Biomedical subjects

G Rodríguez

Publications and source records attributed to G Rodríguez.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

High EPHB2 mutation rate in gastric but not endometrial tumors with microsatellite instability.

The EPH/EFN family of receptor tyrosine kinases regulates cell adhesion and migration and has an important role in controlling cell positioning in the normal intestinal epithelium. Inactivation of EPHB2 has recently been shown to accelerate tumorigenesis in the colon and rectum, and we have previously demonstrated frequent frameshift mutations (41%) in an A9 coding microsatellite repeat in exon 17 of EPHB2 in colorectal tumors with microsatellite instability (MSI). In this study, we extended these analyses to extracolonic MSI cancers, and found frameshift EPHB2 mutations in 39% (25/64) of gastric tumors and 14% (8/56) of endometrial tumors. Regression analysis of these EPHB2 mutation data on the basis of our previously proposed statistical model identified EPHB2 as a selective target of frameshift mutations in MSI gastric cancers but not in MSI endometrial carcinomas. These results suggest a functional role for EPHB2 in gastric tumor progression, and emphasize the differences between the tumorigenic processes in MSI gastrointestinal and endometrial cancer.

DNA Mutational Analysis↗

PubMed2006

[Review of the interference between the most commonly prescribed drugs and clinical analyses at the Primary Health Care Centre of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat].

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the concordance of published information on probable drug interactions and the results of clinical analyses. DESIGN: Bibliographical review of the 50 most commonly prescribed drug products at the Primary Health Centre of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain, in 2002 and 2003. DATA SOURCE: Six bibliographical sources consisting of drug product catalogues and reference books. MEASUREMENTS: Interference with the 56 drug products studied. RESULTS: Most theoretical interference belonged to the therapeutic group of anti-inflammatory drugs. The drug products with most interference were hydrochlorothiazide (diuretic) and gliclazide (lipid lowering). The most frequent interference was in the increase of transaminases, thrombocytopaenia, leukopaenia, hyperglycaemia, and hyperuricaemia. Only in 12% of the points of interference analysed was the rate of concordance among the various bibliographical sources reviewed higher than 50%. The highest rate of concordance was found in the diuretics. CONCLUSIONS: Consultation of a single bibliographical source does not necessarily ensure the obtaining of reliable data on possible drug interference. This study demonstrates the need to standardize information on drug interference and to include the medication that the patient follows on the analysis application form.

Drug Interactions↗

PubMed2006

Technical note: Determination of acidity in whole raw milk: comparison of results obtained by two different analytical methods.

In Argentina, one analytical method is usually carried out to determine acidity in whole raw milk: the Instituto Nacional de Racionalización de Materiales standard (no. 14005), based on the Dornic method of French origin. In a national and international regulation, the Association of Official Analytical Chemists International method (no. 947.05) is proposed as the standard method of analysis. Although these methods have the same foundation, there is no evidence that results obtained using the 2 methods are equivalent. The presence of some trends and discordant data lead us to perform a statistical study to verify the equivalency of the obtained results. We analyzed 266 samples and the existence of significant differences between the results obtained by both methods was determined.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

[Risk factors for acute respiratory failure after liver transplantation].

OBJECTIVES: To study the risk factors for acute respiratory failure during recovery after liver transplantation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied 340 consecutive liver transplant operations. Patient data was grouped according to whether acute respiratory failure developed (group I) or not (group II). Acute respiratory failure was defined by the need for mechanical ventilation longer than 5 days after transplantation or by the need for an inspired oxygen fraction of over 50% for 72 hours. We evaluated demographic characteristics, stage of liver disease before the transplant, comorbidity, immunosuppressant treatment administered, and complications during and after surgery. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients were placed in group I and 274 in group II. Univariate analysis showed significant differences between the groups for age, sex, Child-Pugh functional stage, preoperative renal failure, type of immunosuppression, and postoperative complications such as atrial fibrillation, pleural effusion, pulmonary edema, ascites, postoperative acute renal failure, brain dysfunction, early graft dysfunction, and respiratory infection. Multivariate analysis by logistic regression, taking the development or not of acute respiratory failure as the dependent variable, gave a model with 6 variables that accounted for 94% of the cases. The variables entering into the model, with their respective odds ratios (OR) were female sex (OR, 5.5), stage C liver function (OR, 3.9), pulmonary edema (OR, 16.3), postoperative acute renal failure (OR, 9), cerebral dysfunction (OR, 4.5), and respiratory infection (OR, 62). CONCLUSIONS: The development of acute respiratory failure after liver transplantation is affected by the following factors: female sex, Child-Pugh class, pulmonary edema, postoperative acute renal failure, cerebral dysfunction, and respiratory infection.

