[Haemostatic activation in head injury]. / Activación hemostática en el traumatismo creoencefálico.

A relationship between Central Nervous System and coagulation has been known since the work by Goodnight et al5. When an encephalic injury occurs tissue damage causes the release of thromboplastin-related products, mainly the Tissular Factor. This release produces an activation of the coagulation system specially through its extrinsic path. With this physiopathologic basis we attempt to improve the knowledge of this relation by performing a prospective study at the Intensive Care Unit of our Hospital. The study included 67 patients with cranioencephalic trauma alone, with an average Glasgow coma scale score of 10 and a control group consisting of 40 healthy subjects. Two peripheral vein blood extractions were performed, at admission and 24 hours later. Global coagulation parameters (prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, platelet count and fibrinogen), hypercoagulability markers (prothrombin fragments F1+2 and thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT)) and thrombolisis markers (D-dimer) were determined. Our results show that early after head trauma an increase in fragments F1+2, TAT and Ddimer occur. After the first 24 hours a significant decrease in hypercoagulability markers levels is detected. Modification of the global coagulation parameters was also detected. In conclusion, early after a cranioencephalic trauma a simultaneous state of hypercoagulability and thrombolysis occur which may have the purpose of improving the hemostatic balance.

Activación hemostática en el traumatismo craneoencefálico / Haemostatic activation in head injury

Desde los estudios de Goodnight et al'., se conoce la relación entre el sistema nervioso central y el sistema de la coagulación sanguínea. Cuando se produce una lesión a nivel del encéfalo, la destrucción tisular produce la liberación de sustancias tromboplastínicas, principalmente Factor Tisular. Esta liberación produce una activación de la coagulación principalmente por la vía extrínseca. Ante esta base fisiopatológica nos planteamos avanzar en el estudio de esta relación, para lo cual realizamos un estudio prospectivo en el Servicio de Medicina Intensiva del Hospital Clínico Universitario "Lozano Blesa" de Zaragoza. El estudio esta formado por 67 pacientes con traumatismo craneoencefálico aislado, con un Glasgow medio de 10 puntos y un grupo control formado por 40 personas sanas. Realizamos dos extracciones de vena periférica, al ingreso y a las 24 horas de evolución. Determinamos parámetros globales de la coagulación (tiempo de protrombina, tiempo de tromboplastina parcial activado, recuento de plaquetas y fibrinógeno), marcadores de hipercoagulabilidad (fragmentos de la protrombina F1+2 y complejo trombina antitrombina) y marcadores de fibrinolisis (D-dímeros).Nuestros resultados muestran que de forma precoz se produce un aumento en los niveles de fragmentos F1+2, TAT y D-dímeros tras producirse un traumatismo craneoencefálico. Una vez transcurridas las primeras 24 horas de evolución hay un descenso significativo de los marcadores de hipercoagulabilidad. También hemos detectado una alteración en los parámetros globales de la coagulación. Así de forma precoz tras un traumatismo craneoencefálico se produce un estado simultáneo de hipercoagulabilidad y fibrinolisis, que quizá intente conseguir un equilibrio hemostático (AU)

Modificaciones en la velocidad de flujo cerebral medidas mediante Doppler transcraneal, tras maniobras de soporte vital avanzado / Modifications in cerebral blood flow velocity measured by transcranial Doppler after advanced life support measures

