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Biomedical subjects

J Torres

Publications and source records attributed to J Torres.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Efficacy of first-time steroid injection for painful heel syndrome.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of a single injection of corticosteroids in patients with painful heel syndrome. Twenty-seven heels in 24 patients were injected with a combination of 1 ml of lidocaine and 1 ml of betamethasone (6 mg). These patients had never previously received an injection to their heels and had continued symptoms of pain after a trial of other nonoperative treatment modalities. After the injection, patients were seen and surveyed periodically for a period of 5 months to 8 months. The amount of pain relief that they obtained, the length of time this lasted, and the amount of heel pain present at the final follow-up were recorded. Based on the results of our study, we believe that a steroid injection is a reasonable adjunct in the treatment of painful heel syndrome, but that it is unlikely to provide permanent pain relief.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Biomechanical effects of different surgical procedures on the extensor mechanism of the patellofemoral joint.

Loadbearing stresses in the patellofemoral joint were studied at different degrees of flexion before and after various surgical techniques recommended to treat knee disorders. Surgical procedures intended to reduce the intensity of stress were analyzed experimentally. The study was done using different experimental methods on whole knee specimens from fresh human cadavers that were not treated with formaldehyde. The results indicate that the most predictable procedure for increasing surface area and decreasing patellar stress is a combined procedure of anterior displacement of the anterior tibial tubercle by 1 cm while displacing it 0.5 to 1 cm medially.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMed1995

Efficacy and safety of ebrotidine compared with ranitidine in patients with duodenal ulcer.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of ebrotidine and ranitidine administered once daily in equimolar doses of 800 and 300 mg, respectively. PATIENTS: A total of 298 duodenal ulcer patients were studied. DESIGN: A multicentre, parallel, randomized clinical trial. METHODS: Of the 298 patients studied, 150 were randomly assigned to ebrotidine and 148 to ranitidine treatment. Digestive endoscopy was performed at enrolment and at weeks 4, 6 and 8 unless the ulcer had healed before. Endoscopic findings were the main parameter for the assessment of treatment efficacy. Plasma gastrin and pancreatic polypeptide concentrations were also measured before and after termination of the therapy. RESULTS: Ebrotidine achieved a duodenal ulcer healing rate comparable to that of ranitidine, and no statistically significant difference was found between the two drugs. The drugs were equally effective in improving ulcerous dyspeptic symptoms and in relieving gastric pain. Both tobacco and ethanol consumption influenced ulcer healing adversely, but healing in smokers was more pronounced in patients treated with ebrotidine, possibly because of its cytoprotective activity. CONCLUSIONS: Ebrotidine 800 mg is as effective and safe as ranitidine 300 mg in healing duodenal ulcer, but ebrotidine appears to be superior in promoting the healing of duodenal ulceration in smokers.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Inappropriate treatment in children with bloody diarrhea: clinical and microbiological studies.

It is suggested that in dysentery physicians should treat empirically, as early treatment seems to improve outcome. A constantly updated knowledge of the relative frequency of enteropathogens and their sensitivity to antimicrobials is needed to choose the right therapy. We studied microbiological and clinical findings in 119 children with bloody diarrhea in Mexico City. Patients were divided into those < 1 year (infants) and those 1-5 years (children). Shigella was more frequent in children (35%) than in infants (10%). Campylobacter was more common in infants (29%) than in children (12%); Salmonella more frequent in infants (22%) than in children (8%); cytotoxic E. coli (EHEC) more frequent in children (20%) than in infants (13%). No cases of amebiasis were identified. Fever was the most sensitive indicator of infection for Shigella (70%), as compared for Salmonella (50%), Campylobacter (42%) and EHEC (36%); whereas specificity was about 50% for all pathogens. In contrast, the absence of fever was 80% predictive for the absence of these pathogens. In children with dysentery, the specific etiology cannot be predicted in the absence of culture. Almost 50% of the Shigella, Salmonella and EHEC isolates were resistant to ampicillin. In our community, the use of ampicillin and metronidazole should be discouraged.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed1995

[Fine needle aspiration biopsy of thyroid nodules. Analysis of results obtained using a new method with histological examination of the sample].

Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is the most useful preoperative work up method for patients with nodular goiter. We analyze 173 patients that underwent FNAB and were subsequently operated. The sample with FNAB was processed both for cytological and histological study, using methods developed at the hospital. The preoperative diagnosis reached was compared with that obtained with the surgical piece. Results showed that the histological analysis of the FNAB sample improved the sensitivity of the method, when compared with the cytological study, from 68.5% to 87.8% (p < 0.035) without modifying specificity (100% for both methods). It is concluded that FNAB with histological study of the sample has a high diagnostic yield and is exempt of complications.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Surgery in goiter with a primary mediastinal manifestation].

