[Epidemiology of pseudotumor cerebri]. / Epidemiología del pseudotumor cerebral.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the epidemiology of pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) as seen in patients attending our ophthalmology department. METHODS: The medical records of patients diagnosed with PTC in our hospital during a ten-year period (1994 to 2004) were obtained, with only those patients with PTC diagnosed in our ophthalmology department being considered. The following data were reviewed: sex, age at diagnosis, body mass index (BMI), opening cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure, and the results of CT and MRI. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients were diagnosed with PTC during this time period. Twenty-six were females (89.6%) and 3 were males (10.4%). The calculated incidence of PTC in our population was 3.2 per 100.000 persons and 5.1 per 100.000 persons in the general population that attend our hospital. CONCLUSION: The incidence of PTC was higher than that previously reported.

[Unusual forms of Fasciola hepatica infestation. Report of two cases (author's transl)]. / Formas aberrantes de Fasciola hepatica. Estudio de dos casos.

Infestation by Fasciola hepatica is being reported with increasing frequency. During a five year period the authors have studied 25 cases of disease caused by F. hepatica, all of them diagnosed by finding eggs of the parasite in the feces or the duodenal fluid. In two cases the ectopic location of th parasite gave rise to unusual clinical manifestations. The first case presented during the course of hepatic fascioliasis both subcutaneous and epididymis locations, with an histologic picture similar to that of the hepatic lesions. The involvement of the epididymis, not previously cited in the literature, gave rise to a hydrocele. The second case presented with signs of central nervous system involvement and a high eosinophil count in the cerebrospinal fluid. Dehydroemetine was effective in all patients, including the unusual cases.

[Bardet-Biedl syndrome: subclinical renal disorders in 2 siblings]. / Síndrome de Bardet-Biedl: alteraciones renales subclínicas en dos hermanos.

Two siblings with Bardet-Biedl's syndrome are studied, in whom renal structural and functional disorders were observed, with reduction in the ability to concentrate urine in both cases and decrease of creatinine clearance in the second case. The study of the hypophyseal function was normal.

Skeletal muscle changes in chronic alcoholic patients. A conventional, histochemical, ultrastructural and morphometric study.

Muscle biopsies of 20 alcoholic patients (15 males and 5 females), most of whom had liver disease and with no clinical or analytical evidence of neuromyopathy, were studied. 10 abstemious patients with no neuromuscular disease were selected as controls. Conventional histology failed to show significant skeletal muscle changes. A characteristic histochemical picture of tubular aggregates was found in one patient. An enlargement of the intermyofibrillar space with increase in glycogen deposition and fat droplets were detected ultrastructurally while 2 of the patients showed tubular aggregates. The mitochondriae of the alcoholic patients had a smaller perimeter and area than those of the control group (P less than 0.004 and P less than 0.008, respectively). These results suggest that the prolonged ingestion of alcohol can cause a mitochondrial alteration only evidenced by morphometry, with poor clinical, biochemical, electrophysiological and histological expression of myopathy. These findings can represent an early stage of alcoholic skeletal muscle injury.

[Recurrent thrombophlebitis and bilateral gynecomastia. Primary manifestations of hepatocarcinoma]. / Thrombophlébite récidivante et gynécomastie bilatérale. Manifestation primitive d'un hépatocarcinome.

Thirty-three-year-old male patient, without recognized risk factors, presenting with recurrent thrombophlebitis and bilateral gynecomastia as the only sign of feminization. Twenty-seven months after onset hepatocarcinoma of the right lobe was diagnosed. The rest of the liver was normal. Gynecomastia resolved after surgical removal of the tumor. Thromboembolism did not recur.

Subclavian artery to internal jugular vein fistula following percutaneous internal jugular vein catheterization.

The percutaneous internal jugular vein approach is now a commonly performed procedure for central venous catheterization. Iatrogenic arteriovenous fistulae are a very infrequent complication. We report an asymptomatic subclavian artery to internal jugular vein fistula following two percutaneous internal jugular vein catheterization attempts.

Tubular aggregates in skeletal muscle of chronic alcoholic patients.

The presence of tubular aggregates (TA) in type II muscle fibers in two of 20 alcoholic patients with chronic liver disease, and with no apparent neuromuscular disorder, is reported. The localization, histochemical reactions, and ultrastructural features of the TA are similar to those previously described in other conditions. In one of the two cases TA were demonstrated by E/M observations only and not by histochemistry. No correlations were found between the biochemical changes and the presence of tubular aggregates. We believe that TA are long-standing structures since the muscle biopsies were performed 12 and 13 days after the ingestion of alcohol had been discontinued. They may represent a non-specific response of the sarcoplasmic reticulum to compensate for the deficient calcium uptake reported in alcoholic patients.

Epidemiología del pseudotumor cerebral / Epidemiology of pseudotumor cerebri

Objetivo: Determinar la epidemiología del pseudotumor cerebral (PTC) en los pacientes de nuestro servicio de oftalmología. Métodos: Se revisaron las historias clínicas de todos los pacientes diagnosticados de PTC en el hospital entre los años 1994 y 2004, considerándose para el estudio los PTC diagnosticados por el servicio de oftalmología. Se recogieron los datos del sexo, edad al diagnóstico, índice masa corporal (IMC), presión de salida del líquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR), y los resultados de la TAC y RMN. Resultados: Veintinueve pacientes fueron diagnosticados de PTC entre 1994 y 2004. El 89,6% (26) de los pacientes fueron mujeres y el 10,4% (3) fueron varones. La incidencia de PTC en nuestra población oftalmológica fue de 3,2 por 100.000 y de 5,1 por 100000 si se considera la población general dependiente de nuestro hospital. Conclusión: La incidencia de PTC encontrada fue mayor que la publicada previamente

Objective: To determine the epidemiology of pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) as seen in patients attending our ophthalmology department. Methods: The medical records of patients diagnosed with PTC in our hospital during a ten-year period (1994 to 2004) were obtained, with only those patients with PTC diagnosed in our ophthalmology department being considered. The following data were reviewed: sex, age at diagnosis, body mass index (BMI), opening cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure, and the results of CT and MRI. Results: Twenty-nine patients were diagnosed with PTC during this time period. Twenty-six were females (89.6%) and 3 were males (10.4%). The calculated incidence of PTC in our population was 3.2 per 100.000 persons and 5.1 per 100.000 persons in the general population that attend our hospital. Conclusion: The incidence of PTC was higher than that previously reported