Refractory and infected pyoderma gangrenosum in a patient with ulcerative colitis: response to infliximab.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to L Martín.
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The aim of the present study was to analyse the diagnostic yield of the rose Bengal test for the rapid diagnosis of human brucellosis in an emergency department in an area where the disease is endemic. The study included 711 patients diagnosed initially with brucellosis and 270 controls. Brucellosis patients were divided into three groups: group I, individuals with no regular exposure to or history of brucellosis; group II, individuals exposed repeatedly to Brucella infection; and group III, individuals infected with Brucella who had received appropriate treatment during the previous 12 months. Blood cultures were positive for 445 (62.6%) brucellosis patients, while the remaining 266 (37.4%) patients were diagnosed according to clinical and serological criteria. The overall sensitivity of the rose Bengal test was 92.9%. The specificities for groups I, II and III were 94.3%, 91.7% and 76.9%, respectively, with positive likelihood ratios of 16.5, 10.4 and 4.2, respectively. The diagnostic gain after the performance of the rose Bengal test was good or very good in patients with no previous exposure to Brucella or history of brucellosis, but poor in patients who were exposed repeatedly to Brucella or had a history of brucellosis and a low pre-test probability. Use of the rose Bengal test as the sole technique for the diagnosis of brucellosis in endemic areas should be considered very carefully in the context of patients who are exposed repeatedly to Brucella or have a history of brucellosis.
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A two-site enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on the avidin-biotin system was developed to study circulating antigens in the sera of rats orally or intraperitoneally infected with L3 larvae of Anisakis simplex s.l. Somatic and excretory-secretory antigens were detected from 24 h post-infection in all infected rats. A direct relationship between the number of larvae inoculated and the concentration of antigens in the sera was demonstrated; however, the amount of antigen decreased with the course of the infection. Comparative analysis revealed that intraperitoneal inoculation is most appropriate for detecting excretory-secretory antigens in serum. The minimum concentrations of A. simplex antigen detectable were approximately 2.5 microg/ml for somatic and excretory-secretory antigens. This antigen detection assay may have application in the diagnosis of anisakiasis.
The viric infections influence morbi-mortality in Chronic kidney Disease patients in hemodialysis therapy and can affect to the Staff of the Units. The guides considered the most relevant virus at the present moment: C Virus, B Virus and HIV. To prevent horizontal nosocomial transmission is necessary the observance always the universal precautions in the HD units, although sometimes can appeared seroconversions and epidemic bud when exist a break of these. Is analyzed different situations with special focus in units for acute patients. The following steps under the suspicious of the epidemic bud appeared in one of the annexes together with legislation according to this case. Respect to the staff in every one of the virus is shown prevention patterns, serologic markers to perform when an accident with infected blood occur, also is considered when treatment is indicated. The guides considered too the conditions necessary for include these patients on waiting list for kidney transplantation.
beta-Carboline alkaloids exhibit a great variety of pharmacological activities. The solid inclusion complexes of harmane and harmine with beta-cyclodextrin and also with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin, have been prepared following different procedures. IR and NMR spectroscopies were employed to verify the interaction of the guest molecules with the cyclodextrin cavities. The differences observed in the IR and NMR spectra are in agreement with those described in the literature for other guest molecules. The shifts in the 13C- and 1H-NMR spectra confirm the existence of the inclusion complexes. The fluorescence emission spectra of these complexes dissolved in buffered aqueous solution (pH 7.3) exhibit the characteristic peaks of the cationic form for harmane alkaloids. The neutral bands are not present for the free alkaloids in aqueous solutions. Fluorescence quenching emission of the complexes is compared to that of the corresponding free alkaloids.
BACKGROUND: Angiosarcomas are malignant neoplasms of endothelial cells. Angiosarcoma of the breast is a rare neoplasm that behaves in a highly malignant fashion. It must be differentiated from benign vascular proliferations and from mammary carcinoma. METHODS: We report on a 49-year-old-woman who presented with a large mass involving the left breast. RESULTS: The lesion had an erythematoviolaceous hue and livedoid pattern at the periphery. Histopathologic study showed an epithelioid malignant neoplasm, and immunohistochemical studies demonstrated that neoplastic cells expressed immunoreactivity for endothelial cell markers. CONCLUSIONS: A diagnosis of epithelioid angiosarcoma of the breast was established. The patient was treated with radical mastectomy, but she refused any other additional therapy.
