PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Rodríguez

Publications and source records attributed to A Rodríguez.

At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

An investigation of sterile immunity against toxoplasmosis in rats.

The non-persistent BK strain was examined for its ability to induce sterile immunity in Wistar rats. Groups of 2-9 Wistar rats were inoculated subcutaneously with 5 x 10(4) BK strain tachyzoites per rat. Two months later, 46 rats were dosed by gavage with 2 x 10(1) cysts of the C, ME-49, Prugniaud, C-56, Elg, M-7741 or M3 strains. Another 26 rats were inoculated with 10(3) oocysts of the ME49, M7741, Bear or Hopa-Hopa strains of Toxoplasma gondii. After 2 months, the rats were euthanized and their brains screened microscopically for toxoplasma tissue cysts and bioassayed in mice if negative. As judged by bioassay, the BK strain of Toxoplasma induced statistically significant protection against reinfection only when rats were challenged with cysts of the C and Prugniaud strains or with oocysts of the ME49 strain. Nonetheless, cysts were detected microscopically only in 23% of brains of immunized rats challenged with oocysts of the Bear and Hopa-Hopa strains of Toxoplasma and none of those challenged with tissue cysts of any strain. Tissue cysts were detected in 43 and 48% of non-immunized control rats infected with tissue cysts and oocysts, respectively. The overall infection in control rats (microscopy and bioassay) was 70 and 72% for rats inoculated with cysts and oocysts, respectively. These results are consistent with the divergent results obtained by other investigators with regard to protection after challenge with different complete strains (cyst and oocysts forming) of the parasite, of rats immunized with incomplete strains.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Cost analysis and degree of hypercholesterolemia control in type 2 diabetic patients according to different groups and scientific societies].

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the cost and describe the degree of control of the hypercholesterolaemia of type-2 diabetic (DM2) patients according to different groups and scientific societies. DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional study. SETTING: Rural health area. PATIENTS: All DM2 patients monitored in the health area (n = 338). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Gathering of data on clinical histories, determination of cardiovascular risk, LDL-C concentration and total/HDL cholesterol index. DM2 prevalence was 3.08%; annual incidence, 2.55/1000; 45.2% presented hypercholesterolaemia; 16.9% received lipid-lowering treatment; and 20.1% (n = 68) had DM2 with cardiovascular disease. According to the criteria of the GEDAPS-99, European Consensus-98 (Framingham table), Sheffield Group (objectives of the European Consensus-98) and PAPPS-99 for primary prevention, 59.3%, 58.4%, 24.5% and 17.7%, respectively, of hypercholesterolaemic patients were poorly controlled. The percentages of hypercholesterolaemic patients who in each case should receive treatment were: 64.9%, 66.1%, 36.4% and 29.6%. Expenditure in thousands of pesetas every 28 days to achieve proper control of these patients was 282, 423, 274 and 117. The criteria on secondary prevention of the GEDAPS-99 and European Consensus-98 gave figures of 81% and 72.4%, respectively, of poor control of Hypercholesterolaemia. 82.7% and 77.5% of these patients should receive treatment. Expenditure in thousands of pesetas every 28 days to achieve proper control of these patients was 342 and 210. CONCLUSIONS: The degree of control and the costs of hypercholesterolaemia in both primary and secondary prevention vary enormously, depending on the criterion used by the group or scientific society.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Application of artificial neural networks for risk stratification of hospital mortality].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the ability of an artificial neural network (ANN) to predict hospital mortality with that of the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) system and multiple logistic regression (LR). A secondary objective was to compare the allocation of individual probability among the models. METHOD: The variables required for calculating the APACHE II were prospectively collected. A total of 1146 patients were divided (randomly 70% and 30%) into the Development (800) and the Validation (346) sets. With the same variables an LR model and an ANN were carried out (a 3-layer perceptron trained by algorithm backpropagation with bootstrap resampling and with 9 nodes in the hidden layer) in the Development set. The models developed were contrasted with the Validation set and their discrimination properties were evaluated using the area under the ROC curve (AUC [95% CI]) and calibration with the Hosmer-Lemeshow C (HLC) test. Differences between the probabilities were evaluated using the Bland-Altman test. RESULTS: The Validation set showed an APACHE II with an AUC = 0.79 (0.75-0.84) and HLC = 11 (p = 0.329); LR model AUC = 0.81 (0.76-0.85) and HLC = 29 (p = 0.0001) and an ANN AUC = 0.82 (0.77-0.86) and HLC = 10 (p = 0.404). The patients with the most important differences in the allocation of probability between LR and ANN (8% of the total) were neurological. The worst results were found in trauma patients with an AUC of not greater than 0.75 in all the models. In respiratory patients, the ANN achieved the best AUC = 0.87 (0.78-0.91). CONCLUSIONS: The ANN was able to stratify hospital mortality risk by using the APACHE II system variables. The ANN tended to achieve better results than LR, since, in order to work, it does not require lineal restrictions or independent variables. Allocation of individual probability differed in each model.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Piroxicam-induced photodermatitis. Cross-reactivity among oxicams. A case report.

