Haemoglobin responses to transfusion in severe iron deficiency anaemia: potential impact of gastrointestinal disorders.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion may be justified in iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) when an increase in oxygen delivery is needed, as sometimes occurs in subjects with haemoglobin <8·0 mg/dL, serious comorbidities or at risk of cardiovascular instability. Earlier investigations showed that some patients with severe IDA requiring transfusion had lower than expected post-transfusion haemoglobin levels with poorer clinical outcomes than other patients. After hypothesizing that haemoglobin responses to transfusion were different and that the underlying gastrointestinal (GI) disorders causing IDA could be a confounder explaining this association, these responses were analysed in a prospective cohort of IDA adults referred for outpatient GI investigation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Transfused patients with proven IDA, baseline haemoglobin at referral <9·0 g/dL and no extraintestinal bleeding were eligible. To assess a homogeneous population, only GI disorders known to cause occult bleeding were considered. Haemoglobin increments per 100 mL of RBCs were investigated. RESULTS: In total, 2818 patients were enrolled over 10·5 years. On multivariable regression, diffuse angiodysplasias and GI cancer independently predicted for reduced increments in post-transfusion haemoglobin [adjusted regression coefficients: -0·082 (95% confidence interval, -0·093 to -0·072) and -0·073 (95% confidence interval, -0·081 to -0·066), respectively, P < 0·001 in both]. Haemoglobin responses in the remaining bleeding disorders were adequate and agreed with the principle that one RBC unit increases the haemoglobin an average of 1 g/dL. CONCLUSION: The potential differential impact of GI disorders on changes in haemoglobin levels after RBC transfusion could be useful for transfusing physicians, especially for diagnostic purposes.

Gender gap in medical care in ST segment elevation myocardial infarction networks: Findings from the Catalan network Codi Infart. / Brecha de género en los cuidados médicos en las redes de atención al infarto agudo de miocardio con elevación del segmento ST: hallazgos de la red catalana Codi Infart.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of gender upon the prognosis and medical care in a regional acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction management network. DESIGN: An observational study was made of consecutive patients entered in a prospective database. SCOPE: The Catalan acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction management network. PATIENTS: Patients treated between January 2010 and December 2011. INTERVENTIONS: Primary angioplasty, thrombolysis or conservative management. VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Time intervals, proportion and type of reperfusion, overall mortality, and in-hospital complication and overall mortality at 30 days and one year were compared in relation to gender. RESULTS: Of the 5,831 patients attended by the myocardial infarction network, 4,380 had a diagnosis of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction, and 961 (21.9%) were women. Women were older (69.8±13.4 vs. 60.6±12.8 years; P<.001), had a higher prevalence of diabetes (27.1 vs. 18.1%, P<.001), Killip class>I (24.9 vs. 17.3%; P<.001) and no reperfusion (8.8 vs. 5.2%; P<.001) versus men. In addition, women had greater delays in medical care (first medical contact-to-balloon: 132 vs. 122min; P<.001, and symptoms onset-to-balloon: 236 vs. 210min; P<.001). Women presented higher percentages of overall in-hospital complications (20.6 vs. 17.4%; P=.031), in-hospital mortality (4.8 vs. 2.6%; P=.001), 30-day mortality (9.1 vs. 4.5%; P<.001) and one-year mortality (14.0 vs. 8.3%; P<.001) versus men. Nevertheless, after multivariate adjustment, no gender differences in 30-day and one-year mortality were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a higher risk profile and poorer medical management, women present similar 30-day and one-year outcomes as their male counterparts in the context of the myocardial infarction management network.

