Unusual Magnetic Hysteresis and Transition between Vortex and Double Pole States Arising from Interlayer Coupling in Diamond-Shaped Nanostructures.

Controlling the magnetic ground states at the nanoscale is a long-standing basic research problem and an important issue in magnetic storage technologies. Here, we designed a nanostructured material that exhibits very unusual hysteresis loops due to a transition between vortex and double pole states. Arrays of 700 nm diamond-shaped nanodots consisting of Py(30 nm)/Ru(tRu)/Py(30 nm) (Py, permalloy (Ni80Fe20)) trilayers were fabricated by interference lithography and e-beam evaporation. We show that varying the Ru interlayer spacer thickness (tRu) governs the interaction between the Py layers. We found this interaction mainly mediated by two mechanisms: magnetostatic interaction that favors antiparallel (antiferromagnetic, AFM) alignment of the Py layers and exchange interaction that oscillates between ferromagnetic (FM) and AFM couplings. For a certain range of Ru thicknesses, FM coupling dominates and forms magnetic vortices in the upper and lower Py layers. For Ru thicknesses at which AFM coupling dominates, the magnetic state in remanence is a double pole structure. Our results showed that the interlayer exchange coupling interaction remains finite even at 4 nm Ru thickness. The magnetic states in remanence, observed by magnetic force microscopy (MFM), are in good agreement with corresponding hysteresis loops obtained by the magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) and micromagnetic simulations.

[Treatment protocol for manifestations of persistent COVID]. / Protocolo de tratamiento de las manifestaciones de la COVID persistente.

Persistent COVID is a symptomatic disease involving multiple organs which affects patients who have had COVID-19 and who continue to have symptoms (asthenia, arthralgia, myalgia, headache, dyspnea, cough, chest pain, dysphonia) for more than 4-12 weeks after infection. Its presentation is independent of the severity of the acute COVID-19 phase. It is predominant in middle-aged women. Symptoms frequently fluctuate. It can progress in the form of flare-ups and cannot be explained by an alternative underlying pathology. The incidence of persistent COVID is estimated to be about 10% of those infected. In addition to this symptomatic disease, it is possible that survivors of COVID-19 pneumonia may present with lung sequelae. It is probable that a high number of patients who have had COVID-19 pneumonia will require specialized follow-up by the pulmonology department after overcoming the acute phase. Different algorithms are being established to ensure proper follow-up for these patients.

Realization of macroscopic ratchet effect based on nonperiodic and uneven potentials.

Ratchet devices allow turning an ac input signal into a dc output signal. A ratchet device is set by moving particles driven by zero averages forces on asymmetric potentials. Hybrid nanostructures combining artificially fabricated spin ice nanomagnet arrays with superconducting films have been identified as a good choice to develop ratchet nanodevices. In the current device, the asymmetric potentials are provided by charged Néel walls located in the vertices of spin ice magnetic honeycomb array, whereas the role of moving particles is played by superconducting vortices. We have experimentally obtained ratchet effect for different spin ice I configurations and for vortex lattice moving parallel or perpendicular to magnetic easy axes. Remarkably, the ratchet magnitudes are similar in all the experimental runs; i. e. different spin ice I configurations and in both relevant directions of the vortex lattice motion. We have simulated the interplay between vortex motion directions and a single asymmetric potential. It turns out vortices interact with uneven asymmetric potentials, since they move with trajectories crossing charged Néel walls with different orientations. Moreover, we have found out the asymmetric pair potentials which generate the local ratchet effect. In this rocking ratchet the particles (vortices) on the move are interacting each other (vortex lattice); therefore, the ratchet local effect turns into a global macroscopic effect. In summary, this ratchet device benefits from interacting particles moving in robust and topological protected type I spin ice landscapes.

Little-Parks effect governed by magnetic nanostructures with out-of-plane magnetization.

