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Biomedical subjects

J Oliva

Publications and source records attributed to J Oliva.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Results of 12 years' combined maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening and ultrasound fetal monitoring for prenatal detection of fetal malformations in Havana City, Cuba.

Progressively since 1982 and as part of a nationwide programme for the diagnosis and prevention of genetic diseases, maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MS-AFP) screening and ultrasound fetal monitoring has been implemented in all pregnant women in Cuba. In Havana City, 328,983 pregnant women underwent MS-AFP screening between 15 and 19 weeks of gestational age. With a cut-off level of > or = 2 multiples of the normal median (MOM), 1767 amniocenteses were carried out to determine the levels of amniotic fluid AFP and 685 malformed fetuses were diagnosed. By ultrasound fetal monitoring, an additional 686 malformed fetuses were detected. As a result of the programme, the birth prevalence of neural tube defects has fallen by 90 per cent.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1997

Candidal meningitis in HIV-infected patients: analysis of 14 cases.

Five cases of candidal meningitis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients have been diagnosed in our hospital. This article describes these cases and reviews another nine previously reported in the literature. Most patients (71%) had at least one well-known predisposing factor for candidiasis. Median CD4 cell count was 135/mm3. Headache and fever, in the absence of focal neurologic signs, were the predominant clinical features. The CSF analysis revealed mild pleocytosis and hypoglycorrachia, indistinguishable from those seen in tuberculous or cryptococcal meningitis. Twelve patients (92%) received amphotericin B for a median of 51 days, in combination with flucytosine in five cases. The overall mortality among treated patients was 31%. Although the risk of relapse of candidal meningitis is unknown, maintenance antifungal therapy was given to seven patients (63%), usually with fluconazole. Candida species must be kept in mind as a cause of chronic meningitis in HIV-infected patients who have a known predisposing factor.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1997

Removal of high concentrations of nitrate from industrial wastewaters by bacteria.

Klebsiella oxytoca isolate 15 was isolated from the grounds of a nitration factory and was found to be tolerant to nitrate at concentrations up to 0.5 to 1 M. Physicochemical parameters for optimal growth conditions for K. oxytoca isolate 15 were established. Growth took place when the nitrate concentration in the medium was less than 150 mM, and full nitrate consumption required about 14 g of C per g of N. This strain was able to remove nitrate without accumulating nitrite. The system was scaled up to a 40-liter pilot plant and was operated on-site satisfactorily.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

[Imipenem/cilastatin versus ceftazidime-amikacin in the treatment of febrile neutropenic patients].

AIM: To compare the efficacy of imipenem/cilastatine and ceftazidime-amikacin in the treatment of febrile neutropenic patients. DESIGN: Open, prospective and randomized clinical study. PATIENTS: Fifty two patients (26 female) aged 16 to 80 years old with 60 episodes of neutropenia were studied. They were randomly assigned to receive imipenem/cilastatine in doses of 500 mg iv qid or the combination of ceftazidime 1 to 1.5 g iv tid and amikacin 7.5 mg/kg iv bid. RESULTS: Global response to initial therapy was 53% in patients receiving imipenem/cilastatine and 37% in those receiving ceftazidime-amikacin (p = ns). When other antimicrobial were added, a 90 and 85% infection eradication success was achieved respectively. Six febrile episodes in the group receiving imipenem/cilastatine and 12 episodes in the group receiving ceftazidime-amikacin had Gram positive cocci as the sole infectious agent (p < 0.04). A lower duration of neutropenia had a favorable influence on treatment outcome. Three patients receiving imipenem/cilastatine (10%) and four receiving ceftazidime-amikacin (13%) died. Superinfections and toxicity related to antibiotics were minimal in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Imipenem/cilastatine and the combination of ceftazidime with amikacin were equally effective in the treatment of febrile episodes in neutropenic patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Allogenic bone marrow transplantation in the treatment of malignant hematologic disease].

We have treated 28 patients (pts) with malignant hematological diseases with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). 18 pts had acute lymphoblastic (ALL) and non lymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL), 5 chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), 2 severe aplastic anemia (SAA), 1 myelodisplasia, 1 Fanconi's anemia and 1 advanced Non Hodgkin's lymphoma. All but three received the graft from HLA identical sibling donors. We used conditioning with total body irradiation and chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, cytarabine and etoposide) in 17 pts and chemotherapy alone in 11. 24 pts had full hematological recovery 18 to 25 days post BMT. 15 pts died after BMT as a consequence of toxicity or early infection (4), graft failure (2), graft versus host disease (4) or relapse (5). Actuarial event free survival for the group with favorable prognosis (SAA, ALL and ANLL in first or second remission and CML in chronic phase) is 57% at 36 months. Allogeneic BMT is an effective and feasible therapeutic procedure for selected patients with hematological malignancies.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1994

[Intravenous calcitriol in the treatment of the refractory secondary hyperparathyroidism of terminal chronic kidney failure].

