Utilidad de la prueba de la lactato deshidrogenasa en fallecidos cubanos con sida y neumonía por Pneumocystis jirovecii

RESUMEN Introducción: La neumonía por Pneumocystis jirovecii es una de las enfermedades de mayor impacto negativo en los pacientes con sida. La imposibilidad de cultivar el agente que la provoca, así como su cuadro clínico inespecífico y el alto costo de los métodos diagnósticos moleculares, señalan la necesidad de otras alternativas para su diagnóstico. La prueba de la lactato deshidrogenasa representa una opción a considerar. Objetivo: Demostrar la utilidad de la prueba de la lactato deshidrogenasa como diagnóstico de la Pneumocystis jirovecii en fallecidos cubanos por sida. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio de casos y controles (25 casos [Pneumocystis jirovecii] y 30 controles [compuestos por tres grupos: tuberculosis, linfoma y neumonía bacteriana, respectivamente]) en fallecidos cubanos a los que se realizó la autopsia desde enero de 1996 a diciembre de 2016. Se utilizaron cinco rangos de corte para buscar el valor óptimo de la prueba. Resultados: En el presente estudio existen diferencias altamente significativas entre los pacientes analizados (casos y controles) y entre los restantes individuos que componen los controles con respecto al del linfoma. El rango de corte óptimo para la prueba de la lactato deshidrogenasa fue (550-<800 U/I) con sensibilidad de 80 % y especificidad de 63 %. La razón de disparidad (OR) demostró que existe 6,91 veces más probabilidades que los pacientes por Pneumocystis jirovecii tengan las cifras de LDH mayor que los pacientes controles. Conclusiones: Este trabajo aporta evidencias científicas del rol de la prueba de la lactato deshidrogenasa como herramienta complementaria para el diagnóstico de la Pneumocystis jirovecii.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia is one of the diseases causing the greatest negative impact on AIDS patients. The impossibility of culturing its causative agent, its unspecific clinical presentation and the high cost of molecular diagnostic methods, make it necessary to find other diagnostic alternatives. The lactate dehydrogenase test is an option to be considered. Objective: Demonstrate the usefulness of the lactate dehydrogenase test to diagnose Pneumocystis jirovecii in Cuban patients deceased with AIDS. Methods: A case-control study was conducted (25 cases [Pneumocystis jirovecii] and 30 controls [distributed into three groups: tuberculosis, lymphoma and bacterial pneumonia, respectively]) of Cuban deceased patients undergoing post-mortem examination from January 1996 to December 2016. Five cutoff ranges were used to find the optimal value of the test. Results: Highly significant differences were found between the patients analyzed (cases and controls) and between the remaining individuals making up the controls with respect to the one with lymphoma. The optimal cutoff range for the lactate dehydrogenase test was 550-<800 U/I, with 80% sensitivity and 63% specificity. The odds ratio (OR) showed that probabilities are 6.91 times greater that Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia patients have higher LDH figures than control patients. Conclusions: Scientific evidence is contributed of the role of the lactate dehydrogenase test as a complementary tool in the diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii.

Clostridium difficile outbreak caused by NAP1/BI/027 strain and non-027 strains in a Mexican hospital

Abstract Background Clostridium difficile infections caused by the NAP1/B1/027 strain are more severe, difficult to treat, and frequently associated with relapses. Methods A case–control study was designed to examine a C. difficileinfection (CDI) outbreak over a 12-month period in a Mexican hospital. The diagnosis of toxigenic CDI was confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction, PCR (Cepheid Xpert C. difficile/Epi). Results During the study period, 288 adult patients were evaluated and 79 (27.4%) patients had confirmed CDI (PCR positive). C. difficilestrain NAP1/B1/027 was identified in 31 (39%) of the patients with confirmed CDI (240 controls were included). Significant risk factors for CDI included any underlying disease (p < 0.001), prior hospitalization (p < 0.001), and antibiotic (p < 0.050) or steroid (p < 0.001) use. Laboratory abnormalities included leukocytosis (p < 0.001) and low serum albumin levels (p < 0.002). Attributable mortality was 5%. Relapses occurred in 10% of patients. Risk factors for C. difficileNAP1/B1/027 strain infections included prior use of quinolones (p < 0.03). Risk factors for CDI caused by non-027 strains included chronic cardiac disease (p < 0.05), chronic renal disease (p < 0.009), and elevated serum creatinine levels (p < 0.003). Deaths and relapses were most frequent in the 027 group (10% and 19%, respectively). Conclusions C. difficile NAP1/BI/027 strain and non-027 strains are established pathogens in our hospital. Accordingly, surveillance ofC. difficile infections is now part of our nosocomial prevention program.

