[Control of the systolic blood pressure and related factors in patients with high cardiovascular risk]. / Control de la tensión arterial sistólica y factores relacionados en pacientes de alto riesgo vascular.

OBJECTIVE: To know in a good therapeutic compliance population with high cardiovascular risk (HCR), the systolic blood pressure (SBP) control-rate and the factors that could influence. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A cross-sectional observational study was carried out in a HCR hypertensive population in Cáceres (Spain). A survey of different laboratory tests, SBP in first and last visits. RESULTS: Among 388 HCR hypertensive patients, 199 (51.4%) patients with antihypertensive treatment adherence was selected. The average age was of 63 +/- 11 years, 109 (54.1%) males, 61 (30.7%) diabetes mellitus (DM) ones, the 10 years global cardiovascular risk was 22.25 +/- 8.9%, average follow-up was 16.5 +/- 8 months, means SBP was 158 +/- 22 mm Hg. 59.5% with combined treatment, generally diurets with another antihypertensive one. SBP less 140 mm Hg was observe in 23.9% and, only 13.5% less than 130 mm Hg in DM patients. SBP control was more common in less than five years hypertension diagnosis (with respect to those of more time evolution (33.8% vs 15.7%: p < 0.01). as well as, in those with beat pressure (BP) less of 60 mmHg (73.3% versus 26.7%; p < 0.0005). In multivariable analysis also influences negatively in the SBP control: upper 5 years hypertension diagnosis, OR 1.92 (1.08-3.4; p < 0.05) and, a greater BP of 60 mmHg, OR 30.3 (10.6-87: p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: SBP control is difficult to obtain in a population of HCR and good therapeutic compliance, but more still in DM patients. A time of more 5 years evolution of the hypertension and, BP upper of 60 mm HG, have a negative influences in the SBP control.

[Herpes simplex encephalitis in Cáceres. An analysis of the last five years]. / Encefalitis herpética en Cáceres. Análisis de los últimos cinco años.

INTRODUCTION: Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is a rare disease, although it is still the most common serious viral infection of the central nervous system. Little is currently known about its epidemiology and clinical features in our area. This paper presents a retrospective description of the clinical, diagnostic and progressive characteristics of patients diagnosed with HSE in Cáceres General Hospital, and confirmed by means of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) study for the DNA of the herpes simplex virus over the last 5 years. CASE REPORTS: We found four patients who had been diagnosed with HSE in the last 5 years (3.3 cases/million inhabitants/year; CI at 95% of 2.42-4.18), two males and two females, with an age interval between 58 and 75 years. All the patients had high temperatures and three of them also presented neurological focus. A computerised axial tomography scan of the head performed on admission was interpreted as being normal in all cases, while magnetic resonance imaging of the head carried out in two patients showed lesions compatible with HSE in both cases. Electroencephalographic studies were carried out in two patients and revealed focusing in one of them and severe generalised involvement in the other. Analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) disclosed lymphocytic meningitis in four cases, although in one of them the study was normal on admission. In two of the patients, viral meningoencephalitis was suspected from the moment the patient was admitted to hospital. For this reason, early treatment with IV acyclovir was established and the clinical progression was good in both patients, although one of them was left with mild neurological sequelae. The other two cases, who died, had a severe underlying pathology and alternative clinical diagnoses that were reasonable on admission (extensive pneumonia and delirium tremens in one of them, and hypercapnic encephalopathy with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the other), and the clinical suspicion of HSE and the establishment of treatment were late. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of HSE in our environment is in the upper interval of that reported in the literature. PCR analysis for the herpes simplex virus in CSF seems to have replaced brain biopsy studies as the diagnostic technique. The underlying severe chronic pathology makes it more difficult to diagnose and worsens the prognosis. A multicentre epidemiological study should be conducted to confirm these findings.

[Eosinophilic gastroenteritis: two cases report]. / Gastroenteritis eosinofílica: a propósito de dos casos.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare condition characterized by eosinophilic infiltration or the different layers of the intestinal wall. Clinical symptoms depend of the site of eosinophilic infiltration and the layers involved. Usually characterized by peripheral eosinophilia. Definitive diagnosis is based on histopathological findings. We report two cases with excellent response to steroid therapy.

