Assessment of the role of high-density lipoproteins and their immunomodulatory activity in systemic lupus erythematosus immunopathology.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the potential associations between high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels and inflammasome components in the context of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted. A group of 50 patients with SLE and 50 healthy controls matched by sex and similar age ranges were enrolled. Serum HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) and C reactive protein (CRP) levels were quantified. Serum cytokine levels, including IL-1ß and IL-6, were determined by ELISA. The gene expression of inflammasome-related genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS: HDL-C levels were lower in the patients with SLE (p<0.05), and on segregation according to disease activity, those with active SLE had the lowest HDL-C levels. Patients with SLE presented higher concentrations of the serum inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß and IL-6 (p<0.0001) but similar levels of CRP to those in controls. A similar scenario was observed for the gene expression of inflammasome components, where all the evaluated markers were significantly upregulated in the SLE population. These results revealed significant negative correlations between HDL levels and disease activity, serum IL-6 and IL-1ß levels and the mRNA expression of NLRP3, IL-1ß and IL-18. In addition, significant positive correlations were found between disease activity and serum IL-1ß and between disease activity and the mRNA expression of IL-18, and interestingly, significant positive correlations were also observed between active SLE and serum IL-1ß and the mRNA expression of NLRP3. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that HDL is essential for SLE beyond atherosclerosis and is related to inflammation regulation, possibly mediated by inflammasome immunomodulation.

Autoantibodies Neutralizing GM-CSF in HIV-Negative Colombian Patients Infected with Cryptococcus gattii and C. neoformans.

BACKGROUND: Cryptococcosis is a life-threatening disease caused by Cryptococcus neoformans or C. gattii. Neutralizing autoantibodies (auto-Abs) against granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in otherwise healthy adults with cryptococcal meningitis have been described since 2013. We searched for neutralizing auto-Abs in sera collected from Colombian patients with non-HIV-associated cryptococcosis in a retrospective national cohort from 1997 to 2016. METHODS: We reviewed clinical and laboratory records and assessed the presence of neutralizing auto-Abs against GM-CSF in 30 HIV negative adults with cryptococcosis (13 caused by C. gattii and 17 caused by C. neoformans). RESULTS: We detected neutralizing auto-Abs against GM-CSF in the sera of 10 out of 13 (77%) patients infected with C. gattii and one out of 17 (6%) patients infected with C. neoformans. CONCLUSIONS: We report eleven Colombian patients diagnosed with cryptococcosis who had auto-Abs that neutralize GM-CSF. Among these patients, ten were infected with C. gattii and only one with C. neoformans.

Early Enteral Nutrition (within 48 h) for Patients with Sepsis or Septic Shock: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Medical nutrition therapy provides the opportunity to compensate for muscle wasting and immune response activation during stress and trauma. The objective of this systematic review is to assess the safety and effectiveness of early enteral nutrition (EEN) in adults with sepsis or septic shock. METHODS: The MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov, and ICTRP tools were searched from inception until July 2023. Conference proceedings, the reference lists of included studies, and expert content were queried to identify additional publications. Two review authors completed the study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment; disagreements were resolved through discussion. Inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized studies (NRSs) comparing the administration of EEN with no or delayed enteral nutrition (DEE) in adult populations with sepsis or septic shock. RESULTS: Five RCTs (n = 442 participants) and ten NRSs (n = 3724 participants) were included. Low-certainty evidence from RCTs and NRSs suggests that patients receiving EEN could require fewer days of mechanical ventilation (MD -2.65; 95% CI, -4.44-0.86; and MD -2.94; 95% CI, -3.64--2.23, respectively) and may show lower SOFA scores during follow-up (MD -1.64 points; 95% CI, -2.60--0.68; and MD -1.08 points; 95% CI, -1.90--0.26, respectively), albeit with an increased frequency of diarrhea episodes (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.115-4.34). Even though the patients with EEN show a lower in-hospital mortality rate both in RCTs (OR 0.69; 95% CI, 0.39-1.23) and NRSs (OR 0.89; 95% CI, 0.69-1.13), this difference does not achieve statistical significance. There were no apparent differences for other outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Low-quality evidence suggests that EEN may be a safe and effective intervention for the management of critically ill patients with sepsis or septic shock.

Prediction of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical expenditures associated with Diabetes Mellitus type II based on clinical risk.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of different machine learning models in estimating the pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical expenditures associated with Diabetes Mellitus type II diagnosis, based on the clinical risk index determined by the analysis of comorbidities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we have used data from 11,028 anonymized records of patients admitted to a high-complexity hospital in Bogota, Colombia between 2017-2019 with a primary diagnosis of Diabetes. These cases were classified according to Charlson's comorbidity index in several risk categories. The main variables analyzed in this study are hospitalization costs (which include pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical expenditures), age, gender, length of stay, medicines and services consumed, and comorbidities assessed by the Charlson's index. The model's dependent variable is expenditure (composed of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical expenditures). Based on these variables, different machine learning models (Multivariate linear regression, Lasso model, and Neural Networks) were used to estimate the pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical expenditures associated with the clinical risk classification. To evaluate the performance of these models, different metrics were used: Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), Mean Squared Error (MSE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and Coefficient of Determination (R2). RESULTS: The results indicate that the Neural Networks model performed better in terms of accuracy in predicting pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical expenditures considering the clinical risk based on Charlson's comorbidity index. A deeper understanding and experimentation with Neural Networks can improve these preliminary results, therefore we can also conclude that the main variables used and those that were proposed can be used as predictors for the medical expenditures of patients with diabetes type-II. CONCLUSIONS: With the increase of technology elements and tools, it is possible to build models that allow decision-makers in hospitals to improve the resource planning process given the accuracy obtained with the different models tested.

