[Gastrointestinal bleeding caused by small bowel leiomyosarcoma]. / Hemorragia digestiva por leiomiosarcoma de intestino delgado.

The small bowel leiomyosarcoma is a infrequent tumour in the clinical practice. We report the case of a 50 year old male admitted to the hospital on two occasions for gastrointestinal bleeding. On the second occasion a push enteroscopy located in jejunum a tumour. The pathologic diagnosis was a low grade jejunal leiomyosarcoma. The patient required a surgical intervention with resection of the affected portion of the jejunum.

[Evaluation and improvement in the information of the patients who carry out a digestive endoscopy]. / Evaluación y mejora en la información de los pacientes que se realizan una endoscopia.

INTRODUCTION: The information is an important part of the attendance process though in occasions it can be inadequate or deficient. AIM: We detect an opportunity of improvement in the inadequate information of the patients who carry out an endoscopia. The aim is to evaluate and to improve the quality of the information. METHOD: We realize the first evaluation with 100 patients proceeding from consultations, detecting ignorance of the technology. Actions of improvement are applied, for 4 months, to realize the second evaluation, with the same number of patients and to evaluate improvement with regard to the situation of item. RESULTS: A deficit of information has been detected in the moment to indicate the endoscopia (little information contributed by the doctor prescriptor and in an important number of cases informed assent was not contributed) and after realizing the test, not contributing recommendations. We prioritize our action to this level with measures of improvement and after a new evaluation, a significant improvement decides in these situations. CONCLUSIONS: The studies of qualit level allow us to detect deficit situations and to improve situations in the services of health.

Lessons from the history of the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic among Spanish drug injectors.

In Spain, approximately 10 years passed between the time when human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) harm-reduction programs should have been developed with sufficient coverage to have an optimum impact on public health (before the HIV/AIDS epidemic's explosion in 1984) and the date of their actual implementation. This delay yielded an enormous cost for the country. The introduction of the virus in drug injector networks during a period of widespread diffusion of heroin injection and the lack of political awareness of the growing problem were 2 important factors that contributed to the important diffusion of the HIV infection among Spanish injection drug users. Lessons can be learned that may be of great interest in countries or territories facing similar challenges now and in the future.

[Recommendation of GESIDA (AIDS Study Group)/National Plan on AIDS with respect to the anti-retroviral treatment in adult patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus in the year 2000 (I)]. / Recomendaciones de GESIDA/Plan Nacional sobre el Sida respecto al tratamiento antirretrovírico en pacientes adultos infectados por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana en el año 2000 (I).

OBJECTIVE: To update the recommendations for antiretroviral therapy in adult HIV-infected persons according to the new scientific advances and the existence of new antiretroviral drugs in the last two years. METHODS: The antiretroviral therapy recommendations have been condensed by a panel of experts from the Spanish AIDS Study Group (Grupo de Estudio de sida-GESIDA) of the Spanish Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Society (SEIMC) and from the Clinical Advisory Panel of the Secretariat of the Spanish National Plan on AIDS (SPNS) of the Ministry of Health. Three levels of evidence have been established depending if the data came from randomised and controlled studies, from cohort or case-control studies or from descriptive studies and expert opinions. For that purpose we have reviewed the advances in HIV pathophysiology and results of efficacy (clinical, virologic and immunologic) and security (toxicity) from clinical trials involving antiretroviral therapy lasting at least 12 months, from cohort studies and pharmacokinetic and security data of antiretroviral drugs, presented in international conferences or published in biomedical journals in the last two years. In each situation we have established either to recommend or to consider or not recommend antiretroviral therapy. RESULTS: Nowadays, antiretroviral therapy consisting of at least three drugs constitutes the election therapy for chronic HIV infection, since it delays clinical progression, increases significantly the survival and diminishes hospital admissions and associated costs. The decision to start antiretroviral therapy must be based upon three elements: presence or absence of symptoms, plasma viral load and CD4+ cells counts. Thus, in asymptomatic cases with a high CD4+ cells count (> 500/microL) and low viral load (< 10,000 copies/ml by branched DNA [bDNA] or < 20,000 copies/ml by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] or nucleic acid sequence based amplification [NASBA]) we recommend to delay antiretroviral therapy. In symptomatic patients we recommend to start it, and in asymptomatic patients, we could recommend or consider antiretroviral therapy initiation depending on the risk of progression, established by the viral load and the CD4+ cells count. In any case, if therapy is started, the objective must be to reach an undetectable viral load (< 50 copies/ml). The adherence to antiretroviral therapy plays a key role for its initial moment and for the duration of the antiviral response, antiretroviral therapy can achieve a restoration of cellular immunity in the advanced patients. There are few therapeutic options in failing patients due to cross-resistance. Resistance studies can be useful in this setting. The toxicity is a new and limiting factor of antiretroviral therapy which requires to look for new therapeutic options. Antiretroviral therapy criteria for acute infection, pregnancy, post-exposure prophylaxis and when to use resistance testing are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: In this moment, there is a more conservative attitude towards starting antiretroviral therapy than in previous recommendations in which a virus eradication was considered. On the other hand, the high number of disposable drugs, the more sensitive monitorization methods (plasma viral load) and the possibility of performing resistance studies make therapeutic strategies more dynamic and individualised for each patient and situation. In any case, it is mandatory to ensure a perfect adherence to antiretroviral therapy from the patients.

