Managing the IVF laboratory during a pandemic: international perspectives from laboratory managers.

Fertility societies worldwide responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by recommending that fertility clinics close, or sharply reduce, the clinical operation, leading to a shift in the management of IVF laboratories in three phases: shutdown preparation; maintenance during shutdown; and restart. Each of these phases carries distinct risks that need identification and mitigation, forcing laboratory managers to rethink and adapt their procedures in response to the pandemic. The sudden and unprecedented nature of the pandemic forced laboratory managers from around the world to base decisions on opinion and experience when evidence-based response options were unavailable. These perspectives on pandemic response were presented during a virtual international symposium on COVID-19, held on 3 April 2020, and organized by the London Laboratory Managers' Group. Laboratory managers from seven different countries at different stages of the pandemic (China, Italy, Spain, France, UK, Brazil and Australia) presented their personal experiences to a select audience of experienced laboratory managers from 19 different countries. The intention of this paper is to collect the learnings and considerations from this group of laboratory managers who collaborated to share personal experiences to contribute to the debate surrounding what constitutes good IVF laboratory practice in extraordinary circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

A specific controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) protocol for fertility preservation in women with breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The authors present a novel and specific controlled ovarian stimulation protocol for fertility preservation in women with estrogen-positive receptor breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The protocol foresees random start ovarian stimulation and the use of letrozole associated to tamoxifen. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty breast cancer patients were included in the study. COS was performed either with recombinant FSH or hMG. Concomitantly with COS, letrozole in a dose of 5 mg and tamoxifen in a dose of 20 mg were given orally on a daily basis. The trigger was performed with 0.2 mg of triptorelin, in the presence of follicles ≥ 19 mm. Oocyte retrieval was scheduled 35-36 hours after triptorelin injection. Our main outcome measures were the number of oocytes collected and number of oocytes vitrified, the length of ovarian stimulation, total dose of gonadotropins administered, and levels of estradiol on the day of the trigger. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 30.43 ±4.25 years. Nineteen women commenced COS in the luteal phase, eleven in the early follicular phase and ten in the late follicular phase. The mean number of collected oocytes was 11.78 ±9.12 and the mean number of vitrified oocytes was 9.72 ±7.36. The mean duration of COS was 10.03 ±1.33 days. The mean estradiol concentrations on the triggering day was 623.10 ±441.27, and the mean dose of gonadotropins administered was 2540 ±713.10. CONCLUSIONS: The authors suggest that the protocol is efficient and may be a safe option for oocyte vitrification in these patients.

Hemorrhagic Stroke Due to Varicella Zoster Virus Vasculopathy.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) vasculopathy is a granulomatous vasculitis that has a wide variety of clinical presentations. It is most common in patients with HIV not on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) with low cluster of differentiation (CD)4 cell counts. This disease affects the central nervous system and can cause small intracranial bleeds. Our patient presented with stroke-like symptoms in the setting of recent VZV reactivation in the ophthalmic distribution with HIV on ART. Her MRI scan showed a small punctate bleed and the CSF workup was consistent with VZV vasculitis. She was treated with 14 days of acyclovir and five days of high-dose steroids with clinical improvement to baseline.

The impact of letrozole administration on oocyte morphology in breast cancer patients undergoing fertility preservation.

