[Behavior of predictive variables of exacerbations of the COPD in the neumological hospital of Cuba.] / Comportamiento de variables predictivas de exacerbaciones de la EPOC en el hospital neumológico de Cuba.

The use of predictive variables of exacerbations of the COPD is not a practice generalized in our environment, for what we cannot characterize the exacerbating patient neither to design strategies for its integral handling. There was carried out a prospective descriptive study to correlate in patient with diagnosis of COPD from the Neumologic Hospital of Cuba, with the objective of determining the association between clinical, functional variables and imagenological and the exacerbations frequency a year. The population was constituted for patients with clinical diagnosis of COPD and the sample for those patients with confirmed diagnosis that they completed the inclusion approaches. The correlation among the variables was carried out by means of the Coefficient of Correlation of Pearson with an interval of Trust of 95% and the test t student with a significance level (p) smaller than 0.05. 81.82% of the very serious patients are exacerbating with emphysema. 75% of the patients with index of the lung artery / aorta have more than two exacerbations a year. 84.61% of the patient exacerbating presented degree four of the dyspnea. The half pressure of the lung artery next to the VEF1 constituted the best exacerbations predictors in the group of studied patients.

Síndrome de Lady Windermere como causa de tos crónica. A propósito de un caso / Lady Windermere Syndrome as a cause of chronic cough. Report of a case

Resumen Las mycobacterias no tuberculosas son poco reconocidas en la actualidad, pero su prevalencia se incrementa al sospechar su presencia en inmunodeprimidos o en enfermedades crónicas como la fibrosis quística. Se presenta el caso de una paciente con diagnóstico de síndrome de Lady Windermere con tos crónica. Se realizó tomografía computarizada donde se observaron bronquiectasias en el segmento lingular del pulmón izquierdo y en los lóbulos medio e inferior del derecho. En la broncoscopia se aisló complejo Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare. El no considerar en el diagnóstico de pacientes con tos crónica y sin factores predisponentes a las mycobacterias atrasa el diagnóstico y se acelera el deterioro clínico del paciente.

Abstract The nontuberculous mycobacteria are rarely recognized today in the world, being increased their prevalence about to departure of their suspicion in chronic illnesses such as inmunocompromised patients and cystic fibrosis. We present a case with diagnosis of syndrome of Lady Windermere about to departure of a square of chronic cough. Computed tomography was performed where bilateral bronchiectasis is observed in the left lingual segment and right upper lobe. In the Bronchoscopy was isolated complex Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare. The lack of suspicion of nontuberculous mycobacteria in patient without risk factors, with a square of chronic cough leads to the delay in the diagnosis and the patient's clinical deterioration.

Síndrome de Lady Windermere como causa de tos crónica. A propósito de un caso / Lady Windemere syndrome as the cause of chronic cough. A propos of one case

Las micobacterias no tuberculosas son poco reconocidas hoy en el mundo, incrementándose su prevalencia a punto de partida de su sospecha en inmunodeprimidos o en enfermedades crónicas, como la fibrosis quística. Se presenta el caso de una paciente con diagnóstico de síndrome de Lady Windermere a punto de partida de un cuadro de tos crónica. Se realizó tomografía computarizada donde se evidenciaron bronquiectasias en el segmento lingular del pulmón izquierdo y en los lóbulos medio e inferior del derecho. Mediante la broncoscopia se aisló el complejo Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare. La falta de sospecha de micobacterias atípicas en pacientes sin factores predisponentes, con un cuadro de tos crónica, conduce al retraso en el diagnóstico y el deterioro clínico del paciente...

Nontuberculous mycobacteria are rarely recognized in the world today; their prevalence is increasing due to suspicion in immunocompromised patients or in those suffering from chronic illnesses such as cystic fibrosis. A case with of Lady Windermere Syndrome diagnosis that originally started with chronic cough is presented. Tomography showed bilateral bronchiectasis in the left lingual segment and in the middle and lower right lobe. Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex was isolated using bronchoscopy. The lack of suspicion of nontuberculous mycobacteria in patients without risk factors and chronic cough leads to diagnosis delay and clinical deterioration of the patient...

Adjuvant interferon gamma in patients with pulmonary atypical Mycobacteriosis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: High antibiotic resistance is described in atypical Mycobacteriosis, mainly by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was carried out in two hospitals to evaluate the effect of interferon (IFN) gamma as immunoadjuvant to chemotherapy on patients with atypical mycobacteria lung disease. Patients received placebo or 1 x 106 IU recombinant human IFN gamma intramuscularly, daily for one month and then three times per week up to 6 months as adjuvant to daily oral azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, ethambutol and rifampin. Sputum samples collection for direct smear observation and culture as well as clinical and thorax radiography assessments were done during treatment and one year after. Cytokines and oxidative stress determinations were carried out in peripheral blood before and after treatment. RESULTS: Eighteen patients were included in the IFN group and 14 received placebo. Groups were homogeneous at entry; average age was 60 years, 75% men, 84% white; MAC infection prevailed (94%). At the end of treatment, 72% of patients treated with IFN gamma were evaluated as complete responders, but only 36% in the placebo group. The difference was maintained during follow-up. A more rapid complete response was obtained in the IFN group (5 months before), with a significantly earlier improvement in respiratory symptoms and pulmonary lesions reduction. Disease-related deaths were 35.7% of the patients in the placebo group and only 11.1% in the IFN group. Three patients in the IFN group normalized their globular sedimentation rate values. Although differences in bacteriology were not significant during the treatment period, some patients in the placebo group converted again to positive during follow-up. Significant increments in serum TGF-beta and advanced oxidation protein products were observed in the placebo group but not among IFN receiving patients. Treatments were well tolerated. Flu-like symptoms predominated in the IFN gamma group. No severe events were recorded. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that IFN gamma is useful and well tolerated as adjuvant therapy in patients with pulmonary atypical Mycobacteriosis, predominantly MAC. Further wider clinical trials are encouraged. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN70900209.