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C Serrano

Publications and source records attributed to C Serrano.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

[Delayed infection after Bio-alcamid implantation].

Bio-alcamid (Polymekon) is a gelatinous endoprothesis constituted of poly-alkyl-imide and water that is used for correction of aesthetic alterations. It presents very good tolerance with few adverse effects. We present a case of localized infection in one of the sites of injection, three months after the implant was placed in the nasolabial furrows and lips. It would be the first case of a delayed infection following injection of this material, although there are few references in this field.

Acrylic Resins↗
PubMed2006

[The burned man].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Acitretin↗
PubMed2005

Nasal and bronchial response to exercise in patients with asthma and rhinitis: the role of nitric oxide.

BACKGROUND: Physical exercise is associated with a decrease in nasal resistance in rhinitis and an increase in bronchial resistance in asthma. The objective was to evaluate the relationship between the levels of nasal nitric oxide (nNO) and exhaled bronchial nitric oxide (eNO) with bronchial responses to exercise in patients with rhinitis and asthma. METHODS: We submitted 24 subjects with asthma and rhinitis to an exercise test. A decrease in FEV(1)> or =15% was considered positive. The volume of the nasal cavity and the minimal cross-sectional area (MCA) was evaluated by means of acoustic rhinometry (AR), and nNO and eNO were evaluated by chemoluminiscence. The measurements were recorded at baseline, 15 and 50 min after the end of the exercise test. RESULTS: The exercise test was positive in 17 cases. Fifteen minutes after exercise test, the nasal volume increased by 57% (P < 0.0001) and was still increased by 30% after 50 min (P < 0.0001). There was no correlation between decrease in FEV(1) and increase in nasal volume. The baseline value of nNO was 1185 +/- 439 ppb, and the value at 15 and 50 min was 1165 +/- 413 and 1020 +/- 368 ppb, the latter value being significantly lower (P < 0.01) than the baseline. The baseline value of eNO was 21 +/- 19 ppb, with no significant differences at 15 and 50 min. There was no significant correlation between either the decrease in FEV(1) and the nasal response, or the baseline eNO and nNO values. CONCLUSIONS: The nasal and bronchial response to exercise is completely different in rhinitis and asthma; in the former, an increase in nasal volume occurs, while in the latter there is a drop in FEV(1). There is no relationship between the values of nasal or exhaled NO and the nasal and bronchial response after exercise.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Advantages of flow cytometry immunophenotyping for the diagnosis of central nervous system non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in AIDS patients.

BACKGROUND: Neurological disorders are common in HIV-infected patients. Central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma should always be considered because it is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical utility of flow cytometry immunophenotyping (FCI) in diagnosing or discarding leptomeningeal involvement in HIV-infected patients and to compare its sensitivity with that of conventional cytological methods. METHODS: Fifty-six cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 29 HIV-infected patients were independently evaluated by flow cytometry and cytology. The description of an aberrant immunophenotype was the criterion used to define the malignant nature of any CSF cell population. RESULTS: FCI and cytology gave concordant results for 48 of the 56 CSF samples studied: 37 were negative for malignancy and 11 had evidence of CNS lymphoma. Discordant results were obtained for eight CSF samples, and the accuracy of the FCI findings could be demonstrated for four CSF samples described as positive for malignancy according to the FCI criteria. CONCLUSIONS: A high level of agreement was found between the results obtained using the two methods, but FCI gave at least 25% higher sensitivity than conventional cytomorphological methods for the detection of malignant cells. This advantage suggests that, in case of negative flow cytometry results, disorders other than non-Hodgkin's lymphoma should be strongly considered.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Usefulness of montelukast to prevent adverse reactions to COX-2 selective inhibitors: a case report.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-sensitivity is a frequent condition in patients with chronic urticaria and/or asthma. The physiopatologic process underlying respiratory and cutaneous reactions probably involves an increased production of cysteinyl leukotrienes. Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) selective inhibitor, has been proposed as the main alternative to control pain and inflammatory diseases in these patients. However, a small percentage of patients with NSAID-induced skin reactions does not even tolerate COX-2 selective inhibitors. We report a very infrequent case of a patient with NSAID, paracetamol and COX-2 selective inhibitors sensitivity in whom we induced tolerance to paracetamol and celecoxib using the leukotriene receptor antagonist montelukast prior to oral challenges.

Acetates↗
PubMed2004

Antibiotic residues in edible tissues and antibiotic resistance of faecal Escherichia coli in pigs from Portugal.