Argentinian Rose Petals as a Source of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Compounds.

The total phenolic, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents were evaluated in 11 cultivars of Argentinian roses of different colors. HPLC-ESI-QTOF/MS was used to identify the components where ellagic and quinic acids, quercetin, and kaempferol glycosylated derivatives were found. The phenolic contents ranged from 78.8 ± 3.2 to 203.4 ± 3.1 mg GAE/g dw, the flavonoid content ranged from 19.1 ± 3.8 to 125.9 ± 6.5 mg QE/g dw, and the anthocyanin content ranged from less than 0.01 to 5.8 ± 0.1 mg CE/g dw. The dark red cultivars exhibited the greatest levels of the analyzed compounds and of the antioxidant activities, even higher than those of certain plants known for their high phenolic contents and antioxidant activity. Moreover, the addition of these extracts decreased the population of L. innocua and P. aeruginosa to undetectable levels 24 h after inoculation. Rose petal extracts, mainly those with a dark red color, can be used as natural additives in food, feed, and cosmetics, as they contain a high proportion of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial effects.

Autoantibodies neutralizing GM-CSF in HIV-negative Colombian patients infected with Cryptococcus gattii and C. neoformans.

Background: Cryptococcosis is a life-threatening disease caused by Cryptococcus neoformans or C. gattii. Autoantibodies (auto-Abs) neutralizing granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in otherwise healthy adults with cryptococcal meningitis have been described since 2013. We searched for neutralizing auto-Abs in sera from Colombian patients with non-HIV related cryptococcosis in a retrospective national cohort collected from 1997 to 2016. Methods: We reviewed clinical and laboratory records and assessed the presence of neutralizing auto-Abs in 30 HIV (-) adults presenting cryptococcosis (13 by C. gattii, and 17 by C. neoformans). Results: We detected auto-Abs neutralizing GM-CSF in the plasma of 9 out of 13 (69%) patients infected with C. gattii and 1 out of 17 (6%) patients with C. neoformans. Conclusions: We report ten Colombian patients with cryptococcosis due to auto-Abs neutralizing GM-CSF. Nine of the ten patients were infected with C. gattii, and only one with C. neoformans.

Central American and Caribbean Consensus Document for the Optimal Management of Oral Anticoagulation in Patients with Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation Endorsed by the Central American and Caribbean Society of Arterial Hypertension and Cardiovascular Prevention.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in adults. Prevention of the ischaemic risk with oral anticoagulants (OACs) is widely recommended, and current clinical guidelines recommend direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) as preference therapy for stroke prevention. However, there are currently no clinical practice guidelines or recommendation documents on the optimal management of OACs in patients with AF that specifically address and adapt to the Central American and Caribbean context. The aim of this Delphi-like study is to respond to doubts that may arise in the management of OACs in patients with non-valvular AF in this geographical area. A consensus project was performed on the basis of a systematic review of the literature, a recommended ADOLOPMENT-like approach, and the application of a two-round Delphi survey. In the first round, 31 recommendations were evaluated and 30 reached consensus, of which, 10 unanimously agreed. The study assessed expert opinions in a wide variety of contextualized recommendations for the optimal management of DOACs in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). There is a broad consensus on the clinical practice guideline (CPG) statements used related to anticoagulation indication, patient follow-up, anticoagulation therapy complications, COVID-19 management and prevention, and cardiac interventions.

Tropical high altitude and severe asthma in adults: house dust mite sensitization and phenotypic distribution.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of information on house dust mite (HDM) sensitization and phenotype distribution in patients with severe asthma (SA) living permanently at high-altitude (HA) in tropical regions, which may be different. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to characterize adults with SA in a tropical high altitude city (2,640 m): Bogotá, Colombia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This observational cross-sectional study included severe asthmatic outpatients (n = 129) referred to the ASMAIRE program of the Fundación Neumológica Colombiana in Bogotá (2,640 m). Clinical history, spirometry, total IgE, blood eosinophils, and skin prick test (SPT), including HDM allergens, were performed. Phenotype definitions: Allergic/atopic (AA): IgE ≥100 IU/mL and/or at least one positive SPT; eosinophilic (EOS): blood eosinophils ≥300 cells/µL; type 2-high: AA and/or EOS phenotype; type 2-low: non-AA/non-EOS phenotype (IgE <100 IU/mL, negative SPT, and blood eosinophils <300 cells/µL). RESULTS: A total of 129 adults with SA were included, 79.8% female. Phenotype distribution: AA: 61.2%; EOS: 37.2%; type 2-high: 72.1%; type 2-low: 27.9%. Among AA patients, HDM sensitization was present in 87% and 34.9% were non-eosinophilic. There was a significant overlap between the phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to non-tropical high-altitude regions, we found a high frequency of HDM sensitization in patients with AA phenotype living in a tropical high-altitude city. We also found a discrete lower frequency of EOS phenotype with no other significant differences in the phenotypic distribution compared to that described at low altitudes. We propose that tropical location may modify the effect of high altitude on HDM concentrations and allergenicity.

