[Analysis of two health attendance models for the non-hospital emergencies in Gipuzkoa: Retrospective study]. / Análisis de dos modelos asistenciales para la atención de las emergencias extrahospitalarias en Guipúzcoa: Estudio retrospectivo.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Out-of-hospital medical emergency services are defined as a functional organization that performs a set of sequential human and material activities. The objective of this study was to compare the mortality of patients attended by the out-of-hospital medical emergency services in 2 neighboring Spanish regions with different models of healthcare transport assistance for emergency care. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Retrospective observational cohort study, done between June 1, 2007 and December 31, 2008 in 2 regions of Gipuzkoa, Alto Deba (AD) and Bajo Deba (BD). The study variables were age, sex and place of exposure (AD/BD), heart rate, blood pressure, initial reason for the call defined by the European Resuscitation Council, unconsciousness and digestive bleeding. 3452 subjects were analyzed. RESULTS: The risk of in situ mortality in BD was 1.31 times higher than in AD (P=.050), that of hospital mortality in BD was 0.71 times lower than in AD (P=.011) and the risk of mortality at one year between counties and the combined mortality (in situ+hospital) did not contribute significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality (in situ+in-hospital, and one year aftercare) of patients treated by the out-of-hospital emergency medical services in AD (non-medicalized healthcare transport model) was similar to that of the BD region (mixed healthcare transport model).

Extrahepatic complications of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Its impact beyond the liver. / Complicaciones extrahepáticas de la enfermedad por hígado graso no alcohólico: impacto más allá del hígado.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently one of the main causes of chronic liver disease in Western countries, with a 25% prevalence reported in the general population worldwide. Visceral adiposity and liver fat promote a state of systemic inflammation, predisposing individuals with NAFLD to the extrahepatic pathologies of cardiovascular disease (the most common cause of death in patients with NAFLD), diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, hypothyroidism, polycystic ovary syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, and an increased risk for presenting with gastrointestinal and extraintestinal neoplasias. Different mechanisms between NAFLD and its association with extrahepatic diseases have been reported, and lipotoxicity is the main cause of inflammatory pathway activation that results in extrahepatic tissue damage.

Functional Outcomes 18 Months After Total and Midarm Transplantation: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: The function reported after arm transplantation is deemed beneficial relative to the marked disability that upper arm amputation causes. OBJECTIVE: We report a 51-year-old man with a Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score of 75.83 who underwent bilateral arm transplantation in October 2015. PROCEDURE: The right arm was transplanted at the glenohumeral joint level, including transplantation of the humeral head, joint capsule, and rotator cuff ligaments and tendons. Additionally, neurorrhaphies were performed at the origin of the terminal branches of the brachial plexus, including the axillary and musculocutaneous nerves. Therefore, this was considered a total arm transplantation. The left arm was transplanted at the transhumeral level, with complete transplantation of the biceps and triceps brachii, and terminolateral neurorrhaphy of the donor musculocutaneous nerve to the receptor radial nerve. A maintenance triple immunosuppression scheme was administered, with tacrolimus levels kept at 10 ng/mL. RESULTS: At 18 months post-transplantation, the intrinsic musculature in the left hand showed electrical registry, DASH score was 67.5, Carroll test score was 28 in both extremities, Hand Transplant Score System was 67.5 in the right extremity and 77.5 in the left extremity, and Short Form-36 score was 96.1. The patient was healthy, with restored body integrity. He could lift medium-sized weightless objects, eat and go to the bathroom by himself, drink liquids with bimanual grasp, swim, dress almost independently, and drive. CONCLUSION: The functional evolution of the patient was similar to previously reported transplanted arms, even though the right arm transplant involved the glenohumeral joint and axillary and musculocutaneous nerve repair.

Cytokine and lymphocyte profiles in miniature swine after oral infection with Toxoplasma gondii oocysts.

