[The prognostic value of the endoscopic signs in the recurrence of peptic ulcer hemorrhage]. / Valor pronóstico de los signos endoscópicos en la recidiva de la hemorragia por ulcus péptico.

The endoscopic signs of hemorrhage in bleeding peptic ulcers are considered as prognostic factors for rebleeding and mortality. The value of these signs has been examined in several studies of patients with known high risk factors. In this survey, we studied the prognostic value of the endoscopic signs of hemorrhage in bleeding peptic ulcer in a group of patients without clinical risk factors such as age > 60 years, concomitant malignancy or respiratory and heart disease. Endoscopic findings were examined in fifty patients without rebleeding (group I) and twenty five with rebleeding (group II). Endoscopic findings results were spurting arterial bleeding in 9.3% of the cases, oozing hemorrhage in 17.3% of the cases, visible vessel in 9.3% of the cases, and adherent clot in 82.3% of the cases. In 9.3% of the cases endoscopic findings were negative. No statistical differences were found in the endoscopic signs among the two groups. The visible vessel and the spurting arterial bleeding cases presented in more than 50% of the rebleeding, (visible vessel and spurting arterial 57.1%). Oozing hemorrhage and the adherent clot were present in 30% of the cases. The endoscopic signs of bleeding can assist in choosing the group of patients with prospective high risk of rebleeding and possible candidates for the new treatment of endoscopic hemostatic therapy.

[Acute viral hepatitis A and C: report of a case]. / Hepatitis viral aguda A y C: a propósito de un caso.

We present a case of acute hepatitis by simultaneous A and C virus infection. The coinfection was suspected due to the high levels of transaminases lasting more than 9 months after onset of the illness. During the early stages of the illness, the patient had IgM antibodies to hepatitis A virus. Serological tests for hepatitis B and C viruses, cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Bar virus were negative. Due to the persistently high transaminase levels, we repeated the serology, detecting positive results for hepatitis C antibody, while hepatitis B serology remained negative as well that for all other virus tested. With these findings, we believe that a patient with hepatitis A of long duration, requires additional serological examinations to determine the possibility of coinfection by another virus.