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Biomedical subjects

D Castillo

Publications and source records attributed to D Castillo.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Increase in the D-dimer levels during treatment in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia.

Plasma concentration of thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), PAI-2, D-dimer complex and urokinase-plasminogen activator (u-PA) activity were studied in 30 patients with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL), before and during antileukemic therapy. Fifteen patients showed signs of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), 10 of them classified as M3, 2 as M2 and 3 as M5 subtypes. The initial levels of TAT complex were elevated in all ANLL patients. This increase was more pronounced in patients with DIC (p less than 0.05). TAT increased significantly during the treatment period in all cases. u-PA and PAI-1 levels were elevated but there were no statistically significant differences between patients with and without DIC. PAI-2 levels were below the limit of detection in controls and in patients. However, the initially elevated D-dimer complex levels were significantly higher in DIC cases (p less than 0.01) and they increased during the treatment period. A significant and positive correlation between D-dimer and TAT complex values was found in DIC patients (r = 0.68, p less than 0.001). The high TAT complex and D-dimer levels further increased during chemotherapy treatment strongly suggest a hypercoagulable state with secondary activation of fibrinolysis not severe enough to manifest itself as clinically evident DIC in the majority of cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Comparison of survival in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and hospital haemodialysis: a multicentric study.

We compared the survival of 842 patients on centre haemodialysis to 272 patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). All patients selected had begun treatment between 1 January 1984 and 30 June 1988 and were from six centres which participate in a regional renal patients registry. Patients on CAPD were older and had a greater proportion of diabetes and other associated diseases. Age, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases were associated with a shorter survival on treatment in all the patients studied. Without adjustment for risk factors, patient 3-year survival was higher in centre haemodialysis than in CAPD, 80% versus 64% respectively. However, no significant differences could be shown in the survival rates of the two treatment modalities after accounting for the heterogeneity of the patients in the two groups, either by stratification or by multivariate analysis (Cox). Age was the main predictive factor for CAPD patient survival, while the influence of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases was less clear. Technique survival was much better in centre haemodialysis (94% versus 56% in CAPD, 3-year survival). Older age and diabetes mellitus were associated with a greater risk of switching from centre haemodialysis to CAPD and a trend to retain those patients on CAPD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Biocompatibility of dialysis membranes: a comparative study.

White blood cell counts and plasma C5a anaphylatoxin values were studied during haemodialysis with cuprophane, ethylenevinylalcohol, polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate, acrylonitrile, polysulphone and polyacrylonitrile membrane dialysers. Cuprophane induced marked leukopenia with striking plasma generation of C5a. Ethylenevinylalcohol, polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate and acrylonitrile promoted an intermediate degree of leukopenia with mild but significant complement activation; however, leukopenia and C5a generation were not time-related with some of these membranes. In contrast, polysulphone and polyacrylonitrile showed neither leukopenia nor C5a increase. These data suggest that although there must be further factors involved, complement-derived anaphylatoxin C5a generation may have a relevant role in the mechanism of haemodialysis-induced leukopenia. At the present time evaluation of the leukopenic effect and the C5a generation capability of a membrane seem worthwhile for estimating its degree of biocompatibility.

Anaphylatoxins↗
PubMed1991

Unsupervised children in vehicles: a risk for pediatric trauma.

In this study, a series of instances of children injured by a motor vehicle set in motion by an unsupervised child are reviewed. During a 24-month period, nine such children were identified through a multihospital and coroner's office monitoring system in a single urban county. Injuries ranged from multiple abrasions and contusions to serious leg and head injuries. Three children died. The typical circumstance involved a child releasing the brake or placing the vehicle in gear in a private driveway which resulted in the vehicle striking or rolling over the victim. In four of the nine cases, the child who set the vehicle in motion fell or jumped from the vehicle and then became the injured victim. The extent of these unusual motor vehicle-related injuries is unknown because they are unlikely to be reported in official police statistics. According to the study findings, there is a need to educate the public and health professionals about the risks associated with leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle and the hazardous environment of the private driveway. Preventive measures would include not leaving a child unattended in a vehicle, locking unattended vehicles to prevent access, and redesigning of private driveways.

Accident Prevention↗
PubMed1990

Childhood motor vehicle occupant injuries.

Motor vehicle occupant trauma is the major cause of mortality among the pediatric population. The mortality rate for adolescents is approximately 10 times that of the younger age groups. Despite enactment of child passenger safety laws in all states and mandatory seat belt use laws in two thirds of the states, mortality rates have not decreased to the extent expected. Additional interventions targeted at the adolescent driver, substance use and driving, and improved occupant protection for all children will be required to further decrease occupant trauma. Lack of comprehensive trauma data is a major roadblock to the calculation of morbidity and disability rates.

Accident Prevention↗
PubMed1990

Effect of calcitriol on insulin secretion in uraemia.

To evaluate the role of calcitriol on insulin secretion in uraemia, nine patients on maintenance haemodialysis, never treated with vitamin D nor with calcium-channel blockers, were studied. Baseline glucose, insulin, C peptide, calcium, intact PTH, and calcitriol serum values were measured, and after an oral load of 75 g glucose, insulin and C peptide were also determined at 15, 30, 45, 60, and 120 min. Following 14 days of treatment with oral calcitriol (0.5 microgram/day), the same study protocol was applied. Serum calcitriol values, which were low as expected, increased after therapy, but did not reach the values observed in healthy controls. Despite no change in total serum calcium, intact PTH values decreased significantly (182 vs 88.3 ng/ml, P less than 0.003). Baseline serum insulin was significantly increased after calcitriol (7.5 vs 35 microU/ml, P less than 0.001). Similarly, an enhancement in insulin secretion following calcitriol was observed at 15 min (34 vs 70, P less than 0.01) and 30 min (57 vs 96 microU/ml, P less than 0.01). Computation of the total area under the curve confirmed these results. Changes in C peptide profile paralleled those described for insulin. These data confirm that vitamin D modulates pancreatic beta-cell secretion and suggest that calcitriol may regulate insulin release in uraemic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Factors affecting beta 2-microglobulin plasma concentration during hemodialysis.