INTRODUCTION: hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in immunocompromised states is a well-known event that may be a serious problem in endemic areas of infection. Presently, the investigation of hepatitis B status has been recommended prior to receiving cytotoxic treatment. Lamivudine has been used in the reactivation of HBV in immunocompromised states. We report our corresponding data for lamivudine in the treatment of HBV reactivation after intensive chemotherapy in patients with lymphoma and after kidney transplantation. CLINICAL OBSERVATION: we present two cases of HBV reactivation after chemotherapy for lymphoma and two cases after cadaveric renal transplantation treated with lamivudine (100-150 mg/day). RESULTS: we observed a prompt clinical improvement in all patients after lamivudine treatment. Furthermore, laboratory data showed a rapid biochemical and antiviral response. However, the response in lymphoma patients was quicker than in patients who had post-transplantation reactivation of HBV. Therapy was well tolerated and no relevant side effects appeared during follow-up (twenty four months). The HBV remained negative in three cases. CONCLUSION: lamivudine is effective and safe in the treatment of HBV reactivation in immunodepressed patients. Lamivudine therapy should be considered for the treatment of HBV reactivation in patients with prior hepatitis B or chronic hepatitis B with inactive viral replication.
In this study we report that protein kinase C zeta (PKC zeta), one of the atypical isoforms of the PKC family located predominantly in cytosol, is redistributed by C2-ceramide treatment in isolated hepatocytes. PKC zeta increased in membrane and nuclear fractions after 30 min of treatment with C2-ceramide in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The action of C2-ceramide was inhibited by wortmannin and LY 294002, indicating that C2-ceramide-induced PKC zeta increase in both nucleus and membrane fractions is mediated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) activation. In addition, a significant translocation of PI3-kinase to the nucleus was observed after C2-ceramide treatment.
Ewing's sarcoma is a malignant osseous neoplasm that affects mostly children and young adult males. Clinically, the neoplasm presents with oedema, swelling, and pain of the involved area. Histopathologically, Ewing's sarcoma consists of solid sheets of small round cells, with vesicular nuclei and scant cytoplasm, arranged in irregular masses separated by strands of fibrous tissue, with areas of necrosis en masse intermingled with intratumoural haemorrhage. Ewing's sarcoma is an extremely aggressive neoplasm and metastases to sites such as lung, pleura, other bones, central nervous system, liver, and regional lymph nodes frequently develop in early stages of the disease. Surprisingly, despite the highly aggressive biological behaviour of this neoplasm, cutaneous metastases from Ewing's sarcoma are very uncommon. We report two patients with Ewing's sarcoma of the bone who developed cutaneous metastases. As in other internal malignancies, the onset of cutaneous metastases in patients with Ewing's sarcoma indicates a poor prognosis.
Classically, recall dermatitis refers to chemotherapy-induced reactivation of skin damage caused by radiotherapy months, or even years, earlier. The concept of recall dermatitis has now been extended to include radiation recall dermatitis induced by other drugs, ultraviolet radiation, extravasation of drugs, and allergic contact dermatitis. We now describe recall dermatitis along the residual cutaneous lesions of a previous thoracic herpes zoster in a patient who developed a drug eruption after oral administration of aciclovir. The most striking feature consisted of confluent linear erythema along the dermatomes previously involved by the herpes zoster episode. Histopathologic study demonstrated small foci of spongiosis, vacuolar changes involving the basal layer of the epidermis and single necrotic keratinocytes scattered within the epidermis. The papillary dermis appeared oedematous and with dilated blood capillaries surrounded by a sparse inflammatory infiltrate composed mainly of lymphocytes. Serial sections failed to demonstrate cytologic changes of herpes varicella zoster infection. We interpreted this case as an example of recall dermatitis because the widespread cutaneous eruption secondary to aciclovir was more intense in skin previously compromised by herpes varicella zoster infection. To the best of our knowledge, recall dermatitis has not been described before at the site of previous involvement by herpes zoster.
When isolated rat liver nuclei were treated with platelet-activating factor (PAF), a rapid increase in the mass of diacylglycerol (DAG) occurred. This effect was dose- and time-dependent. The maximum effect was observed after 1 min of 10(-7) M PAF treatment. A concomitant decrease of polyphosphoinositides and phosphatidic acid (PA) levels was observed. PAF-induced DAG accumulation was inhibited by the treatment with WEB 2086 or PCA-4248, specific PAF-receptor antagonists. This result may suggest that PAF exerts its action in the nucleus through specific nuclear PAF binding sites. The findings described herein are due to the activation of phospholipase C, as the results from experiments using U73122, a phospholipase C inhibitor, indicate. These are the first data on the action of
Pseudosclerodermatous panniculitis is an unusual variant of panniculitis that results as a complication of megavoltage radiotherapy. Four women developed this unusual entity on the anterior chest and abdominal skin after receiving megavoltage therapy for either breast carcinoma or painful bone metastases from breast carcinoma. Histopathologically, the epidermis and dermis of the involved area showed little or no evidence of radiodermatitis. The main findings were confined to the subcutaneous tissue and consisted of thickened, sclerotic septa composed of both thick and thin collagen bundles, and a lobular panniculitis characterized by lipophagic granulomas and scattered lymphocytes and plasma cells. Additionally, one of the cases showed markedly dilated vascular spaces with the appearance of lymphatics in the upper part of the dermis. Pseudosclerodermatous panniculitis after irradiation is an unusual cutaneous complication of megavoltage radiotherapy that should be distinguished from subcutaneous metastatic disease, cellulitis, or connective tissue diseases involving the subcutaneous fat. The differential diagnosis can be established on the basis of the characteristic histopathologic features of postirradiation pseudosclerodermatous panniculitis.