ABSTRACT: Patients submitted to oncological fertility preservation with letrozole and gonadotropins seem to present a higher rate of immature oocytes and lower fertilization rates in comparison to infertile patients submitted to IVF cycles with gonadotropins. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of letrozole on oocyte morphology in patients with breast cancer submitted to fertility preservation. METHODS: Retrospective analysis performed at a public tertiary hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. The oocytes were retrieved from patients with breast cancer undergoing fertility preservation (n=69), and from infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization (n=92). We evaluated 750 oocytes obtained from breast cancer patients submitted to ovarian stimulation with letrozole and gonadotropins, and 699 oocytes from patients without breast cancer submitted to ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization with gonadotropins only due to male factor infertility. The mature oocytes retrieved were analyzed for the presence of refractile bodies, ooplasm color and regularity, central granulation degree, cortical granules, zona pellucida staining and regularity, perivitelline space, presence of vacuoles or abnormal smooth-surfaced endoplasmic reticle and oocyte retraction. RESULTS: There was a higher incidence of alterations in oocyte morphology in the letrozole group when compared to the control group: increased perivitelline space (p=0.007), irregular zona pellucida (p<0.001), refractile bodies (p<0.001), dark ooplasm (p<0.001), granular ooplasm (p<0.001), irregular ooplasm (p<0.001) and dense central granulation (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Letrozole is a risk factor for worse oocyte morphology. However, the clinical impact of ovarian stimulation protocol with combined use of gonadotropins and letrozole for fertility preservation remains unclear in this setting. These data underline the importance of establishing the predictive potential of morphological dimorphisms of human oocytes in IVF outcomes.

Eficácia e segurança de Aripiprazol comparado aos antipsicóticos disponíveis no SUS para tratamento de Esquizofrenia em adultos: revisão rápida de evidências / Compared effectiveness and safety of Aripiprazol and antipsychotics available on Brazilian Public Health System for treatment of Schizophrenic adults: a rapid review of evidence

Tecnologia: Aripiprazol, antipsicóticos disponíveis no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Indicação: Tratamento da esquizofrenia em adultos. Pergunta: O Aripiprazol é mais eficaz e seguro para promover controle sintomático, que os antipsicóticos disponíveis no SUS? Métodos: Levantamento bibliográfico foi realizado em bases de dados PUBMED, com estratégias estruturadas de busca, e a qualidade metodológica das revisões sistemáticas foi avaliada com a ferramenta AMSTAR II. Resultados: Foram identificados 109 resumos de revisões sistemáticas. Após leitura dos mesmos, foram selecionadas 2 revisões sistemáticas. Conclusão: Aripiprazol tem eficácia e segurança similar à Ziprasidona e Haloperidol, mas eficácia semelhante e maior segurança metabólica que a Quetiapina, Olanzapina, Clozapina e Risperidona. Ziprasidona apresenta vantagem sobre o Aripiprazol, pois tem menor risco de efeito colateral de mudanças na função sexual. Considerando que o perfil de eficácia e segurança do Aripiprazol é muito parecido com o dos outros antipsicóticos disponíveis no SUS, com mínimas diferenças, e seu custo de tratamento é inferior ao da Ziprasidona e Quetiapina, essa droga poderia estar disponível no SUS

Technology: Aripiprazole, antipsychotics available in the Brazilian Public Health System (BPHS). Indication: Treatment of schizophrenia in adults. Question: Is Aripiprazole more effective and safer to promote symptomatic control than antipsychotics available in BPHS? Methods: A bibliographic survey was carried out in PUBMED databases, with structured search strategies, and the methodological quality of systematic reviews was assessed using the AMSTAR II tool. Results: 109 abstracts of systematic reviews were identified. After reading them, 2 systematic reviews were selected. Conclusion: Aripiprazole has identical effectiveness and safety to Ziprasidone and Haloperidol, but similar efficacy and greater safety than Quetiapine, Olanzapine, Clozapine and Risperidone. Ziprasidone has an advantage over Aripiprazole as it has a lower risk of side effects of changes in sexual function. Since the Aripiprazole's effectiveness and safety profile is very similar to profile of others antipsychotics available in BPHS, with minimal differences, and it has cost lower than Ziprasidone and Quetiapine, this drug could be available in BPHS

Eficácia, segurança e custo-efetividade de Pirfenidona ou Nintedanibe para Fibrose Pulmonar Idiopática: revisão rápida de evidências / Efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of Pirfenidone or Nintedanib for Idiopatic Pulmonary Fibrosis: rapid review of evidence

