[Unusual case of pseudotumoral hip injury due to gout: case report]. / Caso inusual de lesión pseudotumoral en cadera por gota: reporte de caso.

Background: Gout is known as arthropathy due to the deposit of monosodium urate crystals; This pathology comprises a set of clinical and radiographic tests in the context of the intra-articular presence of said crystals. It is a chronic disease associated with other comorbidities such as arterial hypertension, osteoarthritis, diabetes mellitus, etc. The case of a patient with gouty arthritis with consequent hip lesion with a pseudotumoral appearance difficult to diagnose is presented, in order to highlight the importance of this, as well as the appropriate follow-up and treatment for this chronic pathology. Clinical case: A 51-year-old male patient, with a history of hip osteoarthritis and gout. The symptoms and signs were pain in the right hip with an 8/10 on an analogue pain scale, associated with functional limitation characterized by reduced range of motion and impossibility of standing. Imaging studies are carried out which are suggestive of a tumor lesion at the proximal femur with malignant characteristics, for which a biopsy and subsequent histopathological diagnosis of gouty tophi is performed. Conclusions: Gout is a prevalent disease in the adult population, however, its infrequent joint location can result in a difficult diagnosis, so it is necessary not to rule out this entity and to carry out specific studies for its identification.

Introducción: se conoce como gota a la artropatía por depósito de cristales de urato monosódico. Esta patología comprende un conjunto de hallazgos clínicos y radiográficos en el contexto de presencia intraarticular de dichos cristales. Es una enfermedad crónica asociada a otras comorbilidades como: hipertensión arterial, osteoartrosis, diabetes mellitus, etc. Se presenta el caso de un paciente con artritis gotosa con consecuente lesión en cadera, con aspecto pseudotumoral de difícil diagnóstico, a fin de resaltar su importancia, así como el seguimiento y tratamiento oportunos para esta patología crónica. Caso clínico: paciente hombre de 51 años, con antecedentes de artritis gotosa; quien cursa con cuadro clínico de, aproximadamente, cuatro años de evolución, caracterizado por dolor en cadera derecha de intensidad 8/10 en escala análoga del dolor, sin irradiación, asociado a limitación funcional caracterizada por reducción de arcos de movilidad e imposibilidad para la bipedestación. Se realizan estudios imagenológicos los cuales son sugestivos de lesión tumoral a nivel de fémur proximal de características de malignidad, por lo cual se realiza biopsia y posterior diagnóstico histopatológico de tofos gotosos. Conclusiones: la gota es una enfermedad prevalente en la población adulta, sin embargo, la localización articular infrecuente puede resultar en un difícil diagnóstico, por lo que se requiere no descartar esta entidad y la realización de estudios específicos para su identificación.

Impacto de la implementación de medidas de cuidados respiratorios y optimización de la ventilación mecánica en potenciales donantes de pulmón / Impact of implementing a protocol of respiratory care measures and optimization of mechanical ventilation in potential lung donors

RESUMEN Objetivo: Describir los resultados de la implementación de un protocolo de cuidados respiratorios y de ventilación mecánica en el potencial donante de pulmón, que cumplen las condiciones para ser procurados. El objetivo secundario es comparar los resultados con datos históricos. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo y observacional. Incluye potenciales donantes aptos para procuración de órganos con muerte encefálica internados en las áreas críticas de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, desde abril de 2017 hasta marzo de 2018. Variables principales: número de potencial donante de pulmón que alcanzan el objetivo de procuración, tasa de pulmones procurados y tasa de pulmones implantados. Se consideraron valores significativos p < 0,05. Resultados: Se incluyeron 30 potenciales donantes de pulmón, 23 (88.5%; IC95% 69,8 - 97,6) cumplieron el objetivo de oxigenación. Veinte potenciales donantes de pulmón donaron órganos y de ellos, ocho donaron pulmones, con los cuales se realizaron 4 trasplantes bipulmonares y 8 unipulmonares. Los pulmones procurados e implantados en el periodo pre-protocolo fueron 7, mientras que durante el protocolo fueron 12 (valor p = 0,38). La tasa de implantación fue 58,3% (7/12) en el control histórico y 100% (12/12) (valor p = 0,04) en el periodo de estudio. Conclusión: El protocolo permitió alcanzar el objetivo de oxigenación en la mayoría de los potenciales donantes de pulmón y una mejoría estadísticamente significativa en la tasa de implantación.

