[Ectopic thoracic pancreas]. / Pá ncreas ectópico torá cico.

We present the case of a 38-year-old man who eighteen years before for having chest pain went diagnosed as hydatid cyst. It was confirmed in multislice spiral tomography (TEM) that it had a heterogeneous mass of liquid content, with partially calcified walls located in the anterior mediastinum. It was removed, being the diagnosis, by the presence of groups of acinar cells and ducts with pancreatic appearance, panqueratin and CD68 positive, of a mediastinal ectopic pancreas. A case has never been reported in Peru and in medical literature it would be the thirty-first reported case of intrathoracic ectopic pancreas.

Solid fuel use is associated with anemia in children.

Over 3 billion people use solid fuels as a means of energy and heating source, and ~ 50% of households burn them in inefficient, poorly ventilated stoves. In 2010, ~ 43% of the 640 million preschool children in 220 countries suffered from a certain degree of anemia, with iron deficiency as the main cause in developed countries whereas its causes remained multifactorial in the undeveloped group. In this study, we explore the relations of country-wide variables that might affect the people's health status (from socioeconomic status to more specific variables such as water access). We found independent relationship between solid fuel use and anemia in children under five years old (p < 0.0001), taking into account the prevalence of anemia in pregnant woman and the access to improved water sources. Countries in which the population uses solid fuel the most have over three times higher anemia rates in children than countries with the lowest prevalence of solid fuels use. There is still a complex relationship between solid fuels use and anemia, as reflected in its worldwide significance (p < 0.05) controlled for measles immunization, tobacco consumption, anemia in pregnant mothers, girl's primary education, life expectancy and improved water access but not (p > 0.05) when weighing for sanitation access or income per capita.

Ecological study on solid fuel use and pneumonia in young children: A worldwide association.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Pneumonia constitutes one of the major causes of worldwide mortality in young children. Poverty has been traditionally assigned as the underlying factor accounting for these trends. However, the independent role of solid fuel use yielding biomass pollution on pneumonia rates among young children has not been extensively examined. METHODS: Independent socio-economic variables, and the percentage of solid fuel use, tobacco consumption, improved water access source and sanitation facilities were extracted for each country from the available public databases. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to assess potential associations between these recognized risk factors and country pneumonia incidence in young children <5 years of age. RESULTS: Multivariate linear regression analyses yielded two models that accounted for approximately 87% of the variance, and included solid fuel use, tobacco consumption, sanitation access, measles immunization, life expectancy, access to electricity and the Human Development Index (HDI) as being independently associated with the number of annual pneumonia cases per child <5 years of age. CONCLUSION: In this ecological study, current country rates of pneumonia among young children are independently associated with the use of solid fuels. We postulate that interventions aimed at reducing indoor solid fuel biomass pollution through implementation of efficient stoves will translate into meaningful decreases in child mortality and morbidity.

Antifibrinolytic therapy to reduce haemoptysis from any cause.

BACKGROUND: Haemoptysis is a common pathology around the world, occurring with more frequency in low-income countries. It has different etiologies, many of which have infectious characteristics. Antifibrinolytic agents are commonly used to manage bleeding from different sources, but their usefulness in pulmonology is unclear. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of antifibrinolytic agents in reducing the volume and duration of haemoptysis in adult and paediatric patients. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE) in The Cochrane Library, EMBASE and LILACS for publications that describe randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of antifibrinolytic therapy in patients presenting with haemoptysis. We also performed an independent search in MEDLINE for relevant trials not yet included in CENTRAL or DARE. Searches are up to date to the 19th September 2016. We conducted electronic and manual searches of relevant national and international journals. We reviewed the reference lists of included studies to locate relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). An additional search was carried out to find unpublished RCTs. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included RCTs designed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of antifibrinolytic agents in reducing haemoptysis in adult and paediatric patients of both genders presenting with haemoptysis of any etiology and severity. The intervention of interest was the administration of antifibrinolytic agents compared with placebo or no treatment. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: All reviewers independently assessed methodological quality and extracted data tables pre-designed for this review. MAIN RESULTS: The electronic literature search identified 1 original study that met the eligibility criteria. One unpublished study was also identified through manual searches. Therefore two randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria: Tscheikuna 2002 (via electronic searches) and Ruiz 1994 (via manual searches). Tscheikuna 2002, a double-blind RCT performed in Thailand, evaluated the effectiveness of tranexamic acid (TXA, an antifibrinolytic agent) administered orally in 46 hospital in- and outpatients with haemoptysis of various etiologies. Ruiz 1994, a double-blind RCT performed in Peru, evaluated the effectiveness of intravenous TXA in 24 hospitalised patients presenting with haemoptysis secondary to tuberculosis.Pooled together, results demonstrated a significant reduction in bleeding time between patients receiving TXA and patients receiving placebo with a weighted mean difference (WMD) of -19.47 (95% CI -26.90 to -12.03 hours), but with high heterogeneity (I² = 52%). TXA did not affect remission of haemoptysis evaluated at seven days after the start of treatment. Adverse effects caused by the drug's mechanism of action were not reported. There was no significant difference in the incidence of mild side effects between active and placebo groups (OR 3.13, 95% CI 0.80 to 12.24). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence to judge whether antifibrinolytics should be used to treat haemoptysis from any cause, though limited evidence suggests they may reduce the duration of bleeding.

