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Biomedical subjects

A Díez

Publications and source records attributed to A Díez.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

[Clinico-radiologic characteristics of 8 cases of brain tuberculoma].

Several problems are presented in differential diagnosis between cerebral tuberculomas and other brain lesions. Eight cases of cerebral tuberculomas diagnosed in our hospital between 1962 and 1992 were studied. Data about age, sex, HIV antibodies, clinical manifestation, tomographic images, non cerebral locations, diagnostic method, evolution and treatment resolution were collected. Eight cases were diagnosed, seven men and one woman, age 40.75 +/- 10 HIV antibodies in three patients were positive. Meningitis (4 cases) and weight loss (4 cases) were the first clinical features. Confusional state, fever and seizures were presented in three cases one (37.5%), ataxia in two cases (25%) and headache in one (12.5%). Lesions were sole in 62.5% of cases, and several in 37.5%. Were high density in 25.9% and low density in 75%. All patients presented a other localization of tuberculosis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated in sputum in 75% of cases. After six month, most of the lesions improved.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Impairment of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in the brain of aged mice.

To elucidate the role of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in neuronal aging, we have studied the activity of the respiratory complexes in the brain of young, adult and old mice. In synaptic mitochondria, we found a significant decrease in complexes IV (29%, P < 0.001) and V (21%, P < 0.01) in old as compared with adult mice. Nonsynaptic mitochondria also showed a senescent decrease in complexes I (15%, P < 0.01), II + III (34%, P < 0.01) and IV (17%, P < 0.01) activities. These findings suggest a dysfunction in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in brain aging.

Aerobiosis↗
PubMed1994

[Nosocomial epidemic outbreak of diarrhea from Clostridium difficile. Comparative study of diarrhea associated with the use of antibiotics].

BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile is considered as one of the principal enteropathogens of nosocomial origin in developed countries in the last decade. No nosocomial outbreaks have been described in Spain. METHODS: A descriptive study of a nosocomial outbreak of diarrhea by C. difficile (DCD) which was produced during two months in a general hospital of 250 beds was carried out. The risk factors, clinical and analytical characteristics were compared with the cases of diarrhea associated to the use of antibiotics (DAA) produced during the same period. RESULTS: Of the 23 diarrheas studied, 17 (74%) corresponded to DAA and 6 (26%) to DCD, four of which were of nosocomial origin and were detected in the department of Nephrology. The incidence of DAA was 44/1000 patients who received antibiotic treatment per month and the incidence of DCD was 15.5/1000 patients/month. The patients with DAA received a mean of 1.82 antimicrobians per patient and in DCD 2.16 per patient (p: NS). The only differences found between DAA and DCD were: length of the symptoms (16.5 days in DCD, 8.5 days in DAA, p < 0.01) and the presence of blood in the feces (66.6% in DCD and 0 in DAA p < 0.01). No differences were observed in age, sex, base disease, mucous diarrhea, fever, mortality, high VSG and leucocytosis. Surveillance and control measures were effective in combating the epidemic outbreak. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of diarrhea by C. difficile requires a high index of suspicion given the difficulty in differentiating the same from diarrhea associated to antibiotic use. The clinical profile and risk factors do not differ to those described in other geographic areas. The isolation and/or detection of toxins of C. difficile is recommended in patients submitted to antibiotic treatment and diarrhea of more than 72 hours of evolution.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Alcohol-induced bone disease in the absence of severe chronic liver damage.

