[Validity and usefulness of the RAE-CMBD studying patients hospitalised with influenza]. / Validez y utilidad del RAE-CMBD en el estudio de los pacientes hospitalizados con gripe.

OBJECTIVE: Understanding the hospital impact of influenza requires enriching epidemiological surveillance registries with other sources of information. The aim of this study was to determine the validity of the Hospital Care Activity Record - Minimum Basic Data Set (RAE-CMBD) in the analysis of the outcomes of patients hospitalised with this infection. METHODS: Observational and retrospective study of adults admitted with influenza in a tertiary hospital during the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 seasons. We calculated the concordance of the RAE-CMBD with the influenza epidemiological surveillance registry (gold standard), as well as the main parameters of internal and external validity. Logistic regression models were used for risk adjustment of in-hospital mortality and length of stay. RESULTS: A total of 907 (97.74%) unique matches were achieved, with high inter-observer agreement (ƙ=0.828). The RAE-CMBD showed a 79.87% sensitivity, 99.72% specificity, 86.71% positive predictive value and 99.54% negative predictive value. The risk-adjusted mortality ratio of patients with influenza was lower than that of patients without influenza: 0.667 (0.53-0.82) vs. 1.008 (0.98-1.04) and the risk-adjusted length of stay ratio was higher: 1.15 (1.12-1.18) vs. 1.00 (0.996-1.001). CONCLUSIONS: The RAE-CMBD is a valid source of information for the study of the impact of influenza on hospital care. The lower risk-adjusted mortality of patients admitted with influenza compared to other inpatients seems to point to the effectiveness of the main clinical and organisational measures adopted.

Difficult intravenous access in a paediatric intensive care unit.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple attempts during peripheral cannulation can have major consequences for patients, relatives, and healthcare professionals, therefore we set out to determine the extent of this problem in a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). OBJECTIVES: The main aim was to describe peripheral venous catheter (PVC) and peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) cannulation in children in the PICU. Secondary objectives were to determine the success rate of the first cannulation attempt, to quantify patients with difficult venous access (DVA), and to explore the association between DVA and sociodemographic, technique and nursing-related characteristics. METHOD: A cross-sectional descriptive study. Consecutive sampling was used to recruit patients aged 0-18 years admitted to the PICU who required peripheral venous cannulation. An ad hoc questionnaire was used for this purpose, including the presence of DVA as an independent variable. RESULTS: A total of 163 venous cannulations were reported. A total of 55.8% (91) were performed in patients under 1 year of age. Of these, 38.7% (63) were successful on the first attempt and 36.8% (60) had DVA. When there was DVA, 85% (51) of patients had complications, median time to cannulation by short CVP was 30 minutes [15-53] and 2 or more nurses were required on 80% (48) of occasions. CONCLUSIONS: We found a low success rate at first attempt and a high proportion of DVA. More nurses and time were employed during cannulation and complications increased if the patient had DVA. A statistically significant association was found between DVA and age, weight, poor perfusion, veins that were neither visible nor palpable, DIVA score ≥ 4, history of difficult intravenous access, complications, number of nurses and time spent.

Difficult intravenous access in a paediatric intensive care unit. / Vía venosa difícil en una unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple attempts during peripheral cannulation can have major consequences for patients, relatives, and healthcare professionals, therefore we set out to determine the extent of this problem in a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). OBJECTIVES: The main aim was to describe peripheral venous catheter (PVC) and peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) cannulation in children in the PICU. Secondary objectives were to determine the success rate of the first cannulation attempt, to quantify patients with difficult venous access (DVA), and to explore the association between DVA and sociodemographic, technique and nursing-related characteristics. METHOD: A cross-sectional descriptive study. Consecutive sampling was used to recruit patients aged 0-18 years admitted to the PICU who required peripheral venous cannulation. An ad hoc questionnaire was used for this purpose, including the presence of DVA as an independent variable. RESULTS: A total of 163 venous cannulations were reported. A total of 55.8% (91) were performed in patients under 1 year of age. Of these, 38.7% (63) were successful on the first attempt and 36.8% (60) had DVA. When there was DVA, 85% (51) of patients had complications, median time to cannulation by short CVP was 30minutes [15-53] and 2 or more nurses were required on 80% (48) of occasions. CONCLUSIONS: We found a low success rate at first attempt and a high proportion of DVA. More nurses and time were employed during cannulation and complications increased if the patient had DVA. A statistically significant association was found between DVA and age, weight, poor perfusion, veins that were neither visible nor palpable, DIVA score≥4, history of difficult intravenous access, complications, number of nurses and time spent.

