Síndrome de tolosa hunt: presentación de caso clínico / Tolosa Hunt syndrome: case report

El síndrome de Tolosa-Hunt es una entidad poco frecuente cuya etiopatogenia y mecanismos fi- siopatológicos son controversiales, se caracteri- za por cefalea asociada a parálisis de uno o más nervios craneales, diplopía, estrabismo y ptosis palpebral, ocasionados por el compromiso del seno cavernoso o la fisura orbitaria superior. Su diagnóstico es un reto y se aborda dentro de los diagnósticos diferenciales de las oftalmoplejías dolorosas. Con el objetivo de describir y actua- lizar el conocimiento sobre esta enfermedad se presenta el caso de una paciente de 14 años que acudió a consulta por cefalea intensa, dolor ocu- lar y afección de nervios craneales. Los hallazgos clínicos y la resonancia magnética confirmaron el diagnóstico del síndrome de Tolosa Hunt...(AU)

Increased Expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Transcripts I and VI, cAMP Response Element Binding, and Glucocorticoid Receptor in the Cortex of Patients with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

A body of evidence supports a relevant role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Magnetic resonance data reveal that the cerebral atrophy extends to regions that are functionally and anatomically connected with the hippocampus, especially the temporal cortex. We previously reported an increased expression of BDNF messenger for the exon VI in the hippocampus of temporal lobe epilepsy patients compared to an autopsy control group. Altered levels of this particular transcript were also associated with pre-surgical use of certain psychotropic. We extended here our analysis of transcripts I, II, IV, and VI to the temporal cortex since this cerebral region holds intrinsic communication with the hippocampus and is structurally affected in patients with TLE. We also assayed the cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding (CREB) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) genes as there is experimental evidence of changes in their expression associated with BDNF and epilepsy. TLE and pre-surgical pharmacological treatment were considered as the primary clinical independent variables. Transcripts BDNF I and BDNF VI increased in the temporal cortex of patients with pharmacoresistant TLE. The expression of CREB and GR expression follow the same direction. Pre-surgical use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, carbamazepine (CBZ) and valproate (VPA), was associated with the differential expression of specific BDNF transcripts and CREB and GR genes. These changes could have functional implication in the plasticity mechanisms related to temporal lobe epilepsy.

Endophthalmitis related to lemon allergy in a heroin addict.

BACKGROUND: Heroin and its contaminants may be an important source of allergens in young people. We present a case of severe endophthalmitis in a patient that also suffered from anaphylactoid symptoms (hypotension, urticaria, glottic oedema) whenever he ingested lemon. METHODS: Prick tests with a battery of 42 aeroallergens including fruits and citrus fruits (orange, mandarin, grapefruit and lemon) and specific IgE to these allergens were carried out. Immunodetection was performed using the patient's serum and the following allergens: lemon, Candida, Aspergillus, Penicillium and Alternaria recombinant Alt 1 (Laboratories Diater). RESULTS: Skin tests were negative for Candida, Penicillium, Aspergillus and Cladosporium (ALK-Spain) as were specific IgE antibodies for CAP (Thermofisher, Sweden) and positive only for lemon and, doubtfully, to Candida. Specific IgE tests to pollen, arthropods, fungi, dander and foods were positive only for lemon (0.49kU/L). Serological study of fungi ruled out fungal infection at that time. The immunodetection showed that the patient's serum recognised a protein of approximately 25kDa of lemon peel, one of approximately 12-13kDa of Penicillium, and perfectly recognised Alt a 1. CONCLUSIONS: Lemon surface can be contaminated by Candida and other fungi. In heroin addicts with positive skin tests for lemon, the possibility of these serious complications should be taken into account.

