Estado nutricional y riesgo de malnutrición en pacientes hospitalizados del Hospital Universitario Departamental de Nariño / Nutritional status and risk of malnutrition in hospitalized patients at Hospital Departamental Universitario de Nariño

Objetivo. Estimar el estado nutricional y el riesgo de malnutrición de pacientes hospitalizados en Pasto, Colombia. Metodología. Un estudio transversal fue llevado a cabo en el Hospital Universitario Departamental de Nariño. La muestra comprendió 400 pacientes voluntarios que fueron incorporados prospectivamente. El estado nutricional fue evaluado con el Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC) siguiendo los criterios de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) (bajo peso, normal, sobrepeso y obesidad). El riesgo de desnutrición fue detectado de acuerdo al Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) que incluyeron el IMC, pérdida de peso y enfermedad aguda. Resultados. La prevalencia de desnutrición según el IMC fue de 24,5 %. La malnutrición varió según la edad (≥65 años), régimen de seguridad social, estado civil, hijos y educación. La puntuación del MUST mostró que 55 % de los pacientes estaban en riesgo de malnutrición. Variables como la edad (≥65 años), etnia, residencia, origen, nivel socioeconómico, régimen de seguridad social, hijos, educación y servicios hospitalarios se relacionaron con el riesgo de malnutrición. Conclusiones. El presente estudio sugiere que estos pacientes hospitalizados tenían un alto porcentaje de malnutrición. Individuos de edad igual o superior a 65 años fueron los más afectados teniendo tanto bajo peso como riesgo de malnutrición. Por lo tanto, hay una necesidad de incluir una evaluación nutricional con el fin de prevenir las consecuencias de malnutrición en personas mayores.

Objective. To estimate the nutritional status and risk of malnutrition of hospitalized patients in Pasto, Colombia. Methodology. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Hospital Universitario Departamental de Nariño. The sample comprised 400 voluntary patients that were recruited prospectively. Nutritional status was assessed with Body Mass Index (BMI) following the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria (underweight, normal, overweight and obesity). The risk of malnutrition was screened through the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) that included BMI, weight loss and acute disease. Results. The prevalence of malnutrition according to BMI was 24.5%. Malnutrition differed by age (≥65 years), social security system, civil status, offspring and education. The MUST score showed that 55% of the patients were at risk of malnutrition. Variables such as age (≥65 years), ethnicity, residency, origin, socioeconomic status, social security system, offspring, education and hospital departments were related to the risk of malnutrition. Conclusions. The present study suggests that these hospitalized patients had a high rate of malnutrition. Individuals equal and older than 65 years were the most affected having both underweight and risk of malnutrition. Therefore, there is a need to include nutritional assessment in order to prevent consequences of malnutrition in older individuals.

Pyloric duplication: ultrasound appearance.

This paper reports a case of pyloric duplication, an extremely rare abnormality usually discovered during infancy. Clinical findings involved mainly symptoms of obstruction and radiological evaluation included abdominal US, plain radiography and CT imaging. Pyloric duplication was diagnosed by US and confirmed by CT scans and surgery. This case shows that when the sign of two-layer pattern is present in US scans, a conclusive diagnosis for alimentary tract duplications can be reached and there is no need for further radiological evaluation.

Multifocal hydatid disease in a child.

One of the most serious helminth infections in humans with widespread occurrence is hydatid disease. Although the majority of the cases are referred in adults, many of them have to do with children. The hydatid cysts can occur in any organ of the human body and in rare cases in a combination of different sites. We present the case of a young boy with hydatid cysts in both lungs and in the upper pole of the left kidney. The rarity of this case is the unusual combination of the cyst development in these organs without the involvement of the liver.

The spectrum of primary cutaneous elastolytic granulomas and their distinction from granuloma annulare: a clinicopathological analysis.