Little-Parks effect names the oscillations in the superconducting critical temperature as a function of the magnetic field. This effect is related to the geometry of the sample. In this work, we show that this effect can be enhanced and manipulated by the inclusion of magnetic nanostructures with perpendicular magnetization. These magnetic nanodots generate stray fields with enough strength to produce superconducting vortex-antivortex pairs. So that, the L-P effect deviation from the usual geometrical constrictions is due to the interplay between local magnetic stray fields and superconducting vortices. Moreover, we compare our results with a low-stray field sample (i.e. with the dots in magnetic vortex state) showing how the enhancement of the L-P effect can be explained by an increment of the effective size of the nanodots.

Topologically protected superconducting ratchet effect generated by spin-ice nanomagnets.

We have designed, fabricated and tested a robust superconducting ratchet device based on topologically frustrated spin ice nanomagnets. The device is made of a magnetic Co honeycomb array embedded in a superconducting Nb film. This device is based on three simple mechanisms: (i) the topology of the Co honeycomb array frustrates in-plane magnetic configurations in the array yielding a distribution of magnetic charges which can be ordered or disordered with in-plane magnetic fields, following spin ice rules; (ii) the local vertex magnetization, which consists of a magnetic half vortex with two charged magnetic Néel walls; (iii) the interaction between superconducting vortices and the asymmetric potentials provided by the Néel walls. The combination of these elements leads to a superconducting ratchet effect. Thus, superconducting vortices driven by alternating forces and moving on magnetic half vortices generate a unidirectional net vortex flow. This ratchet effect is independent of the distribution of magnetic charges in the array.

Self-assembly of iron oxide precursor micelles driven by magnetic stirring time in sol-gel coatings.

The purpose of this work is to fabricate self-assembled microstructures by the sol-gel method and study the morphological, structural and compositional dependence of ε-Fe2O3 nanoparticles embedded in silica when glycerol (GLY) and cetyl-trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) are added as steric agents simultaneously. The combined action of a polyalcohol and a surfactant significantly modifies the morphology of the sample giving rise to a different microstructure in each of the studied cases (1, 3 and 7 days of magnetic stirring time). This is due to the fact that the addition of these two compounds leads to a considerable increase in gelation time as GLY can interact with the alkoxide group on the surface of the iron oxide precursor micelle and/or be incorporated into the hydrophilic chains of CTAB. This last effect causes the iron oxide precursor micelles to be interconnected forming aggregates whose size and structure depend on the magnetic stirring time of the sol-gel synthetic route. In this paper, crystalline structure, composition, purity and morphology of the sol-gel coatings densified at 960 °C are examined. Emphasis is placed on the nominal percentage of the different iron oxides found in the samples and on the morphological and structural differences. This work implies the possibility of patterning ε-Fe2O3 nanoparticles in coatings and controlling their purity by an easy one-pot sol-gel method.

Quilotórax secundario a linfoma no Hodgkin: una presentación poco habitual / Chylothorax secondary to non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: an unusual presentation

El quilotórax es una patología infrecuente que se produce por la efusión linfática de quilo al espacio pleural procedente del conducto torácico. Está causado por la obstrucción o perforación del mismo. Las causas del quilotórax son traumáticas, neoplasias, misceláneas e idiopáticas. Su diagnóstico debe sospecharse ante la apariencia lechosa y opalescente del líquido pleural, y se confirmará con la detección de triglicéridos o quilomicrones en el líquido. Clásicamente, su tratamiento se basa en medidas de soporte nutricional y drenaje del derrame. El pronóstico dependerá de la causa subyacente. Presentamos el caso de una paciente de 43 años estudiada por aumento de edemas en miembros inferiores y disnea de una semana de evolución, sin síndrome constitucional ni síntomas B asociados. En la exploración física se palpaban adenopatías a nivel de las regiones cervical, submandibular y supraclavicular izquierdas, junto con hipofonesis en base y campo medio izquierdos. La radiografía de tórax mostraba extenso derrame pleural izquierdo, realizándose toracocentesis diagnóstica, con líquido pleural de apariencia lechosa y opalescente e inmunofenotipo compatible con linfoma de célula grande. La tomografía computarizada y la biopsia quirúrgica de las adenopatías supraclaviculares, confirmaron el diagnóstico de linfoma no Hodgkin folicular

