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Juan Rodés

Publications and source records attributed to Juan Rodés.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

News from Spain.

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Biomedical Research↗
PubMed2004

Effects of treatment of hepatorenal syndrome before transplantation on posttransplantation outcome. A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Pretransplant renal function is the major determinant of survival after liver transplantation (LTx). Patients with hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) have a poor outcome after LTx compared with patients transplanted without HRS. AIM: To analyze the impact of treatment of HRS before LTx on outcome after transplantation. METHODS: The outcome of patients with HRS (n=9) treated with vasopressin analogues before LTx was compared with that of a contemporary control group of patients without HRS (n=27) matched by age, severity of liver failure, and type of immunosuppression. RESULTS: Cases and controls were similar with respect to pretransplantation characteristics. Three-year survival probability was similar between the two groups (HRS-treated: 100% vs control: 83%, P=0.15). No significant differences were found between the two groups with respect to the incidence of impairment of renal function after LTx (HRS-treated: 22% vs control: 30%), severe infections (22 vs 33%), acute rejection (33 vs 41%), days in Intensive Care Unit (6+/-1 vs 8+/-1), days in hospital (27+/-4 vs 31+/-4), and transfusion requirements (11+/-3 vs 10+/-2 units). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with HRS treated with vasopressin analogues before LTx have a posttransplantation outcome similar to that of patients transplanted with normal renal function. These results suggest that HRS should be treated before LTx.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed2004

High-density lipoproteins reduce the effect of endotoxin on cytokine production and systemic hemodynamics in cirrhotic rats with ascites.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hypersensitivity to endotoxin is a recognized feature in cirrhosis. High-density lipoproteins (HDL) have a high capacity to inactivate endotoxin. The aim was to determine if HDL reduces the effect of endotoxin on cytokine production and systemic hemodynamics in experimental cirrhosis. METHODS: The study was performed in control and rats with carbon-tetrachloride induced cirrhosis with ascites. Hemodynamic parameters were determined before and after several doses of endotoxin. The effects of 25 microg/kg of endotoxin on the serum concentration of TNFalpha and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were determined after treatment with HDL (80 mg/kg) or saline. RESULTS: Whereas endotoxin decreased MAP only at doses of 100 and 1000 microg/kg in control rats, in cirrhotic rats significant hypotension occurred at doses of 25, 50, 100 and 1000 microg/kg. Following the administration of endotoxin (25 microg/kg) the serum levels of TNFalpha were 140 times higher in cirrhotic than in control rats (89?835+/-21?090 vs. 625+/-137 pg/ml; P<0.001). Serum TNFalpha was 80% lower in cirrhotic rats pretreated with HDL (18?890+/-5012 pg/ml; P<0.001) than in those pretreated with saline. The administration of endotoxin (25 microg/kg) was associated with a significant lower decrease of MAP in cirrhotic rats pretreated with HDL than in those receiving saline (11.9+/-3.5 vs. 24.7+/-4.3%; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: HDL attenuates the increased effect of endotoxin on cytokine production and systemic hemodynamic in cirrhosis.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Increased apoptosis dependent on caspase-3 activity in polymorphonuclear leukocytes from patients with cirrhosis and ascites.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Patients with decompensated cirrhosis are prone to develop neutropenia. Although hypersplenism and increased clearance of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in the spleen are thought to contribute to neutropenia in these patients, other factors cannot be excluded. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether the presence of increased PMN apoptosis could also contribute to the appearance of neutropenia in these patients. METHODS: PMN were isolated by Ficoll-Hypaque gradient centrifugation from 17 patients with decompensated cirrhosis (CH group) and 13 patients with compensated chronic liver disease (CT group). PMN were incubated in RPMI 1640 medium at 37 degrees C in a 5% CO(2) atmosphere and viability and frequency of apoptosis were evaluated after 0, 10, 20 and 40 h of culture. Viability was determined by the MTT assay and apoptosis by microscopic examination of cell morphology (Diff-Quik staining), DNA fragmentation by agarose gel electrophoresis (DNA laddering) and caspase-3 activity by DVDE-p-nitroanilide cleavage. RESULTS: Compared to CT patients, PMN isolated from CH patients exhibited a decreased PMN viability and a marked accelerated apoptosis as revealed by an increased number of condensed nuclei, increased DNA laddering and significantly higher caspase-3 activity. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that shortening of PMN survival via apoptosis may explain in part the neutropenia present in decompensated cirrhotic patients with ascites, thus favoring the development of bacterial infections in these patients.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed2004