Validación facial, confiabilidad y comprensibilidad del cuestionario principal usado en el estudio PLATINO, Colombia 2021

Introducción: es fundamental garantizar que los instrumentos de medición al ser usados en contextos distintos a los que fueron desarrollados se ajusten en su lenguaje y compresibilidad; el cuestionario principal usado en el estudio PLATINO, en el cual se estableció la prevalencia de enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica en áreas metropolitanas de Latinoamérica por la Asociación Latinoamericana del Tórax, sin incluir población colombiana. Objetivo: realizar validación facial, confiabilidad y comprensibilidad del cuestionario principal usado en el estudio PLATINO para la identificación de personas sin enfermedad respiratoria en Colombia, 2021. Metodología: estudio psicométrico que incluyó validez facial por juicio de expertos, prueba de compresibilidad y confiabilidad; la validación facial valoró la coherencia, relevancia y pertinencia de cada ítem, la aplicación del instrumento se hizo en prueba preliminar de compresibilidad, tras la cual se calculó su confiabilidad. Resultados: la validación facial obtuvo concordancia alta, requiriendo mejoras en redacción del instrumento (Kappa de Fleiss: 0,8569; p=0,000). De los 88 participantes, la mayoría eran hombres (n: 75; 85 %), con edad promedio de 23 años (DS: 6,8), el 25 % con antecedentes de enfermedad pulmonar y el 21 % de tabaquismo. La versión ajustada del cuestionario obtuvo una comprensibilidad global del 94 % y un alfa de Cronbach de 0,82. Conclusiones: se obtiene una versión abreviada y adaptada del cuestionario principal usado en el estudio PLATINO para la identificación de personas sanas respiratorias en población colombiana, con adecuadas propiedades psicométricas en términos de su validación facial, su confiabilidad y su comprensibilidad.

Introduction: It is essential to guarantee that the measurement instruments, when used in contexts other than those in which they were developed, adjust in their language and comprehensibility. The main questionnaire used in the PLATINO study was developed to establish the prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in metropolitan areas of Latin America by the Latin American Thorax Association, without including the Colombian population. Objective: To perform face validity, reliability and comprehensibility of the main questionnaire used in the PLATINO study for the identification of people without respiratory disease in Colombia, 2021. Materials and methods: Psychometric study that included face validity by expert judgment, compressibility and reliability test. The face validity valued the coherence, relevance and pertinence of each item. The application of the instrument was made in a preliminary compressibility test after which its reliability was calculated. Results: Face validity obtained high concordance requiring improvements in the writing of the document (Fleiss Kappa: 0,8569; p=0,000). Ofthe 88 participants, the majority were men (n: 75; 85%) with a mean age of 23 years (SD: 6.8), 25% with a history of lung disease and 21% with a history of smoking. The adjusted version of the questionnaire obtained a global comprehensibility of 94% and a Cronbach's alpha of 0.82. Conclusions: An abbreviated and adapted version of the main questionnaire used in the PLATINO study for the identification of respiratory healthy people in the Colombian population was obtained with adequate psychometric properties in terms of its face validity, reliability and comprehensibility.

Introdução: é fundamental garantir que os instrumentos de medição ao ser usados em contextos diferentes aos que foram desenvolvidos se adequam em sua linguagem e compressibilidade; o questionário principal usado no estudo PLATINO se desenvolveu para estabelecer a prevalência de doença pulmonar obstrutiva crónica em áreas metropolitanas de Latino américa pela Associação Latino-americana do Tórax, sem incluir população colombiana. Objetivo: realizar validação facial, confiabilidade e compreensibilidade do questionário principal usado no estudo PLATINO para a identificação de pessoas sem doença respiratória na Colômbia, 2021. Metodologia: estudo psicométrico que inclui validez facial por juízo de expertos, teste de compressibilidade e confiabilidade; a validação facial valorou a coerência, relevância e pertinência de cada item, a aplicação do instrumento se fez em teste preliminar de compressibilidade, pela qual se calculou sua confiabilidade. Resultados: a validação facial obteve concordância alta, requirindo melhoras em redação do instrumento (Kappa de Fleiss: 0,8569; p=0,000). Dos 88 participantes, a maioria eram homens (n:75; 85 %), com idade média de 23 anos (DS: 6,8), o 25 % com antecedentes de doença pulmonar e o 21 % de tabaquismo. A versão ajustada do questionário obteve uma compreensibilidade global do 94 % e um alfa de Cronbach de 0,82. Conclusões: Obteve-se uma versão abreviada e adaptada do questionário principal usado no estudo PLATINO para a identificação de pessoas sanas sem doenças respiratórias na população colombiana, com adequadas propriedades psicométricas em termos de sua validação facial, sua confiabilidade e sua compreensibilidade.

