Biomedical subjects

Milagros Dávalos

Publications and source records attributed to Milagros Dávalos.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

[DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC COLONOSCOPY IN PEDIATRICS]

Gastrointestinal bleeding in childhood is an uncommon problem, althought when it happens it maybe an emergency. Upper bleeding predominates, and when we consider lower bleeding, the principal cause are polyps. Recent evidence points out that polyps are responsible for bleeding in 77% of cases.We decided to study the clinical course, histologic characteristics and treatment in children with lower gastrointestinal bleeding. This investigation was held at Edgardo Rebagliati National Hospital during 1990 to 1996. Inclusion criteria were: younger than 14 years, gastrointestinal bleeding, and colonoscopy exam.100 colonoscopies were done in 74 children. Polyps were the cause for gastrointestinal bleeding in 71.6% of cases. In 14 children more than one colonoscopy was done. More than one polyp in 16 children were found. Ulcerative colitis was diagnosed in two cases, and intestinal tuberculosis in other two cases. Average age was 8.8 years, and 100% presented rectorragia and anemia.Polyps were located principally in rectum and sigmoid. Polipectomy was done in 94.34% of the cases, and it was technically succesful. We had only one complication (snare wire was trapped) but with no morbidity.Histological examination demonstrated that juvenile polyp was the most frequent type (56.66%), followed by tubular adenoma (11.32%), and Peutz-Jegher polyp in 3.77%. Treatment was polipectomy in all cases. Eleven procedures were done in the surgical room, and 19 in the endoscopy unit, with no complications in any of the cases.CONCLUSION: In children the main cause for lower gastrointestinal bleeding are polyps. All cases present with rectorragia or anemia, and juvenile polyps are the most frequent type. Colonoscopy is a safe method for diagnosis and treatment, which can be done in the endoscopy unit with mild sedation and with an anesthesist or pediatrician as assistants.

Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS]

At present, the relation between alcoholic consumption and the development of hepatic injury is clearly defined. However, the influence of genetic factors, the existence of associated pathologies, and the concomitant use of other hepatotoxic agents should also be considered.During chronic drunkenness, great quantities of oxygen free radicals are produced, redox balance is disturbed, and the defensive capacity of natural antioxidants is exceeded. All these factors originate an "oxidative stress," that totally distorts the hepatocellular function. Llkewise, an increase in the acetaldehyde intracellular concentration modifies several cellular proteins, deteriorating even more the hepatic activity. The importance of the "neo-antigens" between cellular components and acetaldehyde is still undefined, as well as their role in the formation of the Mallory Bodies.On the other hand, the complex network of intercellular and intracellular communications that includes cytokines, adherence molecules and membrane receptors are essential elements to be considered in the alcoholic liver disease genesis. The endotoxin, the TNF-a, the IL-8, as well as the ROIs production seem to be the most important factors.With reference to Alcoholic Hepatitis, the development of an exaggerated inflammatory response with the existence of neutrophiles may be the main mechanism of hepatocellular injury (82, 167, 168.)The final diagnosis of Alcoholic Hepatitis is histological. This also enables to measure the injury severity and to determine the presence of fibrosis and/or cirrhosis, in which case prognosis is more uncertain.Should a history of exaggerated alcoholic ingestion exist, diagnosis could be clinically determined. There is a great variability of clinical symptoms, and some patients present chronic liver disease complications frequently. Those who develop severe liver insufficiency will present leukocytosis, icterus and fever. In these cases, mortality can be as high as 80 per cent. There is no relationship between the alteration of liver function tests and the injury severity.The usefulness of antioxidants in cirrhosis has been demonstrated in animal modeis and in some studies made in human voluntarles. However, their role as therapy within the context of Alcoholic Hepatitis has not been yet defined.In conclusion, several therapeutic approaches have been investigated and from all of them, only steroids have proven to be effective on patients properly selected. The discriminative function (DF) benefit has been confirmed in certain studies. Should a patient have a DIF of more than 93, he/she may receive corticosterold treatment. Contral ndicati ons are a bsol ute when the patientpresents infection, renal insufficiency or gastrointestinal bleeding.Once the patient has been compensated, ABSTINENCE is essential. Likewise, an appropriate nutritional support is an important part of the treatment.Where the possibility of Liver Transplant exists, this should be planned if there is a deterioration of the patient's general condition or if he/she compiles with the necessary criteria, since the survival rate in these cases is similar to those who received a transpiant due to other causes.

Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[ENDOSCOPIC INJECTION TREATMENT OF BLEEDING PEPTIC ULCER]

BACKGROUND: Objectives were two. (1) to determine theefficiency of the endoscopic injection therapy (EIT) in patients suffering from bleeding caused by peptic ulcer disease with high risk of recurrence, and (2) to recognize clinical and endoscopical risk factors that influence recurrence of hemorrhage and mortality from this pathology. METHODS: This is a retrospective study that included 121 patients, who were admitted by a unit specialized in managing gastrointestinal hemorrhage owing to peptic ulcer with active bleeding or non-bleeding visible vessel, and who underwent EIT with epinephrine between March, 1994 and February, 1996.RESULTS: Initial success was achieved in 119 patients who underwent EIT (99,1%). Bleeding persisted in one patient (0,9%), and in another one, EIT was not sucessful because of inaccessible location. Definite hemostasis was achieved in 93 patients (77,5%) and there was recurrence in 28 cases (23,5%). Twenty-six patients underwent surgical therapy (21,5%). The univariable analysis showed that hemorrhage recurrence was related to the presence of shock (p = 0,002), hematemesis (p = 0,2), age over 60 (p = 0,009), number of blood units transfused (p = 0,00000) and ulcer diameter larger than 2 cm (p = 0,018). The global mortality in our patients was of 10%, and surgical mortality was of 34,6%. Factors significantly related to mortality were hemorrhage recurrence (p = 0,000003), presence of concomitant disease (p = 0,05), and presence of gastric ulcer (p = 0,021), in addition to age (over 60), presence of shock and ulcer diameter larger than 2 cm (p = 0,05).CONCLUSION: EIT is a valuable procedure for the treatment of hemorrhage caused by peptic ulcer with high risk of recurrence (active hemorrhage or visible vessel), with a definite hemostasis of 77,5%. The presence of shock, hematemesis, age over 60, transfusion requirements of more than 3 blood units, and ulcer diameter of more than 2 cm are factors that increase the probability of hemorrhage recurrence after EIT. Mortality is significantly related to the presence of hemorrhage recurrence, concomitant diseases and gastric ulcer in addition to clinical and endoscopical factors mentioned above, with the exception of hematemesis and transfusion requirement. A prompt surgery after detection of a major bleeding recurrence in patients with the risk factor already described and a coordinate action with a surgery team experienced in digestive hemorrhage would influence favorably the mortality rate of this disease.

Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Autoimmune hepatitis: clinical forms and related factors to their response to treatment].

Chronic liver disease is a clinical entity of different origins. It is most frequently caused by viral infection and alcohol consumption. The entities of immunological origin are listed in third place including autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliar cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, as well as superposition syndromes. In Peru report of cases relating to autoimmune hepatitis are very few and its frequency is unknown. In 2002, autoimmune etiology represented 13% of all the cases admitted in the Hepathology Unit of Edgardo Rebagliati Martins National Hospital ("HNERM") for chronic hepatic disease. In this article, 30 cases of autoimmune hepatitis clinically and serologically diagnosed are reported. Biopsy was performed on 97% of the cases, of which 70% showed cirrhosis. The relationship F/M was 5/1, the average age was 48.59 years, and in 6.7% of the cases the initial picture was acute hepatic insufficiency. Antinuclear antibodies were found in 73.33%, smooth antimuscle antibodies in 43.33%, and antimitochondrial antibodies in 16.7%, with a coexistence of autoantibodies in 40%. The endoscopy performed revealed the presence of varices in 20% of the cases, but only one case of variceal hemorrhage. In most cases, therapy was initiated based on prednisone and azathioprine. Of 26 cases that were treated, 80% had an initial remission, 2 responded partially, and 3 did not respond. There were complications related to the treatment with immunosuppressants in 16.7% of the cases, and especially severe infections in 3 cases. In conclusion, autoimmune hepatitis is a substantial cause of chronic hepatic disease that has similar clinical characteristics to those reported in international medical journals. In most cases it responds to treatment with immunosuppressants. However, adequate follow-up is recommended to detect secondary complications in the treatment with immunosuppressants, especially in infections which represent a high risk of mortality in the immunosuppressed patient.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Hepatotoxicity and pancreatitis associated with gold salts: case report].

The case of a patient, 37 years old, born and resident of Lima, suffering rheumatoid arthritis who underwent treatment with prednisone, methotrexate, and chloroquine is reported. This therapy was substituted for gold salts one month before her admission. After the third dose she presented symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea, itching, and jaundice, associated with asthenia and a feverish sensation. Liver biochemistry demonstrated elevated transaminase, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, eosinophilia, inversion of the rate albumin/globulin, higher titer of immunoglobulin G, as well as an elevation of amylase and lipase. The anatomopathological study showed cholestasis, hepatocyte ballooning, spotty necrosis, predominantly in zone 3 of the acinus. These findings where found consistent with a toxic reaction.

Adult↗