Adherence to reduced-polluting biomass fuel stoves improves respiratory and sleep symptoms in children.

BACKGROUND: Symptoms of sleep apnea are markedly increased in children exposed to smoke from biomass fuels and are reduced by kitchen stoves that improve indoor biomass pollution. However, the impact of adherence to the use of improved stoves has not been critically examined. METHODS: Sleep-related symptom questionnaires were obtained from children <15 years of age in 56 families residing in the communities of Lliupapuquio, Andahuaylas province in Peru before and 2 years after installation of less-polluting Inkawasi cooking stoves. RESULTS: 82 children with lifetime exposures to indoor fuel pollution were included. When compared to those alternating between both types of stoves or those using traditional stoves only, those children who exclusively used Inkawasi cooking stoves showed significant improvements in sleep and respiratory related symptoms, but some minor albeit significant improvements occurred when both stoves were concomitantly used. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in respiratory and sleep-related symptoms associated with elevated indoor biomass pollution occur only following implementation and exclusive utilization of improved kitchen stoves.

Algorithm for the diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis in high-incidence resource-constrained settings.

OBJECTIVES: Diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (SNPT) remains a challenge, particularly in resource-constrained settings. We evaluated a diagnostic algorithm that combines affordable laboratory tools and a clinical prediction rule (CPR). METHODS: We derived, based on published evidence, a diagnostic algorithm for SNPT. Sputum concentration constitutes its first step. In suspects with negative results, SNPT probability is classified with a CPR as low (excluded), high (confirmed) or intermediate. For intermediate patients, sputum Middlebrook 7H9 liquid culture is performed, and they are assessed after 2 weeks. If clinically deteriorated, with still negative liquid culture, bronchoscopy is offered. Otherwise, results of Middlebrook 7H9 culture are awaited. We prospectively evaluated this algorithm against a reference standard of solid and liquid cultures in two reference hospitals in Lima, Peru. RESULTS: 670 SNPT suspects were included from September 2005 to March 2008. The prevalence of SNPT was 27% according to the reference standard. The algorithm's overall accuracy was 0.94 (95% CI 0.91-0.95), its sensitivity was 0.88 (95% CI 0.82-0.92) and its specificity, 0.96 (95% CI 0.94-0.98). Sputum concentration, the CPR, Middlebrook 7H9 sputum culture and bronchoscopic samples defined a diagnosis of SNPT according to the algorithm in 57 (37%), 25 (16%), 63 (41%) and 8(5%) of patients, respectively. 65% of patients were diagnosed within 3 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The algorithm was accurate for SNPT diagnosis. Sputum concentration, CPR and selective Middlebrook 7H9 culture are essential components.

Antifibrinolytic therapy to reduce haemoptysis from any cause.

