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Biomedical subjects

B Sopeña

Publications and source records attributed to B Sopeña.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

[Serum levels of immunoglobulins and complement in alcoholic liver disease].

The presence of high serum concentrations of immunoglobulins and hypocomplementemia is commonly observed in alcoholic patients; however, the mechanism behind their production is unknown. We studied 70 subjects (52 alcoholics and 18 healthy controls) prospectively. All the patients were active drinkers who consumed more than 100 gr of ethanol daily for at least 10 years. A biopsy of the liver was performed for all the subjects, along with immunoglobulins, C3, C4, CH100 and tests of liver function. Of the 52 alcoholics in the study, 20 showed minimal changes in hepatic steatosis (group II), 6 isolated severe alcoholic hepatitis (group III), 11 cirrhosis of the liver without alcoholic hepatitis (group IV), and 15 cirrhosis with alcoholic hepatitis (group V). There were no significant differences between the various groups according to age or quantity and duration of intake. The highest concentrations of immunoglobulins was observed in those with cirrhosis of the liver (p < 0.001) regardless of the degree of inflammation. The best correlation was found between IgA and liver histology (r = 0.64; p < 0.001). Hypocomplementemia was a factor only in those patients belonging to histological groups IV and V. Both the immunoglobulins and the complement proteins were narrowly correlated with the tests of liver function, and its alterations were more pronounced in patients with cirrhosis in Child's stage C. We conclude that the hypergammaglobulinemia and hypocomplementemia observed in the alcoholic patients are conditioned fundamentally by the degree of deterioration in liver function, indicated by cirrhosis of the liver upon presentation.

Adult↗

[Cryptococcosis of the central nervous system and infection by HIV. Clinical-evolutive characteristics in 13 cases].

Cryptococcosis is the fourth cause of infection of the Central Nervous System in patients with infection by HIV. Despite this fact, the series published in our country are referred to a limited number of cases. We describe the most relevant characteristics of 13 patients with meningitis by Cryptococcus neoformans. We used as inclusion criteria a positive culture of the Cephalorhachidian Fluid (CRF). We observed a significant reduction in the levels of CD4 lymphocytes in all patients, the absence of meningitic syndrome in more than 50% cases (8/13) and a normal CRF cytobiochemistry in three patients. The thoracic radiography was normal in all cases but two, although the cryptococcus was cultured in a transbronchial biopsia of a patient with normal thoracic radiography. The Computerized Axial Tomography showed frequent alterations (5/13). Eight patients were treated with amphotericin B (0.5 mg/kg/d) and five with fluconazol (400 mg/day). Despite following a maintenance therapy with fluconazol (200 mg/d), we had two cases of recurrence in the group previously treated with fluconazol. The level of leukocytes in the CRF was the only prognosis factor (p < 0.05). Five patients died during their first hospitalization due to causes related to the infection by cryptococcus. New therapeutical guidelines are needed in order to improve the prognosis of these patients.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Testicular adrenal-like tissue in a patient with 17 alpha-hydroxylase deficiency.

Testicular adrenal-like tissue (TALT) have been observed in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and is usually associated with 21-hydroxylase deficiency; in 3 cases with 11 beta-hydroxylase deficiency. We report a case of male pseudohermaphroditism with 17 alpha-hydroxylase deficiency (17OHD) who also had TALT. To our knowledge, this is the first report about the association of 17OHD and TALT. Also, the patient had high levels of serum aldosterone--an unusual finding in patients with 17OHD. A possible pathogenic mechanism is discussed.

Adolescent↗

[The incidence of gastric carcinoma after gastrectomy for peptic ulcer in the Vigo region. A case-control study].

After reviewing 10,000 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies performed at the endoscopy unit of the city of Vigo over a 38 month period, we have found 485 partial gastric resections for peptic ulcer, 357 gastric carcinomas were found, of which 26 occurred after partial gastric resection for peptic ulcer. Therefore the incidence of gastric cancer in this area was 22-23/100,000. The frequency of gastric cancer after partial resective surgery was lower than expected during the first 20 years after surgery. However, thereafter a significant increase of gastric cancer occurred in those patients in which a Billroth-II but not Billroth-I procedure was used.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Non-tuberculous spondylodiscitis. Multicenter study of 19 cases].

19 patients diagnosed as non-tuberculous infectious spondylodiscitis (NTIS) have been studied retrospectively over the last 10 years in three general hospitals. The etiology of 13 cases was confirmed (there were nine cases of Staphylococcus aureus, two of Brucella, one of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and another of Salmonella typhi), and the diagnosis of the remaining cases was based on clinical and radiological data as well as on the evolution with antibiotic treatment. The age of the majority of these patients ranged between 40 and 60 years (p less than 0.05), showing a clear predominance of males (p less than 0.05). The most frequently appearing symptom at the beginning of the disease was local pain which was observed in nine patients; the rest presented mixed symptoms which led to misdiagnosis at admission; an exploratory laparotomy was carried out in one patient. The interval from the symptoms' onset to diagnosis ranged between two and sixteen weeks, with an average of 6.8 weeks. The VSG had values between 22 and 148 mm during the first hour, with an average of 83.3 mm. Seven patients underwent surgery, six of them presenting paraparesis-paraplegia, while another presented cervical spondylodiscitis. One patient passed away, two persisted with paraparesis-paraplegia as an irreversible sequela and one with persistent local pain.

Adolescent↗