Presentación de un caso con hipertensión arterial asociada a litiasis hipercalciúrica, osteopenia y alteraciones dentales / Case presentation of hypertension with associated hypercalciuric lithiasis, osteopeny and dental alteration

Un varón de 51 años fue evaluado por hipertensión arterial en nuestro hospital en 1996, objetivándose en el seguimiento alteraciones dentales, hipercalciuria, hiperuricosuria, litiasis renal, osteopenia y una aceptable respuesta al tratamiento antihipertensivo con verapamilo, tiazidas y alopurinol. Se comenta la elevada prevalencia de esta situación en los hipertensos estudiados en nuestro hospital, de perfil familiar en algunas ocasiones, y la aceptable respuesta de la hipertensión arterial al tratamiento cuando se incluyen tiazidas, combinándolo con alopurinol, si existen alteraciones del metabolismo del ácido úrico

A 51 year-old-man was evaluated for hypertension in our hospital in 1996. Follow up observations included dental alteration, hypercalciuria, hyperuricosuria, renal lithiasis and osteopeny. The patient was also observed to acceptably respond to antihypertensive treatment with verapamil, thiazides and allopurinol. Discussed are the facts that this situation is quite prevalent among hypertensive patients in our hospital, some having a family history of such, and that the hypertension responds favourably to treatment when thiazides are included in combination with allopurinol if alterations in uric acid metabolism are present

Seudo-Cushing alcohólico: presentación de un caso / Alcohol-induced Pseudo-Cushing´s syndrome: case report

Varón de 27 años que ingresó en nuestro hospital por insuficiencia respiratoria, con antecedentes de hábito tabáquico y enólico marcado. Se objetivó un morfotipo cushingoide caracterizado por facies de luna llena, joroba de búfalo, ginecomastia y obesidad troncular, y por ello se realizaron estudios bioquímicos y técnicas de imagen para descartar un síndrome de Cushing endógeno, sin que se objetivaran alteraciones hormonales. Tras el alta se indicó abstinencia tabáquica y alcohólica, que el paciente no cumplió. En una revisión posterior mantenía las anomalías anatómicas reseñadas y un año después falleció de muerte súbita en presumible relación con embriaguez aguda. No se pudo demostrar la desaparición del morfotipo cushingoide, probablemente porque no abandonó el alcohol hasta su fallecimiento, por lo que se asumió el diagnóstico de la variante de seudo-Cushing alcohólico sin anomalías bioquímicas (AU)

[Guillain-Barré syndrome in the northern area of Gran Canaria and the island of Lanzarote]. / Sindrome de Guillain-Barré en el area norte de Gran Canaria e isla de Lanzarote.

AIMS: The objective of this study is to analyse the incidence and clinical characteristics of Guillain Barre syndrome (GBS) in the Canary Islands. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of GBS patients (according to diagnostic criteria from the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke) treated in the Ntra. Sra. del Pino Hospital in Gran Canaria between 1983 and 1998. Annual incidence, seasonal distribution, preceding infection, clinical and electrophysiological data, and evolution were all evaluated. Prognostic factors were studied by means of a univariate analysis. RESULTS: A total of 81 patients were selected for the study. The raw incidence was 1.04/100,000 inhab./year (CI 95%: 0.83 1.29; adjusted for age to the European population: 1.5). The rates of incidence were higher in men and increased lineally with age in both sexes. We observed an upward tendency during the winter months. 48% of the patients displayed serious motor deficits in the nadir of the disease, and 17.8% required assisted ventilation. After one year s evolution 74% were seen to experience an excellent recovery. The mortality rate was 8.2% and 37% received immunomodulatory treatment. The main variables associated with a bad prognosis at 3 and 12 months were: serious deficits in muscular balance, the need for assisted ventilation and very reduced amplitude of evoked motor potential. CONCLUSIONS: GBS incidence in the Canary Islands is similar to that found in other countries. An increase with age and an upward tendency during the winter months was observed. No differences were found in the clinical data as compared with other series.

Síndrome de Guillain-Barré en el área norte de Gran Canariae isla de Lanzarote / Guillain-Barré syndrome in the northern area of Gran Canaria and the island of Lanzarote

Objetivo. Analizar la incidencia y características clínicas del síndrome de Guillain-Barré (SGB) en Canarias. Pacientes y métodos. Estudio retrospectivo de pacientes con SGB (criterios diagnósticos del National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke) atendidos en el H. Ntra. Sra. del Pino de Gran Canaria, entre 1983 y 1998. Se evaluaron la incidencia anual, distribución estacional, infección precedente, los datos clínicos y electrofisiológicos y la evolución. Se investigaron factores pronósticos mediante un análisis univariante. Resultados. Se seleccionaron 81 pacientes. La incidencia cruda fue 1,04/100.000 hab/año (IC 95 por ciento: 0,83-1,29) (ajustada por edad a la población europea: 1,5). Las tasas de incidencia fueron más altas en el hombre y aumentaban linealmente con la edad en ambos sexos. Observamos predilección por los meses de invierno. El 48 por ciento de los pacientes alcanzaron déficit motores graves en el nadir de la enfermedad, y un 17,8 por ciento precisó ventilación asistida. Al año de evolución, el 74 por ciento tuvo una excelente recuperación. La mortalidad fue del 8,2 por ciento. El 37 por ciento recibió tratamiento inmunomodulador. Las principales variables asociadas a mal pronóstico a los tres y 12 meses fueron: déficit graves en el balance muscular, necesidad de ventilación asistida y una amplitud muy reducida de potencial motor evocado. Conclusiones. La incidencia del SGB en Canarias es similar a la que se encontró en otros países. Observamos un aumento de la incidencia con la edad y predilección por los meses de invierno. No encontramos diferencias en los datos clínicos con otras series (AU)

[Sweet's syndrome and motor neuron disease associated with esophageal carcinoma]. / Síndrome de Sweet y afectación de motoneurona asociados a carcinoma de esófago.

