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A Rodriguez

Publications and source records attributed to A Rodriguez.

448 records · Page 25Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical value of CEA and CA125 regarding relapse and metastasis in resectable non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the value of serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) and CA125 antigen assay for monitoring the activity of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after curative surgical resection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum CEA and CA 125 were determined preoperatively and at every postoperative visit, in 113 patients with NSCLC (TNM stages I, II, IIIA). Both markers were assayed by magnetic particle enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: Tumor recurrence was more frequent in patients with preoperative CA 125 levels above the cut-off (15 U/ml) (28 out of 47) (59.5%) than in those with low values (18 out of 66) (27.2%) (p < 0.001). The 36-month disease-free survival was lower for patients with elevated CA 125 (37%) than among those with low levels (72%) (p = 0.006). High CA 125 was an independent predictor of the risk of postoperative recurrence (Hazard Ratio: 3.02)(95% CI: 1.41-6.49). No relationship was detected between preoperative serum CEA and risk of recurrence. High preoperative CA125 indicated elevated risk for disseminated recurrence (Hazard Ratio: 7) (95% CI: 2.39-20.51), but not for locoregional failure. No significance was detected for CEA, either in locoregional or disseminated recurrence. Forty-six subjects (40.7%) developed tumor recurrence. At the diagnosis of relapse, serum CEA was elevated in 16 patients (34.7%) and CA125 in 26 (56.5%). Sensitivity was higher in the case of disseminated recurrence (63% for CA125 and 43.3% for CEA) and decreased in locoregional relapse (43.7% for CA125 and 18.7% for CEA). The specificity was 97% for CEA and 59% for CA125. CONCLUSION: Serum CA125 is a useful prognostic marker in NSCLC. The predictive information is especially useful to estimate the risk of disseminated recurrence. Serial determinations of CEA and CA125 during the postoperative follow-up do not show enough sensitivity/specificity to recommend their use for diagnosis of tumor relapse.

Aged↗
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[Treatment adherence in schizophrenia. A comparison between patient's, relative's and psychiatrist's opinions].

INTRODUCTION: Patients with psychiatric illness typically have great difficulty following a medication regimen, but they also have the greatest potential for benefiting from adherence. Due to the lack of insight in schizophrenia, adherence to treatment is especially important. We try to analyze and compare the opinion on adherence and compliance of psychiatrists, patients with schizophrenia and relatives. METHOD: A direct, anonymous survey specifically designed for the project was administered to psychiatrists, patients and relatives from all over Spain through different associations of patients and family legally constituted in Spain. Analysis was done separately for variables corresponding to the three groups. RESULTS: The psychiatrists (n = 844) considered that 56.8 % of their evaluated patients (n = 7.439) were noncompliers in the past month, as opposed to 43.2% of these patients who were considered good compliers (3,215 patients). Ninety-five percent of the patients (n = 938) stated that they took their medication regularly, while 5 % answered no to this question. Eighty-two percent of relatives (n = 796) think that patients regularly take their medication, but 47% state that they sometimes forget to take it. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment adherence should be evaluated in clinical trials and in research on treatment of diseases, particularly in chronic mental diseases such as schizophrenia. It seems clear that only programs aimed at detection and resolution of the problems involved in treatment adherence will be able to improve the mid- and long-term prognosis of patients with schizophrenic disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Blunt traumatic pericardial rupture. A ten-year experience 1979 to 1989.

Blunt traumatic pericardial rupture is rarely diagnosed preoperatively and is associated with high mortality. During a ten-year period from 1979 to 1989 over 20,000 patients were admitted to a major trauma center and 22 were found to have blunt traumatic pericardial rupture. Sixteen of the 22 (72.7%) were injured in vehicle accidents, 3 (13.6%) in motorcycle crashes, and 2 (9.1%) in falls; 1 (4.5%) was crushed. Eighteen (81.8%) were diagnosed intraoperatively during resuscitation or surgery for associated injuries, and four (18.1%) were diagnosed preoperatively with pericardial window. Eighteen were males and four were females. The median age was 40.14 years (range, 17 to 68). The tears were found at the following sites: left pleuropericardial (14/22 [64%]), diaphragmatic (4/22 [18%]), right pleuropericardial (2/22 [9%]), and superior mediastinal (2/22 [9%]). Associated cardiac injuries were found in only 5 of the 22 (22.7%); all of those patients died. The overall mortality rate was 63.6% (14/22). A high index of suspicion should alert the trauma surgeon to make the diagnosis intraoperatively during emergency surgical resuscitation in the hemodynamically unstable patient and by pericardial window in the stable patient.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Evaluation of the experience of the observer in the interpretation of myocardial scintillography with radioactive phosphates].

