[Development and psychometric properties of a brief instrument to measure the stigma of aggressiveness in schizophrenia]. / Desarrollo y propiedades psicométricas de un instrumento breve para evaluar el estigma de agresividad en la esquizofrenia.

INTRODUCTION: Schizophrenia has been object of stigmatization throughout history. A critical component of stigma in schizophrenia is the perception that patients are extremely dangerous. The assessment of this concept in general population by the use of reliable and valid instruments will allow the development of programs aimed to reduce it. OBJECTIVE: To develop an assessment instrument of the public conception of aggressiveness in schizophrenia and to determine its reliability and validity in a community sample of Mexico City. METHOD: A total of 258 subjects completed the Public Conception of Aggressiveness Questionnaire (CAQ) which is made up of a brief clinical vignette and specific questions that assess subjective conceptions about aggressiveness and mental disorders in patients with schizophrenia. RESULTS: More than 40.0% of the sample considered that the patient with schizophrenia is aggressive and dangerous. The CAQ had an adequate internal consistency (alpha=0.74). The results of the factorial analysis showed that the two factors that explained 61.0% of the variance. DISCUSSION: The items of CAQ showed two major areas that evaluate: a) perception of presentation of aggressive behaviors and, b) mental illness recognition and social aspects of the stigma of dangerousness. The CAQ is an instrument with adequate psychometric properties that could be useful to evaluate the perception of aggressiveness in schizophrenia among general population.

[Comments on Cogan's syndrome (congenital oculomotor apraxia) based on a case]. / Consideraciones sobre el síndrome de Cogan (apraxia oculomotora congénita) a partir de un caso.

CASE: A 4-month-old girl was seen by a paediatrician for psychomotor delay and defective visual fixation. In order to shift gaze direction, she had to jerk her head in order to drag her eyes in the direction she wanted to look. She also showed non-specific pyramidal impairment. Herpes human virus type 6 (HHV-6) was amplified by PCR. No other findings could explain her troubles with fixation. She was diagnosed with congenital ocular motor apraxia (C.O.M.A.). DISCUSSION: When C.O.M.A. is suspected, other causes of defective fixation and abnormal cephalic movements must be ruled out through the use of physical examination, electrophysiology and neuroimaging: troubles with ocular motility, poor vision or neurological processes. There have been cases associated with neurological misdevelopment, systemic diseases, metabolic deficits and chromosomic abnormalities.

Primary axillary venous aneurysm.

We operated upon an 18-year-old female presenting a spontaneous aneurysm of the axillary vein. Pathologic examination of the aneurysm showed an anomalous muscular layer. To our knowledge, this is the first case of nontraumatic axillary venous aneurysm.

Peroneal arteriovenous fistula as a complication of above-knee femoropopliteal polytetrafluorethylene graft thrombectomy with the Fogarty catheter.

The Fogarty catheter is an invaluable tool in the surgical practice of a vascular surgeon. Arteriovenous fistula is an unusual but potentially dangerous complication of its use. We present the case of a man who suffered a peroneal arteriovenous fistula as a result of an above-knee femoropopliteal polytetrafluorethylene graft thrombectomy. As the fistula compromised the viability of the extremity, surgical correction was warranted. It was performed without further complications to the patient. The few cases reported in the literature are reviewed. We conclude that this complication should be repaired as soon as it is detected.

[Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and emergency surgery. Apropos of 12 cases]. / Linfoma no-Hodgkin y cirugía de urgencia. A propósito de 12 casos.

From 1972 to 1986, a total of 46 children with the histological diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated in our hospital. Twelve had emergency surgery. Nine of them presented with an acute abdominal condition and three bowel perforation during treatment for childhood Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Survival rate was 58%.