AIMS: Actinic granuloma (AG) and annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma (AEGCG) are terms commonly applied to cutaneous lesions characterized by elastolysis, elastophagocytosis and a multinucleated cell infiltrate. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship of these lesions to granuloma annulare (GA) which they resemble clinically. METHODS AND RESULTS: The clinicopathological data of 20 patients whose biopsies showed the histology of elastolytic granuloma as well as those of previously published cases with identical tissue changes were analysed to assess differences between AG, AEGCG and GA. The tissue changes of AG and AEGCG are identical and differ substantially from GA because of the predominant elastolysis and elastophagocytosis in the absence of necrobiosis and palisading granuloma. Actinic and/or thermal injury could be elicited frequently in the patient's history, but not always. CONCLUSIONS: AG may be considered as an aetiopathological subdivision of AEGCG. Patients with biopsies showing both GA and AEGCG are occasionally encountered. AEGCG is easily differentiated from incidental elastolysis which may be seen in a variety of aetiologically unrelated processes.

Eruptive large melanocytic nevus in a patient with hereditary epidermolysis bullosa simplex.

Hereditary epidermolysis bullosa (HEB) is a group of genetically determined mechanobullous disorders characterized by blister formation following minor trauma. Unusual melanocytic lesions may be a rare feature of all major categories of HEB. We report a large melanocytic nevus, clinically simulating malignant melanoma, which developed at a site of healing blisters in an 8-year-old male with recessive generalized epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS). Histological findings were consistent with a compound nevus. This is the third reported case of an eruptive melanocytic nevus developing in EBS. Due to their unique features, it has been suggested that these nevi may represent a distinct variant, referred to as epidermolysis bullosa nevi. Despite the atypical picture, no malignant transformation of HEB nevi has been seen. Therefore, after histologic verification, regular long-term follow-up rather than radical surgery is recommended.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum: is a chest X-ray sufficient?

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) is an uncommon disease defined as a non-traumatic presence of free air in the mediastinum, without underlying disease. We present a 13-year- old boy who was previously in a perfect health, who was presented with subcutaneous cervical emphysema, dysphagia, chest and neck pain. The chest roentgenogram revealed the presence of subcutaneous emphysema without any other abnormal findings. A computer tomography (CT) scan was obtained, and this confirmed the existence of subcutaneous cervical emphysema and also the presence of pneumomediastinum. The child's progress was uneventful and after 6 days he was discharged from the hospital in excellent clinical condition. We propose that chest CT is useful, in less obvious cases of SPM, to detect the free air in the mediastinum and probably SPM is underdiagnosed in clinical practice in the young people.

Prognostic significance of soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Activation of T lymphocytes is thought to mediate myocardial dysfunction in dilated cardiomyopathy (CMP), probably through cytotoxic cytokines, but its value as a prognostic factor has not been evaluated. METHODS: For 2 years we prospectively followed 76 patients (65 males, 11 females, age 49 +/- 7 years) with CMP and New York Heart Association(NYHA) Class II-III heart failure; left ventricular (LV) function was assessed echocardiographically. Thirty-three patients (28 males, five females, age 52 +/- 6 years) with ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and similar NYHA and LV function characteristics were used as controls. Serum sIL-2R levels, peripheral blood lymphocyte proliferation (basal, + concanavalin A) and HLA-DQB1 genotyping was carried out in all patients. RESULTS: The CMP patients had increased sIL-2R levels (1259 +/- 130 pg mL-1) compared with the IHD patients (703 +/- 80 pg mL-1, P < 0.01, only 3 > 800 pg mL-1). In the CMP patients, there was a significant (r = +0.45, P= 0.04) correlation between sIL-2R and the LV end-diastolic diameter but not with the LV ejection fraction or NYHA Class. During the 24-month follow up, 17 of the CMP patients had an adverse clinical course (death, need for cardiac transplantation, or worsening heart failure). Of these, 14 (75%) had elevated (>or= 800 pg mL-1) sIL-2R levels (Group I) compared with only five (6%) with a stable clinical course (Group II). Neither [3H] thymidine incorporation into the peripheral blood lymphocytes nor the excess of HLA-DQB1-30 histidine homozygotes in the Group I patients (38% vs. 17%, P < 0.05) could predict the clinical outcome. CONCLUSION: Increased sIL-2R levels in CMP patients are an independent predictor of a more aggressive clinical course.

