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B García

Publications and source records attributed to B García.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Treatment perspectives: immunotherapy with latex].

Latex allergy currently constitutes a serious problem because of the severity of its symptoms and the at-risk groups it affects. Since complete avoidance of this substance is practically impossible, in the last few years intense efforts have been made to standardize a latex extract with the aim not only of improving clinical diagnosis but also of being able to offer other therapeutic alternatives, such as specific immunotherapy.Since 1998, reports of immunotherapy with oral (three patients) subcutaneous (one patient) and sublingual latex desensitization (one patient) have been published. In all cases, clinical improvement was evident. In 2000, Laynadier published the first pilot study, a phase IIB multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that evaluated the efficacy and safety of specific immunotherapy with latex in patients with occupational allergy. Twenty health care workers without obvious latex exposure and with latex allergy-induced symptoms of rhinitis and/or asthma were included. Treatment started with a 2-day course of rush immunotherapy in hospital and maintenance therapy was continued for 1 year. Efficacy was assessed by symptom and medication scores and by variation in the conjunctival reactivity threshold. The safety of the extract was also evaluated. In the overall analysis of symptom score, the treated group showed a marked improvement and the medication score was significantly lower in patients in the active treatment group than in the placebo group. Concerning safety, almost half the patients receiving active treatment showed local reactions starting with the first injection and four of the nine patients in this group suffered moderate-to-severe systemic reactions. In view of this first clinical trial, it can be concluded that this treatment is effective but that its tolerance is low.A second clinical trial with the same characteristics and extract is currently underway. Its aim is to validate the previous protocol, confirm the efficacy of specific immunotherapy with latex, improve its safety and, if possible, determine the optimal dose.J. Sastre et al. have recently (Formigal 2002) presented the results of the first double-blind study with latex immunotherapy using an extract standardized by the ALK-Abelló-España group. The authors included 24 patients with latex sensitization and symptoms of occupational allergy. To diagnose respiratory allergy, an inhalation challenge was performed in a closed 7-m2 chamber and, in case of contact urticaria, glove-wearing and rubbing tests were performed, using a vinyl glove as negative control. Treatment consisted of a first phase of incremental doses for 14 weeks, with 18 injections, followed by maintenance doses for 6 months. Sixteen patients received active treatment and 8 received placebo. Of the 578 doses administered, adverse effects were observed in 41 (7.1 %). There were 21 immediate systemic reactions (5.7 % of the doses) and 10 delayed systemic reactions (2.6 % of the doses). Adverse effects were more frequent in patients with underlying respiratory disease (p < 0.05). After 6 months' treatment, a clear improvement in the cutaneous response index was found in the active treatment group and in the rubbing and glove-wearing tests. The authors conclude that the immunotherapy tested was a high-risk treatment and that the greatest clinical improvement was found in cutaneous symptoms.In conclusion, although effective, latex immunotherapy is currently a high-risk treatment.

Desensitization, Immunologic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Myasthenia gravis. Otorhinolaryngological considerations].

Myasthenia gravis is a motor neuron disease caused by the presence of antibodies against acetylcholine receptors that interfere with proper functioning of the neuromuscular junction. Twenty percent of patients show bulbar involvement as the first indication of disease, with symptoms such as rhinolalia, dysphagia or phonasthenia. We report the cases of five patients for which our intervention was requested. We were involved in capacities ranging from the interpretation of the first symptom of disease to assessment of surgical possibilities for the treatment of chronic aspiration and severe respiratory symptoms in patients with major dysphagia. We review the scant bibliography published in the last five years.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Plesiomonas shigelloides, a Vibrionaceae to be taken into account].

The antigenic structure and antimicrobial susceptibility were studied in 99 strains isolated from patients with acute diarrhea (6 strains from an outbreak of digestive transmission disease in Santiago de Cuba) and a strain isolated from a patient who died from infections neurological syndrome (INS, meningitis). Four new serotypes (093, 994, 095, 096), which had not been described in the world classification, were identified from the Cuban isolated strains and were included in the International Serotyping Scheme by the International Reference Center located in Prague, Czech Republic. For the first time in Cuba, the circulation of serotypes 017:H11, 011: H2, 023. H1alc, 057: H3 which show cross reaction to Shiguella species was proved. Those strains from the outbreak of digestive disease belonged to serotype 050: H11 and had a thermostable toxin. The first case of infectious neurologic syndrome with Plesionomas shigelloides etiology reported in Cuba was described; the strain corresponded to serotype 050: H11. The worldwide reported pattern of antimicrobial resistance was demonstrated.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Toxigenic Vibrio cholerae non-01].

The antimicrobial susceptibility and the presence of a heat-stable toxin were researched into 100 non-01 Vibrio cholerae strains sent by 7 different health centers to the National Reference Laboratory of Acute Diarrheal Diseases in "Pedro Kourí" Tropical Medicine Institute. The presence of 20% toxigenic non-01 Vibrio cholerae was detected, a figure substantially higher than that reported in other geographic areas, except for endemic areas. This result will make it possible to set epidemiological alert in Cuba because these strains can be infected by CTX phages (element transporting genes that encode for choleric toxin) which will give such strains an epidemic potential similar to that of the etiologic agent of cholera. The identified strains could be studied as possible cholera vaccine candidates.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Characterization of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli strains isolated from children with acute diarrhea, in Mendoza, Argentina.

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is an increasingly recognized cause of diarrhea in children in developing and developed countries. EAEC is recognized by a characteristic aggregative pattern of adherence to human epithelial (HEp-2) cells cultured in vitro. This is the gold standard assay. The aggregative phenotype is associated with the presence of a 65 MDa plasmid (pAA) that also encodes several other putative virulence factors, such as the aggregative adherence fimbria I (AAF/I) and the enteroaggregative heat-stable enterotoxin (EAST1). The objective of this work was to evaluate the application of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to identify EAEC strains in cases of acute diarrhea. A total of 87 E. coli strains, isolated from patients under 2 years of age with acute diarrhea in Mendoza, Argentina, were characterized by the reference method (HEp-2 assay), and by AAF/I- and EAST1-PCR. PCR sensitivity and specificity in comparison with the cell culture assay showed 94.4% sensitivity and 78.26% specificity. EAST1- and AAF/I-PCR could be recommended as a screening test, applicable to epidemiologic studies.

Argentina↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Food allergy as a cause of rhinitis and/or asthma.

We studied the histories of patients who had visited our Department during the last 5 years, presenting food allergy with exclusively respiratory symptoms (18.5%). We studied the correlation between IgE levels and the histamine release test and the type of food implicated. Seventy-seven percent of patients presented sensitization to one food, and 23% presented polysensitization. We found that foods such as snails and eggs have a strong predilection for the bronchial tree as the shock organ. High total IgE was found in 85.2% of patients. The histamine release test was positive in 66% of cases. We conclude that this is a highly sensitive method for the in vitro diagnosis of food allergy.

Allergens↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Frontal osteoma apropos of a case].

We report a case of frontal sinus osteoma in a 66-year-old woman, with headache and deformation of the upper-inner orbit wall; it was satisfactorily solved by means of osteoplastic technique with the aid of surgical microscope. We emphasize the extrasinusal extension, and specially when the osteoma grows towards the orbit or the endocranium, in order to settle on the surgical technique.

Aged↗