Tecnologia: Pirfenidona e Nintedanibe, que são medicações anti-fibróticas. Indicação: tratamento da Fibrose Pulmonar Idiopática (FPI). Pergunta: Pirfenidona e Nintedanibe são eficazes, seguros e custo-efetivos para promover redução da mortalidade, da taxa de exacerbações agudas da doença e o declínio da função pulmonar em casos de FPI, comparados a tratamentos de suporte? Materiais e Métodos: levantamentos bibliográficos nas bases de dados PUBMED e Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde, no mês de novembro de 2019, e busca adicional no Google para literatura cinzenta. Foi feita avaliação da qualidade metodológica das revisões sistemáticas e dos estudos econômicos com as ferramentas Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR), e Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) checklist, respectivamente. Realizado cálculo de projeção de gastos para a Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de Goiás, se padronizadas as tecnologias. Resultados: Foram selecionadas e incluídas 1 revisão sistemática, 1 estudo de dados combinados de ensaios clínicos e 2 estudos econômicos brasileiros, para o contexto do Sistema Único de Saúde. Conclusão: Pirfenidona e Nintedanibe são medicações eficazes e seguras para reduzir declínio da capacidade vital forçada, mas não para reduzir mortalidade e taxa de exacerbações agudas da doença. Não foram consideradas custo-efetivas para o contexto brasileiro. Em 2020, poderiam ter um custo anual de compra, para a Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de Goiás, de R$8.995.597,09 a 111.953.622,88, a fim de atender a população goiana. (AU)

Technology: Pirfenidone and nintedanib are anti-fibrotic drugs. Indication: Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). Question: Are pirfenidone and Nintedanib effective, safe and cost-effective for IPF, to reduce mortality rates, acute exacerbations rates and the decline in lung function, compared to supportive treatments? Methods: bibliographic surveys in the PUBMED and Brazilian Virtual Health Library databases, in November 2019, and additional Google search for gray literature. The methodological quality of systematic reviews and economic studies was assessed using the tools Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR), and Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) checklist, respectively. We calculated a projection of costs for the State Department of Health of Goias, if the technologies are standardized. Results: We included 1 systematic review, 1 study of pooled data from clinical trials and 2 Brazilian economic studies for the Brazilian public health system context. Conclusion: Pirfenidone and nintedanib are effective and safe medications to reduce decline in vital capacity, but not to reduce mortality and the rate of acute exacerbations of the disease. They were not considered cost-effective for the Brazilian context. In 2020, the State Department of Health of Goias would have an annual purchase cost from 8,995,597.09 to 111,953,622.88 in Brazilian currency (reais), in order to serve the population of Goias. (AU)

Unusual sites of metastasis of papillary thyroid cancer: Case series and review of the literature.

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common malignancy of the thyroid gland. It typically spreads via lymphatic extension. The rate of regional PTC metastasis to the neck is relatively high, while metastases outside the deep cervical chain are rare. Distant metastases are found in only 1% of patients with PTC at the time of surgery; the two most common sites are the lung and bone. We report 4 cases of PTC metastasis to unusual sites: (1) the occipital skull and internal jugular vein, (2) the parapharyngeal space, (3) the sternocleidomastoid muscle, and (4) the right atrium of the heart. It has been well documented that aggressive distant metastasis is a characteristic of PTC, and it is known to be an indicator of a poor prognosis. Some of our patients' sites of metastatic disease have not been previously reported. Patients in this series exhibited aggressive histologic findings, including columnar cell and follicular variants of papillary disease. In addition, all 4 patients demonstrated "PET-avid" disease with decreased iodine avidity.

Eficácia, segurança e efetividade comparada de palmitato de paliperidona e outros antipsicóticos injetáveis de efeito prolongado para tratamento de esquizofrenia: revisão rápida de evidências / Efficacy, safety and effectiveness in the real world for paliperidone palmitate compared to the others long acting injectable antipsychotics for schizophrenia treatment: rapid review of evidence