[Scurvy, a serious and rare form of avitaminosis, easily diagnosed and treated. Presentation of a case]. / Escorbuto, una grave y rara avitaminosis de fácil diagnóstico y tratamiento. Presentación de un caso.

We report a 66 years-old man case that was admitted with abdominal wall hemorrhagic swelling ecchymosis on inferior extremities and perifollicular purpura with hyperkeratosis of the follicles, which gives it an appearance of palpable purpura, together with gingival hemorrhage and moderate anemia. He was a well-nourished sick man but who made a peculiar diet, practically free from fruit and vegetables which developed a pure and serious form of scurvy. We report this case because we consider that the features which appear are illustrative to provide the immediate clinical diagnosis of this uncommon disease, potentially mortal, but easy to diagnose, if we think about it in the adequate clinical contexts, and which it is quickly curable with the administration of ascorbic acid.

[Brucellar hepatic abscess: presentation of a case and review of the literature]. / Absceso hepático brucelar: presentación de un caso y revisión de la literatura.

We present a case of a brucellar liver abscess in a 25-year-old male that was successfully treated by surgery and comment on this unusual form of brucellosis. We detail the complementary exams and how the diagnosis was achieved. We also review the 23 cases reported in the world literature, commenting on them from an etiological, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic point of view in its two aspects: medical and surgical.

[Utilization and effectiveness of the flu vaccination in the prevention of the hospitalization induced by cardiorespiratory decompensation in high-risk patients in Cáceres]. / Utilización y eficacia de la vacunación antigripal en la prevención de ingresos hospitalarios por descompensación cardiorrespiratoria en pacientes de alto riesgo en Cáceres.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the recommendations to vaccinate annually against the flu to all the elderly and people with various chronic diseases, these recommendations are not comon to fulfill. In this case-control study performed in the service of Internal Medicine of the Hospital of Cáceres we have analyzed the degree of utilization of the flu vaccination in the season 2000/2001 in patients over 65 years of age with high-risk chronic diseases, as well as the effectiveness of this vaccination to avoid the hospitalization induced by cardiorespiratory decompensation, in order to reduce the number of consultations to the primary care physician and in order to reduce the issue of days of hospitalization. PATIENTS OF METHOD: 227 patients over 65 years of age with chronic cardiorespiratory disease, diabetes, chronic renal insufficiency, hepatopathy, previous pneumonia, or other causes of immunosuppression were studied. Of them, 116 were admitted because of cadiac or respiratory decompensation (cases); the control group was made up of 99 patients who went to outpatient consultations, with clinical manifestations similar to the cases and they were not hospitalized during the year of study. All the participants filled a questionnaire that included demographic characteristics and data about the underlying disease; the participants were grouped according to the number of underlying disease (one, two or more), according to if had received correctly the flu vaccination, according to the number of consultations to its Family doctor during the year of the study because of respiratory infections, according to the hospitalizations during the previous year and in the patients that were hospitalized acording to the number of days of the hospitalization. RESULTS: The average age was 71 years and 63% patients had been hospitalized the previous year. The percentage of vaccinated was of 60% and the vaccination was applied most frequently to the patients older than 75 years (p < 0.001), with EPOC (p < 0.005), and with cardiac insufficiency (p < 0.01), as well as to the patients with 2 or more risk factors (p < 0.001). Differences were not observed among the cases and the controls with regard to the age, to the incidence of ICC, to the incidence of DM, nor to the presence of 2 or more risk factors; however, the patients who were hospitalized presented a greater incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR: 3.6; IC: 2.01-6.45) and of previous pneumonía (OR: 5.24: CI: 2.4-11-14): The factors most influencing the possibility of hospitalization were: EPOC (OR: 3.67; CI: 1.90-7.13); previous pneumonía (OR: 3.88: CI: 1.69-8.95). The estimate of hospitalizations avoided by the vaccination was of 59 (OR: 0.41; IC: 0.22-0.79). The vaccination did not decrease the number of consultations to the physician nor the days of the hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: The flu vaccination looks underused in patients over 65 years of age with multiple diseases in the hospital environment. The vaccination seems to be effective in order to diminish the number of hospital admissions because of cardiorespiratory decompensation, even in non-epidemic seasons. We should insist on the use of the flu vaccination in these high-risk patients.