Objetivo. Tras una parada cardiorrespiratoria (PCR), pueden producirse fenómenos de anoxia cerebral (AIC). Proponemos emplear el Doppler transcraneal (DTC), en función de los resultados de velocidad de flujo cerebral encontrados, como herramienta pronóstica de los casos de PCR. Método. Estudio prospectivo de 19 pacientes que sufrieron PCR y necesitaron maniobras de soporte vital avanzado. Tras estabilizar la situación clínica y valorar el estado neurológico, se realizó DTC isonando ambas arterias cerebrales medias, y se consignaron los valores de la arteria que tuviera tanto la mayor velocidad media (VM) como el menor índice de pulsatilidad (IP).Posteriormente, se hizo un electroencefalograma (EEG) como prueba de confirmación diagnóstica de AIC. Aplicamos la prueba de la t de Student y el coeficiente de correlación (intervalo mínimo de confianza del 95 por ciento) como herramientas de análisis estadístico. Resultados. En 15 pacientes en los que el EEG y la evolución clínica fueron compatibles con AIC, el DTC demostró una tendencia a mantener una VM elevada, con un bajo IP. En los 4 pacientes en los que ni el EEG ni la evolución clínica fueron diagnósticos de AIC, el DTC obtuvo valores de VM e IP normales, existiendo diferencias significativas respecto a los 15 pacientes con AIC. Conclusiones. La existencia de un patrón DTC con alta VM y con tendencia a bajo IP, tras un episodio de PCR que requiera maniobras de soporte vital avanzado, se asocia a un mal pronóstico neurológico, con la existencia de AIC (AU)

Análisis de la fiabilidad de cuatro ventiladores empleados en pacientes críticos / Reliability assessment of four ventilators used in critically-ill patients

OBJETIVOS: Comprobar la fiabilidad de cuatro ventiladores empleados en la práctica diaria habitual con enfermos críticos con insuficiencia respiratoria aguda. MÉTODOS: Estudio experimental, realizado con 4 ventiladores y un comprobador de respiradores Bio-Tek® VT.2, ajustado con distintos valores de resistencia y compliancia. Se recogieron las diferencias entre los datos obtenidos por los respiradores y el comprobador, en los volúmenes entregados y la presión teleespiratoria. Se comprobó si las diferencias existentes entre los respiradores y el comprobador podrían ser significativas, y el coeficiente de variación para estudiar la posible desviación de los parámetros programados a lo largo del tiempo. Se calcularon y aplicaron los márgenes de error de los respiradores. RESULTADOS: En situaciones de compliancia y resistencia, parecidas a las que presentan los enfermos con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica y síndrome de distrés respiratorio agudo, hay diferencias entre los volúmenes corrientes medidos por la monitorización de los respiradores y los entregados al final de sus circuitos respiratorios, aunque apenas se superan los márgenes de error. El coeficiente de variación no fue significativo en ninguna de las situaciones de compliancia y resistencia aplicadas. CONCLUSIONES: Existen diferencias, frente a situaciones de baja compliancia y/o elevada resistencia, entre los volúmenes corrientes monitorizados y los entregados en algunos ventiladores, aunque dichas diferencias sean pequeñas y apenas superen los márgenes de error admitidos para los ventiladores. Los resultados del coeficiente de variación indican una alta capacidad de mantener constantes los parámetros programados a lo largo del tiempo (AU)

OBJECTIVES: Mechanical ventilators are often used in critically-iII patients with acute respiratory insufficiency. We aimed to assess the reliability of four commonly used ventilators. METHODS: This experimental study assessed four Bio-Tek® VT-2 ventilators set for different levels of impedance and compliance in comparison with a tester. We gathered data on differences between the ventilators and the tester for volumes supplied and end-expiratory pressures. Statistical significance was determined using a Student-t test (95% confidence interval) and a coefficient of variation was calculated to study variation over time in parameters programed. Error margins were calculated and applied for each ventilator. RESULTS: For situations in which compliance and impedance are similar to those of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute respiratory distress syndrome, there were differences in tidal volumes measured by the ventilators monitors and those actually supplied at the end or the breathing circuits, although the differences are only slightly greater than the error margins. The coefficients of variation were not significant at any or the compliance and impedance levels studied. CONCLUSIONS: In situations of low compliance and/or high impedance, tidal volumes supplied by ventilators and volumes shown on the monitors are different, although the differences are small and hardly exceed the ventilators acceptable error margins. The coefficient of variation indicated that the parameters set remain highly stable over time (AU)

[Therapeutic attitude, evolution and prognosis of the cerebral hemorrhages of patients in dicumarinic treatment, in function of their supra or infratentorial localization]. / Actitud terapéutica, evolución y pronóstico de la hemorragia cerebral, según la localización supra o infratentorial, de pacientes en tratamiento dicumarínico.

