[Normal variants with an epileptiform appearance in electroencephalograms. A literature review and clinical implications]. / Variantes normales de aspecto epileptiforme en el electroencefalograma. Revisión de la bibliografía e implicaciones clínicas.

Normal epileptiform-like variants or benign epileptiform variants are a diagnostic challenge in the interpretation of electroencephalograms, which require the knowledge and extensive experience of those responsible for the electroencephalographic report. They include a heterogeneous group of findings, some quite uncommon, initially related to epilepsy and various neurological conditions. Most of them are currently considered variants with no pathological significance, and their over-interpretation usually leads to misdiagnosis and the establishment of unnecessary treatments. Prevalence data are variable and usually come from selected populations, so they are difficult to extrapolate to a healthy population. Studies with invasive electrodes and recent series link some of these variants with epilepsy. We aim to review the characteristics and prevalence of the main benign epileptiform variants and to update their clinical significance.

TITLE: Variantes normales de aspecto epileptiforme en el electroencefalograma. Revisión de la bibliografía e implicaciones clínicas.Las variantes normales de aspecto epileptiforme, o variantes epileptiformes benignas, son un reto diagnóstico en la interpretación de los electroencefalogramas que requiere su conocimiento y una amplia experiencia por parte de los responsables del informe electroencefalográfico. Incluyen un grupo heterogéneo de hallazgos, algunos muy infrecuentes, que inicialmente se relacionaron con epilepsia y patologías neurológicas diversas. En la actualidad, la mayoría se consideran variantes sin significado patológico, y su sobreinterpretación habitualmente acarrea diagnósticos erróneos y tratamientos innecesarios. Los datos de prevalencia de estas variantes son muy diversos y proceden habitualmente de poblaciones seleccionadas, por lo que son difícilmente extrapolables a población sana. No obstante, estudios con electrodos invasivos y series más recientes vuelven a asociar algunas de estas variantes con epilepsia. Nuestro objetivo es revisar las características y la prevalencia de las principales variantes epileptiformes benignas y actualizar su significado clínico.

Co-infections and superinfections complicating COVID-19 in cancer patients: A multicentre, international study.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to describe the epidemiology, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of co-infections and superinfections in onco-hematological patients with COVID-19. METHODS: International, multicentre cohort study of cancer patients with COVID-19. All patients were included in the analysis of co-infections at diagnosis, while only patients admitted at least 48 h were included in the analysis of superinfections. RESULTS: 684 patients were included (384 with solid tumors and 300 with hematological malignancies). Co-infections and superinfections were documented in 7.8% (54/684) and 19.1% (113/590) of patients, respectively. Lower respiratory tract infections were the most frequent infectious complications, most often caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Only seven patients developed opportunistic infections. Compared to patients without infectious complications, those with infections had worse outcomes, with high rates of acute respiratory distress syndrome, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and case-fatality rates. Neutropenia, ICU admission and high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) were independent risk factors for infections. CONCLUSIONS: Infectious complications in cancer patients with COVID-19 were lower than expected, affecting mainly neutropenic patients with high levels of CRP and/or ICU admission. The rate of opportunistic infections was unexpectedly low. The use of empiric antimicrobials in cancer patients with COVID-19 needs to be optimized.

Mortalidad en fibrosis quística: análisis retrospectivo de cinco años en institución de alta complejidad: Medellín - Colombia / Cystic fibrosis mortality: retrospective analysis of five years in a highly complex institution: Medellín - Colombia