Female↗

PubMed2005

Longitudinal changes of optical aberrations in normal and form-deprived myopic chick eyes.

We performed measurements of refraction (with retinoscopy), axial length (with ultrasound biometry) and ocular aberrations (with a custom-built Hartmann-Shack aberrometer) on seven awake White-Leghorn chicks occluded monolaterally with diffusers for two weeks. Treatment started on the first day after hatching (day 0) and measurements were conducted on several days between day 0 and 13. Non-occluded eyes experienced normal emmetropization (decreasing hyperopia at 0.2 +/- 0.09 D/day and increasing axial length at 0.05 +/- 0.03 mm/day), while occluded eyes developed axial myopia (1.50 +/- 0.2 D/day and 0.12 +/- 0.02 mm/day). Interocular differences in refraction and axial length by day 13 were on average 17.43 D and 0.86 mm, respectively. Monochromatic high order aberrations decreased with age in both eyes. Average RMS (for 1.5 mm pupil diameter) decreased from 0.11 +/- 0.03 at day 0 to 0.06 +/- 0.03 microm (day 13) in occluded eyes, and from 0.12 +/- 0.05 to 0.03 +/- 0.01 microm in non-occluded eyes. MTF-based optical quality metrics also show an improvement with age. However, while this improvement occurs in both eyes, after day 8 myopic eyes tend to show significantly higher amounts of aberrations (and consequently worse best-corrected optical quality) than normal eyes. The degradation imposed by aberrations is small compared to that imposed by defocus and the diffuser. These results suggest a decrease of aberrations during development which does not seem to be visually guided. Myopic eyes showed slightly worse optical quality than normal eyes, suggesting that the geometrical changes resulting from excessive ocular axial growth also affect the optical quality of the ocular components.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Efficiency of the incorporation of the hepatitis A vaccine as a combined A+B vaccine to the hepatitis B vaccination programme of preadolescents in schools.

In 1998, the Department of Health of Catalonia (Spain) began universal vaccination of preadolescents against hepatitis A by replacing the simple hepatitis B vaccine with a combined hepatitis A+B vaccine. Economic analyses were made of the two alternative strategies: to continue with the simple hepatitis B vaccination or to replace the simple vaccine with a combined hepatitis A+B vaccine. The analysis was made from the societal perspective and the time horizon considered was 25 years. In the base case, (estimated annual hepatitis A incidence of 15 per 100,000 and incremental price of the hepatitis A+B vaccine over the simple hepatitis B vaccine of 1.98) the net present value of the programme was positive (+533,708) and the benefit-cost ratio was 2.58. If the estimated disease incidence were reduced by half, the programme would still be efficient.

Child↗

PubMed2005

[Development of an olfactory screening test based on the Connecticut test (CCCRC)].

OBJECTIVE: To create a screening olfactory test based on the CCCRC (Connecticut Chemosen-sory Clinical Research Center). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We compare the screening test based on CCCRC with PST (Pocket Smell Test) based on UPSIT in 40 patients with nasal poliposis, in order to de-termine the specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive and negative predictive value. The validity index was 95% and accuracy rate was 10%. We determine unit cost, the time required to perform the test in outpatients office and how difficult it is to do the test. RESULTS: Sensibility was 88%, specificity was 77%. The positive predictive value was 34% and the negative predictive value was 94%. The unitary cost of our screening test was 0.57 euros when it is performed by a nurse. The unitary cost of PST is 1.76 euros. To perform our screening test took 2.8 +/- 0.4 minutes. The 96% of the patients thought the test was easy to do. CONCLUSION: Our test is a valid screening test to be used in patients with nasal poliposis.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Body fat measurement in adolescents: comparison of skinfold thickness equations with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the most commonly used equations to predict body fatness from skinfold thickness, in male and female adolescents, with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as a reference method of fatness measurement. DESIGN: Cross-sectional nutrition survey. SETTING: General adolescent population from Zaragoza (Spain). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 238 Caucasian adolescents (167 females and 113 males), aged 13.0-17.9 y, were recruited from 15 school groups in 11 public and private schools. The percentage fat mass (%FM) was calculated by using skinfold-thickness equations. Predicted %FM was compared with the reference %FM values, measured by DXA. The lack of agreement between methods was assessed by calculating the bias and its 95% limits of agreement. RESULTS: Most equations did not demonstrate good agreement compared with DXA. However, in male adolescents, Slaughter et al equations showed relative biases that were not dependent on body fatness and the limits of agreement were narrower than those obtained from the rest of equations. In females, Brook's equation showed nonsignificant differences against DXA and the narrowest 95% limits of agreement. Only biases from Brook and Slaughter et al equations were not dependent on body fatness in female adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Accuracy of most of the skinfold-thickness equations for assessment of %FM in adolescents was poor at the individual level. Nevertheless, to predict %FM when a relative index of fatness is required in field or clinical studies, Slaughter et al equations may be used in adolescents from both sexes and the Brook equation in female adolescents.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

