[Hepatic abscess due to Klebsiella pneumoniae in an Asian immigrant].
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Adult↗
Biomedical subjects
Máximo Bernabeu-Wittel
Publications and source records attributed to Máximo Bernabeu-Wittel.
[Incidence and clinical features of patients with comorbidity attended in internal medicine areas].
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to assess the incidence and clinical features of patients with numerous disorders--comorbidity patients (CP)--and to clinically validate the CP criteria defined by a panel of experts (patients with 2 or more chronic diseases, distributed into seven categories). PATIENTS AND METHOD: Prospective observational study of all patients, attended in internal medicine areas of a tertiary teaching hospital, during June 2003. Patients were stratified in 3 cohorts: CP, palliative, and general (GE). Incidence of CP, functional evaluation (at baseline, at admission, and at discharge), and burden of hospital care (by means of urgent and programmed visits, as well as episodes of hospitalization) in the last 12 months were analyzed. A multivariate analysis of predictors of survival and functional deterioration (fall in Barthel's scale > or = 10 points between baseline-discharge values) was performed in the CP cohort. RESULTS: 339 patients (CP cohort: 132; palliative: 52; GE: 155) were included. The overall incidence was 38.9/100 admissions/month. CP were older (75 [11] vs 67 [16]); had higher mortality (19.3% vs 6.1%; relative risk [RR]: 3.66 [95% confidence interval [CI], 1.65-8.13]; lower functional ability at baseline (45 vs 95), at admission (20 vs 75), and at discharge (20 vs 95); higher rates of significant functional deterioration (16% vs 7%; RR = 2.47 [95% CI, 1.15-5.35]); and required more burden of hospital care by means of urgent care (3.6 [3.4] episodes vs 2.4 [1.9]), and hospitalizations (1.9 [1.3] vs 1.5 [1]) than GE patients. Chronic digestive/hepatic diseases (odds ratio [OR] = 48.3 [2.4-980.9], peripheric vascular disease/diabetes with visceral involvement (OR = 5.6 [CI 95%, 1.1-28.6]), and better functional ability at admission were associated with survival. Female gender (OR ) 46.6 [CI 95%, 4.5-486.9]), chronic lung disease (OR = 8.9 [CI 95%, 1.2-64]), and neurologic disease with disability (OR = 8 [CI 95%, 1.1-58.9]), were associated with significant functional deterioration during hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: The defined CP criteria were highly accurate in detecting a population of patients with high attention in Internal Medicine areas, high mortality rates, clinical frailty (more need of hospital care), and significant functional deterioration. Barthel's scale identified correctly this group of patients, and was independently associated with survival.
Aged↗
Work, career satisfaction, and the position of general internists in the south of Spain.
BACKGROUND: A progressive dissatisfaction has been noted among many internists, and the future of the specialty represents a matter of concern. The objectives of this study were to analyze career satisfaction among 182 internists from 34 hospitals in the south of Spain and to assess the opinion of 47 other health care professionals who frequently interact with internists on the present and future role of the specialty. METHODS: Ours was a multi-institutional, cross-sectional survey of internists that focused on demographics/practice characteristics, education/research, career satisfaction, and opinions regarding the future of internal medicine. Also included were interactive, interdisciplinary focus groups of family physicians, sub-specialists, and managers. The internists were asked to complete a questionnaire that contained items and factors that were measured on a 5-point Likert scale and quantitatively analyzed; the opinions of the focus groups were qualitatively analyzed. RESULTS: The internists surveyed dedicated most of their time to treating hospitalized patients rather than to diagnostic procedures and technical assessment. Some 54% and 57% of the internists pursued continuing medical education and research, respectively, in their free time. The internists were satisfied with the content of their work and with their interpersonal relationships, but they were dissatisfied with their physical/instrumental environment, management policies, and degree of work stability. No differences were detected in relation to age, gender, community factor, or professional category. With regard to the future of the specialty, the main opportunity detected by internists was a closer collaboration with primary care. An analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, future opportunities and threats to internal medicine expressed by the seven focus groups was highly concordant and added worthwhile information and clear proposals for the development of the specialty. CONCLUSIONS: Internists in the south of Spain were satisfied with the content of their work and dissatisfied with health care management and job stability. The future of internal medicine was felt to lie in a deeper collaboration between internists and their colleagues in primary care.
Journal Article↗
[Rickettsioses].
Species of the genus Rickettsia are small, obligate intracelular, gramnegative bacteria, many of which are considered nowadays a paradigm of emergent pathogens. With the exception of R. prowazekii, they are maintained in the natural environment through a cycle involving different hosts (mainly mammals), and arthropod vectors (in general ticks, and fleas); humans are affected only by incidental transmission due to arthropod bites. The common pathogenesis of these diseases lie on the predominantly infection of endotelial cells, that determines the development of multisistemic small vessel vasculitis, which may affect lungs (interstitial pneumonitis), heart (miopericarditis), skin (rash), central nervous system (meningoencephalitis), as well as liver, and kidneys. They are classified in two groups: spotted-fever group, and typhus group rickettsia. In Spain the most prevalent rickettsioses of both groups are mediterranean spotted fever (caused by R. conorii), and murine typhus (caused by R. typhi), respectively. This review focuses mainly in these two diseases, and also in other rickettsioses of interest due to their recently emergence or reemergence (R. slovaca, R. africae, R. prowazekii, R. felis), or to their high incidence in other areas (R. rickettsii, Orientia tsutsugamushi).
Animals↗
Malaria and travel to the Dominican Republic.
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Adult↗
Cavitary pneumonia in an AIDS patient caused by an unusual Bordetella bronchiseptica variant producing reduced amounts of pertactin and other major antigens.
Although Bordetella bronchiseptica can infect and colonize immunocompromised humans, its role as a primary pathogen in pneumonia and other respiratory processes affecting those patients remains controversial. A case of cavitary pneumonia caused by B. bronchiseptica in an AIDS patient is presented, and the basis of the seemingly enhanced pathogenic potential of this isolate (designated 814) is investigated. B. bronchiseptica was the only microorganism recovered from sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and samples taken through the protected brush catheter. Unlike previous work reporting the involvement of B. bronchiseptica in cases of pneumonia, antibiotic treatment selected on the basis of in vitro antibacterial activity resulted in clearance of the infection and resolution of the pulmonary infiltrate. Although isolate 814 produced reduced amounts of several major antigens including at least one Bvg-activated factor (pertactin), the molecular basis of this deficiency was found to be BvgAS independent since the defect persisted after the bvgAS locus of isolate 814 was replaced with a wild-type bvgAS allele. Despite its prominent phenotype, isolate 814 displayed only a modest yet a significant deficiency in its ability to colonize the respiratory tracts of immunocompetent rats at an early time point. Interestingly, the antibody response elicited by isolate 814 in these animals was almost undetectable. We propose that isolate 814 may be more virulent in immunocompromised patients due, at least in part, to its innate ability to produce low amounts of immunogenic factors which may be required at only normal levels for the interaction of this pathogen with its immunocompetent natural hosts.
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