Tecnologia: Palmitato de Paliperidona (PP) é um antipsicótico injetáveis de efeito prolongado (AIEP). Indicação: Tratamento sintomático da esquizofrenia. Objetivo: Comparar a eficácia, segurança e efetividade terapêutica entre PP e outros AIEP para o tratamento de esquizofrenia em adultos. Pergunta: O PP é mais eficaz e seguro que os outros AIEP (Decanoato de Haloperidol, Enantato de Flufenazina, Decanoato de Zuclopentixol, Risperidona-IEP) para o tratamento sintomático de esquizofrenia em adultos? Métodos: Levantamento bibliográfico, com estratégias estruturadas de busca, na base de dados PUBMED. Foi feita avaliação da qualidade metodológica das revisões sistemáticas (RS), ensaios clínicos randomizados (ECR) e dos estudos observacionais de efetividade no mundo real (EOEMR) com as ferramentas Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR), Delphi List e Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), respectivamente. Resultados: Foram selecionadas 3 RS, 1 ECR e 3 EOEMR. Conclusão: PP (de aplicação mensal) tem similar eficácia e segurança com a Risperidona-IEP para o tratamento de esquizofrenia, exceto que provoca menor incidência de sintomas extrapiramidais. PP e Decanoato de Haloperidol são similares na eficácia e segurança para o tratamento de esquizofrenia, inclusive no risco de sintomas extrapiramidais (discinesias tardias e parkinsonismo), exceto que PP tem menor incidência de acatisia. PP é similar aos outros AIEP nos vários desfechos de eficácia e segurança terapêutica, inclusive mortalidade

Technology: Paliperidone palmitate (PP) is a long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics. Indication: Symptomatic treatment of schizophrenia. Objective: To compare the therapeutic efficacy, safety and effectiveness in the real world between PP and other LAI antipsychotics for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults. Question: Is PP more effective and safer than other LAI antipsychotics (Haloperidol Decanoate, Fluphenazine Enanthate, Zuclopentixol Decanoate, Risperidone-LAI), for the symptomatic treatment of schizophrenia? Methods: Bibliographic survey, with structured search strategies, in the PUBMED database. Na evaluation was made of the methodological quality of systematic reviews (SR), randomized clinical trials (RCT) and observational studies (OS) of effectiveness in the real world with Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR), Delphi List and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) tools, respectively. Results: 3 SR, 1 RCT and 3 OE were included. Conclusion: PP (monthly dose presentation) has similar efficacy and safety with Risperidone-LAI for the treatment of schizophrenia, except that it causes a lower incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms. PP and Haloperidol Decanoate are similar in efficacy and safety for the treatment of schizophrenia, including the risk of extra-pyramidal symptoms (tardive dyskinesias and parkinsonism), except that PP has a lower incidence of akathisia. PP has similar outcomes of efficacy and safety to the other LAI antipsychotics, including mortality risk

Fractura por estrés del cuello del fémur en una niña hiperactiva tratada con metilfenidato: Reporte de caso / Femoral neck stress fracture in a hyperactive child taking methylphenidate. Case report

Las fracturas por estrés afectan, con mayor frecuencia, a personas físicamente activas con hueso normal y son infrecuentes en los niños con placa de crecimiento abierta. Aun más infrecuentes son las fracturas por estrés del cuello femoral en la población pediátrica. Sin embargo, constituyen entidades muy importantes debido al riesgo de complicaciones graves, como la necrosis avascular. Se describe el caso de una niña de 7 años medicada con metilfenidato que sufrió una fractura por estrés del cuello del fémur atípica. La paciente consulta por dolor inguinal derecho sin limitaciones en las actividades cotidianas. La radiografía muestra una fractura por estrés del cuello del fémur, que se confirma con tomografía. Se instaura un tratamiento conservador, y la paciente está asintomática a las cuatro semanas. Este caso representa una alerta sobre esta infrecuente entidad en la que podrían presentarse errores diagnósticos. Investigaciones recientes también sugieren la posible participación de fármacos, como el metilfenidato, en la desmineralización ósea, que podría constituir un posible factor de riesgo de fractura. Nivel de Evidencia: IV

Stress fractures most commonly affect physically active individuals with normal bone, and they are rare in children with open growth plates. Even rarer are femoral neck stress fractures in pediatric age. Nevertheless, they constitute a very important entity due to the risk of severe complications, such as avascular necrosis. A seven-year-old girl, treated with methylphenidate, who suffered an atypical femoral neck stress fracture is presented. Patient complained of right inguinal pain without daily life activity limitations. The radiograph showed a stress femoral neck fracture, confirmed by CT imaging. Conservative treatment was instituted and the patient became asymptomatic after 4 weeks. This case report alerts the clinicians about this rare entity that might be misdiagnosed. Recent research also suggests a possible involvement of drugs, such as methylphenidate, in bone demineralization, which might constitute a possible risk factor for fractures. Level of Evidence: IV

Perioperative care in functional endoscopic sinus surgery: a survey study.

