Overexpression of von Hippel-Lindau protein in skeletal muscles of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: A significant number of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exhibit skeletal muscle wasting and decreased capillary area formation, which correlate with increased mortality. AIM: To determine the molecular mechanisms mediating decreased capillary formation in COPD. METHODS: 24 patients with COPD and 12 matching controls were recruited. Patients with COPD were classified into mild, moderate and severe groups according to GOLD (global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease) criteria. Biopsy specimens were obtained from the tibialis anterior muscle. Fibre typing and capillary formation, together with messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF1alpha and HIF3alpha), vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF-A, VEGF-B and VEGF-C isoforms) and von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) protein, were determined. VHL expression and localisation were further studied by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Skeletal muscle capillary formation decreased significantly with increasing disease severity. Compared with controls, a tendency to mRNA overexpression of HIF1alpha, HIF3alpha and VEGF isoforms was observed in mild and moderate COPD, which decreased at the severe stage. In contrast, skeletal muscle biopsy samples from patients with COPD exhibited significant overexpression of VHL at both the mRNA and protein level by immunohistochemistry. VHL protein was further determined to be localised to satellite cells. CONCLUSIONS: Overexpression of VHL was identified in the skeletal muscle of patients with COPD. Increased VHL activity may have a negative effect on transduction of the hypoxic signal and may contribute to decreased capillarisation in skeletal muscles of patients with COPD.

[The intercontinental schizophrenia outpatient health outcomes study (IC-SOHO): initial 6 month findings of the sample in Latin America]. / Estudio observacional intercontinental de los resultados de salud en pacientes ambulatorios con esquizofrenia (IC-SOHO): hallazgos iniciales de 6 meses de la muestra en Latinoamérica.

The IC-SOHO study was designed to supply information on antipsychotic treatments in the real clinical practice by assessment of a large and diverse sample population with schizophrenia. This document describes the findings of the first 6 months of IC-SOHO in Latin America. To date, this is the largest observational study of its type in this region. In this observational and prospective study, those out-patients with schizophrenia, who require a change or initiation of antipsychotic medication are hospitalized. Effectiveness was evaluated using the Clinical Global Impression-Seriousness (CGI-S) grading scale. Tolerability was assessed by questionnaires on adverse events and weight measurements. Herein, the comparisons between olanzapine (monotherapy), risperidone (monotherapy) and conventional antipsychotics (monotherapy and combined therapy) are presented. As a whole, 7,658 patients participated in the ICSOHO; n=2,671 from 11 countries of Latin America that were included in this report. At 6 months, the proportion of patients who responded to olanzapine was significantly greater than those who responded to risperidone or conventional antipsychotics (p<0.001). Patients from the olanzapine group had greater improvements in all the symptom domains, including general, positive, negative, depressive and cognitive symptoms in comparison with risperidone (p<0.05) or conventional antipsychotics (p < 0.001). Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) and tardive dyskinesia (TD) decreased from baseline in the groups treated with olanzapine and risperidone, but increased in the conventional group. The adverse events related with the sexual function were more prominent in the conventional group. Weight gain was observed in each treatment group, although the patients from the olanzapine group had greater weight grain followed by those of risperidone and then by those of conventional antipsychotics. Our findings in this population of the Latin American sample emulate the results of other studies in different samples, where it was found that olanzapine was more effective and better tolerated than risperidone or conventional antipsychotics.

Estudio observacional intercontinental de los resultados de salud en pacientes ambulatorios con esquizofrenia (IC-SOHO): hallazgos iniciales de 6 meses de la muestra en Latinoamérica / The intercontinental schizophrenia outpatient health outcomes study (IC-SOHO): initial 6 month findings of the sample in Latin America

