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L Compte Torrero

Publications and source records attributed to L Compte Torrero.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

[Triiodothyronine intoxication. A clinical and phamacokinetic study].

A woman, thyroidectomised because of a thyroid papillary carcinoma, interrupted temporarily her levothyroxine intake in order to be subjected to an extension study five weeks later. To minimise her symptoms for the first three weeks, a treatment was prescribed consisting of one 25 micro g-capsule of triiodothyronine every 8 hours. Nine days later she complained of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever of 40 degrees C and chest discomfort. A serum total triiodothyronine of 575.2 nmol/l was measured by chemoluminiscent immunoassay eleven hours after the intake of the latest capsule (normal level: 1.1-2.9 nmol/l). Along the following ten days the patient suffered from delirium, agitation, tachycardia, hypertension, constipation and later diarrhoea, but neither arrythmias nor axillary temperature over 38 degrees C. Fifty-nine measurements of the serum total triiodothyronine were performed in order to determine the kinetics of elimination of this drug. We estimate that the maximal serum concentration after the intake of the latest capsule could be 794.3 nmol/l, i.e. 397 times higher than the mean normal value. The elimination half-life was 24 hours 40 minutes. The charcoal haemoperfusion had no impact on the velocity of elimination. The concentration of triiodothyronine became normal 200 hours after the intake of the latest capsule, but the clinical manifestations still lasted three days more. The pharmacokinetic data suggest that this intoxication could be due to the intake of capsules containing 5 mg of triiodothyronine, i.e. a dose 200 times higher than that prescribed by her physician.

Absorption↗
PubMed2003

[Cardiac tamponade caused by aortic pseudoaneurysm with fistula in the right ventricle].

A 69-year-old woman, with an aortic replacement valve for rheumatic aortic insufficiency suffered a sudden cardiac tamponade caused by a ruptured pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta which had its origin in the suture of the aorta performed 10 years earlier. The cardiac tamponade presented as syncope, absent central pulse, and respiratory failure. Hemodynamic variables recovered with early detection and start of cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers. After fluids were replaced and following catecholamine treatment, a transesophageal echocardiogram revealed a pseudoaneurysm and continuous flow between the aorta and the right ventricle. The aneurysm and an unusual right ventricular fistula were repaired surgically through an emergency exploratory sternotomy. Cardiovascular recovery was satisfactory although hospital discharge was delayed because of pulmonary complications leading to severe hypoxia, pleural effusion, and pneumonia, with tracheal aspirate and bronchoalveolar lavage cultures positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter spp, and Aspergillus flavus. We stress that immediate start of cardiopulmonary resuscitation prevented multiorgan failure and allowed for satisfactory recovery from surgery in spite of the presence of risk factors for mortality.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

[Cough-inducing capsaicin challenge test in a healthy population].

OBJECTIVE: Cough-inducing agents are used to study the cough reflex in both pharmacological and physiological research. Clinical use of cough challenge testing as a tool in diagnostic algorithms has been limited by the lack of either uniform methodology or reference values for healthy subjects. The objective of this study was to determine the cough threshold for capsaicin in a sample of healthy subjects, while also evaluating the influence of age, sex and smoking. We also assessed the reliability and repeatability of the test. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety-two healthy subjects were enrolled and given a capsaicin challenge test using concentrations from 0.49 to 500mg. The concentrations of capsaicin that triggered two and five coughs, C2 and C5 respectively, were recorded. The test was repeated three days later in a sub-sample of 30 subjects. RESULTS: No subject showed clinical or functional signs of bronchoconstriction. The mean values obtained for the study population were log C2:1.5 +/- 0.69 mM. and log C5: 2.1 +/- 0.4 microM. The geometric means were 31.6 and 134.8 microM for C2 and C5, respectively. No significant differences were found for sex or smoking; however age was significantly related to log C5 (r: -0.27, p < 0.05). Repeatability of the capsaicin test was high, with intra-class correlation coefficients and 95% confidence intervals of 0.75 (0.53-0.87) and 0.88 (0.76-0.97)for C2 and C5, respectively. CONCLUSION: The capsaicin challenge test was safe and easy to administer,gave reproducible results and allowed us to obtain reference values for a healthy population in our community.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Respiratory disorders in common variable immunodeficiency.

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a heterogeneous immunodeficiency syndrome characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia, recurrent bacterial infections, and various immunologic abnormalities. The clinical presentation is generally that of recurrent pyogenic sinopulmonary infections. Our objectives were to study the prevalence of lung involvement and the response to intravenous immunoglobulin replacement therapy in 19 patients with CVID. Nineteen patients (12 men) with a mean age (SD) of 33.1 (17.1) years had a previous diagnosis of CVID and were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin replacement. All patients underwent complete pulmonary function tests and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) examination. Bronchiectasis was diagnosed in 11 (58%) patients and eight (42%) were multi-lobar bronchiectasis. Chronic airflow limitation (CAL) was present in 10 (53%) patients and a restrictive pattern was seen in one case. Eleven patients (58%) presented a decrease in single-breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity of the lung (DL(CO)). Before intravenous immunoglobulin replacement therapy (INIRT), 84% of patients had suffered from at least one episode of pneumonia. Episodes of lower respiratory tract infection decreased significantly from 0.28 per patient and year before replacement therapy to 0.16 per patient and year after treatment. The mean duration of replacement therapy was 7.5 years. In conclusion lung involvement was frequent in patients with CVID. Long-term administration of intravenous gammaglobulin resulted in a substantial reduction of pneumonic episodes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Effects of air pollution and weather conditions on asthma exacerbation.

