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Biomedical subjects

M Martín

Publications and source records attributed to M Martín.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

[Prognostic effect of beta 2-microglobulin in multiple myeloma].

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to compare the prognostic influence of beta 2-microglobulin (B2M) corrected according to renal function versus the uncorrected form and relate these values with other characteristics of the disease in a series of patients with multiple myeloma (MM). METHODS: The serum levels of B2M were determined by the radioimmunoassay method (RIA) in 107 patients with newly diagnosed MM and the prognostic influence of B2M was statistically evaluated with univariant and multivariant analysis. RESULTS: The mean value of B2M obtained in patients with MM was 7.8 +/- 8.0 micrograms/ml, with a median of 5 micrograms/ml. Ninety percent of the patients studied presented serum values of B2M higher than the normal limit. The value of B2M corresponding to the median of the series (5 micrograms/ml) separated two groups of patients with different survival (48 vs 19 months) (p = 0.0001). Similarly, the most discriminative value of corrected B2M in agreement with creatinine (2.5 micrograms/ml) permitted the differentiation of two groups of patients although the differences in survival were less significant (36 vs 26 months, p = 0.03) demonstrating its lesser influence as a prognostic factor with respect to the uncorrected B2M. In contrast, a significant association was observed between high values of B2M and Bence Jones myeloma, clinical stage III, anemia, renal failure and intense involvement of the general state. Multivariant analysis demonstrated that B2M plays a greater prognostic role when used as a discrete rather than a continuous variable and that together with the degree of involvement of the general state, serum albumin and the proportion of plasma cells in the bone marrow, they make up the best set of variables for the prediction of prognosis in patients with MM. CONCLUSIONS: Beta 2-microglobulin is one of the most important independent prognostic factors in multiple myeloma with its prognostic value being greatest when used uncorrected according to the values of creatinine.

Bence Jones Protein↗
PubMed1992

Plasmatic somatostatin as a marker of positive symptoms of schizophrenia.

1. Somatostatin displays a regulatory function on several aminergic neurotransmitters, including dopamine. In addition, decreased CSF levels of the peptide has been found in Schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders. 2. In the present work, we have investigated levels of plasmatic somatostatin in a sample of 50 schizophrenic patients compared with a normal control group. 3. Somatostatin was increased in the patient group (p less than 0.01) as a whole but statistical analysis revealed that the increase was associated with the presence of positive symptoms (Factorial Analysis) with a significant correlation, specially with delusion and hallucination scores in the Andreasen rating scales.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Lymphomatoid granulomatosis presenting as angioedema.

We describe a patient with severe eyelid and lip angioedema lesions in whom biopsy specimens from angioedematous labial mucosa disclosed features of lymphomatoid granulomatosis. To our knowledge, angioedema lesions with characteristic histological findings of lymphomatoid granulomatosis have not been previously described as a presenting sign of this disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Carboplatin: an active drug in metastatic breast cancer.

PURPOSE: The study was undertaken to assess the antitumor activity of carboplatin 400 mg/m2 intravenously every 4 weeks in metastatic breast cancer (MBC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-four MBC patients without any prior exposure to chemotherapy entered the study. All patients had measurable disease in at least one site and were assessable for response and toxicity. RESULTS: Of 34 assessable patients, 12 obtained a complete (one) or partial (11) response to carboplatin, resulting in an overall response rate of 35% (95% confidence interval, 19.8% to 53.5%). The median duration of response was 8 months (range, 2+ to 12 months). Responses were seen in lymph nodes (four of six), lung (five of nine), skin and soft tissues (four of nine), breast (two of eight), and liver (three of 11), but not in measurable lytic lesions of the bone. Toxicity was mild, mainly consisting of emesis (81% of the patients; 66% of the courses), leukopenia of World Health Organization (WHO) grade 1 to 2 (47% of the patients; 18% of the courses), and thrombocytopenia (12% of the patients; 3% of the courses). There were no cases of life-threatening toxicity, although one patient developed grade 4 thrombocytopenia without bleeding. Of 22 patients who did not respond to carboplatin, 18 received salvage therapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and fluorouracil (CAF; 15 patients); cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil (CMF; one patient); or hormones (two patients). Objective responses to CAF and hormonal therapy were seen in 11 of 15 and two of two patients, respectively. The remaining patient did not respond to CMF salvage chemotherapy. Overall, the response rate to either first-line carboplatin or second-line salvage therapy was 73.5% (25 of 34 patients). After a median follow-up time of 22 months, the median survival was 19 months. CONCLUSIONS: Carboplatin is an active drug in MBC patients without previous exposure to chemotherapy. In our study, the use of an experimental drug as first-line single-agent treatment in MBC did not have a negative influence on patient survival, as the majority of the carboplatin nonresponding patients could be salvaged with a conventional therapeutic regimen.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1992

[A simultaneous study of intestinal permeability and the test of H2 in the expired breath of celiac children].

