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Biomedical subjects

E Feliu

Publications and source records attributed to E Feliu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[An evaluation of the clinical competence of a population of specialist physicians educated by the medical internship and residency system].

BACKGROUND: The quality of physicians who have undergone resident official training (MIR) should logically be better than that of the remaining physicians who were not able to enter into this official training. The present study was designed with the aim of verifying this hypothesis. METHODS: A sample of physicians who underwent the MIR examination in 1982 and who upon passing the same were permitted to initiate the MIR training in 1983 was selected. The group was subdivided into MIR and no MIR and according to the specialty followed. When the physicians were practicing as specialists two types of surveys were carried out with one being by telephone and the other personal in which the personal characteristics, preparation for the MIR test, professional satisfaction and personal motivation were analyzed. The pharmaceutic prescriptions of both groups were analyzed according to indicators of the Servei Català de la Salut (Catalonian Health Service) and the opinion of colleagues of each of the members of each group was evaluated with another questionnaire. The written resolution of hypothetical clinical cases were given to each of the individuals included. A level of global competence defined as a percentage for the following components was identified using: curricular evaluation (10%), professional satisfaction (20%), personal motivation (10%), hypothetical case resolution (35%) and peer opinion (25%). RESULTS: The global competence of the physicians trained under the MIR system was greater than that of the no MIR group (p < 0.01). On analysis by sections the differences of greatest note were observed in the resolution of hypothetical cases (p < 0.0001), curricular evaluation (p < 0.0001) and the quality of pharmaceutical prescription (p < 0.0001). The differences were less of note in comparison of personal motivation (p < 0.02) and professional satisfaction (p < 0.02). No differences were observed in peer opinion. CONCLUSIONS: The professional quality of physicians trained by MIR who presented for the 1982 examination in Catalonia and practiced in medical specialties is greater than that of a comparable group with regard to professional practice.

Adult

[Primary gastrointestinal lymphoma: a study of 25 cases].

BACKGROUND: The digestive tract constitutes the most frequent localization of the extranodular non Hodgkin's lymphoma. The chief clinical and histological characteristics were analyzed as were the evolution and response to treatment of 25 patients diagnosed with primary gastrointestinal lymphoma (PGIL) in one center over a period of eight years. METHODS: To establish the diagnosis of PGIL the Dawson criteria were used and the state was determined by the Ann-Arbor classification modified by Musshoff. To histologically classify of the PGIL the Working Formulation was followed. The influence of the clinical, histological characteristics and the state of the obtention of complete remission (CR), the survival free period of the disease (SFD) and global survival (GS) were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the series was 56 years (standard deviation 15 years) (12 males). The most frequent localization was gastric followed by the small intestine and the large intestine. Abdominal pain and weight loss were the most frequent clinical manifestations in the PGIL, regardless of its site. In 12 patients the PGIL was of an intermediate grade of malignancy, 8 were of low grade and 5 of high grade. The state was IE in 11 patients, IE1 in 9 and IIE2 in 5. The most used treatment was radical surgery followed by polychemotherapy. Complete remission was obtained in 15 patients and 2 recurred. The foreseen SFP at 7 years was 69% of the cases and GS was 53%. In IE state patients was most frequently obtained and GS was also more prolonged in these patients. CONCLUSIONS: In the present series the gastric localization of patients with primary gastrointestinal lymphoma was more frequent than intestinal localization. The HNL of intermediate and high grades of malignancy predominated those of low grade. The prognosis of patients with primary gastrointestinal lymphoma in a IE state was more favorable than the remaining patients. In turn, surgery constituted a good option in the initial treatment of patients with primary gastrointestinal lymphoma.

Adult

[Behçet's disease with an onset prior to the appearance of chronic myeloid leukemia].

The case of a Ph-positive female patient with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is reported. The patient presented a cutaneous-mucous picture prior to the appearance of the hemopathy consisting of genitals ulcers, buccal aphthae and nodular cutaneous lesions the study of which demonstrated panniculitis. The lesions improved with the administration of low doses of prednisone and colchicine. The CML evolved to a blastic crisis of a monocytic phenotype at 14 months of diagnosis leading to death of the patient. The cutaneous-mucous picture was catalogued as Becçet disease (BD) according to the criteria of the International Study Group for Behçet Disease. Given the lack of serologic tests or pathognomonic histologic lesions the difficulty in the diagnosis of BD is commented upon and the differential diagnosis of this disease, particularly with respect to the Sweet syndrome, is discussed.

