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Biomedical subjects

B Gil Extremera

Publications and source records attributed to B Gil Extremera.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Metabolic and antihypertensive effects of nifedipine in hypertensive patients.

We studied the effects of nifedipine on blood pressure and on clinical and analytical parameters in hypertensive patients. Seven male and eight female subjects (mean age of 46.27 +/- 5.38 years, range of 41-56 years) with essential arterial hypertension were given nifedipine (20 mg b.i.d.) for 3 months. Before and after treatment, history, blood pressure, and biochemical values were recorded [blood: Na, K, Ca, creatinine, uric acid, triglycerides, cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, antidiuretic hormone (ADH), and aldosterone; urine: Na, K, Ca, creatinine, ADH, aldosterone, and percentage fraction of Na, K, and Ca excreted]. After 3 months of treatment, we found (a) significant decreases in systolic (147 +/- 18 vs. 166 +/- 16 mm Hg, p less than 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (90 +/- 8 vs. 107 +/- 8 mm Hg, p less than 0.0007), triglycerides (107 +/- 47 vs. 120 +/- 49 mg/dl, p less than 0.0007), and cholesterol (236 +/- 4 vs. 257 +/- 44 mg/dl, p less than 0.00075) in blood, and in K excretion (50 +/- 19 vs. 46 +/- 19 mEq/g of creatinine, p less than 0.0007) and excreted fraction of K (49 +/- 6% vs. 8 +/- 5%, p less than 0.0012) in urine; (b) significant increases in HDL cholesterol (65 +/- 13 vs. 58 +/- 13 mg/dl, p less than 0.001) in blood, and in Na (115 +/- 73 vs. 109 +/- 69 mEq/g of creatinine, p less than 0.0007) in urine; and (c) no significant change in the remaining biochemical parameters, or in heart rate. Secondary effects included flushing (34%), headache (20%), ankle swelling (17%), dizziness (13%), palpitations (4%), and pruritus (4%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[The quality of life and cancer].

Quality of life has been one of the main goals of medicine during the past years. With the increase of chronic degenerative diseases and the stability of the life expectancy at birth, we are beginning to think that it is not only important the number of years that we live, but as well the number of years that we live free of discapacities. On the other hand, the increase in the survival rate due to the advance of the biotechnology, as it happens with cancer, lead us to consider several psychosocial aspects neglected a few years ago.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1991

Zinc levels after intravenous administration of zinc sulphate in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients.

Diabetic patients commonly have increased urinary excretion of zinc, although blood concentrations may be normal, lowered, or raised. We analyzed zinc levels in plasma and urine after an intravenous overload of zinc sulphate (8 mg) in 22 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and 22 healthy individuals. No significant differences were found in basal levels of serum zinc in either group (111 +/- 29 micrograms/dl in IDDM vs 119 +/- 19 micrograms/dl in controls), although urinary excretion of zinc was significantly raised in diabetics (1396 +/- 622 micrograms/24 h) versus controls (611 +/- 235 micrograms/24 h). After zinc overload, both serum and urinary levels of this element varied between the two groups. Serum zinc in IDDM patients initially increased more markedly, and subsequently showed a more significant decline, than in controls. Urinary zinc levels in IDDM patients, in contrast to control values, showed no increase after overload. These alterations in serum and urinary zinc concentrations suggest that our diabetic patients may be zinc-deficient.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Low serum levels of alpha-interferon, gamma-interferon, and interleukin-2 in alcoholic cirrhosis.

The existence of cellular immune deficit in alcoholic cirrhosis, together with the role of alpha- and gamma-interferon and interleukin-2 in the immune system, led us to compare serum levels of these immune system mediators in a group of 40 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis classified according to Child-Pugh's grade of severity of liver disease and 23 healthy volunteers. Serum levels of alpha-IFN, gamma-IFN, and IL-2 were significantly depressed in alcoholic cirrhotics, with no significant differences between the different degrees of hepatic damage. The results suggest a profound alteration in the immune system of alcoholic cirrhotics, which may contribute to the development of the disease and the accompanying immune system deficit.

Female↗
PubMed1991

[Gastric emptying of solids in chronic alcoholic hepatopathy: role of autonomic insufficiency].