Prevalence of genetic mutations in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (aatd) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Colombia.

BACKGROUND: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is an underrecognized genetic disorder associated mainly with pulmonary emphysema and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). All individuals with COPD regardless of age or ethnicity should be tested for AATD, but in Colombia its prevalence in unknown. MAIN OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of the genetic mutations, present in AATD in adult patients with COPD in Colombia, using a genotyping test on cells from the oral mucosa. METHODS: This was a multicentre, observational, cross-sectional study which included adult patients attending seven COPD care centres in Colombia. Demographic data, medical history, including history of exposure to smoking and biomass smoke, most recent spirometry, pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment received, serum AAT levels, and mutations detected by the genotyping test were recorded for all the recruited patients. For the comparison of variables between the groups with and without mutation, we used the X2 test for the qualitative variables and the Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney U test according to their distribution. MAIN FINDINGS: We collected a sample of 1,107 patients, the median age was 73.8 years (87.6-79.9). Mutations were documented in 144 patients (13.01%), the majority had the M/S mutation (78.50%), followed by M/Z (9.72%). One patient had a ZZ mutation and two patients had null alleles. In total, 23 patients had mutations associated with serum AAT deficiency (levels below 60 mg/dl). CONCLUSIONS: Genetic mutations were documented in 13.01% of patients with COPD in Colombia and 2.07% were AATD-related, showing that there is a significant number of underdiagnosed patients.

Anticoagulación en enfermedad renal crónica G4-5 en una red de hospitales de Bogotá

Contexto: la anticoagulación en pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica es un reto terapéutico debido a que la evidencia médica es escasa y los beneficios son discutibles, además, el riesgo de sangrado en estos pacientes es mayor. Objetivo: describir los pacientes con enfermedad renal G4-5 que recibieron terapia anticoagulante oral durante por lo menos tres meses en la Subred Centro Oriente de Bogotá. Metodología: estudio analítico de pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica G4-5 en un hospital de referencia entre enero del 2018 y diciembre del 2021, en el cual se analizaron variables sociodemográficas, clínicas y se realizó una regresión logística sobre los anticoagulantes y la frecuencia de eventos (hemorrágicos o embólicos). Resultados: se evaluó a 75 pacientes con diagnóstico de enfermedad renal crónica G4-5 anticoagulados, donde el anticoagulante más usado fue warfarina (76 %), seguido de apixabán (16 %) y rivaroxabán (8 %). El sangrado mayor se presentó con warfarina (8,47 %), apixabán (10%) y rivaroxabán (16,6 %). No se encontraron diferencias significativas entre el sangrado mayor con warfarina (OR: 2,8; IC 95 %: 0,46-16,9; p = 0,262) y rivaroxabán (OR: 1,86; IC 95 %: 0,18-18,7; p = 0,596), además, el sangrado no mayor y clínicamente relevante fue del 28,9 % con warfarina. Solo se presentó una complicación trombótica en un paciente que recibió rivaroxabán. Conclusiones: en los pacientes con enfermedad renal G4-5 que recibieron warfarina y los anticoagulantes orales directos no se encontraron diferencias significativas en cuanto a la presentación de sangrado mayor y no mayor, clínicamente relevantes.

Background: Anticoagulation in patients with chronic kidney disease is a therapeutic challenge since the medical evidence is scarce and the benefits are debatable since the risk of bleeding in these patients is greater. Purpose: To describe patients with G4-5 kidney disease who received oral anticoagulant therapy for at least 3 months in the central-eastern subnetwork of Bogotá. Methodology: Analytical study of patients with G4-5 chronic kidney disease, in a reference hospital between January 2018 and December 2021, in which sociodemographic and clinical variables were analyzed, and a logistic regression was performed on anticoagulants and the frequency of events (hemorrhagic or embolic). Results: 75 anticoagulated patients diagnosed with G4-5 chronic kidney disease were evaluated. The most commonly used anticoagulant was warfarin (76%), apixaban (16%), and rivaroxaban (8%). Major bleeding occurred with warfarin (8.47%), apixaban (10%), and rivaroxaban (16.6%). There are no significant differences between major bleeding with warfarin (OR: 2.8; 95% CI: 0.46;16.9; p= 0.262), and rivaroxaban (OR: 1.86; 95% CI: 0.18;18.7; p=0.596). Clinically relevant non-major bleeding was 28.9% with warfarin. A thrombotic complication only occurred in one patient who received rivaroxaban. Conclusions: In patients with G4-5 kidney disease who received warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants, no significant differences were found in terms of the presentation of clinically relevant major and non-major bleeding.

