Sun Sign in the Ultrasound Diagnosis and Activity Assessment of Morphea.

Morphea, a localized form of scleroderma, is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease of the skin. Color Doppler Ultrasound has been reported as a reliable tool to assess the activity of the disease. With histologically confirmed cases, this case series describes a new ultrasound sign consisting of a hyperechoic halo surrounding superficial subcutaneous veins of the extremities in transverse view, named the sun sign. This sign can help diagnose morphea in the inflammatory phase and correlate in pathology with perivascular infiltrates surrounding superficial subcutaneous veins.

[Promoter hypermethylation gene patterns in gynecological tumors]. / Patrones de hipermetilación génica en tumores ginecológicos.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Gene silencing mediated by the aberrant methylation of the promoter region of DNA is involved in the inactivation of genes implicated in various metabolic pathways. Such a gene hypermethylation has become a useful molecular marker for the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of cancer patients. Our objective is to analyze the patterns of gene hypermethylation in patients with gynecological tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We selected 115 patients with gynecological cancers: 22 ovarian; 13 endometrial, 11 cervical-uterine and 69 breast cancers. By testing methylation-specific PCR, we studied the methylation status of genes CDNK2A (p16), APC1A, FHIT, CDH1 and hMLH1. RESULTS: The frequencies of gene methylation in genes p16, APC1A, FHIT, hMLH1 and CDH1 were 29.2%, 34%, 60.4%, 10.9% and 79.8%, respectively. 70% of cases showed at least two methylated genes, which means a rate of methylation >0.4. The lowest frequency of methylation was seen in ovarian cancer, while the highest one was observed in endometrial cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the aberrant methylation of the promoter region is an important event in carcinogenesis of gynecological tumors and that the pattern of gene methylation is associated with the nature of the tumor. These particular characteristics can deliver relevant information on the major metabolic pathways altered in each tumor type. In addition to complementary studies (ie, loss of expression and/or function), this represents a clinical tool for the proper management of the disease.

Perfil sociocultural de lactantes bajo control en consultorio periférico urbano / Socio-cultural profile of children aged to 23 months controlled at urban peripheric consultory

El trabajo describe un conjunto de factores que condicionan la situación de salud del lactante a través del análisis de una muestra de 100 lactantes de 0 a 23 meses de edad bajo control en el Consultorio Independencia, perteneciente al Servicio de Salud Metropolitano Norte del S.N.S.S., cuya información se obtuvo mediante una entrevista realizada a las madres o personas a cargo de dichos lactantes. Se investigan las características del grupo familiar, conocimientos de las madres relativos a salud y enfermedad del niño, las conductas adoptadas ante la enfermedad y finalmente las fuentes de conocimiento e información médica. Se concluye que existen en el hogar un grupo importante de factores que favorecen la salud del lactante, tales como edad y escolaridad de la madre y actitud de ésta ante la atención médica; algunas variables negativas estarían representadas por las características de la vivienda, la situación laboral del padre y el bajo nivel de ingresos. En relación a factores de tipo cultural, los conocimientos generales de salud que posee la madre aparecen como adecuados; las conductas de la madre frente a la enfermedad son en general apropiadas o al menos inocuas. El uso de medicina tradicional no interfiere con el adecuado manejo de la morbilidad del lactante y aparece como complementaria a la atención médica del consultorio