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Biomedical subjects

S Moreno

Publications and source records attributed to S Moreno.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources

Lemierre's disease: postanginal bacteremia and pulmonary involvement caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum.

The combination of acute pharyngotonsillitis, neck pain, fever, and pulmonary septic emboli caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum in a healthy young person is extremely rare. The entity was described by Lemierre in 1936 as a typical syndrome easy to recognize and diagnose exclusively on clinical grounds. A case of Lemierre's disease is reported, and 10 other cases found in the medical literature are reviewed.

Adolescent↗

Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) as an opportunistic infection in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus in Spain.

In an area endemic for visceral leishmaniasis, 16 patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection developed the disease. All belonged to populations at risk for AIDS (15 were intravenous drug abusers). Five patients fulfilled the criteria for full-blown AIDS, and two more fulfilled them after diagnosis of leishmaniasis. All presented with the classic manifestations of visceral leishmaniasis, but leishmania serology was negative in 15 patients (93%). Leishmania donovani amastigotes were identified in the bone marrow in all cases. Most patients responded initially to treatment with pentavalent antimonial drugs, but seven (43%) followed a chronic course, with multiple relapses in five, despite alternative treatments. Visceral leishmaniasis occurred in patients with different levels of depression of the CD4 to CD8 lymphocyte ratio. Mortality was 37% (six patients) and was independent of the chronic-relapsing course of the disease. In no case was leishmaniasis the primary cause of death. Our data establish that visceral leishmaniasis is an opportunistic infection in HIV-infected patients, and we suggest that in endemic areas it should be considered an indicator disease for the diagnosis of AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Endocarditis due to ampicillin-resistant nontyphoid Salmonella: cure with a third-generation cephalosporin.

A case of ampicillin-resistant salmonella bacteremia complicated by endocarditis in a 78-year-old man is presented. Previous rheumatic valvular heart disease and the lack of response to initial treatment with chloramphenicol prompted us to consider this diagnosis. There was a good clinical response after treatment with ceftriaxone alone and corresponding improvement on the echocardiogram. This case demonstrates the possible endovascular complications of salmonella bacteremia in elderly people and that endocarditis should be included among the invasive infections due to ampicillin-resistant Salmonella that could potentially be treated with the newer cephalosporins.

Aged↗

Listeriosis in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

Although resistance to Listeria monocytogenes infection requires intact T cell-mediated immunity, only 20 patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and listeriosis (including one patient described herein) have been reported to date. Listeriosis developed before AIDS in five cases. Syndromes included meningitis in nine cases, bacteremia in nine, brain abscess in one, and endocarditis in one. Eighteen patients were treated with ampicillin, penicillin, or amoxicillin with or without aminoglycosides. Clinical and microbiologic responses were obtained in one patient with bacteremia treated with vancomycin and in one patient with meningitis treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Three of the nine patients with meningitis died, as did the patient with brain abscess. All nine patients with bacteremia and the patient with endocarditis survived. No case of relapse was documented. L. monocytogenes, although uncommon, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of febrile illness, meningitis, and brain abscess in patients with HIV infection.

Adult↗

A clinical study of the combination of 100 mg ritonavir plus 800 mg indinavir as salvage therapy: influence of increased plasma drug levels in the rate of response.

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of indinavir (IDV) in a twice daily dosing regimen with coadministration of 100 mg ritonavir (RTV) and to explore the influence of plasma drug levels in the rate of virologic response. METHOD: We performed a prospective study of 59 patients who switched to a salvage regimen with two nucleoside analogs plus the combination of 100 mg RTV plus 800 mg IDV twice daily. Pharmacokinetics of IDV and RTV were assessed in 11 patients. RESULTS: Previous antiretroviral exposure was 44 months, and 78% and 39% of patients had previously failed regimens with either IDV or RTV. Median CD4 count was 248 x 10(6)/L and HIV load was 3.9 log(10) copies/mL. The median number of mutations in the protease gene was 9 (3-14), predominantly at residues 82 (53%), 90 (42%), and 46 (32%). After 24 weeks, 61% of patients had a viral load decrease greater than 1 log(10), and 38% had a viral load below 50 copies/mL. Nephrolitiasis, hematuria, or flank pain was observed in 13 patients (22%), leading to withdrawal in six cases (10%). IDV trough levels were well above the IC(95) (median 1.75 mg/L, interquartile range 1.07-2.57), but RTV trough levels were below the IC(95) in 88% of patients. There was a close correlation between higher peak levels of IDV, virological response, and renal toxicity. CONCLUSION: RTV/IDV 100/800 mg in a twice daily dosing regimen is associated with a significant virological response in patients with antiretroviral treatment failure. The correlation between plasma drug levels, toxicity, and response suggests the usefulness of individualized drug monitoring.