Seborrhoeic keratosis or occult malignant neoplasm of the skin?

BACKGROUND: Seborrhoeic keratosis is generally considered to be a benign lesion of the skin. OBSERVATION: We present the case of a 68-year-old male who presented with clinically typical seborrhoeic keratosis that later histological examination showed partially covered an occult basal cell carcinoma. OBJECTIVE: To have an indication of what percentage of clinically apparent seborrhoeic keratoses may be associated with some form of histologically proven skin malignancy. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective analysis of approximately 23,000 histopathological examinations done on specimens from dermatological lesions. RESULTS: Fifty-nine (11.9%) clinically apparent seborrhoeic keratoses were later histologically diagnosed as basal cell carcinomas, 17 (3.4%) as squamous cell carcinomas, and five (1.01%) as malignant melanomas. CONCLUSIONS: Although the association of seborrhoeic keratosis and skin malignancy appears to be relatively uncommon, the possibility of such an association cannot be ruled out.

Hyperprolactinaemia in patients with heart failure: clinical and immunogenetic correlations.

BACKGROUND: Prolactin represents a stimulatory link between the neuroendocrine and immune systems, but its involvement in the neurohumoral adaptations to heart failure (HF) has not been explored. METHODS: We prospectively studied 55 patients (45 males, 10 females, age 48 +/- 7 years) with NYHA Class II/III HF due either to dilated cardiomyopathy (CMP) (n = 33) or ischemic heart disease (IHD) (n = 22). Serum prolactin levels were determined by radioimmunoassay, soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels by enzyme-linked immunoassay and HLA-DQ genotyping with PCR. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd) were assessed echocardiographically. RESULTS: Hyperprolactinaemia (17.3 +/- 4 ng mL-1 [Group I] vs. 4.64 +/- 2 ng mL-1 [Group II], P < 0.01) was found in 14 patients (8 with IHD, 6 with CMP). The distribution of HLA-DQB1 alleles was compared in the two groups and showed a significant increase in the frequency of *0301 (86% in Group I vs. 45% in Group II, P < 0.05). Histidine at position 30 of the HLA-DQB1 gene was found in 22% of Group II but in none of Group I patients. Furthermore, there was an inverse correlation between the presence of histidine at position 30 and the levels of serum prolactin. Both sIL-2R levels, a marker of T-cell activation, and concanavalin A-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation were lower in Group I patients (561 +/- 106 vs. 804 +/- 109 pg mL-1 and 20.8 +/- 4 vs. 37.3 +/- 5 cpmX103 [3H] thymidine, respectively). LVEF was significantly higher (32 +/- 5%) and LVEDd smaller (62.0 +/- 6 mm) in Group I compared to Group II (25 +/- 4% and 68.0 +/- 5 mm, respectively, P < 0.01) patients. CONCLUSION: Hyperprolactinaemia presents in 25% of patients with HF and may reflect decreased activation of T-lymphocytes associated with relatively preserved LV systolic function which is under immune-genetic control at the HLA-DQ locus.

Hyperthyroidism is associated with preserved preconditioning capacity but intensified and accelerated ischaemic contracture in rat heart.