BACKGROUND: In advanced cases of secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) in terminal chronic renal failure, the oral treatment of calcitriol is not possible due to the development of hypercalcemia. It has been demonstrated that calcitriol directly inhibits the secretion of parathormone (PTH), independently of calcium. Therefore the intravenous administration of high and intermittent doses of calcitriol (ivVD) has been proposed as an alternative treatment for resistant HPT. METHODS: The response of PTHi to treatment over 6 months with ivVD was evaluated in 18 patients with moderate-severe HPT resistant to the classical schedules. RESULTS: An important decrease was observed in the PTHi values (basal: 698 +/- 277 pg/ml, end of treatment: 272 +/- 200; p < 0.05). Alkaline phosphatase values followed a parallel course (basal: 476 +/- 286 U/l, end of treatment: 301 +/- 276 U/l, p < 0.05). Fifty-five percent of the patients presented hypercalcemia at some time (Ca > or = 11.5 mg/dl) being controlled by a decrease in the doses of calcitriol or calcium in dialysis fluid. No response was observed in 3 patients (17%) with treatment being discontinued due to presentation of uncontrollable hypercalcemia. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of intravenous calcitriol at high and intermittent doses is effective in a considerable number of patients with hyperparathyroidism resistant to the classical oral schedules. Its use may avoid surgical parathyroidectomy in some cases.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Developmental anomalies derived from exposure of zygotes and first-cleavage embryos to mutagens.

Results of continuing studies indicate that the mouse zygote and two-cell embryo stages are a window of susceptibility in the experimental induction of congenital anomalies with certain mutagenic agents. The mechanisms by which the mutagens initiate the pathogenesis of these developmental defects are not known. However, in certain cases there is evidence that a nonconventional, perhaps epigenetic, mechanism is involved. Detailed characterization of the spectrum of anomalies induced and comparison of responses at the various stages exposed allowed classification of the mutagens generally into two groups. One group is characterized by being effective only in the early stages of zygote development and capable of producing a relatively high incidence of fetal death and hydrops. The other group affects all of the zygote stages studied as well as the two cell-embryo, but does not increase the incidence of fetal death and hydrops. Except for hydrops, chemicals in the two groups do not differ in terms of the types of anomalies present among malformed live fetuses, which bear a resemblance to a subset of common, sporadic human developmental anomalies that are of unknown etiology. This similarity raises the possibility that certain human developmental defects may have their origins in events that happen in the zygote and early pre-implantation stages.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1991

Presumptive identification of Salmonella enterica using two rapid tests.

Two rapid test for early detection of Salmonella enterica, the cytochrome oxidase test and a fluorescence test, were evaluated in 1,200 colonies which had been isolated from human feces and cultured on MacConkey and Salmonella-Shigella media. Using the fluorescence test there were no false negative results (sensitivity 100%) and of 205 positive cases 62 did not correspond biochemically to salmonella (specificity 94.1%); 44 of these 62 were positive in the cytochrome oxidase test, raising the specificity to 98.2%. In conclusion, the combination of the two tests could be very useful due to the ease of performance, low cost and excellent results obtained.

Culture Media↗
PubMed1989

[Diagnosis of facial pain: a clinical experience].

A sample of 228 patients with facial pain is reported in the present paper. Among them, 112 cases are typical idiopathic trigeminal neuralgias, 111 are cases of secondary facial pain (including 7 cases symptomatic trigeminal neuralgias) and 5 patients were classified as vascular facial pain. Among the 119 cases of clinically diagnosed trigeminal neuralgias there were 112 (94, 11%) with no evidence of organic cause. Only 7 cases (5.89%) were identified as organic, including 3 cases of bulbar and pontic vascular lesions, 2 cases of iatrogenic injuries following neurosurgery, 1 case of meningioma of the ponto-cerebellar angle and 1 case of neurosyphillis. The most frequent conditions that produce secondary facial pain were: miofacial pain syndrome, sinusitis, cervical vertebral lesions, post herpetic neuralgias, malignant head and neck tumours and encephalic vascular lesions of the pain pathway.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Pharmacotherapy of trigeminal neuralgia].

The efficacy of drug treatment on 119 patients with trigeminal neuralgia is reported in the present paper. Among them, 112 were idiopathic trigeminal neuralgias while only 7 cases were secondary trigeminal neuralgias. All patients were treated with drugs at different stages of the evolution of the neuralgia. Carbamazepine was used on all patients. 12.6% was treated with imipramine (tricyclic antidepressive drug), 4 patients received amphetamines due to psychiatric emergencies, 4 patients were treated with phenytoin before this study and three patients received baclofen during short periods of follow-up. Drug therapy was the only treatment method in 51 patients. In 43 patients it was combined with peripheral surgical treatments including injections of alcohol and neurectomies. 16.8% of the patients were treated with drugs and acupuncture; the results of this experience will be reported in a future paper. Only 4.2% (5 patients) underwent neurosurgical treatment: one ponto cerebellar angle tumour, one electrocoagulation of the gasserian ganglion through the stereotaxic method and three cases of microvascular decompression of the trigeminal root. Clinical, pharmacological and neurophysiological aspects of trigeminal neuralgia pharmacotherapy are discussed.

Amphetamines↗