BACKGROUND: Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is largely viewed as the standard of care in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) refractory to medical treatment. While there is an understanding regarding the importance of some form of routine postoperative FESS care, no consensus currently exists regarding what the specific management routine should include. The authors of this survey study did not intend to examine the efficacy of such treatment protocols, but rather to determine and report on the current practice patterns of perioperative FESS care among otolaryngologists. METHODS: This survey study was designed in accordance with and approved by our institutional review board. The online-based survey was designed using the online product SurveyMonkey®. A total of 859 otolaryngologists were identified and email addresses were obtained from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) website directory. Responses were collected anonymously. RESULTS: Our survey response rate was 32%. Multiple parameters of the otolaryngologists' perioperative care were collected. Among the data, some consistent patterns emerged: 93.2% of respondents use nasal saline irrigations postoperatively; 86.8% of otolaryngologists surveyed prescribe antibiotics in the immediate postoperative period; and office-based endoscopic sinus debridements are performed by a majority (87.9%) of those surveyed. CONCLUSION: This survey study demonstrates that current practices in perioperative FESS care can vary widely among otolaryngologists, and are not uniformly based on evidence-based outcomes research. Despite the lack of absolutes regarding the specific perioperative care in FESS, practice patterns emerge from the data regarding typical perioperative management among current otolaryngologists.

Criação de um banco de dados personalizado de baixo custo em um serviço público de reprodução humana / Created a customized database for human reproduction at a low cost for the public service

Todo serviço de reprodução humana necessita de um banco de dados para arquivar e manejar avaliações estatísticas. O serviço público de Reprodução Humana do Hospital Pérola Byington usava uma planilha Excel™ que se mostrou insuficiente para o adequado gerenciamento de informações, evidenciou a necessidade de um programa específico que facilitasse uma consulta rápida ao resumo dos ciclos de FIV, sem que houvesse qualquer probabilidade de erro no preenchimento e nas estatísticas posteriormente feitas. Considerando a inexistência de recursos para compra de um programa, tornava­se necessária a criação de uma plataforma a partir de um software de uso livre. Optamos por usar a plataforma fornecida pelo Centers for Disease Control and Prevention e assim originou­se o CRSMinfo, composto de formulários com subdivisões dos procedimentos, incluindo todas as informações relevantes para consulta e levantamento automatizado de dados. Seu uso mostrou­se extremamente eficiente, aprimorou os protocolos laboratoriais e possibilitou estudos e pesquisas.(AU)

Efficient software it's absolutely necessary for any human assisted reproduction (ART) lab. Perola Byington Public Hospital's ART center has used a spreadsheet in Excel with more than 200 columns for data storage of all in vitro fertilization cycles for years, making it very difficult to create complex statistics to analyze data and lead to quick statistic evaluation. Since we are working with a very tight budget, we selected an open source software created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and after months of programming we created CRSMinfo, which contains a form with subdivision of procedures, including all the information for research and automatic sorting of the data. The use of CRSMinfo software at Perola Byington Hospital has been extremely efficient, improving the protocols for the realization of studies and researches.(AU)

Square wave voltammetric determination of nitrofurantoin in pharmaceutical formulations on highly boron-doped diamond electrodes at different boron-doping contents.