Comparison of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI parameters of breast lesions at 1.5 and 3.0 T: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI parameters from scans of breast lesions at 1.5 and 3.0 T. METHODS: 11 patients underwent paired MRI examinations in both Philips 1.5 and 3.0 T systems (Best, Netherlands) using a standard clinical fat-suppressed, T1 weighted DCE-MRI protocol, with 70-76 s temporal resolution. Signal intensity vs time curves were fit with an empirical mathematical model to obtain semi-quantitative measures of uptake and washout rates as well as time-to-peak enhancement (TTP). Maximum percent enhancement and signal enhancement ratio (SER) were also measured for each lesion. Percent differences between parameters measured at the two field strengths were compared. RESULTS: TTP and SER parameters measured at 1.5 and 3.0 T were similar; with mean absolute differences of 19% and 22%, respectively. Maximum percent signal enhancement was significantly higher at 3 T than at 1.5 T (p = 0.006). Qualitative assessment showed that image quality was significantly higher at 3 T (p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that TTP and SER are more robust to field strength change than other measured kinetic parameters, and therefore measurements of these parameters can be more easily standardized than measurements of other parameters derived from DCE-MRI. Semi-quantitative measures of overall kinetic curve shape showed higher reproducibility than do discrete classification of kinetic curve early and delayed phases in a majority of the cases studied. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: Qualitative measures of curve shape are not consistent across field strength even when acquisition parameters are standardized. Quantitative measures of overall kinetic curve shape, by contrast, have higher reproducibility.

Utility of opium seed extract tests in preventing hypersensitivity reactions during surgery.

BACKGROUND: Anaphylaxis during anaesthesia is fatal in 3-9% of patients and analgesics, including opioids, and is the second most common medicament-related cause, although the prevalence is underestimated. We recently found that patients may generate IgE antibodies to opium seeds. OBJECTIVES: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of specific antibodies to morphine, codeine, rocuronium and oil body and aqueous fractions of Papaver somniferum seeds in the diagnosis and prevention of allergy to opioids. METHODS: Patients with hypersensitivity reactions during surgery, and severe clinical allergy (pollen, tobacco), and illicit heroin users were selected. The sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of in vivo and in vitro diagnostic techniques including oil body and aqueous fractions of P. somniferum seeds were measured. RESULTS: We studied 203 patients, with mean age 35.1±17.1 and 200 healthy controls. Patients sensitised to heroin or with hypersensitivity reactions during surgery responded to P. somniferum seed tests. Of patients not known to be sensitised to opioids, the highest positivity was in patients sensitised to tobacco (p<0.001). Opium seed skin tests and IgE, especially the oil body fraction, were more sensitive (64.2%) and specific (98.4%) than morphine, codeine and rocuronium tests for opioid sensitivity. Pollen allergy was not a risk factor for sensitisation to morphine. CONCLUSIONS: Sensitivity to opioids and intraoperative anaphylaxis can be diagnosed by routine tests. IgE and skin tests for the oil body fraction of P. somniferum had the highest sensitivity for sensitisation to opioids.

[Management of onychocryptosis in primary care: A clinical case]. / Manejo de la onicocriptosis en atención primaria. Caso clínico.

Onychocryptosis (ingrown toenail) is a condition commonly seen in Primary Care clinics. It is uncomfortable and restrictive for patients and has a high incidence in males between second and third decades of life. It is of unknown origin, with a number of predisposing triggering factors being involved. Treatment depends on the stage of the ingrown nail and the procedures may range from conservative to minor surgery that can be performed by the Primary Care physician in the health centre. We report the case of a 25-year onychocryptosis that did not respond to conservative management, and was extracted with partial matricectomy of the nail.

Changes in IL-10 and specific antibodies associated to successful Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus immunotherapy in children during the first year of treatment.

