascularization with vascular prostheses. Exceptionally, the presence of prostheses causes lesions in other organs, such as ureters, which are subject to extrinsic compression caused by retroperitoneal fibrous tissue originated as a reaction to the presence of vascular prostheses. We report the case of a woman who presented bilateral asynchronous hydronephrosis after 2 years of the installation of an aorto- iliac graft with acute renal failure, which could be reversed by releasing the ureter from the periprosthetic fibrous retroperitoneal tissue.(AU)

Enfermedad por depósito de cristales de pirofosfato de calcio como ejemplo de forma de manifestación de la enfermedad en el adulto mayor / Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystal deposition disease as an example of illness presentation in the elderly

Illness presentation in the elderly may be entirely non-specific, with fatigue, loss of function or the presence of geriatric syndromes. We report a 90 years old male consulting in the emergency room for delirium that persisted throughout hospitalization without finding a cause. During the course of hospitalization mild fever appeared and a left knee swelling became apparent. A synovial fluid aspiration showed a leukocyte count of 360 per field with 60% polymorphonuclear cells. The culture was negative. With a presumptive diagnosis of pseudogout, cochicine and celecoxib were started with remission of the confusional state. The patient was discharged 13 days after admission in good conditions.

Resultados a 10 años en trasplantes renales con donantes vivos no relacionados: Experiencia de 22 años / Survival among renal allograft recipients from non related living donors

Background: There is a gap between the number of patients requiring a renal allograft and the number of potential deceased donors (DD). One alternative is using allografts from non-related living donors (NRLD). Aim: To compare survival and complications of renal allograft recipients from DD, related living donors (RLD) and NRLD. Material and Methods: Observational study of a cohort of renal allograft recipients. Of 253 transplants performed in a Chilean region between 1981 and 2003, 20 patients received and allograft from a NRLD. Graft and patient survival of these patients were compared with those of 93 patients receiving an allograft from a related living donor and 140 receiving it from a DD. Patients were followed for 10 years or until death or dialysis requirement. Results: No significant differences between groups in graft and patient survival, deaths with a functioning graft or return to dialysis were observed. Receptors of DD had more hospital admissions during the first years after receiving the graft, usually due to infections. Also a delayed graft function was more common among them. Glomerular filtration rate ten years after the graft was similar among the three groups. Conclusions: No differences in graft or patient survival was observed between patients receiving a renal allograft from NRLD, RLD or DD.

Heparinas de bajo peso molecular en pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica ¿Es seguro su uso? / Are low-molecular-weight heparins safe in patients with chronic kidney disease?

Due to their effcacy and convenience, low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH) are used as sustitutes of unfractionated heparin. Unfortunately, most of the evidence about safety and usefulness of LMWH have excluded patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), in whom their elimination clearance is reduced, allowing an increased anticoagulant effect. Accordingly, there is a growing number of reports about major and fatal bleeding episodes in this group of patients using LMWH. At the present stage of knowledge, there is no defnitive cut-off value of renal function to adjust the doses or avoid the administration of LMWH, making their effects unpredictable in patients with CKD. Hence, it is reasonable to avoid the use of these drugs in patients with CKD, while awaiting for more evidence that supports their safer use.

Obstrucción intestinal por intususcepción como primera manifestación de enfermedad celíaca en un adulto / Celiac disease presenting as an intestinal intussusception: report of one case

The usual form of presentation of celiac disease is chronic diarrhoea and deficiencies of vitamin D, vitamin K, iron and vitamin B12, due to malabsorption. Intestinal obstruction secondary to an intussusception is rare in adults and usuaUy is a compUcation of carcinoma of the colon or post operative adhesions. We report a 45 year-old female consulting for diarrhoea and vomiting lasting one week and progressive abdominal bloating. A plain abdominal Xray showed air fluid levels in the small bowel and a CT sean showed an intussusception. She was operated and discharged but continued with diarrhoea. She was admitted again and a new CT sean showed three intussusceptions that were resolved with the administration of oral contrast media. Antiendomisial antibodies were positive and a celiac disease was diagnosed. After one year with a gluten free diet, the patient remains asymptomatic.

Atelectasia pulmonar recurrente secundaria a una metástasis endobronquial de un carcinoma de colon: Caso clínico / Recurrent left lung atelectasis caused by an endobronchial metastasis of a colon cancer: Report of one case

Endobronchial location of metastases is uncommon. We report a 83 year-old woman with a history of a ¡eft hemicolectomy due to tubular colon adenocarcinoma, three years ago. She consulted in the emergency room for progressive dyspnea, cough an mucous sputum. There was abolition of breath sounds and dullness in the ¡eft hemithorax. Chest X ray examination showed a complete opacity of the ¡eft lung. She was treated as a pneumonia and her left lung expanded again. Three weeks later, left lung atelectasis relapsed. A bronchial biopsy showed a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, compatible with colon adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the colonic origin of the tumor. The patient rejected radiotherapy and is alive after 11 months of follow up.