Behcet Syndrome

[Molecular genetics in the diagnosis of acute leukemia and chronic lymphoproliferative syndromes in 121 cases].

BACKGROUND: The introduction of biology and molecular genetics in the hematological laboratory has brought about a new and spectacular advance in the study of cloning and cytological characterization of malignant hemopathies. The principal aim of the present study was to analyze the contribution of this new technology in the diagnosis of acute leukemia (AL) and chronic lymphoproliferative syndromes (CLS) through analysis of lymphoid clonality and genetic rearrangement proper to the lymphoid differentiation of the B and T cells. METHODS: The genetic rearrangement of the heavy chain immunoglobulins (IgH) and the beta (beta) and gamma (gamma) chains of the T receptor (TRC) in 121 patients with the following malignant hemopathies: acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 28 cases; acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 27 cases; and CLS, 66 cases. The Southern method was used. RESULTS: Clonality analysis: presence of genetic rearrangement (clonality) in all the cases of lymphoblastic AL (ALL) and CLS and in 5 of 28 cases of AML (3 IgH and 2 TRC). Strain analysis: presence of absolute coincidence (exclusive rearrangement of the IgH or TRC genes in proliferations of the B or T strain, respectively) in 18 of 27 cases (67%) of ALL, in 14 of 15 cases (93%) of T-CLS and in all cases (100%) of B-CLS. CONCLUSIONS: In malignant hemopathies the analysis of genetic rearrangement constitutes a method of great practical use for determining the presence of lymphoid clonality and is a good complement to conventional morphological and immunophenotypic procedures for cytological characterization of the same.

Acute Disease

Dyserythropoiesis in iron-deficiency anemia: ultrastructural reassessment.

Iron deficiency is usually included among the causes of acquired dyserythropoiesis. This concept was derived mainly from light microscopic studies. To reassess such a notion at ultrastructural level, a transmission electron microscopic evaluation of bone marrow was performed in seven patients with iron-deficiency anemia. In contrast to the widely accepted concept, derived from light microscopic studies, only a small proportion (2-4%, not different from controls) of erythroblasts displayed some of the features of nuclear dyserythropoiesis. On the contrary, when examining the cytoplasm, we found a significantly increased number of void ropheocytotic vesicles in the majority of late erythroblasts as compared to controls (P less than 0.001). This feature may be considered as an ultrastructural marker of iron deficiency and is consistent with the present knowledge on transferrin-mediated delivery of iron to the cell.

Adolescent

The value of detecting surface and cytoplasmic antigens in acute myeloid leukaemia.

The immunophenotype of leukaemia cells from 60 patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) was analysed with the APAAP technique using a panel of anti-myeloid and lymphoid associated monoclonal antibodies (McAb). Cells from all cases, including three with negative cytochemical features, were labelled by at least one of the anti-myeloid McAb CD13, anti-myeloperoxidase (anti-Mpo), and/or CD14. The most sensitive marker was CD13, since it was positive in 90% of cases. In two out of three AML cases defined as M0-AML, CD13 was expressed in the cytoplasm but not on the membrane; in these three cases peroxidase (Mpo) was not detected by conventional cytochemistry, but could be demonstrated in all of them using the McAb anti-Mpo. The simultaneous expression of CD14 and CD68 McAb was often confined to the M4 and M5 FAB AML subtypes (92% cases) as compared to the others: M1, M2, M3 (18% cases). Lymphoid antigens were rarely positive (TdT+: 13%, CD7+: 15%, CD19+: 5%) and none of the AML cases were CD3+ or CD10+. By contrast, CD4 was expressed in blasts from 44% of cases and this was not restricted to AML with a monocytic component (M4, M5) but also found in other subtypes. There were no significant differences in the clinical or prognostic features according to the positivity or negativity with TdT and CD4. By contrast, expression of CD7 was associated with refractoriness to the treatment or short complete remission duration, although the number of patients is too small to draw firm conclusions. Our findings support the clinical and diagnostic relevance of immunophenotypic studies in AML.

Acute Disease

Specific cutaneous lesions in a CD8+ peripheral T-cell lymphoma.