To define and identify metabolic bone disease and mineral alterations induced by chronic heavy alcoholism in patients without severe liver damage, we studied a prospective series of unselected patients admitted to a 300-bed general hospital in Barcelona (Spain). A total of 26 chronic heavy drinkers of more than 150 g/day for at least 3 years were included. A general analytic and hormonal study, including liver biopsy in cases with any abnormality in liver function tests, and plasma and urine biochemistry with calcium regulating hormones and osteocalcin levels were determined. A transiliac bone biopsy after double-tetracycline labeling, with histomorphometric study of undecalcified bone, was performed. Statistical analysis was adjusted by age and sex by means of logistic regression. A total of 26 (20 men and 6 women) chronic alcohol abusers were studied. After adjustment for age and sex, alcoholic patients showed slight but significantly increased concentrations of plasma calcium (9.56 +/- 0.56; OR = 17.93; 95% CI 3.17-101.48) and decreased cPTH (0.36 +/- 0.11; OR = 0.097; 95% CI 0.018-0.528) compared with controls. Osteocalcin values were low (1.49 +/- 0.89, normal range 1.8-6.6). There was a significant decrease in bone volume, BV/TV (12.56 +/- 5.29; OR = 0.06; 95% CI 0.01-0.34), with increased resorption surfaces, ES/BS (4.28 +/- 2.43; OR = 9.86; 95% CI 2.16-45.07), and increased osteoclast number, N.Oc/TA (0.21 +/- 0.37; OR = 6.41; 95% CI 1.27-32.25).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Effect of cyclosporine A on normal human osteoblasts in vitro.

UNLABELLED: Cyclosporin-A (CsA) inhibits in vitro proliferation of non-human tumour-cloned osteoblasts. Our aims were to study the direct effect of CsA on proliferation of normal human osteoblast (NHOb) cultures and to ascertain whether CsA-treated patients' sera (CsATPS) may exert effects on the osteoblast which differ from the direct effects of CsA. We studied tritiated thymidine ([3H]thymidine) incorporation in NHOb cultures incubated with (a) increasing CsA concentrations (1.2 to 4800 ng/ml), (b) the same concentrations as in the previous experiment but with the addition of 20% fetal calf serum (FCS) or 20% normal human serum (NHS), (c) 40% NHS or 40% CsATPS. Results at 96 h in (a) CsA inhibited uptake from 300 ng/ml, in (b) CsA inhibited [3H]thymidine uptake from 2400 ng/ml for cultures with FCS and 4800 ng/ml for cultures with NHS, in (c) CsATPS produced [3H]thymidine uptake inhibition compared with NHS. CONCLUSION: CsA alone inhibited [3H]thymidine incorporation in NHOb from concentrations similar to therapeutic concentrations. With FCS or NHS, inhibition was produced at higher concentrations. CsATPS inhibited at CsA concentrations lower than those of the two previous experiments.

Blood↗
PubMed1994

[Characteristics and factors associated to the presence of fever in tuberculosis].

The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics and factors associated to the presence of fever in the tuberculous disease. One hundred and three patients were included in the study (29 infected by the HIV, 24 old patients with more than 65 years of age and 50 adults). Fever was present in 59.2% of the patients, in 89.7% of the HIV positives, 52% of the adults and 37.5% of the old patients (p < 0.001). The factors associated to the absence of fever were advanced age and localized pulmonary disease, being almost always present in the HIV-positive patients, in the disseminated disease and in the tuberculous pleuritis. It showed a non-specific pattern and was greater than 38.5% in 52% of the HIV-positive patients and in 23.3% of the HIV-negative patients (p < 0.01). The average duration of fever before starting the treatment was 32.6% +/- 27.7 days and we did not observe any differences between subgroups. Fever may be absent in a high percentage of the patients with active tuberculosis, specifically in the aged patients, although it is almost always present in the HIV-positive patients. The delay period between the onset of this symptom and the beginning of the treatment is still too long.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Population genetics of three VNTR polymorphisms in two different Spanish populations.

Two different Spanish populations, one from Galicia (NW Spain) and the other from the rest of Spain, have been analyzed at three different hypervariable loci (YNH24, MS43a and MS31) using the EDNAP electrophoretic protocol and HinfI as restriction enzyme. Although the "rest of Spain" population is a clearly stratified population using classical blood groups, no evidence of stratification for these loci has been found and the differences to the Galician population were not significant, which suggests that a common Spanish population data-base could be possible. A semiparametric model is proposed for estimating frequencies, using the smoothed cross-validation of Hall et al. (1992) to calculate the size of the window utilized.

Alleles↗
PubMed1993

Long-standing remission after 25-OH D3 treatment in a case of chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia.