PubMed2005

Skinfold measurements at birth: sex and anthropometric influence.

Weight, length, and skinfold thicknesses were measured in 4634 term and preterm neonates. Sex and weight/length ratio were important determinants of the amount and distribution of the subcutaneous fat store at birth. Gestational age, weight, length, and other ponderal indices did not explain subcutaneous fat variability.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed2004

Body composition in adolescents: measurements and metabolic aspects.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescence is a decisive period in human life in which important body composition changes occur. Increase of total body mass and its relative distribution are mainly related to gender and pubertal development. OBJECTIVE: This review explores the specific measurements that may be used in this age group to assess excess body fat and to define obesity and overweight. RESULTS: Identification of subjects at risk for adiposity requires simple anthropometric cutoffs for the screening of overweight and obesity. In this context, BMI criterion is the most frequently used but, in spite of its high sensitivity and specificity, an important number of adolescents classified as overweight or obese do not have really high adiposity (32.1% of females and 42% of males). Excess total body fat and intra-abdominal visceral fat are related to metabolic abnormalities that increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Waist circumference seems to be the best simple anthropometric predictor for the screening of the metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Early identification of adolescents at risk for adiposity and its related metabolic complications requires reliable, simple and specific measures of excess body fat for this age group.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Differential effect of fetal, neonatal and treatment variables on neurodevelopment in infants with congenital hypothyroidism.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the influence of fetal, neonatal and treatment variables on neurodevelopment in children with congenital hypothyroidism. METHODS: A multiple regression analysis was performed in the neurodevelopmental scores of 26 children with CH who were assessed at 3, 6, 12 and 18 months for postural control, fine eye-hand coordination and language. The independent variables were: duration of fetal hypothyroidism, initial biochemical severity, days at starting treatment, initial dose, and efficiency of treatment. RESULTS: Postural control was predicted by duration of fetal hypothyroidism and language by the biochemical severity of the disease at birth. Fine eye-hand coordination was not predicted by any variable. CONCLUSION: This pattern of influences suggests that fetal and neonatal hypothyroidism have different effects on brain maturation sites during the first 2 years of life and that some subtle neurocognitive deficits are probably unavoidable.

Child Development↗

PubMed2003

Timing of menopause and patterns of menstrual bleeding.

Age at menopause is associated with a variety of health outcomes. Menstrual histories, both as markers of physiologic function and through their potential association with age at menopause, have also been investigated for their links to health outcomes. This study used data from a cohort of women from the United States who provided prospectively recorded data on their menstrual cycles for many years. Dr. Alan Treloar (University of Minnesota) originally recruited the women in the 1930s; the authors used data reported by these women from 1930 through 1977. They identified nuanced characteristics of menstrual histories that were strongly predictive of the onset of menopause, focusing on measures of central tendency (the mean), variability (standard deviation), and serial irregularity (approximate entropy), the last of which quantifies a continuum that ranges from totally ordered to completely random. They controlled for other characteristics known to affect age at menopause, including use of exogenous hormones, number of births, and extent of breastfeeding. Although cycle length and variability increased with the approach of menopause, the authors found that serial irregularity decreased and was a strong predictor of its onset. This finding constitutes an important piece of information not attainable with conventional statistical summaries of menstrual histories.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Psyllium fibre and the metabolic control of obese children and adolescents.