Pigs are considered an important source of Toxoplasma gondii infection for humans. A major strategy for immune prophylaxis of toxoplasmosis in swine is the understanding of the immune response against T. gondii infection. The phenotype of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and the kinetics of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) transcriptional changes were characterised in miniature swine following infection. A total of 66, 4-9-month-old miniature swine were used for three experiments performed over a period of 2 years. All pigs were fed iota1000 oocysts of the VEG strain of T. gondii and blood samples were obtained on the day of inoculation and at days 3, 6, 10, 17, 25, 32 and 40 after infection. An increase in expression of activation markers CD25 and SLA-DQ was detected in the first week of infection. A significant increase in the percentage of CD8+cells was observed in the second week of infection. Relative competitive RT-PCR analysis indicated an increase in IFN-gamma mRNA as well as a reduction in IL-10 mRNA during the second week post infection. Increase in IL-12 transcription was not observed until the fourth week of infection. The ability of the pigs to respond to T. gondii infection by simultaneously inducing pro-inflammatory cytokines early and anti-inflammatory cytokines later is a likely indication of the requirement to strike a balance between controlling parasite growth and avoiding cytokine toxicity.

Short report: a comparative study of the interaction between antacid and H2-receptor antagonists.

The influence of concomitant antacid administration on the relative bioavailability of the H2-receptor antagonists cimetidine, famotidine, nizatidine and ranitidine, was investigated in a panel of 21 healthy, adult male volunteers in an eight-way crossover trial. Administration with antacid reduced the bioavailability of all agents tested. The reduction in area under the serum concentration-time curve (AUC) was greatest for cimetidine (23%) and ranitidine (26%) and least for nizatidine (12%) and famotidine (19%). Reductions in peak serum concentration (Cmax) followed a similar pattern. The times of peak serum concentrations were not affected by antacid. Comparison of the relative bioavailability among all drugs tested showed no statistically significant differences in the effect of antacid administration on these agents. However, a high degree of intersubject variability was observed.

A controlled comparison of continuous ranitidine and intermittent famotidine infusions on gastric pH.

Continuous infusions of any given H2-blocking drug have uniformly been found to be superior to intermittent infusions of the same H2-blocking drug in sustaining elevations in gastric pH. Comparisons of intermittent and continuous infusions among different H2-blocking drugs have heretofore not been made. Owing to its greater potency and longer half-life, the authors were interested in determining whether intermittent infusions of famotidine might be as effective as continuous infusions of ranitidine in sustaining elevations of gastric pH. The effectiveness of a continuous intravenous infusion of ranitidine (6.25 mg/hr) was compared with the effectiveness of intermittent intravenous infusions of famotidine (20 mg every 12 hours) in sustaining gastric pH above 4.0 in 18 young, healthy adult male subjects using a randomized two-way cross-over design. Gastric pH was continuously monitored for 24 hours. The intermittent famotidine regimen was determined to be as effective as the continuous ranitidine regimen with respect to the following parameters: (1) the percentage of the 24-hour dosing period during which gastric pH exceeded 4.0; (2) the area under the pH > or = 4 versus time curve; and (3) median gastric pH.

Steady-state pharmacokinetics of theophylline in COPD patients treated with dirithromycin.

Steady-state theophylline pharmacokinetic parameters were studied in a panel of 14 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Pharmacokinetic parameters were evaluated before, during, and after a 10-day regimen of the macrolide antibiotic, dirithromycin. The addition of dirithromycin (500 mg orally once daily at 7:00 AM) to a sustained-release theophylline dosing regimen (every 12 hours) elicited small changes in the steady-state pharmacokinetics of theophylline, which were not statistically significant. Mean steady-state plasma theophylline trough concentrations (Css,min) were invariant before, during, and after dirithromycin treatment. Mean average steady-state plasma theophylline concentrations (Cav) declined by 7% during dirithromycin treatment (NS), and mean peak plasma concentrations (Css,max) declined by 12% (NS). Theophylline clearance (CL/F) also remained relatively unchanged during dirithromycin treatment exhibiting an increase of only 11% (NS). Dirithromycin treatment does not significantly affect the steady-state pharmacokinetics of theophylline, and its use in COPD patients is not likely to modify treatment outcomes with theophylline.

Failure of ceftibuten to alter single dose theophylline clearance.