BACKGROUND: Allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) is a long-term treatment of respiratory allergy. OBJECTIVE: To look for early predictors of the effectiveness of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus SIT. METHODS: A prospective multi-centre study was carried out in Spain. Children with D. pteronyssinus rhinitis or asthma were invited to participate. The study was divided into times: T0 (recruitment); T1 (inclusion); T2 a-f (immunotherapy times) and T3 (the end of study). Efficacy of SIT was assessed by clinical scores, visual analogue scales (VAS) and lung function tests. We performed D. pteronyssinus skin tests at T1 and T3, and determined specific serum IgE, IgG4 and IL-10 at T1, T2f and T3. Data were analysed using Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests, compared using Wilcoxon and Chi-square tests, and correlated to Spearman test. All tests had a significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: Thirty-eight children completed the study. At T1 all had rhinitis and 34 also had asthma. At T3, 30 patients had improved, six experienced no changes and two worsened. Improvement was associated to FEV1/FVC and VAS improvement; to a reduction in D. pteronyssinus skin prick test; to a progressive increase in serum levels of D. pteronyssinus IgE, and D. pteronyssinus, Der p1 and Der p2 IgG4. IL-10 levels showed an early increase at T2f (the end of initial build-up immunotherapy phase), and then a reduction at T3 (the end of a year of immunotherapy). Improvement associated to an early increase in IL-10 and was correlated with VAS and specific IgG4 evolution.

Hydrolysis of a chlorambucil analogue. A DFT study.

We study by density functional theory the hydrolysis of a chlorambucil analogue. Three SN(1) and one SN(2) mechanisms have been compared. Results show that the most likely mechanism involves the formation of an aziridinium ion via a first-order reaction subject to an energy barrier of 24.8 kcal/mol. Additionally, a kinetic study, using the thermodynamic formulation of the Transition State Theory, has been carried out. Theoretical results coincide with experimental values obtained under similar conditions of pH, temperature and chloride concentration.

Mitochondrial factors with dual roles in death and survival.

At least in mammals, we have some understanding of how caspases facilitate mitochondria-mediated cell death, but the biochemical mechanisms by which other factors promote or inhibit programmed cell death are not understood. Moreover, most of these factors are only studied after treating cells with a death stimulus. A growing body of new evidence suggests that cell death regulators also have 'day jobs' in healthy cells. Even caspases, mitochondrial fission proteins and pro-death Bcl-2 family proteins appear to have normal cellular functions that promote cell survival. Here, we review some of the supporting evidence and stretch beyond the evidence to seek an understanding of the remaining questions.

Curso clínico de la erupción polimorfa lumínica con medidas de fotoprotección con categoría ULTRA / Evolution of polymorphic light eruption using category ULTRA photoprotective measures

La erupción polimorfa lumínica (EPL) es la fotodermatosis idiopática más común. Suele presentarse en primavera y se caracteriza por la aparición de lesiones pruriginosas de diferente morfología en las zonas expuestas al sol. Aunque existen distintos tratamientos, se considera que la mejor medida consiste en restringir la exposición y utilizar fotoprotectores del factor alto. En este estudio epidemiológico se han evaluado las características clínicas y la revolución de la EPL con medidas de fotoprotección con categoría ULTRA (FPS 90) durante tres meses es una muestra de 26 pacientes. La gravedad de los síntomas y la intensidad de prurito disminuyeron significativamente en tan sólo 15 días hasta niveles irrelevantes y siguió disminuyendo hasta el final del estudio. Los resultados sugieren que la utilización del fotoprotector FPS 90 ayuda a la resolución de las lesiones del brote agudi del EPL.

Abordaje posterior extraseroso de Ochsner / Posterior extraperitoneal approach the Ochsner method