[Survival and neurological outcome in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests due to shockable rhythms treated with mild therapeutic hypothermia]. / Supervivencia y pronóstico neurológico en paradas cardiorrespiratorias extrahospitalarias por ritmos desfibrilables tratadas con hipotermia terapéutica moderada.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze survival and neurological outcome at short and medium term in patients treated with mild therapeutic hypothermia (HTM) in our hospital after suffering an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (CA) secondary to a shockable rhythm. DESIGN: Prospective, observational study from September 1, 2010 to December 31, 2012, with a follow up of 6 months. SETTING: Tertiary hospital. PATIENTS: All patients who suffer an out-of-hospital CA due to shockable rhythms. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: non-shockable rhythms, resuscitation >45 minutes without pulse recovery, septic shock, previous coagulopathy, terminal illness or order for withholding treatment. INTERVENTION: Mild hypothermia (33°C) and postresuscitation care on the basis of standardized protocols. MAIN VARIABLES: Demographic and epidemiological data, CA data and survival and neurological outcome at hospital discharge and after 6 months. To assess the patients' neurological status, Cerebral Performance Categories (CPC) scale was used. RESULTS: A total of 54 patients were analyzed. 37 patients were discharged to hospital, representing a survival at discharge of 68.5%, which remains 6 months later because no discharged patient died during the follow up period. Regarding neurological outcome, 44.4% of patients were alive and with CPC 1-2 at discharge and up to 54.71% at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: The results of survival and neurological functional status obtained in our center after implementation of HTM are comparable to those published in the literature.

Annular erythema in primary Sjogren's syndrome: description of 43 non-Asian cases.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to evaluate the prevalence and characterize the main epidemiological, clinical and immunological features of annular erythema (AE) in non-Asian patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). METHODS: We carried out a retrospective study searching for AE in 377 Spanish patients with primary SS fulfilling the 2002 American-European criteria. In addition, we searched PubMed (1994-2012) using the MeSH terms "annular erythema" and "primary Sjögren's syndrome" for additional cases. All cases with AE reported in patients with SS associated with systemic lupus erythematosus were excluded. RESULTS: In our Spanish cohort, we found 35 (9%) patients diagnosed with AE. All were white females, with a mean age of 47 years at diagnosis of AE. AE preceded diagnosis of SS in 27 (77%) patients. Cutaneous AE lesions involved principally the face and upper extremities. All patients reported photosensitivity, with cutaneous flares being reported during the warmest months in 93% of patients. Immunological markers consisted of anti-Ro/La antibodies in 31 (89%) patients. In the literature search, we identified eight additional non-Asian patients with primary SS diagnosed with AE. In comparison with 52 Asian patients, the 43 non-Asian patients with AE related to primary SS were more frequently women (100% vs 78%, p=0.008), and cutaneous lesions were less frequently reported in the face (55% vs 81%, p=0.045) and more frequently in the neck (40% vs 14%, p=0.041). Immunologically, non-Asian patients had a lower frequency of anti-Ro antibodies and a higher frequency of negative Ro/La antibodies, although the differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: AE is not an exclusive cutaneous feature of Asian patients with primary SS. In addition to the characteristic cutaneous expression, AE has a very specific clinical and immunological profile: often presenting before the fulfillment of SS criteria, overwhelmingly associated with anti-Ro antibodies but weakly associated with other immunological markers and the main systemic SS-related features.

White matter abnormalities in primary Sjögren syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the main characteristics of patients with primary Sjögren syndrome (SS) and white matter abnormalities (WMA) seen by a specialist SS unit. METHODS: The study cohort included 321 consecutive patients fulfilling the 2002 classification criteria for primary SS. We retrospectively analyzed the results of neuroimaging studies performed in patients who presented with neurological symptoms. Patients were further evaluated by three neurologists to determine fulfillment of the McDonald criteria for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). RESULTS: Fifty-one (16%) patients had at least one neuroimaging study, and 25 of these had WMA. WMA were classified as vascular pathological changes in 21 patients: 10 had multiple small focal lesions, 7 had beginning confluence of lesions and 4 had diffuse involvement of the entire region. WMA were classified as inflammatory/demyelinating lesions (MS-like) in 4 patients who fulfilled the MRI Barkhof criteria. Patients with inflammatory/demyelinating lesions were younger (53.7 vs. 73.5 years, P = 0.001) and had a lower frequency of hypertension (25% vs. 86%, P = 0.031) and altered glomerular filtration rate (0% vs. 70%, P = 0.047) in comparison with patients with vascular lesions. The multivariate age-sex adjusted model including the seven variables which were statistically significant in the univariate analysis (antimalarial therapy, leukopenia, anti-La/SSB antibodies, diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome and HDL-c levels) identified hypertension (P = 0.019) and HDL-c levels (P = 0.032) as independent predictors of WMA in primary SS patients. CONCLUSION: Neuroimaging studies disclosed WMA in 49% of patients with primary SS and suspected neurological involvement. WMA were identified as vascular pathological changes in 80% of the patients, and hypertension and HDL-c levels as predictive factors for this association.