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe the results from the implementation of a respiratory care and mechanical ventilation protocol on potential lung donors who met the conditions for procurement. The secondary objective is to compare the results with historical data. Methods: This was a retrospective, observational study. It included potential donors suitable for procurement of organs who had brain death and were hospitalized in critical care units of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires from April 2017 to March 2018. Main variables: number of potential lung donors that reached the objective of procurement, rate of lungs procured, and rate of implanted lungs. Values of p < 0.05 were considered significant. Results: Thirty potential lung donors were included, and 23 (88.5%; 95%CI 69.8 - 97.6) met the oxygenation objective. Twenty potential lung donors donated organs, of whom eight donated lungs, with which four double lung transplants and eight single lung transplants were performed. Seven of 12 lungs were procured and implanted in the preprotocol period, while all 12 were under the protocol (p = 0.38). The implantation rate was 58.3% (7/12) in the historical control period and 100% (12/12) (p = 0.04) in the study period.

Guest-host complexes of 1-iodochlordecone and ß-1-iodo-pentachlorocyclohexane with cyclodextrins as radiotracers of organochlorine pesticides in polluted water.

The chlordecone (CLD) and the ß-hexachlorocyclohexane (ß-HCH) are persistent organic pollutants with a great environmental stability that cause severe affectations to health. The concentration of these pesticides in the environment is low, which represent a problem for their determination, even for the modern analytical methods. The labeling of these compounds with an iodine radioisotope for their use as radiotracers is a potential solution to this problem. The present work studies the interaction of 1-iodochlordecone (I-CLD) and ß-1-iodo-pentachlorocyclohexane (I-ß-HCH) with cyclodextrins (CDs), during the formation of molecular inclusion complexes pesticide@CDs. The methodology of multiple minima hypersurfaces, quantic calculations based on density functional theory and a topologic study of electronic density were used to corroborate the stability of I-CLD@CDs and I-ß-HCH@CDs complexes. Three main types of guest-host complexes in relation to the occlusion grade were observed: with total occlusion, with partial occlusion and external interaction without occlusion. The more stable complexes are obtained when the γ-CD is the host molecule. The formed complexes with radiolabelled pollutants are analogous with the ones reported in previous works. These results confirm the utility of these complexes for the removal of organochlorine pesticides from polluted water and, also, demonstrate the possibility of using the I-CLD and the I-ß-HCH as possible radiotracers for these pollutants in further studies with environmental proposes.

Ecological Assessment of Clinicians' Antipsychotic Prescription Habits in Psychiatric Inpatients: A Novel Web- and Mobile Phone-Based Prototype for a Dynamic Clinical Decision Support System.

BACKGROUND: Electronic prescribing devices with clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) hold the potential to significantly improve pharmacological treatment management. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to develop a novel Web- and mobile phone-based application to provide a dynamic CDSS by monitoring and analyzing practitioners' antipsychotic prescription habits and simultaneously linking these data to inpatients' symptom changes. METHODS: We recruited 353 psychiatric inpatients whose symptom levels and prescribed medications were inputted into the MEmind application. We standardized all medications in the MEmind database using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system and the defined daily dose (DDD). For each patient, MEmind calculated an average for the daily dose prescribed for antipsychotics (using the N05A ATC code), prescribed daily dose (PDD), and the PDD to DDD ratio. RESULTS: MEmind results found that antipsychotics were used by 61.5% (217/353) of inpatients, with the largest proportion being patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (33.4%, 118/353). Of the 217 patients, 137 (63.2%, 137/217) were administered pharmacological monotherapy and 80 (36.8%, 80/217) were administered polytherapy. Antipsychotics were used mostly in schizophrenia spectrum and related psychotic disorders, but they were also prescribed in other nonpsychotic diagnoses. Notably, we observed polypharmacy going against current antipsychotics guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: MEmind data indicated that antipsychotic polypharmacy and off-label use in inpatient units is commonly practiced. MEmind holds the potential to create a dynamic CDSS that provides real-time tracking of prescription practices and symptom change. Such feedback can help practitioners determine a maximally therapeutic drug treatment while avoiding unproductive overprescription and off-label use.

