[Neruda and antimicrobial resistance]. / Neruda y la resistencia a los antibióticos.

Antimicrobial resistance has been a problem in medicine, since their incorporation to clinical practice. Numerous papers have been written on the subject. The analysis of two poems by Pablo Neruda "How much does a man live" and "Larynx", included in the volume "Estravagario" and published for the first time in 1957 and 1958, give us an incredible revelation about the concept of resistance. In these poems aureomycin, the first antimicrobial of the family of tetracyclines, was included as a poetic figure and the therapeutic action of antimicrobials was described. "Never so much bugs died I tons of them fell I but the few that remained olive I manifested their perversity". These writings incorporated novel concepts, even for physicians of that time and described the closeness of death that a patient may perceive during the course of a given disease. The capacity of Pablo Neruda to extract the essence of situations and to anticipate to conditions that only years later became clinically relevant problems, is noteworthy.

Neruda y la resistencia a los antibióticos / Neruda and antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance has been a problem in medicine, since their incorporation to clinical practice. Numerous papers have been written on the subject. The analysis of two poems by Pablo Neruda "How much does a man live" and "Larynx", included in the volume "Estravagario" and published for the first time in 1957 and 1958, give us an incredible revelation about the concept of resistance. In these poems aureomycin, the first antimicrobial of the family of tetracycline’s, was included as a poetic figure and the therapeutic action of antimicrobials was described. "Never so much bugs died I tons of them fell I but the few that remained olive I manifested their perversity". These writings incorporated novel concepts, even for physicians of that time and described the closeness of death that a patient may perceive during the course of a given disease. The capacity of Pablo Neruda to extract the essence of situations and to anticipate to conditions that only years later became clinically relevant problems, is noteworthy.

[Assessment and follow up of diabetic patients in hemodialysis]. / Diabetes y hemodiálisis. Caracterización de una cohorte y seguimiento a cuatro años.

BACKGROUND: Despite a better management of the variables that influence the development of diabetic nephropathy there is a progressive increase in the prevalence of terminal renal failure among diabetics, whose cause is not clear. AIM: To study in a group of patients in hemodialysis, the quality of diabetes control previous to the entry to dialysis, their physical condition and their evolution. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Diabetic patients with at least three months of hemodialysis answered a questionnaire about diabetes control quality previous to dialysis and had physical and laboratory assessment. They were followed for at least four years thereafter. RESULTS: Fifty seven patients aged 62+/-11 years were studied. Eighty four percent had some degree of disability. Eighty seven percent had high blood pressure and 73% had to enter dialysis as an emergency. Mean glycosilated hemoglobin was 7.7% and 58% had a dialysis dose with a Kt/Vofless than 1.2. Fifty eight percent died during follow up. No relationship between mortality and age, blood pressure, glycosilated hemoglobin of Kt/V, was observed. CONCLUSIONS: There is an inadequate management of blood glucose and blood pressure of diabetic patients before entry to dialysis. They are referred inverted exclamation markate to the nephrologist, the dialysis dose is insufficient and they have a high mortality.

Diabetes y hemodiálisis. Caracterización de una cohorte y seguimiento a cuatro años / Assessment and follow up of diabetic patients in hemodialysis

Background: Despite a better management of the variables that influence the development of diabetic nephropathy there is a progressive increase in the prevalence of terminal renal failure among diabetics, whose cause is not clear. Aim: To study in a group of patients in hemodialysis, the quality of diabetes control previous to the entry to dialysis, their physical condition and their evolution. Material and methods: Diabetic patients with at least three months of hemodialysis answered a questionnaire about diabetes control quality previous to dialysis and had physical and laboratory assessment. They were followed for at least four years thereafter. Results: Fifty seven patients aged 62±11 years were studied. Eighty four percent had some degree of disability. Eighty seven percent had high blood pressure and 73 percent had to enter dialysis as an emergency. Mean glycosilated hemoglobin was 7.7 percent and 58 percent had a dialysis dose with a Kt/Vofless than 1.2. Fifty eight percent died during follow up. No relationship between mortality and age, blood pressure, glycosilated hemoglobin of Kt/V, was observed. Conclusions: There is an inadequate management of blood glucose and blood pressure of diabetic patients before entry to dialysis. They are referred ¡ate to the nephrologist, the dialysis dose is insufficient and they have a high mortality.

