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Biomedical subjects

F Bermejo

Publications and source records attributed to F Bermejo.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

[The effect of "triple therapy" on the eradicating of H. pylori and the healing of a duodenal ulcer. The initial study and 6 months later].

UNLABELLED: Helicobacter pylori plays an important role in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer disease, and many therapy regimens have been used to eradicate it. AIM: To assess the efficacy of triple therapy in duodenal ulcer patients, in ulcer healing and eradication of H. pylori, early after treatment and 6 months later. METHODS: In a prospective study, 32 patients with duodenal ulcer disease and H. pylori infection were studied. Biopsy specimens from the duodenal bulb, antrum, body and gastric fundus were taken and were analyzed by a microbiology (Gram and specific culture) and histology process (hematoxylin and eosin). All patients were treated with triple therapy (bismuth, tetracyclin and metronidazole). Patients were investigated endoscopically one month after cessation the triple therapy and 4 months later, with taking of antrum and body biopsy specimens. RESULTS: During the therapy, adverse events were elucidated in 3 patients (9.4%). Eradication (no evidence on ongoing H. pylori infection 4 wk after cessation treatment) was obtained in 26 patients (81.25%). Eradication reached 92% when H. pylori was metronidazole sensitive (N:25; 78.13%) and 42.86% (p < 0.05) when it was resistant. Reinfection rate was 3.85% (N = 1). Healing ulcer was observed in 28 patients (87.5%) 1 month after cessation of treatment. When triple therapy regimen was successful the healing rate was 96.15%, and it was 50% (p < 0.05) when it failed. CONCLUSION: Triple therapy (with low doses of metronidazole, and tetracyclins) has a high efficacy (81.25%) in the eradication of H. pylori (metronidazole sensitivity plays an important role), with few (9.4%) and non-serious adverse events. Healing rate is 96.15% when eradication is obtained and 50% (p < 0.05) when it failed.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale characteristics and structure. The Cooperative Multicentric Group.

Our purpose was to verify some basic aspects of validation of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). One hundred and sixty-seven Parkinson's disease (PD) patients were included. Group A (n = 40) was simultaneously assessed by five raters who applied the UPDRS and other PD rating scales (PDRS). A set of timed tests, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Hamilton Scale for Depression (HSD) were administered by an independent examiner. Group B (n = 127) was individually assessed through the UPDRS and the other PDRSs by one neurologist in four different hospitals. The UPDRS was administered in 16.95 +/- 7.98 min. The internal consistency was high (Cronbach's alpha = 0.96). Nevertheless, the items related to depression, motivation/initiative, and tremor were scarcely consistent. The Interrater reliability was satisfactory (all the items had k > 0.40). There was a high correlation of the UPDRS with the Hoehn and Yahr staging (rs = 0.71; p < 0.001) and some timed tests (finger tapping; arising from chair), but also with the MMSE and HSD (rs = 0.53; rs = 0.64; p < 0.001). The convergent validity with the other PDRS (Intermediate Scale and Schwab and England Scale) was very high (rs = 0.76-0.96; p < 0.001). The factor analysis identified six factors that explained 59.6% of the variance. The dimension "tremor" showed a remarkable independence. The UPDRS is a multidimensional, reliable, and valid scale, with some inconveniences derived from its internal consistency, discriminant validity, and pragmatic application.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1994

Alcoholic cognitive deterioration and nutritional deficiencies.

Chronic alcoholic patients frequently exhibit a mild to moderate cognitive impairment that has been related to Wernicke-Korsakoff encephalopathy and attributed tentatively to nutritional and vitamin deficiencies. To elucidate the possible relation between alcoholic cognitive deterioration (ACD) and nutritional and vitamin deficiencies, several tests of intelligence and memory were administered to 54 chronic alcoholic patients and 30 controls. Serum levels of thiamine, folic acid, vitamins B12, A, and E, and certain nutritional indexes were determined in most of the subjects. The alcoholics scored significantly lower in intellectual and visuospatial tasks but not in verbal memory tasks. They had a lower serum level for thiamine but not of the remaining vitamins. However, the correlations between serum thiamin and cognitive performance scores were low, and according to stepwise regression analysis, duration of alcohol intake and education were the variables with predictive value for intellectual and memory test performance. These results suggest that serum thiamin deficiency is not the main pathogenetic factor related to ACD.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Multicenter register of index cases of dementia. A study by the Spanish Neurological Society's dementia group].

We report the objectives and case registration methods used by neurologists belonging to the Spanish Neurological Society's dementia group (GERMICIDE). Forerunners of the present project are also described. The group's principal aim, which is to determine the distribution of dementia in the "neurological" environment is pursued by enrolling consecutive index cases (new presentations) arriving at 18 Spanish neurological units over a period of 2 years. A standard protocol was used to study the patients and final diagnoses were agreed upon in keeping with international criteria for dementia and the main neurological diseases (DSM-III-R, CDR and others). A second objective is to study risk factors for the main etiological groups of dementia (Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia) and to follow each patient in the cohort until death in order to assess the course of disease and its biological markers. The series will be large, as there are already over 800 cases listed in the coordinating centre even though the period of enrollment has not ended.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Adult patients with clinically suspected or known biliopancreatic pathology in whom ERCP is not indicated: the 10 most frequent situations].