Chylothorax is an infrequent disease due to the lymphatic effusion of chyle into the pleural space from the thoracic duct. The causes of chylothorax are traumatic, tumors, miscellaneous and idiopathic. The diagnosis is suspected by the milky and opalescent appearance of the pleural fluid, and it will be confirmed by the detection of triglycerides or chylomicrons in the fluid. The treatment will be based on measures of nutritional support and drainage of the pleural effusion. The prognosis will depend on the underlying cause. We present a 43-years-old patient with 1-week history of increase edema of the lower limbs and dyspnea, without constitutional syndrome or B symptoms associated. On physical examination, adenopathies were palpable at left cervical, submandibular and supraclavicular regions. Chest radiography showed extensive left pleural effusion. We did a diagnostic thoracocentesis and we got a milky and opalescent pleural fluid. The immunophenotype was compatible with large cell lymphoma. Computed tomography and surgical biopsy of the adenopathies confirmed the diagnosis of follicular non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Insuficiencia cardiaca izquierda como causa de hemoptisis / Left heart failure as a cause of hemoptysis

La hemoptisis puede ser la primera manifestación de un gran número de enfermedades cuyo pronóstico y tratamiento son muy diversos. Por ello, en la práctica clínica es muy importante plantear un buen diagnóstico diferencial y realizar un correcto diagnóstico etiológico. Presentamos el caso de un varón de 26 años con hemoptisis secundaria a insuficiencia cardiaca izquierda

Hemoptysis may be the first manifestation of a large number of diseases whose prognosis and treatment are very diverse. Therefore, in clinical practice it is very important to propose a good differential diagnosis and make a correct etiological diagnosis. We present the case of a 26-year-old man with hemoptysis secondary to left heart failure

Desarrollo de embolismo pulmonar por cemento tras vertebroplastia / Pulmonary embolism after percutaneous vertebroplasty

En los últimos años se ha extendido el uso de la vertebroplastia percutánea con cemento de polimetilmetacrilato como técnica alternativa al tratamiento convencional de las fracturas vertebrales por osteoporosis. Presentamos el caso de una paciente sometida a vertebroplastia con polimetilmetacrilato que desarrolló embolismo pulmonar secundario a dicho material

In recent years the use of percutaneous vertebroplasty with polymethylmethacrylate cement as treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures has increased, gradually replacing the conventional treatment. A 51-year-old female’s case, who developed pulmonary embolism due to a precutaneous vertebroplasy, is presented in this article

Origin of the magnetic transition at 100 K in ε-Fe2O3 nanoparticles studied by x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy.

The current study unveils the structural origin of the magnetic transition of the ε-Fe2O3 polymorph from an incommensurate magnetic order to a collinear ferrimagnetic state at low temperature. The high crystallinity of the samples and the absence of other iron oxide polymorphs have allowed us to carry out temperature-dependent x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy experiments out. The deformation of the structure is followed by the Debye-Waller factor for each selected Fe-O and Fe-Fe sub-shell. For nanoparticle sizes between 7 and 15 nm, the structural distortions between the Fete and Fe-D1oc sites are localized in a temperature range before the magnetic transition starts. On the contrary, the inherent interaction between the other sub-shells (named Fe-O1,2 and Fe-Fe1) provokes cooperative magneto-structural changes in the same temperature range. This means that the Fete with Fe-D1oc polyhedron interaction seems to be uncoupled with temperature dealing with these nanoparticle sizes wherein the structural distortions are likely moderate due to surface effects.