[Albumin dialysis MARS (Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System) as a bridge for liver transplantation in acute liver failure. Report of three cases]. / Diálisis con albúmina MARS (Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System) como puente para el trasplante hepático en insuficiencia hepática fulminante: presentación de 3 casos.

The most successful therapy for acute liver failure is liver transplantation. However, due to the low number of donors, organ support therapies need to be used as a bridge to liver transplantation. Molecular Adsorbents Recirculating System (MARS) is a dialysis treatment that uses a recirculating dialysate containing albumin. This allows the removal of both hydrosoluble and albumin-related substances. This system improves hepatic encephalopathy, renal dysfunction and some clinical parameters in acute liver failure, but there is no clear decrease in mortality. We report three women aged 23, 21 and 61 years, that were subjected to liver transplantation, in whom this therapy was successfully used.

[High incidence and complications of Clostridium difficile diarrhea among patients with renal diseases]. / Alta incidencia de diarrea por Clostridium difficile en pacientes nefrológicos.

BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile is the main agent causing antimicrobial associated nosocomial diarrhea. Chronic renal failure is a risk factor for this type of diarrhea. AIM: To study the incidence and complications of Clostridium difficile diarrhea in a university hospital and among patients with renal diseases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of all cases of Clostridium difficile diarrhea that occurred in a university hospital, between June 2000 and May 2001. RESULTS: In the Nephrology Unit, 48 episodes of Clostridium difficile diarrhea occurred in 35 patients (7 cases per 100 discharges/year). This figure is higher than the global incidence in the hospital (0.53 cases per 100 discharges/year, p < 0.001). The mean age of the 33 patients with renal diseases was 63 years old and 17 of them were female. Their main diagnoses were chronic renal failure in hemodialysis in 48%, uremic syndrome in 36% and renal transplant in 6%. Seventy nine percent had a history of antimicrobial use (42% quinolones and 36% cephalosporins). In 3 patients, the only risk factor was chronic renal failure. Seventy five percent responded to metronidazole and in 27%, diarrhea recidivated, compared with a 6% recurrence rate in other units, p < 0.02). Eight patients died during hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with renal diseases, Clostridium difficile is frequent and associated with a high recurrence rate and mortality. Chronic renal failure may be a risk factor for its development.

[Effects of midodrine on symptomatic hypotension during hemodialysis]. / Efecto de la midodrina en la hipotensión sintomática en hemodiálisis.

BACKGROUND: Hypotension occurs in 20% of hemodialysis procedures. AIM: To study the effects of midodrine on hypotension during hemodialysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ten patients on chronic hemodialysis and with a history of hypotension during the procedure, were studied. They received midodrine 10 mg per os or placebo during 5 dialytic procedures each, in a double blind cross over design. RESULTS: Blood pressure levels prior to dialysis were similar during the midodrine or placebo administration periods. During dialysis, systolic blood pressure fell 19.3 +/- 28 mmHg with midodrine and 23.4 +/- 28 mmHg with placebo. Diastolic blood pressure fell 7.3 +/- 11.5 mmHg with midodrine and 11.1 +/- 12 mmHg with placebo. The reduction in median arterial pressure was also less pronounced with midodrine. CONCLUSIONS: Midodrine lessens the fall in arterial pressure during hemodialysis, in patients with symptomatic hypotension.

[Correction of anemia in hemodialysis, effect of intravenous iron without erythropoietin]. / Corrección de la anemia en hemodiálisis, efecto del fierro intravenoso sin eritropoyetina.

BACKGROUND: In the last two decades, the use of erythropoietin for the correction of anemia in hemodialysis patients has been recommended. In Chile, only 10% of hemodialysis patients use erythropoietin, therefore, the correction of iron deficiency must be optimized. AIM: To report the effects of intravenous iron without erythropoietin in the management of anemia in hemodialysis patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 42 patients that received intravenous ferrous sacharate in doses of 100 mg/week during 5 weeks and 100 mg bimonthly during six months. These patients did not receive erythropoietin. RESULTS: Thirty six patients had iron deficiency. Basal ferritin was 137 +/- 22 micrograms/l and increased to 321 +/- 28 micrograms/l after treatment. Packed red cell volume increased from 24 +/- 2% to 29 +/- 3%. No adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Iron deficiency is frequent in hemodialyzed patients. Intraveineous iron is safe and effective in the treatment of iron deficiency in these patients.