A comparative study on the treatment outcome of tuberculosis patients managed in a PPM-DOTS center by type of treatment partners

OBJECTIVE: To compare the treatment outcome of TB patients managed in CIM-CMSS PPM-DOTS Center, Paknaan, Mandaue City as to type of treatment partners. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross sectional study conducted at the CIM-CMSS PPM-DOTS Center in Paknaan, Mandaue City. All TB patients enrolled in the center who completed the TB treatment regimen between October 1, 2004 to October 31, 2007 is the population studied. The patients were classified according to treatment partner and treatment outcome. Chi square value at 95% level of significance was computed. RESULTS: There were a total of 201 patients (55% male, 45% female). Treatment outcomes revealed 54.5% were cured, 37% completed treatment, 0.5% failure, 2% died and 3% each for defaulters and transfer-out. The treatment partner with the highest proportion of cured patients is the family member (66%), followed by DOTS nurse (59%). Patients supervised by company nurses showed a high proportion of treatment completed. Chi-square test comparing treatment outcome to treatment partners showed no significant difference in the computed values at 95% confidence interval. CONCLUSION: There is no significant difference in the treatment outcomes of the patients with varying treatment partners.

Fisiopatología de la hipertensión asociada al síndrome de apnea obstructiva del sueño: Evidencia de estudios clínicos y modelos animales de hipoxia crónica intermitente / Pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea-associated hypertension

There is a well established relationship between the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and hypertension. Current evidence suggests that the increase in arterial pressure is secondary to an enhanced sympathetic tone through peripheral chemoreflexes triggered by intermittent hypoxic stimulation of the carotid bodies. Chronic intermittent hypoxia would activate renal and systemic vasoactive systems through potentiated hypoxic chemoreflexes. These early changes in autonomic tone can be detected through cardiovascular variability and baroreflex sensitivity analysis. Both are relatively simple and noninvasive techniques. The multiplicity of pathogenic mechanisms in obstructive sleep apnea-associated hypertension emphasizes the need of increasing diagnostic sensitivity to detect and correct this common condition, which significantly increases cardiovascular risk.

Cardiovascular and ventilatory acclimatization induced by chronic intermittent hypoxia: A role for the carotid body in the pathophysiology of sleep apnea

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) show augmented ventilatory, sympathetic and cardiovascular responses to hypoxia. The facilitatory effect of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) on the hypoxic ventilatory response has been attributed to a potentiation of the carotid body (CB) chemosensory response to hypoxia. However, it is a matter of debate whether the effects induced by CIH on ventilatory responses to hypoxia are due to an enhanced CB activity. Recently, we studied the effects of short cyclic hypoxic episodes on cat cardiorespiratory reflexes, heart rate variability, and CB chemosensory activity. Cats were exposed to cyclic hypoxic episodes repeated during 8 hours for 4 days. Our results showed that CIH selectively enhanced ventilatory and carotid chemosensory responses to acute hypoxia. Exposure to CIH did not increase basal arterial pressure, heart rate, or their changes induced by acute hypoxia. However, the spectral analysis of heart rate variability of CIH cats showed a marked increase of the low/high frequency ratio and an increased variability in the low frequency band of heart rate variability, similar to what is observed in OSA patients. Thus, it is likely that the enhanced CB reactivity to hypoxia may contribute to the augmented ventilatory response to hypoxia.

Hematoma de fosa posterior no traumático: consideraciones clínicas y terapéuticas / Non-traumatic posterior fossa hematomas: clinical and therapeutical issues

Se analizan 52 pacientes portadores de hematoma de fosa posterior no traumático. Correspondieron a 28 hombres y 24 mujeres, con una media de edad de 60 años. Diez (19,2 por ciento) fueron secundarios a malformaciones arteriovenosa (5), cavernomas (3), angioma venoso (1) y hemangioblastoma (1). Cuarenta y dos (80,7 por ciento) fueron catalogados como primarios, encontrándose el antecedente de hipertensión arterial en 31, transtornos de coagulación en 5 y en 6 no se demostró un factor predisponente. Hipertensión intracraneana fue el cuadro clínico de presentación en la mayoría (84 por ciento). La Tomografía Computarizada demostró el hematoma en todos los casos. Cuatro de ellos medían menos de 2 cm., 24 entre 2 y 3 cm. y 24 eran mayores de 3 cm. Hidrocefalia estuvo presente en 22 casos (42,3 por ciento). Angiografía digital se realizó en 12 pacientes, siendo positiva en 7 (5 malformaciones arteriovenosas, 1 angioma venoso y 1 hemangioblastoma). Resonancia Magnética fue practicada en 2 enfermos, demostrando en uno angioma cavernoso. Treinta y un pacientes fueron operados realizándose vaciamiento del hematoma en 24, 14 de ellos con drenaje del LCR. En los restantes solo se trató la hidrocefalia. Se observó buenos resultados en el 67,3 por ciento y la mortalidad global fue de 9,6 por ciento. La mortalidad quirúrgica fue de 12,5 por ciento. Incide en los resultados el estado de conciencia inicial y el tamaño. Las cisternas troncales no fueron evaluadas en nuestra casuística. Sin embargo, creemos que el tratamiento debiera ser evaluado en cada caso particular, ya que ningún factor influyen en forma absoluta en la evolución