Real-world nailfold videocapillaroscopy in a referral centre in north-western Colombia: A real-life cohort

Introduction: Nailfold videocapillaroscopy is a non-invasive tool for the assessment of peripheral microcirculation, the main indication is the study of Raynaud's phenomenon, poorly standardized outside of this context. There is no clear information in real-life about the rea-sons for referral, the presence of clinical findings of autoimmune diseases, the frequency of patterns of autoantibodies, and specific capillaroscopic findings. Objective: The purpose of this survey is to describe the sociodemographic, clinical, paraclinical, and angioscopy findings of a cohort of subjects referred to a capillaroscopy service in North-western Colombia. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted, from 2015 to 2018. Categorical variables were expressed in frequency and percentage and quantitative variables in mean and standard deviation or median with interquartile range, depending on the distribution of the data. Results: A total of 318 capillaroscopies were performed for the first time. The main referral reason was Raynaud's phenomenon (n = 134; 42.1%). The most frequent baseline capillaroscopic pattern found was normal (n = 123; 38.7%). Of the 12 capillaroscopies that presented a non-specific pattern at a 6-month follow-up, only one (8.3%) progressed to a scleroderma pattern. In the subjects with systemic sclerosis, the most frequent clinical finding was sclerodactyly (n = 34; 37.8%), and 42/44 individuals (95.4%) had positive antinuclear antibodies; the most frequent pattern was centromere (n = 27; 64.3%) Conclusions: In a real-world setting, the main referral reason for capillaroscopy was Raynaud's phenomenon; more than a third of the subjects had normal capillaroscopic findings. Sclerodactyly was the most frequent clinical finding in patients with scleroderma capillaroscopic pattern.

Introducción: La videocapilaroscopia del lecho ungular es una herramienta no invasiva para la evaluación de la microcirculación periférica; la indicación principal es el estudio del fenómeno de Raynaud. Luego de una revisión de la literatura, no hay información clara sobre los motivos de remisión, presencia de hallazgos clínicos de enfermedades autoinmunes, frecuencia de patrones de autoanticuerpos y hallazgos capilaroscópicos específicos. Objetivo: Describir los hallazgos sociodemográficos, clínicos, paraclínicos y capilaroscópicos de sujetos remitidos a un servicio de capilaroscopia en el noroccidente colombiano. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de 2015 a 2018. Las variables categóricas se expresaron en frecuencias absolutas y porcentajes, y las variables cuantitativas en media y desviación estándar o mediana con rango intercuartílico, dependiendo de la distribución de los datos. Resultados: Se realizaron 318 capilaroscopias por primera vez. El principal motivo de remisión fue el fenómeno de Raynaud (n = 134; 42,1%). El patrón capilaroscópico basal más frecuente fue el normal (n = 123; 38,7%). De las 12 capilaroscopias que presentaron un patrón no específico en un seguimiento de seis meses, solo una (8,3%) progresó a un patrón de esclerodermia. En los sujetos con esclerosis sistémica, el hallazgo clínico más frecuente fue la esclerodactilia (n = 34; 37,8%), y 42/44 individuos (95,4%) tenían anticuerpos antinucleares positivos; el patrón más frecuente fue el centromérico (n = 27; 64,3%). Conclusiones: La razón principal de remisión para realizar una capilaroscopia fue el fenómeno de Raynaud; más de un tercio de los sujetos tenían hallazgos capilaroscópicos normales. La esclerodactilia fue el hallazgo clínico más frecuente en pacientes con patrón capilaroscópico de esclerodermia.

Anti-GM-CSF Neutralizing Autoantibodies in Colombian Patients with Disseminated Cryptococcosis.

BACKGROUND: Cryptococcosis is a potentially life-threatening fungal disease caused by encapsulated yeasts of the genus Cryptococcus, mostly C. neoformans or C. gattii. Cryptococcal meningitis is the most frequent clinical manifestation in humans. Neutralizing autoantibodies (auto-Abs) against granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) have recently been discovered in otherwise healthy adult patients with cryptococcal meningitis, mostly caused by C. gattii. We hypothesized that three Colombian patients with cryptococcal meningitis caused by C. neoformans in two of them would carry high plasma levels of neutralizing auto-Abs against GM-CSF. METHODS: We reviewed medical and laboratory records, performed immunological evaluations, and tested for anti-cytokine auto-Abs three previously healthy HIV-negative adults with disseminated cryptococcosis. RESULTS: Peripheral blood leukocyte subset levels and serum immunoglobulin concentrations were within the normal ranges. We detected high levels of neutralizing auto-Abs against GM-CSF in the plasma of all three patients. CONCLUSIONS: We report three Colombian patients with disseminated cryptococcosis associated with neutralizing auto-Abs against GM-CSF. Further studies should evaluate the genetic contribution to anti-GM-CSF autoantibody production and the role of the GM-CSF signaling pathway in the immune response to Cryptococcus spp.