Simvastatin enhances hepatic nitric oxide production and decreases the hepatic vascular tone in patients with cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: In cirrhosis, an insufficient release of nitric oxide contributes to increased hepatic resistance and portal pressure and enhances the postprandial increase in portal pressure. We hypothesized that simvastatin, which enhances Akt-dependent endothelial nitric oxide synthase phosphorylation, may increase hepatic nitric oxide release and decrease hepatic resistance in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension. METHODS: In protocol 1, 13 patients had measurements of the hepatic venous pressure gradient, hepatic blood flow, mean arterial pressure, cardiac output, and nitric oxide products before and 30 and 60 minutes after 40 mg of simvastatin. In protocol 2, 17 patients were randomized to receive placebo or simvastatin (40 mg) 12 hours and 1 hour before the study. After baseline measurements of the hepatic venous pressure gradient, hepatic blood flow, and nitric oxide products, a standard liquid meal was given, and measurements were repeated at 15, 30, and 45 minutes. RESULTS: In protocol 1, acute simvastatin did not modify the hepatic venous pressure gradient but increased the hepatic blood flow (21% +/- 13% at 30 minutes; P = 0.01) and decreased hepatic sinusoidal resistance by 14% +/- 11% (P = 0.04). Nitric oxide product levels significantly increased in hepatic venous blood (from 31.4 +/- 12.3 nmol. mL(-1) to 35.8 +/- 10.7 nmol. mL(-1); P = 0.04), but not in peripheral blood. Systemic hemodynamics were not modified. In protocol 2, simvastatin pretreatment significantly attenuated the postprandial increase in hepatic venous pressure gradient (mean peak increase, 10% +/- 9% vs. 21% +/- 6% in placebo; P = 0.01). Hepatic blood flow increased similarly in the 2 groups. Hepatic nitric oxide products increased in the simvastatin group but not in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: Simvastatin administration increases the hepatosplanchnic output of nitric oxide products and decreases hepatic resistance in patients with cirrhosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Bacterial infections in cirrhosis.

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, urinary tract infections, respiratory infections and bacteremia are the most frequent infective complications in cirrhosis. These infections are due to the concomitant presence of different facilitating mechanisms including changes in the intestinal flora and in the intestinal barrier, depression of activity of the reticuloendothelial system, decreased opsonic activity of the ascitic fluid, neutrophil leukocyte dysfunction and iatrogenic factors among others. The fact, that the probability of having a microorganism responsible for the infection quinolone resistant is higher than 30% should be taken into account when treating any infection in a cirrhotic patient receiving selective intestinal decontamination with quinolones, and therefore, quinolones as empiric treatment are not indicated.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed2004

Extracorporeal albumin dialysis: a procedure for prolonged relief of intractable pruritus in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Pruritus is a distressing symptom in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, and when uncontrollable it is an indication for liver transplantation. Since pruritus can result from unknown substances that accumulate systemically as a consequence of impaired biliary secretion, we have assessed whether a new extracorporeal albumin dialysis (ECAD) procedure, the molecular-adsorbing recirculating system-MARS, has any effect on pruritus of cholestasis. METHODS: Four patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and resistant pruritus were treated with two 7-h ECAD sessions 1 day apart. Pruritus was recorded from 15 days before the first session, before and after each session, and during the follow-up using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Standard liver tests as well as serum bile acid levels were also measured. RESULTS: There was a clear association between ECAD treatment and relief of itching, which promptly disappeared in two patients, or decreased markedly in the other two. One patient was free of pruritus for 18 months except for short periods with mild pruritus. The second patient experienced amelioration of itching, which almost disappeared completely and recurred mildly 4 months later. In the other two patients pruritus was alleviated markedly after ECAD but gradually recurred. These two patients were treated again 9 and 7 months later with favorable effects on pruritus. The scratching skin lesions improved or disappeared in parallel with the alleviation of itching. The albumin dialysis procedure did not result in liver test changes, except for circulating bile acids, which decreased in all the patients. No significant adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The ECAD procedure seems to be an effective alternative for the treatment of patients with pruritus of cholestasis who do not respond to other therapeutic methods.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Hepatorenal syndrome.

Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a common complication of advanced cirrhosis, characterised by renal failure and major disturbances in circulatory function. Renal failure is caused by intense vasoconstriction of the renal circulation. The syndrome is probably the final consequence of extreme underfilling of the arterial circulation secondary to arterial vasodilatation in the splanchnic vascular bed. As well as the renal circulation, most extrasplanchnic vascular beds are vasoconstricted. The diagnosis of HRS is currently based on the exclusion of other causes of renal failure. The prognosis is very poor, particularly when there is rapidly progressive renal failure (type 1). Liver transplantation is the best option in patients without contraindications to the procedure, but it is not always possible owing to the short survival expectancy. Therapies introduced during the past few years, such as vasoconstrictor drugs (vasopressin analogues, alpha-adrenergic agonists) or the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, are effective in improving renal function. Nevertheless, liver transplantation should still be done in suitable patients even after improvement of renal function because the outcome of HRS is poor. Finally, recent findings suggest that the risk of developing HRS in the setting of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis may be reduced by the administration of albumin together with antibiotic therapy, and that of HRS occurring in severe alcoholic hepatitis can be lowered by administration of pentoxifylline. Although these findings need to be confirmed, these two strategies represent innovative approaches to lower the frequency of HRS in clinical practice.

Hepatorenal Syndrome↗
PubMed2003

Role of a research ethics committee in follow-up and publication of results.

Follow-up of clinical trials is a commitment rarely fulfilled by research ethics committees (RECs). We assessed the output of clinical trials submitted in 1997 to our REC, and talked to principal investigators, sponsors, contract research organisations, or a combination of these. During 1997, our REC reviewed 166 clinical trials, and approved 158. The recruitment rate was lower than expected in 45% (64/143) of all initiated clinical trials; 64% (92/143) were finished in accordance with protocol. 3 years after, the results of only 21% (26/123) of finished clinical trials were published in peer-reviewed journals, rising to 31% (38/123) if in-press articles were included. RECs should devote more effort and resources to assess public dissemination of results of clinical trials.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed2003

Characterization and evolution of NS5A quasispecies of hepatitis C virus genotype 1b in patients with different stages of liver disease.

The quasispecies nature of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is thought to play a central role in modulating viral functions. Recent work has linked NS5A protein with viral replication, resistance to interferon (IFN), and control of cellular growth, probably through the interaction of its protein kinase R (double stranded RNA-activated protein kinase, PKR) binding domain (PKR-bd) with cellular PKR, but knowledge of how PKR-bd viral population evolves during disease progression is limited. Since we have previously described an association between amino acid composition of the PKR-bd and the presence of HCC, in this report we further investigated the dynamic behavior of viral population parameters by sequencing an average of 20 clones per sample in 27 samples from 19 untreated patients with different degrees of liver disease, 8 of whom were followed over time. Viral population parameters varied widely from patient to patient, but no differences were observed in the complexity, diversity, types of nucleotide changes, or evolutionary pattern of the quasispecies according to the stage of liver disease. In five samples, we detected "quasispecies-tails"; that is, clones whose minimum genetic distance to the remaining clones of their own quasispecies were higher than the maximum genetic distance found between any other two clones of the same sample. In summary, independent of the degree of liver disease, or the mutations detected within the consensus sequence of the PKR-bd, the NS5A of HCV presents a flexible and variable quasispecies structure that remains largely stable during the natural course of an HCV infection, highlighting the central role of NS5A protein in viral life cycle.

Amino Acid Sequence↗