Functional analysis of CYP1B1 mutations and association of heterozygous hypomorphic alleles with primary open-angle glaucoma.

Glaucoma is an inherited complex and heterogeneous disease, and one of the most prevalent causes of definitive blindness in the world. Recent reports have indicated that heterozygous mutations of the CYTOCHOROME P4501B1 (CYP1B1) gene are present in 4-10% of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). To further evaluate the role of CYP1B1 mutations in POAG we extended our previous association study and carried out a functional analysis of the mutations identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) DNA sequencing of the three exons of the gene in a total of 245 unrelated Spanish patients and 326 control subjects. Eight of nine different mutations identified in these patients were cloned and functionally assessed by measuring ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation activity and CYP1B1 stability in transiently transfected HEK-293T cells. All these mutants showed reduced catalytic activity, ranging from 20% to 60% of wild-type and/or decreased protein stability and, therefore, they were classified as hypomorphic alleles. No null alleles were identified in these patients. We found heterozygous hypomorphic CYP1B1 mutations in 17 (6.7%) patients and in seven controls (2.1%) showing that these mutations are associated with an increased risk of POAG (p = 0.005; odds ratio = 3.2; 95% confidence interval = 1.30-9.19). Our data suggest that hypomorphic CYP1B1 mutations are, to date, the main known genetic risk factor in POAG.

Optic nerve alterations in P27(Kip1) knockout mice.

PURPOSE: To study the morphologic characteristics of the optic nerve (ON) by using an experimental model of knockout mice for the expression of the P27(Kip1) gene, mainly involved in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis control, and retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation. METHODS: Eyeballs with the retrobulbar ON attached were obtained from 26-week-old mice. By using morphologic and morphometric techniques, light and electron transmission microscopy, the ON characteristics were determined in two groups of mice: 1) wild type mice as the control group (n=15), 2) homozygous knockout mice (-/-) for the P27(Kip1) gene as the knockout group (n=15). Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and myelin basic protein (MBP) were studied using Western blot and immunoblotting approaches. RESULTS: The ON cross-sectional area was significantly larger in the P27(Kip1) knockout mice group than in the control group (p<0.001). The axon sizes in knockout animals were much larger than in wild-type mice (p<0.001). Higher number of axons forming the ON, intra-axonal degeneration, myelin sheath, and axoplasm density alterations were found in P27(Kip1) knockout mice when compared with control group (p<0.001). Analysis of lysates of optic nerves by Western blot showed less expression of myelin basic protein and GFAP in P27(Kip1) knockout mice as compared to wild type mice (p<0.005, p<0.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The morphologic and morphometric results suggest that homozygous P27(Kip1) knock-out mice had hypertrophic, hyperplastic, and dystrophic ON.

Optic nerve alterations in PTEN +/- mice.