Cardiotoxicity of tyrosine-kinase-targeting drugs.

The development of the so-called "targeted therapies", particularly those drugs that inhibit the activity of tyrosine kinases, has become a remarkable progress in the treatment of neoplastic diseases. The small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) imatinib has revolutionized the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia, and trastuzumab, the humanized monoclonal antibody against the ERBB2 receptor tyrosine kinase, has proved to have a high efficacy in 25% of breast cancers. On the basis of treatment success it is expected that targeted therapies will spread its use in the future. Recent data has shown that some of these therapies are associated with certain cardiotoxicity ranging from asymptomatic mild left ventricular dysfunction to congestive heart failure through different mechanisms. However, rates of cardiotoxicity associated with TKI are not well known mainly because clinical trials usually do not include predefined cardiac endpoints or the assessment of left ventricular function before and during treatment. In addition, it is especially difficult to diagnose heart failure in patients with some kinds of cancer who have many reasons to develop dyspnoea. Here we summarize what is known up to date about the cardiotoxicity of drugs targeting the tyrosine kinases. Being aware of the risk of using these drugs is particularly important to early detect and institute the appropriate treatment to prevent irreversible myocardial injury, especially when some neoplastic diseases, as haematological or breast cancers, can affect to young people with an estimated long-term survival.

Differences in the risk of cervical cancer and human papillomavirus infection by education level.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer risk is associated with low education even in an unscreened population, but it is not clear whether human papillomavirus (HPV) infection follows the same pattern. METHODS: Two large multicentric studies (case-control studies of cervical cancer and HPV prevalence survey) including nearly 20 000 women. GP5+/GP6+ PCR was used to detect HPV. RESULTS: Education level was consistently associated with cervical cancer risk (odds ratio (OR) for 0 and >5 years vs 1-5 years=1.50, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.25-1.80 and 0.69, 95% CI: 0.57-0.82, respectively, P for trend <0.0001). In contrast, no association emerged between education level and HPV infection in either of the two IARC studies. A majority of the women studied had never had a Pap smear. The association between low education level and cervical cancer was most strongly attenuated by adjustment for age at first sexual intercourse and first pregnancy. Parity and screening history (but not lifetime number of sexual partners, husband's extramarital sexual relationships, and smoking) also seemed to be important confounding factors. CONCLUSION: The excess of cervical cancer found in women with a low socio-economic status seems, therefore, not to be explained by a concomitant excess of HPV prevalence, but rather by early events in a woman's sexually active life that may modify the cancer-causing potential of HPV infection.

[Late amniotic fluid embolism among the diferential diagnosis of acute respiratory failure in the postpartum: case report and review]. / Embolia tardía de líquido amniótico como diagnóstico diferencial de la insuficiencia respiratoria aguda en el posparto: caso clínico y revisión.

The amniotic fluid embolism is an uncommon condition with a high mortality. The cardinal symptoms are hypoxia, hypotension, altered mental status and disseminated intravascular coagulation. This syndrome occurs during delivery or in the immediate postpartum period, and its onset in the late postpartum is very unusual. We describe a case of a primigravida who, after an uneventful delivery, suffers an acute respiratory failure in the late postpartum period. Exclusion of other causes of acute respiratory failure occurring during delivery or in the postpartum period led to establish the diagnosis.

Combination of clinical risk profile, early exercise testing and circulating biomarkers for evaluation of patients with acute chest pain without ST-segment deviation or troponin elevation.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the combination of clinical data, exercise testing and biomarkers for the evaluation of patients with chest pain without ST-segment deviation or troponin elevation. DESIGN: Prospective cohort design. SETTTING: Two teaching hospitals in Spain. PATIENTS: 422 patients presenting to the emergency department were studied. Leukocyte count, C-reactive protein (CRP), pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were determined. A validated clinical risk score (number of points according to pain characteristics and risk factors) was used for clinical evaluation and early exercise testing was performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Adverse events (death, myocardial infarction or revascularisation) during a median 60 weeks follow-up. RESULTS: By receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the association between death or myocardial infarction and adverse events was not significant with leukocyte count (p = 0.3, p = 0.3) or CRP (p = 0.5, p = 0.8), was borderline significant with PAPP-A (p = 0.07, p = 0.04) and strongly significant with NT-pro-BNP (p = 0.0001, p = 0.0001). By Cox regression including clinical risk score, exercise testing result and biomarkers, exercise testing was the independent predictor of revascularisation (p = 0.0001), whereas risk score (p = 0.03) and NT-proBNP (p = 0.0004) predicted death or myocardial infarction. The inclusion of NT-proBNP improved the accuracy of the model for death or myocardial infarction (C-statistic 0.84 versus 0.76, p = 0.01). The combination of clinical score and NT-proBNP afforded the stratification in high (17.2%, p = 0.0001), intermediate (5.3%) and low (1.1%) risk categories of death or myocardial infarction. CONCLUSIONS: NT-proBNP provides incremental prognostic information above that given by clinical history and exercise testing in patients with chest pain without ST-segment deviation and negative troponin.

