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Biomedical subjects

V Ruiz

Publications and source records attributed to V Ruiz.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

[Outcome of cardiac valve ring abscesses after medical treatment: attempt to identify criteria of favorable prognosis].

OBJECTIVES: Identify factors predicting favorable outcome after medical management of valve ring abscesses in order to propose a surveillance schedule for conservative treatment. METHODS: A multicentric study conducted from July 1989 to February 1996 included 28 patients (mean age 64 +/- 16 years, range 26-83) hospitalized for active endocarditis and valve ring abscesses diagnosed at transthoracic or transesophageal echography. Conservative medical therapy was given because of a decision of the medico-surgical team (n = 9), high surgical risk (n = 12), or patient refusal of surgery (n = 7). Outcome was favourable in 18 patients (Group I) and unfavorable in 10 (Group II) due to death (n = 9) or subsequent surgery (n = 1). Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to determine differences between the groups in terms of clinical and laboratory data. RESULTS: Mean follow-up in Group I was 33 +/- 18 months and 15 +/- 10 months in Group II. Univariate analysis showed significant differences between Group I and II respectively for age (59 +/- 18 yr vs 72 +/- 10, p = 0.04), delay to apyrexia after antibiotics (4.3 +/- 2.8 vs 8.3 +/- 2.4 days, p < 0.0008), heart failure (5% vs 70%, p = 0.003), grade III or IV valvular regurgitation (5% vs 60%, p < 0.04), and mean surface area of the abscess (1.5 +/- 1.2 vs 5.4 +/- 6.4 cm2, p < 0.03). Independent factors at multivariate analysis were by decreasing order: lack of heart failure at admission, delay to apyrexia, abscess surface area, and age. Outcome was favorable (mean follow-up 33 +/- 10 months) in all patients with an abscess surface area < 1.5 cm2, no signs of heart failure, no grade III or IV valvular regurgitation, apyrexia after less than 8 days on antibiotics and no staphylococcus positive blood culture. CONCLUSION: Medical management of valve ring abscesses may be indicated in selected patients in care units with rigorous surveillance facilities. Further studies are needed to precisely identify surveillance and treatment criteria.

Abscess↗
PubMed1994

[Half-body irradiation. Palliative efficacy and predictive factors of response in 78 procedures].

BACKGROUND: Assessment of palliative effect of hemibody irradiation (HBI) and response-related factors. METHODS: Analysis of prospective collected data of 78 procedures on 71 patients with multiple symptomatic bone metastases, treated with 6 Gy (upper half-body) or 8 Gy (lower half-body) HBI in single fraction. Clinical improvement was quantified by self-evaluation on a visual analogic scale (SVAS) before HBI, and at 24, 48 and 72 hours, at 7 days, and at each monthly control until patient's death. Univariate analysis included: sex, Karnofsky's index, tumor origin, histology, HBI dose, and SVAS before treatment. For statistical purposes the significance level was 0.05. RESULTS: Complete (37.5%) or partial responses were observed in 72/78 (92.3%) procedures, 80% appearing during the first 72 hours. Difference between mean SVAS, before and after treatment (7.7 +/- 1.5 vs 2.8 +/- 2.5), was statistically significant (p < 0.001). A mean response duration of 101 days over a mean overall survival of 141 days implies the 70% of expected patient's life span. Any analyzed prognostic factor does not correlate significantly with HBI response. CONCLUSIONS: HBI is a powerful palliative treatment in patients with multiple symptomatic bone metastasis.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

[The prognostic factors of early mortality in bone marrow transplantation in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia].

INTRODUCTION: The use of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in leukemia treatment is associated with high early morbid-mortality rates. Therefore, to identify morbid-mortality risk factors in this setting can be useful to improve therapeutic ratio. METHODS: We studied 15 variables in 46 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) treated with cyclophosphamide, total body irradiation (TBI) and allogeneic BMT. A multivariant analysis with an unconditional logistic regression model was used. RESULTS: Variables found to be related with early mortality included general state of health and acute graft versus host disease. Patients with a Karnofsky index (KI) between 60% and 80% had a higher risk of early death than those with a KI between 90 and 100%. Patients who developed severe (grade II-IV) acute graft versus host disease (AGVHD), had a relative risk of 15.62 (IC 95%: 3.16-77.34) compared with those who do not. Time between diagnosis and BMT contributed to the creation of the mathematical model without reaching statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: In this series and in the range of the parameters analysed, general state of health according to KI, and the appearance of severe AGVHD are the variables related with a higher risk of early mortality.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1993

[Interactive capacities of children aged 4 to 7 months with a child of the same age].

