The trends of interpersonal violence burden in Latin America, 1990 to 2019: secondary data analysis from the global burden of disease study.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to analyse the trends of interpersonal violence (IV) in Latin America (LA) between 1990 and 2019 for females and males at a national level. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional descriptive study. METHODS: Following the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study we report IV mortality, premature mortality, years lived with disability and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in LA by sex. To estimate the DALYs trends, we conducted a Joinpoint regression analysis. RESULTS: Across all LA countries, IV burden was higher among males. Most of the IV burden was attributable to premature death, with a higher percentage in men than women. The burden of IV was most pronounced within the 15 to 39 age-groups in the majority of countries. Physical violence (PV) by firearm was the main cause of IV in LA, followed by PV by other means. Women in LA experienced at least twice as many sexual violence DALYs as men. IV in LA exhibited heterogeneous trends, with certain countries witnessing a significant decline in the IV DALYs rate, while others displayed a significant increase. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show the great heterogeneity of IV burden present in the region as the trends varied from one country to another. Policing and criminal justice institutions in LA have failed to reduce crime and violence. Thus, tailored preventive measures and public policies that account for the specific context and geographical areas where this phenomenon is prevalent are urgently needed.

Cellular Identification and In Silico Characterization of Protein Phosphatase 2C (PP2C) of Cryptosporidium parvum.

PURPOSE: Cryptosporidium parvum is an Apicomplexa parasite that causes watery diarrhea (cryptosporidiosis), especially in children and immunocompromised adults (the latter in a very severe form). No effective treatment exists against infection by this parasite. Phosphatases participate in the regulation of various cellular functions and are thus considered potential therapeutic targets in many diseases. The aim of the present study was to indirectly identify and in silico characterize a protein phosphatase 2C of C. parvum. METHODS: Western blot and indirect immunofluorescence microscopy were performed with a polyclonal antibody against Leishmania major PP2C. Possible cross-reactivity with LmPP2C was assessed by in silico sequence homology to analyze phylogenetic relationships between distinct C. parvum PP2Cs. In addition, another bioinformatics approach was used to predict the possible relationship and function of C. parvum PP2C in the regulation of several cellular processes. RESULTS: Western blotting showed a protein of approximately 72 kDa. With immunofluorescence, PP2C was localized in the nucleus of oocysts (with some additional labeling in the cytoplasm) and at the apical region of sporozoites. By aligning C. parvum PP2C with known ortholog sequences and carrying out PPI analysis, a determination could be made of the degree of conservation of these enzymes, their possible relationship, and their function in the regulation of several cellular processes associated with a likely nuclear location. CONCLUSION: Microscopic localization by immunofluorescence identified CpPP2C at the nucleus in oocysts and at the apical end of the sporozoite body. Hence, this enzyme could be associated with proteins that have an important role in the regulation of transcription and other processes orchestrated by MAPK kinases, according to in silico analysis.

Sensory characterisation of black ripe table olives from Spanish Manzanilla and Hojiblanca cultivars.

A lexicon from the literature has been used for the characterisation of black ripe table olives from Spanish Manzanilla and Hojiblanca cultivars by Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA). After confirming the acceptable reproducibility and repeatability of the panel, the descriptors that received the widest range of scores and significantly contributed to sample discrimination were: skin green, flesh green, skin sheen, flesh red, fibrousness, firmness, skin red, moisture release, fishy smell/ocean and flesh yellow. The effects of cultivar, growing area and storage period on the sensory profiles were relevant, as showed by spider graphs and multivariate methods. The map of variables, using bootstrapping techniques, associated descriptors like fibrousness, firmness, chewiness, skin red, flesh red, and skin sheen to PC1, which can then be related to texture, while PC2 was linked to skin green and astringency (related to phenols) or vinegar and fishy smell/ocean (possibly connected to cultivars). Centring data by panelist had a strong influence on the segregation of samples but increasing the number of panelists had a reduced additional effect. The diverse sensory profiles of samples were also summarised by biclustering.

Data on sensory profile of green Spanish-style table olives studied by Quantitative Descriptive Analysis.

