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Biomedical subjects

C Brotons

Publications and source records attributed to C Brotons.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

[Normal values of valvular flow velocities determined by Doppler echocardiography: relations with heart rate and age].

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The velocity-time integral (VTI) and the mean velocity of valvular flow are widely-used variables in Doppler-echocardiography. The aim of the present work was to determine normal VTI and mean velocity values of valvular flow and their relation to age, sex, heart rate and body surface area. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-six patients (84 men, 72 women; age range: 6-86 y; mean: 37 +/- 20) without cardiovascular disease were studied by Doppler echocardiography. VTI and the mean velocity of left and right ventricular outflow tract, and mitral and tricuspid valvular flow were determined by pulsed-wave Doppler. Aortic and pulmonary valvular flow were assessed by continuous wave Doppler. RESULTS: Mean value of aortic valvular flow VTI (22 +/- 4 cm) was slightly higher than that of pulmonary valvular flow (20 +/- 4 cm). Mean VTI values of left and right ventricular outflow tract and mitral valvular flow were similar (16 +/- 3, 15 +/- 3 and 15 +/- 3 cm, respectively) with an acceptable correlation (r = 0.76-0.83). VTI of tricuspid valvular flow was clearly lower than the rest (10 +/- 3 cm; p < 0.001). Linear regression analysis showed the VTI to be inversely related to heart rate and age, and mean velocity positively related to heart rate and inversely to age. While VTI remained relatively stable up to the age of 60 and decreased sharply thereafter, mean velocity decreased progressively with age. VTI values were identical for both sexes; however, mean velocity was higher in women up to the age of 60. CONCLUSIONS: VTI is a Doppler parameter independent of body surface area, inversely related to heart rate, not sex-related and remains stable up to the age of 60. Normal mean velocity values should be defined in relation to heart rate and age. Normal values of these Doppler parameters should be borne in mind for non-invasive assessment of cardiovascular function.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Winter epidemic of carbon monoxide poisoning in Badia].

OBJECTIVE: To find the incidence, morbidity and possible causes of the acute carbon monoxide poisonings (ACMP) which occurred in Badia between january 1992 and june 1993. DESIGN: A longitudinal, retrospective study. PATIENTS: Every Badia resident discharged from the Hospital Consortium of Parc Taulí, Sabadell with a diagnosis of ACMP and/or from Barcelona's Red Cross Hospital (RCH) after hyperbaric treatment was considered. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Cases were identified using the hospital discharge records from Parc Taulí and the RCH. A systematic review of the primary care clinical records was undertaken. The causes of the poisoning were investigated by a technical committee and through the gas company carrying out inspections of dwellings in 1993. The incidence of ACMP was 76.5 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1992 and 109.4 per 100,000 in the first half of 1993. 94% of the 34 cases occurred in December, January, February and March. 50% of those affected were under 17. The number of cases per household varied between 2 and 5 people. The most common underlying cause was the existence of defects in the conduits taking fumes away from gas heaters. The gas review detected defects in installation in 54% of dwellings. CONCLUSIONS: ACMP is a common and serious problem in our environment. The underlying causes and the high number of dwellings at risk have suggested a need for information campaigns in the community.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Topical pharyngeal anesthesia improves tolerance of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: a randomized double-blind study.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: The usefulness of topical pharyngeal anesthesia is not well established. The aim of the present study was to determine its benefits in relation to patient tolerance and facilitation of the procedure in unsedated patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A randomized double-blind study comparing Topicaina spray - a mixture of benzocaine butyl aminobenzoate (butoforme), amethocaine, and butacaine - and a placebo was carried out on 256 outpatients referred for diagnostic endoscopy. No additional premedication was used. After the examination, both the tolerance to and difficulty of the intubation and examination were evaluated by patients and endoscopists respectively, using visual analogue scales and a questionnaire. RESULTS: Three patients (1.2%) did not tolerate the endoscopy. One patient was excluded for unexpected therapeutic endoscopy. One hundred twenty-five patients received the active spray and 127 received the placebo. The two groups were similar with respect to patient characteristics. Both intubation and examination, assessed with visual analogue scales, were better tolerated (both p = 0.0001) and more easily performed (p = 0.02 and p = 0.0001 respectively) in the active treatment group. Patients receiving the active spray had a better tolerance for the procedure, according to questionnaire replies. CONCLUSIONS: Topical pharyngeal anesthesia in unsedated patients undergoing diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy improves tolerance and makes examination easier.

4-Aminobenzoic Acid↗
PubMed1995

Value of routine preoperative tests: a multicentre study in four general hospitals.

