Dermatitis de contacto alérgica secundaria a implantes ortopédicos metálicos. A propósito de un caso clínico / Contact dermatitis secondary to metallic implants

La Dermatitis de Contacto secundaria a metales tiene una alta prevalencia en Chile y el mundo, sin embargo estas reacciones han sido poco estudiadas, pese a que podrían verse hasta en un21 por ciento de personas previamente sensibilizadas. Níquel, Cobalto y Cromo son los metales mayormente implicados. La mayoría corresponde a reacciones eccematosas. Test de parche es el gold standard para el estudio de alergia a metales, no obstante, rara vez se utiliza debido principalmente al bajo índice de sospecha de estas reacciones y a la dificultad para disponer de la aleación exacta del metal utilizado. El tratamiento muchas veces consiste en retirar el implante, puesto que el cuadro se torna inmanejable. Se presenta un caso clínico altamente sospechoso de alergia a implantes metálicos, al que se le realizó el estudio completo de alergia a metales, si bien esta no se demostró. Se realiza una revisión de la literatura existente.

Contact dermatitis secondary to metals has a high prevalence in Chile and around the world. Nevertheless, these reactions have been slightly studied, even though they might be found inpreviously sensitized people, with a percentage of 21 percent. Nickel, cobalt and chromium are the most involved metals. The majority of them correspond to eczematous reactions. Patch test is the gold standard for the study of metal allergies; however, specific tests to the implant material are rarely performed, mainly because of the low index of suspicion for these reactions and the difficulty to have the exact alloy of the metal used. Treatment often consists on removing the implant, since the situation becomes unmanageable. A highly suspicious clinical case of allergy to metallic implants is presented, a complete study of allergy to metals was made, although it couldn’t be demonstrated. A review of the existing literature was conducted.

Tatuajes traumáticos en Chile tratados con láser Q-switched Nd:YAG: reporte de nueve casos / Traumatic tattoos in Chile treated with Q-switched laser Nd: YAG: report of nine cases

Introducción: Los láser Q-switched (QS) son actualmente los equipos más utilizados en el tratamiento de los tatuajes traumáticos. Reportamos los resultados del tratamiento de nueve pacientes con este tipo de tatuajes. Materiales y métodos: Fue utilizado el láser Revlite (Hoya ConBio®) QS Nd:YAG 1064 nm. Los parámetros del equipo fueron ajustados en cada paciente variando entre los siguientes valores; diámetro de punta (spot size) 4-6 mm, energía 3,5-7 J/cm2 y 5-10 hercios (Hz). El tiempo mínimo entre cada sesión fue de ocho semanas. Se realizaron fotografías antes y después de cada sesión para evaluar el aclaramiento de las lesiones. Resultados: obtuvimos un aclaramiento completo(>95 por ciento) en tres pacientes en 1,6 +/- 0,5 sesiones y un excelente resultado (75 por ciento-95 por ciento) en un paciente luego de siete sesiones láser. De los cinco pacientes restantes, tres de ellos han tenido una buena respuesta (50 por ciento-75 por ciento) en 1,6 +/- 0,5 sesiones, sin embargo dos de ellos siguen en tratamiento. Solo dos pacientes obtuvieron un aclaramiento razonable (25 por ciento-50 por ciento), uno de ellos abandonó y el otro sigue en tratamiento. Conclusiones: El láser QS Nd:YAG1064 nm es eficaz para el tratamiento de los tatuajes traumáticos.

Introduction: Q-switched are the most used lasers in the treatment of traumatic tattoos. We report the results of treatment of nine patients with these tattoos. Materials and Methods: We used the Revlite QS Nd:YAG 1064 nm laser(Hoya ConBio®). The device parameters were adjusted for each patient varying between the following values; spot size4-6 mm, energy 3,5-7 J/cm2 and 5-10 Hz. The minimum time in between each session was eight weeks. Photographs were taken before and after each session to assess the clearance of the lesions. Results: We achieved a complete clearance (>95 percent) in three patients at 1.6 +/- 0.5 sessions and excellent results (75 percent-95 percent) in one patient after seven laser sessions. Of the remaining five patients, three of them have had a good response (50 percent-75 percent) in 1.6 +/- 0.5 sessions, however two of them are still under treatment. Only two patients had a reasonable clearance (25 percent-50 percent). Conclusion: QS laser Nd: YAG 1064 nm is effective in the treatment of traumatic tattoos.