This article contains processed data related to the research published in "Sensory profile of green Spanish-style table olives according to cultivar and origin" [1]. It provides information on the physicochemical characteristics of the analysed samples and the results of the multivariate analysis used in the above-commented paper. Particularly, it includes: i) the values of pH, titratable acidity, combined acidity, and NaCl for batches according to samples, ii) the scores given to each descriptor by the panelists according to samples, iii) the histogram of the overall scores for descriptor, iv) the boxplot of descriptors over samples, v) the effect of samples and contribution of panelists to the interaction sample∙panelist, vi) correlation between the panelists and the whole panel, vii) panelist performance, viii) panel repeatability, ix) sensory profile of samples (spider graph), x) adjusted means for descriptor according to samples, xi) prevalence of descriptors on samples, xii) product effect as assessed by p-value.

Violence in Colombia and Mexico: trend and impact on life expectancy of homicide mortality between 1998 and 2015.

OBJECTIVES: Colombia is considered one of the most violent countries in the world even though homicide mortality has decreased since 2002. Mexico's homicide rate has tripled since 2008, after a period of decreasing mortality; this fact has been compared with Colombia in the 1990s and defined as a 'Colombianization' of violence in Mexico. We analyzed and compared the trend and impact of homicide mortality in Colombia and Mexico between 1998 and 2015. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional descriptive study. METHODS: We calculated the standardized mortality rates and the years of life lost using data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography in Mexico and the National Management Department of Statistics in Colombia. We used the joinpoint regression analysis to identify significant changes in the mortality trend. RESULTS: During the 1990s, Colombia reached the highest homicide mortality rates in the world, but these rates have since decreased significantly. In Mexico, homicide mortality had a decreasing trend from 1998 to 2007; however, since 2008, the rate grew significantly, and although mortality tended to decrease after reaching its peak in 2011, a slight upturn was observed in 2015. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the trend in mortality in both countries has had certain similarities, such as the increase in mortality after the implementation of antidrug policies and the subsequent decrease; however, the political processes, the level of mortality reached, its impact on life expectancy, and its distribution by gender are dissimilar. We consider speaking of a 'Colombianization' of violence in Mexico to be inaccurate.

Sensory profile of green Spanish-style table olives according to cultivar and origin.

This work studies the influence of cultivar and farming area on the sensory profile of green Spanish-style table olives, using Quantitative Descriptive Analysis. The lexicon developed was subsequently applied to samples of Gordal (G), Manzanilla (M), and Hojiblanca (H) from different origins: Arahal (A), Utrera (U), Alameda (Al), Estepa (E), Casariche (C), Alcalá de Guadaira (AG), Posadas (P), and Almendralejo (Am). The analysis of the data by ANOVA, considering the effect of the sample as fixed and those of the panelists and the sessions as random, showed good repeatability (no significant effect of the session). Bitter, salty, astringent, acid, alcohol and lupin descriptors had significant discriminating power. The samples were characterised by the following sensory attributes: HC, pungent and winery/wine; MP, salty and lupin; GA, acid and lactic acid; HAl, astringent and acetic/vinegar; and MAm, bitter and musty. The multivariate analysis combined with bootstrapping techniques offered a multidimensional view of repeatability, relationships among descriptors, and characterisation and segregation of products. The results then pointed to sensible differences among the sensory profiles of the samples due to cultivar and origin.

Bioremediation of Cephalexin with non-living Chlorella sp., biomass after lipid extraction.

In this work, the removal of the Cephalexin by Chlorella sp., nonliving modified by extraction of lipids was evaluated. First, the microalga was grown to completing 20 days and later, the biomass of crop was centrifuged and the extraction of lipids was performed. Two adsorption experiments were performed: (1) with nonliving Chlorella sp. (control), and (2) the obtained biomass after lipid extraction. The high antibiotic removal, 71.19% and 82.77% (control), were obtained at the lowest initial concentration. The contact time between the biosorbent and the antibiotic was 2 h. The adsorption isotherm follows the Freundlich model and the obtained maximum absorption capacity was 63.29 mg of antibiotic/g of biosorbent for lipid-extracted biomass, while the control follows best to the Langmuir model with 129.87 mg/g in maximum absorption capacity. In summary, this biosorbent provides a potential alternative in the removal of Cephalexin.

Volatile profiles of green Spanish-style table olives: Application of compositional data analysis for the segregation of their cultivars and production areas.