Bronquiolitis obliterante tras trasplante de progenitores hematopoyéticos / No disponible

El trasplante alogénico de progenitores hematopoyéticos es un tratamiento establecido con un alto potencial curativo para varias enfermedades hematológicas. La enfermedad del injerto contra huésped (EICH) crónica es una complicación mayor de este procedimiento y es la principal causa de mortalidad tardía tras el trasplante. La bronquiolitis obliterante es una complicación particularmente grave que ocurre en el 10-15% de los pacientes con enfermedad injerto contra huésped extensa y con frecuencia es refractaria a tratamiento. Si no hay respuesta al tratamiento inmunodepresor convencional tras 3-6 meses de tratamiento, el pronóstico de estos pacientes es infausto. Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 57 años diagnosticada de un síndrome linfoproliferativo crónico T, que desarrolló bronquiolitis obliterante un año después de un trasplante alogénico de progenitores hematopoyéticos

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is an established treatment with a high curative potential for various hematological diseases. Chronic graft-versus-host disease is a major complication of this procedure and is the leading cause of late mortality after transplantation. Bronchiolitis obliterans is a particularly serious complication that occurs in 10-15% of patients with extensive graft-versus-host disease and is often refractory to treatment. If there is no response to conventional immunosuppressive treatment after 3-6 months of treatment, the prognosis of these patients is unfortunate. We report the case of a 57 year old woman diagnosed with a chronic T lymphoproliferative syndrome who developed bronchiolitis obliterans one year after an hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Paciente con fiebre y hemoptisis / No disponible

La vasculitis necrosante sistémica afecta al pulmón, sobre todo en el contexto de los síndromes de vasculitis granulomatosa o los síndromes pulmonares-renales. La complicación más grave, consecuencia del daño en la microcirculación, es la hemorragia pulmonar. Clínicamente se define como un síndrome caracterizado por hemoptisis, anemia, insuficiencia respiratoria aguda e infiltrados alveolares pulmonares de aparición brusca, junto con otros síntomas inespecíficos. Es potencialmente mortal y con una evolución clínica impredecible. Presentamos un caso de un paciente de 42 años que debutó con hemorragia alveolar difusa e insuficiencia respiratoria grave, infiltrados alveolares bilaterales y títulos altos de anticuerpos anticitoplasma de neutrófilo (c-ANCA), siendo diagnosticado finalmente de granulomatosis con poliangeítis o enfermedad de Wegener

Systemic necrotizing vasculitis affects the lung, especially in the context of granulomatous vasculitis syndromes or pulmonary-renal syndromes. The most serious complication, resulting from damage to the microcirculation, is pulmonary hemorrhage. It is clinically defined as a syndrome characterized by hemoptysis, anemia, acute respiratory failure, and sudden onset pulmonary alveolar infiltrates, along with other nonspecific symptoms. It is potentially fatal and has an unpredictable clinical course. We present the case of a 42 years old patient with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage and severe respiratory insufficiency, bilateral alveolar infiltrates and high titers of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (c-ANCA), finally being diagnosed as having granulomatosis with polyangeitis or Wegener's

Aspergiloma pulmonar / No disponible

Aspergillus spp es un género de hongos, ubicuo, que puede encontrarse libre en el aire, siendo un contaminante frecuente en los laboratorios de microbiología. En cuanto a la afectación pulmonar, se adquiere mediante la inhalación de esporas. Produce distintas patologías pulmonares en pacientes predispuestos, fundamentalmente en inmunodeprimidos, al ser un hongo oportunista. El aspergiloma es la forma más frecuente. Se trata de una masa de hongos filamentosos que asienta sobre una cavidad pulmonar preformada. Clínicamente los pacientes suelen estar asintomáticos, siendo la hemoptisis el único síntoma claramente atribuible. El diagnóstico se basa principalmente en la combinación clínica y radiológica. El tratamiento no está bien definido, siendo quirúrgico en primera instancia. Presentamos el caso de un paciente de 69 años con antecedentes de enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica y enfisema de predominio en lóbulos superiores, que a lo largo de un ingreso prolongado desarrolló un aspergiloma pulmonar que se trató con voriconazol

