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J Collazos

Publications and source records attributed to J Collazos.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

[Pyogenic liver abscess. Study of 20 patients treated with percutaneous drainage].

We conducted a descriptive study of pyogenous hepatic abscesses (PHA) and their treatment with percutaneous drainage and antibiotherapy in the general hospital of Galdácano between 1989 and 1992. We assessed prevalence, clinical characteristics, responses to treatment, evolution and complications. We studied 20 PHAs in adults confirmed through puncture guided with echography and/or computerized tomography. We considered as causal germs those isolated in the abscess and/or hemocultures. All the patients were treated with catheter drainage and antibiotics. After discharge, follow-up and regular TC controls were performed at least for 6 months. The average age of the patients was 56 +/- 3 years and the men/women rate was 2.5:1. The most frequent origin of the infection was cholecystitis/cholangitis in 50% of patients and hydatidic cysts in 20%. Twelve patients had isolated abscess and 8 patients, multiple abscesses. The diagnostic sensitivity was 95% for the echography and 100% for CAT. The most frequent germs were E. Coli, Streptococcus, K. pneumoniae and Salmonella spp. In three cases, it was not possible to bacteriologically identified the germ. After drainage, the abscesses disappeared in 16 patients. The average duration of percutaneous drainage was 10 days. Three patients required surgery after drainage due to complications or incomplete drainage; two other patients required extirpation of hydatidic cysts. The mortality rate was 10%, although it was not related to PHA. We did not observe any differences between isolated or multiple abscesses with regard to prognosis. The drainage guided by echography and/or CT, associated to antibiotic therapy, is a successful technique for the treatment of PHAs in most patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Study of serum procollagen type III peptide in patients with hepatic cirrhosis from a clinical point of view.

N-terminal procollagen-III peptide (P-III-P) has been considered a marker of fibrogenesis and inflammatory activity of the liver. We measured the P-III-P serum levels in 83 cirrhotic patients fully characterized from a clinical and laboratory point of view. Cirrhotic patients had significantly higher P-III-P serum levels than controls (P < 0.0001). Of the cirrhotic patients 73.5% had increased P-III-P. A significant negative correlation was found between P-III-P and transaminases, and patients with normal values of alanine amino-transferase had higher P-III-P serum levels than those with increased values (P = 0.03). On the other hand, no significant association was found with portal hypertension, Child classes, or alcoholic liver disease. No one independent factor appears to be responsible for the increase in P-III-P. The measurement of serum P-III-P is of little if any use in the evaluation of cirrhotic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Glycocholic acid in chronic active hepatitis and mild liver diseases.

Serum levels of fasting glycocholic acid were measured in various noncirrhotic liver diseases. Forty-five patients were evaluated, 15 with chronic active hepatitis and 30 with mild liver diseases including chronic persistent hepatitis, steatosis, and minimal changes. There were increased levels of glycocholic acid in 53.3% of chronic active hepatitis cases and in 10% of mile liver disease cases (P = 0.003), and the levels reached by patients with chronic active hepatitis were higher than those in patients with mild liver disease (P < 0.0001). The latter did not show significant differences in their serum levels or in the percentage of abnormal results with respect to control group. There were weak, although significant, correlations between glycocholic acid and transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, albumin, and gammaglobulin. In the present study, the specificity of glycocholic acid was high in the detection of chronic active hepatitis patients at different cut-off levels. Glycocholic acid appeared to reflect histological severity in this group of noncirrhotic liver diseases and might have practical applications in the management of these patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Study of the tumor marker carbohydrate antigen 50 in liver cirrhosis. Pathogenetic considerations.

Carbohydrate antigen 50 (CA 50) is a tumor marker that increases in many malignancies, especially in carcinoma of the digestive tract. False-positive results occur in benign liver disease. The behavior of CA 50 in 86 cirrhotic patients was studied, with thorough clinical and laboratory evaluations. There were abnormal values in 75.6% of the patients without significant differences among the different Child's grades. Significant correlations with some liver tests were found, especially transaminases, and at lower degrees with cholestatic parameters. Despite the previously reported relation with cholestasis, especially in biliary diseases, the CA 50 serum levels of the authors' cirrhotic patients appeared to be more closely related to cytolysis, according to the results of several statistical tests, including multivariate analysis. Because of the percentage and the levels of the abnormal results, this antigen cannot be used as a tumor marker in cirrhotic patients. Cytolysis seems to have a pathogenetic role in the increase of CA 50, at least in cirrhosis.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗
PubMed1993

Serum concentrations of laminin in cirrhosis of the liver.