In this article we report on the first results of a research on the abilities and interactive behaviors of 16 infants aged from 4 to 7 months, with an infant of the same age. These infants are studied in dyads from the moment they are seated by their mother in two experimental seats. The position and distance of the seats are regulated at distance according to a procedure consisting in 8 phases of 3 minute duration each. The mothers of the two infants are present and can be seen by their child during the experimental session. The principal results can be summed up as follows: 1. The infant-partner is the first rank target of the gaze of the other infant. The frequency and duration of the orientations of the gaze in the direction of one or another of its body areas are significantly higher than the frequency and duration of the self-centered gazes (very weak) and the frequency and duration of the orientations of the gaze in other directions, including towards their mothers. These behaviors between the infants do not decrease in frequency or duration as long as the infants do not receive an object. 2. The face and hands of the infant-partner are the most frequent targets of the gaze; they also have the highest cumulated duration. The mutual catching of the eyes is also well represented, since this occupy the fifth place among the 25 items of behavior which were measured. 3. 4 of the 7 best represented items are the interactive behaviors with the other infant. 4. The manual behaviors already appear well organized, targetted, and visually controlled. In particular: the extension of the arm in the direction of the infant-partner, with the hand in pronation, lateral, oblique or in supination; the extension of the arm with a rotation of the hand from the pronation position to the supination position; taking the hand of the other infant. 5. Among the other complex behaviors one can observe diverse forms of imitation and modulated vocalizations which are rich in phonemes. 6. Most interactive behaviors are influenced by the human context (the different positions of the infants with regard to each other) and giving an object to each infant (last phase of the protocol). The infants appear, therefore, capable of taking into account most behaviors of the other infant in the organization of their own behaviors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Child Behavior↗
PubMed1990

[A new method to study behavioral categories and systems of interaction of young children. Initial data].

In the first part of this paper we report on a new method we have developed for the study of the genesis and regulations of the behavior of infants in interactive situations. Detailed information is given on the following aspects: 1. The technical characteristics of the device that allows the infants to be seated in an upright position; 2. The different periods of the experimental procedure; 3. The method used for analyzing the behavioral data. As infants were video-taped without any interruption (real-time record), the behavioral data were analysed in two different ways: A. Macroscopic analyses were carried out using 84 items and 12 categories of behavior. These analyses allowed us to measure the temporal evolution of a limited set of easily recognized behaviors from one experimental period to the next and one experimental session to the next at one-week time intervals; B. Microscopic analyses were carried out with a special software program (THEME) using 222 items divided among 14 categories of behavior. This program was created by Magnusson. It allows the worker to search for significant patterns in sequential events which are recorded in real time, i.e. intra-individual behavioral structure as well as interindividual relationship (interaction). Information is given on the theoretical model and the pattern identification method. The first data can be thus summarized: 1. Four month old infants show a high level competence in their visual attention span in relation to each other; 2. They appear to have varied and complex behavior and interaction processes; 3. Each child has his or her own behavior dynamics throughout each experimental session and from one period to the next; 4. There are some special relationships between infant-infant interactions and the modalities of interaction between each infant and its mother; 5. Periodical behavioral "outbursts" are observed, which might in themselves constitute organizers of behavior; 6. It also makes clear the existence and structure of significant intra- and inter-individual behavioral patterns some of which are particularly complex (patterns are defined as significant connections between two items at least, within a critical time interval, calculated by THEME); 7. It reveals the function of these patterns in mutual adjustment processes between both infants throughout the experimental session.

Attention↗
PubMed1990

Crohn's disease of the appendix.

