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Biomedical subjects

I López

Publications and source records attributed to I López.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Cumulative rate of relapse of lupus nephritis after successful treatment with cyclophosphamide.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the cumulative rate of relapse of lupus nephritis that has been treated successfully with cyclophosphamide (CYC), and to estimate the association between time to relapse and demographic, clinical, laboratory, and treatment variables. METHODS: This was an observational study of 48 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients who were treated successfully with CYC between 1979 and 1993 and followed up thereafter at 3 university hospitals. Demographic and clinical variables, laboratory data during the first month of nephritis, and therapy-related variables were recorded from charts. Renal biopsy specimens were retrieved and analyzed by a pathologist. Relapse of nephritis was the outcome of interest. Descriptive analysis of patients who did and those who did not have a relapse was performed by chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and Wilcoxon 2-sample test. The cumulative rate of relapse was computed using the actuarial method. Univariate comparisons of time to relapse were computed by log-rank test. Proportional hazards modeling was used to assess the combined effect of patient characteristics that have been hypothesized to be prognostic factors. RESULTS: Nephritis relapsed in 11 patients. Previous hematologic disorder, arthritis or arthralgia, and the use of CYC in oral form were more frequent in patients who had a relapse. The cumulative rate of relapse was 25% and 46% at 5 years and 10 years, respectively. A significant univariate difference in time to relapse was found when patients were stratified by time from diagnosis to initiation of CYC treatment (< or = 5 months versus > 5 months; P = 0.02). By multivariate analysis, age < 29 years at nephritis onset (relative risk [RR] 6.29, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.13-34.94, P = 0.03) and delay of > 5 months from onset of nephritis to initiation of CYC therapy (RR 3.66, 95% CI 1.06-12.63, P = 0.04) were independently associated with time to relapse. CONCLUSION: A selected population of SLE patients may have long-term remission of renal disease following successful CYC therapy. Patients in whom CYC treatment is delayed or who are young at the time of nephritis onset are at increased risk of relapse.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1996

Epidemiology of HIV-2 infection in Spain. The HIV-2 Spanish Study Group.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) infection is endemic in West Africa, where it is responsible for many cases of AIDS. HIV-2-infected subjects have been described in other countries, mainly African immigrants, although infection in native individuals has been reported as well. The first cases of HIV-2 infection in Spain were identified in 1988. Through December 1995, 56 HIV-2 infected individuals have been diagnosed, primarily in large urban areas (23 cases in Madrid and 18 in Barcelona). All are African immigrants, except for 12 natives (21.4%), six of whom acquired the infection in endemic areas; the remaining six (2 women with numerous sexual partners and 4 homo/bisexual men) acquired the infection in Spain. Heterosexual transmission was probable in all but seven cases: five homo/bisexual males, a subject who likely acquired infection through parenteral exposure, and a child born to an HIV-2-infected mother. Nine patients (all Spanish born) have developed AIDS (16%), six of whom have died. In conclusion, HIV-2 infection is present in Spain at a low rate, and there is little evidence supporting an emerging ongoing transmission outside the population of African immigrants.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed1996

The toad skin NaCl check-valve.

Short-circuited toad skins exposed to chloride-containing Ringer's on the outer side exhibit a large inward chloride flux. Conversely, toad skins exposed to nominally chloride-free Ringer's externally and chloride Ringer's internally manifest a very low chloride outflux. This chloride-dependent rectification of chloride flux serves to conserve NaCl transported from low NaCl concentration outer solutions to which amphibians are normally exposed. Once chloride is transported inwardly it cannot return to the outer solution, with chloride rectification acting as a check-valve for transported NaCl.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

[Infant pneumonia at periodic check-ups. Characteristics and associated factors].