Permeability test with sugars (PTS) as a non-invasive diagnostic tool is of special interest in pediatric patients. This study evaluated the relationship between PTS and antigliadin antibodies (AA) with the intestinal biopsy and studied whether an altered expired hydrogen test (EHT) could interfere in this relation in celiac patients. Thirty children (13 girls, 17 boys) with diagnosis of celiac disease (ESPGAN criteria) were divided into three groups according to this histopathology: Group A (n = 23) normal biopsy; Group B (n = 7) biopsy grade III or IV; Group C (n = 25) controls. The intestinal permeability test showed significative differences (p < 0.01) of Group B (0.159 +/- 0.03) with Group A (0.048 +/- 0.005) and with the control Group C (0.039 +/- 0.002). The cut-off for the Youden maximum index (0.75) was 0.092 and ROC SE 0.87 +/- 0.7. The results of the AA were related to those of the PTS. The variance analysis showed that the results of the expired hydrogen test do not interfere statistically on the good correlation of PTS with the histology. The PTS is a good indicator of the status of intestinal mucosa. There is a good correlation between PTS and AA in celiac children. A pathological expired hydrogen test seems not to interfere with the correlation found between PTS and histological damage in our series.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Theoretical studies on the histamine H2 receptor: molecular mechanism of action of antagonists.

The previously defined sites in the histamine H2 receptor model [Mol. Pharmacol. 40:980-987 (1991)] were used to elucidate the pharmacological mechanism of action of compounds that act as antagonists at the receptor. In this model, a formate anion is used both as the negative site at which the histamine cation is anchored to the receptor and as a proton acceptor site. An ammonium cation is used as a proton donor site. The proposed model of recognition of cimetidine, tiotidine, and ranitidine suggests that the monocationic form of the antagonists is the most favorable species to bind the receptor. Moreover, the mode of recognition follows the same trends obtained for compounds that act as agonists; the protonated site of the molecule, i.e., imidazolium in cimetidine, guanidinium in tiotidine, or substituted ammonium in ranitidine, anchors at the negative site of the receptor, whereas the nonbasic part, i.e., cyanoguanidine in cimetidine and tiotidine and nitrodiaminoethene in ranitidine, is located between the proton donor and acceptor sites. An energetic analysis of the interaction between the antagonists and the receptor model, including the energies of ligand desolvation, shows that histamine cannot compete effectively with cimetidine, tiotidine, or ranitidine for binding to the H2 receptor. The predicted order of antagonist potencies, based on differences of formation enthalpies (delta delta H1), reproduces qualitatively the experimental rank order.

Cimetidine↗
PubMed1992

[Iatrogenic foreign body of the esophagus].

The AA. report the case of a 79 years-old patient suffering an esophageal stenosis managed with intubation (Celestin's tube). This instance shows the good tolerance of the prosthesis by the patient as well as the undue of its stay. And by the way, the simplicity of its removal with a rigid esophagoscope, as was the present case. The paper contemplates a brief review of the indications for esophageal intubation and possible complications when dealing with organic stenosis of the esophagus.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Therapeutic efficacy and safety of the new antimycotic sertaconazole in the treatment of cutaneous dermatophytosis.

7-Chloro-3-[1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethoxy-methyl] benzo[b]thiophene (sertaconazole, FI-7045, CAS 99592-32-2) is a new antimycotic which, in experimental infection studies, proved to possess potent antifungal activity. In a randomized, parallel, double-blind trial, the activity of sertaconazole cream was studied in 20 patients suffering from superficial mycoses caused by dermatophytes, confirmed by microscopic examination (KOH) and culture test. The patients, who were included in accordance with microbiological, microscopic and clinical criteria, were divided into two groups of 10 and were treated with sertaconazole 1% or sertaconazole 2% (cream) twice a day for 28 days. Both treatments achieved a total cure of the disease, with a cure being reached in a shorter time in the group of patients treated with sertaconazole 2%. No undesirable effects or statistically significant changes in the blood tests conducted at the end of the trial were observed. The results of the trial show that sertaconazole 2% cream is more effective. In view of the advantages offered by topical therapy over systemic therapy and of the good results obtained in patients with dermatophytosis, sertaconazole may represent an important advance in the therapy of superficial dermatophytoses.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Post-tonsillectomy peritonsillar abscess].