Crohn's disease limited to the appendix is uncommon. The disease may mimic acute appendicitis with fever, leukocytosis, right lower quadrant pain, and occasionally a palpable mass. When Crohn's disease affects the appendix, it typically has a longer clinical period in which the patient has symptoms than do most cases of acute appendicitis. The most common preoperative diagnoses are acute appendicitis and appendiceal abscess. A review of the literature is presented along with our experience in three additional cases of Crohn's disease limited to the appendix. We suggest that Crohn's disease be included in the preoperative differential diagnosis and that extensive intraoperative examination of the gastrointestinal tract be made in any case of suspected appendicitis that has had a protracted preoperative course.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Crohn's disease in Galicia, Spain.

A retrospective epidemiologic study of Crohn's disease (CD) was carried out in Galicia from 1976 to 1982. The incidence of CD was 0.8, which is lower than in the northern countries of Europe, and there was a male predominance.

Crohn Disease↗
PubMed1987

Ultrastructural alteration in the rat liver produced by benzyl viologen.

This report presents qualitative data of the effects of a free radical generator (benzyl viologen) on rat liver. Rats were administered benzyl viologen (0.825 mg per kg of body weight) or saline solution (controls) intraperitoneally, in single daily dosage for 15 days. For microscopic examination animals were killed after 3 or 15 days of treatment. In the control animals, liver ultrastructure remained normal throughout the experiment. But in rats with benzyl viologen it was possible to observe important morphological alterations essentially in mitochondria, frequently forming ring-like bodies. Endoplasmic reticulum was observed as concentric patterns which cover the mitochondria and, on occasion, the lipid droplets within the cell. Increased number of dense granular lysosomes were observed in the apical cytoplasm mainly close to the bile canaliculus. A large quantity of lipid inclusions and cellular degeneration of the liver of treated rats showed a marked dose-response relationship.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Sudden death in a normal heart. Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation. Review of the literature concerning one case].

Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation is that which is produced in the absence of structural cardiac disease and of other identifiable causes of ventricular fibrillation such as cardiotoxicity, electrolytical alterations or hereditary predisposition. The case of a healthy male, aged 37, who was asymptomatic until the day he was admitted to hospital where he showed numerous episodes of ventricular fibrillation without any previous triggering, is discussed. In the examination no cause was found to explain this, and an automatic defibrillator was implanted. The requirements for its diagnosis, risk stratification and the usefulness of the tests employed, as well as the treatments proposed are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Hepatocarcinoma associated to fatty liver degeneration. Report of a clinical case].

We report a case of hepatocellular carcinoma associated with fatty degeneration of the liver, which presented as and surgical acute abdomen, and was operated on at "Victorino Santaella" Hospital, being the first case observed at own Institution, and the only one reported in the national and international literature from 1971 to 1995.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Phenotype and reactivity of T-lymphocytes isolated from atheromatous plaque. Knowledge obtained from a transplant case].

The primary immunologic hypothesis assumes that the initial damage in atherosclerotic lesions is mediated by T lymphocytes reactive to heat shock proteins, lipoproteins, bacteria, virus or even donor MHC antigens. A frequent cause of heart transplant failure is the de novo formation of atheromatous lesions in the vessels of the transplanted organ despite their absence in the donor, thus suggesting that new lesions are secondary to a cellular immune response by the receptor. In this study we determined the phenotype and the reactivity of T cells from peripheral blood and from endomyocardial and atherectomy biopsies obtained from the same immunosuppressed patient who underwent a heart transplant in 1989. A panel of homozygous HLA-typed, Epstein-Barr virus transformed B lymphocytes were used as stimulators in functional assays. Our results showed an important increase in the percentage of CD4+ cells in the atheromatous plaque as well as in the endomyocardium, and a considerable amount of TCR sigma+ lymphocytes in the atheromatous plaque. A considerable loss of alloreactivity to HLA antigens was also observed. These results suggest that although there are adequate conditions to mount a cellular immune response a state of cellular anergy exists towards HLA antigens probably as result of prolonged immunosuppressive therapy. The presence of obstructive lesions in this particular patient don't seem to be secondary to HLA alloreactivity but could be secondary to a switch in the cellular immune response as a consequence of chronic exposure to some donor antigen, thus explaining the increased proportion of TCR sigma+T lymphocytes.

Arteriosclerosis↗