INTRODUCTION: cystic fibrosis (CF) is a chronic, progressive disease with multisystem involvement and high mortality. An early diagnosis and a multidisciplinary approach lead to longer survival and better quality of life. OBJECTIVE: to characterize the patients who died with CF diagnosis in the period between 2011 and 2017 in the Hospital Universitario San Vicente in Colombia. METHODOLOGY: descriptive study of case series, with retrospective data collection. Results: 168 patients with CF were found in follow-up at the institution during the study period, of which 17 died (10,1%). Eleven deaths corresponded to children under 15 years old (64.7%), with equal distribution of gender (women 52.9% and men 47.1%). The median age at diagnosis was 3 years and median death 12 years. The most frequent clinical compromise was sinopulmonary and gastrointestinal. Pulmonary hypertension occurred in 29.4%. All the patients had a severe functional and nutritional compromise and 82.4% were colonized by Pseudomona aeruginosa. None had multidisciplinary management and most had a low socioeconomic level. BiPAP was used as a palliative measure in 6 patients and all died from ventilatory failure. CONCLUSION: CF mortality in our population continues to present at an early age. The diagnosis of the disease is still made late, compared to developed countries. There was a high proportion of bacterial colonization of the airway and the patients presented a severe clinical and functional status before dying.

INTRODUCCIÓN: la fibrosis quística (FQ) es una enfermedad crónica, progresiva, con compromiso multisistémico y de alta mortalidad. Un diagnóstico temprano y un manejo multidisciplinario llevan a una mayor sobrevida y mejor calidad de vida. OBJETIVO: caracterizar los pacientes que fallecieron con diagnóstico de FQ en el periodo comprendido entre 2011 y 2017 en el Hospital Universitario San Vicente Fundación (HUSVF) de Colombia. METODOLOGÍA: estudio descriptivo de series de casos, con recolección de la información de forma retrospectiva. RESULTADOS: Se encontraron 168 pacientes con FQ en seguimiento en la institución durante el periodo del estudio, de los cuales 17 fallecieron (10.1%). Once muertes correspondieron a menores de 15 años (64.7%), hubo una distribución de género equitativa (mujeres 52.9% y hombres 47.1%). La mediana de edad al momento del diagnóstico fue de 3 años y la de muerte 12 años. El compromiso clínico más frecuente fue sinopulmonar y gastrointestinal. La hipertensión pulmonar se presentó en el 29.4%. Todos los pacientes tenían un grave compromiso funcional, nutricional y el 82,4% estaban colonizados por Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Ninguno tuvo manejo multidisciplinario y la mayoría presentaban un bajo nivel socieconómico. En 6 pacientes se utilizó BiPAP como medida paliativa y todos murieron por falla ventilatoria. CONCLUSIÓN: la mortalidad por FQ en nuestra población se sigue presentando a edades tempranas. El diagnóstico de la enfermedad aún se realiza de forma tardía, comparado con países desarrollados. Hubo alta proporción de colonización bacteriana de la vía aérea y los pacientes presentaron un estado clínico y funcional grave antes de morir.

[Benign late onset Parkinson's disease]. / Enfermedad de Parkinson senil benigna.

TITLE: Enfermedad de Parkinson senil benigna.

Reduced expression of galectin-1 and galectin-9 by leucocytes in asthma patients.

Accumulating evidence shows that galectins play roles in the initiation and resolution phases of inflammatory responses by promoting anti- or proinflammatory effects. This study investigated the presence of three members of the galectin family (galectin-1, -3 and -9) in induced sputum samples of asthma patients, as well as their possible implication in the immunopathogenesis of human asthma. Levels of interleukin (IL)-5, IL-13, and galectins were determined in leucocytes isolated from induced sputum samples by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. High levels of IL-5 and IL-13 mRNA were detected in sputum cells from asthma patients. In parallel, immunoregulatory proteins galectin-1 and galectin-9 showed a reduced expression on macrophages from sputum samples compared with cells from healthy donors. In-vitro immunoassays showed that galectin-1 and galectin-9, but not galectin-3, are able to induce the production of IL-10 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors. These findings indicate that macrophages from sputum samples of asthma patients express low levels of galectin-1 and galectin-9, favouring the exacerbated immune response observed in this disease.