The influence of the boron-doping levels in boron-doped diamond film electrodes on the electrochemical response of nitrofurantoin (NFT) and the development of an electroanalytical procedure for NFT determination were investigated. The investigations were carried out using the techniques of cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry on diamond film electrodes with different boron-doping levels (i.e., 5000, 10,000 and 20,000 mg L(-1)). The level of boron-doping in the diamond film electrodes influenced the electrochemical reduction of NFT. The appropriate cyclic voltammetric response of NFT was obtained with Britton-Robinson buffer at pH 4 and for diamond films doped with 10,000 and 20,000 mg L(-1) of boron. These two films were selected for the development of the electroanalytical procedure. The use of square wave voltammetry with the optimized parameters demonstrated a good linear relationship between the peak current and the NFT concentration for a wide range of concentration. The lower limit of detection for the electrodes doped with 10,000 and 20,000 mg L(-1) of boron were 2.69 x 10(-8) mol L(-1) (6.40 microg L(-1)) and 8.15 x 10(-9) mol L(-1) (1.94 microg L(-1)), respectively, while the lower limits of quantification were 8.96 x 10(-8) mol L(-1) (21.33 microg L(-1)) and 2.72 x 10(-8) mol L(-1) (6.47 microg L(-1)), respectively. The applicability of the proposed procedure was tested using a commercial pharmaceutical formulation of NFT, and the results were compared with the procedure recommended by the British Pharmacopeia. The proposed procedure was sensitive, accurate and precise for analysis of NFT and did not require complex preparations or renovations of the electrode surface. This presents the advantage of eliminating mercury waste and minimizing the adsorptive problems related to the use of other electrodic solid surfaces.

Factores de riesgo de eventos coronarios agudos. Importancia del factor psicosocial. Área terapia intensiva municipal / Risk factors of acute coronary episodes. Importance of psychosocial factor in the Municipal Intensive Care Area

Introducción: los eventos coronarios agudos se encuentran en la actualidad entre las primeras causas de muerte en el mundo, incluyendo Cuba. Objetivo: determinar los factores de riesgo que influyeron en la aparición de eventos coronarios agudos, particularizando en el factor psicosocial en pacientes atendidos en el Área de Terapia Intensiva Municipal de Los Palacios durante el año 2009. Material y método: investigación aplicada, de casos y controles. Muestra: grupo estudio (pacientes mayores de 15 años atendidos en el área de terapea intensiva municipal que hayan sobrevivido a un evento coronario agudo) y grupo control (2 personas que no hayan sufrido un evento coronario agudo por cada una del grupo estudio, y que vivan en el mismo consejo popular). Se estudiaron factores de riesgo tradicionales y factores psicosociales (depresión, stress y ansiedad). Se utilizaron medidas de resúmenes para datos cualitativos, chi cuadrado, probabilidad exacta de Fisher (para asociación de variables en tablas de 2 x 2) y Mann-Whitney. Resultados: el incremento de la edad, el hábito de fumar y la hipertensión arterial resultaron muy significativos como predisponentes para desarrollar eventos coronarios agudos (p < 0.001 y p < 0.005) respectivamente, siendo el 100% de los pacientes del grupo estudio hipertensos; mientras que la depresión, ansiedad y stress aunque presentes en ambos grupos no resultaron importantes por sí solas para la ocurrencia de dichos eventos. Conclusiones: en la ocurrencia de eventos coronarios agudos en el municipio Los Palacios durante el año 2009 influyeron los factores de riesgo: edad, hábito de fumar e hipertensión arterial, mientras que la presencia del factor psicosocial no resultó importante como factor desencadenante de estos eventos.

Introduction: currently acute coronary episodes are found among the first causes of death in the world, including Cuba. Objective: to determine the risk factors influencing on the onset of acute coronary episodes, emphasizing on psychosocial factors in patients attending to the Municipal Intensive Care Area in Los Palacios municipality during 2009. Material and method: a case-control applied research. Sample: study group (patients older than 15 years old admitted to the Municipal Intensive Care who survived acute coronary episodes) and a control group (2 healthy people per one person included in the study group living in the same Popular Council). Traditional risk factors as well as psychosocial factors (depression, stress, and anxiety) were studied. Measures of summing up qualitative data, chi-square test, Fisher's exact probability (to the association of variables in tables of 2x2) and Mann-Whitney U test were used. Results: the increase of age, smoking and hypertension resulted significant as predisposing factors to develop acute coronary episodes (p < 0.001 and p <0.005) respectively, where 100% of the patients included into the study group suffered from hypertension; whereas depression, anxiety and stress, though present in both groups, resulted not so important per se to the occurrence of these episodes. Conclusions: during 2009 the risk factors influencing on the occurrence of acute coronary episodes in Los Palacios municipality were: age, smoking and hypertension, while the presence of psychosocial factors resulted not as important to trigger these episodes.

