Association between sleep-disordered breathing and prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) has been associated with a greater aggressiveness of melanoma tumors, but the association with other cancers is unknown. This study investigates the relationship between the severity of SDB and the aggressiveness of prostate cancer (PC). METHODS: 165 patients under 66 years consecutively diagnosed with PC in three University Hospitals underwent a home respiratory polygraphy. SDB severity was assessed by means of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) as well as several oximetric parameters. The primary marker of the aggressiveness of PC was the Gleason score, while secondary markers included the tumor stage and metastatic spreading. RESULTS: The patients had a median (P 25-75) age of 60 (56-63) years, AHI of 13.3 (5.7-25.8), and 4% oxygen desaturation index of 8.7 (2.9-17.8). The prevalence of an AHI≥5 and AHI≥15 was 78.2% and 46.7%, respectively. The median AHI was similar in patients with Gleason 6 and > 6 [13.7 (5.6-28.7) vs 12.2 (5.7-23.2), p = 0.44], tumor stage I-II and III-IV [13.5 (5.3-26.5) vs 11.7 (7.8-21.1), p = 0.67], and presence or absence of metastasis [14.2 (9.6-31.8) vs 13.3 (5.2-24.6), p = 0.46]. The prevalence of an AHI≥5 and AHI≥15 was similar in patients with Gleason 6 and > 6 (79.2% vs 77.2%; p = 0.85, and 49.3% vs 44.33%; p = 0.53, respectively). These results did not change when different oximetric variables were analyzed instead of the AHI. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the high prevalence of SDB in patients with PC, our results do not support any association between the severity of SDB and PC aggressiveness.

Atresia congénita unilateral de venas pulmonares en adultos. Descripción de un caso y revisión de la literatura / Unilateral congenital atresia in adults. A case report and review of the literature

No disponible

Prevalencia y factores asociados a la colonización por Staphylococcus aureus resistente a meticilina en centros de larga estancia en el sur de España / Prevalence and risk factors of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization among residents living in long-term care facilities in southern Spain

Introducción: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) resistente a meticilina (SARM) se ha convertido en el principal problema de salud pública que causan los microorganismos multirresistentes. Los centros de larga estancia (CLE) constituyen un reservorio importante de SARM. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron determinar la prevalencia y los factores relacionados con la colonización por SARM en los sujetos residentes en CLE en el sur de España. Metodología Estudio transversal descriptivo en el que se incluyeron a los sujetos ingresados en 17 CLE entre el 1 de abril de 2009 y el 30 de junio de 2010. Se realizó una toma de muestra con torunda de ambas fosas nasales con cultivo posterior en medio cromogénico. Si hubo crecimiento bacteriano compatible con estafilococo, se realizó la prueba de coagulasa con el test de aglutinación en látex. Se utilizó un sistema automático para la identificación y sensibilidad del estafilococo aislado. Se construyó un modelo de regresión logística donde la variable primaria del estudio, el ser portador de SARM, fue incluida como variable dependiente y se incluyeron como covariables todas aquellas que en el análisis bivariado hubiesen mostrado un nivel de significación inferior a 0,2. Los individuos fueron clasificados en portador de SARM, S. aureus meticilín-sensible y no portador. Resultados Se incluyeron 744 individuos. Cuatrocientas ochenta y uno (65%) eran mujeres. La edad mediana (Q1-Q3) fue de 81 (74-86) años. Setenta y nueve (10,6%) y 67 (9%) sujetos estaban colonizados por (..) (AU)

Introduction: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become the most important problem related to multiresistant microorganisms in the health care system. Long-term-care facilities (LTCFs)are one of the main reservoirs of this microorganism. The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with MRSA colonization among subjects living in LTCFs in southern Spain. Methods: During the period from 1st April 2009 to 30th June 2010, all subjects living in 17 LTCFs of our area were included in a cross-sectional study. Patients were screened by using nasal swabs and these were cultured in a chromogenic media. Suspected S. aureus colonies were identified by the latex agglutination test. Testing for antimicrobial identification and susceptibility was performed by an automated system.A logistic regression model was built, in which to be colonized by MRSA was the dependent variable, and covariates were entered if a difference with P < .2 was detected in the bivariate analysis. Residents were classified as MRSA carriers, methicillin-susceptible S. aureus carriers and non-carriers. Results: Seven hundreds and forty-four subjects were included. There were 481 (65%) females. The median (Q1-Q3) age was 81 (74-86) years. Seventy-nine (10.6%) and 67 (9%) were colonized by MRSA and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, respectively. Significant risk factors for MRSA carriers were recentantibiotic use, previous hospital admission in the last three months, a high comorbidity measured by Charlson index and a history of colonization by MRSA. Conclusions: The prevalence of MRSA colonization in the LTCFs of our area is similar to that described in others European countries. In our institutions, subjects with recent antibiotic use, a high comorbidity, a history of MRSA colonization and a hospital admission in the last three months are more susceptible to be colonized by MRSA (AU)