[Temporal lobe epilepsy and active neurocysticercosis: two representative case reports]. / Epilepsia del lobulo temporal y neurocisticercosis activa: dos casos representativos.

INTRODUCTION: There are limited evidences reported of temporal lobe epilepsy associated with active cysticercosis in cystic stage. The objective is to present the correlation between active cysticercosis in topographical zones associated with temporal lobe epilepsy, with neuropsychiatric manifestations and pattern of secondarily generalized partial seizures. CASE REPORTS: Two cases of adult patients with neuropsychiatric manifestations of one year evolution, refractory to antipsychotic drug treatment, and who subsequently appear late onset partial-secondarily generalized seizures. Cysticercosis active presence in the temporal lobe in one patient, and the insula in the other, is identified. A better clinical control after albendazol treatment and subsequently anticonvulsant therapy only remained to evaluate pertinence of pharmacological withdrawal criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Active neurocysticercosis, may be the cause of acquired neuropsychiatric disorders and temporal lobe epilepsy of late onset when the topography is in the mesolimbic circuit. Early etiologic diagnosis and appropriate treatment allows adequate control of their symptoms and potentially final cure.

TITLE: Epilepsia del lobulo temporal y neurocisticercosis activa: dos casos representativos.Introduccion. Existen pocas evidencias notificadas de casos de epilepsia del lobulo temporal asociadas a cisticercosis activa en su fase quistica. El objetivo es presentar la correlacion entre cisticercosis activa en zonas topograficas asociadas a epilepsia del lobulo temporal, con las manifestaciones neuropsiquiatricas y el patron de crisis parciales secundariamente generalizadas. Casos clinicos. Dos casos de pacientes adultos con manifestaciones neuropsiquiatricas de un año de evolucion, refractarios a tratamiento farmacologico antipsicotico, y en quienes posteriormente aparecen crisis convulsivas parciales secundariamente generalizadas de inicio tardio. Se identifica la presencia de cisticercosis activa en el lobulo temporal en un paciente, y en la insula, en el otro. Buen control clinico posterior al tratamiento con albendazol, pero se mantiene el mismo tratamiento anticonvulsionante para considerar la pertinencia de su retirada farmacologica. Conclusiones. La neurocisticercosis activa puede ser causa de trastornos neuropsiquiatricos adquiridos y de epilepsia del lobulo temporal de inicio tardio cuando su topografia se encuentra en el circuito mesolimbico. El diagnostico etiologico oportuno y el tratamiento apropiado permiten el control adecuado de su sintomatologia y, potencialmente, su curacion definitiva.

Chronic kidney disease in homeless persons in Mexico.

Little is known about the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among the homeless in Mexico. The role of substance abuse, alcoholism, and homelessness in CKD has not been properly evaluated. We screened 260 homeless individuals in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, for the presence of CKD and its risk factors, and compared their characteristics with those from a separate cohort of poor Jalisco residents and with a survey of the general Mexican population. CKD was more prevalent among the homeless than among the poor Jalisco population (22% vs. 15.8%, P=0.0001); 16.5% had stage 3, 4.3% stage 4, and 1.2% stage 5. All were unaware of having CKD. Only 5.8% knew they had diabetes, but 19% had fasting blood sugar >126 mg/dl; 3.5% knew they were hypertensive but 31% had systolic blood pressure ⩾140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ⩾90 mm Hg. Alcoholism was less common than in the poor Jalisco population (23.5% vs. 32.3%, P=0.002), but tobacco smoking (34.6% vs. 21.5%, P=0.0001) and substance abuse (18% vs. 1.1%, P=0.0001) were more prevalent among the homeless. Likewise, chronic viral infections such as HIV (4.5% vs. 0.3%, P=0.0001) and HCV (7.7% vs. 1.4%, P=0.0001) were also significantly higher among the homeless than in the general population. In conclusion, CKD and its risk factors are highly prevalent among the homeless individuals in Jalisco, Mexico. Lack of awareness of having diabetes and hypertension is highly common, as is substance abuse. Programs aiming to prevent CKD and its risk factors in Mexico should specifically target this high-risk population.