[Characteristics of immigrant women and their neonates]. / Características de las mujeres inmigrantes y de sus hijos recién nacidos.

BACKGROUND: Immigrant status is frequently assumed to constitute a health risk because migration is inevitably associated with a period of significant adjustment and stress. OBJECTIVE: To compare the social characteristics and perinatal outcomes of mothers who deliver in a third level hospital in Spain according to their socioeconomic level of the country of origin. METHODS: From December 2000 to March 2001, women who delivered were selected according to the socioeconomic status of their birth country. All women from low and middle income countries (immigrant mothers) and a sample (1:2) of those from high income countries (mainly Spanish-born mothers) completed a questionnaire on antenatal care, demographic and social characteristics, and country of birth and were followed-up to monitor neonatal clinical features. RESULTS: During the three months of the study, 203/1352 (15 %, CI 13.2-17.1) of the delivering mothers were immigrants. Most were from Central and South America (56 %, CI 49-62). Prenatal care was appropriate in most of the women (in 92.1 % of immigrant mothers and in 96.8 % of Spanish mothers, p 5 0.01). The proportions of premature births, low birth weight and very-low birth weight showed no statistically significant differences between immigrant and Spanish mothers (15 vs. 10.6, 6.4 vs. 9.4, and 2.1 vs. 1.5, respectively, p > 0.05 in all comparisons). Perinatal complications, including an Apgar score < or = 6, and the need for admission to the neonatal unit or to the intensive or intermediate care units, were not more frequent in the newborns of immigrant mothers. Immigrant women had less social or family support after delivery and maternity leave was much less frequent (62 % vs. 90 %, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Most of the immigrant women had healthy pregnancies and healthy birth outcomes. Perinatal complications do not seem to be more frequent among immigrant women. Differences were found in social support. To improve the health of these children, social support to immigrant women and their children should be intensified.

Características de las mujeres inmigrantes y de sus hijos recién nacidos / Characteristics of immigrant women and their neonates

Antecedentes: Se suele considerar la condición de inmigrante como un riesgo para la salud que se asocia con un período de ajuste y de estrés. Objetivo: Comparar las características sociales y la evolución perinatal de las mujeres que paren en un hospital de tercer nivel en España en función del nivel socioeconómico del país de origen. Métodos: De diciembre de 2000 a marzo de 2001, se seleccionó a las mujeres en el momento de parir en función del nivel socioeconómico del país de origen. Todas las mujeres procedentes de países de escasos recursos económicos (aquí denominadas también mujeres inmigrantes), y una muestra (1:2) de las que no procedían de esos países (principalmente España), cumplimentaron un cuestionario sobre atención prenatal, características demográficas y sociales, país de origen, y fueron seguidas para valorar la evolución clínica neonatal. Resultados: Durante los 3 meses del estudio, 203/1.352 (15 por ciento; intervalo de confianza (IC) del 95 por ciento, 13,2-17,1) de las mujeres que parieron eran inmigrantes. La mayoría procedían de países de Centro y Sudamérica (56 por ciento; IC 95 por ciento, 49-62). El embarazo se controló en la mayoría de los casos, 92,1 por ciento de las mujeres inmigrantes y 96,8 por ciento de las españolas, p=0,01. Las proporciones de parto prematuro, bajo peso y muy bajo peso no difirieron entre las dos categorías de madres y fueron respectivamente, en las mujeres inmigrantes y en las españolas, 15 por ciento frente a 10,6 por ciento, 6,4 por ciento frente a 9,4 por ciento y 2,1 por ciento frente a 1,5 por ciento, (en todos los casos p > 0,05). Las complicaciones perinatales, Apgar 6, ingreso en la unidad neonatal, ingreso en cuidados intensivos e intermedios, no fueron más frecuentes en los hijos de madres inmigrantes. Las mujeres inmigrantes tuvieron menos apoyo social y familiar y son muchas menos las que disfrutan de baja laboral por maternidad (62 por ciento frente a 90 por ciento, p < 0,001). Conclusiones: La mayoría de las mujeres inmigrantes tienen embarazos y recién nacidos sanos. Las complicaciones perinatales no parecen más frecuentes en los hijos de mujeres inmigrantes. Las diferencias que se observan se refieren más al apoyo social. Para mejorar la salud de estos niños, se debería intensificar el apoyo social a las mujeres inmigrantes y a sus hijos (AU)

