ABSTRACT
Las metástasis cutáneas son infrecuentes, reportándose en la literatura rangos entre 0,6 por ciento y 10 por ciento. El cáncer de mama es la neoplasia más común en las mujeres con metástasis cutáneas. La presencia de éstas constituye un signo de enfermedad avanzada y es indicadora de mal pronóstico. Las lesiones pueden tener distintos patrones clínicos: tipo nodular, erisipeloide, alopecia y carcinoma telangiectásico. En el presente artículo se realiza un análisis retrospectivo de tres casos clínicos atendidos en nuestro centro y una revisión de la literatura.
Cutaneous metastases are unusual; their frequency in the literature ranges from 0.6 percent to 10 percent. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women with cutaneous metastases. They are perceived as a sign of advanced disease and are regarded as a serious prognostic indicator. The lesions may present in distinct clinical forms: nodular pattern, erysipelas like presentations, alopecia and carcinoma telangiectaticum. In this article we analyzed three clinical cases that were seen in our center and a review of the literature.
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Middle Aged , Adenocarcinoma/secondary , Skin Neoplasms/secondary , Skin Neoplasms/therapy , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Breast Neoplasms/therapyABSTRACT
Despite the availability of newer therapeutic interventions to improve clinical outcome in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), the incidence of infections as a cause of morbidity and mortality has not changed over the past 30 years. SLE itself increases the risk of infection, due to genetic (complement deficiencies) and acquired factors such as functional asplenia (humoral immunodepression) and the use of immunosuppressive drugs. These medications increase the risk of opportunistic infections that are associated with an altered cellular immune response. The main etiologic infectious agents in SLE patients are common bacterial pathogens, especially capsulated ones. The most common sites are lung, skin, bladder, brain and systemic infections. The main risk factor for infection is the history of a previous one. The clinical approach to SLE patients with suspected infectious diseases must consider the possibility of a flare up of the underlying disease, posing an additional problem to the clinician.
Subject(s)
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/microbiology , Humans , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/prevention & control , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/therapy , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Hematoma of the esophagus is a rare condition. We report the case of an 86 year old man, treated with aspirin. He was admitted by hematemesis, hemodynamically stable. Upper digestive tract endoscopy revealed a big esophageal hematoma: Contrast enhanced computed tomography of the chest confirmed the diagnosis. Clinical outcome was good without complications, with conservative medical management.
El hematoma esofágico es una condición poco frecuente. Presentamos el caso de un hombre de 86 años, en tratamiento con aspirina, que ingresa por cuadro hematemesis, con hemodinamia estable. Se realiza endoscopia digestiva alta que revela gran hematoma esofágico; tomografía computada de tórax con contraste confirma el diagnóstico. La evolución clínica fue satisfactoria sin complicaciones, con manejo médico conservador.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Aged, 80 and over , Esophageal Diseases/diagnosis , Esophageal Diseases/therapy , Hematoma/diagnosis , Hematoma/therapy , Chest Pain , HematemesisABSTRACT
Despite the availability of newer therapeutic interventions to improve clinical outcome in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), the incidence of infections as a cause of morbidity and mortality has not changed over the past 30 years. SLE itself increases the risk of infection, due to genetic (complement deficiencies) and acquired factors such as functional asplenia (humoral immunodepression) and the use of immunosuppressive drugs. These medications increase the risk of opportunistic infections that are associated with an altered cellular immune response. The main etiologic infectious agents in SLE patients are common bacterial pathogens, especially capsulated ones. The most common sites are lung, skin, bladder, brain and systemic infections. The main risk factor for infection is the history of a previous one. The clinical approach to SLE patients with suspected infectious diseases must consider the possibility of a flare up of the underlying disease, posing an additional problem to the clinician.
Subject(s)
Humans , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/microbiology , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/prevention & control , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/therapy , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Tuberculous Meningitis (TBM) is the most severe form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. The clinical spectrum is broad and may be non-specific making early diagnosis difficult. This increases the incidence of mortality. We describe the clinical characteristics of patients with TBM in Dr. Lucio Córdova's Infectious Disease Hospital in Santiago, Chile, between 1995 and 2002. We review 53 adult cases of TBM, with a median age of 39 years. At admission 66% of the patients had some mental status deterioration, and the classic triad of symptoms of meningeal irritation was present only in 30%. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination showed increased protein level, low glucose level and lymphocytic pleocytosis in most. Thirty percent of the patients were coinfected with HIV. The mortality in the later group was greater than in the TBM population as a whole (31 vs 17%). TBM is still a present diagnostic problem, in spite of the new diagnostic methods. A high index of suspicion is required in order to make an early diagnosis.