Targeting glia cells: novel perspectives for the treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases.

Neuropsychiatric disorders are devastating mental illnesses with a high economic burden. The additional morbidity associated with social issues that arises along with the course of these diseases increases the need for a clear understanding of their etiopathogenesis to allow an implementation of novel pharmacological strategies. Yet a poor knowledge about interactions occurring at the glia-neuron interface in health and disease still hampers innovative discoveries, despite the fact that glia cells have been long described to actively participate in the regulation of brain circuits. The purpose of this review was to collect the scattered literature on the involvement of glia cells in neuropsychiatric disorders and to describe how also these cells besides neurons might be responsive to current pharmacological interventions. We hope thereby to offer alternative approaches for investigations that may open avenues to search for new potential targets for drug discovery.

Lack of interaction of endocannabinoids and 5-HT(3) neurotransmission in associative fear circuits of the amygdala: evidence from electrophysiological and behavioural experiments.

Both the serotonergic and the endocannabinoid system play a major role in mediating fear and anxiety. In the basolateral amygdala (BLA) it has been shown that the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) is highly co-expressed with 5-HT3 receptors on GABAergic interneurons suggesting that 5-HT3 receptor activity modulates CB1-mediated effects on inhibitory synaptic transmission. In the present study, we investigated the possible interactions of CB1 and 5-HT3-mediated neuronal processes in the BLA using electrophysiological and behavioural approaches. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed in coronal brain slices of mice. Electric stimuli were delivered to the lateral amygdala to evoke GABAA receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents (GABAA-eIPSCs) in the BLA. The induction of LTDi, a CB1-mediated depression of inhibitory synaptic transmission, was neither affected by the 5-HT3 antagonists ondansetron (OND; 20 µM) and tropisetron (Trop; 50 nM) nor by the 5-HT3 agonists SR57227A (10 µM). In auditory fear conditioning tests, mice treated with SR57227A (3.0mg/kg i.p.) showed sustained freezing, whereas treatment with Trop (1.0 mg/kg i.p.) decreased the expression of conditioned fear. These effects were overruled by the CB1 antagonist rimonabant (RIM; 3.0 mg/kg), which caused increased freezing with or without co-treatment with Trop. In summary, these experiments do not support a functional interaction between CB1 and 5-HT3 receptors at the level of GABA neurotransmission in the BLA nor in terms of fear regulation.

Acute antidepressant treatment differently modulates ERK/MAPK activation in neurons and astrocytes of the adult mouse prefrontal cortex.

The onset of action of antidepressants (ADs) usually takes several weeks, but first molecular responses to these drugs may appear already after acute administration. The Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinase/Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (ERK/MAPK) signaling pathway is a target of ADs and an important pathway involved in cellular plasticity. In major depressive disorder (MDD), especially the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (Hip) are most likely affected in depressive patients and recent work revealed a hyperactivated ERK signaling in the rat PFC after chronic stress, a precipitating factor for MDD. Strong evidences support that not only neurons but also astrocytes participate in neuronal activity and may therefore additionally be a substrate of AD action. In this study, we show by Western blot that neither fluoxetine (FLX) nor desipramine (DMI) preferentially affects the activation of one of the two ERK isoforms, ERK1 and ERK2, with respect to the other. Further immunohistochemical analysis in the PFC revealed that basal levels of phospho-activated ERK (pERK) are mostly found in neurons in contrast to very few astrocytes. Both ADs can inhibit neuronal pERK as early as 15 min after drug administration with peculiar regional and layer specificities. Contrarily, at this time point none of the two ADs shows a clear modulation of astrocytic pERK. We propose that this mechanism of action of ADs may be protective against an exacerbated cortical ERK activity that may exert detrimental effects on susceptible neuronal populations. Our findings on acute effects of AD treatment in the adult mouse PFC encourage to examine further how this treatment might influence pERK in animal models of depression to identify early targets of AD action.