[Prevalence and risk factors of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization among residents living in long-term care facilities in southern Spain]. / Prevalencia y factores asociados a la colonización por Staphylococcus aureus resistente a meticilina en centros de larga estancia en el sur de España.

INTRODUCTION: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become the most important problem related to multiresistant microorganisms in the health care system. Long-term-care facilities (LTCFs) are one of the main reservoirs of this microorganism. The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with MRSA colonization among subjects living in LTCFs in southern Spain. METHODS: During the period from 1st April 2009 to 30th June 2010, all subjects living in 17 LTCFs of our area were included in a cross-sectional study. Patients were screened by using nasal swabs and these were cultured in a chromogenic media. Suspected S. aureus colonies were identified by the latex agglutination test. Testing for antimicrobial identification and susceptibility was performed by an automated system. A logistic regression model was built, in which to be colonized by MRSA was the dependent variable, and covariates were entered if a difference with P<.2 was detected in the bivariate analysis. Residents were classified as MRSA carriers, methicillin-susceptible S. aureus carriers and non-carriers. RESULTS: Seven hundreds and forty-four subjects were included. There were 481 (65%) females. The median (Q1-Q3) age was 81 (74-86) years. Seventy-nine (10.6%) and 67 (9%) were colonized by MRSA and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, respectively. Significant risk factors for MRSA carriers were recent antibiotic use, previous hospital admission in the last three months, a high comorbidity measured by Charlson index and a history of colonization by MRSA. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of MRSA colonization in the LTCFs of our area is similar to that described in others European countries. In our institutions, subjects with recent antibiotic use, a high comorbidity, a history of MRSA colonization and a hospital admission in the last three months are more susceptible to be colonized by MRSA.

Identification of genetic factors associated with susceptibility to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors-induced cough.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) are the first selected drugs for hypertensive patients because of its protective properties against heart and kidney diseases. Persistent cough is a common adverse reaction associated with ACEi, which can bind to the treatment cessation, but its etiology remains an unresolved issue. The most accepted mechanism is that the inhibition of ACEi increases kinins levels, resulting in the activation of proinflammatory mechanisms and nitric oxide generation. However, relatively little is known about the genetic susceptibility to ACEi-induced cough in hypertensive patients. METHODS: We carried out a monogenic association analysis of 39 polymorphisms and haplotypes in genes encoding key proteins related to ACEi activity with the occurrence of ACEi-induced cough. We also carried out a digenic association analysis and investigated the existence of epistatic interactions between the analyzed polymorphisms using a logistic regression procedure. Finally, we investigated the predictive value of the identified associations for ACEi-induced cough. RESULTS: We found that genetic polymorphisms in MME [rs2016848, P=0.002, odds ratio (OR)=1.795], BDKRB2 (rs8012552, P=0.012, OR=1.609), PTGER3 (rs11209716, P=0.002, OR=0.565), and ACE (rs4344) genes are associated with ACEi-related cough. For the latter, the effect is sex specific, having a protective effect in males (P=0.027, OR=0.560) and increasing the risk in females (P=0.031, OR=1.847). In addition, genetic interactions between peptidases involved in kinins levels (CPN1 and XPNPEP1) and proteins related to prostaglandin metabolism (PTGIS and PTGIR) strongly modify the risk of ACEi-induced cough presentation (0.102≤OR≤0.384 for protective combinations and 2.732≤OR≤7.216 for risk combinations). CONCLUSION: These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the mechanism of cough is related to the accumulation of bradykinin, substance P, and prostaglandins.