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Biomedical subjects

A Sandoval

Publications and source records attributed to A Sandoval.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Beta-adrenoceptor regulation in the human heart: can it be monitored in circulating lymphocytes?

In heart failure a decrease in cardiac beta-adrenoceptors presumably due to endogenous down-regulation by the elevated catecholamines is a general phenomenon. Thus, attempts have been made to assess beta-adrenoceptor function in patients with chronic heart failure in order to monitor the functional state of cardiac beta-adrenoceptors. The model most widely used is that of circulating lymphocytes that contain a homogeneous population of beta 2-adrenoceptors coupled to the adenylate cyclase/cyclic AMP system. The biochemical and pharmacological properties of beta 2-adrenoceptors present in lymphocytes are quite comparable to those of beta 2-adrenoceptors in the human heart, but clearly different from those of human cardiac beta 1-adrenoceptors. Furthermore, beta-adrenoceptor agonists and antagonists regulate lymphocyte beta 2- and cardiac beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptors in a subtype-selective fashion: while non-selective agonists (independent of exogenously applied or endogenously elevated) and antagonists affect both cardiac beta 1- and beta 2- as well as lymphocyte beta 2-adrenoceptors, beta 1-selective agonists and antagonists influence only cardiac beta 1-, but not cardiac and lymphocyte beta 2-adrenoceptors. Finally, direct comparison of lymphocyte and cardiac beta-adrenoceptor densities revealed that changes in lymphocyte beta 2-adrenoceptors are significantly correlated with changes in cardiac beta 2-adrenoceptors, but not related to changes in cardiac beta 1-adrenoceptors. Since beta 1-adrenoceptors predominate in all parts of the human heart, the use of lymphocyte beta 2-adrenoceptors as a tool for predicting the status of cardiac beta-adrenoceptors is, therefore, quite limited.

Humans↗

[Invasive pneumococcal disease in children in the region of Murcia (Spain)].

OBJECTIVE: Because of the availability of a conjugate pneumococcal vaccine, the incidence and characteristics of invasive pneumococcal disease in children in the region of Murcia should be determined. This would provide information that could be useful for properly establishing the indications for vaccination. METHODS: A retrospective search was conducted for cases of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae in children aged less 15 years old treated in hospitals in Murcia from 1991-2000. The data sources were the databases of the microbiology services, the Minimum Data Set, the Pediatric Admissions Register and the EDO Register. RESULTS: The incidence rate for the period 1996-2000 was 18.25 per 105 children per year for children aged under 1 year in the case of invasive disease (10.6 for meningitis), 13.6 for those under 2 years for invasive disease (6 for meningitis), 8.9 for those under 5 years (1.35 for meningitis) and 3.7 for those under 15 years (1.3 for meningitis). Twenty-eight percent of the patients presented risk factors. Complications occurred in 35.2% and sequelae occurred in 5%. The mortality rate was 11.8%. The prevalent serogroups were 19, 6, 18, 5, 14 and 23. CONCLUSIONS: The high percentage of patients with risk factors for invasive pneumococcal disease suggests the need to implement vaccination programs aimed at risk groups. Although the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease in the region of Murcia differs from that in other areas, the incidence of meningitis is similar to that reported by other studies. Because of the severity of the disease, cost-effectiveness studies to evaluate the possible incorporation of the vaccine in the vaccination calendar are justified.

Adolescent↗