[Transjugular hepatic biopsy. Apropos the first 100 cases and a review of the literature]. / Biopsia hepática transyugular: a propósito de los cien primeros casos y revisión de la literatura.

Under certain conditions a percutaneous liver biopsy cannot be carried out. In many of these patients transjugular liver biopsy is the correct option. We present our first hundred biopsies: in 92 cases a liver specimen was obtained; in 80 cases (87%) the tissue specimen allowed the histopathologic diagnosis; in five cases perforation of the hepatic capsule was observed, without producing hemoperitoneum. The mortality in our series was nil. In our experience and the revision of the literature, we consider that transvenous (transjugular) needle biopsy is an efficient and reliable procedure.

[Immunological differences between patients with cirrhosis and liver carcinoma]. / Diferencias inmunológicas entre pacientes con cirrosis y hepatocarcinoma.

Fifteen patients with liver cirrhosis and 15 with primary liver cancer were studied. The results of cellular immunity in these two groups and a third control group of 15 healthy subjects were compared. A significant decrease in OKT3 and OKT4 lymphocytes and response to different mytogenic stimuli were found, particularly in the hepatocarcinoma group. No significant differences were observed in OKT8, OKM1 or chemotaxis.

[The epidemiological aspects of chronic inflammatory intestinal disease in a catchment area of the Autonomous Community of Madrid]. / Aspectos epidemiológicos de la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal crónica en un área asistencial de la Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid.

124 cases of chronic inflammatory bowel disease were retrospectively reviewed between 1983 and 1988 (44 affected by Crohn's disease (CD) and 80 by ulcerative colitis (UC)). A median annual incidence of 1.30/100,000 inhabitants/year for CD and 2.37 for UC was found, observing an increase in the incidence of CD and a stabilization of UC.

[Immunologic aspects of chronic diarrhea in relation to inflammatory intestinal disease]. / Aspectos inmunológicos en diarreas crónicas en relación con la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal.

In a group of patients with chronic diarrhea of unknown origin, a study of cellular and humoral immunity was carried out with in vitro tests and the results are compared to those obtained in a group of patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, and to normal controls. In the chronic diarrhea group there was evidence of an immunological deficiency affecting the B and T lymphocytes that had specific characters in relation to IgG, although the IgG deficit was not as important as in intestinal inflammatory disease.

[Course of cellular immunity in patients with chronic inflammatory intestinal disease]. / Evolución de la inmunidad celular en pacientes con enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal crónica.

In a preliminary study of the immunological aspects of intestinal inflammatory disease we found an immunological deficit of T helper lymphocytes, decreased monocytes and chemotaxis and poor response to nonspecific mitogen stimulus. Based on these findings, the study was repeated in the same patients three years later to confirm the evolution of this deficit. Recuperation was observed in the cases in which the disease evolved favorably, suggesting that certain aspects of the immune disorder might be secondary.