Borrado de tatuajes con láser en Chile: experiencia clínica / Laser tattoo removal in Chile: clinical experience

Durante las últimas decadas se han desarrollado múltiples técnicas para el borrado de tatuajes. Los láseres Q-switched Nd:YAG han demostrado ser los más eficaces y con el menor riesgo de efectos adversos por su habilidad de fragmentar selectivamente el pigmento (fototermólisis selectiva). Objetivo: Evaluar la efectividad del tratamiento para el borrado de tatuajes amateur, profesionales, cosméticos y traumáticos con un equipo láser Q-switched Nd:YAG. Materiales y métodos: Se estudiaron cien pacientes con 140 tatuajes entre marzo de 2008 y enero del 2011. Los pacientes fueron tratados mediante un láser Q-switched (QS) Nd:YAG, capaz de producir múltiples longitudes de onda. Los resultados fueron comparados mediante la prueba no paramétrica de Mann Whitney (p <0,05). Resultados: Trece tatuajes (9,2 por ciento) obtuvieron una respuesta completa de aclaramiento y se consideró terminado su tratamiento. Veinticinco tatuajes (17,8 por ciento) lograron una excelente respuesta. Treinta y dos (23 por ciento) tatuajes lograron una respuesta buena. Treinta y dos (22,8 por ciento) tatuajes obtuvieron una respuesta razonable y 38 (27,1 por ciento) obtuvieron una respuesta pobre. Conclusiones: el grupo de pacientes que más se beneficia del tratamiento láser es el amateur negro-azul.

Several techniques for removing tattoos have been developed in recent decades. Q-switched lasers have demonstrated to be most effective with the least risk of adverse effects for its ability to selectively break tattoo pigments into smaller fragments (selective photothermolysis). Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness of treatment for erasing amateur, professional, cosmetic and traumatic tattoos using a Q-switched (QS) Nd: YAG laser. Materials and methods: From March 2008 through January 2011 one hundred patients were studied, altogether they had one hundred and forty tattoos. The patients were treated with a Q-switched Nd: YAG laser device capable of producing multiple wavelengths. The results were compared using the nonparametric Mann Whitney test (p <0.05). Results: 13 tattoos (9.2 percent) had a complete clearance response and the patients were considered to have completed the treatment. Twenty five (17.8 percent) tattoos achieved ann excellent response. Thirty two (23 percent) were considered as good response. Thirty two (23 percent) tattoos accomplished a reasonable response and 38 (27 percent) were considered to achieve a poor response. Conclusions: The patients who benefitted the most from laser treatments are the amateur blue black group.

Quality of life, body image, and psychiatric complications in patients with a burn trauma: preliminary study of the italian version of the burn specific health scale-brief.

Burn patients may suffer both physical and psychopathological consequences and their quality of life and the presence of psychopathological symptoms should be evaluated. The Burn Specific Health Scale - Brief (BHSH-B) is a tried and tested instrument for assessing burn patients' quality of life. The aim of this study is to propose the Italian translation of BSHS-B and presents the preliminary results of an exploratory study. The Italian version of the BSHS-B was administered to a sample group of 50 burn victims. Reliability was verified by Cronbach's alpha, and construct validity was evaluated through correlation with the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) and the Self-report Symptom Inventory - Revised (SCL-90). The entire scale and two out of three domains showed Cronbach's alpha values higher than 0.8. Significant correlations were identified between BSHS-B subscales and the SF-36 subscales Physical Pain and Social Activities. Several psychopathological SCL-90 subscales correlated with BSHS-B subscales Heat Sensitivity and Body Image. It was concluded that our translation of BSHS-B was reliable and showed good construct validity. The drawbacks of this study are the limited size of the sample and the wide variety of types of burn injuries.