Thirty one subjects are studied, 15 healthy (controls) and 16 presenting chronic alcoholic hepatopathy, in whom the existence of an autonomic insufficiency syndrome (AIS) was evaluated measuring the variations in heart rate while breathing (R index) and after standing up [O(B) index]. Vagal functioning was also studied when evaluating gastric emptying of digestible solids (VGS) and non digestible (VGSND). VGS after 45, 75 and 105 minutes in alcoholic patients was slower than in healthy controls (p less than 0.05) and in 50% of them it was slow after 105 minutes. VGSND was similar in both groups. R and O(B) indexes in alcoholic patients was smaller than in the control group (p less than 0.001), presenting 94% of them some index altered. An elevated percentage of patients suffering chronic alcoholic hepatopathy present a AIS which involves several organs, being R and O(B) indexes a better diagnostic method than VGS study.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Differences in gallstone structure in primary common bile duct lithiasis and gallbladder lithiasis.

Some differences between gallbladder lithiasis and primary common bile duct lithiasis are described. Microbiological cultures and biochemical analyses were carried out on the bile of two groups of patients: 27 suffering from gallbladder and 5 from primary common duct lithiasis. The microstructure and composition of gallstones were also examined by polarized light microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Women predominated in gallbladder lithiasis but not in primary common duct lithiasis group (P less than 0.05) and body weight was higher in the former group (P less than 0.02). Primary common duct lithiasis patients had a higher, although not significant, incidence of duodenal diverticulosis (P = 0.15), and a higher incidence of E. coli-positive cultures in bile (P less than 0.001). No significant difference in the biochemical composition of the bile was found between the groups. Brown pigment stones predominated in primary common duct lithiasis, while cholesterol stones did in gallbladder and secondary common duct lithiasis (P less than 0.0001). Stones formed in the gallbladder generally show linear, radial growths of cholesterol crystals, while those from the common duct present a polystratified, concentric deposition of microgranules composed mainly of pigmentary salts. These differences should be taken into account as additional criteria in the differential diagnosis between primary and secondary common duct lithiasis, as the classical criteria for diagnosing of the former greatly underestimate its actual incidence. The distinction between primary and secondary common duct lithiasis is of practical significance, since each entity requires different treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Trace elements in drug addicts.

We studied trace elements (zinc, copper, magnesium, iron, and lithium) by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in the plasma and erythrocytes of 120 subjects: 20 healthy controls and 100 parenteral drug addicts (69 heroin and 31 heroin + other drugs). Plasma Zn and intraerythrocytic Zn and Fe were decreased, whereas plasma and intraerythrocytic Cu were significantly increased in the group of drug addicts with respect to the healthy controls. Moreover, a period of abstinence longer than 10 days was associated with lower plasma levels of Zn and Li in subjects who had taken drugs shortly before they were examined. The presence of serological markers against HBV and HIV did not seem to influence the behavior of the trace elements in blood.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[20 cases of carcinoid tumors of the digestive system].

We are presenting 20 cases of carcinoid tumors of the digestive system. We shall evaluate: age, sex, localization and histopathology, symptomatology, therapeutics and evolution. Appendicular carcinoids were the most frequent: 13 cases. All were chance findings in the histopathological examination of surgically resected appendix in eight acute appendicitis and in four laparotomies for other reasons. Histologically the classic pattern predominated, with formation of cellular nidus, with the cells being argentaffin. These characteristics permit classifying them as tumors derived from the embrionary middle intestine. No appendicular carcinoid developed metastasis. The extirpation was always curative, partially due to the small size and to the facility of obstructing the appendicular lumen. Four cases were gastric carcinoids. Their cells grouped forming trabeculas or were arranged irregularly, being negative for argyrophil and argentic tinction (tumors derived from the cephalic intestine). Two of them presented associated peptic ulcer (histamine implication). The two remaining ones came for studies related to asthenia, anorexia and weight loss, and in both cases hepatic metastasis without carcinoid syndrome were found. Two less frequent localizations were Meckel's diverticulum and ampulla of Vater. The latter developed hepatic metastasis without carcinoid syndrome. The only carcinoid syndrome was found in a patient who died due to adult respiratory distress without having localized the primary tumor.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Acute mountain sickness].

Acute mountain sickness is a pathologic reaction as a result of bad adaptation to high altitudes (greater than 2.500 meters). The main symptoms are headache, nausea, vomits, and insomnia. When severe it can produce oliguria, retinal hemorrhage, ataxia and sometimes coma. Its etiology is not well known. It is considered that the first producer factor of the disease is tissular hypoxia secondary to low partial oxygen pressure existing in areas of high sea level. The treatment consists of descent and the use of dexametasone and acetazolamide.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1990

[The neurophysiological study of diabetic polyneuritis. Apropos 100 cases].

