Epidemiologic changes in bloodstream infections in Andalucía (Spain) during the last decade.

OBJECTIVES: During the last decade, some changes in the epidemiology of invasive infections have been reported; however, specific studies with patient-level data are scarce. The aim of this study was to describe and evaluate the epidemiologic changes in bloodstream infections (BSI) during the last decade in Andalucía, Spain. METHODS: Data from two prospective cohorts of BSI in adults with the same methodology performed 10 years apart in 11 hospitals (eight tertiary and three community) in Andalucía, Spain, were compared; the 2006-7 cohort study was performed between October 2006 and March 2007, and the 2016-17 cohort study was performed between October 2016 and March 2017. Population-based incidence rates were calculated and extrapolated for 1 year. Relative risk ratios were calculated between the 2 periods. Multivariate analyses were performed by logistic regression. RESULTS: Overall, 1262 episodes of BSI were included, 563 (44.6%) in 2006-7 and 699 (55.3%) in 2016-17. Multivariate models selected the following changes in patients' features in 2016-17, after controlling for type of acquisition: higher age (odds ratio (OR) = 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.03), lower urinary catheter (OR = 0.37; 95% CI, 0.26-0.48) and lower Pitt score (OR = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.71-0.82). Adjusted estimations considering patients' features and exposure to procedures showed a reduction in coagulase-negative staphylococci (OR = 0.47; 95% CI, 0.32-0.69), and an increase in Proteus spp. (OR = 3.12; 95% CI, 1.18-8.23) and Candida spp. (OR = 3.01; 95% CI, 1.03-8.86). CONCLUSIONS: We found relevant epidemiologic changes in BSI in our area, including rates, frequency of acquisition types, changes in patient's profiles and aetiologic agents.

Review of difficult airway management in thoracic surgery. / Revisión del manejo de la vía aérea díficil en cirugía torácica.

The management of difficult airway (DA) in thoracic surgery is more difficult due to the need for lung separation or isolation and frequent presence of associated upper and lower airway problems. We performed an article review analysing 818 papers published with clinical evidence indexed in Pubmed that allowed us to develop an algorithm. The best airway management in predicted DA is tracheal intubation and independent bronchial blockers guided by fibroscopy maintaining spontaneous ventilation. For unpredicted DA, the use of videolaryngoscopes is recommended initially, and adequate neuromuscular relaxation (rocuronium/sugammadex), among other maneuvers. In both cases, double lumen tubes should be reserved for when lung separation is absolutely indicated. Finally, extubation should be a time of maximum care and be performed according to the safety measures of the Difficult Arway Society.

Genetic analysis in retinoblastoma and peripheral blood correlation.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the importance of intratumoral genetic analysis in the diagnosis of germ-line mutations in patients with retinoblastoma. To underline the importance of performing these genetic tests in every case of retinoblastoma. METHOD: Intratumoral genetic analysis of RB1 mutation was performed on 17 enucleated eyes that were non-responsive to conservative treatment. Patients had no family history of retinoblastoma, and lesions were always single. The identified mutations were then also studied in peripheral blood analysis. RESULTS: There were 12 (70.6%) cases with positive results in intratumoral analysis. In 8 cases (47.1%) mutation of both RB1 alelli were detected, and in 4 (23.5%) cases only one allele was found mutated. In 5 patients (29.4%) no mutation was identified. In the first hit, mutations comprised 7 frameshift or nonsense and 2 splice, whereas in the second hit, one splice mutation, 2 nonsense and 8 loss of heterozygosity were identified. Among 6 patients where intratumoral analysis detected a single mutation associated with a loss of heterozygosity, the peripheral blood analysis was able to detect the same mutation in 3 cases (50%). CONCLUSIONS: Intratumoral genetic analysis of sporadic retinoblastoma can detect germ-line mutations. These patients are at higher risk of bilateralization and development of second tumors or trilateral retinoblastoma. Genetic screening is recommended in every patient diagnosed with retinoblastoma.

