[Carbapenem resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from urine cultures: prevalence and risk factors]. / Resistencia a carbapenemas en Pseudomonas aeruginosa aisladas en urocultivos: prevalencia y factores de riesgo.

OBJECTIVE: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a non-fermentative gram-negative bacillus with a great ability to develop resistance to multiple antibiotics, including carbapenems, which is a growing problem worldwide. The aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (CRPA) in urine cultures and to determine the risk factors associated with the development of carbapanem resistance. METHODS: Positive urine cultures to P. aeruginosa between September 2012 and September 2014 were identified. We excluded repetitive cultures from the same patient. We created a database with different variables, including antimicrobial resistance. The prevalence of carbapenem resistance and the risk factors for growth of CRPA were analysed. RESULTS: Ninety-one patients with positive urine cultures to P. aeruginosa were included. The prevalence of CRPA was 22%. The risk factors to CRPA infection in the univariate analysis were: congestive heart failure (p=0.02), previous treatment with ampicillin (p=0.04), meropenem (p=0.04), piperacillin-tazobactam (p=0.01), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (p= 0.01) and previous treatment with more than one antibiotic (p<0.01). Only congestive heart failure (p<0.01) and previous treatment with more than one antibiotic (p<0.01) showed statistically significant differences in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CRPA in urine cultures is high in our population. We should assess the presence of risk factors as previous treatment with more than one antibiotic or comorbidities such as heart failure, in order to select an appropriate empirical treatment in patients with severe urinary tract infections.

Dabigatran: Experience in standard clinical practice. / Dabigatrán: experiencia en la práctica clínica habitual.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Dabigatran is an anticoagulant drug and a direct thrombin inhibitor and has been approved for the prevention of ischaemic stroke secondary to nonvalvularauricular auricular fibrillation. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of dabigatran in clinical practice for preventing cerebral ischaemic events associated with nonvalvularauricular auricular fibrillation, as well as its tolerance and safety profile. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive and retrospective study was conducted, which included all patients who started anticoagulant treatment with dabigatran between November 2011 and September 2012. Follow-up was performed from the start of treatment until June 2013. The incidence of ischaemic events of cerebral, cardiac and peripheral origin was recorded, as was the onset of adverse effects and haemorrhagic complications, whose location and severity were determined. RESULTS: We analysed 316 patients, with a mean age of 76.46±8.37 years, of whom 53.5% were men. Two patients (0.55/100 patient-years) presented ischaemic stroke (including one amaurosis fugax). Eight (2.18/100 patient-years) patients had an adverse ischaemic event, whose origin was cardiac in 5 (1.36/100 patient-years) cases and peripheral in 3 (0.81/100 patient-years). Forty (10.91/100 patient-years) patients had a haemorrhagic complication: 32 minor (8.73/100 patient-years) and 8 major (2.18/100 patient-years) haemorrhages. CONCLUSIONS: Dabigatran is effective in standard clinical practice in preventing stroke and has a safety profile similar to that reported in the clinical trials.

Abdominal pain and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion as clinical presentation of acute intermittent porphyria. / Dolor abdominal y síndrome de secreción inadecuada de hormona antidiurética, forma de presentación de porfiria aguda intermitente.

Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is a rare condition characterized by abdominal pain and a wide range of nonspecific symptoms. We report the case of a woman with abdominal pain and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) as clinical presentation of AIP. The diagnosis was achieved through the etiologic study of the SIADH.