The work presents the application of compositional data methodology to analytical results, taking as an example the study of the volatile profiles of green Spanish-style table olives according to cultivars and production areas. For this purpose, the volatile compounds (analysed by GC-MS and expressed as percentages of the total area) were considered as a compositional data set in the Simplex space and, as a result, analysed by their specific new statistical tools. Application of compositional exploratory tools (variation array, tertiary graphs, biplots, or coda-dendrogram) allowed differentiating cultivars and production areas based on their volatile profiles. Also, the application of Cluster and Principal Component analysis to the ilr transformed values (coordinates), following the new methodology, led to more realistic results than the formally incorrect implementation of the standard multivariate analysis (developed for data from the Euclidean space) to percentages (data in the Simplex). Therefore, the work presents a novel consideration of the volatile profiles of table olives as compositional data and shows their proper analysis by statistical tools specifically developed for them.

Does the menopausal status of female gynecologists affect their prescription of menopausal hormone therapy?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether menopausal status and symptoms among female gynecologists would influence their clinical behavior related to menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). METHODS: Female gynecologists of 11 Latin American countries were requested to fill out the Menopause Rating Scale and a questionnaire containing personal information and that related to MHT use. RESULTS: A total of 818 gynecologists accepted to participate (86.4%). Overall, the mean age was 45.0 ± 10.7 years, 32.2% were postmenopausal, and 17.6% worked in an academic position; 81.8% reported that they would use MHT if they have symptoms, regardless of menopausal status. Academic gynecologists favor personal MHT use at a higher rate (p = 0.04) and have a higher MHT prescription rate as compared to non-academic ones (p = 0.0001). The same trend was observed among post- as compared to premenopausal ones (p = 0.01) and among those who had hysterectomy alone as compared to those experiencing natural menopause (p = 0.002). The presence of menopausal symptoms did not influence their MHT prescription. Current use of MHT and alternative therapy was higher among post- than premenopausal gynecologists (both, p = 0.0001) and among those who had undergone hysterectomy than those experiencing natural menopause. A 38.5% perceived breast cancer as the main risk related to MHT, and a high proportion prescribed non-hormonal drugs (86.4%) or alternative therapies (84.5%). CONCLUSION: Most female gynecologists in this survey would use MHT if menopausal symptoms were present. Postmenopausal physicians use MHT and prescribe it to their symptomatic patients at a higher rate than premenopausal physicians.

Leishmania mexicana: promastigotes and amastigotes secrete protein phosphatases and this correlates with the production of inflammatory cytokines in macrophages.

Phosphatase activity of Leishmania spp. has been shown to deregulate the signalling pathways of the host cell. We here show that Leishmania mexicana promastigotes and amastigotes secrete proteins with phosphatase activity to the culture medium, which was higher in the Promastigote Secretion Medium (PSM) as compared with the Amastigote Secretion Medium (ASM) and was not due to cell lysis, since parasite viability was not affected by the secretion process. The biochemical characterization showed that the phosphatase activity present in PSM was higher in dephosphorylating the peptide END (pY) INASL as compared with the peptide RRA (pT)VA. In contrast, the phosphatase activity in ASM showed little dephosphorylating capacity for both peptides. Inhibition assays demonstrated that the phosphatase activity of both PSM and ASM was sensible only to protein tyrosine phosphatases inhibitors. An antibody against a protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) of Leishmania major cross-reacted with a 44·9 kDa molecule in different cellular fractions of L. mexicana promastigotes and amastigotes, however, in PSM and ASM, the antibody recognized a protein about 70 kDa. By electron microscopy, the PP2C was localized in the flagellar pocket of amastigotes. PSM and ASM induced the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha, IL-1ß, IL-12p70 and IL-10 in human macrophages.

Uterine contractility as a cause of amniotic band syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine whether puncturing the uterine wall and the amnion causes uterine contractions that result in fetal abnormalities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An experimental study was performed using four groups of three female rabbits. Group A received a puncture of the amniotic membranes of one of the uteri on day 15 of gestation followed by group B on day 16, group C on day 17, and group D on day 18. The duration and force of contractions and fetal abnormalities were determined. RESULTS: There were immediate contractions after the puncture, which lasted 20 to 132 seconds with forces that ranged from 309 to 4,411 mg. All of the experimental fetuses exhibited anomalies of the head and extremities, exencephaly, cleft palates, and an absence of eye-lids. CONCLUSION: Injury to the uterine wall and the aniion can immediately cause uterine contractions, which are associated with different types of fetal abnormalities.

Leishmania mexicana amastigotes inhibit p38 and JNK and activate PI3K/AKT: role in the inhibition of apoptosis of dendritic cells.