Histopathologic, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural studies were carried out on cutaneous lesions of a 43-year-old man with an aggressive peripheral T-cell lymphoma involving the lung, central nervous system, bone marrow, and skin. Some results are distinctive and not previously reported, such as extremely strong epidermotropism, aberrant CD8+ immunophenotype with lack of one pan T antigen (CD5), and giant cytoplasmic granules. We discuss these features comparing them with other hematologic malignancies usually involving the skin, such as cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, angiocentric lymphomas, and malignant histiocytosis.

Adult

Neutrophilic pustulosis associated with chronic myeloid leukemia: a special form of Sweet's syndrome. Report of two cases.

Two subjects with Ph-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in whom pustular Sweet's syndrome was diagnosed are reported. The first patient was a 47-year-old woman who developed fever, painful ulcers of the oral mucosa and vagina and generalized pustulous skin lesions 2 years after the diagnosis of CML. Histologically, the skin lesions consisted of dense neutrophilic infiltrates with perifollicular disposition. The microbiologic studies were negative. The lesions showed a favorable response to corticosteroids, but fever recurred with every attempt of tapering prednisone; it finally disappeared with the addition of oral cyclophosphamide. The second patient was a 45-year-old man who developed fever and disseminated pustules with histologic features consistent with Sweet's syndrome and negative microbiologic studies at 2.5 years after diagnosis of CML. The picture showed a dramatic response to prednisone and did not recur after the drug was discontinued. In both patients, CML remained stable after resolution of Sweet's syndrome.

Cyclophosphamide

[Stereological study of the fat cells in bone marrows with a heterogeneous distribution of adipose tissue].

PURPOSE: 1) To analyze to what extent the fat tissue fraction of the human bone marrow with heterogeneous distribution depends on size and number of adipocytes. 2) To infer the influence of local factors on the two aforementioned parameters. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The material was made up of 15 specimens of bone marrow biopsy with markedly heterogeneous distribution of fat tissue, alternating normal or hyperplastic zones (area I) with aplastic ones (area II). The method of study was the stereological technique on plastic-embedded specimen sections. RESULTS: In the area II, with a fat tissue fraction markedly higher than in area I, both adipocyte number and size were significatively increased. The fat tissue fraction difference (Dif FRGR) between both areas was significatively correlated with the difference of the adipocytes number (Dif Nv) but not of the size (Dif D). However, in multiple regression both Dif Nv and Dif D contributed significatively to Dif FRGR. CONCLUSIONS: Since the histopathological pattern investigated in this work represents a model caused by intervention of local factors, it can be concluded that these can modify both the size and number of adipocytes.

Adipose Tissue

[Plasma cell leukemia. Study of 6 patients].

PURPOSE: To analyse the clinico-biological characteristics, the clinical course and the response to therapy in a group of patients with plasma cell leukaemia (PCL). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Out of a total number of 107 patients diagnosed of multiple myeloma (MM) between 1983 and 1991, 6 were found to meet the criteria for PCL (prevalence: 5.6%). This was primary in 2 cases and secondary in the remaining 4. The M/F ratio was 2/1 and the median age was 63 years (range: 57-69 years). RESULTS: Two patients had bone pain and two others weight loss at the onset of PCL. The outstanding haematological findings were increased ESR, normocytic-normochromic anaemia and thrombocytopenia, which were present in all cases. The percentage of peripheral blood plasma cells was between 29 and 70, and the bone marrow aspirate showed plasma cell infiltration over 40% in all cases. Serum M component was found in 5 patients, with decreased values of the polyclonal immunoglobulins; the remaining patient had non-secretory MM. Renal insufficiency was present in 3 patients at diagnosis. Three of the 4 patients with secondary PCL had been previously given combination chemotherapy and the remainder had received melphalan and prednisone. The period between the diagnosis of MM and the development of PCL ranged between 1 and 21 months (median 15 months). Three patients were treated with the M-2 protocol and the others received only supportive therapy. Transient partial response could be achieved in only one case with chemotherapy. All the patients have died, the actuarial survival median being 1 month (range, 1-7 months). Three patients died of infection, 2 of renal insufficiency and one of heart failure after acute myocardial infarction. CONCLUSION: The poor prognosis of PCL was confirmed, along with the scarce response to therapy of these patients.

Aged