Biomedical subjects

J A Blasco

Publications and source records attributed to J A Blasco.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Systematic review of laparoscopic versus open surgery for colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study compares the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic surgery (LS) and open surgery (OS) for colorectal cancer. METHODS: An electronic search of the literature was undertaken to identify primary studies and systematic reviews. Information on the efficacy and safety of LS versus OS was analysed. A meta-analysis was conducted to examine long-term outcomes. RESULTS: A systematic review published in 2000 and 12 more recent randomized clinical trials were identified. Compared with OS, LS reduced blood loss and pain, and resulted in a faster return of bowel function and earlier resumption of normal diet. Hospital stay was up to 2 days shorter after LS. No significant differences between the techniques were noted in the incidence of complications or postoperative mortality. The time required to complete LS was significantly longer (0.5-1.0 h more). No significant differences were found between the two procedures in terms of overall mortality, cancer-related mortality or disease recurrence. CONCLUSION: LS takes longer than OS but offers several short-term benefits. However, complication rates are similar for both procedures and no differences were found in long-term outcomes.

Colectomy↗

PubMed2006

[Middle molecules removal. Beyond beta2-microglobulin].

The uremic toxin removal capacity mainly depends on dialyzer and hemodialysis modes. The low-flux hemodialysis only removes solutes having molecular weights less than 5.000 Da. High-flux hemodyalisis represents a form of low-volume hemodiafiltration because of the internal filtration and back-filtration that can take place within a dialyzer. Hemodiafiltration with large volumes of replacement fluid seems to be the best technique for removing all small, medium-sized and large molecules. The objective of our study was to evaluate the large molecules removal bigger than beta2-microglobuline on high flux haemodialysis and on-line hemodiafiltration with postdilutional infusion, in patients with three times a week dialysis and on short daily dialysis. We studied 24 patients, 15 males and 9 females stable on haemodialysis programme, twelve on standard four to five hours three times a week dialysis and twelve on 2 to 2 1/2 hours six times a week dialysis. All patients were dialysed with Fresenius 4008 monitor, three sessions on high flux haemodialysis (HD) and three sessions on on-line hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF). Two sessions with each filter were performed (polisulfone HF80, polyethersulfone Arylane H9 and new polisulfone APS 900). Pre and postdialysis concentrations of urea, creatinine, (beta2-microglobulin (beta2-m), myoglobin, prolactin and alpha1 microglobulin (alpha1-m) were measured. There was no difference in urea and creatinine small molecules removal. beta2m removal was 68% on HD and 81% on OL-HDF. Myoglobin and prolactin present a similar removal pattern, a higher removal with new filters (60% with Arylane and 59% with APS) in comparison with clasical polisulfone (22% with HF80). The mean alpha1-m reduction rate on HD was 6% and on OL-HDF 22%. OL-HDF with APS 900 filter was the most remove technique (35.4%), significatively higher than the other modes and filters. We can conclude that the new filters generation reach a better uremic toxins removal, specially in large molecules higher than beta2-m and on HD modality.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

[Effectiveness of smoking cessation intervention in patients with cardiovascular disease].

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The incidence of coronary events descends in patients with cardiac disease who quit smoking. Only around 50% of the patients who quit smoking after an acute event remain abstinent three months after hospital discharge. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a tobacco dishabituation program in patients with cardiovascular disease. METHODS: We studied a cohort of smokers who started a smoking cessation program between September 1993 and June 1999. We compared 348 patients with cardiovascular disease with 1.107 smokers without disease. A twelve-month protocolized follow-up was performed, measuring carbon monoxide for evaluating relapse on every control. We calculated the abstinence in each period and estimated the odds ratio for relapse at twelve months. RESULTS: We observed a global continued abstinence at twelve months of 37.1% (129/348) in the patients with cardiovascular disease and of 39.6% (438/1.107) in the patients without disease. The consonant smokers (precontemplatives) showed a greater number of relapses, with an adjusted Odds ratio of 1.36. CONCLUSIONS: Exhaustive treatment and follow-up achieved a percentage of great abstinence in the cardiovascular patients of our study who were unable to quit smoking during hospitalisation or after diagnosis. We therefore suggest that these patients may benefit from inclusion in smoking cessation units.

Adult↗

PubMed1976

Nitrogen fixation in the muskeg ecosystem of the James Bay Lowlands, Northern Ontario.

The acetylene-reduction assay was used for in situ and laboratory assessment of biological nitrogen fixation in the acidic, waterlogged, muskeg ecosystem of the southern James Bay area, in the region of Moosonee, Ontario. In situ assays and subsequent laboratory experimentation revealed that nitrogenase activity was predominately a function of the activities of heterocystic blue-green bacteria associated with surface water, with the phyllosphere of mosses, and with at least one lichen, a species of Peltigera. No such in situ activity was detected in the subsurface organic material, even when such material was amended with glucose. However, under laboratory conditions at 20 degrees C, nitrogenase activity was evident in the subsurface layers after an extended lag and was shown to be higher under anaerobic than under aerobic conditions, to have an optimum temperature range extending about a mean of 20 degrees C, and to be stimulated by glucose. This potential for subsurface nitrogen fixation proved to be related to the presence of microorganisms existing in anaerobic microsites within the organic layers and no microorganisms capable of fixation could be detected under aerobic incubation.

Acetylene↗