Leishmania mexicana is the causal agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Mexico. Dendritic cells (DC) are one of the host cells of Leishmania parasites. Intracellular microorganisms inhibit host cell apoptosis as a strategy to ensure their survival in infected cells. We have previously shown that Leishmania mexicana promastigotes and amastigotes inhibit camptothecin-induced apoptosis of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDC), but the mechanisms underlying the inhibition of apoptosis of DC by Leishmania have not been established. MAP kinases and PI3K participate in the process of apoptosis and are modulated by different species of Leishmania. As shown in this study, the infection of moDC with L. mexicana amastigotes diminished significantly the phosphorylation of the MAP kinases p38 and JNK. The inhibition of both kinases diminished significantly DNA fragmentation in moDC stimulated with camptothecin. On the other hand, L. mexicana amastigotes were able to activate the anti-apoptotic pathways PI3K and AKT. Our results indicate that L. mexicana amastigotes have the capacity to diminish MAP kinases activation and activate PI3K and AKT, which is probably one of the strategies employed by L. mexicana amastigotes to inhibit apoptosis in the infected moDC.

A multicentric study regarding the use of hormone therapy during female mid-age (REDLINC VI).

BACKGROUND: Menopausal hormone therapy (HT) has shown benefits for women; however, associated drawbacks (i.e. risks, costs, fears) have currently determined its low use. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of current HT use among mid-aged women and describe the characteristics of those who have never used, have abandoned or are currently using HT. In addition, reasons for not using HT were analyzed. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional study that analyzed a total of 6731 otherwise healthy women (45-59 years old) of 15 cities in 11 Latin American countries. Participants were requested to fill out the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and a questionnaire containing sociodemographic data and items regarding the menopause and HT use. RESULTS: The prevalence of current HT use was 12.5%. Oral HT (43.7%) was the most frequently used type of HT, followed by transdermal types (17.7%). The main factors related to the current use of HT included: positive perceptions regarding HT (odds ratio (OR) 11.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 9.41-14.13), being postmenopausal (OR 3.47, 95% CI 2.75-4.36) and having a better socioeconomic level. A total of 48.8% of surveyed women had used HT in the past, but abandoned it due to symptom improvement or being unconcerned; fear of cancer or any other secondary effects were also reported but in less than 10%. Among women who had never used HT, 28% reported the lack of medical prescription as the main reason, followed by the absence of symptoms (27.8%). Among those reporting lack of prescription as the main reason for not using HT, 30.6% currently had severe menopausal symptoms (total MRS score > 16); 19.5% of women were using alternative 'natural' therapies, with 35.1% of them displaying severe menopausal symptoms as compared to a 22.5% observed among current HT users. CONCLUSION: The use of HT has not regained the rates observed a decade ago. Positive perceptions regarding HT were related to a higher use. Lack of medical prescription was the main reason for not using HT among non-users, many of whom were currently displaying severe menopausal symptoms.

Presentación de un caso clínico de mucopolisacaridosis Tipo IV, síndrome de Morquio / Presentation of a clinical case of mucopolysaccharidosis type IV, Morquio syndrome

Se presenta el caso de un paciente de 16 años de edad, con el diagnostico de mucopolisacaridosis (MPS) tipo IV-A, con una breve revisión teórica del curso y progresión crónica de esta enfermedad multi-sistémica, que se manifiesta con amplia signo sintomatología, hallazgos de laboratorio y anomalías radiológicas. El objetivo es documentar el caso y difundir a la comunidad médica boliviana, la importancia de los errores innatos del metabolismo, consideradas enfermedades "raras", que a criterio nuestro, sufren un sub-diagnóstico debido a las pocas publicaciones científicas sobre el tema en el medio.

We report the case of a patient 16 years old with a diagnosis of mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) type IV- A, with a brief theoretical review of chronic course and progression of this multisystem disease, which manifests with extensive signs symptoms, findings are presented, with laboratory and radiological reported abnormalities. The aim is to document the event and communicated to Bolivian medical community, the importance of inborn errors of metabolism, considered "rare" diseases, which in our opinion; suffer a sub- diagnosis because of the few Bolivian scientific publications on the topic.

