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Biomedical subjects

M Navarro

Publications and source records attributed to M Navarro.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Obesity, adiponectin and inflammation as predictors of new-onset diabetes mellitus after kidney transplantation.

The high incidence of new-onset diabetes mellitus after transplantation (NODAT) suggests the need to find new factors to explain the pathogenesis. Our objectives were (1) to confirm that low levels of pre-transplant adiponectin are an independent risk factor for the development of NODAT in a larger transplanted population; (2) to analyze whether adiponectin is a better predictor of NODAT than other inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A)) and (3) to assess the relationship between obesity, inflammatory markers and NODAT. One hundred ninety-nine non-diabetic patients (128 men; age: 53 +/- 11 years; body mass index (BMI) 24.98 +/- 3.76 kg/m2) were included. Pre-transplant plasma glucose, insulin, adiponectin, CRP, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and PAPP-A were measured. Forty-five patients developed NODAT. Patients with NODAT had a greater BMI (p = 0.005). Adiponectin was lower (p < 0.001) and CRP higher (p = 0.032) in patients with NODAT. Multivariate logistic regression and Cox analysis showed that the calcineurin inhibitor used, pre-transplant BMI and adiponectin were predictors of NODAT. ROC analysis showed that an adiponectin concentration of 11.4 microg/mL had a significant negative prediction for NODAT risk (sensitivity: 81% and specificity: 70%). Of the inflammatory markers studied, adiponectin proved to be an independent predictor of NODAT.

Adiponectin↗
PubMed2006

High risk of bacterobilia in advanced experimental chronic fasciolosis.

Fasciolosis is recognized as an important human disease. Wistar rats experimentally infected with Fasciola hepatica were examined using data obtained in the advanced chronic state of the disease (200, 300 and 400 days post-infection, dpi). Pigment stones (PS) and bile specimens were collected. The same procedure was applied in control rats. Liver tests were determined using stored serum samples. Bacteriological bile culture revealed viable bacteria (Escherichia coli, 45% of cases, Enterococcus faecalis, 45% and Klebsiella pneumoniae, 10%). The presence of bacterobilia was associated with liver serum enzymes, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST or SGOT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (AP) and total bilirubin levels. Multivariate analysis suggested an association between bacterobilia and the following factors: duration of parasitic infection and intensity of parasitic infection supported the impression that the obstruction caused by advanced chronic fasciolosis in the rat may be related to biliary sepsis. Extrapolation to human infection in fasciolosis hyperendemic areas is discussed. In conclusion, the results of the rodent model should lead to a reconsideration of treatment features in human disease, i.e. therapeutic strategies should not only include a parasitic treatment but also consider the possibility of bacterial co-infection.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Mode-locked ring lasers for the backscattering measurement of mirrors.

A new method for measuring the backscattering produced by mirrors is presented. A mode-locked ring laser allows us to achieve more sensitivity than with any other technique. The present sensitivity to a minimum intensity backscattering coefficient (ratio of backscattered versus incident intensity) of 10(-15) can be enhanced through stabilization. We compare results realized with this technique with results issued from classical bidirectional reflectance distribution function measurements.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

[The use of Quality of Life Questionnaire in patients with nasal polyposis].

OBJECTIVES: Polyposis handicap evaluation through Spanish validation of the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Spanish validation of the Polyposis Disability Index (PDI). One hundred and fifty one patients referred to our Nose Unit in Fundación Hospital Alcorcón. The Spanish version of the PDI was administered after translation and retrotranslation. Internal consistency and reliability were established. RESULTS: Spanish adaptation of the PDI and ists subscales (functional, emotional and physical) showed a high reliability and internal consistency (Cronbach's alfa: 0,90). CONCLUSIONS: Spanish adaptation of the PDI is valid, reliable and can be used in a clinical setting to quantify the impact of polyposis on patient's quality of life.

Disability Evaluation↗
PubMed2006

[Current status of follow-up of the upper digestive tract in familial adenomatous polyposis].

Familiar adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a hereditary disease characterized by the development of multiple adenomatous polyps in the gastrointestinal tract and colorectal cancer in practically all patients who do not receive appropriate treatment. Although the most commonly involved region in this disease is the colorectal area, it is well known that adenomas can also develop in the upper gastrointestinal tract, mainly in the periampullary area of the duodenum. Because of the possibility of malignant transformation of these polyps, adequate monitoring is required, even though the optimal follow-up schedule has not yet been defined. In the present article, we report a case of a gastric adenocarcinoma detected during the follow-up of a patient diagnosed with FAP, as well as a review of the literature on this subject. We stress the need for early detection and appropriate management of this disease. Sufficient information is available to support the use of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with lateral vision and serial biopsies of the periampullary region in these patients. The first endoscopy in patients with FAP should be performed at the age of 20 years or at diagnosis. Subsequently, a follow-up schedule should be designed, according to the number and histological characteristics of the polyps observed.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2006

[Secondary amyloidosis with irreversible acute renal failure caused by visceral leishmaniasis in a patient with AIDS].