BACKGROUND: Each year, pneumonia is the cause of death of forty thousand children under four years of age in America. AIM: To follow children from birth until two years of age and record episodes of pneumonia, their features and associated factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four hundred thirty seven healthy newborns were followed in a public out patient clinic of Northern Santiago until two years of age. Pneumonia was diagnosed using clinical or radiological criteria. The mothers of each child were interviewed in each follow up visit. RESULTS: Two hundred ten episodes of pneumonia were detected during the study, 0.6 episodes per child and 1.8 episodes per affected child. Sixty six percent of episodes occurred during the first year of age. Total prevalence was 22.4 and 14.3% during the first and second year of age respectively. Semi annual incidence was 13.8 and 5.5% during the first and fourth semester respectively. Children that had pneumonia, were male in a higher proportion, had a lower birth weight, had higher number of brothers, mothers with less that 8 years of school courses and a lower socioeconomic level. During the first year of life, breast feeding during less than four months and a birth date during spring and summer were associated with a higher incidence of pneumonia. Seventy seven episodes, that occurred in 48 children, required hospitalization. The hospitalization rate for the whole cohort was 13.4% percent and 41.2% for affected children. Mean hospital stay was 5.8 days. Risk factors for hospitalization were male sex, less than four months of breast feeding, low birth weight, to have brothers, a lower mother education and lower socioeconomic level. Two children died. CONCLUSIONS: One out of three healthy newborns had pneumonia during the first year of life and a low socioeconomic level was an important risk factor.

Episode of Care↗
PubMed1995

[Type 2 human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV-2) in Spain: analysis of the first 50 cases. Spanish Group for the Study of HIV-2].

BACKGROUND: Infection by the human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) is endemic in West Africa where it is responsible for many AIDS cases. HIV-2 has been described in subjects in other countries, mainly in African immigrants, although it may also be found in natives. The first cases of HIV-2 infection were identified in Spain in 1988. METHODS: The clinical, epidemiologic and virologic characteristics of the subjects with HIV-2 infection identified in Spain up to November 1994 are described. RESULTS: Fifty people have been diagnosed with HIV-2 infection, being found mainly around the large urban centers (20 cases in Madrid and 16 in Barcelona). All the cases were African immigrants except for 10 Spaniards (20%), 6 of whom had acquired the infection in endemic areas while the other 4 (one prostitute from Barcelona and 3 bisexual males from Guipúzcoa) had acquired the infection in Spain. Heterosexual transmission was implicated in all the cases except in 6 subjects (4 bisexual males, one case of probable intravenous transmission and one vertically infected child). Eight (all Spanish) patients have developed AIDS and 5 have died to date. At least 10 other subjects have a CD4+ lymphocyte count lower than 0.2 x 10(9)/l, one being the only pediatric patient (6-year-old male). CONCLUSIONS: HIV-2 infection is present in Spain, although there is no evidence for a rapid dissemination of the virus outside the collective of African immigrants. The Spaniards with HIV-2 infection represent 20% of the cases having contracted the virus through sexual relations with natives from endemic areas.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1995

Intercomparison in cytogenetic dosimetry among five laboratories from Latin America.

As part of a regional International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) collaborative project within Latin America, five countries participated in an intercomparison in cytogenetic dosimetry. Coded slides for chromosomal aberrations and micronucleus analyses were prepared by the coordinator laboratory which organized the exercise and sent to the other participating laboratories. For estimates of dose, each laboratory scored the frequency of dicentrics in metaphases and the frequency of micronuclei in binucleated cells. The lymphocytes were irradiated with 60Co gamma-rays (0, 0.75, 1.5 and 3.0 Gy). Eleven of the 15 estimates of dose based on dicentrics and nine of the 12 based on micronuclei fell within +/- 30% of the true dose. When considering the uncertainties of the dose estimates, the true dose fell within the 95% confidence limits of the estimates on eight of the 15 occasions for dicentrics and four of the 12 for micronuclei.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Smoking of school children in rural Castilla-León environment. Attitudes of the school population].

Tobacco smoking is the most important health problem among school-age children and educational programs aiming at prevention must be taken up by all members of the school community (parents, teachers and students) as well as by health providers. We designed an anti-smoking campaign lasting three years directed towards sixth, seventh and eight-grade elementary school students and secondary school pupils attending classes in the area of Vitigudino (Salamanca). We report the results of student attitude surveys done at the beginning of the program. Sixty-eight percent of boys and 50.7% of girls have smoked at some time. The average age of first contact with tobacco was 12.1 +/- 2.4 years, with boys starting to smoke at a significantly younger age (p < 0.001) than girls. At present, 13.7% of school children smoke. The main reasons given for starting to smoke were that friends smoked (56.9%) and curiosity (55.4%). Tobacco smoking in the family was mentioned by only 29.5% of the students surveyed. Knowledge of medical problems related to smoking was limited. Intention to smoke upon leaving school was reported by 9%, while 46.7% did not know if they would smoke. The fact that only 44.1% of school children believe they will not smoke upon leaving school highlights the need to provide support information that will help students abstain. Programs aimed at school children have been shown to help reduce tobacco smoking in this population. An adolescent who learns to avoid tobacco is unlikely to be a smoker in adulthood.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

FRAXE and mental retardation.

Mental impairment and instability of the CCG repeat at FRAXE is described in six kindreds. Cosegregation of FRAXA and FRAXE was found within one of these kindreds. Cytogenetic expression of FRAXE was shown to skip a generation when associated with a reduction in size of the CCG expansion when transmitted through a male; however, in general, transmission occurred through females and a copy number increased from one generation to the next. In these respects the behaviour of FRAXE paralleled that of FRAXA. A relationship between FRAXE and non-specific mental impairment is strongly suggested by the occurrence in these families of more mentally impaired male and female carriers, after removal of index cases, than could reasonably be expected by chance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Taurine content in breast milk of Mexican women from urban and rural areas.

The concentration of the most abundant free amino acids in breast milk, taurine, glutamic acid, glycine + threonine, alanine and glycine was measured in breast milk samples obtained from Mexican women from an urban population (38 samples) and from a rural population (106 samples). Free amino acid levels including taurine in the urban group were essentially similar to those reported in samples from American and Canadian women (taurine concentration: 332-357 nmol/ml) but significantly lower content of taurine (237-259 nmol/ml) was found in the rural group. The only other significant difference between the two groups was a 32% higher concentration of alanine in the rural group as compared to the urban group. The observed differences may result from a lower dietary intake of taurine containing food in the rural group as this group reported a restricted consumption of meat, the most abundant dietary source of taurine. Because taurine synthesis is low in primates including human, a decreased external supply of taurine may explain the observed reduction in the taurine content of milk. The increase in alanine may represent a compensatory mechanism for the decrease in taurine.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1994

[Analysis of the inappropriate utilization of the emergency service of a third-level hospital].

OBJECTIVE: a) To find the reasons for inadequate use of Hospital Casualty Departments (HCDs); b) to discover the general population's levels of information concerning non-hospital Emergency Services (NESs); c) to analyse the relationship between the type of Primary Care Centre (PCC), i.e. whether reformed or not, and inadequate use of HCDs. DESIGN: A crossover study. SETTING: The Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital Casualty Department, Badalona. PATIENTS: A random sample of 321 patients over 14 years old, who were attended for pathologies considered emergencies not requiring hospital treatment. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The variables gathered were: age, gender, where the patient came from, reason for hospital use, knowledge of NESs and subsequent referral. 83.2% of patients attended on their own initiative. The main reasons given were "advantages of a hospital" and "the persistence of symptoms." 49% of the patients stated they knew of the NESs. 80% of the patients proceeded from PCCs which had not been reformed. There were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) when the variables "reason for use" and "knowledge of NESs" were compared in relation to where the patient came from (i.e. reformed or non-reformed PCC). CONCLUSIONS: General practitioners in reformed PCCs are less likely to refer to HCDs. Knowledge and use of NESs should be actively supported.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Molecular analysis of the (CGG)n expansion in the FMR-1 gene in 59 Spanish fragile X syndrome families.

The fragile X mental retardation syndrome is caused by an expansion of a trinucleotide repeat (CGG)n in the FMR-1 gene. Molecular genetic study of fragile X provides accurate diagnosis and facilitates genetic counseling in families with affected members. We present here the molecular study of 59 Spanish fragile X syndrome families using probe StB 12.3 and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the (CGG)n repeat sequence of the FMR-1 gene. The results obtained have allowed us to characterize 455 individuals, including eight prenatal diagnoses. The clinical diagnosis of fragile X in 89 affected males was confirmed, 137 female carriers were identified (48 of whom were mentally retarded), 176 individuals "at risk" were found not to have the expansion, and 12 cases of normal transmitting males (NTM) were detected. In the sample studied, no de novo mutations were detected, nor any mutation different from that described for the (CGG)n expansion. One nonmentally retarded male was detected as having an unmethylated CpG island for the FMR-1 gene, but with more than 200 CGG repeats (high functioning male). The analysis of the (CGG)n repeat in 208 normal chromosomes gave an allele distribution similar to that in other Caucasoid population groups, with alleles of 29 and 30 CGG repeats accounting for 46% of the chromosomes. The combination of Southern analysis and PCR of the (CGG)n repeat is highly efficient for diagnosis, compared with cytogenetic techniques, especially in the detection of female carriers, NTMs, and prenatal diagnosis, enabling accurate genetic counseling to be provided in all cases.