INTRODUCTION: The anticoagulants are drugs with possible serious secondary effects, being one of the most serious the appearance of intracraneal hemorrhages, being able to vary the clinical course as they were hemorrhages in the deep supratentorial compartment (ST) or in the infratentorial (IT). OBJECTIVES: Compare the therapeutic attitude, the evolution and the prognostic of the cerebral hemorrhages in patient with warfarin treatment, in function of their localization ST or IT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Descriptive and retrospective analysis of 42 patients; in 28 of the cases (66,6%) the localization was ST, and in 14 of the patients (33,3%) the localization was IT. We study risk vascular factors, age and the sex of the patients, the volume of the hemorrhage, the initial clinical state of the patients, the therapeutic attitude, the average stay and the mortality. As statistical tools, the t of Student and the c2 test were used, demanding a confidence interval of 95%. RESULTS: The factors of cardiovascular risk of our serie were similar to the existent ones in other studies. The hemorrhages IT are more frequent in women, existing significant differences in the age among sexes in function of the localization. 100% of the hemorrhages IT exceeded the therapeutic INR, in front of 39% of the ST. A bigger half stay is also demonstrated in the ST hemorrhages so much in the surviving as in the exitus. Statistical significance was not reached in the rest of the studied parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a INR that surpasses the therapeutic is an indicator of hemorrhage risk IT, in patient dicumarinic drawees, and that in this same subgrup, the stays stockings are sensibly inferior, in all the subgrups (medical treatment and surgical treatment). Also the feminine sex has a bigger incidence of processes ST, with a smaller presentation age.

Actitud terapéutica, evolución y pronóstico de la hemorragia cerebral, según la localización supra o infratentorial, de pacientes en tratamiento dicumarínico / Therapeutic attitude, evolution and prognostic of the cerebral hemorrhages of patients in dicumarinic treatment, in function of their supra or infratentorial localization

Introducción. La hemorragia intracraneal es uno de los efectos secundarios más graves de los anticoagulantes; el curso clínico puede variar según se trate de hemorragias supratentoriales (ST) profundas o infratentoriales (IT). Objetivo. Comparar la actitud terapéutica, la evolución y el pronóstico de los pacientes con hemorragia cerebral y tratamiento dicumarínico según la localización sea ST o IT. Pacientes y métodos. Análisis descriptivo y retrospectivo de 42 pacientes con hemorragia cerebral, ST profunda en 28 casos (66,6 por ciento), IT en los restantes 14 (33,3 por ciento). Estudiamos los factores de riesgo vascular, la edad, el sexo, el volumen de la hemorragia, el estado clínico inicial, la actitud terapéutica, la estancia media y la mortalidad. Como herramientas estadísticas empleamos la t de Student y el test de c2, con un intervalo de confianza del 95 por ciento. Resultados. Los factores de riesgo cardiovascular de nuestra serie son similares a los que presentan otros estudios. La hemorragia IT es más frecuentes en mujeres; existe una diferencia significativa en la edad entre sexos en función de la localización. Todos los pacientes con hemorragia IT excedían el INR terapéutico mientras que sólo lo hacía el 39 por ciento de los casos con hemorragia ST. La estancia media fue más prolongada entre los pacientes con hemorragia ST, tanto en los pacientes que sobrevivieron como entre los que fallecieron. No se alcanzó significación estadística en el resto de los parámetros estudiados. Conclusiones. La presencia de un INR que sobrepase el terapéutico es un indicador de riesgo para la hemorragia IT en pacientes en tratamiento dicumarínico. La estancia media del grupo IT es más corta (tanto en el subgrupo de pacientes que recibió tratamiento médico como en el que recibió tratamiento quirúrgico) que la del grupo ST. El sexo femenino tiene una mayor incidencia de procesos ST y una menor edad de presentación (AU)