Needle exchange programs in prisons in Spain.

On 11 July 2000, at the XIII International AIDS Conference in Durban, yet another country--Spain--presented evidence that needle exchange programs in prisons work. We reproduce here the text of the presentation entitled "Needle Exchange Program at the Bilbao Prison, Spain: Two Years of Experience (1997-1999)."

[Recommendations of GESIDA (Grupo de Estudio de SIDA)/National Plan on AIDS with respect to the anti-retroviral treatment in adult patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus in the year 2000 (II)]. / Recomendaciones de GESIDA/Plan Nacional sobre el SIDA respecto al tratamiento antirretrovírico en pacientes adultos infectados por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana en el año 2000 (II).

OBJECTIVE: To update the recommendations for antiretroviral therapy (ART) in adult HIV-infected persons according to the new scientific advances and the existence of new antiretroviral drugs in the last two years. METHODS: The ART recommendations have been condensed by a panel of experts from the Spanish AIDS Study Group (Grupo de Estudio de Sida-GESIDA) of the Spanish Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Society (SEIMC) and from the Clinical Advisory Panel (CAP) of the Secretariat of the Spanish National Plan on AIDS (SPNS) of the Ministry of Health. Three levels of evidence have been established depending if the data came from randomized and controlled studies, from cohort or case-control studies or from descriptive studies and expert opinions, for that purpose we have reviewed the advanced in HIV pathophysiology and results of efficacy (clinical, virologic and immunologic) and security (toxicity) from clinical trials involving ART lasting at least 12 months, from cohort studies and pharmacokinetic and security data of antoiretrovírico drugs, presented in international conferences or published in biomedical journals in the last two years. In each situation we have established either to recommend or to consider or not recommend ART. RESULTS: Nowadays, ART consistent of at least three drugs constitutes the election therapy for chronic HIV infection, since it delays clinical progression, increases significantly the survival and diminishes hospital admissions and associated costs. The decision to start ART must be based upon three elements: presence or absence of symptoms, plasma vírica load and CD4+ cells counts. Thus, in asymptomatic cases with a high CD4+ cells count (> 500/microliter) and low vírica load (< 10,000 copies/ml by branched DNA bDNA or < 20,000 copies/ml by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] or nucleic acid sequence based amplification [NASBA]) we recommend to delay ART. In symptomatic patients we recommend to start it, and in asymptomatic patients, we could recommend or consider ART initiation depending on the risk of progression, established by the vírica load and the CD4+ cells count. In any case, if therapy is started, the objective must be to reach an indetectable vírica load (< 50 copies/ml). The adherence to ART plays a key role for its initial moment and for the duration of the antiviral response. ART can achieve a restoration of cellular immunity inb the advanced patients. There are few therapeutic options in failing patients due to cross-resistance. Resistance studies can be useful in this setting. The toxicity (lypodistrophy) is a new and limiting factor of ART which requires to look for new therapeutic options. ART criteria for acute infection, pregnancy, post-exposure prophylaxis and when to use resistance testing are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: In this moment, there is a more conservative attitude towards starting ART than in previous recommendations in which a virus eradication was considered. On the other hand, the high number of disposable drugs, the more sensitive monitorization methods (plasma vírica load) and the possibility of performing resistance studies make therapeutic strategies more dynamic and individualized for each patient and situation. In any case, it is mandatory to ensure a perfect adherence to ART from the patients.

[Preventing HIV infection: an exercise in evaluating scientific evidence in public health]. / La prevención de la infección por VIH: un ejercicio de evaluación de las evidencias científicas en salud pública.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based medicine (EBM) analyses scientific evidence for the efficacy/effectiveness of health interventions. It aims to identify and implement available interventions that have proved to be the best. This concept is now soundly established for clinical interventions, but just breaking for prevention, particularly when--as in HIV infection--transmission is associated to private behaviour. METHODS: A search for studies evaluating the effects of HIV prevention interventions. All studies were critically evaluated. RESULTS: Relevant evidence for the effects of the main specific HIV prevention interventions is reviewed, according to transmission group and study design, focusing on its methodological strength and weakness, and paying special attention to experimental research. CONCLUSIONS: A wider debate on scientific evidence for public health interventions is proposed, trying to promote feasible and efficient EBM methods in HIV prevention research.

[Splenic rupture in acute pancreatitis]. / Rotura esplénica en una pancreatitis aguda.

The case of a 42-years-old male with acute pancreatitis of ethanol origin and formation of pseudocysts in the tail of the pancreas is presented. The patient suddenly presented a picture of hypovolemic shock caused by rupture of the spleen. Emergency splenectomy with resection of necrotic tissue was performed and thrombosis of the splenic vein was observed. The patient evolved satisfactorily following surgery.