Anti-HIV Agents↗

Limitations of a simplification antiretroviral strategy for HIV-infected patients with decreasing adherence to a protease inhibitor regimen.

PURPOSE: To determine the long-term efficacy of a simplification strategy in the clinical setting when used to improve adherence. METHOD: Prospective study of 70 patients included in a regimen with ddI plus 3TC plus an NNRTI, after viral suppression with a PI-containing regimen, due to decreasing adherence. Adherence to PI was calculated as the percentage of doses taken last week before inclusion, and patients were stratified as high and low adherence (95% and <95% of doses). RESULTS: Overall, 19 patients (27%) related adherence to PI <95% at inclusion (6 patients [9%], with adherence <80%). Mean adherence improved, with only 8% of patients presenting values <95%. At 104 weeks, 88% of patients on therapy had viral load suppression, but only 43% by ITT analysis. The main cause of therapy change or withdrawal was toxicity or drug interactions (26%). Notably, 16% of patients were lost to follow-up or left therapy, especially in the group of initially low adherent (26% vs. 12%, p = .02). CONCLUSION: The use of a simplification strategy could be associated with long-term high risk of treatment failure, when used to improve adherence in the clinical setting.

Adult↗

[Epidemiology of neurosensorial deafness in the Foral Community of Navarra].

Congenital deafness is a relatively frequent disorder that shows a heterogeneous aetiology. Knowledge and the control of some risk factors have decreased the incidence of acquired deafness and increased the relative importance of genetic cause. In an attempt to investigate the clinical relevance of congenital deafness and the mechanisms of prevention in our population, a clinical and genetic study of cases with neurosensorial deafness born in Navarra between 1975 and 1990 was carried out. A total of eighty-one cases were identified, giving an incidence of 0.8 per thousand. Thirty per cent of the cases showed deafness associated with defects. Cause of deafness was identified in seventy per cent of the cases with whom a detailed clinical and genetic study could be performed (n=50). Genetic factors were responsible for the disorder in more than half of these cases. The most frequent hereditary factor was of the autosomic recessive type. This was associated with a more severe form of hearing loss.

English Abstract↗

[Genetic mechanisms in the hereditary predisposition to colorectal cancer].

A proportion of colorectal cancers shows some type of genetic predisposition that can be recognised in clinical practice. From the classical dominant inheritance pattern of familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, through the recessive transmission of the MYH associated polyposis, to the new syndromes of the "serrated pathway" or low-penetrance alleles, the discovery of new genes and a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of action of already-known ones are enabling us to understand new aspects of the colorectal carcinogenesis. This is throwing a new light on some of the observed familial aggregation patterns which had remained unexplained.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗

Endometrial and endocervical brushing techniques with a Medhosa cannula.

A new technique for obtaining endometrial material using the Medhosa Cannula is described. This method is also useful to obtain samples from the endocervix. The Medhosa Cannula is made of flexible plastic. It is 30 cm long and has thin fins on its distal end which, guided by an introduction cone, permit endometrial and endocervical brushing. Six hundred cases are reported. Concomitant histopathological studies were performed in 40 per cent of the patients. There were two false negative cytologic reports (0.88%) and one false positive (6.66%). This is a simple, rapid, innocuous and economical technique, thus fulfilling the prerequisites for routine cytodiagnostic methods. Adequate material was always obtained.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Phacomatosis pigmentokeratotica: another epidermal nevus syndrome and a distinctive type of twin spotting.

The name epidermal nevus syndrome could be applied to a group of clinically and histopathologically different entities as has been pointed out by Happle. Phacomatosis pigmentokeratotica is a further type of epidermal nevus syndrome distinguished by the presence of a sebaceous nevus and a contralateral speckled lentiginous nevus of the papular type, associated with skeletal or neurological abnormalities. Three new cases of this recently delineated syndrome are presented. A common origin may account for the temporal and spatial relationship between the epidermal and the speckled lentiginous nevus. The concept of melanocytic-epidermal twin spotting similar to the interpretation of vascular twin spotting could explain the pathogenesis of this entity.

Child↗

[Factorial and discriminant analyses of neuropsychological variables in familial and sporadic late onset Alzheimer disease].