Caracterización de la cirugía electiva de oído en tiempos de Covid 19 en el Hospital Universitario Clínica San Rafael / Characterization of elective ear surgery in Covid 19 times at Hospital Universitario Clínica San Rafael

Introducción: La pandemia por COVID-19 ha afectado la forma del ejercicio profesional médico en Colombia debido a la suspensión de las consultas y los procedimientos quirúrgicos no urgentes o prioritarios. Por este motivo, las cirugías electivas de oído se han tenido que postergar, afectando las necesidades de los pacientes con patologías otológicas. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la presencia de signos y/o síntomas sospechosos de infección por SARS-Cov2 en pacientes llevados a cirugía electiva de oído en HUCSR. METODOLOGÍA: Estudio observacional retrospectivo. RESULTADOS: Se realizaron 67 cirugías de oído entre el primero de septiembre del 2020 al 31 de diciembre de 2020, 64.17% fueron por oído crónico, 32.8% fueron llevados a rehabilitación auditiva con implante coclear o dispositivo de conducción ósea, tres pacientes tenían como antecedente patológico hipertensión arterial y un paciente enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica, ningún paciente presentó síntomas sugestivos de COVID el día de la cirugía, ni a las 48 horas, siete y 14 días postoperatorio. CONCLUSIÓN: Los pacientes llevados a cirugía de oído en el Hospital Universitario Clínica San Rafael no presentaron signos o síntomas compatibles con infección por COVID en el tiempo comprendido del estudio, se requieren más estudios analiticos que demuestren si este tipo de procedimientos son un factor de riesgo para adquirir la infección.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the form of professional medical practice in Colombia due to the suspension of consultations and non-urgent or priority surgical procedures. For this reason, elective ear surgeries have had to be postponed, affecting the needs of patients with otological pathologies. The objetive of study was to evaluate the presence of suspicious signs and/or symptoms of SARS-Cov2 infection in patients undergoing elective ear surgery in HUCSR. METHODOLOGY: Retrospective study. RESULTS: 67 ear surgeries were performed between September 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020, 64.17% were for chronic ear, 32.8% were taken to hearing rehabilitation with a cochlear implant or bone conduction device, 3 patients had a history of pathological arterial hypertension and one patient chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, no patient presented symptoms suggestive of COVID on the day of surgery, nor at 48 hours, 7 days and 14 days postoperatively. CONCLUSION: The patients taken to ear surgery at the Hospital Universitario Clínica San Rafael did not present signs or symptoms compatible with COVID infection during the study period, more analytical studies are required to show if this type of procedure is a risk factor. to acquire the infection.

A simulation approach for collaborative humanitarian aid distribution management: the case of Bogotá city.

Collaboration mechanisms in humanitarian supply chains increase efficiency levels in post-disaster relief operations. The scientific literature on the topic is mostly based on qualitative approaches to identify the barriers and benefits of collaborative relationships between stakeholders. Thus, this paper proposes the use of system dynamics simulation to evaluate the impact on the average response time of aid delivery resulting from implementing different collaborative strategies. In this sense, collaborative strategies are designed for humanitarian operations in the immediate response phase considering elements such as information exchange, shared resources, and infrastructure. To design and assess the impact of these collaborative strategies in a disaster scenario, we analyze the case of the city of Bogotá-Colombia and the surrounding cities, we have used public information for building and tuning the parameters of the simulation model. The simulation model results allow us to identify the main factors that reduce the average response times to serve the affected population. It can be concluded that the strategy which includes sharing resources and infrastructure, exchanging information, and the creation of joint knowledge has a greater improvement in response times becoming the best policy for disaster management given the results obtained in a collaborative planning environment.

A queueing Network approach for capacity planning and patient Scheduling: A case study for the COVID-19 vaccination process in Colombia.

This paper considers the problem of patient scheduling and capacity planning for the vaccination process during the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed solution is based on a non-linear mathematical modeling approach representing the dynamics of an open Jackson Network and a Generalized Network. To test these models, we proposed three objective functions and analyzed different configurations of the process corresponding to various levels of the models' parameters as well as the conditions present in the case study. To assess the computational performance of the models, we also experimented with larger instances in terms of number of steps or stations used and number of patients scheduled. The computational results show how parameters such as the minimum percentage of patients served, the maximum occupation allowed per station and the objective functions used have an impact on the configuration of the process. The proposed approach can support the decision-making process in vaccination centers to efficiently assign human and material resources to maximize the number of patients vaccinated while ensuring reasonable waiting times, number of patients in queue and servers' utilization rates, which in turn are key to avoid overcrowding and other negative conditions in the system that could increase the risk of infections.

Erosive esophagitis secondary to radiotherapy: Case report / Esofagitis erosiva secundaria a radioterapia: reporte de un caso

Abstract Introduction: Erosive esophagitis secondary to radiotherapy is an unusual complication in the oncological treatment of thoracic tumors. This pathological entity is associated with multiple complications, which is a clinical challenge for health workers unfamiliar with the clinical manifestations. Clinical case: A 64-year-old woman with a 3-day clinical picture of chest pain radiating to the epigastrium with 10/10 intensity. On physical examination, she was tachycardic, hypotensive, and with intense pain in the upper hemiabdomen region; she had no signs of peritoneal irritation on deep palpation. Paraclinical tests showed no signs of local or disseminated infection, but endoscopy of the digestive tract reported post-radiation esophagitis. Discussion: Erosive esophagitis after radiotherapy occurs in less than 1 % of cases, and clinical manifestations such as dysphagia, odynophagia, and abdominal pain are common. Initial symptomatic management is preserved, with supportive measures such as intravenous hydration and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). In case of intolerance to the oral route, therapy with nutritional support is indicated via nasogastric tube or gastrostomy in the most severe cases.

