[Poland's sequence and dextrocardia].
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Abnormalities, Multiple↗
Biomedical subjects
A Carrascal Tejado
Publications and source records attributed to A Carrascal Tejado.
[Cost benefit analysis of body surface cultures at a neonatal unit].
INTRODUCTION: Infection continues to be a cause of concern in neonatal units. The high cost of the body surface cultures used to study infection and their limited utility is controversial. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The medical records of newborns admitted for suspected infection in 1999 were retrospectively reviewed. Request criteria, cost, and the clinical utility of body surface cultures were analyzed. RESULTS: In 1999, body surface cultures were requested in 204 newborns admitted to hospital (70 % of all admitted newborns). Of these, six were diagnosed with bacteremia (6.23/1000; 95 % CI: 5.9-6.5). The most frequently isolated microorganisms were Escherichia coli and Streptococcus agalactiae. The total cost of body surface cultures was 6,510.95 euros (1,083,331 pesetas). In 25 % of cases the results of cultures influenced clinical decision making. The cost necessary to obtain clinical repercussion in a patient was 191.50 euros (31,863 pesetas). Requesting two body surface cultures only (otic and umbilical) halved the cost without diminishing their clinical utility. CONCLUSIONS: A considerable percentage of newborns admitted to hospital present suspected infection requiring microbiological studies. Although the cost of body surface cultures is high, the results of these cultures influence diagnostic and therapeutic decisions in a quarter of patients. We do not believe that eliminating the use of these cultures would be beneficial. However, their cost can be reduced by carefully selecting request criteria and by limiting cultures to two samples (otic and umbilical).
Bacteriological Techniques↗
[Anonymous serological screening for HIV infection in umbilical cord blood by the pooled-batch system].
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to estimate the sero-prevalence of HIV infections in pregnant women of the health area of Zamora, Spain by unlinked anonymous screening and to estimate the percentage of non-diagnosed cases by non-systematic screening. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Umbilical cord blood samples of 2,695 newborns at "Virgen de la Concha" hospital of Zamora collected between January 1994 and December 1996 were stored with a code number and with no personal identification. HIV antibody testing in the serum from the umbilical cord blood was performed with an enzyme-immunoassay using pooled sera and verified with Western blot. All children born to HIV-infected women during the same period were registered. RESULTS: Four of 2,695 samples were seropositive. HIV prevalence was 0.15% (CI 95%, 0.04-0.37). During the same period only 3 children born to HIV infected women were recognized. We estimate that at least 25% of seropositive women were undetected. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that routine HIV screening should be offered to all pregnant women.
Adult↗
[Prematurity, low birth weight and the interval between pregnancies].
BACKGROUND: In the literature, it is not clear what influence a short interpregnancy interval has on the risk of prematurity and low birth weight. METHODS: Between 5.241 births, we selected 279 pairs of newborns consecutive of the same mother, excluding multiple pregnancies and fetal loss. We investigated the relation of the interval between pregnancies to the risk of prematurity-low birth weight. RESULTS: Our newborns with shorter interpregnancy intervals had a lower birth weight. Among the of less than 3 months the prevalence of prematurity-low birth weight was slightly greater (7.1%, OR: 2.14), although the difference didn't reach statistical signification. The multiple logistic-regression analysis determined that the only significantly predictive variable was the previous history of prematurity or low birth weight (OR = 12.49; C.I.95% 3.4-44.4). CONCLUSIONS: The short interpregnancy interval has had a scarce effect on the risk of prematurity and low birth weight. They are another obstetrical risk factors interrelated with greater impact to the gestational outcome.
Analysis of Variance↗
[Seckel's syndrome].
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Abnormalities, Multiple↗