INTRODUCTION: Prevalence of late onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) both familial and sporadic is increasing with the raising proportion of third-age population. There are evidences either supporting or rejecting the existence of differences in the behavior of neuropsychological variables between familial and sporadic cases of LOAD. OBJECTIVE: To identify neuropsychological variables discriminating between familial and sporadic cases of LOAD, in order to detect clinical manifestations that may provide information on the pathological process of the neurodegenerative process. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Using sequential sampling, we selected individuals affected by LOAD according to the criteria of the DSM-IV and NINCS-ADRDA. The following neuropsychological protocol was used: CERAD, Wisconsin, Phonological Fluency, Rey's Figure, Raven, A Cancellation Test, WAIS (Arithmetic); also used were: Global Deterioration Scale, Functional Assessment Staging of Reisberg (FAST), Barthel and Yesavage. Parametrical and non-parametrical univariate, factorial (principal components) and discriminant analyses were performed. In total, 52 patients were analyzed (average age: 74.8 years; mean age at onset of the disease: 69 years; time of disease's evolution: 5.7 years; average of educational level: 6.4 years). RESULTS: No significant statistical differences were found in clinical or neuropsychological variables between familial and sporadic cases of LOAD. Additionally, neither variables nor models were detected discriminating significantly between them. CONCLUSION: Familial and sporadic cases of LOAD present the same clinical and neuropsychological phenotype which makes very probable that sporadic cases are low penetrance familial ones.

Age of Onset↗

[Recommendation of GESIDA (AIDS Study Group)/National Plan on AIDS with respect to the anti-retroviral treatment in adult patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus in the year 2000 (I)].

OBJECTIVE: To update the recommendations for antiretroviral therapy in adult HIV-infected persons according to the new scientific advances and the existence of new antiretroviral drugs in the last two years. METHODS: The antiretroviral therapy recommendations have been condensed by a panel of experts from the Spanish AIDS Study Group (Grupo de Estudio de sida-GESIDA) of the Spanish Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Society (SEIMC) and from the Clinical Advisory Panel of the Secretariat of the Spanish National Plan on AIDS (SPNS) of the Ministry of Health. Three levels of evidence have been established depending if the data came from randomised and controlled studies, from cohort or case-control studies or from descriptive studies and expert opinions. For that purpose we have reviewed the advances in HIV pathophysiology and results of efficacy (clinical, virologic and immunologic) and security (toxicity) from clinical trials involving antiretroviral therapy lasting at least 12 months, from cohort studies and pharmacokinetic and security data of antiretroviral drugs, presented in international conferences or published in biomedical journals in the last two years. In each situation we have established either to recommend or to consider or not recommend antiretroviral therapy. RESULTS: Nowadays, antiretroviral therapy consisting of at least three drugs constitutes the election therapy for chronic HIV infection, since it delays clinical progression, increases significantly the survival and diminishes hospital admissions and associated costs. The decision to start antiretroviral therapy must be based upon three elements: presence or absence of symptoms, plasma viral load and CD4+ cells counts. Thus, in asymptomatic cases with a high CD4+ cells count (> 500/microL) and low viral load (< 10,000 copies/ml by branched DNA [bDNA] or < 20,000 copies/ml by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] or nucleic acid sequence based amplification [NASBA]) we recommend to delay antiretroviral therapy. In symptomatic patients we recommend to start it, and in asymptomatic patients, we could recommend or consider antiretroviral therapy initiation depending on the risk of progression, established by the viral load and the CD4+ cells count. In any case, if therapy is started, the objective must be to reach an undetectable viral load (< 50 copies/ml). The adherence to antiretroviral therapy plays a key role for its initial moment and for the duration of the antiviral response, antiretroviral therapy can achieve a restoration of cellular immunity in the advanced patients. There are few therapeutic options in failing patients due to cross-resistance. Resistance studies can be useful in this setting. The toxicity is a new and limiting factor of antiretroviral therapy which requires to look for new therapeutic options. Antiretroviral therapy criteria for acute infection, pregnancy, post-exposure prophylaxis and when to use resistance testing are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: In this moment, there is a more conservative attitude towards starting antiretroviral therapy than in previous recommendations in which a virus eradication was considered. On the other hand, the high number of disposable drugs, the more sensitive monitorization methods (plasma viral load) and the possibility of performing resistance studies make therapeutic strategies more dynamic and individualised for each patient and situation. In any case, it is mandatory to ensure a perfect adherence to antiretroviral therapy from the patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

[Clinical characteristics of hereditary cerebrovascular disease in a large family from Colombia].