BACKGROUND: The present study was undertaken to define the effects of thyroxine administration on ischaemic preconditioning (PC) and the ischaemic contracture. METHODS: Hyperthyroidism was induced by administration of L-thyroxine in rats (THYR) while normal animals served as controls (NORMa). Isolated rat hearts were perfused in a Langendorff preparation. NORMa control (n = 16) and THYR control (n = 9) hearts underwent 20 min of ischaemia and 45 min reperfusion while NORMa PC (n = 16) and THYR PC (n = 14) were subjected to PC before ischaemia. Additional normal hearts were subjected to 30 min of ischaemia with and without PC, NORMb control, n = 8 and NORMb PC, n = 6. Postischaemic recoveries of left ventricular (LV) developed pressure were expressed as % of the initial value (LVDP%). Severity of contracture was measured by the time (Tmax) and magnitude (Cmax) of peak contracture. RESULTS: LVDP% was significantly higher after PC, both in NORMa and THYR rats. In NORMa control hearts, ischaemic contracture had not yet reached a plateau at 20 min of ischaemia. Contracture appeared earlier in THYR control and PC than in NORMa control and PC groups. Tmax was 22.1 (0.9) vs 16.8 (1.4) min for NORMb control and PC, p < 0.05 and 12.5 (1.0) vs 9.3 (1.1) min for THYR control and PC hearts, p < 0.05. Tmax was earlier in both THYR groups compared to NORMb groups, p < 0.05. Cmax was significantly higher in both THYR groups compared to both NORMb groups. CONCLUSION: Ischaemic contracture is both accelerated and accentuated in thyroxine treated hearts while preconditioning capacity is preserved. Preconditioning and thyroxine administration shorten Tmax in an additive way, whereas Cmax in hyperthyroid hearts did not further increase by preconditioning.

Late onset focal dermal elastosis: a distinct clinicopathologic entity?

Two patients, aged 72 and 69 years, had skin lesions clinically resembling pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE). On histologic examination, the lesions showed an increased accumulation of normal-appearing elastic fibers lacking the abnormalities that characterize PXE. Similar lesions have been described previously in two elderly patients by Tojima et al. (1995). The clinical and histologic differential diagnosis of these lesions is discussed, and it is concluded that they represent a clinicopathologic entity with undetermined prevalence and etiopathogenesis.

Autoimmunity in dilated cardiomyopathy and the major histocompatibility complex.

Autoimmune mechanisms are likely to participate in the pathogenesis of a subgroup of dilated cardiomyopathy. These mechanisms involve the elaboration of autoantibodies against cardiac proteins as well as abnormal lymphocyte regulation. The presence of autoantibodies against beta-adrenoceptors correlates with the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR4/1 phenotypes and specific T-cell receptor haplotypes. In addition, histidine at position 36 of the HLA-DQ beta 1 gene is associated with the presence of clinically manifest dilated cardiomyopathy. Components of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) may thus serve as markers for the propensity to develop immune-mediated myocardial damage.

Possible involvement of the HLA-DQB1 gene in susceptibility and resistance to human dilated cardiomyopathy.

There is evidence that autoimmunity plays a role in the pathogenesis of dilated cardiomyopathy and that susceptibility to the disease is related to products of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) class II genes. We compared the distribution of HLA-DQA1 and -DQB1 alleles and haplotypes in 44 normal controls and 34 patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy patients. The distribution of two DQA1-DQB1 haplotypes (*0102-*0604 and *0102-*0501) were more frequent in the patients. Histidine at position 30 of the HLA-DQB1 gene was associated with disease (62% of patients compared to 36% of controls), whereas homozygosity for leucine at position 26 was more frequent in controls (36% vs 18% of patients). There was no correlation between HLA-DQA1-DQB1 haplotypes and the presence of anti-beta-receptor antibodies. These results suggest that the HLA-DQB1 gene is involved in the pathogenesis of human dilated cardiomyopathy.

Soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Correlation with disease severity and cardiac autoantibodies.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that autoimmunity plays an important role in the initiation and progression of myocardial injury in dilated cardiomyopathy. Abnormalities of both cellular and humoral immunity have been described in this disease. Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels in the serum reflect activation of T lymphocytes in the periphery or in tissues. The present study explored the possibility that activation of cellular immunity is frequent in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and may have functional consequences. METHODS AND RESULTS: Serum sIL-2R levels were determined with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 50 dilated cardiomyopathy patients, 30 patients with ischemic heart disease, and 22 normal control subjects. In addition, the presence of anti-beta-receptor and antimyosin antibodies was sought in the serum of cardiomyopathy patients. High sIL-2R levels (> 1400 pg/mL) were found in 38% of the dilated cardiomyopathy patients but only 6% of the ischemic heart disease patients. The group of sIL-2R-positive patients was characterized by higher average age, a higher percentage of women, and more severe disease (lower ejection fraction, higher left ventricular filling pressures, and lower cardiac output). Although the prevalence of cardiac autoantibodies did not correlate with the presence of high sIL-2R levels, higher titers of autoantibodies were found predominantly in the sIL-2R-positive group. CONCLUSIONS: T-lymphocyte activation, as reflected in elevated sIL-2R levels, is frequent in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and is associated with more severe disease. Cellular and humoral immune activation may correlate with progression of the disease process.

Development of structural vascular changes with subpressor angiotensin II administration in rats.

We investigated whether the slow pressor action of small doses of angiotensin II (ANG II) administered to rats was accompanied by the development of structural vascular changes. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (350 to 400 g) were given ANG II intraperitoneally, 200 ng/kg/min, for 7 to 10 days or 6 weeks, or 100 ng/kg/min for 6 weeks. Sham-treated rats were controls. Lumen and external diameters of arterioles (30 to 60 microns) and small (61 to 120 microns) and intermediate-size (121 to 220 microns) arteries were measured in maximally dilated, pump-perfused (55 to 60 mm Hg), in situ fixed mesenteric and renal vascular beds, and wall-to-lumen ratios were calculated. Systolic blood pressure and vessel dimensions were unchanged in rats receiving ANG II for 7 to 10 days. Systolic blood pressures rose (P < .001) in rats treated with 200 or 100 ng/kg/min ANG II for 6 weeks but were significantly different from those of controls only in rats receiving the higher dose (P < .01). In rats treated with 200 and 100 ng/kg/min ANG II for 6 weeks, wall-to-lumen ratios of mesenteric and renal arteries were increased 23% and 9% (P < .001) and 13% and 6% (P < .01), respectively. With the higher dose of ANG II, the increase of wall-to-lumen ratios of mesenteric arteries was greater than that of renal arteries (P < .005). Initially subpressor doses of ANG II, when applied long enough, may lead to the development of structural vascular changes. There may be significant regional differences in the extent of structural vascular changes induced by ANG II.

Proliferative activity in benign and neoplastic prostatic epithelium.

The increasing availability of means for the early detection of prostatic cancer has brought under scrutiny the criteria used for prognosis and emphasized our limitations in understanding what determines the rate of progression in these cancers. The rate of cancer cell proliferation has been under intense investigation, which, however, has yielded conflicting results. In this study we evaluated the proliferative activity of benign and neoplastic prostatic epithelium, using various existing methodologies. We first analysed the variability introduced by the methodological approach and then attempted to demonstrate whether determination of the proliferative capacity had any clinical consequence that complemented the histological grading. Tissue samples from patients, 88 with cancer and 46 with benign prostatic pathology, were studied using in vitro bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation as well as Ki67 and the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) to estimate the proliferative activity. Increased proliferation was found consistently in inflammation and metaplasia, but not in hyperplasia. In contrast, cancers showed marked variability. Although average proliferation indices increased with grade, there was a wide scatter of values. Correlation was stronger with stage, but also depended on the methodology. Bromodeoxyuridine indices over 10 per mile had a positive predictive value of 79 per cent for cancers extending beyond the prostatic capsule and may prove particularly helpful for evaluating patients with grade 7 cancer. This observation is significant, since grade 7 cancers are the most frequent and the least predictable.