Aspergillus spp is an ubiquitous fungus which can be found floating in the air, being a frequent pollutant in microbiology laboratories. Lung involvement is produced by the inhalation of spores. As an opportunistic fungus it produces various pulmonary pathologies in immunocompromised hosts. Among them, the aspergilloma is the most common and recognizable one. It is a ball made up of fungal hyphae which grows in preformed lung cavities. Clinically, patients are often asymptomatic and the hemoptysis is the only symptom clearly due to the disease. The diagnosis is based on clinical findings and in the radiography. The treatment is not well defined, being surgical in the first instance. We present a 69-years-old male patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema predominating in the upper lobes. The patient developed a pulmonary aspergilloma which was treated with voriconazole

Carcinoma anaplásico de tiroides con invasión traqueal / No disponible

El carcinoma anaplásico de tiroides es uno de los tumores sólidos más agresivos y constituye una forma rara pero muy letal de cáncer. Está formado por tejido indiferenciado del epitelio folicular del tiroides. Suelen ser asintomáticos, por tanto en la mayoría de las ocasiones el diagnóstico es tardío. En fases avanzadas, clínicamente se caracteriza por una masa en la región anterior del cuello de rápido crecimiento que puede acompañarse de síntomas de compresión o invasión de las vías digestiva y aérea superior. Presentamos un caso de una paciente de 81 años estudiada por hemoptisis y síndrome constitucional de tres meses de evolución con carcinoma anaplásico de tiroides. En la exploración física se palpaba una masa de consistencia dura y adherida a planos profundos en lóbulo tiroideo derecho y se oía estridor inspiratorio. La radiografía de tórax mostraba la tráquea desplazada lateralmente. La tomografía computarizada y fibrobroncoscopia aportaron el diagnóstico

Anaplastic thyroid cancer is one of the most aggressive types of solid tumors and it is a rare form of cancer with a high mortality rate. It is formed by undifferentiated tissue from the follicular epithelium of the thyroid. This cancer is usually asymptomatic, so in most cases the diagnosis is delayed. In advanced stages of the disease, it is clinically characterized by a fast growing central neck mass which, can show up as symptoms of compression or invasion of the digestive tract and upper respiratory airways. We present a 81-years-old patient with 3-month history of hemoptisis and constitutional syndrome. She was diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer. On general physical examination a cervical mass of hard consistency was palpated. We could hear inspiratory stridor. Chest radiograph showed the tracheal laterally displaced. Computed tomography and fibrobronchoscopy with biopsy allowed the final diagnosis

Luminescence and fine structure correlation in ZnO permeated porous silicon nanocomposites.

Nanocomposites formed by porous silicon (PS) and zinc oxide (ZnO) have potential for applications in optoelectronic devices. However, understanding the distribution of both materials in the nanocomposite, and especially the fine structure of the synthesized ZnO crystals, is key for future device fabrication. This study focuses on the advanced characterization of a range of PS-ZnO nanocomposites by using photon- and ion-based techniques, such as X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and elastic backscattering spectroscopy (EBS), respectively. PS substrates formed by the electrochemical etching of p(+)-type Si are used as host material for the sol-gel nucleation of ZnO nanoparticles. Different properties are induced by annealing in air at temperatures ranging from 200 °C to 800 °C. Results show that wurtzite ZnO nanoparticles form only at temperatures above 200 °C, coexisting with Si quantum dots (QDs) inside a PS matrix. Increasing the annealing temperature leads to structural and distribution changes that affect the electronic and local structure of the samples changing their luminescence. Temperatures around 800 °C activate the formation of a new zinc silicate phase and transform PS into an amorphous silicon oxide (SiOx, x≈ 2) matrix with a noticeably reduced presence of Si QDs. Thus, these changes affect dramatically the emission from these nanocomposites and their potential applications.

Design and characterization of biofunctional magnetic porous silicon flakes.