Is BMI greater than 60 kg/m(2) a predictor of higher morbidity after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass?

BACKGROUND: It has been hypothesized that patients who are super-super morbidly obese, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 60 kg/m(2) or higher, have an increased rate of postoperative complications. As surgical techniques and operator experience with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass improved with time, the selection criteria have expanded to include the super-super morbidly obese. We hypothesize that a higher BMI does not predict a higher postoperative complication rate. METHODS: The prospectively collected database for our Accredited Bariatric Program was queried for all laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedures performed between January 2004 and July 2006. All cases were performed by a single surgeon at a tertiary-care center. Average postoperative follow-up time was 1 year. Patients were stratified into two groups: BMI < 60 kg/m(2) and BMI >or= 60 kg/m(2). The number of postoperative complications was compared between the two groups using a chi-square method with Yates correction. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-nine patients with adequate follow-up data were identified during the study period. Of these, 148 patients had BMI < 60 kg/m(2) (group 1) and 21 had BMI >or= 60 kg/m(2) (group 2). There were 28 (19%) total complications in group 1, and 4 (19%) total complications in group 2. There was no statistical difference between the two groups (p = 0.98). Stricture rate was 10% in group 1 and 5% in group 2. CONCLUSION: Patients with BMI >or= 60 kg/m(2) do not have a higher postoperative morbidity compared with other patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The stricture rate is less in patients with BMI >or= 60 kg/m(2) compared with other patients. Longer follow-up is required to detect complications that occur after 1 year. Our study shows that laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass can be safely performed on the super-supermorbidly obese.

Esporotricosis cutánea: revisión a propósito de un caso contraído en Chile / Cutaneous sporotrichosis: a Chilean case report

La esporotricosis es una infección subaguda a crónica causada por el hongo dimórf¡co Sporothrix schenckii, distribuido por todo el mundo, particularmente en climas templados y tropicales. La enfermedad afecta principalmente la piel y los vasos linfáticos, produciendo distintas formas clínicas, siendo la más frecuente la linfocutánea; sin embargo, puede ocurrir una diseminación a estructuras osteoarticulares y viscerales, especialmente en pacientes inmunosuprimidos. La infección linfocutánea generalmente se origina como consecuencia de traumas durante el trabajo al aire libre y la posterior inoculación del hongo a través de elementos contaminados, como el suelo, heno, espinas, madera y alambre de púas. La mayoría de los pacientes van a requerir tratamiento antimicótico, siendo el itraconazol el fármaco de elección. Además se utiliza ampliamente el yoduro de potasio en países subdesarrollados debido a su efectividad y bajo costo. Se presenta el caso de un paciente trabajador agrícola con esporotricosis cutánea, contraída en Chile, confirmada, que recibió tratamiento con itraconazol, evolucionando favorablemente.

Sporotrichosis is a sub acute to serious infection caused by a dimorphic fungus called Sporothrix schenckii, and disributed throughout the world, particularly in temperate and tropical climates. The disease affects mainly skin and lymph vessels, producing several clinical forms, most frequently lymphocutaneous. However, dissemination to musculoskeletal and visceral structures in immune suppressed patients may occur. Lymphocutaneous infection usually originates as a result of trauma during outdoor work and the subsequent inoculation of the fungus through contaminated objects such as soil, hay, thorns, wood and barbed wire. Most patients will require antifungal treatment; being itraconazole the drug of choice, Potassium iodine is widely used in developing countries due to its effectiveness and low cost we present the case of a farm worker with a confirmed cutaneous sporotrichosis infection contracted in Chile; the patient received itraconazole, with a favorable outcome.