Cetoacidosis diabética reversible con metotrexato: Resistencia al tratamiento insulínico. Caso clínico / Diabetic ketoacidosis responsive to methotrexate in a patient with a mixed connective tissue disease

We report a 42 year-old woman with a hypothyroidism and a mixed connective tissue disease treated with prednisone and methotrexate. The patient had normal blood glucose levels but when the methotrexate dose was tapered, she presented a diabetic ketoacidosis that required up to 520 units of insulin per day. Due to the intensification of the mixed connective tissue disease symptoms, the doses of methotrexate and prednisone were increased again with a simultaneous normalization of serum glucose levels and glucose tolerance. In the following six months, when the dose of methotrexate was tapered again, the hyperglycemia reappeared and was again controlled increasing the dose. Thirty months after the episode of keotacidosis, the patient was with a weekly dose of methotrexate, asymptomatic and with a normal glucose tolerance. Anti insulin antibodies were not detected and anti islet antibodies were indeterminate, due to interference with antinuclear antibodies. It is possible that the episode of ketoacidosis was unveiled by an autoimmune phenomenon.

Trombosis de la arteria renal después de suspender la terapia anticoagulante en una trasplantada renal con trombofilia: Caso Clínico / Renal artery thrombosis after withdrawal from anticoagulation therapy in a kidney transplant recipient with thrombophilia: Report of one case

Kidney graft loss because arterial thrombosis is not common and is related to risk factors such as recurrent vascular hemodialysis access thrombosis, collagen-vascular disease, repeated miscarriage, diabetes mellitus and thrombophilia. Patients having this last disorder have an increased risk of repeated thrombosis in successive transplants unless they receive anticoagulation therapy. We report a 51 year-old diabetic woman who had a history of recurrent vascular hemodialysis access thrombosis (both native and prosthetic) while on dialysis and received a cadaveric donor kidney. One month after transplantation she had axillary vein thrombosis complicated with pulmonary embolism and received anticoagulants for six months. Just days after stopping the anticoagulation, she became suddenly anuric due to renal artery thrombosis and complete graft infarction. The coagulation study showed moderate hyperhomocysteinemia and a significant protein C deficiency (39 percent). Days after nephrectomy she suffered a femoral vein thrombosis and anticoagulation was prescribed for life.

Rabdomiolisis de esfuerzo sin falla renal aguda: comunicación de cuatro casos tratados exitosamente con solución salina / Exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis without renal failure: four cases successfully managed with saline solution

La rabdomiolisis de esfuerzo (RMLE) es un tipo poco frecuente de rabdomiolisis no traumática. Puede presentarse en pacientes que portan una susceptibilidad muscular aumentada al stress generado por el ejercicio intenso, ya sea permanente (en los casos de trastornos metabólicos congénitos) como transitoria (en situaciones en que los mecanismos fisiológicos adaptativos al ejercicio están momentáneamente impedidos). Dentro de las complicaciones del daño muscular masivo no manejado adecuadamente se puede producir falla renal aguda por la liberación de pigmentos que dañan los túbulos renales. Presentamos cuatro casos de RMLE que fueron tratados con éxito con aporte de solución salina y bicarbonato, evitando el desarrollo de trastornos electrolíticos graves o una falla renal aguda con requerimiento dialítico.

Prevalencia de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles; en 520 fallecidos en un servicio de medicina interna / Prevalence of nontransmissible chronic diseases; in 520 patients who died in an internal medicine service

Antecedentes: En Chile han ocurrido cambios biodemográficos importantes en las últimas décadas aumentando las expectativas de vida al nacer sobre los 76 años. Ello ha provocado un cambio en la morbilidad. Objetivo: Conocer la prevalencia de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles (ECNT) en los enfermos fallecidos en un Servicio de Medicina (SDM). Material y método: En 520 pacientes consecutivos se registró la prevalencia en ECNT, según criterios diagnósticos estrictos. Se correlacionaron utilizando regresión logística a los diagnósticos entre sí, con la edad y género. Resultados: Un 54 por ciento eran hombres y la mediana de edad 78 años. Setenta por ciento tenía hipertensión arterial (HTA), 37 por ciento deterioro cognitivo (DOC), 34,2 por ciento cáncer, 29,6 por ciento diabetes mellitus (DM), 20.6 por ciento secuelas de accidente cerebrovascular, 19.2 por ciento enfermedad coronaria, 16.5 por ciento fibrilación auricular, 15.6 por ciento insuficiencia cardíaca y 15.6 por ciento daño hepático crónico. Uno de cada 3 estaba postrado crónicamente y 1 de cada 4 estaba desnutrido al ingresar al hospital. En el análisis multivariado la HTA se asoció a DM, fibrilación auricular e insuficiencia renal crónica (IRC). El DOC se asoció sólo a la enfermedad de Parkinson. No hubo ninguna patología que se asociara significativamente al cáncer. La DM se asoció a la cardiopatía coronaria, HTA e IRC. Las secuelas de un accidente cerebrovascular se asociaron a fibrilación auricula e HTA. El hipotiroidismo se asoció a cardiopatía coronaria y fibrilación auricular. Conclusiones: La mayoría de los fallecidos en un SDM son ancianos mayores de 70 años (75 por ciento) y portadores de múltiples ECNT. Una proporción elevada tienen DOC, desnutrición, están postrados crónicamente y tienen escaras de decúbito. Las enfermedades neurológicas están presentes en el 50.2 por ciento y el cáncer o enfermedades cardiovasculares en un tercio de los fallecidos.

Insuficiencia renal aguda secundaria a rabdomiólisis de esfuerzo: Report of three cases / Renal failure secondary to effort rhabdomyolysis. Report of three cases

Renal failure secondary to effort rhabdomyolysis is uncommon. We report three males age 28, 37 (military sportsmen) and 44 years (sedentary obese), with this condition. Episodes occurred after a training session to run a triathlon, during the course of a mini marathon and during a rescue attempt of a drowning person. All three subjects experienced intense muscle symptoms, hemoglubinuria, oliguria, rise of blood urea nitrogen and a significant rise in muscle enzymes. Creatinekinase reached a maximum of 41 times normal, aspartate aminotransferase a maximum 35 times normal and lactacte dehydrogenase a maximum of 11 times normal. There was a rapid elevation of serum creatinine, reaching values of 6.6 and 9.8 mg/dl on the third day after the physical effort. This parameter had a disproportionate elevation in relation to urea nitrogen, in two subjects. All subjects were managed with saline hydration, sodium bicarbonate and furosemide. Only one required hemodialysis for two days. All normalized their renal function 18 to 48 days after the physical exertion. No subject had other predisposing conditions for acute renal failure.

Prueba de ejercicio máximo en dos sujetos que sufrieron una rabdomiolisis de esfuerzo / Maximal effort test in two cases of exertional rhabdomyolisis

La ocurrencia de un episodio de rabdomiolisis (RML), de esfuerzo en individuos que hacen regularmente actividad física sin limitaciones es poco frecuente y puede ser la primera manifestación de una miopatía metabólica o mitocondrial. Objetivo: Estudiar si dos sujetos que sufrieron un episodio de RML de esfuerzo tienen un comportamiento distinto a sujetos controles durante una prueba de ejercicio máximo (PEM) en un laboratorio de función cardiopulmonar y si después del esfuerzo presentan evidencias bioquímicas de sufrimiento muscular o renal. Sujetos y métodos: Se empleó un cicloergómetro incrementando la carga en 30 watts cada dos minutos, hasta que los sujetos decidieran que eran incapaces de continuar el ejercicio. Se usó un neumotacógrafo para medir el consumo de O2 y producción de CO2 y se monitorizaron la frecuencia respiratoria, electrocardiograma, presión arterial y oximetría de pulso. Se hicieron determinaciones bioquímicas antes, durante y hasta 24 horas de terminada la PEM. Resultados: Los sujetos y sus controles toleraron una carga de hasta 220-240 watts, el comportamiento fisiológico frente al ejercicio fue similar y no hubo evidencias de daño renal o muscular. Conclusiones: El comportamiento frente a la PEM descartó razonablemente que los dos sujetos que hicieron una RML tuvieran una alteración del metabolismo muscular por lo que se les autorizó a reiniciar su actividad física habitual.