Infections in systemic lupus erythematosus: a prospective and controlled study of 110 patients.

We decided to analyse the incidence and characteristics of infection in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and determine the related risks factors. One-hundred and ten SLE patients and 220 controls were prospectively followed up over three years and all the infectious episodes were recorded. A case-control design was established to identify risk factors of infection. Thirty-nine SLE patients suffered at least one infection (36%) versus 53 controls (22%), RR = 1.63 (P < 0.05). The incidence of urinary infections, pneumonia and bacteraemia without known focus was significantly greater in SLE. E. coli was the chief isolated microorganism (21.3%). In the univariate analysis, nephritis, SLE activity, leucopenia, anti-dsDNA levels above 20 IU/mL, CH50 levels under 300 IU/mL, ever use of steroids, daily dose of prednisone higher than 10 mg and ever use of cyclophosphamide were significantly associated with infection. In the multivariate analysis, total serum complement levels below 300 UU/mL and a daily dose of prednisone above 20 mg during at least one month plus ever use of cyclophosphamide were found to be significant (P < 0.0001). We conclude that patients with SLE have an increased overall risk for infection and they are especially prone to develop urinary infection, pneumonia and bacteraemia without focus. Hypocomplementaemia represents an independent predictive factor for infection. It seems mandatory to closely follow up SLE patients with low complement levels and instruct them to report any suspicious sign of infection, especially in those receiving more than 20 mg/day of prednisone who have also been administered cyclophosphamide.

[Having diabetes without knowing it]. / Tener diabetes y no saberlo. Cribaje de diabetes desconocida en una muestra oportunista de población residente en Cataluña.

As part of the activities on the World Day for Diabetes in 2002, nine professors, one nurse who teaches about diabetes and 126 nursing students at University Schools of Nursing in Barcelona, Lleida, Tarragona, Tortosa and Girona, in collaboration with the Association of Diabetics in Catalonia and with the help of the Advisory Council for Diabetes in Catalonia participated in a diabetes screening campaign on the population residing in Catalonia. This campaign studied the prevalence of type two diabetes in a random sample of the Catalan population. This campaign also proposed to raise the awareness among the general population and among nursing students about the important health consequences diabetes has and to increase investigation and social support measures by nurses related to diabetes. This study checked 4083 persons and discovered 77 cases of altered blood-sugar levels among people who did not know they had diabetes. This finding means that there is a 2.2% prevalence of altered blood-sugar levels in the population who are not diagnosed diabetics. Professors and student participants all gave this experience positive marks and the students' degree of satisfaction was very high.

Lifetime body mass index and risk of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer by smoking and drinking habits.

The influence of body mass index (BMI) on oral cancer risk was evaluated in 375 incident cases and 375 age-gender-matched hospital-based controls. Low BMIs at diagnosis and 2 years before diagnosis were associated with significantly elevated odds ratios (OR for BMI < or =22 vs >26 kg m(-2); 3.64; 95% confidence interval, CI: 2.27-5.82 and 3.31; 95% CI: 2.04-5.39, respectively). The association with low BMI, however, tended to be weaker and nonsignificant among never smokers and never drinkers.

Platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa blockers for percutaneous coronary revascularization, and unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: During percutaneous coronary revascularisation (i.e. coronary angioplasty (PTCA) with or without stent implantation), and in unstable angina/non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, the risk of acute vessel occlusion by thrombosis is high in spite of treatment with aspirin and heparin. GP IIb/IIIa antagonists inhibit platelet aggregation and may prevent mortality and myocardial infarction. OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and safety of GP IIb/IIIa blockers during percutaneous coronary revascularisation, and in patients with unstable angina/non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Library (issue 1, 2000), MEDLINE (1966 to June 2001), EMBASE (1980 to Nov 1999), reference list of articles, medical websites and handsearch among abstracts from cardiology congresses. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials comparing intravenous GP IIb/IIIa blockers with standard medical treatment during percutaneous coronary revascularisation, and in patients with unstable angina/non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: A list of titles and abstracts was screened separately by two reviewers who assessed trial quality and extracted data. MAIN RESULTS: Percutaneous coronary revascularisation: Fourteen trials involving 17,788 patients were included. GP IIb/IIIa blockers were associated with decreased mortality at 30 days (OR 0.71 (95% CI 0.52, 0.97)) but not at 6 months (OR 0.85 (0.66, 1.11)). Mortality or infarction was decreased both at 30 days (OR 0.62 (0.55, 0.70); ARR: 31 per 1,000), and at 6 months (OR 0.65 (0.58, 0.73); ARR: 38 per 1,000)), but severe bleeding was increased (10 per 1,000; OR 1.38 (1.04, 1.85)). Unstable angina/non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: Eight trials involving 30,006 patients were included. GP IIb/IIIa blockers were not associated with decreased mortality at 30 days (OR 0.90 (0.80, 1.02)) or at 6 months (OR: 1.01 (0.88, 1.16)). Mortality or infarction was decreased at 30 days (OR 0.91 (0.85, 0.98); ARR: 13 per 1,000)) and at 6 months (OR 0,88 (0.81, 0.95); ARR: 13 per 1,000)), although severe bleeding was increased (1 per 1,000; OR 1.27 (1.12, 1.44)). REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous GP IIb/IIIa blockers reduce the risk of death at 30 days and markedly that of death or MI at 30 days and 6 months in patients submitted to percutaneous coronary revascularisation at a price of a moderate increased risk of severe bleeding. In contrast, in patients with unstable angina/non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, these agents do not reduce mortality, only slightly reduce the risk of death or MI, and slightly increase the risk for severe bleeding.

[Management of myocardial infarction in Spain (1995-99). Data from the registry of the Ischaemic Heart Disease Working Group (RISCI) of the Spanish Society of Cardiology]. / Manejo del infarto de miiocardio en España (1995-99). Datos del registro de infartos de la sección de cardiopatía Isquémica y unidades coronarias (RISCI) de la Sociedad Española de Cardiología.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Limited information is available on how patients with myocardial infarction are treated in Spain. In order to make up for this deficiency, in October 1994, the Ischaemic Heart Disease Working Group of the Spanish Society of Cardiology initiated a myocardial infarction registry, which is currently active. METHODS: Patients are recruited from hospitals with intensive coronary care facilities. Demographic characteristics coronary risk factors and previous conditions are collected, as well as clinical events, and diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed during the stay in the coronary care unit. RESULTS: From 1995 to 1999, 28,357 patients were registered. During this period the mean age increased slightly (from 64.4 +/- 12.2 to 65.2 +/- 12.7; p < 0.001), although the male proportion remained stable (from 76.7% to 77.1%). The median "onset of symptoms-hospital arrival for 1st emergency" time fell from 135 min to 120 min, and the median "onset of symptoms-needle" time from 180 to 175 (NS). The use of thrombolytic therapy did not change (from 42.4 to 43.9%), but the use of aspirin (from 87.4 to 91.7%), beta-blockers (from 32.7 to 39.6%) and angiotensin-converting inhibitors (from 27.9 to 34.8%) increased significantly (p < 0.001). The Swan-Ganz catheter and the intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation were rarely placed during the five years (4.2% and 1.2% respectively in 1999). Both early mortality (11.4 to 9.3%) and the median duration of intensive coronary care stay declined, in these 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: In Spain, during the 1995-1999 period, the use of aspirin, beta-blockers, and angiotensin-converting inhibitors increased significantly during the acute phase of infarction in the coronary care unit. However, both the usage of thrombolytic therapy and the delay between the onset of symptoms and therapy initiation remained unchanged. At the same time, the length of stay in the coronary care unit and early mortality declined, although the clinical profile of the patients did not improve.