[Genetic analysis results of patients with a retinoblastoma refractory to systemic chemotherapy]. / Resultados del analisis genético de los pacientes con retinoblastoma resistente a quimioterapia sistémica.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the genetic alterations identified in the RB1 gene in retinoblastoma patients who do not respond to systemic chemotherapy. METHODS: A genetic analysis was performed on 115 patients with retinoblastoma, 40 of whom had received systemic chemotherapy, and 29 of them had bilateral disease. Descriptive and retrospective study. Non-responders were considered as patients who are finally enucleated. RESULTS: Patients with deletion type mutations are those with less preservation of the eyeball (Pearson Chi-square, P=.055). Patients with an impaired nonsense-frameshift type are more likely to preserve the eyeball. Of the 3 patients who had undergone bilateral enucleation, 2 of them had deletions and one missense alteration. Survival analysis (Kaplan-Meier curve) shows that patients with deletion type mutations are more resistance to chemotherapy, are suffering higher rates of enucleation, and for a shorter period of time (log rank [Mantel-Cox] with a significance level of P=.053), which are also associated with increased rate of being bilateral. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a genotype show increased resistance to chemotherapy should be evaluated more closely and treated with various therapeutic weapons early. Patients that have deletions in the RB1 gene are at increased risk of chemoresistance. It is likely that other genetic alterations other than RB1 gene may be related to tumor aggressiveness and treatment resistance.

[Extraarticular hip impingement: Case report]. / Pinzamiento extraarticular de cadera. Reporte de caso.

Femoroacetabular impingement is the mechanical contact between the femur and the pelvis, frequently between the femur neck and the acetabular rim, whether due to a deformity of the former (cam type) or the latter (pincer type). However, there may be extraarticular causes of impingement. Together with the increased diagnosis of impingement, arthroscopic treatment is increasingly frequent and has become the standard treatment. This report analyzes a case of extraarticular hip impingement caused by contact between the femur and a prominent anteroinferior iliac spine (AIIS), probably due to a healed old avulsion and its later arthroscopic management.

[Trilateral retinoblastoma. Correlation between the genetic anomalies of the RB1 gene and the presence of pineal gland cysts]. / Retinoblastoma trilateral. Correlación de las alteraciones genéticas del gen RB1 y la presencia de quistes de la glándula pineal.

OBJETIVE: To determine the correlation between the presence of genetic anomalies identified in the RB1 gene and the development of trilateral retinoblastoma. METHOD: No patients with primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET) were identified out of a total of 206 patients, but there were 17 cases of pineal cysts, of which 11 had a genetic study. RESULTS: Of the 11 patients who had a genetic study performed, the anomaly in the germinal line was identified in 8 cases, which was equivalent to 100% of the bilateral retinoblastomas, and 25% of the unilateral ones. It is more common to find a germinal mutation in patients with bilateral disease (P=.024). There are no significant differences in the type of anomaly identified, although the nonsense-frameshift type is more frequent in cases with bilateral involvement. Identification of the genetic anomaly is more frequent in patients who have pineal cysts (Fisher test; P=.490). Nine of the 17 patients received systemic chemotherapy (52.29% of the cases), which could be able to prevent the development of PNET. Although a certain trend was observed in all the mentioned parameters, there was a relationship between, the presence of pineal cysts and bilateral disease (Pearson Chi X2: P=.191), a known family history (Fisher test; P=.114) and age of early diagnosis (Fisher test; P=.114). There were no significant differences in the mutation type identified. CONCLUSIONS: Considering pineal cysts as a pre-malignant form of pinealoblastoma, we found a relationship between the germinal line mutation of the RB1 gene and the cases with bilateral or unilateral retinoblastoma.

[REMEEX® system for the treatment of male urinary stress incontinence: our experience]. / Sistema REMEEX® para el tratamiento de la incontinencia de esfuerzo masculina: nuestra experiencia.