The aims were to provide data on antibiotic residues in pig tissues and the trends in the occurrence of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli (a commensal bacteria that can colonize the intestinal tract of humans and animals) isolated from the animals studied. Muscle and kidney samples collected from freshly slaughtered pigs were tested for the presence of antibiotic residues using rapid screening tests. Ninety muscle and 90 kidney samples from the same animals, collected in the slaughterhouse of the central region of Portugal, were screened by microbial tests and only six samples did not fulfil the European Community regulations concerning maximum residue limits. When a more sensitive method was used for the detection of sulphamethazine, 36% of the animals contained residues of the antibiotic. This indication of a larger antibiotic occurrence than anticipated was confirmed by studying the susceptibility of their enteric E. coli. In all the animal faeces studied (n = 60), E. coli isolates resistant to amoxycillin, tetracyclines and sulphonamides were found. The majority of the faecal samples demonstrated a high degree of E. coli resistant to sulphonamides and tetracyclines, respectively 88% and 85%. These data raise important questions about the relevance of the detection of antibiotic residues as the only method to establish the quality and safety of animal products for human consumption.

Amoxicillin↗
PubMed2004

Monoclonal antibody-based ELISA to quantify the major allergen of Artemisia vulgaris pollen, Art v 1.

BACKGROUND: Pollen of Artemisia vulgaris (mugwort) is a relevant cause of pollinosis in temperate and humid regions. Recently, the major allergen of this pollen, Art v 1, has been characterized. OBJECTIVE: To develop a monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to quantify Art v 1, and to assess the correlation of Art v 1 content with the biological activity of mugwort pollen extracts. METHODS: Art v 1-specific mAbs were obtained from a BALB/c mouse immunized with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-purified Art v 1. One of these antibodies (Av 3.7), which recognizes the N-terminal defensin-like domain of Art v 1, was used as the capture antibody in an ELISA method for allergen quantitation. An anti-A. vulgaris rabbit serum was used as the second antibody. Art v 1 was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography and used as the standard in the assay. RESULTS: The purity and identity of the affinity-purified Art v 1 was confirmed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), mass spectrometry, amino acid composition, and N-terminal amino acid sequencing. The prevalence of specific IgE against Art v 1, determined by radioallergosorbent test (RAST) in a population of 44 mugwort-allergic patients, was 79%. The Art v 1-ELISA developed displays a detection limit of 0.1 ng/ml, and a practical working range of 0.2-10 ng/ml. The concentration of Art v 1 was measured in 10 A. vulgaris pollen extracts, and a good correlation was observed between the Art v 1 content and the allergenic activity of the extracts. CONCLUSIONS: The results prove the usefulness of the Art v 1-ELISA for the standardization of A. vulgaris pollen extracts intended for clinical use.

Allergens↗
PubMed2004

[Corynebacterium urealyticum in renal trasplantation. CT and sonography imaging characteristics of encrusted cistitis and pielitis].

PURPOSE: Its described three cases of Corynebacterium urealyticum (CU) infection in patients with renal transplantation and one of its most serious consequences: encrusted pyelitis and cystitis. It is explained the principal keys for its diagnosis, based in the appearance of alkaline pH in in urine analysis (alkaline urine), positives urinary cultures for CU, and the CT and US studies revealed the characteristic images of calcifications in the wall of renal pelvis and bladder. PATIENTS: Three male patients with renal transplantation and CU infection that caused encrusted pyelitis in two of the cases and encrusted cystitis in one case. RESULTS: Calcifications of the urinary tract were noticed in CT in all the patients. In two cases bladder stones were linear, and in the third case they were fundamentally coarse and placed in pelvis. The diagnosis suspicion showed by the images was confirmed by the use of prolonged urine cultures, necessary for detecting CU. All the patients were treated with vancomycin, with success in two of the cases and, finally needing surgery, and after loss of the graft, in the other case. CONCLUSION: Encrusted pyelitis and cystitis are cronic and severe infections of the urinary tract. Calcic struvite incrustations in the urothelium are characteristics of this infection. CT is a choice technique for the diagnosis and followup of the calcifications after treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[Prognostic value of the ultrasound visualization of the bulging agent after endoscopic treatment of vesicouretal reflux].

