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Biomedical subjects

J Almirall

Publications and source records attributed to J Almirall.

87 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Propoxyphene-induced hypoglycemia in a patient with chronic renal failure.

A 36-year-old man with ankylosing spondylitis, amyloidosis and chronic renal failure on maintenance hemodialysis developed severe hypoglycemia while being treated with propoxyphene. Upon discontinuation of the drug blood glucose levels returned to normal and hypoglycemia did not recur. Simultaneously with hypoglycemia, plasma glucagon and growth hormone levels were appropriately raised and serum insulin levels were adequately suppressed, thus ruling out hyperinsulinemia as the cause of hypoglycemia. A review of the literature disclosed four similar cases of propoxyphene-induced hypoglycemia, two of them with renal dysfunction. Propoxyphene should be remembered as a potential cause of hypoglycemia, particularly in patients with renal failure.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Configuration of the chest wall and occlusion pressures in awake humans.

During CO2 rebreathing in sitting position seven of nine conscious men showed a progressive fall in expiratory reserve volume, most of it due to a decrease in abdominal volume. Diaphragm length at end expiration was thus increased, and some elastic recoil pressure became available to drive inspiration. In four out of six subjects, when CO2 tension was greater than 55 Torr, there was a dip in abdominal pressure at the beginning of inspiration, and the change in transdiaphragmatic pressure during the first 100 ms of an occluded inspiration was smaller than the simultaneous change in mouth pressure (P0.1). In the subjects who showed the smallest diaphragmatic pressure in this 100 ms, electromyogram recordings showed that abdominal activity ceased before the onset of inspiration, and diaphragm activity did not appear until later than 100 ms into inspiration. We conclude that, in four our of our six subjects in the sitting posture, P0.1 can be generated in whole or in part by release of chest wall elastic recoil or in intercostal muscle contraction. In the supine posture, there was no change by end-expiratory chest wall configuration, and onset of diaphragm contraction coincided with beginning of inspiration in the two subjects in whom diaphragm electromyogram was recorded.

Abdomen↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Patients with end-stage chronic renal insufficiency on programmed withdrawal from dialysis].

UNLABELLED: The voluntary discontinuation of dialysis by patients is a common mode of death in dialysis programmes. Unfortunately the Spanish experience has not been related in the nephrological literature. Initiation of, and withdrawal from, dialysis pose ethical questions for medicine in the 21st century. The dialysis population is aging and they have multiple medical problems. The choice may be between prolongation of quantity or quality of life. We evaluated a protocol for initiation of dialysis in patients with end stage renal failure and their subsequent withdrawal. We determined the factors predicting withdrawal of dialysis and revised the protocol to take account of these. We carried out an opinion poll of doctors and nurses about the effectiveness of the protocol. We studied prospectively the reasons for death of patients in the last seven years. RESULTS: Thirty patients were withdrawn from dialysis out of 116 who died during treatment by hemodialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in the last seven years. Vascular nephropathy is the principal disease predicting withdrawal from dialysis; the main precipitating cause is mental incapacity. The availability of a protocol for withdrawal of dialysis is well received by doctors and nurses and it engenders moral and legal calm when facing difficult decisions. Twenty-six per cent of deaths on regular dialysis are the result of withdrawal of treatment.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Assessment of long-term bone metabolism in patients with relative hypoparathyroidism after changing the calcium concentration of the dialyzate to 3mEq/L].

The existence of a low-bone turnover, non-aluminium related, has been more prevalent in recent years. Factors involved include the increasing number of older and diabetic patients initiating dialysis. Also higher intake of calcium salts and the widespread use of vitamin D derivates may play a role. Demonstration of low PTH secretion allows the recognition of the group of patients with special risk of adynamic bone disease. Little can be done to improve bone remodelling apart from correct management of risk factors previously mentioned. A decrease in dialysate calcium concentration can act in this way, but the long term effect of this procedure on bone mineral density has scarcely been established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long term effect of lowering the dialysate calcium concentration from 3.5 to 3 mEq/L on bone mass and PTH activity in patients with hypoparathyroidism. We studied 19 patients with PTH < 120 pg/ml and calcemia between 8.5 and 10.5 mg/dl, without aluminium intoxication. Blood levels of Ca, P, alkaline phosphatase, aluminium, iPTH and dialysis doses were measured every 4 months during the two years of follow-up. Phosphate binders were closely monitored. Also calcium dietary feeding was measured by a 5-day dietetic registry at the beginning and 6 and 12 months later. Bone mineral density was assessed by quantitative computed tomography of the distal radius initially and after 18 months. PTH values had significantly increased from the first measurement (from 46 +/- 33 to 97 +/- 68 four months later). At the end of follow up, 8 patients (42%) had reached the objective of maintaining a PTHi above 120 pg/ml, while 11 had not reached it (3 were previously parathyroidectomized and two were diabetic). Only one patient has developed an exaggerated PTH response that has been controlled with oral vitamin D. No bone mineral loss was observed during the follow up. In conclusion, the use of a 3 mEq/l dialysate calcium may improve hypoparathyroidism in a substantial number of patients, avoiding the untoward effect that lower calcium concentration has on bone mineralization.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Systemic amyloidosis secondary to xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis].

Secondary amyloidosis is a relatively common pathology in which chronic infectious diseases are common causes, especially infected bronchiectasis, osteomyelitis or chronic ulcers. The association of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis and systemic amyloidosis is extremely rare. To our knowledge, despite innumerable cases of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis reported in the literature, this association has been reported in only 8 previous cases. Patients usually complain of fever, back or flank pain and urinary tract symptoms. A long lasting evolution of the process is frequent. We report a 70 year old patient who developed amyloidosis secondary to xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis. As well as the rarity of this association, this case is exceptional in its clinical presentation, without any urinary tract symptoms that could suggest the diagnosis.

Aged↗