Hemorragia pulmonar secundaria a una reactivación tardía de un síndrome de Churg-Strauss en un paciente en hemodiálisis crónica: Report of one case / Late reactivation of Churg-Strauss syndrome

We report a 22 years old male with chronic allergic rhinitis, who presented with asthma, prolonged fever, eosinophilia, cutaneous vasculitis, subcutaneous nodules, polyarthritis, ulcers in the nasal mucosa and external auditory canal, hematuria, proteinuria, renal failure, severe hypertension, pulmonary infiltrates and mesenteric ischemia with a perforation of the sigmoid colon. Arteriography showed multiple aneurysmae of intrarenal arteries and a skin biopsy showed a leukocytoclastic vasculitis. A diagnosis of Churg-Strauss syndrome was made. He was initially treated with steroids and cyclophosphamide but abandoned therapy. Eighteen years after the onset of the disease, he required hemodialysis. Eight months after being on dialysis, he suffered a reactivation of the disease with lung hemorrhage and finally died, due to an upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by a duodenal ulcer.

Aplasia medular tratada exitosamente con ciclosporina en un paciente en hemodiálisis crónica / Bone marrow aplasia during hemodialysis successfully treated with cyclosporine: report of one case

A 28 years old male on chronic hemodialysis for 40 months due to a IgA crescentic glomerulonephritis developed pancytopenia (hematocrit 16 percent, white blood cell count 3.800 mm3 and platelets 11.000 mm3. The bone marrow aspirate showed erythropoietic hyperplasia. Hemolytic anemia, folate or vitamin B12 deficiency and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria were ruled out. Steroids were given with a transient elevation of red cells and platelets, which lasted only for some weeks. Afterwards, intravenous immunoglobulin was given without benefit. Two months after, a bone marrow biopsy and a bone marrow magnetic resonance imaging showed severe aplasia. Cyclosporine was started with a rapid increase in blood cells count. Eight months later, he received a renal transplant from a cadaveric donor. Immunosupression was achieved with cyclosporine, prednisone and mycofenolate mofetil. The patient required hemodialysis for the first three weeks and a mild acute cellular rejection was treated with methylprednisolone. At discharge, 6 weeks later, serum creatinine was 2.4 mg/dl and creatinine clearance 37.6 ml/min. During the first months after transplant, platelet count and hemoglobin decreased and a bone marrow biopsy showed only mild hypoplasia. Four months after renal transplant the hematocrit was 43 percent, white blood cell count 6.600 mm3 and platelets, 150.000 mm3 and did not change during the first year of follow up (Rev Méd Chile 2004; 132: 989-94).

Relación entre el motivo de ingreso y la causa de muerte en pacientes fallecidos en un Servicio de Medicina Interna / Relationship between the cause of admission and the cause of death in patients admitted to an internal medicine departament

Background: When patients are admitted to an internal medicine ward, they and their relatives believe that they will leave the internal medicine service in a better health condition or, if they die, their cause of death will be the same that motivated the hospital admission. Sometimes, patients die due to a different disease than the cause of admission or due to complications of diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Aim: To assess the proportion of deaths that occurred in internal medicine wards for causes that differ from the cause for admission and the proportion of deaths related to complications of diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Patients and methods: Three hundred and three consecutive patients were studied during 28 months. Their cause of death was classified in four groups: A. If it was the same illness of admission; B. A frecuent or expected complication of the illness that motivated the admission; C. A complication of one of their chronic diseases and not the one of admission; D. If it was not related to an already present chronic illness or the cause for admission. Results: Sixty nine percent of deaths corresponded to group A, 7.9 percent to group B, 11.2 percent to group C and 11.9 percent to group D. Diagnostic or therapeutic procedures were the cause of death in 0.7 and 3.6 percent of cases respectively. Conclusions: Twenty three percent of patients died due to causes that differ from the cause of admission. A low percentage of deaths were related to procedures and most of them were due to complications of therapeutic measures (Rev Méd Chile 2004; 132: 707-17).

Procura de órganos: no hay trasplantes sin donantes / Organ procurement: there are not transplantations without donors

No hay trasplantes de órganos y no hay órganos si no hay donantes. Esta es la conclusión fundamental tras analizar la experiencia en la procura de órganos para transplante, llevada a cabo por un médico especificamente destinado a esta función, en el Hospital Dr, Gustavo Fricke de Viña del Mar, entre el 1 de Enero de 1997 y el 30 de Junio de 1998. Con una casuística de 44 casos de donantes potenciales, se analizan los conceptos utilizados en la procura, estableciendo sus etapas, las patologías que permiten su iniciación y las contraindicaciones para ser donante, además de sus características de ocurrencia, horario, lugar dentro del Hospital y causales de pérdida de la donación. La falta de motivación y participación de los equipos médicos que laboran en los servicios en los que se producen los potenciales donantes, reafirma la necesidad de mejor información y coordinación, actividad que es mucho más productiva cuando es llevada a cabo por un médico especializado en la procura de órganos