Development of a Web-Based Clinical Decision Support System for Drug Prescription: Non-Interventional Naturalistic Description of the Antipsychotic Prescription Patterns in 4345 Outpatients and Future Applications.

PURPOSE: The emergence of electronic prescribing devices with clinical decision support systems (CDSS) is able to significantly improve management pharmacological treatments. We developed a web application available on smartphones in order to help clinicians monitor prescription and further propose CDSS. METHOD: A web application (www.MEmind.net) was developed to assess patients and collect data regarding gender, age, diagnosis and treatment. We analyzed antipsychotic prescriptions in 4345 patients attended in five Psychiatric Community Mental Health Centers from June 2014 to October 2014. The web-application reported average daily dose prescribed for antipsychotics, prescribed daily dose (PDD), and the PDD to defined daily dose (DDD) ratio. RESULTS: The MEmind web-application reported that antipsychotics were used in 1116 patients out of the total sample, mostly in 486 (44%) patients with schizophrenia related disorders but also in other diagnoses. Second generation antipsychotics (quetiapine, aripiprazole and long-acting paliperidone) were preferably employed. Low doses were more frequently used than high doses. Long acting paliperidone and ziprasidone however, were the only two antipsychotics used at excessive dosing. Antipsychotic polypharmacy was used in 287 (26%) patients with classic depot drugs, clotiapine, amisulpride and clozapine. CONCLUSIONS: In this study we describe the first step of the development of a web application that is able to make polypharmacy, high dose usage and off label usage of antipsychotics visible to clinicians. Current development of the MEmind web application may help to improve prescription security via momentary feedback of prescription and clinical decision support system.

Interacción de la 1-yodoclordecona como radiotrazador, con el grupo carboxilato en carbón activado / Interaction of 1-iodochlordecone, as radioactive tracer, with the carboxylate group on activated carbon

La clordecona es un compuesto organoclorado sintético, empleado como insecticida agrícola y clasificado como contaminante orgánico persistente de aguas y suelos por la Convención de Estocolmo. El uso de carbones activados es una metodología muy popular para la purificación de aguas contaminadas con contaminantes orgánicos persistentes. La clordecona marcada con yodo radiactivo (1-yodoclordecona) puede ser un radiotrazador adecuado para estudios de adsorción, de disponibilidad medioambiental y biodistribución de la clordecona. La selección del carbón activado más adecuado para la adsorción de clordecona requiere evaluar la eficiencia de una gran cantidad de los mismos, de manera empírica, lo que aumenta los costos de investigación. En el presente trabajo, un modelo simplificado de carbón activado con siete anillos aromáticos (coroneno) y un grupo funcional en el borde (carboxilato) se utilizó para evaluar in silico la influencia de este grupo superficial en la adsorción de la clordecona y la 1-yodoclordecona, bajo condiciones neutras de pH. Para ello se empleó la metodología de Hipersuperficie de Múltiples Mínimos con el hamiltoniano semiempírico PM7. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que para el carboxilato en medio neutro existen asociaciones significativas que sugieren quimisorción de la clordecona en el carbón activado. La 1-yodoclordecona se comporta de manera similar a la clordecona en su interacción con el carboxilato, por lo que constituye un buen candidato a radiotrazador para estudios experimentales.