Objetivo: Mostrar la experiencia en la Fundacion Santa Fé de Bogotá con el abordaje extraseroso con resección de la duodécima costilla para el drenaje de los abscesos subfrénicos. Métodos: Se realiza una revision retrospectiva de las historias clínicas de los pacientes sometidos a drenaje de abscesos subfrénicos por la técnica de Ochsner en el periodo comprendido entre enero de 1995 y diciembre de 2001. Se revisaron datos demográficos, la causa del absceso, métodos díagnósticos, procedimientos quirúrgicos y/o radiológicos, el grado de severidad de la enfermedad calculado por el indice APACHE II en el momento de la cirugía, complicaciones de la cirugía, gérmenes detectados en los cultivos, complicaciones no relacionadas con el procedimiento y los días de hospitalización antes y después de la cirugía. Resultados: Cinco pacientes fueron sometidos a 6 procedimientos de Ochsner por 4 abscesos subfrénicos izquierdos y uno bilateral. Dos pacientes presentaron abscesos por pancreatitis aguda y tres por fístulas gástricas. Todos los díagnósticos se realizaron por TAC. El indice APACHE se pudo calcular en 4 pacientes y la medíana fué de 3,5. A todos se les habia practicado por lo menos un procedimiento abdominal previo y en 3 un drenaje percutáneo fallido. Solo hubo una complicación por el procedimiento y fue la apertura accidental del díafragma. Escherichia coli y Pseudomona sp fueron los principales gérmenes identificados. En todos los pacientes el tratamiento fue efectivo para el drenaje del absceso y la medíana de la hospitalización antes de la cirugía fue de 47 días y de 21 días de postoperatorio. Conclusiones: El drenaje posterior de los abscesos subfrénicos por la tecnica de Ochsner es un procedimiento seguro en quienes el drenaje percutáneo fue fallido y se ofrece como altemativa en aquellos casos en los que el drenaje percutáneo no este indicado.

[Does cholestasis change the clinical usefulness of CA 19-9 in pacreatobiliary cancer?]. / Modifica la colestasis la utilidad clínica del CA 19-9 en cáncer pancreatobiliar?

BACKGROUND: CA 19-9 is used for diagnosis of gastrointestinal neoplasia, mainly pancreatic and biliary cancer. False positive results have been described in cholestasis. OBJECTIVE: To establish the clinical value of CA 19-9 in the diagnosis of pancreatic and biliary cancer in patients with and without cholestasis. METHODS: Five hundred forty-eight medical records of patients with serum CA 19-9 determination performed from May-1996 to June-1998 were reviewed. Cases were grouped by final diagnosis; malignancy was established by histology or clinical and radiological characteristics. ROC curves were used to calculate ideal cut-off values (ICV) for the test. Cholestasis was defined as bilirrubinemia above 3 mg/dL. RESULTS: Thirty percent of serum determinations were done in patients with non-pancreatic and non-hepatobiliary benign diseases (only 1.3% with values > or = 100 U/mL). CA 19-9 levels were higher in pancreatic and hepatobiliary malignancy compared to benign diseases of the same origin, as well as in pancreatic cancer when compared with hepatobiliary cancer. ICV for differentiation of malignant hepatobiliary diseases was set around 100 U/mL, with increased specificity when compared with the usual cut-off value (37 U/mL). Cholestasis increased the values of the antigen in malignant and benign diseases and modified the efficacy of the test by increasing sensitivity while decreasing specificity. The ICV for determining resectability in pancreatic tumors was 224 U/mL. CONCLUSIONS: CA 19-9 is a valuable test for diagnosis of malignant pancreato-hepatobiliary disease. Given that cholestasis modifies the operational characteristics of the test, a cut-off value has to be tailored for each patient depending on the clinical setting, so to maintain the usefulness of the marker.

[Subacute thyroiditis and concurrent suppurative thyroiditis in one case]. / Tiroiditis subaguda y supuración tiroidea concomitante en 1 caso.

We report a 41 years old man admitted with a tender goiter, fever, thyrotoxic manifestations and atrial fibrillation. Laboratory confirmed the diagnosis of subacute thyroiditis and treatment with aspirin and propranolol was started, obtaining a rapid relief of symptoms and normalization of heart rate. On the tenth day after admission, severe dysphagia, dysphonia, irritative cough and further enlargement of the neck mass developed. Fine needle aspiration of the mass and thyroid ultrasound lead to the diagnosis of a thyroidal abscess, which was surgically excised, draining 250 ml of purulent material. Cultures were positive for Staphylococcus aureus. Patient was treated during 21 with cloxacilyn and discharged with normal thyroid function. Long term follow up has been uneventful.