This report describes a case of chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML) in whom a complete remission was achieved and sustained 15 months after treatment with 25-OH vitamin D3. No side-effects were observed. Although vitamin D1 has been used in the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes, to our knowledge this is the first case of long-standing remission in a patient with CMML. This 'differentiation therapy' might be considered as a possible alternative in the management of this disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

[The sequelae of osteoporotic femoral fracture in Barcelona].

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present was to study the long term sequelae of osteoporotic fracture of the femur in a general hospital of 300 beds in Barcelona, analyzing 1) mortality; 2) degree of functional capacity; 3) care requirements; 4) familial repercussion, and 5) psychic repercussion. METHODS: Structured telephone interviews were carried out between 1990-1991 with the patients attended for osteoporotic fracture of the femur in our center from 1988-1989. Of a total of 145 patients, 12 died within 1 month. Among the remaining patients the interview was performed with 100 patients--25 of whom were males of 78 +/- 8 years of age and 75 females of 82 +/- 10 years of age. The degree of functional capacity was evaluated by the index of independence in daily activities (DA). RESULTS: Mortality within one month was 8.3%; at one year 30% and at 2 years 38%. Factors associated with the highest mortality were: age of over 80 years (p less than 0.004), deterioration of post fracture functional capacity (p less than 0.0004) and pre-fracture dementia (p less than 0.01). Important deterioration in post fracture functional capacity was seen in 45% of the cases. Seventeen percent of the patients required transfer to a center for chronic care and 34% resided in a center for chronic care prior to the fracture. Familial repercussion was observed in 43% of the cases and post fracture psychologic repercussion was seen in 28%. CONCLUSIONS: Osteoporotic fracture of the femur presents the following sequelae: mortality, intense deterioration of functional capacity and important health care requirements in addition to considerable familial and psychological repercussion.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1991

Detection of antibody to calmodulin in chronic viral hepatitis: lack of correlation with virus replication and hepatocellular damage.

We have analyzed the presence of IgG and IgM anti-calmodulin antibodies (anti-CaM) by ELISA in patients with chronic hepatitis due to B, delta and C viruses as well as in patients with other liver diseases. The specificity of the assay was demonstrated by preadsorption of positive serum with calmodulin (CaM) but not with myosin light chain. Among 164 patients with chronic viral hepatitis (B, delta and C) and 50 with non-viral hepatitis, 27 and 26%, respectively, had auto antibodies against CaM. There was a significantly increased frequency (37%) of these auto-antibodies in chronic delta infection as compared to that (21%) of patients with chronic B hepatitis (p less than 0.05). An intermediate incidence of anti-CaM, (24%) was found in chronic C infection. The frequency of anti-CaM was not related to the level of hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis delta virus (HDV) replication. A high occurrence of anti-CaM in the presence of liver membrane antibody (p less than 0.03) was observed. During follow-up of patients with chronic delta-hepatitis, the presence of anti-CaM was consistently observed, when the isotype was IgM, but transiently when it was IgG. The occurrence of anti-CaM correlated neither with ALT levels nor with histological diagnosis. Antibodies to CaM, are present in liver diseases especially in chronic delta-hepatitis, and do not play a pathogenic role on hepatocellular damage.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Influence of setting-up time, temperature of incubation and age on the transmural potential difference across chicken rectum.

The effects of different experimental conditions on the in vitro transmural potential difference (PD) have been studied in the chicken rectum by the Ussing and Zerahn technique. Results have been analyzed with a statistical method to reveal the contribution of different controlled variables to the response, as well as the possible contribution of interactions between them. The variables considered were: age, setting-up time, temperature of the incubation medium and time elapsed from the beginning of incubation. It can be concluded that a) PD increases when temperature rises from 31 degrees C to 37 degrees C and when age increases from 71 to 123 days; b) Changes in PD during incubation depend on the temperature of incubation medium; c) The influence of age on PD depends on the temperature of the incubation medium and on the time required to set-up the preparation; d) PD is inversely co-related with setting-up times ranging from 3.5 to 7.5 min.

Aging↗
PubMed1989

Septic shock and bacteremia associated with laparoscopic guided liver biopsy, report on two cases.