INTRODUCTION: The endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux constitutes an easy and simple option at the moment for its resolution in all degrees and ages. It is necessary to carry out an ECO and VCUG (vesical cystouretrography) during voiding to verify their resolution. The ultrasongraphy can detect the wheal of injected material (Teflon or Macroplastic), but it is ignored if its visualization implies its disappearance or not. OBJECTIVE: To see the correspondence or not between the sonographic presence of injected material wheal and disappearance of reflux in the VCUG. MATERIAL AND METHODS: It has been statistically selected a sample of convenience to calculate the sensibility and specificity of the sonographic visualization of the endoscopic injected material wheal. We have studied 115 ureters with all the reflux degrees and ages, chosen randomly among patients treated endoscopically of vesicoureteral reflux, independently of the injected material, polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) or polydimethylsiloxane (Macroplastic). Refluxes due to duplex systems and those in which there were doubts of their correct installation during endoscopy were rejected. Cases with two or more injections were rejected too. The ECO and corresponding cystographies were revised in the first control after treatment (three months later). With this data, a chart of 2X2 was built comparing the presence or not of wheal in the ECO with the presence or not of reflux in the VCUG. We calculate sensibility, specificity, PPV (positive predictive value) and NPV (negative predictive value) as well as the degree of agreement of both tests with the kappa index. RESULTS: In 115 ureteral units we visualized with ECO the wheal of injected material in 97 and not in 18 (16%). In those cases with visualized wheal, reflux disappeared in 59 (61%), and in 38 not (39%). In those cases where the wheal was not visualized, reflux disappeared in 13 and persisted in other 5 (28%). The degree of sensibility was 12%, the specificity 82%, the PPV 22% and the NPV 61%. CONCLUSIONS: Attending to the low specificity and predictive values, the sonographic presence of material wheal doesn't indicate that the reflux has been corrected, as well as its absence doesn't reflect the presence of the same one, being always necessary to carry out a cystography for its diagnosis.

Child↗
PubMed2003

[Interferon, ribavirin and amantadine in prior nonresponders to interferon and ribavirin therapy with chronic hepatitis C (genotype 1)].

OBJECTIVE: Despite advances in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV), the disease persists after treatment with interferon and ribavirin in a large percentage of patients and other therapeutic options are lacking. We investigated the efficacy of retreatment with antiviral therapy including amantadine. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: prospective and open pilot study. PATIENTS: Thirty-nine patients with chronic HCV, genotype 1, who were nonresponders to interferon and ribavirin were included. The patients were given repeat treatment with interferon-alpha 2A (9 MU/week), ribavirin (1,000-1,200 mg/day) and amantadine (200 mg/day) for 48 weeks. RESULTS: HCV-RNA was undetectable in 5 patients in week 48 (12.8%) and in only 2 patients after 24 weeks of follow-up (5.1% of sustained responses). In patients with basal viremia of < 8 105 U/ml the probability of response at the end of treatment and of sustained response was 26.3 and 10.5%, respectively; in patients with elevated viremias response was 0%. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 without response to interferon and ribavirin, triple antiviral therapy with interferon, ribavirin and amantadine is not useful.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Diagnosis of Duchenne dystrophy by enhanced detection of small mutations.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether detection of small mutations of the dystrophin gene can be increased using an enhanced method of single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis. BACKGROUND: Usual methods of DNA analysis for Duchenne dystrophy cannot identify mutations in one-third of cases. Muscle biopsy, with its inherent risks and added liability for patients with Duchenne dystrophy, becomes the sole method of diagnosis. Even with a tissue diagnosis of dystrophin deficiency, many families are excluded from carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis. METHODS: Genomic DNA from a cohort of 93 patients with Duchenne dystrophy without identifiable gene mutations was screened for mutations. In each case, 22 kilobases of genomic DNA were scanned, including all 79 exons of the dystrophin gene, adjacent intronic regions, and six alternative exons 1. RESULTS: Sixty-eight (73%) had small mutations, including 34 nonsense mutations, 27 microdeletions and insertions, and 7 splice site mutations. No missense mutations were found. One nonsense mutation in exon 59 was detected in four patients. Most mutations were new; 54 of 62 different small mutations have not been reported. Mutations were found throughout the gene: 24% in the first quartile, 31% in the second, 16% in the third, and 29% in the fourth. CONCLUSIONS: A highly sensitive single-strand conformation polymorphism method substantially increased detection of small dystrophin gene mutations and made it possible to diagnose approximately 90% of patients with Duchenne dystrophy by DNA analysis. These findings, combined with cost savings and safety issues, provide compelling reasons to consider DNA analysis as the initial diagnostic test for the suspected dystrophin-deficient patient.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Effects of palm oil and dietary cholesterol on plasma lipoproteins: results from a dietary crossover trial in free-living subjects.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of palm oil (PO) and egg consumption (E) on plasma lipoproteins. DESIGN: Randomized crossover trial. SETTING: Free-living subjects. SUBJECTS: Twenty-eight healthy male students aged 20-34 y. INTERVENTIONS: Four typical Colombian diets (10 878 kJ/day; 57% energy in carbohydrates, 12% energy in proteins and 31% energy in fats) were consumed for 4 weeks. The HPOLC diet was high in PO (8.8% energy as palmitic acid, PA) and low in eggs (181.2 mg/kJ of dietary cholesterol, DC); the HPOHC diet was high in PO and high in eggs (866.1 mg/kJ of DC); the MPOMC diet was moderate in PO (6.3% energy as PA) and moderate in eggs (581.6 mg/kJ of DC); and the LOPOMC diet had no PO and was moderate in eggs (543.9 mg/kJ of DC). MAIN OUTCOME: Total (TC), low density (LDL-c), and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and triacylglycerols (TAG) were measured on a pool of three fasting blood samples collected in consecutive days the last week of each diet. RESULTS: Comparison of the HPOHC and HPOLC diets showed increases in TC and LDL-c of 0.21 (P=0.01), and 0.16 mmol/l (P=0.05). Comparison of LOPOMC and MPOMC diets showed increases in TC and LDL-c of 0.39 (P<0.001), and 0.38 mmol/l (P<0.001), respectively. No significant changes in HDL-c or TAG were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that non-extreme short-term changes in PO and DC consumption lead to significant elevations in plasma TC and LDL-c. SPONSORSHIP: CENIPALMA, Fundación Cardiovascular del Oriente Colombiano, Universidad Industrial de Santander.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Homeopathy in Cuban epidemic neuropathy: an open clinical trial.