Magnetic porous silicon flakes (MPSF) were obtained from mesoporous silicon layers formed by multi-step anodization and subsequent composite formation with Fe oxide nanoparticles by thermal annealing. The magnetic nanoparticles adhered to the surface and penetrated inside the pores. Their structure evolved as a result of the annealing treatments derived from X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption analyses. Moreover, by tailoring the magnetic load, the dynamic and hydrodynamic properties of the particles were controlled, as observed by the pressure displayed against a sensor probe. Preliminary functionality experiments were performed using an eye model, seeking potential use of MPSF as reinforcement for restored detached retina. It was observed that optimal flake immobilization is obtained when the MPSF reach values of magnetic saturation >10(-4)Am(2)g(-1). Furthermore, the MPSF were demonstrated to be preliminarily biocompatible in vitro. Moreover, New Zealand rabbit in vivo models demonstrated their short-term histocompatibility and their magnetic functionality as retina pressure actuators.

Implicaciones pronósticas de la posibilidad de determinar con carácter urgente el péptido natriuréticotipo B en el servicio de urgencias en pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca aguda: estudio PICASU-2 / Prognostic implications of emergency department determination of B-type natriuretic peptide in patients with acute heart failure: the PICASU-2 study

Objetivo: Investigar si la determinación del péptido natriurético tipo B (BNP) con carácter urgente en el servicio de urgencias hospitalario (SUH) a pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca aguda (ICA) proporciona ventajas en cuanto a la evolución clínica a los pacientes en los que se determina o a los SUH que disponen de dicha posibilidad. Método: El estudio PICASU-2 es un estudio de carácter analítico, multicéntrico, retrospectivo y con seguimiento de cohortes que incluyó pacientes diagnosticados basales y de ICA. Para cada caso se consignaron los datos del episodio agudo. Como variables evolutivas se recogió la mortalidad intrahospitalaria y la mortalidad y la reconsulta a urgencias los 30 días siguientes. Los pacientes se dividieron entre los que se determinó BNP urgente y los que no. Los SUH se dividieron entre los que no tienen disponibilidad de determinar BNP urgente (tipo A), los que pueden hacerlo en casos seleccionados (tipoB) y los que lo hacen de forma generalizada (tipo C).Resultados: Participaron 19 SUH, que incluyeron 2.423 pacientes: en el 32,4% se determinó BNP, mientras que su distribución en SUH tipo A, B y C fue del 34,7%, 34,6%y 30,7%, respectivamente. La mortalidad intrahospitalaria fue 7,2%, la mortalidad a 30 días 8,1% y la reconsulta a 30 días 24%. Ni la determinación de BNP en un paciente concreto ni el hecho que el SUH lo tuviese a su disposición se asociaron a un mejor pronóstico, ni tampoco después de ajustar el modelo por las diferencias basales o del episodio agudo entre grupos. Estos mismos resultados se obtuvieron cuando se analizó el subgrupo de pacientes dados de alta directamente de urgencias (..) (AU)

Objective: To investigate whether hospital emergency department measurement of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in patients with acute heart failure is beneficial in terms of patient outcomes and according to hospital category (availabilityor not of BNP testing in the emergency department).Methods: PICASU-2 is an analytical multicenter retrospective study of patients with acute heart failure according to the Framingham criteria, with follow-up of cohorts. Baseline Data and data pertaining to each acute heart failure episode were collected. Outcome measures were in-hospital mortality, 30-day mortality, and revisits to the emergency department within 30 days. Cases were classified as having a record of BNP measurement or not. Hospital emergency departments were classified as not having the resources for emergency BNP measurement (type A hospital), having thepossibility of testing selectively (type B), and testing for BNP more generally (>50% of patients) (type C).Results: Nineteen hospital emergency departments contributed data on 2423 patients, 32.4% of whom had BNPmeasurements; by hospital category, 34.7% of the patients were from type A facilities, 34.6% were from type B, and30.7% were from type C. In-hospital mortality was 7.2%, 30-day mortality was 8.1%, and 24% of the patients revisited (..) (AU)