Alterations in nervous transmission might be an early feature of diabetic peripheral polyneuropathy, even in the subclinical stage. We performed a study on 100 diabetic patients. Those with possible endogenous or exogenous causes of neuropathy were not included. We studied the motor distal latency of right peroneal and cubital nerve and the sensory distal latency of median nerve by the use of electromyogram. The neuropathy incidence was 34.3%. One of the results was that conduction in males was slower than in the female control group; this disappeared in diabetic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Arterial hypertension and diabetes. The incidence of macroangiopathic disease in 532 patients].

552 diabetic patients were studied in order to establish the prevalence of hypertension and its repercussion in angiography. 32% of the diabetic patients studied had hypertension, the rate increasing with age, rising to 37.5% in diabetic patients older than 70 years of age (p = 0.002). It was found that females suffered more frequently from hypertension than males (38.8% and 9.2% respectively, P less than 10(-4)) and diabetic type II more frequently than type I (34.3%) and 9.1% respectively, P = 0.0006). Vascular disease was more frequent in hypertensive patients (42.7%) than those with normal blood pressure (23.5%), (P less than 10(-4)). Vascular brain disease and ischemic cardiopathy were the most frequent afflictions in hypertensive patients (25.1% and 24% respectively); and in patients with normal blood pressure 10% and 14% respectively (P less than 10(-4) and P = 0.005). These results confirm that HTA and DM are usually both present in patients, multiplying the risk of angiopathy.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1989

[Hemolytic anemias caused by erythrocyte enzyme disorders].

The congenital alterations of red cell enzymes are one of the most frequent causes of red cell hemolysis. The enzyme defects have more important effects on the red cells than any other cells in the body with the same alteration. It is because red cells do not have a protein regenerating system, this meaning that they have to keep the enzyme level during the circulation time. In order to study this defect, they are classified as follows: a) defects of glycolytic pathway; b) defects of glutathionE++ pathway; c) defects of the nucleotidic metabolism. The most frequent defects are: the deficiency of: G6PD, of pyruvate kinase, of glucose phosphate isomerase and probably pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase deficiency.

Anemia, Hemolytic↗
PubMed1989

[Zinc in patients with ascites].

The concentrations of zinc (Zn) in blood and ascitic fluid (AF) in 48 patients with ascites (alcoholic liver cirrhosis: 32; liver carcinoma associated to cirrhosis: 7; different malignant neoplasias: 9). In addition, total protein, albumin and alpha 2-globulin as well as zinc, were determined in ascitic fluid. There was a decrease of zinc levels in serum, total protein, albumin and alpha 2-globulin in ascitic fluid of cirrhotic patients compared to neoplastic patients. The zinc concentration in ascitic fluid was related to the concentration of total protein, albumin, alpha 2-globulin. There is a parallel correlation between seric zinc and AF zinc.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Cerebral atrophy in chronic alcoholism].

The brain's morphologic changes induced by chronic abuse of ethanol are studied, using the computerized tomography (CT) of 1005 clinical records reviewed during 1982-1987 at "Hospital Universitario de Granada", only 33 were selected as patients suffering from chronic alcoholism, CTs having been performed. The results were compared with 33 CTs of non-drinking patients. The ventricular index (VI), the evans' index (EI), the transversal diameter of third ventricle (TD) and cerebral sulcus evaluation were the values analysed to estimate the degree of cerebral atrophy. It was proven that a significant decrease of VI, an increase of EI, TD and cerebral sulcus in chronic alcoholic patients exists compared to non-drinkers. 70% of the alcoholic patients had cerebral atrophy. The conclusion of this study is that chronic alcoholism is an important causal factors of the cerebral atrophy process, regardless of age, alcohol intake quantity and/or the existence of other associate pathology.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Erythrocyte morphometry in alcoholism].

The aim of this study is to evaluate the erythrocyte morphology (area, perimeter, shape) and its correlation with high alcohol intake and the conventional blood test (MCV, GOT/GPT, and activated PTT). 60 persons were studied (20 non-drinkers, 20 chronic alcoholics and 20 with hepatic cirrhosis). The erythrocyte area and perimeter was significantly higher, in patients other than the group of non-drinkers. This is directly related to the alcohol intake and liver damage. We believe, that the study of the morphology of the erythrocyte is of interest as a "biological marker" related to the grade of alcoholism.

Adult↗