We report a case of visceral leishmaniasis and acute renal failure in a white male patient, 28 years of age, infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The clinical presentation of the patient was diarrheic syndrome of long evolution, fever, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia, accompanied by nephrotic syndrome and irreversible acute renal failure. Renal biopsy showed glomerular AA amyloid deposits. This is the first case described in humans of secondary amyloidosis caused by visceral leishmaniasis.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed2005

Patient with disseminated intravascular coagulation as the first manifestation of adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Risks of prostatic biopsy.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) can be a rare initial manifestation of adenocarcinoma of the prostate. We present a case in which DIC was the symptom leading to the suspicion of a prostatic tumour. The performance of a prostate biopsy in this situation exacerbated the initial coagulation disorder. This case highlights the risks of prostate biopsy in patients with a suspicion of advanced adenocarcinoma of the prostate. The difficulty of treating DIC in this clinical situation is also discussed.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2005

Severe acute exacerbations and mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often present with severe acute exacerbations requiring hospital treatment. However, little is known about the prognostic consequences of these exacerbations. A study was undertaken to investigate whether severe acute exacerbations of COPD exert a direct effect on mortality. METHODS: Multivariate techniques were used to analyse the prognostic influence of acute exacerbations of COPD treated in hospital (visits to the emergency service and admissions), patient age, smoking, body mass index, co-morbidity, long term oxygen therapy, forced spirometric parameters, and arterial blood gas tensions in a prospective cohort of 304 men with COPD followed up for 5 years. The mean (SD) age of the patients was 71 (9) years and forced expiratory volume in 1 second was 46 (17)%. RESULTS: Only older age (hazard ratio (HR) 5.28, 95% CI 1.75 to 15.93), arterial carbon dioxide tension (HR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.12), and acute exacerbations of COPD were found to be independent indicators of a poor prognosis. The patients with the greatest mortality risk were those with three or more acute COPD exacerbations (HR 4.13, 95% CI 1.80 to 9.41). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows for the first time that severe acute exacerbations of COPD have an independent negative impact on patient prognosis. Mortality increases with the frequency of severe exacerbations, particularly if these require admission to hospital.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2005

Mophometric study of the aortic arch and its major branches in rat fetuses on the 21st day of gestation.

The anatomy and embryology of the aortic arch and its branching tributaries (brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid artery and left subclavian artery) in man and animals are well substantiated. However, the anatomical variations and morphometry of the aortic arch and its branching tributaries in rat fetus at the 21st gestation day have not been studied. Pregnant rats were hysterectomized and the arterial systems of 114 fetuses were injected with a polymerisable resin through the umbilical artery. After maceration, the vascular casts were dissected out and prepared for observations under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The resulting SEM pictures were studied with a picture analyser and different vessel parameters (diameters, lengths and angles) were measured. The success rate of the microvascular cast injection was 46.5%. Out of the 53 observed aortic arch casts, 98.1% showed the classical branching pattern and one (1.9%) had no brachiocephalic trunk. Morphological analysis showed many differences, which were not linked to the litter. The statistical processing of the measurements enabled us to determine that the aorta diameter after the branching of the left subclavian artery was the most replicable parameter. Moreover, the results revealed some strong correlations between different parameters. There are probably no discrete categories among the various observed parameters as diameters and angles. Some parameters show very little variability and can thus be used as reference points for further studies such as the comparison of a control population with a population treated with a relevant xenobiotic.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2005

Surface characterization of completely degradable composite scaffolds.

The goal of this study was to characterise the surface properties of completely degradable composite, polylactic acid and calcium phosphate glass, scaffolds. The composite scaffolds are made by solvent casting or phase-separation, using chloroform and dioxane as a solvent respectively. The surface properties were measured on composite films which were made using the same procedure as for the three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds without the pore-creating step. The surface morphology, roughness, wettability and protein adsorption capacity of the films was measured before and after sterilisation with ethylene oxide. The results reveal the influence of solvent type, glass weight content and sterilisation on the wettability, surface energy and protein adsorption capacity of the materials. The addition of glass particles increase the hydrophylicity, roughness and protein adsorption capacity of the surface. This effect, however, depends on the extent of the coating of the glass particles by the polymer film, which is much higher for dioxane films than for chloroform films. This information can be used to interpret and understand the biological behaviour of the 3D scaffolds made of this composite materials.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2005

In vitro degradation behavior of a novel bioresorbable composite material based on PLA and a soluble CaP glass.