We studied ten patients on hemodialysis (HD) treated in sequence with cuprophan (CU), ethylenevinylalcohol (EVAL), polyacrylonitrile (A-69) and polysulphone (PSP) membrane dialyzers. beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m) was measured by radioimmunoassay in plasma and dialysate samples. Plasma concentrations were corrected for changes in extracellular volume (ECV). We also studied adsorption in vitro by incubating the above membranes with I-125-labelled beta 2m. There were no changes in beta 2m plasma concentration after HD with CU dialyzers, but a significant decrease was observed with the other membranes tested. Filtration of beta 2m across the dialyzer was absent with CU and minimal with EVAL. However, large amounts were recovered from dialysate with the high-permeability dialyzers, AN-69 and PSP. In vitro studies showed that maximal adsorption capacity was obtained with AN-69 (13%) compared to 9% with CU, 4% with EVAL and 7% with PSP. In summary, beta 2m clearance with PSP is achieved through greater removal of this protein by mass transport across the membrane. The mechanism by which beta 2m is removed from blood during AN-69 dialysis seems to include both adsorption to and filtration by the membrane itself.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Anaphylatoxin C5a generation and dialysis-induced leukopenia with different hemodialyzer membranes.

Leukocyte counts and plasma C5a anaphylatoxin levels were studied during hemodialysis in patients using Cuprophan, polycarbonate and polyacrylonitrile membrane dialyzers. Cuprophan induced a marked leukopenia with significant plasma C5a generation. Polycarbonate promoted the same trend of changes in both parameters but significantly less pronounced, while polyacrylonitrile did not affect leukocyte counts nor plasma C5a levels. These data suggest that complement-derived C5a generation may be an important factor in the mechanism of hemodialysis-induced leukopenia.

Acrylic Resins↗
PubMed1985

Sequential hypertonic dialysis.

We have investigated the usefulness and practicability of the so-called sequential hypertonic dialysis in 2 selected patients with severe hemodialysis-induced hypotension; 190 mmol/l of sodium dialysate during the 1st and 3rd h and 132 mmol/l throughout the 2nd and 4th h were used, with a Drake-Willock-Bi proportionating unit, which was electronically modified for the purpose of the study. Crossover was made, patients serving as their own controls in two consecutive cycles: 3 weeks conventional hemodialysis followed by 4 weeks sequential hypertonic dialysis, using high-flux dialyzers. At the end of sequential hypertonic dialysis a greater weight loss was achieved (p less than 0.001) with absolute stability of blood pressure. There were no significant changes in plasma osmolality and plasma volume during sequential hypertonic dialysis when compared with conventional hemodialysis. Dialysis symptoms and complications were less frequently recorded during sequential hypertonic dialysis (p less than 0.001). At the end of each sequential hypertonic dialysis period, hemoglobin, potassium, and phosphate plasma levels improved significantly and plasma sodium concentrations remained within the normal range. We conclude that sequential hypertonic dialysis is an easy and routine feasible procedure with our methodology. It is possible to achieve the ideal dry weight with no symptomatic hypotension. Sequential hypertonic dialysis constitutes an alternative to sequential ultrafiltration in selected patients, as it minimizes the falloff in plasma volume and osmolality observed during conventional hemodialysis.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Distribution of HLA histocompatibility antigens, ABO blood groups and Rh antigens in alcoholic liver disease.

The distribution of 16 antigens of the HLA-A and 15 antigens of the HLA-B series of HLA system, the blood groups ABO, and Rh antigens were studied in 40 alcoholics with cirrhosis, 18 alcoholics without cirrhosis, and in normal control subjects. The group of alcoholics with cirrhosis showed a significantly high frequency of HLA-B13 (corrected P less than 0.01) when compared with normal subjects, while the frequency of HLA-B13 was similar to normal in alcoholics without cirrhosis. On the basis of these findings, its seems that the carriers of HLA-B13 are more susceptible to liver damage caused by alcohol. Both groups of alcoholics and the normal controls had a similar distribution of ABO blood groups and Rh antigens.

ABO Blood-Group System↗
PubMed1978

Immunity to antigenically related salmonellae: effects of humoral factors on the bactericidal activity of normal and immune peritoneal exudate cells.

Immunity against Salmonella enteritidis and Listeria monocytogenes was studied by measuring in vitro the bactericidal activity of peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) of control (normal PEC) and S. typhi Ty2-immune (immune PEC) mice. Specific immune serum, anti-S. tyhphi Ty2, heat inactivated at 56 degrees C for 30 min, significantly inhibited the growth of S. enteritidis only with immune PEC. These opsonic factors had no effect upon the activity of normal PEC. That such inhibition could not be demonstrated in Listeria experiments, either with immune or normal PEC, suggests that S. enteritidis was specifically recognized, in vitro, by the thermostable opsonin anti-S. typhi Ty2 and that macrophages from immune PEC were more efficient in inhibiting bacterial growth than those from normal PEC. Thus, the interaction between macrophages and the microorganism seems to play an essential role in cell-mediated as well as humoral immunity.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