The paraneoplastic syndromes are an a group of clinical manifestations of uncommon frequency that they are associated with tumors and they often are precursors of these. The Sweet's syndrome is a dermatosis characterized by fever, erythematous plaques and infiltrate consisting of mature neutrophils. It occurs occasionally in association with hematologic malignancies and is very rare with solid tumors. The isolated motor neuron disease is rare like paraneoplastic syndrome. We report the case of a patient with epidermoid carcinoma of esophagus that it was diagnosed after beginning clinically with two paraneoplastic syndromes: Sweet's syndrome and motor neuron disease.

[Cardiopathy and human immunodeficiency virus infection: report of 2 cases]. / Cardiopatía e infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana: presentación de dos casos.

Two patients with immune deficiency virus infection and cardiac manifestation are presented. The first was admitted by encephalopathy. On the first days of hospital stay were observed episodes of supraventricular tachycardia with echocardiography normal. An initial improvement made us suppose the clinical context in relationship to toxoplasmosis. Subsequently the patient experienced neurological deterioration and pericardial effusion was evidenced. Therapeutic trials with ceftriaxone and tuberculostatics were useless. The postmortem pericardial aspiration showed signs of acute inflammation, but germs were not identified. The second case was admitted for longstanding fever. Because of epigastric pain an electrocardiogram was done, which revealed suggestive alterations of pericarditis. The echocardiography demonstrated the presence of pericardial effusion. The positive serology for toxoplasmosis, the bone marrow biopsy which showed reactivity with hemophagocytosis and the presence of myeloid metaplasia in the liver biopsy were the most relevant data. On the fifth day of hospital stay and second of the tuberculostatic treatment the patient expired unexpectedly.

[Listeriosis in the nonpregnant adult during an epidemic outbreak on Grand Canary]. / Listeriosis en el adulto no gestante durante un brote epidémico en Gran Canaria.

Twenty-two cases of community-acquired epidemic listeriosis were recorded from December 31st, 1991, to May 15th, 1993, at the Nuestra Señora del Pino Hospital, Las Palmas. The incidence during this outbreak was 31 times higher than the corresponding incidence in the last few years. Twelve cases occurred in pregnant women and/or neonates and ten in non-pregnant adult individuals. Our aim was to study the clinical, biological, radiological, and evolutive issues in non-pregnant adult patients. Six patients had some immunosuppressive condition: cancer, chemotherapy, AIDS, diabetes, and alcoholism. Eight patients had documented involvement of central nervous system: 6 cases of meningitis and 3 of cerebritis (one case had both meningitis and cerebritis); in the remaining two patients associated with seizures and acute confusional states, respectively. A neurological involvement was not documented because of the fulminant clinical course. CSF examination revealed mononuclear predominance in half of meningitis cases and was normal in two of the three cerebritis cases. The mean time from admission to diagnosis was 3.5 days. All patients but the two who died in the first hours of the disease received ampicillin and an aminoglycoside. The response to therapy was excellent with exception of one patient with meningitis who died in the fourth day of therapy. The clustering of listeriosis cases should alert physicians about the possibility of an epidemic outbreak. Listeria infection in non-pregnant adult individuals in this outbreak showed a high rate of neurological involvement, with focal cerebritis and pleocytosis with a mononuclear predominance in meningitis.

[The usefulness of the double-light telescopic catheter in the diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia in patients under mechanical ventilation]. / Utilidad del catéter telescópico de doble luz en el diagnóstico de la neumonía bacteriana en pacientes bajo ventilación mecánica.

Fifty-eight patients who presented clinical criteria of pneumonia (fever, leukocytosis, purulent tracheo-bronchial secretions, and lung infiltrate of recent appearance in X-ray) were prospectively studied in order to determine the cost effectiveness [correction of rentability] of quantitative culture of bronchial secretions by means of a telescopic catheter (TC) in the diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia in patients under mechanical ventilation. In 25 patients (43%) a positive culture was obtained above 10(3) UFC/ml, confirming the pneumonia diagnosis in 17 cases and detecting a false positive result in one patient. In no case with a count less than 10(3) UFC/ml pneumonia diagnosis could be confirmed, being this diagnosis excluded in 24 of 33 patients with a count lower than 10(3) UFC/ml. These results suggest that the presence of fever, purulent tracheobronchial secretions and lung infiltrate in an intubated patient under mechanical ventilation does not indicate the presence of pneumonia in a high percentage of cases and that CT scan can identify those patients who require antimicrobial treatment, and this avoiding its use in patients who do not need it, with the resulting decrease in morbidity and high cost.