Chlordecone is a synthetic organo chlorinated compound that has been used as pesticide. It has been identified and listed as persistent organic pollutant by the Stockholm Convention. The use of activated carbon filters is one of the most widely popular solutions for water decontamination. The chlordecone labeled with radioactive iodine (1-iodochordecone) is a potential radioactive tracer for studying adsorption, environmental availability and bio-distribution of chlordecone. The selection of the best suited activation carbon for this type of contaminants is mainly an empiric process, increasing the costs of research. A simplified activation carbon model, consisting of a seven ring graphene sheet with a functional group (carboxylate) was used to assess the interaction of chlordecone and 1-iodochlordecone with this surface group under neutral pH conditions over the adsorption process. The Multiple Minima Hypersurface methodology with the semiempirical Hamiltonian PM7 was used. The results indicate that for carboxylate, in neutral conditions, significant associations appear which suggest chemisorption in activated carbon. No significant differences were observed for the interactions of chlordecone and 1-iodochlordecone with carboxylate, making 1-iodochlordecone a good candidate as a radioactive tracer in medical research.

Aggressiveness across development and suicidal behavior in depressed patients.

The objective of this study was to determine differences in the pathway of aggressiveness across development between depressive subjects and normal controls, and to examine males and females separately with regard to level of aggression and suicidal behavior among depressed subjects. Participants were classified into 5 groups: depressed suicide attempters (DSA; n = 339), depressed non-suicide attempters (DNSA; n = 92), psychiatric controls who had attempted suicide (PSA; n = 188), psychiatric controls who had not attempted suicide (PNSA; n = 222), and normal controls (NC; n = 532). The level of aggressiveness across development in the different groups was examined using a 5 (DSA vs. DNSA vs. PSA vs. PNSA vs. NC)×3 (Childhood, Adolescence, and Adulthood) MANCOVA. Adjusted and separate models for males and females were conducted. Depressed subjects differed in severity of aggressiveness. The level of aggressiveness in individuals in the NC group remained stable across development, while subjects in the DSA and DNSA groups showed significantly higher levels of aggressiveness. This finding was also observed in subjects of the PSA and PNSA groups. The level of aggressiveness in males with depression significantly increased over time. In women, increasing levels of aggressiveness across development were only observed in depressed suicide attempters. Limitations of this study included use of semi-structured interview for the assessment of risk factors. We found significant differences in severity and in the pathway of aggressiveness across development between depressive subjects and normal controls. In addition, sex differences regarding level of aggression and suicidal behavior among depressed subjects were found.

Tobacco control litigation: broader impacts on health rights adjudication.

This paper argues that there are instances in which tobacco control litigation is strengthening the justiciability of the right to health and health-related rights. This is happening in different parts of the world, but in particular in Latin America. In part this is because, to a certain extent, tobacco control litigation based on fundamental rights overcomes the traditional arguments against economic, social and cultural rights adjudication: the anti-democratic argument, the lack of technical competency argument, the problem of the misallocation of scarce public resources and the problem of the implementation of judicial decisions. As we analyzed in this paper, tobacco control cases based on fundamental rights are allowing courts to elaborate on broader standards of judicial adjudication of social rights, e.g., expand notions of standing, progressive realization, and state obligations enshrined in the right to health. Key to this judicial trend is the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which provides a legal standard - supported by scientific evidence - defining concrete measures states should take to address the tobacco epidemic, and thus giving content to the right to health as it relates to tobacco control.

Restrições à publicidade e promoção do tabaco e a liberdade de expressão: conflito de direitos? / Freedom of expression and the regulation of tobaccoadvertising and promotion: rights in tension?