Síndrome de Kearns Sayre incompleto / Incomplete Kearns Sayre syndrome

El síndrome de Kearns Sayre es un tipo de enfermedad mitocondrial que se caracteriza por la presencia de la oftalmoplejía externa progresiva, retinitis pigmentaria y comienzo de los síntomas antes de los 20 años. Además debe presentar uno de estos criterios menores: bloqueo de la conducción cardíaca, síndrome cerebeloso o proteinorraquia mayor de 100 mg/dl. Existen formas incompletas de la enfermedad. El pronóstico y la supervivencia de esta enfermedad están ligados en muchas ocasiones a la evolución de las alteraciones cardíacas.Presentamos el caso de un síndrome de Kearns Sayre incompleto con alteraciones de la conducción cardíaca y evolución hacia el bloqueo auriculoventricular completo. Revisamos las indicaciones de implantación de marcapasos definitivos en estos pacientes (AU)

[Analysis of the reliability of 4 ventilators used in critically ill patients]. / Análisis de la fiabilidad de cuatro ventiladores empleados en pacientes críticos.

OBJECTIVES: Mechanical ventilators are often used in critically-ill patients with acute respiratory insufficiency. We aimed to assess the reliability of four commonly used ventilators. METHODS: This experimental study assessed four Bio-Tek VT-2 ventilators set for different levels of impedance and compliance in comparison with a tester. We gathered data on differences between the ventilators and the tester for volumes supplied and end-expiratory pressures. Statistical significance was determined using a Student-t test (95% confidence interval) and a coefficient of variation was calculated to study variation over time in parameters programmed. Error margins were calculated and applied for each ventilator. RESULTS: For situations in which compliance and impedance are similar to those of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute respiratory distress syndrome, there were differences in tidal volumes measured by the ventilators monitors and those actually supplied at the end of the breathing circuits, although the differences are only slightly greater than the error margins. The coefficients of variation were not significant at any of the compliance and impedance levels studied. CONCLUSIONS: In situations of low compliance and/or high impedance, tidal volumes supplied by ventilators and volumes shown on the monitors are different, although the differences are small and hardly exceed the ventilators acceptable error margins. The coefficient of variation indicated that the parameters set remain highly stable over time.

[Non-invasive methods for evaluating reperfusion in acute myocardial infarct: enzymes and MIBI-SPECT cardiac gammagraphy]. / Métodos no invasivos de valorar la reperfusión en el infarto agudo de miocardio: enzimas y gammagrafía cardíaca con MIBI-SPECT.

INTRODUCTION: Several studies point out the importance of what is called rescue angioplasty or fibrinolysis when thrombolysis has been ineffective in acute myocardial infarction. Therefore, it is necessary to make use of new non-invasive methods to asses reperfusion and to safely establish that such a treatment has not been effective. PATIENTS AND METHOD: We present a work which is based on the assessment of patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with or without fibrinolysis. After determining cardiac enzymatic profiles of creatine kinase and MB isoform (time course, peak, appearance rate constant time-activity: K1). With cardiac imaging gammagraphies 99mTc-isonitrile-single-photon emission computed tomography pre and post treatment after to calculating myocardium at risk, salvage and relationship. RESULTS: In patients treated with fibrinolysis, the salvage myocardium was higher (8.3% vs 3.0%; p < 0.05). Considering that an improvement in perfusion defect (salvaged myocardium/myocardium at risk) higher than 30% can be viewed as an effective reperfusion, we can see that the percentage in the group treated with fibrinolysis being 45.8%, and the percentage in the group under conventional treatment being just 6.7%. Patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with fibrinolysis show much shorter start of rise-peak time and pain-peak time, all this with very significant differences for the creatine kinase (p < 0.0001) as well as for the MB (p < 0.001). Patients with reperfusion show a rapid increase in activity enzymatic, as demonstrated by the pain-peak time variable and the appearance rate constant time-activity (K1), with very significant differences in the latter (p < 0.0001). In relation with gammagraphy, values of K1 higher or equal to 0.19 for the creatine kinase and 0.14 for the MB isoform, achieved a sensibility of 83% and 91%, and a specificity of 85% and 80% respectively, to asses reperfusion. CONCLUSION: We think that cardiac imaging gammagraphy with isonitriles as well as as determination of the appearance rate enzymatic constant time-activity, can be useful in monitoring treatment with fibrinolysis in infarction patients. New studies are needed to assess these same aspects, with a lesser number of enzymatic determinations.