BACKGROUND: Meteorological conditions and a high concentration of air pollutants have been associated with increased respiratory morbidity. However, few studies have examined the association between asthma exacerbation and air pollution. OBJECTIVES: In the present study, the possible relationship of the concentration of black smoke and SO2 in the air, the local weather conditions and emergency room visits for asthma is investigated. METHODS: The weekly total of emergency room admissions for asthmatic adults during a 1-year period was recorded together with daily metereological conditions (average temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed and barometric pressure) and average weekly levels of daily pollutant concentrations (black smoke and SO2). The relationship was assessed by stepwise regression linear models and analysis of variance. The analysis took into account season and metereological variables. RESULTS: Both air pollutants correlated significantly with emergency room admissions for asthma (SO2 [r = 0. 32], black smoke [r = 0.35]); however, multiple regression analysis showed that black smoke was the only significant predictor of weekly visits. There were approximately 3.5 admissions a week per SD of change (34.6 microg.m-3). There were no significant correlations between weekly emergency room visits and the weather variables. Analysis of the data stratified by season and weather conditions demonstrated that the association of black smoke with asthma exacerbation was more pronounced in autumn (r = 0.67) or when temperatures were higher than average. CONCLUSION: In our city, a high concentration of certain air pollutants is indeed associated with an increase in the number of hospital emergency room admissions for asthma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

[Risk factors for lung toxicity in pediatric cancer survivors].

OBJECTIVE: Our objectives were to determine the prevalence of alterations in lung function among pediatric cancer survivors with known risk factors and to establish clinical and imaging correlations, as well as to establish follow-up criteria. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cancer survivors diagnosed at the Pediatric Oncology Unit between 1971 and 1997 who fulfilled at least one of the following criteria were eligible: 1) primary lung or thoracic wall neoplasm; 2) lung metastasis at diagnosis or later, or; 3) irradiation of mediastinum and/or lung fields. Assessment included respiratory symptomatology questionnaire, physical examination, forced spirometry, static lung volumes, maximal static respiratory pressures, single breath CO diffusing capacity, pulse oximetry and imaging studies. RESULTS: Thirty-five (14 females and 21 males) out of 41 survivors were assessed. Mean age at diagnosis, evaluation and follow-up were 9 (1-14), 18 (10-28) and 9 (3-27) years, respectively. The diagnoses included pleuropulmonary blastoma (1), chest wall Ewing's sarcoma (1), Hodgkin's disease (18), nephroblastoma (7), yolk-sac tumor (2), acute leukemia2), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (1), rhabdomyosarcoma (1), coriocarcinoma of the ovary (1) and osteosarcoma (1). Thirteen patients presented lung metastasis at diagnosis or later. All were administered chemotherapy. Irradiated fields were the mediastinum (dose 20-56 Gy) in 20 cases, the lung (8-30 Gy) in 6 and the spine (24 Gy) in one. Eight underwent thoracotomy. Fourteen percent were dyspneic when walking at the same rate as a person of the same sex and age (grade 2). Twenty percent had a restrictive ventilatory disorder, but none were obstructive. The presence of dyspnea had sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values and negative predictive value for the diagnosis of restrictive ventilatory disorder of 67%, 96%, 80% and 93%, respectively. Lung irradiation was associated with an increased risk for the development of restrictive disease. Excluding those who received lung irradiation, survivors under 6 years of age at diagnosis obtained lower spirometric values, lung volumes and DLCO values than survivors aged 6 years or older at diagnosis. There were no differences in pulmonary function values between survivors who received mediastinum irradiation and those who did not. The cumulative dose of cyclophosphamide significantly correlated with FVC, FEV1 and FRC. Pulse oximetry values were > or = 95% in all survivors. Maximal static respiratory pressures were within normal limits in all but one survivors whose other pulmonary function results were normal. Thirty-two percent (11 out of 34) had KCO (diffusing capacity adjusted to alveolar volume) values lower than 80% of reference values. Two survivors of nephroblastoma with pulmonary metastasis and who underwent lung irradiation had radiological signs of lung fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric cancer survivors who were administered intensive chemotherapy and/or lung irradiation are eligible for follow-up of lung function. Those diagnosed before 6 years of age and/or with moderate dyspnea are at high risk of having pulmonary restrictive disease. Imaging studies (chest X-ray) have a low sensitivity that prevents their use as a screening method in the follow-up of cancer survivors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[The value of pulse oximetry during the performance of a forced spirometry maneuver].

Given that forced spirometry is the main routine exploration in any laboratory of pulmonary functional assessment, we have analyzed the behaviour of O2 arterial saturation (SaO2) during such maneuver in patients with airflow chronic obstruction (AFCO), in order to verify any potential alterations. We have studied three groups of patients: Group A, control, 17 healthy subjects; group B, 18 patients with AFCO and initial saturation higher than 90%; group C, 15 patients with AFCO and saturation equal to or lower than 90%. Total duration of the maneuver was significantly higher in groups B and C compared with the control group (p < 0.001). In groups A and B, we did not observed any significant reductions in SaO2 with respect to the initial value, although we did observed such differences in group C (p < 0.001). None of the patients presented a subjective clinical disorder, although the absence of both complexity and risk suggest the convenience of including the oximetry as an additional parameter when conducting a forced spirometry in patients with AFCO and respiratory failure.

Adult↗