In children and adolescents from developed countries, obesity prevalence has strongly increased in the last decades and insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance are frequently observed. Some dietary components such as low glycemic index foods and dietary fibre could be used in order to improve glucose homeostasis in these children. Psyllium or ispaghula husk (the husk of the seeds of Plantago ovata) is a mixture of neutral and acid polysaccharides containing galacturonic acid with a ratio of soluble/insoluble fibre of 70/30. Some foods could potentially be enriched with psyllium, like breads, breakfast cereals, pasta and snack foods. The aim of this review was to assess the usefulness of psyllium in the management of obese children and adolescents with abnormalities of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. After psyllium supplementation, the percentage change in postprandial glucose in type 2 diabetes patients, ranged from -12.2 to -20.2%. In hypercholesterolemic children, the effect of psyllium in LDL-cholesterol serum concentrations ranged from 2.78 to -22.8%; the effect in HDL-cholesterol from -4.16 to 3.05%; and the effect on triglycerides from 8.49 to -19.54%. The reviewed evidence seems to show that psyllium improves glucose homeostasis and the lipid and lipoprotein profile; however, more well controlled trials and further studies are needed to clarify it's effects and the mechanisms involved.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

[Lung cancer in the health care area of A Coruña (Spain): incidence, clinical approach and survival].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence, clinical approach, diagnostic delay and survival for bronchogenic carcinoma (BC) in the public health area of A Coruña (Spain). PATIENTS AND METHOD: This was a retrospective study of patients with a diagnosis of BC made in 1995 and 1996 in a health care area with 509,000 inhabitants. For analysis we gathered demographic, clinical and cyto-histologic data and analyzed diagnostic delay, extension of disease and time of death. Crude, age-specific and age-standardized incidences were calculated. RESULTS: BC was diagnosed in 378 patients (95% men and 5% women). The crude incidence was 37 per 100,000 inhabitants (73.7 per 100,000 men and 3 per 100,000 women) and the age-standardized incidence was 21.7 per 100,000. Diagnosis was by cyto-histology in 87% of the cases, and the most frequent biopsy finding was epidermoid carcinoma. Diagnosis was by clinical or radiologic findings for 13.7%, and patients in that group were older and had greater comorbidity. No symptoms were present in 13% and in those patients diagnosis was earlier, with non-small BC predominating and 60% treated surgically. The diagnostic delay (time from the first symptom to histologic confirmation) was 2.5 months (median, 2.1), and length of delay did not affect survival. Surgery was performed in 23% of the patients with non-small BC. The median survival was 7.1 months (5.2 months for patients who were not treated surgically, and 37.6 for those who were). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of BC in men in our study is consistent with that reported for other Spanish regions, although the incidence we observed for women is much lower. Diagnostic delay did not affect survival. The percentage of patients with surgical-stage disease is very low and survival is very short. These findings support the need for early diagnosis.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Determinants of resting energy expenditure in obese and non-obese children and adolescents.

Resting energy expenditure (REE) is the largest component of total daily energy expenditure. Objectives of this study were to examine whether differences in REE exist after obesity develops in a group of children and adolescents, and to determine the effects of body composition, gender, age, pubertal development and parental obesity on REE. In 116 Caucasian children and adolescents (57 obese and 59 non-obese), aged 7.8 to 16.6 years, REE was assessed by open-circuit indirect calorimetry and different anthropometric variables and bioelectrical impedance were obtained (weight, height, skinfold thicknesses, waist and hip circumferences). Anthropometric indices and body compartments were calculated: the body mass index, surface area (SA), fat-free mass (FFM), fat-mass (FM) and percentage of FM. Differences between obese and non-obese subjects were tested and stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed with REE as dependent variable. Results show that REE was significantly higher in obese than in non-obese children and adolescents but REE/FFM ratio was not significantly different between these groups. In the non-obese group, FFM explained 73.1% of the variability in REE and gender, age and SA added 3.8%, 2.6%, and 2.6% to it, respectively. In the obese group, FFM was also the most powerful predictor of REE with 72.3%, followed by waist circumference and age with 2.5% and 2.1%, respectively. These results show that REE differences between obese and lean children do not seem to justify the maintenance of obesity. The main determinant of REE is FFM in both groups. No significant contribution of FM, pubertal development or parental obesity in REE was found in children and adolescents.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed2002

