[Malignant lymphoproliferative neoplasms and chronic hepatitis C virus infection]. / Neoplasias linfoproliferativas malignas e infección crónica por el virus del la hepatitis C.

It has been suggested that chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection predisposes to the development of benign and malignant lymphoproliferative disorders. We present 2 cases of malignant lymphoproliferative neoplasias (a non-Hodgkin lymphoma [NHL] and a chronic lymphoid leukemia [CLL]) associated to chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). The possible etiological role of HCV in the development of these tumors is discussed.

[Acalculous cholecystitis and intestinal cryptosporidiosis: frequent association in HIV patients]. / Colecistitis alitiásica y cryptosporidiasis intestinal: asociación frecuente en pacientes VIH.

Five cases of acalculous cholecystitis associated with Cryptosporidium intestinal infection in HIV infected patients are reported. Clinical, Biological and Microbiological features as well as imaging studies are described. All the patients were males. Risk factors for HIV infection included previous I.V. drug abuse (3), homosexuality (1) and unknown (1). On admission a similar history of weight loss, fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, anorexia and asthenia, together with biological data of cholestasis, was present in all patients. Ultrasound studies showed a distended gallbladder without calculi and a thickened wall, the bile duct being dilated in four of five cases. Cryptosporidium were found in stool specimens of all patients as well as histologically in one of two patients who underwent surgery while CMV was shown in the other one. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography was performed in four cases showing a congestive, edematous and protruded papila in three patients, being normal in the fourth with a choledocal stenosis.

[Alterations in iron metabolism in chronic anti-HCV positive hepatitis. The relationship with response to interferon treatment]. / Alteraciones del metabolismo del hierro en las hepatitis crónicas anti-VHC positivo. Relación con la respuesta al tratamiento con interferón.

A prospective study in which the existence of iron metabolism alterations (increase in the serum levels of iron and ferritin and the presence of iron in liver tissue) in a group of 53 patients diagnosed with chronic anti-HCV positive hepatitis was performed. The aim of the study was to determine whether these parameters influence the response to interferon treatment. Elevations were observed in the serum levels of iron and/or ferritin in 17 (32%) of the patients. Higher than normal values of serum iron or ferritin in pretreatment analyses were associated with worse therapeutic response. The basal serum levels of iron and ferritin were significantly higher in non responding patients. No relationship was found between the presence of iron in the hepatic parenchyma and response to interferon treatment.

[The usefulness of reactive protein C in managing patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease]. / Utilidad de la proteína C reactiva en el manejo de los pacientes con colitis ulcerosa y enfermedad de Crohn.

Serum concentrations of C-Reactive protein (CRP) were measured in 40 patients with inflammatory bowel disease (22 with ulcerative colitis and 18 with Crohn's disease). In the evaluation of disease activity, CRP was a more sensitive (98.6% vs 71.4%) and specific (95% vs 84.6%) activity index in Crohn's disease than in ulcerative colitis. The CRP concentrations were significantly higher in Crohn's disease (57.7 +/- 55.7 mg/dl) than in ulcerative colitis (16.3 +/- 18.8 mg/dl), particularly in severely affected patients (104.8 +/- 54.3 vs 29 +/- 24.2 mg/dl). The CRP levels correlated significantly with clinical activity indices. There was poor or no correlation between CRP levels and the endoscopic activity indices, the extent of inflammatory bowel disease, and the days of hospitalization. We conclude that the determination of CRP levels provide a simple objective index of inflammatory activity with may be useful in the assessment, management and study of inflammatory bowel disease.

[Coagulation changes in inflammatory intestinal disease]. / Alteraciones de la coagulación en la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal.

The aim of the present prospective trial was to study the disorders of blood coagulation in 31 patients diagnosed of inflammatory bowel disease (18 with ulcerative colitis and 13 with Crohn's disease) for assessing the possibility of hypercoagulability state in relation to the grade of activity of the disease. During the acute recurrences we observed an increase of factor VIIIC (65.3%), fibrinogen (57.7%), factor VIIIAg (50%), platelet (30.7%) and factor V (19.2%). In two (7.7%) patients a moderate decrease of antithrombin III was detected during a severe episode of activity. During the periods of inactivity the laboratory values concerning the coagulation were normal. There was a correlation between the blood coagulation alterations and the grade of activity of the inflammatory bowel disease.

[A psoas abscess in a patient with Crohn's disease]. / Absceso del psoas en un paciente con enfermedad de Crohn.

We report a case of Crohn's disease diagnosed 13 years ago, complicated by a psoas abscess. The main symptoms were flexion deformity of the hip, pain and fever. Diagnosis was made by CT-scan. Surgical and CT-guided percutaneous drainage was ineffective and the abscess relapsed. Surgical resection of the affected bowel with abscess drainage, provided patient's healing.

[Non-variceal upper digestive hemorrhage: evaluation of endoscopic sclerosing treatment]. / Hemorragia digestiva alta no varicial: valoración del tratamiento endoscópico esclerosante.

We appraise the efficacy of endoscopic injection treatment in 112 patients with gastroduodenal bleeding lesion versus 78 control patients (historical group), employing adrenaline (29 patients), absolute ethanol (52 patients) o adrenaline and ethanol (31 patients) as sclerosants. We observe in the treated group a diminution in rebleeding, lower transfusional blood needs and shorter hospital staying, with high stadistic significance versus the control group (p less than 0,001). Among treated patients the larger relapsing index (29.6%) was in patients treated with adrenaline injection only, against the group treated with ethanol or adrenaline and ethanol (10.2%) (p less than 0.05). The demand of surgical treatment was not significant between both groups, except in patients with actively jet bleeding, because urgent treatment was necessary in 37.5% of endoscopically treated patients versus 88.8% in not endoscopically treated. The mortality was similar in both groups.