BACKGROUND: there is a group of patients with contact allergy to thimerosal (thiosalicylic acid and ethylmercuric chloride), thiosalicylic acid sensitized, who develop photodermatitis to piroxicam. We present a case which we have investigated cross-reactivity among different oxicams. METHODS AND RESULTS: a 44-year-old man with contact allergy to thimerosal. A few hours after the intake of Feldene (piroxicam) while running outside, developed a papuloerithematosus exanthema in the neck, knees and forearms, and microvesicles on the finger webs, that became descamative a few days later. Oclusive patch tests with thiosalicylic acid, mercury, piroxicam, tenoxicam, droxicam and meloxicam and photopatch test with the oxicams were performed. Patch tests with thiosalicylic acid and piroxicam were positive and negative with the others. All the oxicams photopatch tests were positive. CONCLUSIONS: we present a case of photodermatitis and dermatitis to piroxicam, in a patient with contact allergy to the thiosalicylic moiety of thimerosal, in which cross-reactivity with the other oxicams have been demonstrated. In cases of oxicams-induced photodermatitis, all oxicams should be avoided, to elude posible cross-reactions.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dietary recommendations for patients allergic to Anisakis simplex.

BACKGROUND: Anisakis simplex, a fish parasite, causes allergic urticaria, angioedema and anaphylactic shock through an IgE-mediated hypersensitivity mechanism. Consensus on the dietary recommendations that should be given to allergic patients is lacking. Our objective was to evaluate the usefulness of different types of diets in preventing further reactions in patients allergic to A. simplex. METHODS: Twenty-eight adult patients, who had suffered an allergic episode caused by A. simplex were asked to follow one of the following three diets for a mean period of 13.16 months: a fish-free diet (diet 1; n = 19), a diet including fish frozen for more than 48 hours (diet 2; n = 9) and a diet with fresh fish (diet 3; n = 12). In all patients raw fish was excluded. Relapse rates and changes in total serum IgE and specific IgE to A. simplex were studied during the follow up. RESULTS: During the 13-month follow-up none of the patients developed anaphylaxis. Urticaria symptoms were present in 5.8 %, 11.1 % (n.s) and 33.3 % (p = 0.016) of patients following diets 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Total IgE decreased by 64 % (p < 0.05), 48 % (p < 0.05) and 39.4 % (p < 0.05), respectively. Specific IgE to A. simplex decreased by 50.7 % (p < 0.05), 54.1 % (p < 0.05) and 23.6 % (p < 0.05) after diets 1, 2 and 3, respectively. No statistically significant differences were found among the groups in variations in total and specific IgE. CONCLUSIONS: Patients allergic to A. simplex can eat fish that has been frozen at -20 C for 48 hours without risk of a severe allergic reaction. Long term decreases in specific and total IgE may not be good markers of eventual contact with A. simplex.

Adult↗