Quinsy cases following tonsillectomy are very rare indeed, as proved by the scarce publications related to the subject. And all of them presented after a long term of years elapsed. From the perusal of the bibliography done by the AA. none of the cases presented close to the operation. The chance to see and treat one case starting from the fourth postoperative day compelled the AA. to report it.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1991

[Concentrations of serum cholesterol in Spanish children: results of a study on the isle of Menorca].

BACKGROUND: The little knowledge about the distribution of total cholesterol (TC) in childhood and adolescence in Spain, makes the planification of preventive measures for cardiovascular diseases difficult. The aim of this study is to determinate these values in the island of Menorca. METHODS: A sample of 1,062 boys and girls 6 to 18 years of age was studied. Blood samples were obtained by venipuncture and were analyzed by the enzymatic techniques of cholesterol-esterase, cholesterol-oxidase, and peroxidase. RESULTS: Boys showed lower mean TC values than girls in almost all age groups. In both sexes, a descending phase was observed in the TC by age curve at the beginning of the adolescence. TC values above 5.17 mmol/l (200 mg/dl) were recorded for 7% of participants, being this proportion lower than the value found in the Spanish study of Fuenlabrada (13%). CONCLUSIONS: Results obtained are compared with other national and international studies. The values of this study rank an intermediate position between the highest mean TC values registered in Norway and the lowest registered in Israel.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Characterization of L-[3H]glutamate binding sites in bovine brain coated vesicles.

Clathrin-coated vesicles isolated from bovine brain exhibit an L-[3H]glutamate-specific binding. Coated vesicles were purified from bovine brain by differential centrifugation and gel filtration. High purity of coated vesicles was established previously by several enzyme markers and electron microscopy. The binding activity was performed in the absence of Na+, Ca2+, and Cl- ions to avoid binding and/or uptake to uptake sites. Coated vesicles were frozen, thawed, treated with 0.04% Triton X-100 and washed before incubation with L-[3H]glutamate. Saturation binding experiments revealed a single binding site with a Kd = 439 +/- 87 nM and a Bmax = 11.74 +/- 3.4 pmol/mg protein, consistent with kinetics characteristic for glutamate receptors. The glutamate-specific binding was stereospecific for glutamate and aspartate, showing higher affinity for L-forms than D-forms. Pharmacological characterization indicated that specific binding was sensitive to quisqualate and almost insensitive to kainate and N-methyl-D-aspartate. 200 microM guanosine triphosphate (GTP) produced a decrease of 50% in L-[3H]glutamate binding activity and competition experiments produced an affinity shift to the right of the glutamate dose-response curve. These results support the evidence that glutamate receptors are present in bovine brain coated vesicles and, at least in part, are associated to a G-protein.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Cuban programme for prevention of sickle cell disease.

The percentage of carriers of the sickle cell gene in Cuba ranges from 3 to 7% in different regions. In 1983 the National Medical Genetics Centre initiated a programme for the control of sickle cell disease, which was started in Havana and later extended nationwide. The programme is based on mass education, screening and supportive genetic counselling, care of affected individuals, and availability of prenatal diagnosis. 806,935 pregnant women had been screened by the end of 1989: 29,913 (3.7%) were heterozygous, homozygous or doubly heterozygous for abnormal haemoglobin. 19,686 fathers (67%) were also tested: 1268 at-risk couples were detected. 531 elected to have prenatal diagnosis; 404 results were obtained and 98 affected fetuses (SS or SC) found. In 72 cases the pregnancy was terminated.

Anemia, Sickle Cell↗
PubMed1991

Ouabain-insensitive Na-ATPase activity in homogenates from different animal tissues.

1. Two Na(+)-stimulated ATPase activities were determined in gill homogenates from squid, shrimp and teleost fish; in kidney slice homogenates from teleost fish, bullfrog, toad, iguana, chicken, duck, rat, pig and cow, as well as in homogenates from rat small intestinal cells, brain cortex and liver slices. The two Na(+)-stimulated ATPase activities, the Na- and the Na,K-ATPase, showed a different behavior toward K+ and ouabain. 2. The ouabain-insensitive, K(+)-independent, Na-ATPase activity for all the studied homogenates was completely inhibited by 2 mM furosemide. 3. An increase in cell volume of the kidney, brain cortex and liver slice preparations, as well as of the rat small intestinal cells, produced a concomitant increase of the ouabain-insensitive Na-ATPase.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1991

[Malignant adenoma of the cervix: a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma].