Subject(s)
Tuberculosis, Meningeal , Adult , Aged , Antitubercular Agents/administration & dosage , Chile , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Tuberculosis, Meningeal/cerebrospinal fluid , Tuberculosis, Meningeal/diagnosis , Tuberculosis, Meningeal/drug therapy , Tuberculosis, Meningeal/mortalityABSTRACT
La meningitis tuberculosa (MTBC) es la forma más grave de tuberculosis extrapulmonar. El amplio espectro del cuadro clínico y su poca especificidad dificultan su diagnóstico precoz, relacionándose directamente con mayor letalidad. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar las características clínicas de los pacientes con diagnóstico de MTBC en el Hospital de Enfermedades Infecciosas Dr. Lucio Córdova, de Santiago, Chile, entre 1995 y 2002. Se estudiaron 53 casos de MTBC en adultos, con una edad mediana de 39 años. Al ingreso 66 por ciento de los pacientes presentaba algún grado de compromiso de conciencia, pero sólo 30 por ciento la tríada sintomática clásica. El LCR mostró aumento de proteínas, glucosa baja y linfocitosis, en la mayoría de los casos. Treinta por ciento de los pacientes presentó co-infección con VIH; la letalidad en este grupo de pacientes fue mayor, 31 vs 17 por ciento del total de la muestra. La MTBC continúa siendo una enfermedad vigente. El diagnóstico de certeza precoz de esta patología no es posible con los métodos actuales, por lo que la sospecha clínica es importante.
Subject(s)
Male , Adult , Humans , Female , Middle Aged , Tuberculosis, Meningeal/complications , Tuberculosis, Meningeal/diagnosis , Tuberculosis, Meningeal/epidemiology , Age Distribution , Chile , Clinical Evolution , Epidemiology, Descriptive , HIV Infections/complications , Cerebrospinal Fluid/microbiology , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/isolation & purification , Retrospective Studies , Sex Distribution , Signs and Symptoms , Tuberculosis, Meningeal/therapyABSTRACT
We present a case of a 41 years old C3 phase AIDS patient on antiretroviral therapy for 5 years, who developed a severe hemolytic anemia refractory to usual treatment, which progressed to death. Anemia in AIDS patients is a common finding (60-80%); however hemolytic anemia is unusual and when it is present, it is generally mild; severe anemia is associated with bad prognosis. The etiology of hemolytic anemia in HIV patients is due to multiple causes, the one mediated by autoantibodies against the red cell, usually IgG, being most common. The antibodies most frequently detected are against U or i antigen. Drug-related hemolysis, in glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6PD)-deficient patients, may also occur. A third mechanism of hemolysis is related to microangiopathy secondary to bacterial sepsis or hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Some reports associate haemolytic anemia and Castleman´s disease, a lymphoproliferative disease with localized widespread adenopathy, fever, autoimmune manifestations and recurring infections.
Se presenta un paciente con SIDA etapa C3, 41 años de edad, en tratamiento antiretroviral durante 5 años, que cursó con linfoadenopatías generalizadas y anemia hemolítica severa refractaria a tratamiento, con progresión hacia la muerte. La anemia en pacientes con SIDA es un hallazgo común (60-80%). Sin embargo, la anemia hemolítica es poco frecuente y generalmente de escasa magnitud, pero si es severa se relaciona con mal pronóstico. La etiología de la anemia hemolítica en pacientes VIH es múltiple siendo más común la mediada por autoanticuerpos contra antígenos del eritrocito, en su mayoría IgG. Los más frecuentes son dirigidos contra antígeno U e i. Otra causa frecuente es la inducida por fármacos, en pacientes con déficit de G-6PD. Un tercer mecanismo de hemólisis es el producido por microangiopatía secundaria a sepsis bacteriana o síndrome hemolítico urémico. Algunas publicaciones asocian anemia hemolítica y enfermedad de Castleman, desorden linfoproliferativo que se puede presentar clínicamente como una masa localizada o una alteración sistémica con linfoadenopatías, fiebre, manifestaciones autoinmunes e infecciones recurrentes.