Reduced serum level of THDOC, an anticonvulsant steroid, in women with perimenstrual catamenial epilepsy.

PURPOSE: Seizure exacerbation in catamenial epilepsy (CE) is associated with the decrease in progesterone secretion and increase in estradiol secretion during the premenstrual period. Moreover, experimental evidence suggests that tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC), a positive modulator of the type A receptor for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), a negative modulator of this receptor, might play a crucial role in modulating seizure frequency during the menstrual cycle. Following these studies it seems of interest to investigate possible variations, among other hormonal parameters, of THDOC and DHEAS in CE patients. METHODS: The serum concentrations of progesterone (P4), pregnenolone, allopregnanolone (AP), THDOC, DHEAS, cortisol, and DHEAS/cortisol ratio were measured throughout the menstrual cycle at the 7th, 11th, 15th, 19th, 23rd, and 27th day from the onset of spontaneous menstrual blood loss in young premenopausal women with CE (n = 17) and age-matched controls (n = 13). RESULTS: At each time of the study, the serum concentration of THDOC and the DHEAS/cortisol ratio were lower (p < 0.05) in women with CE than in control women. The concentrations of P4, pregnenolone, and AP did not differ between the two groups of subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The reduced serum concentration of THDOC and the reduced DHEAS/cortisol ratio detected throughout the menstrual cycle in women with CE might play a role in CE. Moreover, the peculiar pattern of CE seizure exacerbation might suggest that these neuroendocrine variations are worth investigating in other epileptic syndromes, particularly in those characterized by relevant and uncontrolled variations in seizure frequency.

Terapia con baños de PUVA en eccema crónico / Therapy with PUVA baths in chronic eczemas

La terapia con PUVA tópica se ha usado desde la década de los 70 (1) en los países escandinavos y estados unidos, como una alternativa para disminuir los efectos adversos sistémicos de la terapia con PUVA oral, manteniendo la eficacia clínica. Los baños de PUVA son una excelente forma de PUVA tópica que permite una distribución homogénea del psoraleno, prácticamente sin exposición sistémica (2). Se ha usado en dermatosis tan variadas como la psoriasis, el liquen plano, el granuloma anular (3), el eccema crónico (4), el eccema atópico (5), la micosis fungoide, etc. Presentamos dos pacientes con eccema crónico refractario a tratamientos habituales que respondieron satisfactoriamente a los baños de PUVA

Early small bowel obstruction complicating hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy: an uncommon etiology.

Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy is gaining widespread acceptance as a minimally invasive technique for kidney donation. Although it has been associated with decreased patient morbidity and more rapid recovery, it exposes patients to possible complications inherent in its transperitoneal route. We report a case of a small bowel obstruction secondary to midjejunal intussusception occurring on the third postoperative day after a hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. The intussusception proved to be idiopathic since no lead point was identified. The patient recovered without significant sequela after reduction of the intussusceptum. Postoperative ideopathic intussusception is an uncommon cause of bowel obstruction in adults. Surgeons that perform laparoscopic donor nephrectomy will need to remain vigilant for complications that can be associated with the intraperitoneal route of this technique.

Use of cryopreserved cadaveric vein allograft for hemodialysis access precludes kidney transplantation because of allosensitization.

