Postsurgical outcomes in a cohort of patients with hippocampal sclerosis: Initial experience in a referral epilepsy center in Peru / Resultados posquirúrgicos en una cohorte de pacientes con esclerosis hipocampal: experiencia inicial en un centro de referencia de epilepsia en Perú

Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, one of the most common forms of epilepsy, is often linked with drug resistance. Surgical intervention is a reliable and safe treatment option, though research into postsurgical outcomes in our locality remains limited. We performed a retrospective observational study included 91 patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and hippocampal sclerosis who had undergone anterior temporal lobectomy between 2012 and 2020 at a surgical epilepsy center located in Lima, Peru. Postoperative outcomes were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate analysis based on the Engel classification. We found that after 12 months of follow-up, 78.65% of the 91 patients achieved an Engel IA classification, while 9.09% attained Engel IB classification and 11.24% were designated as Engel II, with only 1.12% classified as Engel IVA. The median QOLIE31 score was 84 (IQR: 75­90), with 74.16% of the participants successfully reintegrating into academic or employment activities. After 24 months, only 68 patients completed the follow-up, with 69.12% achieving an Engel IA classification. Individuals with a secondary education or higher were more likely to achieve an Engel IA classification at 12 months (OR: 5.11; P = 0.005; CI: 1.63­16.01), after adjusting for sex and age. We concluded that most patients exhibited favorable outcomes after 1 year of follow-up. However, lower educational attainment was linked to worse postsurgical outcomes.

Characterization of the phone-calls made to a poison center related to household and cosmetics products exposition in pediatrics. / Caracterización de las consultas realizadas a un Centro de Información Toxicológica por productos de aseo y productos cosméticos en niños.

INTRODUCTION: Household cleaning products and cosmetics are necessary for daily life and widely used by the population. However, their use may not be risk-free, especially when they are not used or stored as recommended. It is important to characterize exposures, as this is useful for developing stra tegies to reduce morbidity, mortality, and health costs associated, especially in the child population. OBJECTIVE: To describe reports associated with household cleaning products and cosmetics exposure in patients under the age of 12, reported to the Poison Information Center of the Catholic University of Chile (CITUC). PATIENTS AND METHOD: Descriptive cross-sectional study of phone calls to CITUC during 2016. The analyzed variables were age, sex, product, caller, caller and incident location, ex posure circumstances, exposure route(s), symptoms, and severity from manual records and from the WHO's electronic record software 'INTOX Data Management System'. RESULTS: 3,415 cases met the inclusion criteria. Children under the age of five represented 91% of the exposures, and 58.5% were male. 99.4% were accidental exposures, and 98.6% occurred at home. Family members (57%) and health personnel (42%) made the calls. 68.3% of the patients had no symptoms after exposure. The four products with the highest incidence were household bleach (27.6%), floor cleaners and polishers (13.1%), dish soap (7.9%), and perfume/cologne (5.8%). The main exposure route was by ingestion (89.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Household cleaning products and cosmetics are common causes of exposures especially in children under the age of five. Although these products have a low morbidity and mortality rate, it is important to educate the population to prevent possible poisonings in the child population.

Caracterización de las consultas realizadas a un Centro de Información Toxicológica por productos de aseo y productos cosméticos en niños / Characterization of the phone-calls made to a poison center related to household and cosmetics products exposition in pediatrics

INTRODUCCIÓN: Los productos de aseo y cosméticos son necesarios en el diario vivir y ampliamente utilizados por la población. Sin embargo, su uso puede no estar exento de riesgos, especialmente cuando no se utilizan o almacenan según lo recomendado. Es importante caracterizar las exposiciones, ya que eso es útil para implementar estrategias para reducir la morbilidad, mortalidad y costos asociados, especialmente en la población infantil. OBJETIVO: Caracterizar los reportes asociados a exposiciones a productos de aseo y productos cosméticos en pacientes menores de 12 años reportados al Centro de Información Toxicológica de la Universidad Católica de Chile (CITUC). PACIENTES Y MÉTODO: Estudio descriptivo transversal de llamados telefónicos reportados a CITUC durante el año 2016. Se analizaron las variables: edad, sexo, agente, interlocutor, localización del interlocutor e inciden te, circunstancia de exposición, vía(s) de exposición, sintomatología, y severidad, mediante fichas de registro manual y desde el software de registro electrónico denominado "INTOX Data Manage ment System" de la OMS. RESULTADOS: Cumplieron criterios de inclusión 3.415 casos. Los menores de 5 años representaron el 91% de las exposiciones y el 58,5% correspondió al sexo masculino. Un 99,4% correspondió a exposiciones accidentales y el 98,6% ocurrieron en el hogar. El 68,3% no presentó síntomas, tras la exposición. Las llamadas fueron realizadas por familiares (57%) y personal de salud (42%). Los 4 agentes con mayor incidencia fueron cloro doméstico (27,6%), limpiadores y lustres de pisos (13,1%), lavalozas (7,9%) y perfumes/colonias (5,8%). La principal vía de exposición fue digestiva (89,4%). CONCLUSIONES: Los productos de aseo y cosméticos son causas comunes de exposiciones especialmente en menores de 5 años. Si bien son productos de baja mortalidad y morbilidad, es importante educar a la población para prevenir posibles intoxicaciones en la población infantil.

INTRODUCTION: Household cleaning products and cosmetics are necessary for daily life and widely used by the population. However, their use may not be risk-free, especially when they are not used or stored as recommended. It is important to characterize exposures, as this is useful for developing stra tegies to reduce morbidity, mortality, and health costs associated, especially in the child population. OBJECTIVE: To describe reports associated with household cleaning products and cosmetics exposure in patients under the age of 12, reported to the Poison Information Center of the Catholic University of Chile (CITUC). PATIENTS AND METHOD: Descriptive cross-sectional study of phone calls to CITUC during 2016. The analyzed variables were age, sex, product, caller, caller and incident location, ex posure circumstances, exposure route(s), symptoms, and severity from manual records and from the WHO's electronic record software 'INTOX Data Management System'. RESULTS: 3,415 cases met the inclusion criteria. Children under the age of five represented 91% of the exposures, and 58.5% were male. 99.4% were accidental exposures, and 98.6% occurred at home. Family members (57%) and health personnel (42%) made the calls. 68.3% of the patients had no symptoms after exposure. The four products with the highest incidence were household bleach (27.6%), floor cleaners and polishers (13.1%), dish soap (7.9%), and perfume/cologne (5.8%). The main exposure route was by ingestion (89.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Household cleaning products and cosmetics are common causes of exposures especially in children under the age of five. Although these products have a low morbidity and mortality rate, it is important to educate the population to prevent possible poisonings in the child population.

A suicide attempt with an oral calcium channel blocker.

Calcium channel blockers are widely used in all-aged populations. The drugs are generally safe in therapeutic dosage, but severe side effects with elevated intake are increasingly described, mainly in adult patients. We report an adolescent girl who intentionally ingested an overdose of nifedipine.