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Biomedical subjects

A J Torres

Publications and source records attributed to A J Torres.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

[Mucoprotein secretion in calculous gallbladder].

Secretion of mucoproteins or mucine (MP) have been studied as possible markers in several pathological conditions of the digestive tract, such us colonic polyposis or gastric dysplasia. In the gallbladder (VB) it has been established that form the core of crystalization for the calculi. A study in 100 gallbladders have been made based on the utility of the analysis of the qualitative and quantitative modifications of MP in lithogenesis. It was been determined by histochemical techniques the three main types of MP (neutral, low and high sulphated acid) to evaluate the alterations in the process of lithiasis. Results show a high production of the MP in VB with lithiasis, presenting in 97% a mixed composition of MP (48.9% of 2 types, and 3 types in 46%), without a predominating type in this pathology.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Peutz-Jeghers syndrome with malignization of hamartomatous polyp].

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is characterized by hamartomatous polyps in the gastrointestinal tract associated with mucocutaneous melanin spots; the condition is inherited in an autosomic dominant fashion. Although the hamartomatous polyps are not regarded as malignant, there is an association between the Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and the development of carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract. Similarly, there is an increasing evidence suggesting that hamartomas can give rise to adenocarcinomas. We present a patient with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome who developed an adenocarcinoma in an hamartomatous jejunal polyp.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1992

Somatostatin in the management of gastrointestinal fistulas. A multicenter trial.

To evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with total parenteral nutrition (TPN) alone (group A) or combined with continuous intravenous infusion of somatostatin (group B) in postoperative gastrointestinal fistulas, a multicenter, controlled and prospective randomized trial was designed. We present the results obtained after the evaluation of 40 cases (group A, n = 20; group B, n = 20). No significant differences among these treatment schedules were observed in the percentage of closure of fistulas (group A, 81.25%; group B, 85%), but patients treated with total parenteral nutrition plus somatostatin had the fistulas close within a significantly shorter period of time. Moreover, this treatment was associated with a significantly lower morbidity. These preliminary results indicate that somatostatin is a useful therapeutic complement in the conservative treatment of patients with gastrointestinal fistulas.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Acute experimental pancreatitis in rat induced by sodium taurocholic acid: objective quantification of pancreatic necrosis.

Retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholic acid (TA) in Wistar rat pancreatic duct is followed by acute pancreatitis, resulting in 100% mortality within 36 h. Biochemical determinations show raised levels of amylase in ascites and blood. Necrosis has been measured using seven morphometric characteristics of pathological changes that add precise information on the type and extension of the pancreatic lesion. The percentage of necrotic tissue (by area) seems to be the most objective parameter. Necrosis appears 6 h after TA infusion, being 5.77% in extent after 12 h, 14.9% after 24 h and animals die with an area of 29.5% necrosis. This experimental model seems to one in which physiopathological and therapeutic trials on acute pancreatitis may be tried out.

Amylases↗
PubMed1988

Somatostatin in the management of gastrointestinal hemorrhage: bleeding ulcers.

Stress ulcers are characterized by difficult management and poor prognosis. They currently represent a complication in the clinical course of other conditions, mainly shock states. The pathogenesis of stress ulcers is not well understood although the role of hypovolemia leading to energetic deprivation and insaturation of anaerobic cellular metabolism have been carefully studied. Somatostatin has been found to reduce the incidence of experimental stress ulcers. In the clinic, patients with duodenal ulcers were found to exhibit a low number of antral D cells and a significant decrease in tissue somatostatin. In a multicenter trial, patients with bleeding peptic or stress ulcers were treated with somatostatin or cimetidine plus pirenzepine. Results were favorable to the former substance on account of the time required to stop the hemorrhage and the demands for blood replacement. Thus, medical management of bleeding ulcers with somatostatin may represent an alternative to more radical surgical intervention.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Gastric mucosal somatostatin-like immunoreactivity in peptic ulcer.