INTRODUCTION: We evaluate the effectiveness of REMEEX® (readjustable sling) for the treatment of male urinary stress incontinence (SUI). MATERIALS AND METHOD: Between February 2007 and December 2009, 14 male patients with mild to severe SUI were operated with the use of REMEEX® system. The origin of incontinence was radical open prostatectomy (n=9), laparoscopic prostatectomy (n=4) and TUR (n=1). We evaluate postoperatively complications in three groups: intraoperatively, early complications (before 1 month) and late complications (after 1 month). Follow up was done at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after intervention. RESULTS: The mean age was 68,5 years (range: 62-71). The average follow-up time was 18,6 months (range: 10,1-35,2). The mean of readjustment was 3,7 (range: 1-6). Twelve patients were readjusted during the early period (24-72h after intervention). The mesh was removed in 3 cases (21,4%) owing to infection in one and the others because patients didn't want more system readjustment. There were four (28,5%) intraoperative bladder perforations. The early complication more frequent was acute urinary retention with five cases (35,7%). To the year of follow-up 41,7% of the patients are totally continent (5/12) and 33,3% presents light urinary incontinence (4/12). CONCLUSIONS: The REMEEX® system for the treatment of male SUI presents (in our experience) a 75% of good results (continent patients or patients with light urinary incontinence) at the year of follow-up with a high rate of light complications. Readjustment are frequent at the first six months after intervention and it's necessary an intense follow-up. We need more studies that evaluate the long-term efficiency of this system.

[Supratentorial endodermal cyst. Case report]. / Quiste endodérmico supratentorial: caso clínico y revisión de la literatura.

Endodermal cysts (EC) of the central nervous system are very uncommon lesions predominantly located in the spinal canal. Although rare, intracranial EC have been mainly described in the posterior fossa, with the supratentorial location considered exceptional. Apart from the low frequency of these lesions, their pathoembriology still remais unknown. We report a patient with a huge frontal EC and review the literature. A 62-year-old man presented with abnormal behaviour, disorientation and decreased level of consciousness after moderate head injury. Initial cranial CT scan revealed a large cyst in the left frontal region with marked midline shift. Emergency puncture and decompression of the cyst demonstrated a milky fluid with high protein levels. Cranial MRI after patient improvement confirmed the existence of the cystic lesion with less mass effect. Delayed surgery was performed with craniotomy and total removal of the cyst. Pathological examination confirmed the presence of a typical EC. Patient made a complete recovery on follow-up with no recurrence on postoperative MRIs. Differential diagnosis of EC based on radiological data is quite difficult. As aggresive behaviour of this condition has been described following incomplete resections, the treatment of choice is a radical removal of the cyst in one or two stages depending on patient clinical condition.

[Radiation-induced cranial tumors: clinical series and literature review]. / Tumores craneales radioinducidos: serie clínica y revisión de la literatura.

Radiation induced tumors are well-known but rare complications of radiotherapy. Meningiomas are the most common radiation-induced (RI) cranial tumors, followed by gliomas and sarcomas, while other tumors as haemangioblastomas remain extremely exceptional. We present 7 patients with RI brain tumors diagnosed and treated at our institution between 1990 and 2006. Retrospective review of their clinical charts is supplied. All patients were irradiated during childhood as a treatment for another disease, and fulfilled the criteria of RI neoplasia. Four patients developed meningiomas and three developed other tumors (one glioblastoma, one softtissue sarcoma and one hemangioblastoma). In all cases a complete surgical removal was achieved. Preoperative assessment based on MRI supplied the correct diagnosis in six patients. The most important risks factors described in the literature for developing RI tumors are the age at which radiotherapy was administered and the dose of radiation applied. Differential diagnosis of RI tumors includes any tumor appearing after radiotheraphy, especially recurrences of the primary disease, as RI neoplasias are a rare complication. Even in cases with complete surgical resection, prognosis of this clinical entity is basically related to the histology of the RI tumor.

[Nosocomial outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis in a neonatal intensive care unit]. / Brote nosocomial de queratoconjuntivitis epidémica en una unidad de cuidados intensivos neonatal.