A Convenção-Quadro para o Controle do Tabaco (CQCT), da Organização Mundial da Saúde, tratado internacional com crescentes conexões com o direito internacional de direitos humanos, estabelece políticas de controle do tabaco que são recomendáveis. Entre elas destacam-se a proibição absoluta da publicidade e da promoção de produtos do tabaco. Até o presente momento essas medidas tiveram limitada aceitação em nível global, havendo poucos países que as implementaram. Do mesmo modo, embora haja diferentes casos judiciais que vinculam a regulação da publicidade e a promoção com a liberdade de expressão,há poucos antecedentes que discutem expressamente uma proibição total. A recente decisão da Corte Constitucional da Colômbia a esse respeito permite fundamentar uma posição que vincula a publicidade e a promoção de tabaco com as liberdades comerciais, mais do que com a liberdade de expressão. Essa diferenciação confere a possibilidade de estabelecer restrições mais estritas, como uma proibição total de publicidade e promoção, seguindo a CQCT. Ante as graves consequências geradas pela epidemia de tabagismo no mundo e considerando o papel-chave da publicidade e da promoção do tabaco em sua propagação, essas políticas se justificam como respostas exigidas no marco das obrigações derivadas do direito humano à saúde.

Comparative study of changes in arterial pressure and heart rate during dental treatment under local anesthesia in hypertensive patients versus normotensive patients

El objetivo fue determinar el comportamiento de la presión arterial (PA) y la frecuencia cardíaca (FC) durante el tratamiento odontológico con anestesia infiltrativa local (AIL)en pacientes con hipertensión arterial (HTA) controlada. Se realizó un estudio comparativo, longitudinal y medicionesrepetitivas entre pacientes hipertensos controlados (casos) y normotensos (controles). Todos los pacientes recibieron tratamiento periodontal preventivo estandarizado con AIL (1,8 ml Carticaína 4 por ciento con L-adrenalina 1:100000). En cinco etapas distintas del procedimiento se determinaron PA y FC. Ingresaron 82 pacientes, 46.3 por ciento hipertensos, 61 por ciento mujeres. La presión arterial sistólica (PAS) y diastólica (PAD) como la FC se incrementaron con el avance del procedimiento paraluego retornar a valores basales en ambos grupos. Los normotensostuvieron promedios de PA más bajos que los hipertensos (p<0.001). Las diferencias entre los valores iniciales,intermedios y finales de PA y FC fueron significativas en ambos grupos (p<0.001). Los valores máximos de PAS se registraron post administración de AIL en ambos grupos (p<0.01). La FC en normotensos fue en promedio más alta que en hipertensos. Se observó que los pacientes hipertensos desarrollaron más frecuentemente tendencia a la HTA (>140/90 mmHg) en el transcurso del procedimiento (p=0.002), con riesgo 4.93 veces mayor. En el análisis de regresión logística sexo (p<0.032) eHTA (p<0.007) mostraron influencia en la tendencia a la HTA durante el tratamiento. Los pacientes hipertensos medicados y con valores normalesde PA al inicio del tratamiento odontológico quintuplicaron el riesgo de desarrollar HTA durante el procedimiento, sin que los valores alcanzados presenten relevancia clínica.

Depressed patients with co-occurring alcohol use disorders: a unique patient population.

OBJECTIVE: Alcohol use and depressive disorders are frequently comorbid. Few studies have assessed the impact of comorbid alcohol use disorders (AUDs) on clinical aspects of major depression. We compared depressed subjects with and without co-occurring AUDs with respect to demographic and clinical parameters. METHOD: 505 individuals participated. 318 subjects had DSM-IV major depressive disorder (MDD) without a history of any alcohol or substance abuse/dependence (MDD only), and 187 individuals had MDD and a history of alcohol abuse/dependence (MDD/AUD). Demographic, clinical, and psychiatric history measures of patients in the 2 groups were examined and compared. The study was conducted from January 1990 to June 2005. RESULTS: MDD/AUD patients were younger at their first psychiatric hospitalization (p = .014), their first major depressive episode (p = .041), and their first suicide attempt (p = .001). They reported more previous major depressive episodes (p = .001), suicide attempts (p = .001), and recent life events (p = .001); and had higher lifetime aggression (p < .001), impulsivity (p < .001), and hostility (p < .001) scores. MDD/AUD patients were also more likely to report tobacco smoking (p < .001), a lifetime history of abuse (p = .004), and a history of AUD among first-degree relatives (p < .001) compared to MDD only patients. MDD/AUD individuals also had higher childhood (p < .001), adolescent (p < .001), and adult (p < .001) aggression scores and reported more behavioral problems during their childhood compared to their counterparts. Logistic regression analysis demonstrates that the number of previous depressive episodes, lifetime aggression, and smoking drive the difference between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that comorbid MDD/AUD may result from worse antecedents and lead to early onset, more comorbidity, and a more severe course of illness.