Poly(alpha-hydroxy acids), and in particular polylactic acid (PLA), are nowadays amongst the most used bioabsorbable materials. However, this polymer may not meet some application requirements due to inadequate mechanical properties and or its degradation characteristics. A possible strategy to tackle this problem is the incorporation of an inorganic phase into the polymeric matrix. In this work a new fully biodegradable composite material made with PLA and calcium phosphate soluble glass particles has been developed. The behaviour of the PLA/glass composite has been analysed during its degradation in simulated physiological conditions by means of weight loss, molecular weight and thermal properties analysis and electron microscopy observation. The results showed that the incorporation of phosphate glass particles into the polymer significantly accelerated the degradation of the PLA and induced the formation of calcium phosphate precipitates at the composite surface.

Absorbable Implants↗
PubMed2005

Effect of low doses of atorvastatin on adiponectin, glucose homeostasis, and clinical inflammatory markers in kidney transplant recipients.

INTRODUCTION: Various studies describe the pleiotropic antiinflammatory and antioxidant effects of atorvastatin, in addition to its hypolipemic effects. It has been suggested that statins modify glucose homeostasis via their antiinflammatory effects. A further hypothesis suggests that the incidence of posttransplantation diabetes is lower in statin-treated patients. This study sought to ascertain whether atorvastatin modifies glucose homeostasis, adiponectin, and inflammatory markers in kidney transplant recipients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty-eight kidney transplant recipients (41 men, 27 women; mean age, 53 +/- 12 years) with stable renal function and dyslipidemia were treated with atorvastatin (10 mg/d) for 12 weeks. Glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) index, adiponectin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were determined at baseline and at 3 months. The lipid profile, renal function parameters (creatinine, creatinine clearance, and proteinuria), as well as GOT, GPT, and CK were determined at baseline and at 3 months. RESULTS: Treatment with atorvastatin achieved a statistically significant decrease in lipid profile. After 3 months of treatment, 74.6% of patients had total cholesterol and 78.7% low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations within reference range (<5.2 and 3.3 mmol/L, respectively). Furthermore, 47.5% of patients attained an LDL concentration <2.59 mmol/L. A greater reduction in total cholesterol (P = .05) and LDL cholesterol (P = .04) was achieved in patients with creatinine clearance <60 mL/min. Atorvastatin did not modify glucose homeostasis parameters, adiponectin, TNF-alpha, or CRP. At baseline and after 3 months of treatment, an inverse correlation was found between adiponectin and glucose, insulin, HOMA- IR index, and creatinine clearance, and a positive correlation was found between adiponectin and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. CONCLUSION: Atorvastatin at a dose of 10 mg/d in kidney transplant recipients does not modify glucose homeostasis or alter inflammatory markers, despite its hypolipemic effects. Its efficacy to reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol was greater in patients with worse renal function.

Adiponectin↗
PubMed2005

Interaction between omeprazole and tacrolimus in renal allograft recipients: a clinical-analytical study.

Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor with a number of pharmacokinetic drug interactions due to interference with cytochrome P450. Some studies show absence of relevant interaction between omeprazole and cyclosporine, but little is known about possible interactions between omeprazole and tacrolimus. In vitro studies suggest such interference, but no clinical data are available so far. We assessed interactions between omeprazole and tacrolimus among patients fulfilling two criteria: (1) renal allograft recipients receiving immunosuppression based on tacrolimus and acid-related disorder prophylaxis with omeprazole 20 mg/d since the day of the transplant procedure and (2) stopped omeprazole when it was considered unnecessary. Fifty-one transplant recipients received concomitant immunosuppression with MMF-prednisone (n = 47) or azathioprine-prednisone (n = 1), or rapamycin-prednisone (n = 2) or only prednisone (n = 1). omeprazole was stopped after 6.2 +/- 3 months of treatment. Tacrolimus doses and levels were recorded during 3 outpatient visits before omeprazole withdrawal (Pre3/Pre2/Pre1), at the withdrawal visit (Susp), and at 3 visits after withdrawal (Pos1/Pos2/Pos3). Weight gain was significant (72.5 +/- 13 kg Pre3; 73.4 +/- 13 kg Susp; 74 +/- 12.9 kg Pos3, P < .0001) and serum creatinine (SCr) decreased (1.70 +/- 0.49 mg/dL Pre3; 1.63 + 0.49 Susp; 1.58 +/- 0.48 Pos3, P < .0001). The progressive decrease in tacrolimus doses and levels was significant (ANOVA including the 7 visits <0.01 in all cases); whereas the level/dose ratio remained constant. Tacrolimus doses and levels continued a slow, progressive and significant decrease without any relevant change between visits during on versus off omeprazole. This clinical-analytical study supported the conclusion that an omeprazole-tacrolimus interaction is not clinically relevant. Despite possible competition or interaction at the molecular level, clinical management was not significantly affected in renal allograft recipients.

