Resultados de profilaxis con itraconazol 800 mg/día vía oral en adultos con leucemia aguda y neutropenia de alto riesgo: Hospital del Salvador 2006-2008 / Itraconazole 800 mg for the prophylaxis of fungal infections in patients with acute leukemia and severe neutropenia

Background: Systemic fungal infections and specifically invasive aspergillosis (IA) are associated with a high morbi-mortality rate in patients with hematologic malignancies. Itraconazole kinetic studies show that plasma levels are not satisfactory, even though there is a reduction of the severity in clinical cases. Aim: To evaluate the results of oral prophylaxis with high dose itraconazole, 400 mg bid, among patients with adult acute leukemia. Material and Methods: Prospective analysis of 93 high risk febrile episodes (with an absolute neutrophil count of less than 500 x mm3 for more 10 days), that occurred in 76 patients. Results: Seventy five percent of episodes occurred in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and 25 percent in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Fifty two percent occurred during the induction of chemotherapy. Median duration of severe neutropenia was 21 days (range 10-48). Median duration of itraconazole prophylaxis was 17 days (range 6-34). A low frequency of invasive fungal infections was observed (17 percent). According to diagnostic criteria, 5 percent of episodes corresponded to persistent fever , 1 percent and 11 percent of episodes, to probable or possible IA, respectively. No confirmed or proven IA was observed. Mortality of IA was 18 percent. No serious adverse events due to itraconazole were observed. Conclusions: The use of high dose itraconazole prophylaxis in adult patients with acute leukemia and severe neutropenia was associated to low incidence and mortality of invasive mycoses.

[Itraconazole 800 mg for the prophylaxis of fungal infections in patients with acute leukemia and severe neutropenia]. / Resultados de profilaxis con itraconazol 800 mg/día vía oral en adultos con leucemia aguda y neutropenia de alto riesgo: Hospital del Salvador 2006-2008.

BACKGROUND: Systemic fungal infections and specifically invasive aspergillosis (IA) are associated with a high morbi-mortality rate in patients with hematologic malignancies. Itraconazole kinetic studies show that plasma levels are not satisfactory, even though there is a reduction of the severity in clinical cases. AIM: To evaluate the results of oral prophylaxis with high dose itraconazole, 400 mg bid, among patients with adult acute leukemia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective analysis of 93 high risk febrile episodes (with an absolute neutrophil count of less than 500 x mm3 for more 10 days), that occurred in 76 patients. RESULTS: Seventy five percent of episodes occurred in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and 25% in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Fifty two percent occurred during the induction of chemotherapy. Median duration of severe neutropenia was 21 days (range 10-48). Median duration of itraconazole prophylaxis was 17 days (range 6-34). A low frequency of invasive fungal infections was observed (17%). According to diagnostic criteria, 5% of episodes corresponded to persistent fever , 1% and 11% of episodes, to probable or possible IA, respectively. No confirmed or proven IA was observed. Mortality of IA was 18%. No serious adverse events due to itraconazole were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The use of high dose itraconazole prophylaxis in adult patients with acute leukemia and severe neutropenia was associated to low incidence and mortality of invasive mycoses.

Estudio de viabilidad de escólices de quistes hidatídicos hepáticos humanos / Viability study of scolices of human hydatid liver cysts

El adecuado control de la hidatidosis en general, requiere conocer algunos aspectos relacionados con la supervivencia de los agentes infectantes, especialmente de los escólices. El objetivo de este trabajo, es evaluar la viabilidad de los escólices de quistes hidatídicos humanos de localización hepática. Estudiar la asociación entre las características clínicas al momento de la cirugía y el porcentaje de viabilidad de los escólices. Los criterios de viabilidad utilizados fueron: forma ovoide, invaginados, ganchos rostrales y corpúsculos calcáreos intactos, movimientos vibratorios presentes y ausencia de tinción con colorantes vitales. Los criterios para certificar mortalidad de los escólices fueron dos o más de los siguientes hechos: inmovilidad, alteración de los ganchos rostrales y de los corpúsculos calcáreos, rotura de membrana y pérdida de la forma ovoide y fácil tinción con el colorante vital (azul de tripan al 1,5 por ciento). Se estudiaron de esta forma 16 quistes, con un diámetro promedio de 16,2 cm. Siete lesiones (44 por ciento) de tipo univesicular, 5 (31 por ciento) multivesiculares y 4 (25 por ciento) quistes abscedados. En 7 oportunidades (44 por ciento), se evidenció comunicación a la vía biliar; y se constató viabilidad en 9 de los 16 quistes (56 por ciento). Las muestras con mayor porcentaje de escólices viables fueron los quistes multivesiculares, principalmente a expensas de las vesículas hijas. Se constató que los quistes multivesiculares eran viables en el 100 por ciento de los casos, a diferencia de los univesiculares con un 57 pir ciento y los abscedados con 0 por ciento (p= 0,01)

Estudio de asociación entre magnitud de la hipotonía esfinteriana y transtorno motor del cuerpo esofágico / Association between lower esophageal sphincter resting pressure and esophageal motor disorders

Background: One of the most important factors involved in the pathophysiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the lower esophageal sphincter rest pressure (LESRP), but these patients can have esophageal motor disorders (EMD). Aim: To assess an association between LESRP and the appearance of EMD in patients with GERD. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 229 patients with GERD and 49 healthy controls. Forty five patients with LESRP < 6 mmHg and a mean age of 49 years were assigned to group 1, 128 patients with a LESRP between 6 and 12 mmHg and mean age of 47 years were assigned to group 2, 56 patients with a a LESRP >12 mmHg and a mean age of 47 years were assigned to group 3 and group 4 was conformed by 49 healthy subjects aged 40 years old. Esophageal manometry was performed using previously published techniques. Results: There was a significant association between LESRP, waves amplitude and the frequency of tertiary waves. Conclusions: Resting lower esophageal sphincter pressure is inversely proportional to the presence of esophageal motor disorders in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease