[Idiopathic cholestasis associated with bloody diarrhea as the first manifestation of Hodgkin's lymphoma]. / Colestasis idiopática asociada a diarrea sanguinolenta como primera manifestación de linfoma de Hodgkin.

Jaundice in Hodgkin's disease occurs in 3-13% of the cases reported in the medical literature and can be due to several causes. Cholestatic jaundice associated with ductopenia may be a consequence of an associated paraneoplastic process and can occur several months before the development of Hodgkin's disease. When there is a finding of jaundice of unknown etiology associated with ductopenia, the possible existence of Hodgkin's disease should be investigated. We describe a case of cholestatic jaundice associated with Hodgkin's disease. The first clinical and laboratory manifestations were symptoms of bloody diarrhea months before the development of Hodgkin's disease. We discuss the differential diagnoses considered, given the complexity of the case.

[Results of pulmonary embolism treatment in a tertiary hospital short stay unit. Is this the right place?]. / Resultados del tratamiento médico de la embolia de pulmón en una unidad de corta estancia de un hospital de tercer nivel: ¿es el lugar adecuado?

OBJECTIVES: To determine the mean stay (MS) of patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) in a thrombosis unit (TU) with a short stay unit (SSU) in a tertiary hospital. To compare the data collected with those of other hospitals in the same region, of other regions (Autonomous Communities [AACC]), and within the same hospital in the year before the SSU opened. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive retrospective observational study that included patients with a diagnosis of PE in the University Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca (HCUVA) in 2012. These data were classified by hospital department, and used for calculating the mean stay. This was then compared with that of other hospitals in our region, with the rest of the regions, and with the data in 2007 (the last year without a TU). RESULTS: A total of 113patients with PE were included, 60 (53%) in the TU with an MS of 4.39, in Oncology, 7.45, and Internal Medicine (IM), 15.38days. There were no deaths in the TU and only 3 (5%) readmissions. Published data showed that the MS in all hospitals in our region was 8.25, 5.18 in our hospital, and higher in the rest of hospitals. The best AACC was the Basque Country with an MS of 6.85days. In 2007, there were 70patients with PE in the HCUVA, 34 (49%) in IM, with an MS of 8.50, Oncology 11 (31%) with an MS 9.64, and Chest Diseases 3 (4.3%) with an MS 19days, and with an overall mortality of 11% and a rate of readmissions in IM of 6%. CONCLUSION: The mean stay for a PE in the SSU of a TU was lower than in the rest of the hospital departments, lower than the rest hospitals of our region, lower than the rest of the regions, and lower than any department of our hospital before the SSU existed, without increasing the readmission or mortality rate.

Rhabdomyolysis after initial session of indoor cycling: analysis of 11 patients.

AIM: The aim of this paper was to highlight the special frequency of cases of rhabdomyolysis related to the practice of indoor cycling and to define the characteristics, course, and outcome of this disease. METHODS: Retrospective review of clinical histories of patients diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis after indoor cycling in our unit from January 2012 to April 2013. RESULTS: Eleven patients were analyzed. All patients, regardless of the degree of previous physical training, were diagnosed after a first session of indoor cycling. Mean age was 27.63 years (SD=5.74). Fifty-four percent were women. Creatine kinase (CK) levels gradually decreased in response to rest and intensive intravenous hydration. Only in two cases was renal failure observed, and in none were electrolyte disorders, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) or compartmental syndrome detected. CONCLUSION: A first session of indoor cycling has become a common cause of rhabdomyolysis secondary to the physical exercise in recent years, which should alert those responsible for teaching this sport of the need for a gradual start under adequate hydration and environmental conditions, because although the condition has a benign course with adequate treatment and the complication rate is low, there are patients with increased susceptibility to very high CK blood levels requiring hospitalization for treatment and follow-up of possible complications.

Planimetric and histological study of the aortae in atherosclerotic chickens treated with nifedipine, verapamil and diltiazem.

Calcium appears to be involved in many of the cellular events which are thought to be important in atherogenesis. Calcium channel blockers have been shown to reduce arterial lipid accumulation in animals without altering serum cholesterol. Avian models of atherosclerosis offer economic and technical advantages over mammalian models. In this study, we examine the effects of nifedipine, verapamil and diltiazem at clinical and higher doses, on the extent of atherosclerosis of egg-fed chickens. In order to assess the extent of atherosclerosis quantitatively, the aortic lesions of the thoracic and abdominal aorta, aortic arch and supraaortic regions were measured by planimetry. Atherosclerotic lesions were evaluated histologically. Statistically significant reductions in the lipid deposition of the aorta were found in all the treated groups. The extent and distribution of atherosclerotic lesions were decreased in a significant way by verapamil, nifedipine and diltiazem. The higher the dosage used, the higher the regression of the atherosclerotic lesions. At clinical dosage, nifedipine showed the highest decrease of the lesions. In addition, the chicken atherosclerosis model has proved itself useful and very suitable for in vivo drug intervention studies.

[Multiple angiodysplasia of the small intestine. A diagnostic and therapeutic challenge]. / Angiodisplasia múltiple de intestino delgado. Un reto diagnóstico y terapéutico.

