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C Mayordomo

Publications and source records attributed to C Mayordomo.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Empiric treatments impair the diagnostic yield of BAL in HIV-positive patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of empiric treatments prior to fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) on the diagnostic yield of BAL in HIV-positive patients with respiratory symptoms. METHOD: We studied 123 consecutive FOBs with BAL in HIV-positive patients; 101 of these patients (82%) had received previous antimicrobial treatment from 1 to 60 days. Diagnostic yield of BAL for Pneumocystis carinii, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and bacterial pneumonia was compared between patients with and without previous empiric treatments. RESULTS: A diagnosis was obtained in 85 patients (69%), of whom 17 (20%) had multiple infections. Diagnostic yield was higher in patients without previous treatment, 91% (20/22) compared with 64% (65/101), p < 0.03. Diagnostic yield was also higher for bacterial pneumonia: seven isolations from 22 patients not receiving previous empiric treatment (32%), compared with 11 of those who had (11%; p < 0.02). The duration of empiric treatment against P carinii in patients in whom it was isolated was significantly shorter than in those in whom P carinii was not detected (3.5 +/- 1.8 days compared with 5.2 +/- 2.4 days; p = 0.003). FOB permitted a change in treatment in 62% of patients with a final diagnosis. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that empiric treatments prior to FOB significantly impair the diagnostic yield of BAL in detecting common pathogens in HIV-infected patients with respiratory symptoms.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections

[Theophyllines of 12- and 24-hour sustained-release. Comparative study].

To compare 24-h and 12-h delayed-release theophylline in asthmatic patients, in terms of clinical stability and respiratory function, side effects and required dose, clinical tolerance and plasma concentrations. Patients with bronchial asthma in stable phase taking theophylline every 12 h were selected. Each patient received 12-h (treatment A) and 24-h (treatment B) theophylline formulas in a prospective, cross-over study with paired data for periods of 15 days. We evaluated theophylline doses, blood levels, clinical course, lung function and side effects. Twenty patients were enrolled. No significant differences between the two treatments were observed in mean dose of theophylline per kg body weight required to obtain therapeutic plasma concentrations (treatment A: 9.36 +/- 1.88 mg/kg/day; treatment B: 9.6 +/- 1.7 mg/kg/day). Mean blood level just before administration of a the next dose was lower with the 24-h formula, but still within therapeutic margins (treatment A: 7.31 +/- 2.27 micrograms/ml; treatment B: 10.66 +/- 2.86 micrograms/ml; p = 0.002). There were no differences in side effects after the adjustment period or in FEV1 after each treatment period. Peak expiratory flow remained stable during the study. The 24-h delayed release theophylline formula was similar to the 12-h formula in dose required by asthmatic patients and in therapeutic plasma concentrations throughout the day.

Adult

[Pulmonary and laryngeal tuberculosis. Study of 26 patients].

A description is reported of tuberculosis cases (TBC) with symptomatic laryngeal involvement diagnosed and treated from 1982 to 1994. Twenty-six out of 2,800 (0.9%) patients diagnosed with TBC had laryngeal symptoms. Twelve patients underwent laryngeal biopsy and the disease was diagnosed in 11; the remaining 15 patients were diagnosed on the basis of the typical lesions at laryngoscopy and resolution with specific therapy; in all of them there was a pulmonary TBC associated. The mean time of clinical laryngeal symptoms was five months and the most common symptom was dysphonia. There were factors which increased the risk for TBC in 16 patients (61.5%), alcoholism being the most common symptom in 10 (38%) patients. X-Ray examination revealed bilateral infiltrates or cavitation in 81% of patients. Sputum examination for acid-fast bacilli was positive in 15 (58%) and culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis was positive in all of them. All patients adhered correctly to the therapeutic regimen and the clinical course was towards healing: no patient had laryngeal carcinoma after one year of follow-up. The incidence of symptomatic laryngeal TBC in our environment is low and usually presents in patients with risk factors, particularly alcoholism, with a long evolution of the disease and associated with extensive pulmonary TBC. The coexistence with laryngeal carcinoma is exceptional; therefore, when the association of laryngeal symptoms and active pulmonary TBC is present it is reasonable to reserve the laryngeal biopsy for those patients with lymph node enlargement, risk factors, or when symptoms persist after a correct therapeutic regime has been instituted.

Humans

[The use of human gamma globulin in the treatment of common variable immunodeficiency].

BACKGROUND: The indication for treatment with human gammaglobulin in patients with primary hypogammaglobulinemia is well established. Nonetheless, there are no uniform criteria with regard to dose, periodicity and route of administration. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVI) who received i.m. or i.v. treatment with gammaglobulin were studied, evaluating the secondary effects, stable levels of IgG achieved, control of symptomatology, clinical evolution and the need for adjuvant therapies. RESULTS: Intravenous administration was more effective than intramuscular administration to achieve higher total IgG serum levels (5.2 +/- 1.2 vs 3.5 +/- 1.6 g/l; p = 0.07) in a shorter period of time (2.1 +/- 1.6 months vs 6.3 +/- 2.8 months; p < 0.01) and with new few secondary effects. The dose and periodicity of the treatment was individualized in each patient on the basis of the needs of consumption and the speed of metabolism of the gammaglobulin, with patients with chronic bronchial suppuration and diarrhea being those requiring the greatest doses (p < 0.0001) and a short interdosis time interval (19.2 +/- 3.1 vs 23.6 +/- 3.6 days; p = 0.01). Treatment with human gammaglobulin allowed the control of recurrent bacterial infection; however, adjuvant treatment with respiratory physical measures and antibiotics were required in patients with chronic bronchial suppuration to avoid progressive alteration of respiratory function. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of human gammaglobulin at adequate doses and frequency is effective to control infection, avoid the development of chronic bronchial disease, alteration of pulmonary function and the appearance of other complications. Intravenous route is safer and produces fewer secondary effects than intramuscular administration with the doses and period of the treatment requiring individualization for each patient.

Adolescent

[The use of fibrinogen-thrombin via endoscope in the treatment of massive hemoptysis].

We assessed the efficacy of fibrinogen-thrombin instillation through the fiberoptic bronchoscope to treat massive hemoptysis in patients to whom embolization of bronchial arteries was not available, was contraindicated or had failed. The fibrinogen-thrombin solution used was Tissucol, which in addition to 2% fibrinogen and 4 U/ml of thrombin, also contained factor XIII an aprotinin. The fibrinogen-thrombin solution was instilled with the aid of the Duplojec system and a 70 cm x 2 mm 4-way catheter. In 53 of the 628 fiberoptic bronchoscopies performed during the study, the indication was hemoptysis > or = 150 ml/12 h. Of these, bronchoscopic instillation of fibrinogen-thrombin was indicated in 5 cases because bronchial artery embolization was impossible. The point of bleeding was located by bronchoscopy in all cases and fibrinogen-thrombin instillation controlled hemoptysis immediately and throughout the follow-up period, which ranged 4 to 10 months. Morning expectoration of blood (< 10 ml) was observed in only 1 patient in the 3 days after treatment. The mean time taken for bronchoscopic exploration was 3 minutes (range, 2-7). In all cases fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed without complications that might have required the procedure to be suspended. We conclude that the local use of fibrinogen-thrombin or fibrin glue instilled through the fiberoptic bronchoscope to the point of bleeding is a simple, fast and cheap way to control massive hemoptysis on a short and long-term basis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult