PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D Quiñones

Publications and source records attributed to D Quiñones.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Vertebroplasty in the treatment of vertebral tumors: postprocedural outcome and quality of life.

The results of percutaneous vertebroplasty with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) of vertebral metastases were evaluated by a retrospective review of a consecutive series of 21 patients, with special reference to functional outcome. Patients complained of vertebral pain in all cases. Walking was impossible for 13 patients. Ten patients presented neurological deficit. Treatment included percutaneous vertebroplasty in all patients, radiotherapy in 15 patients and neural decompression surgery in 3 patients. Mean duration of hospitalization was 14.1 days (range 2-60 days) and the mean follow-up was 5.6 months (range 1-18 months). Preprocedural pain, measured by the visual analog scale (VAS), was 9.1, decreasing to 3.2 after the procedure and 2.8 at the last follow-up visit. Morphinics were discontinued in 7 of 14 patients following discharge from hospital. Ten out of 13 (77%) patients recovered walking capacity. Neurological status improved in three out of five patients. No further vertebral compression occurred in the vertebrae treated. Overall, 81% of the patients in this study were satisfied or very satisfied with the procedure. One patient (5%) had transitory radicular neuritis after the procedure. No major complications were observed. In conclusion, percutaneous vertebroplasty with PMMA proved to be safe and beneficial, providing significant and early improvement in the functional status of patients with spinal metastasis.

Back Pain↗

Percutaneous vertebroplasty: long-term clinical and radiological outcome.

We assessed radiographic and functional outcome in 13 patients with a minimum of 5 years follow-up from a prospectively monitored series of 17 patients who underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty (PPV). A visual analogue scale (VAS) and the short McGill questionnaire (MPQ) were used to assess average symptoms. The VAS showed significant improvement after treatment: the initial score was 9.07+/-0.6 (mean+/-SD), falling to 2.07 (1.14) on the third day, 1.07 (1.07) by the third month and 2.15 (2.6) at 5 years. Pain reduction was statistically significant ( P<0.001). The MPQ showed a significant improvement after treatment ( P<0.001), but had worsened by the last follow-up. All patients were "very" or "somewhat satisfied" with the procedure. We saw no further collapse of the vertebrae injected or migration or changes in the shape of the cement. A new fracture was seen in three patients, affecting four vertebrae, only two of which were adjacent to the treated level. On CT following the procedure, there was cement in the epidural veins adjacent to the vertebra in 48% of cases, but only patient developed a transitory neuritis.

Aged↗

[Quality of clinical trials published in Spain on asthma in comparison to trials in English language journals].

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the quality of clinical trials on asthma published in Spanish journals in comparison with those published in European or North American English-language journals. METHOD: Clinical trials were identified by searching MEDLINE and the Spanish Medical Index (Indice Médico Español), and by manual searches for trials mentioned in the bibliographies of the previously identified trials. Quality was assessed by the method proposed by Detsky and colleagues in their 1992 article in Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. RESULTS: The articles published in Spanish journals had lower mean quality scores than those in European or North American English-language journals. Trials published in Spain were less likely to give certain details of methodology, including ethics committee approval, details of randomization or patient enrollment and blinding. Among trials published in Spain, those with non-Spanish authors had lower mean quality scores. CONCLUSION: Clinical trials published in Spain on asthma treatments are of poorer quality than those published in English-language journals. Editors should consider using clinical trial quality checklists during the peer review process to raise the standards for published articles.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

[Arachnoiditis and intraspinal lesion. Complications of tuberculous meningitis in 2 patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection].

Radiculomyelitis (arachnoiditis) (RMA) is a severe complication of tuberculous meningitis (TM). Two patients with HIV infection and TM are here reported. These patients developed RMA. In Spain only four cases of RMA have previously been reported (only one of them was HIV-positive). Clinical manifestations (subacute paraplegia, radicular pain, sensitive level and neurogenic bladder) are reported. Cerebrospinal fluid had inflammatory features, wit predominance of mononuclear cells and remarkable increase in protein content. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most suitable diagnostic method. The therapeutic possibilities of this complication are discussed.

Adult↗

[Nasal carriers of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among cuban children attending day-care centers].

BACKGROUND: Recent but scarce reports of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains (MRSA) among children without risk factors associated with its acquisition prompted us to investigate its presence in the community. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During the September and October months in 1997, nasal and pharyngeal swabs were obtained from 358 children aged less than five years who attended three day-care centers in the Marianao Area, La Habana City, Cuba. The isolated S. aureus strains were characterized for antimicrobial sensitivity using the Kirby-Bauer method. Methicillin resistance was confirmed by te Oxacillin Salt-Agar Screening-Plate method recommended by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. RESULTS: 18.7% of children were carriers of S. aureus in the upper respiratory tract; 2.2% of children carried MRSA strains. The highest resistance levels corresponded to erythromycin (50.74%) and tetracycline (29.9%). All tested strains were sensitive to ciprofloxacin. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide evidence on the recovery of MRSA strains among healthy children attending day-care centers and are suggestive of a rapid colonization and spread of these microorganisms in the community.

Child Care↗

Production of interleukin-6 in cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from children with primary protein-calorie malnutrition and from eutrophic controls.