PURPOSE: To study the morphologic characteristics of the optic nerve (ON) by using an experimental model of knockout mice for the expression of the PTEN gene, mainly involved in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis control, and cell size regulation. METHODS: The eyeballs with the retrobulbar ON attached were obtained from 26-week-old mice. By using morphologic and morphometric techniques, light and electron transmission microscopy, the ON characteristics were determined in two groups of mice: 1) 'wild type' mice as the control group (C-G; n=15), 2) heterozygous knockout mice (+/-) for the PTEN gene (PTEN-G; n=15). Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and myelin basic protein (MBP) were studied using Western blot and immunoblotting approaches. RESULTS: The ON cross-sectional area was significantly higher in the PTEN-G than in the C-G (p<0.001). The axon sizes in mutant animals were much larger than in wild-type mice (p<0.001). No significant differences were noticed between those groups regarding the number of axons forming the ON and the presence of intra-axonal degeneration, myelin sheath alterations, or axoplasm density. No differences were detected in developmental marker protein expression. CONCLUSIONS: The morphologic and morphometric results suggest that heterozygous PTEN knockout mice had hypertrophic ON without ultrastructural alterations.

[Bubble mirror technique for express shunt surgery]. / Maniobra del tapón especular para implante express.

SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: The bubble mirror technique consists of the stabilization of the anterior chamber by means of a plug made with a combination of conveniently placed air and viscoelastic material. A line arises at interface between the air and viscoelastic where the anterior chamber angle reflected can be seen as in a mirror (bubble mirror). DISCUSSION: The viscoelastic-air plug offers three advantages in glaucoma surgery with the Ex-PRESS implant: 1) plug effect of viscoelastic, giving stability to the anterior chamber and preventing it from collapsing; 2) toning effect of the air bubble; and 3) specular effect at the interface, which allows the surgeon to visually control the chamber angle during the Ex-PRESS implantation.

Central retinal artery occlusion as the initial sign of aortic valve papillary fibroelastoma.

PURPOSE: We describe a central retinal artery occlusion in a young man who was subsequently found to have an aortic valve papillary fibroelastoma. METHODS: Case report with clinical, echocardiographic, and histopathologic observations. RESULTS: The aortic valve papillary fibroelastoma was successfully treated with tumor resection. CONCLUSION: Appropriate investigations in young patients with central retinal artery occlusion should therefore be conducted, including transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, to diagnose and treat this tumor, because failure to diagnose this tumor may result in further embolic events, including stroke and sudden death.

Optic nerve alterations in apolipoprotein E deficient mice.

PURPOSE: To study the morphologic characteristics of the optic nerve (ON) by using an experimental model of knockout mice for expression of the ApoE gene. METHODS: Eyeballs with the retrobulbar ON attached were obtained from 24-week-old mice. Using morphologic and morphometric techniques and light and transmission electron microscopy, the ON characteristics were determined in three groups of mice: 1) wild type mice as the controls (CG; n = 15), 2) knockout mice for the ApoE gene (ApoE-G; n = 15), and 3) knockout mice for the ApoE gene that were fed a cholesterol-supplemented diet (ApoED-G; n = 15). RESULTS: The ON cross-sectional area was significantly higher in the ApoE-G than in the CG (p < 0.001) mice, whereas no significant changes were noticed between the ApoE-G and ApoED-G mice. Significant differences were noticed between those groups regarding the myelination index. Higher density of intra-axonal degeneration and myelin sheath alterations were found in both ApoE groups in respect to the CG. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that ApoE knockout mice have changes in ON morphology and myelination.

[Estimation of the efficacy of deep sclerectomy in glaucoma surgery. One-year follow-up]. / Estimación de la eficacia de la esclerectomía profunda no perforante en el tratamiento quirúrgico del glaucoma al año de la cirugía.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of deep sclerectomy in the surgical treatment of glaucoma one year after surgery. METHODS: 53 eyes of 43 patients (26 male, 27 female) with medically uncontrolled glaucoma of various types, were treated with deep sclerectomy surgery. RESULTS: The mean postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) was 18.19 S.D. 5.22 mmHg., and the mean preoperative IOP was 26.66 S.D. 5.93 mmHg. We observed a statistically significant reduction in the IOP (p<0.05). Our success criteria were IOP lower than 21 mmHg with or without associated hypotensive medications, no advance in glaucomatous visual field defects and no advance in optic nerve cupping. This was achieved in 88.68% of the cases at 12 months follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Deep sclerectomy is an efficient technique to control IOP, with few early post-operative complications.