Mujeres inmigrantes: características del control prenatal y del parto / Female immigrants: characteristics of antenatal care and delivery

Objetivos: Comparar las características sociodemográficas, el control de la gestación y el parto en mujeres procedentes de países de escasos recursos económicos (denominadas inmigrantes en el presente trabajo) y en las que no lo son (principalmente españolas).Métodos: Entre diciembre de 2000 y marzo de 2001 se incluyó en el estudio a todas las mujeres inmigrantes y a una muestra representativa (1:2) de las mujeres no inmigrantes que dieron a luz en un hospital de Madrid.Resultados: Durante el período de estudio, 203/1.352 (15 por ciento; intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95 por ciento, 13,2-17,1) de las mujeres que parieron fueron inmigrantes; el 56 por ciento (IC del 95 por ciento, 49-62) procedía de Centro y Sudamérica. La mayoría tuvo un embarazo y un parto sin complicaciones. El número mediano de visitas de control de embarazo fue de 8 (intervalo intercuartil [IQ], 6-9) para las inmigrantes y 9 (IQ, 8-10) para las españolas; la proporción de cesáreas fue, respectivamente, del 17,3 por ciento (IC del 95 por ciento, 12,5-23,3) y el 16,3 por ciento (IC del 95 por ciento, 12,9-20,2).Conclusiones: Las mujeres procedentes de países de escasos recursos económicos que acuden a parir a un hospital de tercer nivel de Madrid tienen un seguimiento de la gestación adecuado y no presentan mayor riesgo de complicaciones durante el embarazo y el parto, contrariamente a lo que suele ser la percepción generalizada. Las diferencias encontradas son principalmente de características sociales. Estos resultados pueden no ser extrapolables a otros centros, ya que la población de mujeres inmigrantes y españolas que se atiende en los distintos centros sanitarios puede ser muy diferente (AU)

Immunochemotherapy (thymostimulin/cyclophosphamide) in dogs.

This article demonstrates the positive effect of thymostimulin (TP-1) on leucolymphopoiesis in dogs, based on its apparent ability to counteract the immunodepression induced by cyclophosphamide chemotherapy. Thymostimulin administered to healthy cyclophosphamide-treated dogs prevented the initial drop in the values of leucocytes and lymphocytes due to the chemotherapy and restored these values to the higher levels existing before the treatment. In a control group given a placebo instead of TP-1, the immune depression provoked by cyclophosphamide was maintained during all the therapeutic cycles.

[In vivo effect of Resistocell on the Phytohemagglutinin Immunocompetence Index (rabbits)]. / Efecto "in vivo" del RSTL sobre el IIC.PHA (conejos).

The RST-SAS effect in normal adult albino New Zealand giant male rabbits was studied. A positive individual response in 89% of the animal and no harmful side-effects were observed, after the i.v. administration of a suitable RSTL-SAS dose. The statistical evaluation of group data showed a significative 42% increased of the IIC.PHA above the normal basal level. Thus, the RSTL-SAS could provide an unique immunomodulator agent due to its significant biological effect and the apparent lack of any side effect.

PHA-induced LRP enhancement of normal PBL by Rollin.