BACKGROUND: Dimethyl sulfoxide-cryopreserved cadaveric vein allografts have recently been proposed as an alternative to prosthetic grafts in the problem hemodialysis population. The transfer of mismatched major histocompatibility complex I and II molecules in association with these allografts can potentially lead to allosensitization in nonimmunosuppressed individuals. METHODS: In a university-affiliated medical center, 20 consecutive patients receiving technically successful upper arm cadaveric vein allograft fistulas (CAVFs) for hemodialysis between April 1999 and April 2000 were studied. A control cohort of 20 patients on a kidney transplantation waiting list was selected by nurses blinded to the study. These patients were matched for age, sex, history of transfusion, pregnancy, cause of kidney failure, and prior transplantation. The panel reactive antibody (PRA) values were recorded in this group over the same time period as the CAVF group. RESULTS: Patients receiving CAVFs had a mean PRA assay value of 84.1% (median, 96.5%) at an average of 3.1 months after engraftment (median, 1.5 months). The preengraftment PRA values were available for seven patients who were on the transplant waiting list. Six of these patients had nonreactive PRA assays before CAVF creation. All of these patients converted to positive PRA assays after CAVF creation with a mean value of 92.3% (median, 98%) at 2.85 months follow-up (median, 1.3 months). The mean PRA value for the control cohort was 5.5% (median, 2.5%), with no patients converting from a nonreactive to a reactive PRA assay during this same time interval. CONCLUSION: The use of dimethyl sulfoxide-cryopreserved cadaveric vein allografts for hemodialysis access leads to broad allosensitization as measured by PRA assay. Cryopreserved cadaveric vein allografts should not be used for hemodialysis access in potential kidney transplant recipients.

Adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency and renal allograft dysfunction.

Adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) deficiency is a rarely diagnosed cause of renal allograft dysfunction. We report the case of a 42-year-old man who presented in 1996 with idiopathic renal failure. Native kidney biopsy showed extensive microcrystalline interstitial nephritis. The patient subsequently underwent a living-related kidney transplant with excellent early graft function. During the next year, however, he had worsening allograft function, and allograft biopsy showed recurrent interstitial nephritis. Further chemical and spectroscopic analysis showed this lesion to be an annular microcrystalline nephritis consistent with APRT deficiency. This diagnosis was confirmed on erythrocyte assay. Treatment with allopurinol and a low-purine diet led to improvement and stabilization of renal function. APRT is a rare cause of renal allograft dysfunction requiring a high index of suspicion for early diagnosis and treatment. Increased physician awareness in the United States may hasten diagnosis and limit the morbidity associated with this disease.

Completely reversed acute rejection is not a significant risk factor for the development of chronic rejection in renal allograft recipients.

Although acute rejection (AR) has been shown to correlate with decreased long-term renal allograft survival, we have noted AR in recipients who subsequently had stable function for more than 5 years. We reviewed 109 renal graft recipients with a minimum of 1 year graft survival and follow-up of 5-8 years. Post-transplant sodium iothalamate clearances (IoCI) measured at 3 months and yearly thereafter were used to separate recipients into 2 groups. In 61 patients (stable group), there was no significant decrease ( > 20 % reduction in IoCl over 2 consecutive years) in IoCl. Forty-eight patients had significant declines in IoCl (decline group). Groups were compared for incidence, severity, timing, and completeness of reversal of AR. Rejection was considered completely reversed if the post-AR serum creatinine (Scr) returned to or below the pre-AR nadir Scr after anti-rejection therapy. The incidence of AR was not significantly different between groups (47% vs 52%). A trend toward a lower mean number of AR episodes per patient was noted in the stable group (0.69 vs 1.04, P = 0.096), but the timing of AR was not different. Steroid-resistant AR occurred in approximately 25 % of both groups. A striking difference was seen in complete reversal of AR, with the stable group having 100% (42/42 episodes of AR in 29 patients) complete reversal whereas only 32 % (8/25) of the patients in the decline group had complete reversal (P < < 0.001). Of 8 declining patients with complete reversal, graft loss was due to chronic rejection (CR) in only 3. Seventeen declining patients had incomplete reversal of AR, and 82 % (14/17) lost their grafts to CR. Overall, only 8% (3/37) of the recipients with complete reversal of AR developed CR. No patients with incompletely reversed AR had stable long-term function as measured by IoCl. AR is not invariably deleterious to long-term renal graft function if each episode of AR can be completely reversed.

