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Biomedical subjects

E Vaquero

Publications and source records attributed to E Vaquero.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Normal fetal growth in women with antiphospholipid syndrome treated with high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG).

Antiphospholipid antibodies are associated with fetal distress and fetal death. Although different therapeutic regimens have been used, the incidence of fetal growth retardation varies between 30 and 60 per cent of reported cases. We report the evolution of fetal growth in patients with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome treated with high-dose intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG). Fourteen patients with a history of recurrent spontaneous abortion and immunological diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome were followed longitudinally. Intravenous immunoglobulin at a dose of 0.5 g/kg body weight for two consecutive days was started from the fifth week of pregnancy and repeated every 4 weeks until the 33rd week of gestation. Fetal biometry was evaluated longitudinally from the appearance of the gestational sac at 4 weekly intervals. In the period between 26 and 34 weeks, the frequency of evaluation was increased to every 14 days. Data obtained were compared with a control group of 70 fetuses with uneventful pregnancies matched for gestational age. Neonatal weight is shown in relation to the centiles for the normal population. One patient out of 14 (7.1 per cent) developed gestational hypertension and abruptio placentae. No other pregnancy complications were seen. No proteinuria was found. The mean maternal age was 31.2 +/- 3.8 years. Median birth weight was 3433 g +/- 287. The median centile of the birth weight was 65.3 +/- 18.6. Mean gestational age at delivery was 1.3 weeks. No fetal or neonatal growth retardation was seen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMed1992

Cystic ovaries in women affected with hereditary angioedema.

Polycystic ovary (PCO) syndrome is biochemically characterized by abnormal gonadotropin secretion and polycystic ovaries associated with increase in size and functional activity of stromal tissue; multifollicular ovaries (MFO) are defined by the presence of multiple cysts with no increase in stromal tissue. A central (hypothalamic-pituitary) abnormality, including high plasma beta-endorphin (BE) concentrations without simultaneous elevation of ACTH, was reported for subjects with PCO syndrome. Since we have found the presence of high plasma BE concentrations in hereditary angioedema (HANE) during attacks as well as during symptom-free periods, we studied, by means of pelvic ultrasound scanning employed to determine the prevalence of PCO and of MFO, 13 women of reproductive age affected with HANE who were not on oral contraceptives. We have found PCO in 5/13 (38.4%) and MFO in 7/13 (53.8%) HANE patients. Nine patients had oligomenorrhoea (five with PCO, three with MFO, one with normal ovaries), five (three with PCO, two with MFO) were hirsute and only one (with MFO) had weight loss. No patient was obese. Mean plasma LH, testosterone, prolactin, cortisol and ACTH concentrations were normal, while FSH was significantly reduced and LH/FSH ratio increased. BE concentrations were significantly high in all the patients studied. Our results clearly demonstrate that women with HANE frequently have cystic ovaries (polycystic or multifollicular) in the presence of high BE concentrations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Functionally active complement is present in human ovarian follicular fluid and can be activated by seminal plasma.

Human ovarian preovulatory follicular fluids (FF) from 10 women were analysed for their complement contents. Functionally active complement was detected in all the fluids studied in amounts similar to those present in normal human serum. Pooled FF was challenged by seminal plasma in order to determine whether seminal plasma could activate FF complement, the pattern of such an activation and the possible consequences on the reproductive function. FF complement activation occurred during the incubation with seminal plasma with features including alternative pathway activation, factor B and C3 conversion and reduction in total haemolytic complement, as well as an inhibition by seminal plasma of the FF complement response to a new activating challenge. Possible consequences for fertilization, implantation of a fertilized ovum and local defence mechanisms against viruses and bacteria are discussed.

Complement Activation↗
PubMed1986

Gynecologic anatomy with magnetic resonance imaging.

Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrates gynecologic anatomy not visible with other techniques. Tissue layers within and outside the uterine corpus, cervix, and vagina are defined in any plane. Such soft tissue contrast resolution is promising for the noninvasive diagnosis of disease.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ethanol feeding aggravates morphological and biochemical parameters in experimental chronic pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Instillation of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) into the rat pancreatic ducts induces morphological changes resembling human chronic pancreatitis. In humans, alcoholism is commonly associated with chronic pancreatitis, but ethanol feeding fails to induce pancreatitis in experimental animals. We hypothesized that ethanol would manifest its pathogenetic effects on a duct-injured pancreas. METHODS: Chronic pancreatitis was induced in rats by instillation of TNBS into pancreatic ducts. Thereafter, rats were fed a normal chow diet with or without ethanol supplementation. Control rats received vehicle and a normal diet. A separate group of vehicle-treated rats were also fed with ethanol. At 2 and 4 weeks pancreata were excised and processed for morphological examination or for biochemical assays. From crude homogenates, protein and hydroxyproline were quantified. After sonication, homogenates were also assayed for amylase and DNA. An oral glucose tolerance test was performed on the fourth week. RESULTS: TNBS induced chronic fibrogenic pancreatitis that was associated with a reduction in pancreatic weight, DNA, protein and amylase as compared to control rats. Ethanol feeding to TNBS-treated animals slowed weight gain, increased fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance test. Larger areas of gland atrophy were observed with a striking disruption of the normal architecture of the islets. Ethanol accelerated pancreatic involution and collagen deposition as measured by total amylase, protein, DNA and hydroxyproline content. CONCLUSIONS: In TNBS chronic pancreatitis, active fibrogenesis is associated with progressive atrophy of glandular elements. Morphological and biochemical parameters are aggravated by sustained ethanol intake.

Amylases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Practicality of 5-aminosalicylic suppositories for long-term treatment of inactive distal ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Topical 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) is regarded as an effective form of therapy for distal ulcerative colitis. Unfortunately, experience about acceptability and tolerance of long-term treatment with 5-ASA suppositories is still meager. METHODOLOGY: We have evaluated the performance of 5-ASA suppositories as maintenance treatment in 34 patients with inactive distal colitis. Prior to entering the study, all patients were in clinical remission for 1-12 months. A single 500 mg 5-ASA suppository was administered nightly for 12 months in every patient and all other treatments were discontinued. Clinical evaluation was performed at 3, 6 and 12 months. RESULTS: Four patients withdrew from the study within the first 3 months because of local intolerance to the suppositories. Score of both comfort and tolerance was significantly higher in patients who continued treatment than in those who withdrew. Two patients who stayed in remission withdrew, one at 7 months because of thrombocytopenia and the other at 9 months for personal reasons. Of the 28 remaining patients, 7 relapsed and 21 remained in clinical remission at the end of the 12-month study period. Eleven of the 21 responder patients agreed to a sigmoidoscopic examination, that confirmed remission in all of them. Eight out of the 9 patients who had previously received 5-ASA enemas preferred suppositories to enemas. Apart from the 4 patients who did not tolerate suppositories, 26 patients considered this form of therapy quite comfortable. CONCLUSIONS: 5-ASA suppositories are generally well tolerated and considered comfortable for treatments of at least one year.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Temporal spectral evolution of electroencephalogram. Methodology and applications].

INTRODUCTION: The event related potentials (ERPs) allow to study the evolution of the cerebral electric activity related with the diverse sensorial, motors and cognitive processes. However, the ERPs and the spectral analyses based in Fast Fourier Transform, are not able to show the variations along the time of the spectral content of the electroencephalogram (EEG). OBJECTIVE: The present work will show the necessary methodology to obtain the temporal dynamics of the frequency (TSE) in the EEG, a technique described by Salmelin and Hari (1994) that allows the analysis of the modulations of any spectral band along the time. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The presented data correspond to the electroencephalographic registration of 20 human subjects during an experiment of visual spatial attention. RESULTS: The modulations of the ERPs differ of the observed by the spectral techniques in latency and topography. Likewise, comparing different spectral techniques is proven that the TSE allows to define with more temporal precision the variations on the spectral content. CONCLUSION: The application of the TSE technique to the same EEG signal that is used for obtaining the ERPs, allows the inclusion of the variable time in the spectral analysis of the EEG, what can be crucial to understand the physiological bases of some neuropathologies.

Adolescent↗