[Conjunctival microbiological study in corneo-schleral prosthesis users]. / Estudio microbiológico de la conjuntiva en portadores de prótesis esclero-corneales.

PURPOSE: To evaluate conjunctival bacterial flora in carrier patients of corneo-schleral prosthesis, both in the affected and fellow eye. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Samples were obtained from twenty-six corneo-schleral prosthesis carriers and smear from both eyes were cultured. Samples were taken from 24 patients as controls. RESULTS: Significant growth of potentially pathogen bacteria was observed in the corneo-schleral prosthesis and fellow eyes compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Conjunctival bacterial flora showed variations in the eyes of controls, corneo-schleral prosthesis and fellow eyes groups.

[Treatment of conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia with topical mitomycin C 0.02%]. / Tratamiento de las neoplasias conjuntivales intraepiteliales con colirio de mitomicina C al 0,02%

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of topical mitomycin C (MMC) 0.02% in treating conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). METHODS: Three patients with CIN were treated with topical MMC 0.02%. Our follow-up period was twelve months (range 8-18 months). RESULTS: CIN was resolved in all three cases without modifying the normal corneal and conjunctival architecture. CONCLUSIONS: Topical MMC 0.02% four times daily during two weeks is a useful alternative tool for the surgical management of CIN.

[CT scan efficiency in emergency room diagnosis for optic neuropathy due to trauma]. / Eficacia de la tomografía computerizada (T.A.C.) en el diagnóstico urgente de la neuropatía óptica traumática.

PURPOSE: To define radiological patterns for Traumatic Optic Neuropathy (TON), which is of special concern for patients suffering of poor awareness when exploration of visual function is needed. We also studied final visual acuity in connection with the early radiological findings. METHOD: 14 optic neuropathies due to trauma, with their emergency requested CT Scan and evolution of visual acuity are reported. RESULTS: 76.9% of the patients showed radiological findings suggesting a TON, 23% consisted in intraorbitary hematic collections, 15% comprised avulsions of optic disc, 15% showed intraorbitary bony fragments and only 15% showed optic canal fractures. CONCLUSIONS: We report the radiological findings suggesting a TON which concerns the polytraumatized patients. Together with the clinical exploration, CT Scan becomes the most important method for the assessment of TON in emergency settings. In cases of avulsion of the optic nerve, visual acuity was regarded as no light perception by the patients, while in others this perception varied.

[A case of loss of retinal myelinated nerve fibers in a chronic glaucoma]. / Desaparición de fibras nerviosas mielinizadas retinianas en una paciente con glaucoma crónico.

PURPOSE/METHOD: A female patient underwent retinographic control and presented a pattern of myelinated nerve fibers in both eyes. Two years later, patient underwent a second retinographic control showing 10/10 glaucomatous cupping in her right eye. This was associated to loss of myelinated nerve fibers. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Etiology, characteristics, associations and other causes of loss of myelinated retinal nerve fibers in chronic glaucoma are reviewed. This is the second of two photograph documented cases where loss of myelinated nerve fibers is associated to an open angle primary glaucoma.

[Hemorrhagic Descemet's membrane detachment after viscocanalostomy]. / Desprendimiento hemorrágico de la membrana de Descemet tras viscocanalostomía.