Anthropometric measurements in both sides of the body in the assessment of nutritional status in prepubertal children.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the impact of choosing the left or the right side of the body on the anthropometric measurements and derived nutritional indices, in prepubertal children. DESIGN: Cross-sectional pilot nutrition survey. SETTING: General prepubertal school-age population. SUBJECTS: One-hundred and sixty-four children (97 boys and 67 girls) aged 7-9 y. INTERVENTIONS: None. RESULTS: The agreement between anthropometric measurements in both sides of the body showed that in males and in females, suprailiac skinfold thickness and arm circumference were significantly higher in the left than in the right side of the body. The agreement between body composition assessed by anthropometric measurements in both sides of the body showed that only in males was arm muscle area significantly higher in the left than in the right side, and arm fat percentage was higher in the right than in the left side of the body. Total body fat percentage calculated from skinfold thickness did not show statistically significant differences when skinfolds were obtained in the both sides of the body, either in boys and in girls. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that differences between the sides of the body were lower than the technical error of measurement of the anthropometric measurements obtained and seem not to be biologically significant in this age group. It is necessary to standardize the method of anthropometric assessment of the nutritional status in terms of body side.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed2002

Resting energy expenditure in children and adolescents: agreement between calorimetry and prediction equations.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To assess the degree of agreement between indirect calorimetry and five equations commonly used to predict resting energy expenditure (REE) in obese and non-obese children and adolescents. METHODS: In 116 children and adolescents (57 obese and 59 non-obese) aged between 7.8 and 16.6 years, REE was measured (MREE) by open-circuit indirect calorimetry under standardized conditions. REE was predicted (PREE) in all subjects with equations from the Food and Agriculture/World Health Organization/United Nations University (FAO/WHO/UNU), Maffeis et al., Harris and Benedict, and two from Schofield: one using weight (W) and one using height and weight (H-W). Agreement between indirect calorimetry and equations was assessed following the Bland-Altman method. RESULTS: In the entire cohort group, only data from FAO/WHO/UNU, Schofield-W and Schofield-HW equations showed non-statistic differences against calorimetry results. When agreement between equations and calorimetry was tested, Schofield-HW equation showed the lowest mean MREE-PREE difference: 3.7 kcal/d (limits of agreement -293 and 300 kcal/d; 95% confidence interval for the bias -24.0 to 31.5 kcal/d) and the best agreement. Group by group, equations which obtained the best agreement were: FAO/WHO/UNU in girls, Schofield-HW in boys, Schofield-HW in obese, and Schofield-W in non-obese. CONCLUSIONS: Until more accurate prediction equations are developed, we recommend Schofield-HW equations for REE studies with a mixed population of obese and non-obese children and adolescents; however, FAO/WHO/UNU equation may also be useful in girls and Schofield-W equation in non-obese children.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Leptin and metabolic syndrome in obese and non-obese children.

Metabolic syndrome is characterized by a clustering of metabolic abnormalities: insulin resistance - hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia (high triglycerides and low HDL - cholesterol serum concentrations), impaired glucose tolerance and/or type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. The aim of this study was to analyse the role of different variables of metabolic syndrome, including leptin, in 74 non-obese children and 68 children with non-syndromal obesity. As metabolic syndrome variables, we have included body mass index, waist circumference, trunk-to-total skinfolds (%), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, glucose, uric acid, fasting insulin, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C). Factor analysis showed 4 factors in each group. In non-obese children, waist circumference, BMI, fasting insulin, triglycerides, trunk-to-total skinfolds (%), leptin and uric acid loaded positively on factor 1, and HDL-C loaded negatively on this factor; systolic and diastolic blood pressure had high positive loadings in factor 2; HDL-C and leptin showed positive loadings and triglycerides and uric acid, negative loadings in factor 3; and, finally, glucose and insulin showed positive loadings in factor 4. These four factors explained 72.16 % of the total variance in the non-obese group. In obese children, BMI, waist circumference, leptin, diastolic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure loaded positively on factor 1; diastolic blood pressure, trunk-to-total skinfolds (%), uric acid and systolic blood pressure showed high positive loadings in factor 2; fasting insulin, glucose and triglycerides showed positive loadings in factor 3; and, finally, triglycerides showed positive loadings and HDL-C negative loadings in factor 4. These four factors explained 74.18 % of the total variance in the obese group. Our results point to a different homeostatic control of metabolic syndrome characteristics in obese and non-obese children. Leptin seems to play a key underlying role in metabolic syndrome, especially in the obese group.

Blood Glucose↗