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J Briceño

Publications and source records attributed to J Briceño.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Adjuvant chemotherapy for prevention of recurrence of invasive hepatocellular carcinoma after orthotopic liver transplantation.

UNLABELLED: Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is the best treatment for nonresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but tumor recurrence reduces long-term and medium-term survival. The effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy to prevent tumor recurrence has not been fully established. METHODS: Three hundred eighty-seven consecutive patients, including 43 with HCC superimposed on liver cirrhosis, underwent OLT. Twelve patients with one or more prognostic criteria for HCC recurrence were entered into a prospective prophylaxis protocol with monthly cycles of cisplatin (60 mg/m(2)) and adriamycin (30 mg/m(2)), beginning the fourth week post-OLT for a maximum of seven sessions. RESULTS: The 5-year survival of the non-HCC patients was 65.7% and that of the HCC patients was 60.46% (P = NS). Chemotherapy was reasonably well tolerated, but the 9 patients with hepatitis C- or B-associated cirrhosis showed viral and histological recurrence of the primary disease. A high proportion of patients (7 of 12) developed tumor recurrence during the first year after OLT. Six of these patients died, all but one due to HCC relapse. Five patients remain healthy and tumor free at 58 to 130 months. Post-OLT adjuvant chemotherapy does not avoid tumor recurrence and its fatal consequences but may contribute to prolonged tumor-free survival among a significant proportion of patients with high-risk HCC. However, the uncertain implications on viral recurrence and the lack of control groups do not allow post-OLT chemotherapy to be recommended outside controlled clinical trials, which are clearly warranted.

Adult↗

Randomized clinical trial of the effect of intravenous fluid administration on hormonal and renal dysfunction in patients with obstructive jaundice undergoing endoscopic drainage.

BACKGROUND: Renal dysfunction in patients with biliary obstruction is associated with extracellular water depletion. This study examined the effect of preoperative saline infusion before biliary drainage on hormonal and renal functional derangements in patients with obstructive jaundice. METHODS: In a randomized study, 49 patients with malignant obstructive jaundice were investigated at baseline, on the day of drainage, and at 24 h, 72 h and 7 days after internal endoscopic biliary drainage. Patients were randomized to receive (n = 22) or not to receive (n = 27) 3000 ml normal saline intravenously for 24 h before drainage. Variables analysed included extracellular water volume, creatinine clearance, and serum levels of aldosterone, renin, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), vasopressin and albumin. RESULTS: Preoperative saline infusion produced a rise in creatinine clearance, diuresis, ANP concentration and extracellular water volume but this did not translate into better recovery of renal function after operation. Drainage produced a fall in creatinine clearance in all patients, but hormonal and renal function had recovered by 2 days after restoration of bile flow, independently of preoperative hydration. CONCLUSION: Fluid administration expands the extracellular water compartment before drainage but fails to improve renal function after drainage. Definitive improvement in endocrine and renal function requires the restoration of bile flow into the duodenum.

Adult↗

Multivariate analysis of factors associated with renal dysfunction in patients with obstructive jaundice.

BACKGROUND: The aim was to evaluate the factors determining preoperative renal dysfunction in patients with obstructive jaundice. METHODS: In a prospective cross-sectional observational study, 63 patients, 27 with benign and 36 with malignant obstructive jaundice, were investigated at admission and compared with 25 healthy control subjects. Variables analysed included extracellular body water (ECW) compartment, plasma levels of aldosterone, renin, atrial natriuretic peptide, vasopressin, nitric oxide, endothelin (ET) 1 and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), urinary nitric oxide and PGE2, serum albumin and renal function. RESULTS: The metabolic profile of obstructive jaundice was characterized by a depletion of the ECW (P = 0.004), and increased plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (P < 0.001), ET-1 (P = 0.044), vasopressin (P = 0.017), aldosterone (P = 0.005) and renin (P = 0.001). Increased plasma (P < 0.001) and urinary (P = 0.001) PGE2 levels were also found. Fifty-four per cent of patients had a creatinine clearance of less than 70 ml/min. In multivariate analysis, serum bilirubin, renin, ET-1, PGE2, decreased urinary sodium excretion and age were identified as predictors of renal dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Renal dysfunction in patients with obstructive jaundice was associated with the degree of biliary obstruction, age of the patient and reduced urinary sodium excretion. These alterations were closely related to derangements in sodium- and water-regulating hormones.

Atrial Natriuretic Factor↗

Results of liver transplantation in a Spanish group: a report from the Cordoba unit.

The liver transplantation unit from Córdoba, Spain, performed its first liver transplantation in 1989. Since then, 500 liver transplants have been performed in our institution up to November 2001. Our one-year recipient and graft survival rates are 77% and 76%, respectively. These recipient and graft survival rates are lower when compared with other results in the English language literature, and we present evidence here that the disparity results from 4 especially problematic aspects of our program: 1) the expanded use of donors, 2) the policy of allocation and prioritization in our institution, 3) the recurrence of primary liver disease and 4) de-novo neoplasms. Liver transplantation with unstable, hypernatremic donors or donors with a lengthy hospitalization and grafts with a prolonged cold ischemia time leads to diminished graft survival. When several marginal criteria accumulate in a donor, the results are even poorer. Consequently, the delayed non-function rate is especially high in our series. Attention to severe liver preservation injury as a primary mechanism of graft losses with marginal donors is given. The impact of the policy of the "sickest-first" principle in our center with a long waiting list seems to benefit urgent but not elective patients. Survival in elective patients is poorer than expected considering their clinical condition. The use of the sickest-first or urgency principle in our unit has not been efficient or equitable and may partially explain the poorer survival of our patients. Finally, the recurrence of primary disease and incidence of de-novo tumors after transplantation in our unit are similar those reported in English language literature.

