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Biomedical subjects

F Ramos

Publications and source records attributed to F Ramos.

193 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

[Lung transplantation for pulmonary fibrosis: perioperative morbidity and mortality].

Lung transplantation has become a valid therapeutic option for patients with pulmonary fibrosis in terminal stage, and the number of such interventions has increased exponentially in recent years. We undertook a retrospective study of 46 pulmonary fibrosis patients who received lung transplants from 1992 through 2002 with the aim of describing the most common intra- and early postoperative complications in the recovery unit. We also aimed to analyze the impact of each complication on mortality during the study period. The most frequent complications during surgery were reperfusion syndrome (47.5%), hemodynamic instability (41%), arrhythmias (23.9%), and pulmonary hypertension (15%), with exitus secondary to reperfusion syndrome. The most common postoperative complications were infection (56.5%), reimplantation response (45.7%), and kidney failure (19.6%). Overall mortality during the study period was 23.9%. The following complications were statistically significant in the univariate analysis of the relation with mortality: reperfusion syndrome (p=0.039), reimplantation response (p=0.039), kidney failure (p=0.013), rejection (p=0.016), and sepsis (p<0.001). The only complication that remained significant in the multivariate analysis was sepsis (p<0.001). In spite of the considerable progress made, intra- and postoperative complications continue to be a real threat for the transplanted lung patient. Sepsis was the strongest predictor of poor prognosis in the early recovery period.

Female↗

[Juvenile cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa associated with streptococcal infection].

Polyarteritis nodosa is a rare vasculitis of small and medium arteries. It can occur in a systemic form with multi-organ involvement, or as a limited form confined to the skin, muscles, joints and peripheral nerves called cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa. Both forms are rare in adults and even more in children. The caues of this vasculitis remain unknown but some viruses and bacteria have been implicated, specially, Streptococcus. We present the case of a 6-year-old child who developed cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa following a probable streptococcal infection.

Child↗

Discrepancy between 3H-thymidine uptake and cell cycle studies in stimulated lymphocyte cultures treated with methotrexate.

The mode of action of methotrexate (MTX) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is unknown. The hypothesis that its cytostatic effect may be involved has been questioned based on the evidence of several negative results, the most intriguing being its lack of effect on the Lymphoblastic Transformation Test (LTT) and other lymphoproliferations in cultures from patients' samples. Our study demonstrates that LTT evaluation by 3H-thymidine uptake, a standard method, is misleading when applied to MTX-treated cells. At in-vitro concentrations similar to those present in the red blood cells of RA patients, MTX produced an early block in the cell cycle without reducing the cellular uptake of 3H-thymidine. While the explanation of this discrepancy is still open to discussion, it is clear that future studies on the immunological status of RA patients on MTX should not use thymidine uptake for the measurement of the lymphocyte response to mitogens and various stimuli, but must rely on other methods for evaluating DNA synthesis.

Adult↗

[The fluorimetric determination of dabequin in biological fluids].

A study of dabequin was performed to define its possible quantification by spectrofluorimetry. By this technique, dabequin was shown to present maximum excitation and emission wave length at 400 and 450 nm, respectively. Drug emission was determined at different concentrations of sulfuric acid and no changes were observed. Two quantification procedures are compared to determine, which one produces better results in quantifying total serum and blood levels in patients. Specificity of a thin-layer chromatography method, as well as the drug stability in 0.05 M sulfuric acid medium are shown.

Aminoquinolines↗

[Role of the ballon of intraaortic contrapulsation in a patient with stenosis of the main left branch and renovascular hypertension].

A 34 year old patient with prolonged unstable angina pectoris who did not respond to medical treatment is presented. In the course of three days he developed acute subendocardial infarction complicated by severe ventricular arrhythmias and cardiac arrest. Previously renovascular arterial hypertension due to important stenosis of the right renal artery had been diagnosed by renal arteriography. The precordial pain did not disappear with acute myocardial infarction. He presented acute postinfarction angina which required the use of vasodilator and beta-adrenergic blocking agents which did not alleviate his symptoms completely. Coronary arteriography performed a month after acute myocardial infarction demonstrated 99% stenosis of the left main coronary artery and 70% stenosis of the left anterior descending artery. During three days before surgery intraaortic ballon pumping was employed and the patient did not present precordial pain. The patient became asymptomatic after placing two aortocoronary vein grafts to the left anterior descending and circumflex arteries, and three months later blood pressure fell to normal after placing a right aorto renal graft. The poor prognosis of critical stenosis of the main left branch, its medical treatment and better evolution after surgery is discussed. The indications for intra-aortic ballon pumping in this type of patients and its use before surgery so as to be able to suspend beta-adrenergic blocking agents without risks are specified. Finally the surgical indications for renovascular hypertension are discussed.

Adult↗

Occurrence of beta 2-adrenergic agonist residues in urine of animal meat producers in Portugal.

Between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 1993, bovine urine was collected for analysis of beta 2-adrenergic agonist residues. A multiresidue method was developed that was capable of detecting clenbuterol, clenpenterol, clenproperol, mabuterol, mapenterol, bromobuterol, tulobuterol, and salbutamol through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, liquid chromatography (LC) with photodiode array detection, and gas chromatography with mass detection in electron impact mode with selective-ion monitoring. Among 1031 samples, 24 contained clenbuterol and 1 contained salbutamol. The results confirm that clenbuterol is the beta 2-adrenergic agonist most used as bovine growth promoter in Portugal.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