Discapacidad física en el anciano en un Consejo Popular de Pinar del Río / Physical disability in the elderly at a Popular Council. Pinar del Rio

Introducción: el envejecimiento, al contrario del crecimiento, no es un fenómeno genéticamente programado, es un proceso deletéreo, progresivo, intrínseco y universal, que con el tiempo ocurre en todo ser vivo a consecuencia de la interacción de la genética del individuo y su medio ambiente Objetivo: describir el comportamiento de la discapacidad física en los adultos mayores. Material y método: se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo y de corte transversal en la población de adultos mayores residentes en el Consejo Popular "Hermanos Barcón" en el 2010. Se estudió un universo de 2567 ancianos. La muestra seleccionada se obtuvo mediante un muestreo por conglomerados bietápico, donde las unidades de la primera etapa fueron los 15 consultorios del consejo popular, de los cuales se seleccionaron 2 por muestreo simple aleatorio, el consultorio #199 y el #214. Para la recogida de la información se aplicó el índice de Lawton. Resultados: se estimaron las tasas de prevalencia específicas de discapacidad física para cada una de las variables biológicas y sociales estudiadas y calcularon los intervalos de confianza al 95% para las respectivas tasas de prevalencia. Resultó mayor la discapacidad física en el sexo femenino y el grupo de edades de 80 años y más, así como el bajo nivel de escolaridad. Conclusiones: las principales limitaciones en la realización de las actividades instrumentadas de la vida diaria fueron las actividades con desplazamiento fuera del hogar seguidas de las propias del hogar.

Introduction: aging, oppose to growing, is not a genetic programmed phenomenon, it is a lethal, progressive, intrinsic and universal process, that occurs in every living being as a consequence of the individual genetic features and environmental interaction. Objective: to describe the behavior of physical disability in the elderly. Material and Method: observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted comprising the old population at "Hermanos Barcon" Popular Council during 2010 in Pinar del Rio. The target group included 2567 old people, and the sample was chosen through a two-staged conglomeration, where the first-stage included 15 Doctor's Offices from the popular council; out them 2 were selected by a simple, at random sampling (number 199 and 214 Doctor's Offices), following Lawton's index to collect the information. Results: the rates for the specific prevalence of physical disabilities in each of the biological and social variables under study were estimated, as well as the calculation of the intervals of confidence up to 95% to the respective rates of prevalence. Female sex showed the highest occurrence rates of physical disabilities along with the group of 80 years old or more, and low levels of instruction. Conclusions: the main limitations to perform the instrumented daily activities were those that required movements from one place to another out of their houses, followed by those into their houses.

Leptospirosis con anemia hemolítica microangiopática. Presentación de un caso / Leptospirosis and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. A case report

Se presenta el caso de una mujer de 47 años de edad, color de la piel blanca, de procedencia rural y ama de casa, que ingresa en el Hospital General Docente Abel Santamaría Cuadrado de Pinar del Río por presentar fiebre elevada, artralgias y mialgias de miembros inferiores, vómitos, diarreas, astenia, anorexia marcadas y coloración ictérica azafranada de piel y mucosas. Los exámenes serológicos muestran una leptospirosis por L. autumnalis. Se comprueba la naturaleza predominantemente hemolítica del íctero, que ocasiona una anemia intensa, necesitando ser transfundida. Se analizan las posibles causas de la hemólisis. Se concluye como una anemia hemolítica microangiopática, lo que es excepcional en la enfermedad.