Triggers for suicidal behavior in depressed older adolescents and young adults: do alcohol use disorders make a difference?

UNLABELLED: Adolescent suicide is a major social and medical problem. Alcohol use disorders with comorbid major depression represent an especially high-risk profile for suicidal behavior, repeated suicidal behavior and completed suicide. We compared demographic and clinical characteristics, prevalence of interpersonal triggers and the number of triggers for suicidal behavior in depressed late adolescents and young adults with or without comorbid alcohol use disorders. METHODS: 18-26-year-old subjects were recruited through advertising and referrals and participated in mood disorders research in a university hospital. Thirty-eight depressed suicide attempters without a history of any alcohol or substance abuse/dependence and 29 depressed suicide attempters with comorbid alcohol abuse or dependence participated in the study. Demographic and clinical parameters including parameters related to suicidal behavior were examined and recorded. RESULTS: There was no difference with regard to demographic parameters between the two groups. Depressed suicide attempters with comorbid alcohol use disorders had higher aggression and impulsivity scale scores and were more likely to be tobacco smokers compared to their counterparts without alcohol use disorders. Additionally, there was a trend towards higher lethality of suicide attempts in subjects with alcohol use disorders compared to the other group. We found no difference in the prevalence of interpersonal triggers or in the number of triggers for suicidal behavior between the two groups. CONCLUSION: It appears that among 18-26-year-old depressed suicide attempters, individuals with comorbid alcohol use disorders are more impaired with regard to aggressiveness and impulsivity compared to persons without comorbid alcohol abuse/dependence.

Gestación triple: análisis de 14 casos: años 1987-1992 / Triplet pregnancy: analysis of the 14 cases

Durante el lapso 1987-1992, de 49.572 partos, 14 fueron embarazos triples (0,02) o sea 1 por 3.540 partos. La edad materna promedio fue 26 años con extremos de 15 y 39. El 7,14 por ciento fueron primigestas y 78,58 por ciento multigestas. El 92,86 por ciento de los embarazos duró menos de 37 semanas y 7,14 por ciento llegó a término. Durante el control prenatal se diagnosticaron 92,86 por ciento: ultrasonográficamente 57,14 por ciento y clínicamente 35,71 por ciento; durante el parto 7,14 por ciento. La presentación fue cefálica en 24 fetos (57,14 por ciento), de hombro en 12 (28,57 por ciento) y podálica en 6 (14,28 por ciento). El embarazo se resolvió por cesárea en 78,57 por ciento y en 21,43 por ciento por vía vaginal, empleándose la anestesia peridural en 78,5 por ciento y el tiopental sódico en 21,43 por ciento. La puntuación de Apgar al minuto fue de 4 a 6 en 71,43 por ciento y a los 5 minutos de 7 a 9 en 69,05 por ciento. Las malformaciones fetales se presentaron en 9,52 por ciento: 2 fimosis prepuciales, 1 atresia anal y 1 hernia umbilical. La morbilidad materna fue de 78,57 por ciento debida a sepsis y la mortalidad perinatal llegó a 35,00 por ciento debida a sepsis, hemorragia y prematuridad