OBJECTIVE: To describe an epidemic nosocomial outbreak of keratoconjunctivitis affecting at least 43 people in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Madrid, between May and October 2002, perform epidemiologic research and determine preventive measures to prevent new outbreaks. METHODS: Description of the outbreak, clinical case definition, microbiologic and epidemiologic research through the use of questionnaires. Analysis of the incidence of subepithelial infiltrates 1 year after infection and the use of topical corticosteroid therapy. RESULTS: The epidemic began in the Neonatal Service, with a pair of twins being found as the initial focus. Dissemination occurred to about 24 workers of the unit, and 19 workers from other services. The microbiologic diagnosis confirmed adenovirus in 10 conjunctival smears and one serologically, with the remainder obeying clinical and epidemiological criteria of such infection. Infected patients using topical corticosteroids had a higher incidence of infiltrates 12 months later than those not using such agents (p=0.003 in Fisher test). CONCLUSIONS: Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis occurs frequently, is highly contagious and has possible long-term sequelae, necessitating the use of preventive measures to avoid spread and new outbreaks.

[Photic maculopathy and iris damage in a psychotic patient]. / Maculopatía solar y lesiones del iris autoinducidas en paciente psicótico.

CASE REPORT: A 37-year-old psychotic patient inflicted injuries to his skin and eyes in the context of an interpretational delirium with aesthetic content. He used magnifying glasses to concentrate sunlight and suffered burns to his arms and face. In the eyes, these resulted in massive iridial atrophy with loss of the sphincteric function, photic maculopathy and peripheral retinal coagulation. The macular lesion resolved spontaneously although he did not recover visual acuity. DISCUSSION: This is the first reported case of ocular self-injury secondary to sunlight. It is also the first case reporting retinal photo-coagulative lesions secondary to sunlight.

[Orbital rhabdomyosarcoma: difficulties with European treatment protocol]. / Rabdomiosarcoma orbitario: dificultades con el protocolo de tratamiento Europeo.

UNLABELLED: PURPOSE, MATERIAL AND METHODS: To present the experience in management of orbital rhabdomiosarcoma over 21 years in our centre. Review of the 12 cases of paediatric rhabdomiosarcoma and results of treatment in terms of mortality and morbidity comparing our results with other studies. RESULTS/CONCLUSION: Management of orbital rhabdomyosarcoma following the European Protocol leads to poor results compared with the American protocol. Early radiotherapy and complete tumoral excision could play a role in management of this tumour

[Estrangement in psychopathology: depersonalization, derealization, disorders of the self?]. / El extrañamiento en la Psicopatología: despesonalización, desrealización, transtornos del yo?

The history of estrangement as a clinical object is very recent and concrete. It is negatively defined through the following syndromes: depersonalization, derealization and disturbances of the self. The limits that are established for its definition are very lax and unsuitable. The models that have been applied to these phenomena are explained in this paper: the model of the psychology of faculties, the model of the self-awareness as a reflective structure and the model of the consciousness as a passive synthesis. The authors propose to recover estrangement as a primary experience and to concentrate on the concepts of subject and person's re-examination.

Modulation of Lrp action in Escherichia coli by leucine: effects on non-specific binding of Lrp to DNA.

Lrp is a global regulator of metabolism in Escherichia coli that helps cells respond to changes in environmental conditions. The action of Lrp as a transcriptional activator or repressor is sometimes affected by whether the medium contains exogenous leucine. The abundance of Lrp in cells is relatively high (about 15 microM in monomer), and given the relatively high Lrp binding affinity in vitro for specific binding sites (nanomolar apparent dissociation constants), the expectation is that all binding sites will be saturated with Lrp in vivo. Here we consider the fraction of the total Lrp in cells that is free and the fraction that is bound to DNA. Using minicell-producing strains, we measured the distribution of Lrp between cytoplasm and nucleoid in cells grown under different nutritional conditions and in cells in different phases of growth. In E. coli cells grown in minimal medium to mid-log phase, the ratio of free to DNA-bound Lrp was about 0.67. This ratio decreased about threefold when the cells were grown in minimal medium supplemented with leucine. Our results also confirmed the previous finding that growth rate regulates lrp expression by as much as three to fourfold. Growth rate-regulated lrp expression, along with changes in the extent of non-specific binding, influences the level of free Lrp in vivo over a 16-fold range. We propose that the net effect of these processes is to regulate the relative concentrations of free Lrp hexadecamer and leucine-bound octamer, leading to promoter selection in response to environmental conditions.