El estudio IC-SOHO se diseñó para aportar información sobre los tratamientos antipsicóticos en la práctica clínica real mediante la evaluación de una población de muestra grande y diversa con esquizofrenia. Este documento describe los hallazgos de los primeros 6 meses del IC-SOHO en Latinoamérica. A la fecha éste es el estudio observacional más grande de su tipo en esta región. En este estudio observacional y prospectivo se ingresaron aquellos pacientes ambulatorios con esquizofrenia que requirieron un cambio o un inicio de medicación antipsicótica. La efectividad se evaluó utilizando la escala de Calificación de Impresión Clínica Global-Gravedad (CGI-S). La tolerabilidad se evaluó mediante cuestionarios de efectos adversos y mediciones de peso. Se presentan aquí las comparaciones entre olanzapina (monoterapia), risperidona (monoterapia) y antipsicóticos convencionales (monoterapia y terapia combinada). En conjunto, participaron 7.658 pacientes en el IC-SOHO; n=2.671 provenientes de 11 países de Latinoamérica se incluyeron en este informe. A los 6 meses la proporción de pacientes que respondieron a la olanzapina fue significativamente mayor que los que respondieron a la risperidona o los antipsicóticos convencionales (p < 0,001). Los pacientes del grupo de olanzapina tuvieron mejorías mayores en todos los dominios de síntomas, incluyendo los síntomas generales, positivos, negativos, depresivos y cognoscitivos, en comparación con la risperidona (p<0,05) o los antipsicóticos convencionales (p<0,001). Los síntomas extrapiramidales (SEP) y la discinesia tardía (DT) disminuyeron desde la línea basal en los grupos tratados con olanzapina y risperidona, pero aumentaron en el grupo convencional. Los efectos adversos relacionados con la función sexual fueron más prominentes en el grupo convencional. Se observó ganancia de peso en cada grupo de tratamiento, aunque los pacientes del grupo de olanzapina aumentaron más de peso, seguidos por los de risperidona y después por los de antipsicóticos convencionales. Nuestros hallazgos en esta población de muestra latinoamericana emulan los resultados de otros estudios en muestras diferentes, donde se encontró que la olanzapina fue más efectiva y mejor tolerada que la risperidona o los antipsicóticos convencionales

The IC-SOHO study was designed to supply information on antipsychotic treatments in the real clinical practice by assessment of a large and diverse sample population with schizophrenia. This document describes the findings of the first 6 months of IC-SOHO in Latin America. To date, this is the largest observational study of its type in this region. In this observational and prospective study, those out-patients with schizophrenia, who require a change or initiation of antipsychotic medication are hospitalized. Effectiveness was evaluated using the Clinical Global Impression- Seriousness (CGI-S) grading scale. Tolerability was assessed by questionnaires on adverse events and weight measurements. Herein, the comparisons between olanzapine (monotherapy), risperidone (monotherapy) and conventional antipsychotics (monotherapy and combined therapy) are presented. As a whole, 7,658 patients participated in the ICSOHO; n=2,671 from 11 countries of Latin America that were included in this report. At 6 months, the proportion of patients who responded to olanzapine was significantly greater than those who responded to risperidone or conventional antipsychotics (p<0.001). Patients from the olanzapine group had greater improvements in all the symptom domains, including general, positive, negative, depressive and cognitive symptoms in comparison with risperidone (p<0.05) or conventional antipsychotics (p < 0.001). Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) and tardive dyskinesia (TD) decreased from baseline in the groups treated with olanzapine and risperidone, but increased in the conventional group. The adverse events related with the sexual function were more prominent in the conventional group. Weight gain was observed in each treatment group, although the patients from the olanzapine group had greater weight grain followed by those of risperidone and then by those of conventional antipsychotics. Our findings in this population of the Latin American sample emulate the results of other studies in different samples, where it was found that olanzapine was more effective and better tolerated than risperidone or conventional antipsychotics

Descripción de las dimensiones de arco maxilar de pacientes con dentinción permanente que presentan secuela de labio y paladar fisurado unilateral completo antes y durante el tratamiento ortodóntico / Description of the maxillary arch dimensions of patients with permanent teeth who present consequence of complete unilateral cleft lip and palate before and during the orthodontic treatment