BACKGROUND: Haemoptysis is a common pathology around the world, occurring with more frequency in low-income countries. It has different etiologies, many of which have infectious characteristics. Antifibrinolytic agents are commonly used to manage bleeding from different sources, but their usefulness in pulmonology is unclear. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of antifibrinolytic agents in reducing the volume and duration of haemoptysis in adult and paediatric patients. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE) in The Cochrane Library, EMBASE and LILACS for publications that describe randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of antifibrinolytic therapy in patients presenting with haemoptysis. We also performed an independent search in MEDLINE for relevant trials not yet included in CENTRAL or DARE.We conducted electronic and manual searches of relevant national and international journals.We reviewed the reference lists of included studies to locate relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). An additional search was carried out to find unpublished RCTs. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included RCTs designed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of antifibrinolytic agents in reducing haemoptysis in adult and paediatric patients of both genders presenting with haemoptysis of any etiology and severity. The intervention of interest was the administration of antifibrinolytic agents compared with placebo or no treatment. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: All reviewers independently assessed methodological quality and extracted data tables pre-designed for this review. MAIN RESULTS: We found two randomized controlled trials which met the inclusion criteria: Tscheikuna 2002 (via electronic searches) and Ruiz 1994 (via manual searches). We did not exclude any of the relevant studies we found.Tscheikuna 2002, a double-blind RCT performed in Thailand, evaluated the effectiveness of tranexamic acid (TXA, an antifibrinolytic agent) administered orally in 46 hospital in- and outpatients with haemoptysis of various etiologies. Ruiz 1994, a double-blind RCT performed in Peru, evaluated the effectiveness of intravenous TXA in 24 hospitalised patients presenting with haemoptysis secondary to tuberculosis.Pooled together, results demonstrated a significant reduction in bleeding time between patients receiving TXA and patients receiving placebo with a weighted mean difference (WMD) of -19.47 (95% CI -26.90 to -12.03 hours), but with high heterogeneity (I² = 52%). TXA did not affect remission of haemoptysis evaluated at seven days after the start of treatment. Adverse effects caused by the drug's mechanism of action were not reported. There was no significant difference in the incidence of mild side effects between active and placebo groups (OR 3.13, 95% CI 0.80 to 12.24). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence to judge whether antifibrinolytics should be used to treat haemoptysis from any cause, though limited evidence suggests they may reduce the duration of bleeding.

Hydroxychloroquine / azithromycin in COVID-19: The association between time to treatment and case fatality rate.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is no formally accepted pharmacological treatment for COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included COVID-19 outpatients of a Peruvian primary care center from Lima, Peru, who were treated between April 30 - September 30, 2020, with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin. Logistic regression was applied to determine factors associated with case-fatality rate. RESULTS: A total of 1265 COVID-19 patients with an average age of 44.5 years were studied. Women represented 50.1% of patients, with an overall 5.9 symptom days, SpO2 97%, temperature of 37.3 °C, 41% with at least one comorbidity and 96.1% one symptom or sign. No patient treated within the first 72 h of illness died. The factors associated with higher case fatality rate were age (OR = 1.06; 95% CI 1.01-1.11, p = 0.021), SpO2 (OR = 0.87; 95% CI 0.79-0.96, p = 0.005) and treatment onset (OR = 1.16; 95% CI 1.06-1.27, p = 0.002), being the latter the only associated in the multivariate analysis (OR = 1.18; 95% CI 1.05-1.32, p = 0.005). 0.6% of our patients died. CONCLUSIONS: The case fatality rate in COVID-19 outpatients treated with hydroxychloroquine/azithromycin was associated with the number of days of illness on which treatment was started.

Diabetes increases the risk of COVID-19 in an altitude dependent manner: An analysis of 1,280,806 Mexican patients.

AIMS: The objective of this study is to analyze how the impact of Diabetes Mellitus [DM] in patients with COVID-19 varies according to altitudinal gradient. METHODS: We obtained 1,280,806 records from adult patients with COVID-19 and DM to analyze the probability of COVID-19, development of COVID-19 pneumonia, hospitalization, intubation, admission to the Intensive Care Unit [ICU] and case-fatality rates [CFR]. Variables were controlled by age, sex and altitude of residence to calculate adjusted prevalence and prevalence ratios. RESULTS: Patients with DM had a 21.8% higher prevalence of COVID-19 and an additional 120.2% higher prevalence of COVID-19 pneumonia. The adjusted prevalence was also higher for these outcomes as well as for hospitalization, intubation and ICU admission. COVID-19 and pneumonia patients with DM had a 97.0% and 19.4% higher CFR, respectively. With increasing altitudes, the probability of being a confirmed COVID-19 case and the development of pneumonia decreased along CFR for patients with and without DM. However, COVID-19 patients with DM were more likely to require intubation when residing at high altitude. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that patients with DM have a higher probability of being a confirmed COVID-19 case and developing pneumonia. Higher altitude had a protective relationship against SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, it may be associated with more severe cases in patients with and without DM. High altitude decreases CFR for all COVID-19 patients. Our work also shows that women are less affected than men regardless of altitude.