[Seasonal influence in characteristics of patients admitted to an intensive care unit]. / Influencia estacional en las características de los pacientes ingresados en una unidad de cuidados intensivos.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate seasonal variability in the epidemiology and the outcome of critical illness. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data during the period 2001-2008. SETTING: Polyvalent intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary hospital in the Canary Islands. PATIENTS: Adult patients who were hospitalized in the ICU from the Emergency Department, according to the season period (spring, summer, autumn and winter). PRIMARY VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Demographic data, clinical diagnosis on ICU admission, APACHE II, need of mechanical ventilation and, finally, the mortality were collected. RESULTS: During the study period, 3,115 patients, coming from the Emergency Department, were hospitalized in our ICU. Of these, 21% were admitted during the summer, an incidence rate that is statistically lower than in other seasons of the year (P<0.001). We did not find any statistically significant differences between the four groups according to the age, type of patients, severity at the moment of admission to the ICU, according to the APACHE II score or in the mortality rate in the ICU. However, significant differences were found in regards to gender. Admission of women during the summer was higher than in winter (33% vs 27%, P=0.037). Average stay in the ICU of patients admitted in the summer was similar to winter (4.9 days vs 5.8 days; P=0.052). Need for mechanical ventilation and days it was required, by diagnostic groups, were similar between the summer and the winter. The multivariate analysis did not show independent variables associated with the seasonal period in which the patients were admitted. CONCLUSIONS: The stability of our climate implies that this factor does not influence the prognosis of patients who are admitted with critical illness.

Factor of merit and minimum detectable activity for 90Sr determinations by gas-flow proportional counting or Cherenkov counting.

The determination of 90Sr in environmental samples can be done by using a gas-flow proportional counter (beta-counting) or a liquid-scintillation spectrometer (Cherenkov counting). In this work, we present the factor of merit (FOM) and the minimum detectable activity (MDA) for both the counters. Quantitative relationships are proposed for FOM and MDA determination.

Influence of maternal dietary zinc intake on in vitro tubulin polymerization in fetal rat brain.

The hypothesis that one of the biochemical lesions underlying zinc deficiency-induced teratogenicity is altered microtubule formation was tested. Day 19 fetuses from zinc-deficient Sprague-Dawley dams were characterized by low brain supernate zinc concentrations and slow brain tubulin polymerization rates compared to controls. Brain supernate tubulin and protein concentrations were similar in zinc-deficient and control fetuses. In vitro brain tubulin polymerization rates were increased following addition of zinc to either control or zinc-deficient brain supernates; however, the stimulatory effect of added zinc on polymerization was significantly higher in brain supernates obtained from zinc-deficient fetuses compared to controls. These results support the idea that one effect of fetal zinc deficiency is a reduction in tubulin polymerization, which in turn may result in altered microtubule function.

Aproximación al estudio de la infección puerperal en el Servicio de Ginecología y Obstetricia de la ciudad de Valparaíso / An aproximation to the study of puerperal infection in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Service of Valparaíso

Se analizan y comparan los factores epidemiológicos del "Huésped", "Agente" y "Ambiente" de la Infección Puerperal en dos poblaciones: Grupo A de 35 casos observados en el Hospital Deformes antes del terremoto de Marzo de 1985 (1984) y Grupo B de 62 casos del Hospital Valparaíso, sitio donde se trasladó el Servicio de Obstetricia-Ginecología y Neonatología a raíz del sismo (1985). Los cuadros de Infección Puerperal examinados fueron: (1) Endrometritis (2) Infección de la herida operatoria y (3) Infección de la episiotomía. De este análisis comparativo se concluye que el traslado del Servicio de Obstetricia-Ginecología y Neonatología, incrementó en forma estadísticamente significativa las infecciones puerperales, en especial por el "agente" infeccioso "hospitalario" Stafilococo Dorado. Los otros dos elementos de la triada epidemiológica (huésped y ambiente), no revelaron diferencias importantes. Se detectaron ciertas limitaciones en esta investigación especialmente por no ser un estudio prospectivo y sin grupo de control. El estudio bacteriológico fundamenta buenas posibilidades para hacer antibiótico-profilaxis con cloranfenicol. Un servicio de Obstetricia-Ginecología y Neonatología requiere de una estructura sectorizada y "racional"