"Adenoma malignum" of the cervix is an extremely rare variant of cervical adenocarcinoma. Its diagnosis by means of light microscopy is rendered very difficult by its strong similarity to benign endocervical hyperplasia. During the last few years immunohistochemistry has proved to be of great help in differential diagnosis. Treatment of "adenoma malignum" also poses great problems. Most cases are diagnosed in advanced stages, although only early diagnosis offers the possibility of effective treatment. Radiotherapy has failed in all known cases in an advanced stage of the disease. Chemotherapy is also not promising as a therapeutical option, because the tumour expresses high levels of the multidrug-resistance marker P-glycoprotein.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗
PubMed1991

Catabolism of 3- and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid by Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Klebsiella pneumoniae catabolizes both 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid and 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid via meta-cleavage of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, ultimately yielding pyruvate and succinate. The organism can synthesize two hydroxylases catalysing 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid formation, which differ in substrate specificity, cofactor requirement, kinetics and regulation. Five enzymes sequentially involved in the catabolism of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid are encoded on a 7 kbp fragment of the K. pneumoniae chromosome that has been isolated in a recombinant plasmid.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗
PubMed1991

[Superior vena cava syndrome in microcytic carcinoma of the lung: incidence, treatment response and prognostic importance].

The incidence, response to chemotherapy treatment and prognostic value in the prediction of the Superior Cave vein syndrome (SVCS) surveillance were retrospectively studied in a group of 125 patients presenting microcytic pulmonary carcinoma. We found SVCS in 20 cases (16% of the total group of patients), there were no statistically significant differences between the limited or diseminated stages. All patients were initially treated with polychemotherapy. The efficacy of this treatment to eliminate the symptoms of SVCS could be evaluated in 17 cases while in the other 3 cases that was not possible give the early or toxic death of the patients. Fourteen out of the 17 patients with evaluable SVCS (82%) achieved a complete remission of the syndrome with chemotherapy which parallel with the achievement of a partial or complete response of the primary tumor and its metastasis. The SVCS only reappeared in one case at the moment of tumor recurrence. The remission of symptoms was quickly initiated after treatment and was completed in most cases one week after treatment was started. An statistically significant difference was not observed between the surveillance of patients who presented SVCS at time of diagnosis and those who did not. Given that both groups were balanced with regard to the rest of the prognostic factors (the disease stage, Karnofsky's index, sex, or treatment) the SVCS does not constitute a pejorative prognostic factor in the prediction of surveillance in microcytic pulmonary carcinoma.

Carcinoma, Small Cell↗
PubMed1991

[Control of colorectal cancer recurrence treated with curative surgery: results of a prospective study].

Eighty four colorectal cancer patients who underwent presumably curative surgery were considered as candidates for control recurrence study. The study protocol included physical exam, blood biochemistry, chest X-ray, and CEA every 3 months (every 6 months after the third year) as well as an opaque enema, colonoscopy, abdominal echography, and pelvic CT scan (in case of abdominoperineal resection of a distal rectum cancer) every six months (once a year after the third year). Thirteen patients (15%) refused to participate in the study or abandoned it early, thus 71 patients are finally evaluated. After a mean follow up of 64 months, 32 patients presented a total of 42 recurrences (several patients underwent complete resection of the recurrence and presented new relapses). Recurrence diagnosis was always done by conventional exam (there was no second look guided by CEA values). Complete resection of the initial recurrence was achieved in 22% of cases (7 patients), but only 2 (6.5% of total relapses) are up to date tumor free and potentially cured after a long follow up. The most useful tests for the diagnosis of organ specific recurrences were chest X-ray (lung metastasis), liver echography (liver metastasis), liver echography (liver metastasis), colonoscopy (intraluminal local recurrence) and pelvis CT scan (pelvic recurrences). The carcinoembryogenic antigen was very specific, but only moderately sensitive, in predicting tumoral recurrency. However, CEA levels at relapse predicted the complete resection of recurrent tumor (58% with carcinoembryogenic antigen equal to or lower than 10 ng/ml compared to 5.5% with carcinoembryogenic antigen above this value p less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenocarcinoma↗