Peripheral arterial disease in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

AIM: Cardiovascular disease (CV) is the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is associated with cardiovascular disease, and its risk factors are common to other atherosclerotic diseases. The objective is to determine the prevalence of PAD in a population of patients with COPD using the ankle / brachial index (ABI) and to investigate the relationship between PAD and lung disease severity. METHODS: In a prospective cross-sectional study, 246 patients with COPD were recruited. Patients were enrolled consecutively according to their admission to Povisa hospital from September 1, 2008, until March 1, 2010, and were assessed by clinical history, spirometry and ABI. The COPD severity was graded by GOLD criteria in spirometry. RESULTS: Overall, 84 patients (36.8%) had abnormal ABI results and 59 (70.2%) were asymptomatic for PAD. COPD patients with PAD had a higher prevalence of moderate to severe COPD (61.9% vs. 41.7%, P=0.004), lower mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) values (46.7% ± 15 vs. 52.3±14%, P=0.001) and a higher prevalence of hypertension (69% vs. 54.3%, P=0.03) and previous cardiovascular disease (34.5% vs. 21.3%, P=0.03). CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of asymptomatic PAD in the COPD patients we examined. Abnormal ABI results were associated with a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and more severe lung disease. The diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease in COPD is important because this is an entity that limits the patient's physical activity and impairs their quality of life in addition to turn it into a high cardiovascular risk patient that requiring additional therapeutic measures.

[Descriptive study of a pneumonia episode due to Legionella]. / Estudio descriptivo de un brote de neumonía por Legionella.

BACKGROUND: Legionella is a gram negative aerobic bacillus. A total of 42 species with 64 serogroups have been described, Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 being the one that causes the disease most frequently. OBJECTIVE: Describe an outbreak of legionellosis with some characteristics different from those communicated previously. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Descriptive study of the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the patients affected by an outbreak of pneumonia due to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1, that occurred in Vigo in September and October, 2000, seen in the Hospital Xeral-Cies. RESULTS: A total of 33 patients, with a mean age of 61 years, were diagnosed. Fifty-nine percent had underlying diseases. The most frequent symptoms were fever, cough, dyspnea, diarrhea and awareness level alterations. Elevation of creatinphosphokinase in 79% and hyponatremia in 12%. The X-ray pattern observed most frequently was unilateral alveolar with predominant involvement of inferior lobes. A total of 77% received treatment with beta lactamics and macrolides, 13% beta lactamics and quinolones and 7% quinolones. Clinical and gasometric improvement were observed at a mean of 5 and 7 days, respectively. X-ray abnormalities improved in 62% in the first week. Eighteen percent had multiorgan failure and four patients died. In the analysis of the variables considered to have poor prognosis, only multiorgan failure demonstrated a significant association with mortality. DISCUSSION: The characteristics of the patients affected by an episode of legionellosis in our health care area were similar to those described in other outbreaks, except for the rapid resolution of the pulmonary infiltrates and low presence of hyponatremia. Multiorgan failure was the only factor associated with poor prognosis.

[Primary biliary cirrhosis-autoimmune hepatitis overlap syndrome. Contribution of two new cases]. / Síndrome "overlap" hepatitis autoinmune-cirrosis biliar primaria. Aportación de dos nuevos casos.

The autoimmune hepatitis (AIH)-primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) overlap syndrome is characterized for clinical, biochemical, immunological, and histological features overlapping those of AIH and PBC, whose pathogenesis and more appropriate treatment are unknown at present. We describe two new patients of this entity, which made debut with cholestasic acute hepatitis accompanied of hypergammaglobulinemia. In the first patient was demonstrated the presence of AMA, ASMA, and anti-LKM1 autoantibodies; and ANA in the second one. The histological findings showed changes suggestive of AIH and PBC. After the start of immunosuppressive treatment, associated to ursodeoxycholic acid in one patient, a successful outcome was observed.

Remission of HIV-associated myelopathy after highly active antiretroviral therapy.

HIV-associated myelopathy is the leading cause of spinal cord disease in HIV-infected patients. Typically, it affects individuals with low CD4 T cell counts, presenting with slowly progressive spastic paraparesis associated with dorsal column sensory loss as well as urinary disturbances. Other aetiologies must be first ruled out before establishing the diagnosis. We report here the case of a 37-year-old woman with advanced HIV disease, who developed HIV-associated myelopathy. The patient showed a gradual improvement after beginning with highly active antiretroviral therapy and, finally, she achieved a complete functional recovery. In addition, neuroimaging and neurophysiological tests normalized.