El objeto de la presente investigación fue describir los cambios de forma y tamaño del maxilar superior en pacientes que presentan secuelas de labio y paladar fisurado unilateral completo sometidos a cirugía, comparando los registros de modelos, tomados al iniciar el tratamiento ortodóndico y en la fase de alineación y nivelación. Se tomaron 19 individuos que cumplieran con los criterios de inclusión para un total de 38 modelos de estudios, 19 correspondientes a la fase de pre tratamiento de ortondoncia (Modelo 1) 19 correspondientes a fase de alineación y nivelación (Modelo 2). El método utilizado para evaluar el efecto del tratamiento ortodóntico en la forma y tamaño del arco fueron fotocopias estandarizadas; se realizó la prueba de Dalhberg para determinar el error del método, error intraoperador e interoperador. Para cada caso se obtuvieron nueve medidas representativas de las dimensiones de arco, que fueon: magnitud de la fisura alveolar, perímetro de arco, ancho intermolar, ancho interpremolar, ancho intercanino, asimetría de hemiarcada derecha, asimetría hemiarcada izquierda, longitud de arco, rotación del segmento del lado afectado y desviación de línea media, para cada una destas variables se calculó el promedio, la desviación estándar y la prueba t de Student con el fin de describir la distribución de los datos y su intervalo de confianza en el 95 por ciento de los casos.

Quality of life in patients with chronic alveolar hypoventilation.

Measurements of health-related quality of life (HRQL) have not been reported in patients with chronic alveolar hypoventilation (CAH) before starting home mechanical ventilation. The purpose of this study was to investigate quality of life in a population of such patients. Forty-four consecutive patients with CAH due to previous polio, scoliosis, healed pulmonary tuberculosis or neuromuscular disease answered a battery of condition specific and generic (Sickness Impact Profile, Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale, Mood Adjective Check List) self-report questionnaires. Spirometry, arterial blood gases and overnight oxygen saturation were measured. Patients with untreated CAH had significantly impaired HRQL compared to historical data from a healthy reference population. Sleep-related problems were frequent. Age, underlying disease, and standard bicarbonate correlated significantly with HRQL measures, albeit with modest levels of explained variance (8-37%). Patients with chronic alveolar hypoventilation due to neuromuscular or restrictive chest wall disorders had severely impaired health-related quality of life. Age, the underlying disease and severity of hypoventilation are each related to the health-related quality of life decrements. Health-related quality of life measurements add important information to traditional clinical observations.

Escombrointoxicación por consumo de bonito / Mackerel poisoning (Scomber intoxication) due to ingestion

La escombrointoxicación es un cuadro clínico consistente en náuseas, vómitos, diarrea, abdominalgia, quemazón oral, urticaria, eritema facial, cefalea, palpitaciones, hipotensión arterial y, excepcionalmente, distrés respiratorio y shock. Estas manifestaciones aparecen desde pocos minutos a horas tras la ingesta de pescado de la familia de los escómbridos (atún, bonito, caballa...), que no ha sido mantenido en óptimas condiciones de conservación, dando lugar a la proliferación de enterobacterias que transforman la histidina del músculo del pescado en histamina, sustancia responsable del cuadro. El diagnóstico de confirmación precisa determinar la concentración de histamina en las muestras del pescado sospechoso, pudiendo también realizarse en la orina y sangre de los pacientes. Es importante establecer un diagnóstico diferencial con una reacción alérgica alimentaria e identificar precozmente la fuente de intoxicación. El tratamiento básico consiste en antihistamínicos H1 y H2. Está por clarificar la eficacia de los corticoides. Presentamos cinco casos que atendimos recientemente (AU)

Profile of the inflammatory bowel disease patient with depressive disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients attending the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinic of the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine and determine whether these characteristics are risk factors for the development of a depressive disorder. METHOD: Sixty-seven patients attending the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinic of the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine were assessed for the presence of depressive symptoms using a simple questionnaire (CES-D) and a detailed diagnostic evaluation (CIDI-DSM IV Module E). Age, gender, education, time of IBD diagnosis, duration of treatment, psychiatric history, treatment with corticosteroids, and activity of IBD were determined and correlated with the presence of depressive symptoms and depressive diagnosis. Study data was tabulated on Epi-Info 6.0 and it was analyzed using SPSS version 10. Univariate (includes means and frequencies), bivariate (t-student, Kruskal Wallis and Chi-square) and multivariate analyses (logistic regression) were performed. RESULTS: Patients older than 34 years old had three times higher probability of developing a depressive disorder (p = 0.043, OR = 3.22). Patients with a psychiatric history had seven times higher probability of developing depressive disorder (p = 0.004, OR = 7). CONCLUSION: The risk factors identified with an increased probability of developing a depressive disorder were age older than 34 years and psychiatric history.