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is an invasive endoscopic technique widely used in the diagnosis and eventual therapeutic procedures of many biliopancreatic conditions. While endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography indications are well known, it is not the same in those patients with clinically suspected or known biliopancreatic entities in whom endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography is not indicated because it will not add valuable information with the potential of changing the previous diagnosis or therapy. Ten very common clinical situations in which this technique is not indicated are presented; among them idiopathic abdominal pain, some pancreatic carcinomas, chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic pseudocyst, and some patients awaiting conventional or laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We acknowledge that some aspects of this paper are controversial.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Serum levels of beta-carotene and other carotenoids in Parkinson's disease.

To elucidate the possible role of carotenoids in the risk for developing Parkinson's disease (PD), we compared serum levels of beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and lycopene, measured by high performance liquid chromatography, of 61 PD patients using their spouses as the control group. The serum levels of these 3 carotenoids did not differ significantly between PD patients and control groups. There was no influence of antiparkinsonian therapy on serum carotenoids levels, and these did not correlate with age, age at onset, scores of the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale or the Hoehn and Yahr staging in the PD group. These results show that serum carotenoids concentrations are apparently unrelated to the risk for developing PD.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Serum levels of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in patients with Parkinson's disease.

To elucidate the possible role of vitamin C in the risk for developing Parkinson's disease (PD), we compared serum levels of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), measured by a fluorometric method, of 63 PD patients using their spouses as the control group. The serum levels of vitamin C did not differ significantly between the groups (47.13 +/- 0.89 micrograms/ml for PD and 47.60 +/- 0.60 micrograms/ml for controls). There was no influence of antiparkinsonian therapy on vitamin C. Serum levels of vitamin C did not correlate with age, age at onset and duration of the disease, scores of the Unified PD Rating Scale or the Hoehn and Yahr staging in the PD group. These results suggest that serum vitamin C concentrations are apparently unrelated to the risk of developing PD.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1992

[Sneddon's syndrome: its clinical characteristics and etiopathogenic factors].

Sneddon syndrome is know as the association of idiopathic livedo reticularis and cerebrovascular lesions. The most characteristic trait of this syndromes is a non-inflammatory arteriopathy in medium caliber vessels. The pathogenic role of antiphospholipid antibodies in this disease is not clear. Clinical characteristics and etiopathogenic features of eight patients with Sneddon's syndrome are reviewed, specially regarding its relationship with primary antiphospholipid syndrome. A female predominance was found (3:1) as well as a relationship with hypertension (five patients suffered hypertension), but no relation was found with contraceptive use. Three patients showed evidence of antiphospholipid antibodies, present as anticardiolipin antibodies with significative titers in three cases and lupus anticoagulant in one. Digital artery biopsy performed in four patients showed in all of them the pathologic features characteristic of this disease. Seven patients were treated with platelet activity inhibitors and one with oral anticoagulants. Six of them have had a year and half follow-up without showing any new ischemic stroke. The main etiopathogenic factor on Sneddon's syndrome is the presence of a non-inflammatory arteriopathy in medium caliber vessels. Blood hypertension and antiphospholipid antibodies could play a role in the development of cerebrovascular lesions in some cases. No relationship has been found with oral contraceptives in this series of patients. Medium term prognosis with platelet activity inhibitors therapy seems benign.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Vascular dementia. A clinicopathological study.

We have reviewed the clinical and pathological records of 40 aged patients who showed only vascular lesions on histological examination. They were followed up for 3.5 +/- 6.3 years before death, and in 28 cases the diagnosis of dementia was done during life. Demographic data, vascular and systemic illnesses, psychiatric neurological and neuropsychological disturbances, and pathological findings were compared between demented and non-demented patients. The number of strokes, several neurological and almost all neuropsychological disturbances, the volume of macroscopic cerebral infarct, especially in frontal, occipital and basal regions, the lacunar state and the white matter lesions, were significantly greater in demented patients. However most of them had less than 100 ml3 of brain infarct. The relative influence of each type of cerebral vascular lesion upon the dementia syndrome was determined by means of multivariate analysis. The volume of macroscopic cerebral infarct, the white matter lesion and the lacunar state showed quite similar contributions to mental deterioration.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Long-term outcome of TIAs, RINDs and infarctions with minimum residuum. A prospective study in Madrid.

A group of patients with transient ischemic attacks (65 cases), reversible ischemic neurologic deficits (37 cases) and infarctions with minimum residuum (41 cases) was included in a prospective follow-up for a mean period of 5.2 years. Most of the patients were treated with acetylsalicylic acid or other antiplatelet agents, or with anticoagulants. Principal complications during follow-up were: cerebral infarction, 15 cases (10.4%); cerebral hematoma, 2 (1.3%); transient ischemic attacks, 17, (11.8%); reversible ischemic neurologic deficits, 9 (6.2%); myocardial infarction, 4 (2.7%); and death, 11 (7.6%). The cumulative incidence for stroke or death was 6.2% for the first year and 14% for the fifth year. There were no significant risk factors for the occurrence of stroke or vascular death on time-related multivariate analysis (Cox). Disabling stroke was less frequent after infarctions with minimum residuum than after transient ischemic attacks or reversible ischemic neurologic deficits.

Adult↗