A 47 year-old, Caucasian housewife-woman who lives in a rural area was admitted at "Abel Santamaria Cuadrado" University Hospital presenting high fever, arthralgia and myalgia of the lower limbs, vomits and marked diarrhea, asthenia, anorexia and saffron-colored (jaundice) skin and mucosa. Serological examinations showed leptospirosis caused by Laelia autumnalis. The prevailing hemolytic nature of jaundice was proved; which provoked an intense anemia, the patient needed a blood transfusion. The possible causes of hemodialysis were analyzed. Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia is a rare complication in leptospirosis.

Salud funcional y enfermedades generales asociadas en ancianos / Functional health and general diseases associated with the aged

Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal, con el objetivo de caracterizar la salud funcional de los ancianos residentes en el área del Consultorio 10 del Policlínico "Pedro Borrás Astorga" de la ciudad de Pinar del Río, así como su relación con las enfermedades generales seleccionadas en los meses de enero a julio de 2008. Se aplicó una encuesta voluntaria y anónima a 180 ancianos, que recogió las variables sexo, enfermedades generales asociadas: hipertensión arterial, diabetes mellitus, cardiopatía isquémica y osteoartritis. Para caracterizar su salud funcional se aplicaron los índices de Katz de independencia en las actividades básicas de la vida diaria y de Lawton-Brody de independencia en las actividades instrumentadas de la vida diaria. Existió un predominio de ancianos del sexo femenino. No hubo asociación entre el sexo y la clasificación en dependencia e independencia. Las enfermedades generales estudiadas en la población general de ancianos mostraron una elevada prevalencia de la hipertensión arterial, sobre todo en los discapacitados. La prevalencia de osteoartritis prácticamente se cuadruplicó en ancianos dependientes. En el análisis de todas las enfermedades en los dos grupos de ancianos teniendo el sexo como variable de confusión, se encontró que sólo en la osteoartritis actuaba como el tipo de variable analizada. Se recomendó incrementar las acciones preventivas, educativas y de control en busca de cambios favorables en hábitos y estilos de vida en los ancianos estudiados, dada la alta frecuencia de hipertensión arterial.

An observation, descriptive and cross-sectional research was conducted from January to July 2008 aimed at characterizing functional health and its association with certain general diseases of the aged living in the area of No-10 Medical Office belonging to "Pedro Borras Astorga" teaching outpatient clinic in Pinar del Rio city. A volunteer and anonymous survey was applied to 108 aged, collecting the variable of sex and associated general diseases: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease and osteoarthritis. To characterize functional health the rates of Katz and Lawton-Brody concerning the independence of instrumented everyday activities were used. Female sex prevailed. Disabled and able aged that presented Hypertension and osteoarthritis exceeded four times in disabled. Increasing preventive, educative and control measures to achieve favorable lifestyle changes in patients that participated in the study, due to the high frequency of hypertension.

Estrés oxidativo: enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica y tabaquismo / Oxidative stress: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and smoking

Se realizó un estudio prospectivo, longitudinal y descriptivo, para conocer el comportamiento del estrés oxidativo en una muestra de 80 individuos con edades entre 45 y 65 años, y divididos a partes iguales en 4 grupos de estudio: I. Individuos aparentemente sanos, no fumadores; II. Sujetos aparentemente sanos, fumadores; III. Pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica, fumadores; y IV. Pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica, exfumadores, los 2 primeros grupos seleccionados del Policlínico Docente "Primero de Enero" de Consolación del Sur, y los otros 2, de la consulta de Neumología del Hospital Clinicoquirúrgico "Abel Santamaría" de Pinar del Río, en el período comprendido desde el 1ro de septiembre de 1999 al 31 de marzo del 2002. A todos se les determinó concentración sanguínea de malonildialdehído, actividad de catalasa y actividad de superóxido dismutasa, y se categorizaron según edad y sexo. Se concluyó que la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica predominó en edades superiores a 55 años, y en pacientes masculinos. Los marcadores de estrés oxidativo malonildialdehído, catalasa y superóxido dismutasa se elevaron significativamente en los fumadores con esta enfermedad, disminuyeron en los pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica exfumadores, se demostró la importancia del estrés oxidativo en la génesis de dicha entidad, y su estrecha relación con el tabaquismo