Small bowel bleeding is infrequent and presents a challenge to the clinician. Approximately 30-40% of gastrointestinal bleeding localized in the small bowel is due to angiodysplasia, a vascular malformation. We present the case of a patient with multiple angiodysplasia of the small bowel who required push enteroscopy and capsule endoscopy to establish the diagnosis. Treatment with subcutaneous octreotide was successful. In conclusion, in doubtful cases or in patients with persistent hemorrhage, capsule endoscopy can improve the diagnostic yield of enteroscopy in bleeding gastrointestinal vascular lesions such as angiodysplasia. Endoscopic treatment (laser coagulation) and drug therapy (somatostatin or analogs) are valid alternatives in inoperable or non-resectable cases.

[Thoracic and retroperitoneal dissemination of multiple myeloma. 2 cases]. / Diseminación torácica y retroperitoneal del mieloma múltiple. Dos observaciones.

The dissemination of multiple myeloma out of the bone marrow is very rare, even though the observation of plasmacytosis in the bodies of patients having died of this disease is not rare. We present 2 patients affected by multiple myeloma and with extra-bone marrow plasmacytomas at the diagnosis, localized at posterior mediastinum and retroperitoneum, discovered by tomography.

[McArdle disease: report of four brothers with myophosphorylase deficiency]. / Enfermedad de McArdle: descripción de cuatro hermanos con déficit de miofosforilasa.

Myophosphorylase deficiency, or McArdle disease, is an uncommon entity. The gene for human myophosphorylase has been cloned and is located on chromosome 11, in keeping with the autosomal recessive nature of the disease and there is an excess of male patients. The diagnosis is established by documentation of elevated glycogen content and reduced phosphorylase activity in biopsied muscle tissue. We report four cases with McArdle disease which were 16, 15, 11 and 5 years old. They were brothers, and they came to the hospital because of pain, cramps and myoglobinuria after exercise or infection; in the first case, a male patient, myoglobinuria caused acute renal failure. Three of them showed reduced phosphorylase activity in biopsied muscle tissue. We discuss the different therapeutic possibilities.

Resultados del tratamiento médico de la embolia de pulmón en una unidad de corta estancia de un hospital de tercer nivel: ¿es el lugar adecuado? / Results of pulmonary embolism treatment in a tertiary hospital short stay unit. Is this the right place?

Objetivo. Describir la estancia media (EM) de la embolia de pulmón (EP) en una unidad de trombosis (UT) dependiente de una unidad de corta estancia (UCE) de un hospital de tercer nivel. Comparar estos datos con el resto de hospitales de nuestra región, con los del resto de comunidades autónomas (CCAA) y con el mismo hospital durante un año previo a nuestra existencia. Material y método. Estudio observacional retrospectivo descriptivo en el que se incluyeron los pacientes con diagnóstico de EP en el Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca (HCUVA) durante el año 2012. Clasificamos estos datos por servicio hospitalario, calculando la EM. Comparamos esta con la del resto de hospitales de nuestra región, con el resto de CCAA y con nuestros datos en el año 2007, cuando no existía aun la UT. Resultados. Se incluyeron 113 pacientes: 60 (53%) ingresaron en la UT, siendo la EM de 4,39 días, en Oncología, de 7,45, y en Medicina Interna (MI), de 15,38. No hubo ningún fallecido en la UT y solo se produjeron 3 reingresos (5%). Los datos publicados mostraron que la EM en todos los hospitales de nuestra región fue de 8,25 días; en nuestro hospital fue de 5,18 días y en el resto de hospitales, mayor. La CCAA con mejor EM fue el País Vasco con 6,85 días. En el año 2007, hubo 70 pacientes con EP en el HCUVA: 34 (49%) en MI con una EM de 8,50 días, 11 (31%) en Oncología con una EM de 9,64 días y 3 (4,3%) en Neumología, con una EM de 19 días; la mortalidad global fue del 11% y la tasa de reingresos en MI, del 6%. Conclusión. La EM de la EP en la UT en una UCE fue menor que en el resto de servicios de nuestro hospital, menor que en el resto de hospitales de nuestra comunidad, menor que en el resto de CCAA y menor que en cualquier servicio de nuestro hospital en una época anterior a nuestra existencia, sin aumentar la tasa de reingreso ni la mortalidad (AU)

Objectives. To determine the mean stay (MS) of patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) in a thrombosis unit (TU) with a short stay unit (SSU) in a tertiary hospital. To compare the data collected with those of other hospitals in the same region, of other regions (Autonomous Communities [AACC]), and within the same hospital in the year before the SSU opened. Material and methods. A descriptive retrospective observational study that included patients with a diagnosis of PE in the University Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca (HCUVA) in 2012. These data were classified by hospital department, and used for calculating the mean stay. This was then compared with that of other hospitals in our region, with the rest of the regions, and with the data in 2007 (the last year without a TU). Results. A total of 113 patients with PE were included, 60 (53%) in the TU with an MS of 4.39, in Oncology, 7.45, and Internal Medicine (IM), 15.38 days. There were no deaths in the TU and only 3 (5%) readmissions. Published data showed that the MS in all hospitals in our region was 8.25, 5.18 in our hospital, and higher in the rest of hospitals. The best AACC was the Basque Country with an MS of 6.85 days. In 2007, there were 70 patients with PE in the HCUVA, 34 (49%) in IM, with an MS of 8.50, Oncology 11 (31%) with an MS 9.64, and Chest Diseases 3 (4.3%) with an MS 19 days, and with an overall mortality of 11% and a rate of readmissions in IM of 6%. Conclusion. The mean stay for a PE in the SSU of a TU was lower than in the rest of the hospital departments, lower than the rest hospitals of our region, lower than the rest of the regions, and lower than any department of our hospital before the SSU existed, without increasing the readmission or mortality rate (AU)