Eight patients with mediastinal masses and occupational syndrome were presented. Seven were diagnosed prior to surgery, allowing the staff to plan the procedure. The cervical route is advisable. It provides the best exposure that provides the safest surgery, but the incision must often be enlarged for the patient's safety. Results of surgery are excellent, with immediate relief of compressive symptoms. Postoperative infection of the wound is a possible complication. Results of medium- and long-term follow-up lead us to advise concomitant medical treatment along with surgery, given the risk of recurring goiter.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Laryngeal leishmaniasis as initial opportunistic disease in HIV infection.

A case of laryngeal leishmaniasis, with symptoms of hoarseness and odinophagia which had developed over the past year, is presented. Clinical features and histological findings are discussed. Visceral leishmaniasis is increasingly associated with HIV infection and some authors have suggested the possibility of including it as a diagnostic criterium for AIDS in HIV-positive patients. When any case of leishmaniasis presents atypical clinical features, localization or treatment response in endemic areas, HIV infection should be ruled out.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1994

Cervical carcinoma in women less than 35 years of age.

We retrospectively studied 80 patients, less than 35 years old, who were being treated for invasive cervical carcinoma at Charity Hospital of Louisiana in New Orleans. The period covered by the study was March 1980 to November 1989. The study group represented 9.3% (80/862) of the total patients seen with the disease. Disease stage was IB in 50 patients, IIA in 4, IIB in 14, IIIA in 5, IIIB in 6, and IVA in 1 patient. Histopathologic classes included 74 squamous cell carcinomas, 3 adenosquamous carcinomas, 2 adenocarcinomas, and 1 anaplastic carcinoma. Treatment used was either radical hysterectomy, irradiation alone, or irradiation followed by hysterectomy. Five-year actuarial survival rates were as follows: stage IB, 81.6%; stage IIA, 25.0%; stage IIB, 29.8%; stage IIIA, 20.0%; and stage IIIB, 33.4%. The only patient with stage IV cancer died of disease. Our findings do not reveal a relationship between age and survival in stage IB carcinoma of the cervix, and the numbers in the other stages are too small to comment on.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Obstetrical and perinatal aspects in renal transplantation].

This study evaluates the record of 14 pregnant women all of whom have received living donor renal transplants, and their control and delivery was done in our Service. Five women have had more than one pregnancy. The latency period between renal transplantation and pregnancy was 39.3 months. Blood pressure figures were acceptable in 73% of the patients before pregnancy and 28% evolved during their postpartum period with blood pressure over 140/90. In those cases where pregnancy was longer than first trimester the percentage of successful gestation was 93% with 41% premature births, 38% growth retardation at birth, and there was 10% spontaneous abortions. Eighty three percent of pregnancies delivered by cesarean section.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Warfarin 2.0--a computer program for warfarin management. Design and clinical use.

Warfarin 2.0 is a computer program that helps physicians optimize treatment of outpatients with warfarin. The main reason for its development was to achieve a good anticoagulation level, avoiding both undertreatment--which causes thromboembolic complications--and overtreatment--which causes hemorrhagic complications. The program was also designed to help educate the anticoagulated patient, standardize warfarin management and audit results of what had been done. The philosophy of continuous quality improvement was applied. Warfarin 2.0 is in clinical operation in the University Hospital, Montevideo, Uruguay, and it has also been used since the end of 1993 in the Favaloro Foundation, Dept. of Hematology, Buenos Aires, Argentina. The results from the first 15 months of use in Montevideo showed an increase in the number of patients being followed (from 91 to 132) and the average number of visits per patient (from one visit every 10.6 weeks to one every 6.5 weeks): The frequency of visits has been in the internationally accepted ranges since the program was implemented. Better anticoagulation levels were achieved after an adjusting period. Unfortunately, the number of undertreated patients is still large, and a thorough analysis of the data is going to be undertaken to continue improving warfarin management.

Drug Therapy, Computer-Assisted↗
PubMed1994

[Axilla skin biopsy in the diagnosis of Lafora's disease].

