[Acid-base and gasometric findings at the admission of 150 children clinically diagnosed as in status asthmaticus]. / Hallazgos gasométricos y acidobásicos al ingreso en 150 niños diagnosticados clínicamente como en "Status asthmaticus".

"Status Asthmaticus" (SA) is a severe complication of asthma in which the clinical concept should be accompanied by biochemical alterations. Biochemical determinations were made on admission of 150 children clinically diagnosed as in SA. The Astrup method was used, following the technique advised by Stamm, Sharp and others. Most of the children were asthmatic grade III, with a predominance of the male sex, and 70.66% were in good nutrition. It was found that 90 patients had altered pCO2 (60%); 88 patients had a low per cent saturation of hemoglobin (58.66%), and 49 patients had altered pH (32.66%). Having in mind Bocles' classification for SA, it was observed that 30% of the children did not present biochemical alterations and could not be considered as in SA, in spite of the clinical impression. The rest of the patients really filled the criteria of SA and the most frequently found was Bocles' stage IV (41.33%), that is the most severe. Finally, considerations are made on the SA treatment, for the different Bocles' stages.

[Cuban commission of cystic fibrosis. Registration of patients since 1977]. / Comisión cubana de fibrosis quística. Registro de pacientes hasta 1977.

We present the results of the registry of patients of the Cuban Commission of Cystic Fibrosis up to December, 1977. 228 patients from 192 families are reported; 81.58% were Whites and 3% were Negroes. There was no sex difference in incidence. Respiratory manifestations at diagnosis were presnet in 93% of the C.F. patients. The initial Shwachman's score were of "severe" or "moderate" in one third of the patients to whom they were made. Our Commission has followed 205 patients, one third of them died and out of the rest, we consider that 64% has a good outlook; approximately 10% has poor outlook and 26% has an uncertain prognosis. All this having in mind that the Shwachman's score, in a broad sense, has been useful to establish the prognosis. The most frequent findings in the dead pateints to whom autopsies were performed were in the lungs, the pancreas and the liver. It was observed that the lower the initial score, the lower the survival.