Association between subclinical carotid atherosclerosis, hyperhomocysteinaemia and mild cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVE: Evidence suggests that intima-media thickness (IMT) and plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels are associated with one another, and both appear to be related to cognitive dysfunction. However, no connection between both factors taken together and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been established. This study analysed potential relationships between IMT, Hcy and MCI. METHODS: We included 105 patients with MCI and 76 controls with no history of vascular disease. All participants underwent laboratory analyses, a carotid ultrasound, and clinical and neuropsychological assessment. We used the Mantel-Haenszel test (MHT), ANCOVA and multiple linear regression models (MLRM) to examine any associations between IMT, Hcy and cognitive state. RESULTS: The MHT revealed a significant association between IMT and risk of MCI (z = 4.285, P < 0.0001). The OR for the upper quartile vs the lower quartile was 5.12 (95% CI: 2.12-12.36). MHT also showed a clear association between Hcy levels and risk of MCI (z = 3.01, P = 0.003). OR for the upper vs the lower quartile was 3.39 (95% CI: 1.41-8.12). Additionally, we found a correlation between IMT and Hcy (r = 0.162, P = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that there is a connection between IMT, Hcy levels and presence of amnestic MCI in a population with no history of clinically manifest atherosclerosis. Furthermore, there is also a connection between the IMT and Hcy levels themselves.

Monitoring omalizumab treatment efficacy in chronic urticaria by the basophil activation test

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Tasa de mutaciones genotípicas y resistencia a antirretrovirales en un hospital general / Rate of Genotypic Mutations and Resistance to Antiretroviral Drugs in a General Hospital

Objetivo El objetivo es describir la tasa de mutaciones de resistencia en los genes de la proteasa y la transcriptasa inversa y la sensibilidad de los diferentes antirretrovirales en nuestro medio. Métodos Estudio observacional, descriptivo en el cual se estudiaron las muestras remitidas al laboratorio de inmunología clínica desde abril de 2004 hasta abril de 2009. Se analizaron tanto los test de resistencias, como el análisis de sensibilidad a los diferentes fármacos de pacientes en fracaso terapéutico mediante Trugene Hiv-1 Genotyping Kit®. Resultados Se registraron las muestras de 242 pacientes, en 61 de ellos no se detectaron resistencias. Las mutaciones más prevalentes según familia de fármacos fueron: para los inhibidores de la transcriptasa inversa análogos nucleosídicos T215a/C/D/F/L/N/S/Y (24,10%), M184g/I/V/W (14,66%), M41j/L/R/T/W (11,24%) y K219e/G/H/N/R/T/W (10,24%). La estavudina y la lamivudina/emtricitabina fueron los que más resistencias presentaron, y el tenofovir es el que tiene menos resistencias en nuestro medio. En cuanto a los no análogos fueron K103N/R (23,98%), V179d/E/I/M/T (10,82%), A98e/G/S (10,53%) y K101e/P/Q/R (9,06%). Nevirapina presentó más resistencias que efavirenz. Respecto a los inhibidores de la proteasa fueron L10F/I/V (15,95%), M36I/L (13,81%), A71I/T/V (13,10%) y I54l/S/V (7,38%). La combinación darunavir/ritonavir fue la que menos resistencias presentó junto con tipranavir/ritonavir, en contraposición lopinavir/ritonavir fue el que más resistencias obtuvo. Conclusión La resistencia y sensibilidad al tratamiento antirretroviral en nuestro medio fueron similares a las de otros estudios realizados en nuestro país, pero difiere y destaca un alto grado de resistencia a lamivudina/emtricitabina y lopinavir/ritonavir (AU)

Objectives The objective is to describe the resistance mutation rate in protease and reverse transcriptase genes and sensitivity to different antiretrovirals in our environment. Methods We performed an observational descriptive study in which we examined the samples provided at the Clinical Immunology Laboratory between April 2004 and April 2009. We analysed both the resistance tests and the sensitivity to different drugs in patients with therapeutic failure using Trugene HIV-1 Genotyping Kits®. Results We registered samples from 242 patients, 61 of which had no detectable resistance. The most prevalent mutations according to drug families were: for nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors T215A/C/D/F/L/N/S/Y (24.10%), M184G/I/V/W (14.66%), M41J/L/R/T/W (11.24%) and K219E/G/H/N/R/T/W (10.24%). The highest levels of resistance corresponded to stavudine and lamivudine/emtricitabine, and tenofovir produced the least resistance in our environment. The non-analogues were K103N/R (23.98%), V179D/E/I/M/T (10.82%), A98E/G/S (10.53%) and K101E/P/Q/R (9.06%). Nevirapine presented greater resistance than efavirenz. Protease inhibitors were L10F/I/V (15.95%), M36I/L (13.81%), A71I/T/V (13.10%) and 154L/S/V (7.38%). The darunavir/ritonavir combination was that which presented the least resistance, and tipranavir/ritonavir and lopinavir/ritonavir the most resistance. Conclusions Antiretroviral resistance and sensitivity to retroviral treatment in our environment was similar to results from other studies in Spain, but differed in the high level of resistance to lamivudine/emtricitabine and lopinavir/ritonavir (AU)

[Rate of genotypic mutations and resistance to antiretroviral drugs in a general hospital]. / Tasa de mutaciones genotípicas y resistencia a antirretrovirales en un hospital general.

OBJECTIVES: The objective is to describe the resistance mutation rate in protease and reverse transcriptase genes and sensitivity to different antiretrovirals in our environment. METHODS: We performed an observational descriptive study in which we examined the samples provided at the clinical immunology laboratory between April 2004 and April 2009. We analysed both the resistance tests and the sensitivity to different drugs in patients with therapeutic failure using trugene hiv01 genotyping kits(®). RESULTS: We registered samples from 242 patients, 61 of which had no detectable resistance. The most prevalent mutations according to drug families were: for nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors T215A/C/D/F/L/N/S/Y (24.10%), M184G/I/V/W (14.66%), M41J/L/R/T/W (11.24%) and K219E/G/H/N/R/T/W (10.24%). The highest levels of resistance corresponded to stavudine and lamivudine/emtricitabine, and tenofovir produced the least resistance in our environment. The non-analogues were K103N/R (23.98%), V179D/E/I/M/T (10.82%), A98E/G/S (10.53%) y K101E/P/Q/R (9.06%). Nevirapine presented greater resistance than efavirenz. Protease inhibitors were L10F/I/V (15.95%), M36I/L (13.81%), A71I/T/V (13.10%) and 154L/S/V (7.38%). The combination darunavir/ritonavir combination was that which presented the least resistance, and tipranavir/ritonavir and lopinavir/ritonavir the most resistance. CONCLUSIONS: Antiretroviral resistance and sensitivity to retroviral treatment in our environment was similar to results from other studies in Spain, but differed in the high level of resistance to lamivudine/emtricitabine and lopinavir/ritonavir.

A description of normal relaxed standing postures.

A technique for the measurement of relaxed standing postures, called the Posturegram, is described. The method is inexpensive, non-invasive and is suited for clinical use. Recording is done by photography. The present study examines features of standing that were exhibited by 42 normal subjects, based upon the disposition of landmarks in the coronal and sagittal planes. Degrees of assymetry that would merit clinical attention were tentatively identified. Repeat observations, 1 week apart, of the disposition of landmarks were strongly correlated, although the lowest correlations applied to the region of the pelvis and lower trunk. Many highly significant correlations were found between the various tilts and deviations, suggesting that the analysis of postures will finally depend upon considering variables in groups rather than singly.