Somatostatin (SS) has been reported to exert potent inhibitory effects on gastric acid, pepsin and gastrin secretion. Although still controversial, the results of several studies have shown a possible influence of a local decrease in gastric somatostatin in the physiopathologic characteristics of peptic ulcer disease. In the present study, immunoreactive SS content (SLI) of antral (SLI-a), corpal (SLI-c) and fundic (SLI-f) mucosal extracts was measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in control patients (C) and in those patients with duodenal ulcer (DU) or gastric ulcer (GU) to further study a possible role of SS in peptic ulcer disease. Fifty-five patients (C = 20, DU = 21 and GU = 14) were included in the study. Gastric mucosal samples were obtained either by endoscopic biopsy (4.6 +/- 0.2 milligrams of weight) or operation (52.3 +/- 3.8 milligrams of weight). RIA was performed after a modified Arimura's method and results were expressed as nanograms per milligram of tissue plus or minus standard error of the mean. Chromatographic analysis of gastric mucosal extracts was performed on a Sephadex G-25 fine column. A great interindividual variation in SLI levels was observed (a range of 0.02 to 5.30 nanograms per milligram of weight). The mean SLI concentrations were: C (SLI-a, 2.55 +/- 0.45, SLI-c, 0.99 +/- 0.46 and SLI-f, 1.03 +/- 0.21); DU (SLI-a, 0.48 +/- 0.16, SLI-c, 0.43 +/- 0.13, and SLI-f, 0.58 +/- 0.12), and GU (SLI-a, 1.10 +/- 0.25, SLI-c, 0.40 +/- 0.10, and SLI-f, 0.81 +/- 0.24). Significantly greater amounts of SLI contents were found in the antrum of control patients as compared with those found in the corpus or fundus (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.01, respectively). SLI-a levels were lower in peptic ulcer patients (DU, p less than 0.001 and GU, p less than 0.05) than in control patients. There was also a significant difference between SLI-a levels in DU versus GU patients (p less than 0.05). No significant differences were found in SLI-c and SLI-f contents in all three groups studied. In conclusion, these results suggest that decreased SS levels in antral gastric mucosa could be the alteration underlying the various physiopathologic mechanisms involved in the development of peptic ulcer disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Somatostatin in the treatment of severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding: a multicentre controlled trial.

To evaluate the effectiveness of somatostatin versus combined cimetidine and pirenzepine in the treatment of upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding of peptic origin, a multicentre controlled, prospective, randomized and double blind trial has been undertaken in 60 subjects. Strict selection criteria were followed. All subjects were diagnosed by endoscopy during the first 18 h after admission. Endoscopic stigmata of recent haemorrhage were also evaluated. Sixty-five per cent of the subjects presented with severe upper GI bleeding (blood pressure less than or equal to 100 mmHg, pulse rate greater than or equal to 110, haematocrit less than or equal to 30 per cent), and in 71.6 per cent stigmata were found. Thirty patients (Group 1) received a somatostatin infusion (250 micrograms/h continuously during 120 h) and 30 patients (Group 2) received cimetidine (200 mg IV every 4 h for 5 days) and pirenzepine (10 mg IV every 8 h for 5 days). Both groups were homogeneous for sex, age, backgrounds, bleeding source, grade of bleeding (moderate or severe) and presence or not of stigmata. Bleeding stopped in 27 subjects of Group 1 (90 per cent and in 20 subjects of Group 2 (66.67 per cent) (P less than 0.05, chi 2 test). The time until the bleeding stopped was significantly shorter in patients of group 1 (3.44 +/- 0.53 h) than in patients of group 2 (8.12 +/- 1.94 h) (P less than 0.05, Mann-Whitney U test). The number of blood units required for Group 1 (2.26 +/- 0.35) was significantly lower than the one required for Group 2 (3.90 +/- 0.51) (P less than 0.005, Wilcoxon test). Significant differences were not observed between the two groups regarding cross-over subjects, re-bleeding, surgery (P = 0.0635, Fisher's exact test) and hospital stay. The mortality of the trial was 5 per cent. There was no toxicity during somatostatin, cimetidine or pirenzepine infusion. In conclusion, somatostatin was more effective than cimetidine plus pirenzepine in the control of severe upper GI bleeding of peptic origin, with a lower interval time to stop bleeding and reduced transfusion requirements.

Cimetidine↗
PubMed1986

Antral gastrin-producing G-cells and somatostatin-producing D-cells in peptic ulcer.

The number of G cells and D cells per area unit and the G cell/D cell ratio was studied in control subjects and patients with duodenal or gastric ulcer. A great inter-individual variation in the population density of both types of cells was observed in the three groups studied. G cell density was significantly decreased in both duodenal and gastric ulcer patients, when compared with controls; whereas no difference in G cell density was seen between duodenal ulcer patients and gastric ulcer patients. However, D cell density was significantly decreased in duodenal ulcer patients when compared with control subjects and gastric ulcer patients. In this latter group, D cell density was also lower than in control subjects. A significant positive linear correlation between G cell number and D cell number was found in the three groups studied. The G cell/D cell ratio was significantly increased in duodenal and gastric ulcer patients when compared with controls. This was mainly due to a decrease in D cell numbers. It is concluded that a local deficit in antral D cells in patients with peptic ulcer may favor the pathogenesis of ulcer disease.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prognostic value of flow cytometric DNA analysis in non-small-cell lung cancer: rationale of sequential processing of frozen and paraffin-embedded tissue.