We have assessed the value of routine preoperative tests in asymptomatic patients and their influence on anaesthetic and surgical decisions. We studied 3131 ASA I and II patients from four general hospitals undergoing elective surgical procedures. A retrospective review of the medical records revealed that 853 (27%) patients had some abnormal test result, of which 465 (15%) were previously unknown and not suspected at the preanaesthetic visit; these comprised 8.6% chest radiographs, 5.6% electrocardiograms and biochemical tests, and 2.9% haematological tests. Perioperative management was altered in only 0.56-0.26% of patients, depending on the particular test. The present study confirms the need for selective and rational ordering of preoperative tests, the basis of which should be the clinical assessment during the preanaesthetic visit.

Anesthesia, General↗
PubMed1993

[Tendencies of mortality from cardiovascular diseases in Catalonia: 1975-1992].

BACKGROUND: There is an uncertainty of which is going to be the trend of cardiovascular disease in Spain. In the present study cardiovascular disease mortality is described from 1975 to 1992 in Catalonia, and a prediction until 1997 is made, assuming the same trend. Possible causes of this trend are analyzed. METHODS: Deaths from cardiovascular disease, ischaemic heart disease and stroke have been identified from 1975 to 1992. It has been used the direct method for standardization by age and sex, using the European population as the standard population. Logarithmic transformations of the standardized rates were used for each cause of death and for both sexes. Linear regression analysis was used to adjust the evolution of the rates in the time period. RESULTS: There is a reduction of 2.6% and 2.7% by year in rates for cardiovascular diseases mortality for both males and females respectively, a reduction of 1.2% by year in rates for ischaemic heart disease in males and a reduction of 1.8% in females, and a reduction of 4.0% and 4.2% for stroke in males and females respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Trends in cardiovascular disease mortality reveal a decline for both males and females, mostly due to a reduction in stroke mortality; ischaemic heart disease mortality slightly decreased specifically during the period 1983-1992.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Surveillance of nosocomial infection at a regional++ hospital. Results of incidence and prevalence studies in a 2 years' experience].

BACKGROUND: The most appropriate methods for surveillance of nosocomial infection (NI) in hospitals with less than 250 beds remain to be elucidated. The aims of this study were to investigate the differences between the results found in a study in incidence (IS) and in another concerning prevalence (PS) carried out in a county hospital and study the experience in the application of a collection method of incidental cases through a survey. METHODS: For 2 years IS trimestrally accumulated and simultaneously PS trimestrally were applied for global surveillance and for type of NI as well as for knowing the etiology of the same. In both types of study all the hospital patients were included. RESULTS: The accumulated incidence of patients with NI over the 2 years was 3.9% (3.6 in the first 12 months and 4.1 in the 12 remaining months) and the global prevalence was 7.5%. The global trend of NI was that of an increase in both studies. The most frequent NI in both studies were surgical wound and urinary infection. PS did not detect the least frequent NI. The etiologic agents of NI were similar in both studies. The survey undertaken for the detection of NI demonstrated 61% sensitivity, 98% specificity and a positive prediction value of 94%. CONCLUSIONS: In small hospitals global prevalence studies may be useful for surveillance of the most frequent nosocomial infections. The results obtained by incidence studies were less variable and better reflect the trend of nosocomial infection. A survey used as a study method of incidence for the collection of cases of nosocomial infection loses sensitivity over time.

Cohort Studies↗
PubMed1989

Blood pressure by age in childhood and adolescence: a review of 129 surveys worldwide.

The pre-adult patterns of change in blood pressure with age have been investigated by review and pooled analysis of the relevant worldwide literature. The results indicate, foremost, the almost universal overall upward progression of blood pressure levels between ages 6 and 18 years, separately for systolic, fourth-phase and fifth-phase diastolic pressures (SBP, DBP4, DBP5). This report summarizes results of an extensive literature search based on 129 qualifying publications, in many languages, of which 79 yielded data adequate for a pooled age-sex-specific analysis for boys and girls aged 6-18 years. More than 200,000 observations were available for SBP and nearly 100,000 each for DBP4 and DBP5, respectively. In this overall pool, SBP increased uniformly for boys from age 6-12 and for girls from 6-9, at 1.4 mm Hg/yr; for boys the slope increased abruptly to 3.2 mm Hg/yr from 12-15 and fell to 0 at age 18; for girls the maximum increase was only 2.1 mm Hg/yr, from 9-13, and it reversed at age 16, reaching -3.4 mm Hg/yr from 17-18. Thus for SBP the absolute values for boys and girls were identical up to age nine and nearly so to age 14 and then separated, with values for girls increasing only slightly to age 16 and actually decreasing to age 18. A similar separation of age-specific values by sex occurred with DBP4, but not until age 16, after which DBP4 decreased for girls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