Evaluación de la actividad de la adenosin deaminasa en suero de pacientes con eritema indurado de Bazin / Adenosin deaminase activity in sera of patients with erithema induratum of Bazin

La Adenosín Deaminasa (ADA) es una enzima del catabolismo de las purinas. Puede encontrarse actividad ADA en toda célula, pero alcanza niveles especialmente altos en monocitos y linfocitos T, que son importantes en la inmunidad celular. Nuestro objetivo fue medir la actividad sérica de ADA y la respuesta de hipersensibilidad a tuberculina (PPD) en pacientes con eritema indurado de Bazin (EIB). Se seleccionaron en forma prospectiva 15 pacientes con EIB a las que se les midió actividad ADA (según método de Giusti modificado) y reacción de hipersensibilidad cutánea con 2U de tuberculina (PPD) durante la fase activa de la enfermedad. Las mediciones también se realizaron en 18 mujeres control. El promedio de actividad ADA sérica en la serie en estudio fue de 29,5 U/L y en la serie control fue de 15,6 U/L. El promedio de PPD en la serie en estudio fue de 20,7 mm y en la serie control fue de 7,2 mm. Concluimos que las pacientes con EIB tuvieron niveles de ADA séricos significativamente mayores que las del grupo control, (p<0,0002). También tuvieron valores de PPD significativamente más altos que el control (p<0,00001). No se observó una asociación estadísticamente significativa entre un mayor nivel de ADA y una mayor respuesta cutánea a la tuberculina

Anticuerpos antineutrófilos en vasculitis y mesenquimopatías / Antineutrophil antibodies in vasculitis and mesenchymopathies

Los ANCA son anticuerpos dirigidos contra proteínas de los gránulos citoplasmáticos de los neutrófilos. En la actualidad se describe un grupo de vasculitis sistémicas asociadas a los ANCA, tales como granulomatosis de Wegener (GW), poliangeítis microscópica y síndrome de Churg-Strauss. En ellas, los anticuerpos antineutrófilos constituyen un marcador serológico. En el presente trabajo se analizaron las patologías presentes en pacientes ANCA (+), observándose un 61 por ciento de casos con diagnóstico de granulomatosis de Wegener, en los cuales los títulos serológicos disminuyeron con tratamiento. La mesenquimopatía más encontrada correspondió al LES, en la cual los títulos fueron menores a los de los pacientes con GW. Estos resultados demuestran que los anticuerpos antineutrófilos son un elemento importante en el diagnóstico de algunas vasculitis sistémicas y que además tendrían un rol como marcador de actividad en ellas

Long-term follow-up of open commissurotomy versus bileaflet valve replacement for rheumatic mitral stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the achievements of third generation mechanical cardiac valve prostheses, conservative procedures are still considered the best surgical option for rheumatic mitral valve stenosis. To compare long-term results of open mitral commissurotomy (Group A) and mitral valve replacement with bileaflet prostheses (Group B) a 15-year follow-up study was carried out. METHODS: From January 1981 to May 1996, 540 consecutive patients with pure isolated rheumatic mitral stenosis underwent mitral valve surgery: 300 had mitral commissurotomy and 240 valve replacement. The follow-up was 99.05% complete and ranged between 1 and 185 months in Group A and from 1 to 171 months in Group B. RESULTS: Hospital mortality was 2% in Group A and 2.08% in Group B. Late mortality was 1% in Group A and 3% in Group B. The 10-year survival rates were 98.7% +/- 1% in Group A and 93.7% +/- 3% in Group B. There was a statistically significant difference of freedom from reoperation in Group B (97.7% +/- 1%) versus Group A (88.1% +/- 2%) (P = 0.04). In group A 14 embolic events occurred (93.7% +/- 2%), and 15 (6.52%) in Group B (83.9% +/- 7%). Haemorrhagic events were observed in 2 patients (0.68%) of Group A (99.3% +/- 0.5%) and in 3 patients (1.3%) of Group B (98.4% +/- 1%). CONCLUSIONS: Long term results of mitral commissurotomy were more satisfactory than those obtained with bileaflet valves. Reoperation rate was higher in mitral commissurotomy.