Resumen Introducción: la esofagitis erosiva secundaria a la radioterapia es una complicación inusual del tratamiento oncológico de los tumores torácicos. Esta entidad patológica está asociada con múltiples complicaciones, lo que resulta un reto clínico para los profesionales en salud que están poco familiarizados con las manifestaciones clínicas. Caso clínico: mujer de 64 años con cuadro clínico de 3 días de dolor torácico irradiado al epigastrio con intensidad 10/10. En el examen físico se encontró taquicárdica, hipotensa, con dolor intenso en la región hemiabdominal superior; a la palpación profunda no tenía signos de irritación peritoneal. Los paraclínicos no mostraron signos de infección local o diseminada, pero la endoscopia de vías digestivas reportó esofagitis posirradiación. Discusión: la esofagitis erosiva posterior a la radioterapia se presenta en menos del 1 % de los casos, las manifestaciones clínicas como disfagia, odinofagia y dolor abdominal son frecuentes; el manejo sintomático inicial es conservado, con medidas de soporte como hidratación intravenosa e inhibidores de la bomba de protones (IBP). En caso de intolerancia a la vía oral se indica terapia con soporte nutricional por sonda nasogástrica o gastrostomía en los casos más graves.

Effect of pulmonary hypertension on exercise capacity and gas exchange in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease living at high altitude.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is associated with decreased exercise tolerance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, but in the altitude the response to exercise in those patients is unknown. Our objective was to compare exercise capacity, gas exchange and ventilatory alterations between COPD patients with PH (COPD-PH) and without PH (COPD-nonPH) residents at high altitude (2640 m). METHODS: One hundred thirty-two COPD-nonPH, 82 COPD-PH, and 47 controls were included. Dyspnea by Borg scale, oxygen consumption (VO2), work rate (WR), ventilatory equivalents (VE/VCO2), dead space to tidal volume ratio (VD/VT), alveolar-arterial oxygen tension gradient (AaPO2), and arterial-end-tidal carbon dioxide pressure gradient (Pa-ETCO2) were measurement during a cardiopulmonary exercise test. For comparison of variables between groups, Kruskal-Wallis or one-way ANOVA tests were used, and stepwise regression analysis to test the association between PH and exercise capacity. RESULTS: All COPD patients had a lower exercise capacity and higher PaCO2, A-aPO2 and VD/VT than controls. The VO2 % predicted (61.3 ± 20.6 vs 75.3 ± 17.9; p < 0.001) and WR % predicted (65.3 ± 17.9 vs 75.3 ± 17.9; p < 0.001) were lower in COPD-PH than in COPD-nonPH. At peak exercise, dyspnea was higher in COPD-PH (p = 0.011). During exercise, in COPD-PH, the PaO2 was lower (p < 0.001), and AaPO2 (p < 0.001), Pa-ETCO2 (p = 0.033), VE/VCO2 (p = 0.019), and VD/VT (p = 0.007) were higher than in COPD-nonPH. In the multivariate analysis, PH was significantly associated with lower peak VO2 and WR (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In COPD patients residing at high altitude, the presence of PH was an independent factor related to the exercise capacity. Also, in COPD-PH patients there were more dyspnea and alterations in gas exchange during the exercise than in those without PH.

Guía de práctica clínica para la prevención primaria y secundaria y diagnóstico temprano de cáncer gástrico / Clinical practice guide for primary and secondary prevention and early diagnosis of gastric cancer

Resumen Objetivo: Generar recomendaciones basadas en la evidencia, para la prevención primaria y secundaria, el tratamiento de las lesiones preneoplásicas y el diagnóstico temprano del cáncer gástrico en población adulta, con el propósito de reducir la carga de la enfermedad. Materiales y métodos: El grupo desarrollador estuvo integrado por profesionales de la salud y tomadores de decisiones. Se construyeron preguntas clínicas contestables y se realizó la graduación de los desenlaces. Se elaboró la búsqueda de la información en MEDLINE; EMBASE y CENTRAL, siendo actualizada el 18 de octubre de 2018. La pesquisa también abarcó otras fuentes de información como la Revista Colombiana de Gastroenterología y la lectura en "bola de nieve" de las referencias incluidas. Se contactó a expertos en la materia con el objetivo de identificar estudios relevantes no publicados. Para la construcción de las recomendaciones, se realizó un consenso acorde con los lineamientos propuestos por la metodología GRADE, sopesando los beneficios, los efectos adversos derivados de la intervención, las preferencias de los pacientes y el potencial impacto de las intervenciones sobre los costos. Resultados: Se presenta la versión corta de la "Guía de práctica clínica para la prevención primaria, secundaria y diagnóstico temprano de cáncer gástrico", junto con su evidencia de soporte y respectivas recomendaciones. Conclusiones: Como recomendación central para la implementación, se recomienda erradicar la infección por H. pylori en los pacientes con o sin factores de riesgo, como estrategia de prevención de las condiciones precursoras de cáncer gástrico. La Guía deberá actualizarse en tres años.