[Cardiac radionuclide scanning with 99mTc-MIBI-SPECT in acute myocardial infarction]. / Gammagrafía cardiaca con 99mTc-MIBI-SPECT en el infarto agudo de miocardio.

Several studies point out the importance of what is called rescue angioplasty or fibrinolysis (FB) when thrombolysis has been ineffective in acute myocardial infaction (AMI). Therefore, it is necessary to make use of new methods to asses reperfusion and to safely establish that such a treatment has not been effective. We present a work which is based on the assessment of patients with acute coronary heart disease: AMI patients treated with FB (N = 48), without FB (N = 15), unstable angina (N = 9); after determining cardiac imaging gammagraphies 99mTc-isonitrile-single-photon emission computed tomography (MIBI-SPECT) pre and post treatment, to assess myocardium at risk (MR), salvage (MS) and the existence or not of gammagraphic reperfusion. Unstable angina patients show a myocardial perfusion that is similar to AMI patients. However, in the case of unstable angina, perfusion is practically of a 100% 48 hours later, having almost completely saved the myocardium at risk (MS/MR = 81.5% +/- 27.7%), and with a non-existent residual myocardium (3.2% +/- 5.8%). In AMI patients treated with FB the salvage myocardium was higher [8.3 vs 3.0; p < 0.05). Considering that an improvement in perfusion defect (MS/MR)] higher than 30% can be viewed as an effective reperfusion, we can see that all the patients with unstable angina show reperfusion, the percentage in the AMI group treated with FB being 45.8%, and the percentage in the AMI group under conventional treatment being just 6.7%. Gammagraphy with 99mTc-MIBI-SPECT at admission allowed assessing regional perfusion in AMI patients during the early stage of their evolution. With a second exploration we could determine the amount of salvage myocardium and the existence of secondary reperfusion to FB treatment.

[Descriptive study of hemodialysis in the critical patient. Report of 198 cases]. / Estudio descriptivo de la hemodiálisis en el paciente crítico. A propósito de 198 casos.

In the last five year, 198 critic patients developed acute renal failure, requiring hemodialysis in the hospital. We realized a descriptive study and analyzed the factors that were statistically associated with higher mortality: a surgical etiology, clinic criteria for the inicial of hemodialysis, respiratory failure, hemodynamic inestability, hepatic insufficciency, disseminated intravascular coagulacion and oliguric or anuria. The sepsis and the cardiorrespiratory complications were the cause of mortality most important. The 14% of the surviving requiring continue in the programs of hemodyalisis.

[Adult respiratory distress syndrome secondary to varicella pneumonia in an immunocompetent male]. / Síndrome de distress respiratorio del adulto secundario a neumonía varicelosa en varón inmunocompetente.

We present a case of varicellous pneumonia in a 40-year-old patient without immunitary compromise, who quickly evolved to respiratory distress in the adult and required sustained ventilatory support. We review the literature, with special mention to the indications of the antivirical treatment with Aciclovir.