Pre-gestational overweight in guinea pig sows induces fetal vascular dysfunction and increased rate of large and small fetuses.

In humans, obesity before and during pregnancy is associated with both fetal macrosomia and growth restriction, and long-term cardiovascular risk in the offspring. We aimed to determine whether overweighted pregnant guinea pig sows results in an increased fetal weight at term and the effects on the vascular reactivity in fetal systemic and umbilical arteries. Pregnant guinea pigs were classified as control (n=4) or high weight (HWS, n=5) according to their pre-mating weight, and their fetuses extracted at 0.9 gestation (~60 days). Segments of fetal femoral and umbilical arteries were mounted in a wire myograph, where the contractile response to KCl (5-125 mM), and the relaxation to nitric oxide synthase-dependent agents (insulin, 10-10-10-7 and acetylcholine, 10-10-10-5) and nitric oxide [sodium nitroprusside (SNP), 10-10-10-5] were determined. Fetuses from HWS (HWSF) were grouped according to their body weight as low (85 g) fetal weight, based on the confidence interval (76.5-84.9 g) of the control group. No HWSF were observed in the normal range. Umbilical arteries from HWSF showed a lower response to KCl and insulin compared with controls, but a comparable response with SNP. Conversely, femoral arteries from HWSF showed an increased response to KCl and acetylcholine, along with a decreased sensitivity to SNP. These data show that overweight sows have altered fetal growth along gestation. Further, large and small fetuses from obese guinea pig sows showed altered vascular reactivity at umbilical and systemic vessels, which potentially associates with long-term cardiovascular risk.

[Invasive infection by Aspergillus terreus treated successfully with liposomal amphotericin B]. / Infección invasiva por Aspergillus terreus tratada con éxito con anfotericina B liposomal.

A woman of 75 years old was admitted at our hospital for evaluation of worsening and weakness in inferior limbs. Several vertebral fractures by crushing, one doubtful discitis, an infiltrate with cavitation in the right superior lobe and one infiltrate in the left superior lobe were detected. In the biopsy of the consolidation a filamentous fungus was watched and in the bronchial washing specimen culture grew Aspergillus terreus. The infiltrates disappeared with liposomal Amphotericin B remaining with oral Itraconazol during three months more. The clinical and analytical data demonstrate the existence of a Overlap syndrome associate to antiphospholipid-antibody syndrome. We comment the peculiarity of the infection by Aspergillus terreus in patients who have not been in critical care and the good response at treatment with liposomal Amphotericin B. It contrasts with the high mortality referred in a recent review. Other aspects to comment are the coexistence with a collagen vascular and an antiphospholipid-antibody syndrome with the higher titles of IgM ACA that we have found in literature.

Infección invasiva por Aspergillus terreus tratada con éxito con anfotericina B liposomal / Invasive infection due to aspergillus terreus treated successfully with liposomal anphotericin b

Una mujer de 75 años ingresó en nuestro hospital para evaluación de debilidad en miembros inferiores y deterioro. Se detectaron múltiples fracturas vertebrales por aplastamiento, con dudosa discitis, una lesión cavitada en lóbulo superior derecho y otro infiltrado en lóbulo superior izquierdo, observándose en la PAAF de la lesión cavitada un hongo filamentoso y siendo el cultivo del broncoaspirado positivo para Aspergillus terreus. Con tratamiento prolongado con anfotericina B liposomal desapareció la lesión, permaneciendo posteriormente con itraconazol oral 3 meses. Los datos clínicos y analíticos demuestran la existencia de una colagenosis tipo síndrome Overlap, con criterios de síndrome antifosfolípido secundario. Se comenta la rareza de la infección por Aspergillus terreus en pacientes que no han ingresado en Medicina Intensiva y la buena respuesta al tratamiento con anfotericina B liposomal, que contrasta con la elevada mortalidad referida en una revisión reciente. Otros aspectos a comentar son la coexistencia con una colagenosis y un síndrome antifosfolípido secundario con los títulos más elevados de ACA IgM que hemos encontrado en la literatura (AU)

Relevance of training in transbronchial fine-needle aspiration technique.

Transbronchial fine-needle aspiration (TBFNA) is a valuable and low-risk procedure that provides access to mediastinal nodes. To learn if increased experience improved TBFNA performance, we compared overtime TBFNA diagnostic yields between a skilled bronchoscopist and another without experience on TBFNA technique. We found higher TBFNA yields in the experienced bronchoscopist (p < 0.001); however, after some experience, the TBFNA reliability improved (p < 0.02) and the use of the procedure increased (p < 0.0001). Thus, to achieve acceptable TBFNA results, a training period is required that we estimate in about 50 procedures.

[The efficacy of bronchoalveolar lavage in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis]. / Rentabilidad del lavado broncoalveolar en el diagnóstico de la tuberculosis pulmonar.

In order to analyze the usefulness of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for conventional microbiological diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) and other mycobacteria, and to assess the need to use it or not as a routine diagnostic technique in these diseases, we studied 30 patients with mycobacteria (26 TB and 4 Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare infections) by bronchoscopy, with BAL and bronchoaspirate (BAS) bacteriological analyses also available. The results were compared with those obtained for sputum taken before and after bronchoscopy when these specimens were available. The overall yield for BAL and BAS cultures was 90%, with BAL (83.3%) specimens being more productive than BAS (73.3%) specimens. Both performed far better than the 53.8% recorded for cultures of pre-bronchoscopy sputum and 60% for post-bronchoscopy sputum. BAL was the only diagnostic specimen from 7 patients, while BAS the only one from 4. Sensitivity was similar for the two mycobacteria studied. The results for direct bacilloscopy, however, at 30% for the two specimens, rose to 36.6% when they were analyzed together with BAS and BAL. We conclude that bronchoscopy should be performed on all patients suspected of mycobacterial infection when sputum bacilloscopy is negative and patients have no expectoration. Performance of BAL should be routine since this simple and usually uncomplicated technique produces the most productive specimens.