Abstract Objetive: Generate recommendations for primary and secondary prevention, treatment of gastric preneoplastic lesions, and early diagnosis of gastric cancer in the adult population, to increase the detection of gastric cancer in early stages. Material and methods: The developer group was made up of health professionals, decision-makers, and a representative of the patients. Answerable clinical questions were constructed and outcomes were graded. The search for information in MEDLINE was carried out; EMBASE and CENTRAL, being updated on October 18, 2018. The search also covered other sources of information such as the Colombian Journal of Gastroenterology and the "snowball" reading of the references included. Experts in the field were contacted to identify studies. For the construction of the recommendations, a consensus was made according to the guidelines proposed by the GRADE methodology, weighing the benefits, the adverse effects derived from the intervention, the preferences of the patients, and the potential impact of the interventions on costs. Results: The short version of the "Clinical practice guidelines for the primary, secondary, and early diagnosis of gastric cancer" is presented together with its supporting evidence and respective recommendations. Conclusions: As a central recommendation for implementation, it is recommended to eradicate H. pylori infection in patients with or without risk factors in whom it is detected to prevent gastric cancer precursor conditions. The Guide will need to be updated in three years.

Clinical characterization of patients with inflammatory myopathy in 2 tertiary care hospitals in Colombia: A descriptive survey / Caracterización clínica de pacientes con miopatía inflamatoria en 2 instituciones de alta complejidad en Colombia: estudio descriptivo

ABSTRACT Background: There is little information on inflammatory myopathies in Colombia. The objective was to identify the demographic and clinical characteristics of these patients in two tertiary care hospitals between 2010 and 2015. Materials and methods: A descriptive, retrospective survey was carried out, by reviewing medical records and obtaining information on demographic and clinical variables. The qualitative variables were expressed using absolute and relative frequencies, and the quantitative with mean and standard deviation (SD), or median with interquartile ranges (IQR), depending on data distribution. The IBM SPSS 22 statistical package was used. Results: A total of 105 patients with a mean age of 50.4 years (SD: 15.1) were included, with 76 (72.4%) women. In total, 50 subjects (48.5%) had a definitive diagnosis. The most common inflammatory myopathy was dermatomyositis (n = 66; 62.9%). The skin was the most commonly affected organ (n=66; 62.9%). Muscle weakness was present in 60 individuals (57.1%). The most frequent alarm sign was swallowing disorder (n = 28; 26.7%). Creatine phosphokinase was higher in polymyositis, with a median of 1800IU/L (IQR: 365-6157). The most widely used drugs were glucocorticoids (n = 83; 79%). Some patients were refractory to immunosuppressive treatment, mainly in antisynthetase syndrome (n = 5; 35.7%). Five patients (4.8%) died of infections (pneumonia and bacteraemia). Conclusions: In this cohort, the most common entity was dermatomyositis, and the most affected organ was the skin. There was a significant presentation of warning signs, refractoriness to immunosuppressive treatment, and lower muscle enzyme values compared to other cohorts. Mortality was mainly due to infectious complications.

RESUMEN Introducción: Existe poca información sobre las miopatías inflamatorias en Colombia. El obje tivo fue identificar las características demográficas y clínicas de estos pacientes en dos instituciones de alta complejidad entre los arios 2010 y 2015. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y retrospectivo. Mediante revisión de registros médicos, se obtuvo información sobre variables demográficas y clínicas. Las variables cualitativas se expresaron mediante frecuencias absolutas y relativas, y las cuantitativas con media y desviación estándar (DE) o mediana con rangos intercuartílicos (RIQ), dependiendo de la distribución de los datos. Se utilizó el paquete estadístico IBM SPSS® v.22. Resultados: Se incluyeron 105 pacientes con edad promedio de 50,4 años (DE: 15,1); 76 mujeres (72,4%). En total, 50 sujetos (48,5%) tuvieron diagnóstico definitivo. La miopa tía inflamatoria más común fue dermatomiositis (n = 66; 62,9%). La piel fue el órgano más comúnmente afectado (n = 66; 62,9%). La debilidad muscular estuvo presente en 60 individuos (57,1%). El signo de alarma más frecuente fue el trastorno de la deglución (n = 28; 26,7%). La creatinfosfoquinasa tuvo mayor elevación en polimiositis con una mediana de 1.800 Ul/l (RIQ: 365-6.157). Los medicamentos más utilizados fueron los glucocorticoides (n = 83; 79%). Hubo refractariedad al tratamiento inmunosupresor, principalmente en síndrome antisintetasa (n = 5; 35,7%). Cinco pacientes (4,8%) murieron por infecciones (neumonía y bacteriemia). Conclusiones: En esta cohorte, la entidad más común fue la dermatomiositis y el órgano más afectado fue la piel. Hubo presentación relevante de signos de alarma, refractariedad al tratamiento inmunosupresor y valores de enzimas musculares menores comparados con otras cohortes. La mortalidad fue principalmente por complicaciones infecciosas.