Twelve volunteers participated in a two-way crossover trial in which the effects of ceftibuten on the pharmacokinetics of theophylline were evaluated. Subjects were given single intravenous doses of theophylline (4 mg/kg) with no ceftibuten treatment and on the sixth day of ceftibuten treatment. Ceftibuten 200 mg was taken orally twice daily (7:00 AM and 7:00 PM). A total of 13 blood samples per subject were collected over 48 hours following theophylline administration. Ceftibuten failed to alter either the systemic clearance of theophylline (CL), its volume of distribution (Vss), or its elimination half-life (t1/2). The 24-hour plasma theophylline concentration measured both by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) was used for a single sample estimate of theophylline clearance (CL), and it was found to provide a suitable estimate of the multisample value for CL.

Changes in the steady-state pharmacokinetics of theophylline during treatment with dirithromycin.

The steady-state plasma concentrations and pharmacokinetic characteristics of theophylline were studied during intermittent treatment with dirithromycin. The addition of dirithromycin (500 mg orally once daily at 7:00 AM) to a sustained-release theophylline dosing regimen (200 mg every 12 hours) elicited small changes in the steady-state pharmacokinetics of theophylline. Mean steady-state plasma theophylline trough concentrations (Cmin) were invariant before, during, and after dirithromycin treatment; however, mean average steady-state plasma theophylline concentrations (Cav) declined by 18% during dirithromycin treatment (P less than .05), and mean peak plasma concentrations (Css,max) declined by 26% (P less than .01). Theophylline clearance (CL/F) exhibited an increase of comparable magnitude during dirithromycin treatment, although the increase in CL/F was not statistically significant (.05 less than P less than .1). Dirithromycin treatment alters the steady-state pharmacokinetics of theophylline; however, the magnitude of the changes is small and is not likely to modify treatment outcomes.

Comparative investigation of the influence of nizatidine, ranitidine, and cimetidine on the steady-state pharmacokinetics of theophylline in COPD patients.

The influence of usual regimens of the H2 blocking drugs, cimetidine, ranitidine, and nizatidine on the steady-state plasma concentrations and pharmacokinetic characteristics of theophylline was studied in seventeen patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Patients were dosed to steady-state with an oral, sustained-release formulation of theophylline given in therapeutic doses twice daily for 2 weeks. Over the next 4 weeks, each patient received a week-long regimen of each H2 blocker concomitantly with theophylline, and a week-long regimen of theophylline alone (control). At the end of each of the latter 4 weeks the steady-state pharmacokinetics of theophylline were assessed. Neither ranitidine nor nizatidine treatment altered the steady-state pharmacokinetics of theophylline relative to the control phase (i.e. no H2 blocker treatment). Values for theophylline C(ave), Cssmax, AUC0-12, and CLoral were significantly different during cimetidine treatment compared with all other treatments (ranitidine, nizatidine, and control). Cimetidine increased theophylline Cssmax, AUC0-12 and Cave by approximately 32%, and decreased theophylline oral clearance by approximately 23%. The authors conclude that cimetidine alters the steady-state pharmacokinetics of theophylline in COPD patients, whereas ranitidine and nizatidine are without effect.

Controlled study of the putative interaction between famotidine and theophylline in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The effects of famotidine (80 mg per day), cimetidine (1600 mg per day), and placebo on theophylline pharmacokinetic parameters in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients were compared. This was an open-label, randomized, three-period cross-over study, in which each subject first underwent a seven-day theophylline washout period, and thereafter received three single intravenous doses of theophylline (5 mg/kg infused over 30 minutes) during the study. Each of the experimental treatments was administered orally every 12 hours for a total of 9.5 days (19 doses). Theophylline was infused after the 17th dose of each treatment. Fourteen serial blood samples were collected before the start of each infusion, and for 30 hours after the end of each infusion. Plasma samples were assayed for theophylline, pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated, and treatment effects on each parameter were compared. Fourteen COPD patients completed all three periods of the investigation. Famotidine treatment had virtually no effect on any of theophylline's pharmacokinetic parameters. In contrast, cimetidine treatment significantly altered every pharmacokinetic parameter of theophylline as follows: Cimetidine decreased theophylline geometric mean CL from 2.74 L/h to 2.07 L/h (P < .001), and prolonged theophylline harmonic mean half-life from 6.6 to 9.6 hours (P < .001) and mean residence time from 10.8 to 15.0 hours (P < .001). Cimetidine treatment slightly increased theophylline volume of distribution by approximately 10%, and that change also was statistically significant (P = .032). The authors conclude that the treatment effects of cimetidine on theophylline pharmacokinetic parameters were in accord with those reported by others, and that famotidine treatment had no effect on any of theophylline's pharmacokinetic parameters in COPD patients.