Skin biopsy is the method of choice for the diagnosis of Lafora's disease. The presence of PAS (+) inclusions characteristic of Lafora's disease has been thought to be more evident in aprocrine glands of the axillary skin than in the duct cells of the eccrine glands. We describe 4 patients with Lafora's disease diagnosed by axilla skin biopsy, confirming the usefulness of this procedure.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Hypocalcemic-induced tetany that causes triceps and bilateral quadriceps tendon ruptures.

Traumatic ruptures of the triceps are very rare among tendon injuries. A unique case of hypocalcemic tetany that induced spontaneous triceps tendon avulsion with associated bilateral quadriceps tendon ruptures is reported. The current orthopaedic literature is reviewed, and a new application of an existing surgical treatment for repair of the major tendon ruptures is described.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

The biologic activity of ACTH and related peptides on peripheral blood mononuclear cells is altered by the presence of dexamethasone.

We wished to determine whether the glucocorticoid hormone dexamethasone (dex), a potent modular of both pituitary-adrenal and immunologic activity, altered the effect of adrenocorticotropin-related peptides on activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and T-cells. PBMCs preactivated with Concanavalin A (Con A) and T-cells preactivated with phorbol 12,13 dibutyrate (PDB) plus phytohemagglutinin (PHA) were exposed to dex, ACTH, and related peptide sequences. Proliferation of cells was measured as was IL-2 in conditioned media. It was found that in the absence of dex only the peptide ACTH(18-39) altered proliferation of PBMCs while there was no effect of peptide on T-cells activated via protein kinase C-mediated pathways. Significant reversal of the inhibitory effect of dex on proliferation of PBMCs exposed to Con A was achieved with addition of ACTH(1-39) and ACTH(11-24), while IL-2 levels were unaffected by the addition of peptide. ACTH(18-39) and ACTH(11-24) enhanced the inhibitory effect of dex on T-cells activated with PDB plus PHA. These findings suggest that the biologic activity of ACTH on immune cells is altered when dexamethasone is present and under certain circumstances ACTH may protect the immunologic response from the inhibitory effects of elevated ambient glucocorticoids.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1993

The secondary structure of bacteriorhodopsin in organic solution. A Fourier transform infrared study.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy is used to estimate the secondary structure of bacteriorhodopsin dissolved in chloroform-methanol (1:1 v/v), 0.1 M LiClO4. Curve-fitting of the deconvolved spectra in the amide I region shows that the total content of alpha-helices, reverse turns and beta-sheets are similar to the native state. However, the alpha II-helices, which are the major helical class in native bacteriorhodopsin, are greatly decreased in the solubilized sample. Similarly, the reverse turns and the beta-sheets are strongly altered.

Bacteriorhodopsins↗
PubMed1993

Immunological evaluation of patients with invasive carcinoma of the gallbladder.

Forty-three patients with invasive adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder were postoperatively studied in order to determine their general immunological status as well as the local immunohistological reaction to the tumor. At the end of the follow-up, they formed two groups: 19 living patients (group GL) and 24 dead patients (group GD). As a control group (GC), 21 patients with cholecystectomy or cholelithiasis and without carcinoma were simultaneously evaluated. In GL, most of the tumors were limited to the gallbladder wall, and in GD, most of the tumors were already disseminated at the time of diagnosis. GD presented a lower percentage of peripheral blood B lymphocytes, as compared to GL and GC cases. Skin tests of delayed hypersensitivity were significantly more reactive in GL cases than in GD cases, and less reactive in GD than in GC cases. The immunohistological evaluation of the gallbladder yielded a lower B lymphocyte infiltration in GD tumors than in the control cases. GL cases showed a higher intratumoral lymphocytic and mononuclear cell infiltration than GD cases. Although the clinical stage was higher in GD than in GL cases, there were also significant differences in the local immune response and the general immunological status. Patients with invasive gallbladder adenocarcinoma showing longer postoperative survival revealed normal or increased local and general immunological reactions, whereas patients with disseminated tumors showed an important humoral and cellular secondary immunodeficiency.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1993

[Perimeters of the arm and the thorax as indicators of low birth weight].

In a group of 317 newborns, measurements of the perimeter of the arm and the thorax were taken as an indicator of low birth weight. The perimeters of both the arm and the thorax had a high correlation with low birth weight (LBW) (0.88-0.80 respectively). In the sample group, the cut-off point to define low birth weight in the case of perimeter of the arm was 9 cm and was 29-30 cm for perimeter of the thorax. Applying these measurements facilitates early detection and treatment of low birth weight babies who are at risk for infant mortality in situations where it is not possible to weigh the baby at birth.

Arm↗