Estudio seroepidemiológico para estimar el riesgo de infección congénita por toxoplasma gondii en Guayaquil, Ecuador / Serological and epidemiological screening to estimate congenital toxoplasma gondii infection in Guayaquil, Ecuador

Exámenes serológicos, por Hemaglutinación indirecta (HAI) y Elisa para anticuerpos anti Toxoplasma gondii se practicaron a niños y adolescentes, distribuidos en 4 grupos: 0 < 5 .años, 5 < 10, 10 < 15 y de 15 < 20, para obtener los datos de prevalencia e incidencia quinquenal, así como, por entrevista para identificar factores de riesgo; los datos se analizaron estadísticamente, como variables independientes y correlaciones bivariadas. Se examinaron 578: 285 varones y 292 mujeres, (1 no consignado), promedio de edad 9,7 años. La prevalencia encontrada es 60,2 con descenso de 18 porciento respecto a 1989. Se discuten hipótesis para explicar esta disminución. La incidencia aumenta rápido hasta los 10 años. No se estableció ninguna correlación con los factores de riesgo incluidos, excepto en el contacto con gatos menores de 6 meses (gatitos). El riesgo de transmisión congénita se estima en 18 por diez mil; en consecuencia se esperarían 106 casos anuales, con 69 asintomáticos (65 porciento), y 37 (35 porciento) con síntomas: 17 con daños leves, 11 con graves y 9 mortinatos. Los 28 niños con lesiones manifiestas, más un número no determinado con lesiones tardías de los 69 asintomáticos incorporan una población que causa un impacto económico y social aún no establecido...

Serological testing, by indirect haemagglutination and ELISA was performed in 4 age groups: 0 to <5, 5 to <10, 10 to <15 and 15 to <20 years old, to find prevalence and quinquennial incidence. An interview to assess risk factors was performed. The statistical analysis was performed for independent variables and bivariate correlations to calculate the odds ratio. The total number of observations was 578: 285 male and 292 female (1 not determined) and median age was 9.7. An increase in the prevalence was related to age, reaching 60.2 percent in the group between 15 and 20 years old, when compared to the same age group in 1989 (78.3 percent) showing an 18 percent decrease. Several hypotheses to explain this decrease were proposed. There is a steep increase at the age of 10. The statistical analysis does not demonstrate a direct correlation with any of the risk factors consigned in the interview, with the exception of exposure to young felines (kittens). The risk for acquiring congenital toxoplasmosis was estimated as 1.8 per thousand (18 per ten thousand), hence 106 cases are expected per year, with 69 (65 percent) of them being asymptomatic, and 37 with different degrees of severity: 17 with mild, 11 severe and 9 with death at birth. Each year there would be 28 newborns with evident lesions and additionally an undetermined number of cases with late onset lesions within the initially asymptomatic group (65 percent), with unknown socioeconomic impact...

3DEM Loupe: Analysis of macromolecular dynamics using structures from electron microscopy.

Electron microscopy (EM) provides access to structural information of macromolecular complexes in the 3-20 Å resolution range. Normal mode analysis has been extensively used with atomic resolution structures and successfully applied to EM structures. The major application of normal modes is the identification of possible conformational changes in proteins. The analysis can throw light on the mechanism following ligand binding, protein-protein interactions, channel opening and other functional macromolecular movements. In this article, we present a new web server, 3DEM Loupe, which allows normal mode analysis of any uploaded EM volume using a user-friendly interface and an intuitive workflow. Results can be fully explored in 3D through animations and movies generated by the server. The application is freely available at http://3demloupe.cnb.csic.es.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type IVA (Morquio A disease): clinical review and current treatment.

Mucopolysaccharidosis IVA (MPS IVA), also known as Morquio A, is a rare, autosomal recessive disorder caused by a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme N-acetylgalatosamine-6-sulfate-sulfatase (GALNS), which catalyzes a step in the catabolism of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), keratan sulfate (KS) and chondroitin-6-sulfate (C6S). It leads to accumulation of the KS and C6S, mainly in bone and cornea, causing a systemic skeletal chondrodysplasia. MPS IVA has a variable age of onset and variable rate of progression. Common presenting features include elevation of urinary and blood KS, marked short stature, hypoplasia of the odontoid process, pectus carinatum, kyphoscoliosis, genu valgum, laxity of joints and corneal clouding; however there is no central nervous system impairment. Generally, MPS IVA patients with a severe form do not survive beyond the third decade of life whereas those patients with an attenuated form may survive over 70 years. There has been no effective therapy for MPS IVA, and care has been palliative. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and hematopoietic stem cell therapy (HSCT) have emerged as a treatment for mucopolysaccharidoses disorders, including Morquio A disease. This review provides an overview of the clinical manifestations, diagnosis and symptomatic management of patients with MPS IVA and describes potential perspectives of ERT and HSCT. The issue of treating very young patients is also discussed.