A comparison of ampicillin/sulbactam versus cefotaxime in the therapy of lower respiratory tract infections in hospitalized patients.

Fifty-three hospitalized patients suffering from lower respiratory tract infections were evaluated in a randomized, comparative trial studying the safety and efficacy of ampicillin/sulbactam (2 g ampicillin plus 1 g sulbactam intravenously every 6 h) versus cefotaxime (2 g intravenously every 6 h). Thirty-four of the 36 and 16 of the 17 patients treated with ampicillin/sulbactam and cefotaxime, respectively, were evaluable. Clinical and bacteriologic efficacy did not differ significantly between the two treatment groups (p = 0.828 and p = 0.648, respectively). Twenty-one (61.8%) of the ampicillin/sulbactam-treated patients were cured, eight (23.5%) improved and four (11.8%) were treatment failures. Nine (56.3%) of the cefotaxime treated patients were cured, four (25.0%) improved and two (12.5%) failed therapy. All primary pathogens were eradicated in 19 (55.9%) of the ampicillin/sulbactam group and were partially eradicated in seven (20.6%) patients. In the cefotaxime treatment group bacteriologic eradication occurred in 10 (62.5%) and partial eradication in two (12.5%) patients. Both study drugs were well tolerated, as the number of adverse reactions in each treatment group was small and similar between the two groups. Ampicillin/sulbactam appears to be as safe and effective as cefotaxime in the therapy of hospitalized patients with lower respiratory tract infections caused by beta-lactamase positive and beta-lactamase negative pathogens.

Ampicillin/sulbactam compared with cefotaxime in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections of bacterial etiology.

This was a randomized, prospective, parallel study of the efficacy and safety of ampicillin/sulbactam (2 g/1 g) and cefotaxime (2 g), administered intravenously every 6 hours, in 53 hospitalized patients with lower respiratory tract infections. Thirty-four of the 36 patients treated with ampicillin/sulbactam and 16 of the 17 patients treated with cefotaxime were evaluable. Clinical and bacteriologic effectiveness did not differ significantly between the two groups (P = .828, P = .648, respectively). Of the ampicillin/sulbactam-treated patients, 21 (61.8%) were cured, 8 (23.5%) were improved, and 4 (11.8%) were treatment failures. In the cefotaxime group, 9 patients (56.3%) were cured, 4 (25%) were improved, and 2 (12.5%) were treatment failures. All primary pathogens were eradicated in 19 (55.9%) ampicillin/sulbactam-treated patients and partially eradicated in 7 (20.6%); in cefotaxime-treated patients, all primary pathogens were eradicated in 10 (62.5%) patients and partially eradicated in 2 (12.5%). Both study drugs were well tolerated, with the overall incidence of adverse events similarly low in the two groups.

[Lichen planus associated with liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus]. / Liquen plano asociado a hepatopatía por virus de la hepatitis C.

The association between lichen planus (LP) and liver disease by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) has recently been described although its significance is controversial. The charts of 10 patients (8 women, 2 men) clinically and/or histologically diagnosed of LP and with positive HCV serology were retrospectively reviewed. Nine of the patients presented mucosal involvement, four of which were of the erosive form. In 7 patients liver disease preceded the appearance of LP. In the remaining 3 patients HCV infection was detected after the diagnosis of LP despite no alterations being observed in the liver function tests in 2 cases. Alpha-interferon 2b treatment triggered the lesions in 3 cases while leading to resolution of LP in another case. These data confirm the findings referred in the references and support the direct or indirect participation of HCV in LP.

Drug interactions of H2-receptor antagonists.