Anti-Ulcer Agents↗
PubMed2005

Long-term behavioural and neuroendocrine effects of perinatal activation or blockade of CB1 cannabinoid receptors.

The present work studied the long-term effects of chronic perinatal manipulation of cannabinoid CB1 receptors in male and female rats. Perinatal activation of cannabinoid CB1 receptors by chronic administration of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol at different doses (0.1, 0.5, 2 mg/kg, p.o.) induced sexually dimorphic behavioural changes in adulthood, altering habituation of locomotion, immobility and exploratory activity. These behavioural effects were also accompanied by alterations in corticosterone levels in the adult period. Prenatal blockade of CB1 receptors by chronic administration of 3 mg/kg (s.c.) of SR141716A decreased immobility behaviour in male and female animals, without any significant changes in corticosterone plasma levels. Cannabinoid CB1 receptors appear to play an important role in the ontogeny of psychomotor behaviours, and activation or blockade of these receptors during stages of plasticity, such as the prenatal or perinatal periods, can induce long-term effects, as shown by sexually dimorphic changes in behavioural patterns in adulthood.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed2005

Behavioural effects of quinpirole following withdrawal of chronic treatment with the CB1 agonist, HU-210, in rats.

The present study investigated spontaneous and quinpirole-induced motor responses of in rats, following withdrawal from chronic treatment with the potent cannabinoid agonist HU-210. Withdrawal from chronic HU-210 (20 microg/kg daily, 14 days) produced a decrease in spontaneous activity at 1 and 2 days and enhanced the hyperactivity induced by acute administration of the dopamine D2 agonist quinpirole (0.5 mg/kg) at 4 days after the end of HU-210 treatment. Administration of quinpirole on day 4 of withdrawal from chronic HU-210 enhanced stereotyped responses and induced jumping behaviour. These results suggest that withdrawal from chronic exposure to cannabinoid agonists could induce a time-dependent alteration in dopamine D2 psychomotor function, leading to a behavioural disorganization, comparable to acute psychotic episodes after continuous cannabinoids.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Response to neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer: influence on long-term results.

OBJECTIVE: Pre-operative treatment with chemoradiotherapy (CRT) seems to improve local control and overall survival in patients with rectal cancer. The aims of the study were to analyse the impact on overall, disease free and cancer related survival of tumour response to pre-operative CRT and to analyse the influence of the degree of response on long-terms results. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with a locally advanced rectal cancer, treated by pre-operative CRT were studied. A radical resection of the rectal tumour with mesorectal excision was performed within 6-8 weeks. Judged on the final TNM classification patients were considered responders when the tumour showed histologically a complete response, microscopic residual disease or a partial response. Non-responders were those in whom the extent of disease remained stable or progressed. Results Radical excision was performed in 103 patients, and a palliative resection in five. Forty-three patients underwent abdominoperineal resection and 65 anterior resection of the rectum. Seventy-one (65.7%) patients showed a response to CRT, while 37 (34.3%) did not. The overall local and distant recurrence rates were 6.8% and 21.3%. Tumour recurrence (P < 0.008) and disease free survival (P < 0.007) were significantly different in responders and nonresponders. Of the 71 responders, 16 had a pathological complete response, 27 had persisting microscopic disease and 28 had macroscopic residual disease. No differences in cancer specific outcome were observed in these groups. CONCLUSION: Pathological response to pre-operative CRT is associated with improved tumour recurrence and disease-free survival rates. Any response to pre-operative CRT appears to improve outcomes as much as a complete response.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

First record of the rare species Aeromonas culicicola from a drinking water supply.

We describe the recovery of the rare species Aeromonas culicicola, so far known only in mosquitoes in India, from a drinking water supply in Spain. Typing, using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-PCR, revealed that the 27 new isolates belonged to 3 very closely related strains. These strains were genetically identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Spanish strains differed from the mosquito strains in three nucleotide positions. The AHCYTOEN gene was present in these water strains, which may have a public health significance.

Aeromonas↗