Two cases of infectious complications after liver biopsy are reported. Klebsiella pneumoniae and beta-hemolytic Streptococcus were cultured. In both cases the biopsy was obtained under laparoscopic control. A 28-year-old woman with liver cirrhosis died 24 hours after liver biopsy as a result of septic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation. A 67-year-old man with hepatic fibrosis suffered from transient bacteremia and recovered uneventfully after antibiotic therapy. In these patients, there was evidence to implicate pre-existing cholangitis as factor predisposing to postbiopsy bacteremia.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Transmural potential difference and short circuit current of chicken cecum in vitro.

The electrical parameters of the chicken cecum were studied in vitro, in birds fed a commercial NaCl-rich diet. The statistical analysis of data was carried out using a linear model-based method which enabled standardization of concomitant factors that could mask the interpretation of the results. Transmural potential difference (PD) decreased initially reaching stable values at 50 min between 7.9 and 9.0 mV. Short-circuit current (Isc) was stable during incubation, with lower values in the medial (41.8 microA/cm2) than in the distal (58.1 microA/cm2) region of the cecum. The reduction of Na+ concentration in the incubation medium produced a fall in PD and Isc and both were ouabain and amiloride sensitive. This indicates that the current is largely carried by the net Na+ transport.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

A pattern for gastric emptying in mice.

Gastric emptying was studied in CD-1 mice weighing 15-30 g. Mice were fed a nonabsorbable test meal consisting of radioactive barium sulfate suspended in 1.5% methylcellulose. The amount of test meal remaining in the stomach was determined 1, 2, 5, and 10 min after the administration. The initial rates of emptying were significantly higher in the groups weighing 15-20 g body wt. In all groups, 50% of the radioactivity administered was emptied in less than 5 min. The gastric emptying figures obtained were adjusted to three general equations: exponential, hyperbolic, and parabolic. The best correlation coefficients were obtained with the parabola, although this pattern of emptying is not completely satisfactory because it has a minimum before the 10th min. The comparison of the exponential and hyperbolic patterns, in terms of both the correlation coefficients and the "starting indexes," showed that the hyperbola describes the data more closely. No sex differences were observed.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Impact of aging on hospital caseload].

PURPOSE: The progressive ageing of the population has led to a rise in the number of hospital admissions among people older than 64 years. The present study analyses the impact of this phenomenon comparing the case-mix of patients older and younger than 65 years. METHODS: An analysis of the case-mix of all patients admitted to two acute hospitals of Barcelona Spain has been performed using the minimum basic data set of hospital discharges during 1997. The patients were grouped according to diagnosis-related groups (DRG). The characteristics of disease severity and complexity (admissions through emergencies department, DRG average weight, Charlson comorbidity index, average length of stay adjusted by case-mix, percentage of patients with an abnormal length of stay, readmissions and mortality rates were compared between the group of patients of 0-64 years and the group of 65 years and over. A further analysis was carried out for three subgroups of the aged patient population: 65-74, 75-84 and > 84 years. RESULTS: The patients group of 65 years and over presented, in comparison with the younger than 65 qulaction, a higher average weight (1.16 vs 0.96), a higher percentage of admissions through emergency department (49.2% vs 44.4%), more comorbidity (Charlson's Index of 0.98 vs 0.66), a higher average length of stay adjusted DRG (9.4 vs 8.1), a higher percentage of patients with an abnormal length of stay (4.7% vs 3.2%), a higher readmissions percentage (8.6% vs 7.5%) and a higher mortality (6.3% vs 1.6%). All observed differences between the two groups were statistically significant. The analysis of the three subgroups of patients of 65 years and over showed that the variables admissions through the emergency department, length of stay and rate of mortality were significantly related to ageing, while the factor of complexity of comorbidity remained stable for all the subgroup of patients. CONCLUSIONS: The case-mix of patients older than 65 years presents some characteristics associated with a higher complexity, severity and comorbidity, which imply more hospitalization days in relation to younger patients. Hospitals and the health care system at large should design specific strategies to face the fast and progressive ageing of patients admitted to hospitals, since this means a relevant change of the case-mix and the profile of health care requirements.

Age Factors↗