Adult↗

A proposal for scoring marginal liver grafts.

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of accumulation of marginal liver graft criteria on the immediate outcome of liver transplantation (LT). The last 325 consecutive LT performed in 293 patients were analyzed retrospectively with respect to donor acceptance criteria. A marginal liver score was elaborated on the basis of the following features: donor > 60 years, ICU stay > 4 days, cold ischemia times > 13 h, hypotensive episodes < 60 mmHg > 1 h, bilirubin > 2.0 mg/dl, ALT > 170 U/l, and AST > 140 U/l were scored with the value 1. The use of dopamine doses > 10 microg/kg per min and peak serum sodium > 155 mEq/l were labeled with value 2. The cut-off point at 6 months after LT revealed 42 deaths (14%), with 65 graft losses (20%) and 32 (9%) retransplants. Recipient survival was not affected by the combined effect of marginal criteria. However, recipients transplanted with marginal livers with score 3 or more showed a decrease in graft survival (log-rank 6.21; P = 0.045) and an increase in delayed non-function rate (10 out of 33 vs 4 out of 156; P = 0.03). The use of marginal liver donors with more than three risk factors must be carefully reviewed or refused because of the cumulative dysfunction of these grafts.

Adult↗

Role of orthotopic liver transplant in the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

UNLABELLED: Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia is an inherited metabolic disease that leads to decreased catabolism of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. As a result coronary artery disease ensues by the first or second decade. Because most low-density lipoprotein receptors (50-75%) are located in the liver, liver transplantation has been introduced as a therapeutic option in this disorder. AIMS: To report our experience in the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia with ortothopic liver transplantation. We evaluated metabolic results and patient survival. METHOD: We treated two affected siblings. One of them received a sequenced heart-liver transplantation because of cardiac failure due to severe coronary disease. RESULTS: The operative and postoperative course was favourable in both patients, with a decrease in cholesterol levels to normal values. Four years later both were alive and both had normal liver and heart functions. Neither patient needed cholesterol-lowering drugs, and the disease had not progressed. CONCLUSIONS: As shown by our results and those reported by others, liver transplantation is the treatment of choice for homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia until gene therapy becomes a viable option. Transplantation should be done before of cardiovascular complications develop.

Adolescent↗

Randomized trial of weekly sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine vs. daily low-dose trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for the prophylaxis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia after liver transplantation.

We conducted a prospective, randomized clinical trial among liver transplant patients to assess the efficacy and safety of weekly sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine compared with daily trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in the prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. The studied drugs were given during 6 months after transplantation. One hundred twenty patients were included. None of the 60 patients receiving weekly sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine developed Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, whereas two cases (3%) developed among the 60 patients who received trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. For both patients, the studied medication had been discontinued several weeks earlier because of adverse effects. No differences were observed in the incidence of adverse effects. We conclude that weekly sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine is as effective and safe as is daily trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in the prophylaxis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia after liver transplantation.

Adult↗

[Thrombosis of the hepatic artery and portal vein secondary to invasive aspergillosis following liver transplantation].

Thrombosis of the main hepatic vessels is a severe, frequent complication in patients requiring liver transplantation. It is usually a cause of emergency retransplantation. Two cases of hepatic vascular thrombosis secondary to disseminated aspergillosis are presented. Both patients demonstrated a septic state and required a second transplantation despite which they died within a few days. Necropsy showed disseminated aspergillosis with invasion of the portal venous system and the hepatic artery. The risk factors associated with this infection and the possible pathogenic mechanisms are discussed.

Abscess↗

[Prognostic factors in severe acute pancreatitis. Univariate and multivariate study].

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze the prediction of mortality in patients with severe acute pancreatitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a retrospective study 43 patients with severe acute pancreatitis were included. All patients required ICU admittance and surgical treatment. We evaluated severity according to Ranson's criteria, APACHE II score, CT scan classification (Hill), intraoperative findings (Vankemmel's classification) and number of organs failure. We performed a univariant and multivariant statistic study with lineal discriminant analysis. RESULTS: The overall mortality was 46.5%. Ranson's score and APACHE II did not correlate with mortality. Hill's classification did not reach significance either. However, only the Vankemmel's classification and the number of organs failure had statistic value (p < 0.01). After lineal discriminant analysis, the association of more than 4 Ranson's criteria, APACHE II up to 9 points, grades IV and V in Hill's classification and 4 organs failure had a predictive value for mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In our limited experience the Vankemmel's classification and the number of organs failure had a predictive value for mortality in patients with acute pancreatitis. The association of more than 4 Ranson's criteria. APACHE II up to 8 points, grades IV-V in Hill's classification and 4 organs failure disclosed poor prognosis.

APACHE↗

[Chronic non-spherocytic hemolytic anemia caused by pyruvate kinase deficiency in a Costa Rican family carrying hemoglobin C disease].

The two first homozygous (or double heterozygous) cases of pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency found in a Costa Rica family with no signs of consanguinity are reported. The clinical manifestations of the deficiency were present in both cases, these being enhanced in one of them by pregnancy. The family study performed showed the heterozygous character of the PK deficiency in all cases, plus the demonstration in two instances (father and brother) of a heterozygous haemoglobin C disease. The importance of the PK/HK quotient in the identification of the PK deficiency heterozygous is stressed, especially when the enzyme activity registered from haemolysates falls within the normal range.

Adult↗