Leucine-regulated self-association of leucine-responsive regulatory protein (Lrp) from Escherichia coli.

Lrp is a global regulatory protein in Escherichia coli that activates expression of more than a dozen operons and represses expression of another dozen. For some operons, exogenous leucine reduces the extent of Lrp action, for others it potentiates the effect of Lrp, and for yet other operons it has no effect. In an effort to understand how leucine affects Lrp-mediated expression, we examined Lrp self-association and the effect of leucine on self-association using light scattering, chemical cross-linking, and analytical ultracentrifugation. The following results were obtained. (i) Lrp self-associates to a hexadecamer and octamer with the predominant species being hexadecamer at microM concentrations. (ii) Lrp undergoes a leucine-induced dissociation of hexadecamer to octamer. (iii) A mutant Lrp lacking 11 amino acid residues at the C terminus does not form higher-order oligomers, suggesting that the C terminus is involved in subunit association. (iv) At nM concentrations, Lrp dissociates to a dimer. It is proposed that leucine regulates the equilibrium between Lrp oligomers and thus Lrp occupancy of sites within different operons, leading to diverse regulatory patterns.

[Extrinsic ureteral obstruction secondary to appendiceal mucocele]. / Obstrucción ureteral extrínseca secundaria a mucocele apendicular.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of extrinsic ureteral obstruction arising from mucocele of the appendix and review the clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of this appendiceal pathology of interest in urology. METHODS: A 71-year-old female patient that had previously undergone radical gynecological surgery and postoperative radiotherapy presented with right lumbar pain. Patient evaluation by ultrasound, IVP and CT showed a pelvic mass causing right extrinsic ureteral obstruction. Release and reinsertion of the right ureter and appendectomy were performed. RESULTS: The anatomopathological study showed an appendiceal mucinous cystadenoma. The patient is asymptomatic after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Appendiceal mucocele is a dilatation of the vermiform appendix due to collection of mucoid material that is frequently produced by a cystadenoma. The presenting feature is usually that of acute appendicitis. The definitive diagnosis is based on the anatomopathological findings. Treatment is by appendectomy for the benign tumors and by right hemicolectomy in a second stage procedure for malignant tumors. This appendiceal pathology should be taken into account in the differential diagnosis of right extrinsic ureteral obstruction.

Global versus local regulatory roles for Lrp-related proteins: Haemophilus influenzae as a case study.

Lrp (leucine-responsive regulatory protein) plays a global regulatory role in Escherichia coli, affecting expression of dozens of operons. Numerous lrp-related genes have been identified in different bacteria and archaea, including asnC, an E. coli gene that was the first reported member of this family. Pairwise comparisons of amino acid sequences of the corresponding proteins shows an average sequence identity of only 29% for the vast majority of comparisons. By contrast, Lrp-related proteins from enteric bacteria show more than 97% amino acid identity. Is the global regulatory role associated with E. coli Lrp limited to enteric bacteria? To probe this question we investigated LrfB, an Lrp-related protein from Haemophilus influenzae that shares 75% sequence identity with E. coli Lrp (highest sequence identity among 42 sequences compared). A strain of H. influenzae having an lrfB null allele grew at the wild-type growth rate but with a filamentous morphology. A comparison of two-dimensional (2D) electrophoretic patterns of proteins from parent and mutant strains showed only two differences (comparable studies with lrp(+) and lrp E. coli strains by others showed 20 differences). The abundance of LrfB in H. influenzae, estimated by Western blotting experiments, was about 130 dimers per cell (compared to 3,000 dimers per E. coli cell). LrfB expressed in E. coli replaced Lrp as a repressor of the lrp gene but acted only to a limited extent as an activator of the ilvIH operon. Thus, although LrfB resembles Lrp sufficiently to perform some of its functions, its low abundance is consonant with a more local role in regulating but a few genes, a view consistent with the results of the 2D electrophoretic analysis. We speculate that an Lrp having a global regulatory role evolved to help enteric bacteria adapt to their ecological niches and that it is unlikely that Lrp-related proteins in other organisms have a broad regulatory function.