Three drug interactions of nizatidine and of other antisecretory agents were studied comparatively. First, the effects of nizatidine, cimetidine and ranitidine on the dispositional kinetics of theophylline were evaluated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Second, the effect of magnesium/aluminium hydroxide on the relative bioavailability of nizatidine, famotidine, cimetidine and ranitidine was evaluated in healthy volunteers. Finally, the effects of nizatidine and omeprazole on the dispositional kinetics of phenytoin were evaluated in healthy volunteers. Only cimetidine altered the steady-state kinetics of oral theophylline, slowing theophylline clearance by 25%. Each of the H2-receptor antagonists exhibited a modest decline in relative bioavailability when ingested with antacid. Antacid ingestion decreased the bioavailability of famotidine, ranitidine and cimetidine by 20-25%, and the bioavailability of nizatidine by 12%. Each of these effects was statistically significant. Finally, it was found that neither omeprazole nor nizatidine affected the single dose kinetics of phenytoin.

Cirugía herniaria electiva en pacientes portadores de tratamiento anticoagulante / Elective hernia surgery in patients with anticoagulant treatment

Resumen Introducción: Diversas patologías requieren de tratamiento anticoagulante oral (TACO). Algunos de estos pacientes requieren resolución quirúrgica. El manejo perioperatorio de estos pacientes es variable dependiendo del centro. Objetivos: Evaluar la morbilidad y mortalidad del protocolo de manejo de patología herniaria en TACO, atendidos en nuestro hospital. Material y Métodos: Estudio descriptivo prospectivo de 37 pacientes sometidos a cirugía herniaria en TACO entre 2008-2016. Los datos fueron obtenidos de la base de datos computacional del Equipo de Hernias, con un seguimiento mínimo de 1 mes. Se evaluaron las características clínicas, quirúrgicas y la morbimortalidad postoperatoria. El traslape consistió en hospitalizar al paciente tres días previos a la cirugía, suspendiéndose el TACO e iniciando heparina de bajo peso molecular (HBPM) en dosis terapéuticas, que se suspende 24 h previas a la cirugía. Se reinicia la HPBM a las 12 a 24 h postoperatorias, y se inicia el traslape a TACO a las 24-48 h. Los datos fueron analizados con Stata v14. Resultados: De los 37 pacientes estudiados, veintiséis pacientes fueron hombres (70,2%), la media de edad fue de 67,3 años. El 48,7% tenían fibrilación auricular. El 100% consumía acenocumarol como TACO. La media en el inicio del traslape a la anticoagulación oral fue de 1,4 días. El promedio de INR al momento del alta fue de 2,04. Dos pacientes fueron dados de alta con dalteparina. Un paciente (2,7%), presentó dolor en el postoperatorio inmediato y uno (2,7%), equimosis del sitio quirúrgico. Conclusiones: El protocolo de trabajo utilizado, demostró ser seguro, con una mínima morbilidad postoperatoria.

Introduction: Various pathologies require oral anticoagulant treatment (TACO). Some of these patients present pathologies of surgical resolution. The perioperative management of these patients is variable depending on the center. Aim: To evaluate the morbidity and mortality of patients attended with hernia pathology and TACO, assisted in our hospital. Materials and Method: Prospective, descriptive study of 37 patients submmited to hernia surgery in TACO between 2008-2016. The data was obtained from the computer database of the Hernia Team, with a minimum follow-up of 1 month. Clinical, surgical characteristics and postoperative morbidity and mortality were evaluated. The treatment overlap from TACO to Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH) in therapeutic doses, was initiated three days before surgery. LMWH was suspended 24 hours prior to surgery, and reinitiated 12 to 24 hours post operation. 48 to 72 hours TACO was resumed. The data was analyzed with Stata v14. Results: Twenty-six patients were men, the mean age was 67.3 years. 48.7% had atrial fibrillation. 100% consumed acenocoumarol as TACO. The mean time for resuming TACO after surgery was 1.4 days. The average INR at the time of discharge was 2.04. Two patients were discharged with dalteparin. One patient (2.7%) presented pain in the immediate postoperative period and one showed ecchymosis of the surgical site (2.7%). Conclusions: The work protocol used, proved to be safe, with minimal postoperative morbidity.