[Mohs micrographic surgery for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma]. / Cirugía micrográfica de Mohs en el tratamiento de carcinoma basocelular.

INTRODUCTION: Basal cell carcinoma accounts for 75% of all nonmelanoma skin cancer. Although various treatment modalities are available, the most frequently used option is surgical excision. Here, we evaluate the efficacy of Mohs micrographic surgery for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective review of cases of basal cell carcinoma treated with Mohs micrographic surgery between October 2003 and June 2009 was performed using patient records from Hospital Italiano in Buenos Aires, Argentina. RESULTS: A total of 2412 basal cell carcinomas treated with Mohs micrographic surgery were identified; 50.5% were in women and 49.5% in men. The mean age of the patients was 70.7 years (range, 8-100 years). The histologic type of the tumor was solid in 65.3% of cases and in 89% of cases the tumor was located on the head or neck. Ten percent of the tumors were recurrent following previous treatment. A mean of 1.74 Mohs stages were used, with a mean of 3.81 sections. The mean size of the initial defect was 0.86 cm² and the mean final defect was 1.88 cm². The ratio of initial tumor size to final defect was estimated at 1.02. Over a mean follow-up of 32 months, there were 9 cases of tumor recurrence (0.37%). CONCLUSIONS: In our experience, Mohs micrographic surgery is effective for the treatment of high-risk basal cell carcinoma.

Cirugía micrográfica de Mohs en el tratamiento de carcinoma basocelular / Mohs Micrographic Surgery for the Treatment of Basal Cell Carcinoma

Introducción: El carcinoma basocelular constituye el 75% de todos los carcinomas cutáneos no melanoma. Para su tratamiento existen múltiples modalidades siendo la escisión quirúrgica la más frecuentemente usada. Se plantea evaluar la eficacia de la cirugía micrográfica de Mohs en el tratamiento del carcinoma basocelular. Materiales y métodos: Revisión retrospectiva en la base de datos del Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires de los casos de carcinoma basocelular tratados con cirugía micrográfica de Mohs entre octubre del 2003 y junio del 2009. Resultados: Se encontraron 2.412 casos (85,3%); el 50,5% se presentaron en mujeres y el 49,5% en hombres. La media de edad fue de 70,7 años (rango entre 8 y 100 años). El 65,3% de los tumores eran del tipo histológico sólido y la ubicación más frecuente fue la cabeza y el cuello (89%). El 10% de los carcinomas basocelulares eran recidivas de tratamientos previos. El número medio de estadios fue de 1,74 con una media de 3,81 cortes. La media del defecto inicial fue de 0,86cm2 y del defecto final de 1,88cm2. La relación defecto final/defecto inicial se estimó en 1,02cm2. Nueve tumores presentaron recidiva (0,37%) con una media de seguimiento de 32 meses. Conclusión: Consideramos que la cirugía micrográfica de Mohs es eficaz en el tratamiento del carcinoma basocelular de alto riesgo (AU)

Introduction: Basal cell carcinoma accounts for 75% of all nonmelanoma skin cancer. Although various treatment modalities are available, the most frequently used option is surgical excision. Here, we evaluate the efficacy of Mohs micrographic surgery for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma. Material and methods: A retrospective review of cases of basal cell carcinoma treated with Mohs micrographic surgery between October 2003 and June 2009 was performed using patient records from Hospital Italiano in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Results: A total of 2412 basal cell carcinomas treated with Mohs micrographic surgery were identified; 50.5% were in women and 49.5% in men. The mean age of the patients was 70.7 years (range, 8–100 years). The histologic type of the tumor was solid in 65.3% of cases and in 89% of cases the tumor was located on the head or neck. Ten percent of the tumors were recurrent following previous treatment. A mean of 1.74 Mohs stages were used, with a mean of 3.81 sections. The mean size of the initial defect was 0.86cm2 and the mean final defect was 1.88cm2. The ratio of intial tumor size to final defect was estimated at 1.02. Over a mean follow-up of 32 months, there were 9 cases of tumor recurrence (0.37%). Conclusions: In our experience, Mohs micrographic surgery is effective for the treatment of high-risk basal cell carcinoma (AU)