Historia de una eosinofilia fluctuante / History of a fluctuating eosinophilia

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Infection by Strongyloides stercoralis in immigrants with Chagas disease: evaluation of eosinophilia as screening method in primary care.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate co-infection of Strongyloides stercoralis and Trypanosoma cruzi and to assess eosinophilia as a screening test for the detection of S. stercoralis infection in patients with Chagas disease (CD). METHODS: A retrospective diagnostic validation study was performed on serum samples from primary care patients diagnosed with CD in the southern Barcelona metropolitan area. All samples with eosinophilia (n = 87) and a random sample of non-eosinophilic sera (n = 180) were selected. Diagnosis of CD was based on positive serology by means of two tests: ORTHO® T. cruzi ELISA test, and BIO-FLASH® Chagas or Bioelisa CHAGAS. SCIMEDX ELISA STRONGY-96 was used to diagnose strongyloidiasis. RESULTS: Strongyloides stercoralis serology was positive in 15% of patients of whom 95% showed eosinophilia, vs. 21% of those with negative serology (P < 0.001), with differences in the mean eosinophil count (0.49 vs. 0.27 × 109 /l). Only 1.1% of patients with CD but without eosinophilia presented positive serology for S. stercoralis, whereas 44% of patients with CD and eosinophilia did (P < 0.001). Sensitivity and specificity values for eosinophilia were thus 95% and 79%, respectively. PPV was 42.5% and NPV, 98.9%. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of co-infection by T. cruzi and S. stercoralis is not negligible and has probably been underestimated for years in many areas, due to frequently subclinical infections. Therefore, serology seems mandatory for these patients and the use of eosinophilia as initial screening could facilitate the task, decreasing the number of analyses to be performed.

OBJECTIFS: Evaluer la coinfection par Strongyloides stercoralis et Trypanosoma cruzi et évaluer éosinophilie comme un test de dépistage pour la détection de l'infection à S. stercoralis chez les patients atteints de la maladie de Chagas (MC). MÉTHODES: Une étude de validation diagnostique rétrospective a été réalisée sur des échantillons de sérum de patients de soins primaires diagnostiqués avec la MC dans la région métropolitaine du sud de Barcelone. Tous les échantillons avec éosinophilie (n = 87) et un échantillon aléatoire de sérums non éosinophiliques (n = 180) ont été sélectionnés. Le diagnostic de la MC était basé sur une sérologie positive au moyen de deux tests: le test ELISA ORTHO® T. cruzi et le test BIO-FLASH® Chagas ou Bioelisa CHAGAS. SCIMEDX ELISA STRONGY-96 a été utilisé pour diagnostiquer la strongyloïdose. RÉSULTATS: La sérologie de S. stercoralis était positive chez 15% des patients dont 95% présentaient une éosinophilie, contre 21% de ceux avec une sérologie négative (P <0,001), avec des différences dans le taux moyen d'éosinophiles (0,49 contre 0,27 × 109 /L). Seuls 1,1% des patients avec la MC mais sans éosinophilie présentaient une sérologie positive pour S. stercoralis ; contrairement à 44% des patients atteints de la MC avec une éosinophilie (p <0,001). Les valeurs de sensibilité et de spécificité pour l'éosinophilie étaient ainsi respectivement de 95% et 79%. La VPP était de 42,5% et la VPN, 98,9%. CONCLUSIONS: La prévalence de la coinfection par T. cruzi et S. stercoralis n'est pas négligeable et a probablement été sous-estimée depuis des années dans de nombreuses régions, en raison d'infections fréquemment infracliniques. Par conséquent, la sérologie semble obligatoire pour ces patients et l'utilisation de l'éosinophilie comme dépistage initial pourrait faciliter la tâche, diminuant le nombre d'analyses à effectuer.

Cacogeusia e ingesta de piñones / Cacogeusia and ingestion of pine nuts

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[Depression in the elderly: prevalence and associated factors]. / Depresión en ancianos: prevalencia y factores asociados.