Two-hundred-and five myocardial scans with radioactive phosphates, performed in 185 patients interned at the Coronary Care Unit due to acute chest pain (147 myocardial infarcts: 58 coronary heart disease), were independently interpreted by six observers with different degrees of experience on the lectures of these kind of images (two nuclear physicians, two cardiologists, and two fellows of the Nuclear Medicine Unit). A series of six different grades of myocardial concentration of the radioactive phosphates, related to its osseous concentration were followed. Each observer reported the grade of concentration he found in each image. The fraction of myocardial infarcts and of coronary heart disease found by each observer in every grade of concentration were calculated. With these data, it was determined the optimal criterion level of each observer by which he attained the minor incidence of false negative and false positive results. Four observers found their optimal criterion level on 2F, where grades 0-2D are considered as negative, and grades 2F-4 are considered as positive. One observer found his optimal level at 2D (0-1: -; 2D-4: +) and other at 1 (0: -; 1-4: +. By using a decision matrix which relates results of the test with a binary outcome (normal, abnormal) to the actual diagnosis, also with a binary outcome (infarct, no infarct), the ratios for "sensitivity", "specificity" and "accuracy" were derived for each observer performing at his particular optimal criterion level. Our results suggests that the observer performance depends on his particular degree of experience in interpreting nuclear medical images and on his visual perception. It was concluded that it is necessary to periodically evaluate the individual optimal criterion level of the physicians in charge of the lectures of the myocardial images with radioactive phosphates, liable to shift with time in relation to the experience of the observer. The need of a more objective procedure to quantitate myocardial concentration of the radioactive phosphates is also implied.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Filariasis (Pelecitus sp.) in the cervical subcutaneous tissue of a pigeon with trichomoniasis.

Filariasis due to Pelecitus was found in the subcutaneous tissue of the neck of a domestic pigeon from Spain that died from trichomoniasis. Macroscopically, filariae were observed in the congested and hemorrhagic cervical connective tissue. Microscopically, a particular distribution of parasites with no inflammatory infiltrates was observed. Adult nematodes were located in peritracheal connective tissue and in the deep zone of the subcutaneous tissue. Microfilariae were mainly located in the superficial zone of the subcutaneous tissue. The only other changes observed were a moderate catarrhal tracheitis and congestion of the viscera.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Histopathologic prognostic score in colorectal adenocarcinomas.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prognostic value of a set of pathological variables after curative resection for large bowel adenocarcinoma and to test a prognostic score derived from factors with independent effect. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study is based on data from 292 consecutive unselected patients (B-C Astler-Coller stages). Histopathological features were evaluated prospectively on the resected primary tumors. Relationship between these factors and risk of recurrence was assessed by a Cox's proportional regression analysis. RESULTS: Four variables retained independent prognostic significance: extent of bowel wall invasion, peritumoral lymphocytic infiltration, number of positive nodes and vascular invasion. A prognostic score based on the regression coefficients attained by such variables was developed. This system revealed four prognostic groups. Group I included 14% of patients, with 94% 5-year disease-free survival. These figures were: 35% and 60% in group II; 43% and 46% in group III; and 7% and 24.4% in group IV. Histopathologic score applied to bearers of Astler-Coller B2 tumors permitted the identification of two populations, one characterized by a low risk of relapse and another with high risk (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: A prognostic score based in the evaluation of four histopathologic parameters concerning the tumor phenotype enables the identification of groups of patients at risk of relapse after curative resection for colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Limitations in the use of glutathione S-transferase P1 in urine as a marker for bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: GST pi (GSTPl) is overexpressed in bladder cancer and desquamation of the tumour may produce detectable levels of urinary GSTPl which could be used as a marker for the early diagnosis of bladder cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A preliminary study in 27 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) patients and 20 controls, using an ELISA methodl is presented here. RESULTS: 55.5% of TCC patients were positive for GSTP1, while all control samples were negative. Some of the GSTP1 positive cases also gave positive results for haematuria, which indicates that a limitation of this marker involves the contamination of the urine with erythocyte GSTP1. In 5 cases (18.5%) without haematuria detectable levels of GST pi were found. CONCLUSIONS: Further studies would be required to assess the advantages of this technique over clas sical cytology or as a complement to it, especially in patients in a phase of temporary negative haematuria.

Aged↗