INTRODUCTION: The cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is caused by mutations of the Notch3 gene in the chromosome 19p13.1. and is characterized by small-vessel disease of the cerebral. The clinical feature consists of migraine, recurrent strokes, mood changes and dementia. OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical phenotype of a Colombian family with hereditary cerebrovascular disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed one pedigree with 268 individuals, neurologic examination to 57 members and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to 25 of them. RESULTS: Clinical analysis strongly support the diagnosis of CADASIL because 12 individuals had suffered recurrent stroke, five of them later developed subcortical dementia. Two patients developed dementia without preceding stroke. All affected individuals by stroke or dementia whom were tested with MRI had white matter hyperintensities and subcortical infarcts (nine cases). Others seven individuals have MRI signal abnormalities like CADASIL, four of them are asymptomatic, one had suffered ischemic transient attacks and two had suffered migraine. Other 22 individuals had only migraine. We outstand the high frequency of MRI signal abnormalities in corpus callosum that we found in five individuals with stroke or dementia, the patient with ischemic transient attack and one asymptomatic patient, either the presence of hearing loss in seven individuals with stroke or dementia. CONCLUSIONS: We describe one large family with hereditary cerebrovascular disease characterized by recurrent strokes, subcortical dementia, hearing loss, migraine, and MRI signal abnormalities typed leukoencephalopathy, subcortical infarcts and alterations in corpus callosum. Clinical analysis strongly support the diagnosis of CADASIL.

Adult↗

[Group B streptococcal infections in adults, excluding genital infections].

Group B streptococcus (GBS) or Streptococcus agalactiae is recognized as a mayor cause of neonatal meningitis, sepsis and infections during pregnancy. However, in recent years there have been several reports concerning GBS infections in non pregnant adult population, specially in immunocompromised hosts and in patients with severe underlying diseases such as diabetes mellitus and cancer. We report a series of 45 cases which occurred in nonpregnant adult population during a period of two years. The average age was 50.8 years and most patients (38/44) had one or more risk factors: diabetes mellitus was the most significant underlying disease. The most frequent infection localization was skin and soft tissues followed by urinary tract infection. Several isolated cases of pneumonia, bacteremia, endocarditis, endometritis and peritonitis were observed. GBS infections should no longer be exclusively considered as perinatal and peripartum events. New clinical presentations are arising in non pregnant adult population with special incidence in immunocompromised hosts. We are obliged to keep this in mind and remember that SGB may be a possible etiologic agent for infections, particularly in skin and soft tissues of diabetic patients.

Adult↗

[A neuropsychological study of Huntington's disease in families in Antioquia, Colombia].

INTRODUCTION: Various neuropsychological studies have been conducted to determine the cognitive functioning of patients with Huntington s disease and their results have shown that the pattern of cognitive decline is thought to be typical of a frontal subcortical dementia. OBJECTIVES: To determine if significant differences exist between the cognitive performances of a group diagnosed with Huntington s disease and a group of healthy, at risk relatives on a series of neuropsychological tests, and to examine the extent to which the Huntington group s cognitive performance profile corresponds to frontal subcortical damage as reported in other studies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The sample was comprised of a group of 18 subjects with a clinical diagnosis of initial stage Huntington s disease and a group of 15 healthy relatives at risk for Huntington s disease. A battery of tests (the CERAD) and additional neuropsychological tests were administered to all subjects. RESULTS: Compared to the at risk group, the Huntington s disease group scored significantly lower on 85.41% of the tests. CONCLUSIONS: The neuropsychological tests utilized in this study were useful to discriminate between diagnosed and at risk groups. The Huntington s disease group s global neuropsychological profile was similar to that of a frontal subcortical dementia in which the predominant features include executive functioning deficits, memory problems, visuo constructive alterations, attention deficits, verbal fluency problems and naming deficits.

Adult↗

[Pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae].

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common causative agent of community acquired pneumonia. To assess its epidemiological, clinical and evolutive features in our area, we retrospectively analyzed 88 instances which occurred during 10 years. Both sexes were similarly involved, with a higher incidence in younger patients (mean age: 22 years). A clear seasonal predominance was not detected during the study period. In nearly one half of instance there were similar respiratory episodes in the same household. Cough was a constant symptom, followed by fever and headache. The absence of leukocytosis and the presence of cryoagglutinins were suggestive data. Pulmonary infiltration in the chest radiogram was unilateral in most cases, with a segmental distribution and predominating in the lower lobes. Hilar lymph nodes, pleural effusion and cavitation were present in a limited number of instances. All patients were cured without sequelae. The occurrence of particular epidemiological, clinical and laboratory data may be very helpful in suggesting the diagnosis of pneumonia due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Adolescent↗