Valor pronóstico de la determinación urgente del péptido natriurético tipo B en los servicios de urgencias en pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca: estudio PICASU-1 / Prognostic value of emergency department testing for N-terminal fragment of brain natriuretic peptide in patients with acute heart failure: the PICASU-1 study

Objetivo: Conocer la utilidad del NT-proBNP en pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca aguda (ICA) que consultaron en un servicio de urgencias hospitalario (SUH) para predecirla mortalidad y la reconsulta a dicho SUH. Método: El estudio PICASU-1 (ProBNP en Insuficiencia Cardiaca Aguda en los Servicios de Urgencias) es un estudio analítico, multicéntrico, con seguimiento de cohortes, que incluyó 641 pacientes con ICA atendidos en 9 SUH en los que se determinó NT-proBNP de forma urgente. Se recogieron 18 datos basales y 21 datos del episodio de ICA. Los datos evolutivos analizados fueron mortalidad intrahospitalaria y mortalidad y revisita a 30 días, y para cada una de estas variables se calculó el área bajo la curva (AUC) ROC deNT-proBNP. El análisis se repitió mediante curvas de supervivencia truncadas a 90 días. Resultados: NT-proBNP estaba más elevado en los fallecidos intrahospitalariamente y a los30 días de la consulta en el SUH (p < 0,001 para ambos), pero no hubo diferencias entre los que reconsultaron a los 30 días y los que no (p = 0,91). Resultados similares se observaron en el estudio mediante curvas de supervivencia a 90 días. NT-proBNP tuvo un poder discriminativo moderado para la mortalidad intrahospitalaria (AUC 0,75, p < 0,001) y a 30 días (AUC 0,71, p < 0,001), pero nulo para la reconsulta (AUC 0,50, p = 0,92). Similares resultados se obtuvieron en los 244 pacientes (38,3%) dados de alta directamente de lSUH: NT-proBNP superior en los fallecidos a 30 días (p < 0,01) y sin diferencias en los que reconsultaron (p = 0,50), y su poder discriminativo fue moderado para la mortalidad a 30días (AUC 0,72, p < 0,01) y nulo para la reconsulta (AUC 0,47, p = 0,50). Conclusión: El NT-proBNP es una herramienta útil para predecir a priori la probabilidad de fallecer de un paciente con ICA en concreto, pero tiene un valor nulo para determinar las posibilidades de reconsultar al SUH (AU)

Objective: To determine the usefulness of hospital emergency department testing for the N-terminal fragment of brainnatriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) as a predictor of mortality and revisits in patients with acute heart failure (AHF). Methods: The PICASU-1 study (NT-proBNP in AHF in the Emergency Department) was an analytical multicenter cohort studythat included 641 patients with AHF attended at 9 emergency departments that were able to perform emergency NT-proBNPtests. Data collected included 18 variables related to the patient’s baseline situation and 21 variables related to the episode ofAHF. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) were calculated to assess the ability of NT-proBNP levelto predict in-hospital mortality, 30-day mortality, and revisiting. Ninety-day survival curves were also constructed. Results: Elevated NT-proBNP concentrations were found in patients who died in hospital and within 30 days ofemergency care (P<.001, both cases). No differences were seen between patients who revisited within 30 days and thosewho did not (P=.91). The 90-day survival curves gave similar results. NT-proBNP concentration had a moderate ability topredict mortality in-hospital (AUC, 0.75; P<.001) and within 30 days (AUC, 0.71; P<.001), but no predictive power forrevisiting (AUC, 0.50; P=.92). These results were consistent with those for the 244 patients who were discharged homefrom the emergency department (38.3%): the NT-proBNP levels were higher for those who died within 30 days (P<.01)but similar for revisiting and nonrevisiting patients (P=.50). In these patients, NT-proBNP level once again had moderate predictive power for 30-day mortality (AUC, 0.72; P<.01) but no association with revisiting (AUC, 0.47; P=.50). Conclusion: NT-proBNP testing seems useful for predicting the likelihood of death for a particular patient with AHF, butit has no ability to predict ED revisiting (AU)