INTRODUCTION: Viscocanalostomy is an option in the surgical treatment of glaucoma. This non-penetrating technique favours aqueous drainage through the Schlemm channel while avoiding filtering blebs and their related pathologies. Complications associated to this surgery are unusual, one of which is Decemet's membrane detachment (DMD) CLINICAL CASE: A 64 year-old female diagnosed with open-angle chronic glaucoma, whose had undergone a viscocanalostomy of the left eye. In the immediate postoperative period we noticed a hemorrhagic DMD in the lower temporal quadrant. After adopting a wait and see attitude, we did not find improvement 15 days after surgery and corneal edema was established with vision decrease. We proceeded to a surgical reapplication by means of Descemet's membrane micropuncture and SF6 injection into the anterior chamber and achieving an anatomical and functional improvement DISCUSSION: We believe that the intrusion of viscoelastic material into the supradescemetic was a consequence of the high-pressure during the high-density hyaluronate injection. Hemorrhagic DMD management is mainly determined by its location, size and evolution. In our case, the posterior endothelial micropuncture and descematopexy by means of 20% SF6 injection into the anterior chamber was useful in resolving this complication.

[Postoperative outcomes after combined glaucoma surgery. Comparison of ex-press miniature implant with standard trabeculectomy]. / Resultados postquirúrgicos en la cirugía combinada de glaucoma. Comparación del implante express con la trabeculectomía estándar.

PURPOSE: To evaluate postoperative outcomes and success after combined phacoemulsification and glaucoma surgery with Ex-PRESS miniature implant compared with combined surgery with standard trabeculectomy. METHODS: In this prospective series of 40 consecutive eyes we compared 20 eyes in 17 patients treated with combined phacoemulsification and glaucoma filtering surgery with the Ex-PRESS miniature glaucoma implant under a scleral flap with 20 matched control eyes in 20 patients who underwent combined cataract and glaucoma surgery with trabeculectomy. RESULTS: The average follow-up was 9.7 months (range 4.5 to 15) for the Ex-PRESS group and 10.3 months (range 3.5 to 14.5) for the trabeculectomy group. The mean IOP was significantly higher in the early postoperative period in the Ex-PRESS group compared with the trabeculectomy group. Complications rate in the early postoperative period was significantly higher in the trabeculectomy group. No significant differences were objectified in success between both groups after the first week. DISCUSSION: The Ex-PRESS implant is an effective and safe alternative to standard trabeculectomy in selected cases which makes possible to reduce remarkably the classic early postoperative complications associated with trabeculectomy.

Optic nerve alterations in PTEN +/- mice.

PURPOSE: To study the morphologic characteristics of the optic nerve (ON) by using an experimental model of knockout mice for the expression of the PTEN gene, mainly involved in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis control, and cell size regulation. METHODS: The eyeballs with the retrobulbar ON attached were obtained from 26-week-old mice. By using morphologic and morphometric techniques, light and electron transmission microscopy, the ON characteristics were determined in two groups of mice: 1) 'wild type' mice as the control group (C-G; n=15), 2) heterozygous knockout mice (+/-) for the PTEN gene (PTEN-G; n=15). Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and myelin basic protein (MBP) were studied using Western blot and immunoblotting approaches. RESULTS: The ON cross-sectional area was significantly higher in the PTEN-G than in the C-G (p<0.001). The axon sizes in mutant animals were much larger than in wild-type mice (p<0.001). No significant differences were noticed between those groups regarding the number of axons forming the ON and the presence of intra-axonal degeneration, myelin sheath alterations, or axoplasm density. No differences were detected in developmental marker protein expression. CONCLUSIONS: The morphologic and morphometric results suggest that heterozygous PTEN knockout mice had hypertrophic ON without ultrastructural alterations.

[Treatment of Sydenham's chorea with perphenazine]. / Tratamiento de la corea de Sydenham con perfenazina.

Symptomatic therapy in Sydenham's chorea has not been satisfactory. Perphenazine was tested as an alternative to diminish abnormal movements. A Syndenham's chorea comparative double-blind study (17 patients) using it, with reserpine and placebo as controls, was designed. Perphenazine was tried also in another open-study (13 patients with Syndenham's chorea). Out of the 2 groups, those which received perphenazine improved earlier and in a greater proportion than controls, with statistical significance (p is less than 0.01).