The objective of this study was to determine the prognostic information provided by flow cytometric DNA analysis in non-small-cell lung cancer. Lung samples of 132 consecutive patients submitted to surgery were prospectively processed. When no aneuploid populations were detected in fresh frozen samples, the process continued as a second step in paraffin-embedded tissue, consuming all the tumor available. The influence of ploidy on the postoperative outcome was studied by both a univariate and a multivariate analysis. Aneuploidy was found in 81 patients (61.4%). Fourteen patients showed no aneuploidy in fresh frozen samples; and only after further analysis in paraffin-embedded tissue was abnormal DNA detected. Overall, the 36-month survival was 69% for the diploid group and 24% for the aneuploid group (p = 0.0006). Including subjects submitted to complete tumor removal (stages I, II, and IIIA) in a multivariate analysis adjusted for TNM stage and histologic type, bearers of aneuploid tumors exhibited a higher risk of relapse (hazard ratio 2.65; CI 95% 1.5-4.66;p = 0.004) or death (hazard ratio 2.17; CI 95% 1.08-4.39;p = 0.032) than patients with diploid tumors. DNA ploidy resulted an independent prognostic factor of survival and tumor relapse in completely resected non-small-cell lung cancer. Sequential analysis of fresh and paraffin-embedded samples can help avoid the bias due to intratumoral DNA content heterogeneity. DNA ploidy could be an useful parameter in any future multifactorial analysis of outcome in such tumors.

Aneuploidy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Positive IgG Western blot for Borrelia burgdorferi in Colombia.

In order to evaluate the presence of specific IgG antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in patients with clinical manifestations associated with Lyme borreliosis in Cali, Colombia, 20 serum samples from patients with dermatologic signs, one cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sample from a patient with chronic neurologic and arthritic manifestations, and twelve serum samples from individuals without clinical signs associated with Lyme borreliosis were analyzed by IgG Western blot. The results were interpreted following the recommendations of the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) for IgG Western blots. Four samples fulfilled the CDC criteria: two serum specimens from patients with morphea (localized scleroderma), the CSF from the patient with neurologic and arthritic manifestations, and one of the controls. Interpretation of positive serology for Lyme disease in non-endemic countries must be cautious. However these results suggest that the putative "Lyme-like" disease may correlate with positivity on Western blots, thus raising the possibility that a spirochete genospecies distinct from B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, or a Borrelia species other than B. burgdorferi sensu lato is the causative agent. Future work will focus on a survey of the local tick and rodent population for evidence of spirochete species that could be incriminated as the etiologic agent.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Palliative treatment of esophageal cancer: self-expanding metal stents versus Postlethwait technique.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The development of new techniques for palliation of esophageal carcinoma with lower morbidity and mortality than surgical procedures. METHODOLOGY: Between 1981 and 1994, 258 patients with esophageal and cardiac cancer were treated in our Department. We selected two groups: Group A, 25 patients underwent a by-pass with an isoperistaltic gastric tubular (Postlethwait technique) and, group B, in 30 patients we placed 35 autoexpandable esophageal stents. We subsequently performed a retrospective study. RESULTS: In group A, dysphagia was not relieved in 6 patients (24%) and we found no complications in 18 patients (72%). The hospitalization period ranged from 18-50 days. Hospital mortality rate was 24% (6 patients). Mean survival was 5.4 months (range: 3-9 months). All patients in group B, except for 2, were relieved of dysphagia. Two patients (6.6%) died in the immediate post-intubation period though none of the deaths were related to technical complications. Hospitalization period ranged from 5-12 days. Mean survival was 6 months (range: 12 days to 9 months). CONCLUSIONS: Currently, surgical by-pass procedures are restricted to the patient with an incurable disease not identified until operation time.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hydatid liver cyst perforation into the digestive tract.

Complications of liver hydatid disease include those related to the compression of adjacent viscus, to the infection of the cyst's contents or to the perforation of the cyst. Perforations into hollow abdominal organs are rare, and can occur secondary to the infection of the cyst or to a primary pathology of the perforated organ. We report on 2 cases of perforation of a liver cyst into the duodenum, 1 due to the presence of a duodenal ulcer, and 1 secondary to a hydatid abscess. The surgical treatment of the lesions and their complications was, in both cases, successful.

Aged↗