Olmsted syndrome is a rare disorder that consists of sharply marginated keratoderma of the palms and soles, constriction of digits and toes that may result in spontaneous amputation of the distal phalanges, hyperkeratotic plaques around the body orifices, onychodystrophy, and other less common cutaneous and extracutaneous anomalies. Although some patients had other affected family members, most cases of Olmsted syndrome seem to be of sporadic occurrence. We describe a patient with the characteristic features of Olmsted syndrome. The symptoms consisted of diffuse transgrediens palmoplantar keratoderma and keratotic plaques around the mouth and nose. Our patient also had the associated anomalies of hyperhidrosis of the palms and soles and congenital deaf-mutism. Histopathologic study of the keratoderma demonstrated epidermal hyperplasia with acanthosis, papillomatosis, and orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis. Immunohistochemical study showed more basal and suprabasal keratinocytes of the epidermis with immunoreactivity for Ki-67 marker when compared with the keratinocytes of the epidermis of the adjacent non-involved skin. These results support the notion that Olmsted syndrome is a hyperproliferative disorder of the epidermis.
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OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine ulcer healing and H. pylori eradication rates obtained with triple therapy (omeprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin). Ulcer relapsing rate one year after eradication was also assessed. Maintenance therapy with placebo was compared with ranitidine therapy and the effect of eradication on histological variables of the gastric mucosa was studied. METHODS: A prospective, double-blind parallel study was performed in 85 patients endoscopically diagnosed of duodenal ulcer H. pylori positive. Patients were randomized to a 7-days triple therapy (group A) or omeprazole plus antibiotic placebo (group B). All patients were treated only with omeprazole for the next three weeks. Patients with ulcer healing after treatment were entered in a one-year follow up phase with ranitidine placebo (group A) or ranitidine (group B). Endoscopy and biopsies were performed at baseline, after treatment (5 weeks) and after 12 months of follow-up or when relapsing symptoms appeared. RESULTS: Healing rate was 90.2% in group A and 85.7% in group B. Eradication rate was 78% in group A and 0% in group B. Out of 37 healed patients in group A, eradication was achieved in 29 and only one relapse was found (3.4%). Three out of eight patients with healing but without eradication relapsed at 12 months (35%) (p < 0.05). Histopathological results showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between eradicated and non eradicated patients in terms of severity of inflammation and intestinal metaplasia, but not in terms of atrophy. CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori eradication is useful to prevent ulcer relapse and to improve gastric mucosa status.
A rapid switch between growth and shrinkage at microtubule ends is fundamental for many cellular processes. The main structural components of microtubules, the alphabeta-tubulin heterodimers, are generated through a complex folding process where GTP hydrolysis [Fontalba et al. (1993) J. Cell Sci. 106, 627-632] and a series of molecular chaperones are required [Sternlicht et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90, 9422-9426; Campo et al. (1994) FEBS Lett. 353, 162-166; Lewis et al. (1996) J. Cell Biol. 132, 1-4; Lewis et al. (1997) Trends Cell Biol. 7, 479-484; Tian et al. (1997) J. Cell Biol. 138, 821-823]. Although the participation of the cofactor proteins along the tubulin folding route has been well established in vitro, there is also evidence that these protein cofactors might contribute to diverse microtubule processes in vivo [Schwahn et al. (1998) Nature Genet. 19, 327-332; Hirata et al. (1998) EMBO J. 17, 658-666; Fanarraga et al. (1999) Cell Motil. Cytoskel. 43, 243-254]. Microtubule dynamics, crucial during mitosis, cellular motility and intracellular transport processes, are known to be regulated by at least four known microtubule-destabilizing proteins. OP18/Stathmin and XKCM1 are microtubule catastrophe-inducing factors operating through different mechanisms [Waters and Salmon (1996) Curr. Biol. 6, 361-363; McNally (1999) Curr. Biol. 9, R274-R276]. Here we show that the tubulin folding cofactor D, although it does not co-polymerize with microtubules either in vivo or in vitro, modulates microtubule dynamics by sequestering beta-tubulin from GTP-bound alphabeta-heterodimers.
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