Frequency of depression and quality of life in patients with diabetes mellitus in public health facilities in Metropolitan Lima.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes is one of the main pandemics in recent years. Its association with depression increases the risk of mortality and morbidity. The coexistence of both diseases leads to poor management of diabetes, which leads to a worse quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of depression in patients with diabetes mellitus and the effect of both pathologies on the quality of life in patients who attend outpatient appointments at public health facilities in Lima and Callao. METHODOLOGY: Secondary analysis of the Epidemiological Study of Mental Health of depression in diabetic adults. The instrument used to determine the depressive episode was the MINI (Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview) while quality of life was measured using the Mezzich Quality of Life Index. Diagnosis information of type 1 or 2 diabetes was obtained from the daily medical record (HIS) of care. RESULTS: The frequency of depression in the 471 patients with diabetes was 5.8% in the last two weeks. While the annual frequency was 8.6% and 31.8% at some point in life. Being a woman was associated with a greater frequency of depression. Quality of life was lower in patients with diabetes and depression (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of depression in patients with diabetes who are treated on an outpatient basis in public health centres is higher than the general population and their quality of life is significantly reduced, which raises the need for considering depression as an additional factor to the burden of morbidity of this condition.

Acute Altitude Acclimatization in Young Healthy Volunteers: Nocturnal Oxygenation Increases Over Time, Whereas Periodic Breathing Persists.

Ju, Jia-Der, Cristian Zhang, Francis P. Sgambati, Lidia M. Lopez, Luu V. Pham, Alan R. Schwartz, and Roberto A. Accinelli. Acute altitude acclimatization in young healthy volunteers: nocturnal oxygenation increases over time whereas periodic breathing persists. High Alt Med Biol. 22:14-23, 2021. Study Objectives: This study aimed to examine the acute effects of high altitude (HA) on sleep disordered breathing (sleep apnea and nocturnal hypoxemia) and acute mountain sickness and to characterize acclimatization over time. Methods: Ten native lowlanders residing at sea level (SL) completed the Lake Louise Score (LLS) and underwent nocturnal polygraphy (ApneaLink Plus) for nine consecutive nights (N1-N9) at HA (2,761 m) and two nights before and after HA. Nocturnal oxygen profiles were assessed by measuring the mean nocturnal oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO2) during sleep, and sleep apnea severity as assessed by measuring the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI). Mixed-effects linear regression was used to model responses in outcomes (mean nocturnal SpO2, logAHI, and LLS) between HA and SL. Changes in SpO2 and AHI were examined in subgroups with mild versus marked nocturnal SpO2 and low versus high AHI during exposure to HA and compared between subgroups. Results: Compared with SL, the mean nocturnal SpO2 was lower (p < 0.0001) and AHI was higher (p < 0.0001) at HA. The mean nocturnal SpO2 increased progressively (p < 0.001), whereas AHI remained high (p < 0.978) and relatively unchanged over nine successive nights at HA. Those with markedly reduced SpO2 upon arrival at HA exhibited progressive increases in the mean nocturnal SpO2 over time at HA compared with those with mild nocturnal desaturation. LLS rose at HA, but no differences were observed between subgroups. Conclusions: In healthy HA sojourners, the mean nocturnal SpO2 increased progressively over time, whereas AHI remained elevated, suggesting distinctive phenotypes and acclimatization responses to HA.

Decreased incidence, virus transmission capacity, and severity of COVID-19 at altitude on the American continent.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in North, Central, and South America has become the epicenter of the current pandemic. We have suggested previously that the infection rate of this virus might be lower in people living at high altitude (over 2,500 m) compared to that in the lowlands. Based on data from official sources, we performed a new epidemiological analysis of the development of the pandemic in 23 countries on the American continent as of May 23, 2020. Our results confirm our previous finding, further showing that the incidence of COVID-19 on the American continent decreases significantly starting at 1,000 m above sea level (masl). Moreover, epidemiological modeling indicates that the virus transmission rate is lower in the highlands (>1,000 masl) than in the lowlands (<1,000 masl). Finally, evaluating the differences in the recovery percentage of patients, the death-to-case ratio, and the theoretical fraction of undiagnosed cases, we found that the severity of COVID-19 is also decreased above 1,000 m. We conclude that the impact of the COVID-19 decreases significantly with altitude.

Enfermedad pulmonar por Mycobacterium intracellulare en una paciente inmunocompetente: reporte de un caso en el Perú.