AIM: To determine the prevalence of depression, and to study the factors associated with it among community-dwelling 85-year-olds. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted within the framework of a randomized clinical trial in elderly people, all born in 1924, from seven urban and rural primary health care centers. Sociodemographic data and geriatric assessment were performed. Functional status was measured with Barthel index and Lawton index, cognitive impairment with Mini-mental Status Examination, social risk with Gijon test, and comorbidity by Charlson index. The presence of exhaustion and physical activity were recorded along with the chronic prescription of psycothropic drugs, and the presence of depression in clinical registers. Depression was evaluated using the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) of 5 items (depression ≥ 2). The statistical program used was the R project: (version 2.12.2) Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna. RESULTS: The sample was consisted of 220 subjects, 129 women (58.6%), 76 (34.5% were depressed using the GDS, 46 (20.9%) subjects had depression in the clinical records, and 60 (35.5%) patients were taking antidepressant drugs, 66 (36,8%) benzodiazepine, and 10 (4%) antipsychotic drugs. Depression was associated with poorer functional status according to basic and instrumental activities of daily living, cognitive impairment, exhaustion, low physical activity, and psychotropic drugs. Finally, the factors significantly associated with depression were low physical activity and increased exhaustion. CONCLUSIONS: The present study found a high prevalence of depression in subjects older than 85 years. Physical activity and having a good self-perception of energy are associated to a lower prevalence of depression.

Depresión en ancianos: prevalencia y factores asociados / Depression in the elderly: Prevalence and associated factors

Objetivos. Describir la prevalencia de depresión y los factores asociados en octogenarios de la comunidad. Material y métodos. Estudio transversal, realizado en el marco de un ensayo clínico aleatorizado, en personas no institucionalizadas nacidas en el año 1924, realizado en 7 centros de atención primaria tanto urbanos como rurales. Se ha registrado datos sociodemográficos, funcionalidad con los índices de Barthel y de Lawton, estado cognoscitivo con el Mini-Examen Cognoscitivo, comorbilidad con el índice de Charlson, riesgo social con el test de Gijón, presencia de agotamiento, actividad física, prescripción crónica de fármacos psicotropos y presencia del diagnóstico de depresión en la historia clínica. Respecto a la depresión se ha medido según la Escala de Depresión Geriátrica (GDS) de Yesavage de 5 ítems (depresión >= 2). El paquete estadístico utilizado fue el R: A language and environment for statistical computing program (version 2.12.2) Foundation for Statistical Computing (Viena, Austria). Resultados. Se han evaluado 220 personas, 129 (58,6%) mujeres. El diagnóstico de depresión según la GDS es positivo en 76 (34,5%) pacientes, mientras que en la historia clínica (HC) está presente en 46 (20,9%) pacientes. Existe prescripción de fármacos antidepresivos en 60 (35,5%) pacientes, benzodiacepinas en 66 (36,8%) y antipsicóticos en 10 (4%). La depresión se asocia con deterioro de actividades básicas e instrumentales, deterioro cognitivo, agotamiento, prescripción de psicotropos y menor actividad física. Finalmente, persisten asociados a depresión la menor práctica de ejercicio físico y peor autopercepción de energía. Conclusiones. Existe una elevada frecuencia de depresión en mayores de 85 años. La práctica de ejercicio físico y tener una buena autopercepción de energía se asocian a menor prevalencia de depresión (AU)

Aim: To determine the prevalence of depression, and to study the factors associated with it among community-dwelling 85-year-olds. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted within the framework of a randomized clinical trial in elderly people, all born in 1924, from seven urban and rural primary health care centers. Sociodemographic data and geriatric assessment were performed. Functional status was measured with Barthel index and Lawton index, cognitive impairment with Mini-mental Status Examination, social risk with Gijon test, and comorbidity by Charlson index. The presence of exhaustion and physical activity were recorded along with the chronic prescription of psycothropic drugs, and the presence of depression in clinical registers. Depression was evaluated using the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) of 5 items (depression >= 2). The statistical program used was the R project: (version 2.12.2) Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna. Results: The sample was consisted of 220 subjects, 129 women (58.6%), 76 (34.5% were depressed using the GDS, 46 (20.9%) subjects had depression in the clinical records, and 60 (35.5%) patients were taking antidepressant drugs, 66 (36,8%) benzodiazepine, and 10 (4%) antipsychotic drugs. Depression was associated with poorer functional status according to basic and instrumental activities of daily living, cognitive impairment, exhaustion, low physical activity, and psychotropic drugs. Finally, the factors significantly associated with depression were low physical activity and increased exhaustion. Conclusions: The present study found a high prevalence of depression in subjects older than 85 years. Physical activity and having a good self-perception of energy are associated to a lower prevalence of depression (AU)