Blotting, Southern↗
PubMed1993

[Bacillary (epithelioid) angiomatosis with a nodular presentation and self-limited evolution].

Bacillary angiomatosis (epithelioid) is a recently described clinicopathologic syndrome, principally associated to infection by the human immunodeficiency virus. The case of a patient who was seen for fever and the appearance of four painful, erythematous and indurated subcutaneous nodules on the anteroexternal face of the right lower extremity 15 days previously is presented. No microorganisms were observed by microbiologic and histologic techniques however the latter showed a vascular proliferation with prominent endothelium of epithelioid morphology and notable interstitial inflammatory reaction according to the pattern described as characteristic of epithelioid angiomatosis. The fever and the nodules disappeared spontaneously. The clinical and histopathologic characteristics of this disease as well as the recent contributions with respect to the identification of the possible causative bacillus are discussed.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1993

Photoproducts of benzydamine and azapropazone: demonstration of their phototoxicity in vitro.

Red blood cell lysis, photosensitized by the products of the aerobic photolysis of benzydamine (1) and azapropazone (4), was investigated. Irradiation of a methanol solution of 1 and 4 under oxygen produces the photoproducts 3-hydroxy-benzydamine, (2), 2-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-1-benzylindazolin-3-one (3) and 3-dimethylamino-7-methyl-1,2,4-benzotriazine (5). The mechanism of the photodegradation of 1 was examined. Photoproducts 3 and 5 produce singlet oxygen as demonstrated by trapping with 2,5-dimethylfuran. The photohemolysis rate for the photoproducts 3 and 5 was enhanced by deuterium oxide and oxygen. No change was observed in the presence of reduced glutathione. The photohemolysis rate was low under anaerobic conditions.

Apazone↗
PubMed1993

[Early severe malnutrition and psychomotor development. Effects of a rehabilitation program].

This study evaluates the psychomotor development of 228 undernourished infants submitted to an integral rehabilitation program in Nutritional Recovery Centers. At admission these children present a moderate retardation of their developmental quotient: mean 0.59 +/- 0.17, improving significantly to mean 0.79 +/- 0.4 (p < 0.001) after an average period of 178.2 +/- 63.9 days of intervention. As regards areas of development, rehabilitation only demonstrates a significant change in coordination and language, not so in the social and motor areas. Those children presenting the most severe developmental delays are also those who obtain the greater benefits from this integral rehabilitation program.

Developmental Disabilities↗
PubMed1993

[Evaluation of chromosome damage induced by X-rays in human lymphocytes].

Aiming to assess the DNA damage induced by low doses of ionizing radiations, control and X-ray irradiated (10 rad) whole blood cultured lymphocytes were treated with the following G2 DNA synthesis and repair inhibitors: caffeine (caff), hydroxyurea (hu), aphidicolin (aphi) and 1-beta-D-arabinofuranocylcytocine (ara C). The effects of each inhibitor or its combinations were assessed counting the number of chromatid breaks, which were considered equivalent to unrepaired lesions. Our results showed that 5 mM caff and 2.5 mM Hu were the inhibitors that separately produced the higher frequency of chromatid breaks. Likewise, the combination of 5 mM caff, aphi 5 micrograms/ml and ara C 1 microM, or 2.5 mM HU and 0.1 microM ara C, allowed to detect the highest number of induced lesions arriving G2 lesions. We therefore propose that the use of these two last inhibitor combinations, can be used as alternative methods to detect DNA damage induced by low levels of ionizing radiation, in lymphocytes of occupationally exposed individuals.

Chromosomes↗