We present the case of an immunocompetent patient whose illness began at age 49 with a cough, followed by purulent and hemoptoic sputum; bronchiectasis was diagnosed. Three years later, after hemoptysis, she underwent medial segmentectomy of the middle lobe and was asymptomatic for months. When tuberculosis was found in the pathology report, she was treated with 4HREZ2R2H2. Five years later her BK was 2+, thus receiving a new scheme of 4HREZ2R2H2, which did not succeed in obtaining negative results and the treatment was declared as a failure. After genotyping her Mycobacterium intracellulare culture, the patient received azithromycin, moxifloxacin and ethambutol. There was improvement, but she abandoned the treatment at 8 months; she restarted it 18 months later, along with treatment for depression and gastroesophageal reflux. After one month the patient was asymptomatic, but she had a dermal reaction to moxifloxacin which was replaced with amikacin. One year later, she was cured and discharged, at the age of 64.

Presentamos una paciente inmunocompetente cuya enfermedad comenzó a los 49 años con tos, seguida de esputo purulento y hemoptoico, por lo que se diagnosticó bronquiectasias. Tres años después, luego de hemoptisis, le practicaron segmentectomía medial del lóbulo medio y quedó asintomática por meses. Al encontrarse tuberculosis en el informe de patología fue tratada con 4HREZ2R2H2. Cinco años después su BK fue 2+ recibiendo un nuevo esquema de 4HREZ2R2H2, con lo que no logro negativizar declarándose el fracaso al tratamiento. Al hallar en la genotipificación de su cultivo Mycobacterium intracellulare, la paciente recibió azitromicina, moxifloxacina y etambutol, hubo mejoría, pero abandonó el tratamiento a los ocho meses; lo reinició 18 meses después, junto con tratamiento para la depresión y el reflujo gastroesofágico. Al mes la paciente estuvo asintomática, pero hizo reacción dérmica a la moxifloxacina y se la reemplazó por amikacina. Salió de alta y al año estuvo curada, a los 64 años de edad.

[The electronic cigarette: an emerging public health problem]. / El cigarrillo electrónico: un problema de salud pública emergente.

Since 2004, the electronic cigarette (EC) is available, a device that heats nicotine and administers it as part of a vapor. We present a narrative review of the EC and its effect on health. Its use is to stop smoking, in which the evidence is low, and ends up being used at the same time as the cigarette they could not quit. In addition, those who never smoked, mainly teenagers and young people, begin consumption. Its use rais es the levels of nicotine, particles, volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, carbo nyls and metals such as aluminum. In vitro, the EC causes inflammation, oxidative stress and is toxic to multiple cell types, including lung, endothelial and stem cells. Produces increased susceptibility to viral and bacterial infections. Compared to cigarettes, the EC produces a larger and more intense number of deleted genes. At bronchoscopy the airways are friable and erythematous, and the bronchial epithelium with a differentiated protein expression. It has been associated with cough, bronchitis symptoms and the respiratory failure by pneumonitis epidemic that has led several dozen people to death. Because of its harmful effects, the EC should only be used by medical prescription, as a measure to help quit tobacco, and its use in indoor and public environments be prohibited. As the EC components responsible for the associated deaths have not been determined, their use should be banned until these factors are known.

Desde el 2004 se dispone del cigarrillo electrónico (CE), dispositivo que calienta nicotina y la administra formando parte de un vapor. Presentamos una revisión narrativa del CE y su efecto en la salud. Su uso es para dejar de fumar, en lo que la evidencia es baja, terminando usándolo a la vez que el cigarrillo que no pudieron dejar. Además, los que nunca fumaron, principalmente adolescentes y jóvenes, se inician en su consumo. Su uso eleva en el aire los niveles de nicotina, partículas, compuestos orgánicos volátiles, hidrocarburos aromáticos policíclicos, carbonilos y metales como aluminio. In vitro el CE causa infla mación, estrés oxidativo y es tóxico para múltiples tipos de células, incluyendo células pulmonares, en doteliales y células madre. Produce incremento de la susceptibilidad a infecciones virales y bacterianas. Comparado con cigarrillos, el CE produce un número mayor y más intenso de genes suprimidos. A la broncoscopia las vías aéreas están friables y eritematosas, y el epitelio bronquial con expresión diferen ciada de proteínas. Se le ha asociado con tos, síntomas de bronquitis y con la epidemia de insuficiencia respiratoria por neumonitis que ha llevado a varias decenas de personas a la muerte. Por sus efectos dañinos el CE debería solo usarse por prescripción médica, como una medida para ayudar a dejar el tabaco, y estar prohibido su uso en interiores y ambientes públicos. Como no se han determinado los componentes del CE responsables de las muertes asociadas, su uso debería ser proscrito hasta que se conozcan cuáles son estos factores.