Laminin, a glycoprotein synthesised by Ito cells, has been considered a marker of fibrogenesis. The behaviour of laminin and clinical and laboratory data in 83 patients with cirrhosis were studied to find the factors associated with increases in this glycoprotein. There were increased concentrations of laminin in 62.7% of the patients (40% of the Child's A, 64.5% of the Child's B, and 75% of the Child's C categories). Significant differences in laminin concentrations were found between the Child's grades (p = 0.009) and between patients and controls (p < 0.0001). Correlations were found between laminin concentrations and mean corpuscular volume, aspartate aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase: alanine aminotransferase ratio, alkaline phosphatase activity, bilirubin and glycocholic acid concentrations, and hypoalbuminaemia--that is, variables related to liver insufficiency and alcohol intake. Moreover, patients with an alcohol intake higher than 100 g/day had higher laminin concentrations than those with a lower intake (p = 0.03). Conversely, there was no significant association with portal hypertension. Multivariate analysis showed that mean corpuscular volume, bilirubin concentrations, and hypoalbuminaemia were independently associated with laminin concentrations. Poor degradation associated with liver insufficiency seems to play an important part in the increase in serum laminin concentrations in these patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Serum alpha-fetoprotein in liver cirrhosis].

Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) has been determined in 86 cirrhotic patients who simultaneously underwent a complete clinical and analytical evaluation. 25.6% of patients had increased levels (19.1% of Child A, 21.9% of B and 33.3% of C) without any significative differences between Child groups. A correlation between AFP and some analytical findings has been found, being GPT included among the latter (r = 0.24, p = 0.023). No correlation has been found with different laboratory and clinical data. Our data suggest that hepatocyte lesion and/or regeneration play a role in the raise of AFP, although other mechanisms must be implied. Extremely high values, especially with a non active cirrhosis, hardly could be attribute to it, that is why AFP is still a good marker of malignant degeneration in these patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

A clinical and biochemical study on tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) in non-malignant hepatic disorders.

The behaviour of the tumour marker TPA was studied in 160 patients with benign diffuse liver diseases which underwent a thorough clinical and biochemical evaluation. Abnormal serum levels were found in 71.9% of the 160 patients, 87.2% of the 86 cirrhotics, and 98.4% of the 61 cirrhotics with elevated aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) levels. TPA correlated with numerous clinical and biochemical markers of liver disease, serum ASAT being the most significant one (r = 0.63, p < 0.00001). TPA values were higher in cirrhotics than in non-cirrhotics (p < 0.0001) and in the patients with increased ASAT as compared with those with normal ASAT (p < 0.0001). In liver disease the cut-off level had to be raised five-fold to allow 10% abnormal values. This fact severely limits the usefulness of TPA in oncologic patients who also have liver disease. Cytolysis and/or liver regeneration appear to play an important role in the increase of TPA in these patients although other mechanisms such as impaired metabolism due to hepatocellular insufficiency also may be involved.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Serum levels of CA 50 in nonmalignant liver diseases: a clinical and biochemical study.

CA 50 is a tumor marker used in the evaluation and follow-up of some cancers, especially of the digestive tract. However, CA 50 frequently produces false-positive results, particularly in pancreatic and hepatobiliary diseases. This study was carried out to evaluate the behavior of CA 50 in 159 patients with benign diffuse liver diseases, who underwent a thorough clinical and laboratory evaluation. There were abnormal levels of CA 50 in 56% of the 159 patients, and in 75.3% of the 85 cirrhotics, with very high values in some cases. We found significant correlations between CA 50 and some clinical and biochemical parameters. Significantly higher levels of CA 50 were found in cirrhotics than in noncirrhotics (p < 0.0001), and in hyperbilirubinemic patients than in those with normal bilirubin (p < 0.0001). Several mechanisms, including liver dysfunction and pathological changes of the smallest bile ducts, probably are responsible for the increase in CA 50. Several cut-offs for different subsets of patients, according to the diagnosis and level of bilirubin, have been calculated. Whenever CA 50 is used in the evaluation of a cancer patient, a benign liver disease should be excluded, because the liver disorder can result in increased serum levels of CA 50, independent of cancer.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗
PubMed1993

[Psoas abscess. The diagnostic and therapeutic considerations in 5 patients].

Five cases of psoas abscesses are discussed, four pyogenes and one tuberculous, the current etiology of this process, together with its pathogenesis and clinical manifestations are discussed. In all of them the guided punction through Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT) has been the way to diagnose and treat the process. Utility of this technique considering both aspects is discussed because it allows to determine the etiology and avoids the surgical drainage; even tough this therapy should be individualized in each case, probably is in primary staphylococci abscesses where this therapeutic option is best indicated.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Clinical value of the determination of fasting glycocholic acid serum levels in patients with liver diseases. A comparison with standard liver tests.

Fasting serum levels of glycocholic acid were measured in 142 patients with benign diffuse liver diseases. A total of 63.4% of the whole group of patients, 86.6% of the cirrhotic patients and 31.7% of the noncirrhotic patients had increased serum levels of glycocholic acid. There were significant correlations with blood liver tests associated with liver disease severity such as prothrombin activity and albumin. There were highly significant differences in glycocholic acid levels according to the histological severity of the liver disease, especially when patients with cirrhosis or chronic active hepatitis were compared to the remaining patients and controls. However, discriminant analysis showed that prothrombin activity and albumin were better than glycocholic acid in predicting the histological severity of liver disease. Glycocholic acid serum levels were relatively independent of cholestasis and cytolysis and appeared to be more linked to liver dysfunction. In conclusion, fasting glycocholic acid measurement can be useful in the evaluation and follow-up of liver diseases as a marker of histological severity, and used in addition to other liver tests.

Adolescent↗