In an outbreak of epidemic neuropathy (EN) in Cuba (1992-1993), most patients were improved by vitamin therapy. In subjects with residual symptoms, alternative treatments including homeopathy were suggested to ameliorate optic and peripheral signs of the disease. An open clinical pilot trial was conducted on 31 patients with long standing symptoms of optic (OPTI group, n=15) or peripheral EN (PERI group, n=16). During the trial, OPTI and PERI patients continued the same treatment that they received before. Carboneum sulphuratum and Tabacum in homeopathic dilutions were administered for 30 days. These medicines are specific to optic EN, but not closely linked with peripheral EN. Clinical status was evaluated by neurological and ophthalmologic tests at diagnosis (Ddiag), 7 days before homeopathic treatment (D0) and 90 days after (D90). From D0 to D90, the percentages of improvement were 73.3% for the OPTI form and 12.5% for the PERI form. The percentage of improved OPTI patients was significantly higher after the homeopathic treatment vs the period between Ddiag and D0 for optical EN (P<0.01), but not for PERI subjects (P>0.05). In the OPTI group, colour vision, visual acuity and visual field improved after homeopathic treatment (P<0.001), these parameters did not change between Ddiag and D90 (P>0.05). Carboneum sulphuratum and Tabacum showed a reasonable effectiveness in optical EN, but were not effective in PERI EN.

Cuba↗
PubMed2001

Amino acid levels and ratios in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with optic neuropathy in Cuba.

Twenty-one amino acids were determined in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of 12 patients with endemic, and in the cerebrospinal fluid of 22 patients with epidemic optic neuropathy. For the endemic patients, there was a decrease in aspartate and taurine in the serum with respect to controls. The ratios aspartate/taurine and taurine/valine were decreased, and glutamate/taurine was increased in the serum. Some of the altered amino acid ratios indicate preponderance of excitatory to inhibitory molecules. The ratio with valine corresponded to the decrease in taurine and the maintenance of valine concentration, an amino acid related to anthropometric parameters. A typical malnutrition pattern was not observed, as the levels of essential amino acids were not significantly modified. In the cerebrospinal fluid there were increases in aspartate, glutamate and threonine, the first two probably indicating a neurodegenerative disorder or some type of metabolic alteration, primary or secondary to the disease. The increase in threonine could be related to lipid metabolism, but it is not clear at present. A wide variety of amino acid ratios were increased in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with endemic optic neuropathy, mainly pointing to an excitatory condition and some metabolic alterations. In the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with epidemic optic neuropathy there was an increase in aspartate and glutamate, and increase in glutamate/taurine, glutamate/glycine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid/glycine ratios. Interesting differences were also observed between patients from different periods of time, but with the same clinical features, and the modifications of amino acid concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid, such as glutamine, threonine and tryptophan. The present results indicate a disorder in the metabolism of amino acids, support a specific deficit, especially for taurine, an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory amino acids, and a possible relation to viral infections.

Adult↗