The purpose of the study was to determine whether the "RSTL-SAS" derived Rollin has retained the precursor activity after its purifying procedure. The blastogenic response of macrocultures (650) to PHA and Rollin was assessed by microscopy. Data have clearly shown that Rollin, like RSTL-SAS, may significatively enhance the PHA-induced LPR of PBL from healthy humans. Such enhancement depends of the Rollin dose added to the culture and kinetics of the target cells sensitive to it. However, Rollin seems to provide more efficiency and safety than RSTL-SAS. The positive capabilities of the "RSTL-SAS" were largely overpassed by the purified Rollin. A positive response (probably via T-cell precursor repertoire), was seen in 82% of the 151 individuals studied. The joint PHA plus Rollin LPR mean values got up to 119% and 159% of the "IIC.PHA" base-line for the "BR100" model (one full-dose) and the "BR.MCR" in the subset with six doses of Rollin/Control, respectively. Moreover, the negative side of the RSTL dual-effect became insignificant for Rollin and antibodies against Rollin or other detrimental side-effects which could restrict its therapeutic use as it has occurred with other BRM, have not been detected after the reiterative i. v. and/or i. m. administration of large Rollin doses to adult rabbits.

Correlations between ldh isoenzyme patterns and brushing cytology in ulcerative colitis.

Forty-one rectal samples from 22 patients with ulcerative colitis and eight rectal samples from normal controls were studied cytologically, histologically and histochemically (LDH isoenzyme pattern). The cytological specimens from patients were classified into three groups (A, B and C) and the degree of cellular atypia was compared with the modifications of LDH isoenzymogram. The differences between the polypeptide M levels of the group A, B and C were statistically significant, as well as those between groups B and C versus the normal controls. The highest percentages of M were observed in group C and correlate with the presence of large single or double nucleoli. These results most likely represent active cellular regeneration, and further investigations are needed to elucidate whether the histochemical alterations could be useful to detect precocious malignant changes in patients with long-standing ulcerative colitis.

LDH isoenzyme patterns in tumors, polyps, and uninvolved mucosa of human cancerous colon.

By using a method of electrophoresis separation, the authors determined the relative values of each one of the lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) isoenzymes in the normal colonic mucosa. In adenocarcinomas, there is a significant rise in the percent of LDH-5. A similar disturbance has been demonstrated in 14 polyps, which confirms the known precancerous condition of these lesions. In the uninvolved mucosa surrounding neoplasm, the authors found that the increase in the relative proportion of "type M" isoenzymes, starting at 2 cm from the edge of the tumor, progressively disappears as the sample are taken farther away from the neoplasm. The authors conclude that these LDH isoenzyme pattern shifts in a normal mucosa could be an early sign of malignancy before the morphologic changes and could also be of great interest in the prediction of cancer relapse in the suture line after surgery.

[Effect of RSTL on IIC-PHA (rabbits)]. / Efecto del RSTL sobre el IIC-PHA (conejos).

The effect of RSTL upon in vitro cultures of peripheral blood lymphocytes is studied in six rabitts. RSTL stimulates the blastogenic response in all of them.

[Immunologic control in patients with cancer of the gastrointestinal tract]. / Control inmunológico en pacientes con carcinomas del tracto gastrointestinal.

Blastic transformation in vitro was used to estimate immunological competence in patients having gastrointestinal cancer. The authors found a correlation between lymphocyte transformation by phytohemagglutinin and prognosis. Autologous plasma inhibited lymphocyte transformation, particularly in those patients that proved to have an unfavorable clinical evolution one year after surgery.

[Basic aspects of breast cancer]. / Aspectos básicos del cáncer de mama.

The author summarizes the etiopathogenesis of human breast cancer, emphasizing the immunological factors involved and the possible participation of viruses.

Abnormal lactic dehydrogenase patterns in carcinoma of stomach and in peritumoral tissues.

Segments of gastric mucosa from 32 surgical and biopsy specimens containing gastric carcinoma have been studied to determine the total content of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The LDH isoenzyme distribution patterns in tumoral tissues have been compared to that of peritumoral tissue and to the gastric mucosa of a healthy control group. LDH isoenzyme activity in the samples from tumoral tissue was significantly increased. The adjacent peritumoral tissue had a slight increment in the polypeptide M as compared to the distant and normal tissue. This suggests that LDH isoenzyme measurement may prove a valuable addition to histologic study, in the recognition of the tumoral distribution in stomach carcinoma.