The spontaneous as well as mitogen-induced in vitro production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) was studied in cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 14 children with marginal protein-energy malnutrition, 43 children with definite protein-energy malnutrition and 38 eutrophic controls of similar age, sex, race and socioeconomical condition. PBMC were cultured without added mitogen or stimulated with either lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or phytohemagglutinin (PHA). After 48 h incubation, cell-free culture supernatants were collected and stored at -70 degrees C. The amount of IL-6 in the supernatants was determined by a specific bioassay based on the proliferation of B9 hybridoma cells using human rIL-6 as standard. The mean level of IL-6 was significantly increased in supernatants from nonstimulated PBMC cultures from definitely malnourished children as compared with that observed in those of the controls. Stimulation with either LPS or PHA induced a rise in cytokine bioactivity in the supernatants of PBMC cultures from the different nutritional groups tested. Interestingly, IL-6 was significantly increased in the supernatants of PHA-stimulated cultures from malnourished children as compared with those of the controls.

Cells, Cultured↗

Embolization of dural cavernous fistulas via superior ophthalmic vein approach.

PURPOSE: To present the results of our treatment of dural cavernous sinus fistulas with surgical exposure of the superior ophthalmic vein (SOV), retrograde venous catheterization, and coil embolization of the cavernous sinus. METHODS: Twelve patients with dural cavernous sinus fistulas were treated via a retrograde transvenous SOV approach in our hospital during a 3-year period. All patients had been referred by ophthalmologists because of secondary glaucoma and decreased visual acuity. Angiography showed preferential venous drainage of the dural cavernous sinus fistulas to an enlarged ipsilateral SOV. A total of 13 SOV exposures were performed, one patient with bilateral fistulas required bilateral treatment. The vein was surgically exposed by an ophthalmologist and then catheterized. Platinum coils were delivered through a microcatheter at the fistula site and into the root of the SOV, until there was complete angiographic closure. RESULTS: Catheterization and embolization were successful in 12 of the 13 patients, with complete angiographic occlusion of the fistula. Two patients with bilateral fistulas had transient worsening of symptoms on the contralateral side. Three patients required follow-up angiography. No early complications occurred, and late complications were minor in two cases. All patients except one with long-standing symptoms recovered premorbid visual acuity. At follow-up, 11 (92%) of the 12 embolized fistulas remained occluded. CONCLUSIONS: Retrograde catheterization of the SOV and embolization of the cavernous sinus with coils is a direct, safe, and efficient way to occlude dural cavernous sinus fistulas.

Adult↗

Aneuploidies, chromosome aberrations and dominant gene mutations detected in 113,913 consecutive newborn children in Mexico.

Data on 113,913 liveborn children from a hospital in Guadalajara, Jalisco (Mexico), were analysed for birth defects (BD); mutation rates were calculated for sporadic aneuploidy, chromosome aberrations and dominant gene mutations. The results showed a general incidence of 13.92 BD cases per 1000 liveborns, of which 1.64% were chromosomal abnormalities, 1.50% were aneuploid, 0.14% were structural chromosome aberrations and 3.23% were dominant gene mutations. The mutation rates were 8.20 x 10(-4) chromosomal abnormalities, 7.5 x 10(-4) aneuploidies, 7.0 x 10(-5) chromosome aberrations and 1.61 x 10(-3) dominant gene mutations/gamete/generation, respectively. The lethality rate was 15.32% of the liveborns with BD. The described findings estimate the incidence of new human mutants detected at birth in a sample of the Mexican population. They show that the rate for some aneuploidies are similar to those found in other populations previously reported in the literature but the rates of chromosome and dominant gene mutations were different.

Aneuploidy↗

Achalasia microcephaly syndrome in a patient with consanguineous parents: support for a.m. being a distinct autosomal recessive condition.

A 4 9/12-year-old boy with achalasia microcephaly syndrome (AMS), born to a consanguineous couple, is reported. Comparative analysis of this case and the patients previously described in a Mexican family supports the notion that the syndrome is a distinct autosomal recessive condition. It is interesting that the area of origin and ethnicity of both the present and the previously reported cases is northwest Mexico.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Evaluation in white mice of the infectivity of eggs of Lagochilascaris minor (Nematoda: Ascarididae), incubated by decortication with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl).

White mice were used to study the infectivity of the eggs of Lagochilascaris minor Leiper, 1909 after incubation in liquid media, with or without preservative substances. Potassium bichromate (K2Cr2O7) at 1% restrict hatching, while 1% formalin gave a greater larval yield. Incubation of eggs in distilled water, in Roux or Falcon flasks gave a good yield, whether the eggs were obtained from human feces or from experimentally infected cats. Treatment of eggs with Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) at 5.25% for 2 min prior to inoculation, produced a notable increment of the larval yield in the infections.

Animals↗

[Contact urticaria, rhinoconjunctivitis and bronchial asthma from occupational use of papain].

Papain is a plant protein with a wide pharmacological, domestic and industrial use. It leads a high sensitisation, being the most common rotue of entry the inhalation. The occupational allergy to papain in exposed workers was described some years ago, being presented with bronchial asthma, rhinitis or both. In most of the cases, the specific IgE was positive. We present a case contact urticaria, rhinoconjunctivitis and bronchial asthma per papain of occupational origin. Papain prick test, specific IgE and nasal challenge were positive. The peak flow record showed diary decreases during the working week and the basal spirometry showed obstruction to the airflow. The patient was moved away the place where papain was handled and this resolved the clinical symptoms and the spirometry returns to the normal values. We present a case of IgE-mediated allergy, vehicled by tow routes: contact and airborne. The latest produced clinical manifestations later. Papain was used as Cephalopoda softening, because of that it worth emphasising its seasonal use.

Adult↗