Latin American Registry of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (REFIPI): Clinical Characteristics, Evolution and Treatment

Introduction: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, irreversible and frequently fatal disease. Currently there are national and multinational registries in Europe, United States, Australia and China to better understand the magnitude of the problem and the characteristics of the IPF patients. However, there are no national or regional registries in Latin America, so the objective of this study was to carry out a Latin American registry that would allow the identification of IPF patients in our region. Methodology: A system consisting of 3 levels of control was designed, ensuring that patients met the diagnostic criteria for IPF according to international guidelines ATS/ERS/ALAT/JRS 2011. Demographic, clinical, serological, functional, tomographic, histological and treatment variables were recorded through a digital platform. Results: 761 IPF patients from 14 Latin American countries were included for analysis, 74.7% were male, with a mean age of 71.9+8.3 years. In general there was a long period of symptoms before definitive diagnosis (median 1 year). In functional tests, an average reduction of FVC (70.9%) and DLCO (53.7%) was detected. 72% received at least one antifibrotic drug (pirfenidone or nintedanib) and 11.2% of the patients had an acute exacerbation, of which 38 (45.2%) died from this cause. Conclusions: Like other registries, we found that there is difficulty in the recognition and excessive delay in the diagnosis of IPF in Latin America. Most of the patients in REFIPI received antifibrotics; these were well tolerated and associated with fewer adverse events than those reported in clinical trials. (AU)

Latin American Registry of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (REFIPI): Clinical Characteristics, Evolution and Treatment.

INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, irreversible and frequently fatal disease. Currently there are national and multinational registries in Europe, United States, Australia and China to better understand the magnitude of the problem and the characteristics of the IPF patients. However, there are no national or regional registries in Latin America, so the objective of this study was to carry out a Latin American registry that would allow the identification of IPF patients in our region. METHODOLOGY: A system consisting of 3 levels of control was designed, ensuring that patients met the diagnostic criteria for IPF according to international guidelines ATS/ERS/ALAT/JRS 2011. Demographic, clinical, serological, functional, tomographic, histological and treatment variables were recorded through a digital platform. RESULTS: 761 IPF patients from 14 Latin American countries were included for analysis, 74.7% were male, with a mean age of 71.9+8.3 years. In general there was a long period of symptoms before definitive diagnosis (median 1 year). In functional tests, an average reduction of FVC (70.9%) and DLCO (53.7%) was detected. 72% received at least one antifibrotic drug (pirfenidone or nintedanib) and 11.2% of the patients had an acute exacerbation, of which 38 (45.2%) died from this cause. CONCLUSIONS: Like other registries, we found that there is difficulty in the recognition and excessive delay in the diagnosis of IPF in Latin America. Most of the patients in REFIPI received antifibrotics; these were well tolerated and associated with fewer adverse events than those reported in clinical trials.

Aortic valve replacement using minimally invasive surgery, a safe technique in our setting: experience of one center.

AIM: The aim of this study was to analyze the results of minimum access surgery in comparison with conventional surgery, especially in relation to post-operative (PO) mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was retrospective observational study, employing regressions, and bivariate correlations in the statistical analysis. A total of 114 patients over 65 years of age referred to cardiac surgery: 57 subjects in the minimum access group and 57 subjects in the sternotomy group. The main variables of interest were: demographic variables, PO course, mainly mortality, as well as duration of admission to critical care and total admission time. RESULTS: The mean age was 73.11 years, with 52.6% of women and 47.4% of men, and no significant differences between the pre-operative characteristics of either group. Regarding mortality, this was lower in the minimum access group, statistically significant in the analysis using bivariate correlations. CONCLUSIONS: Aortic valve replacement using a minimally invasive approach is a safe technique in our environment, despite its necessary learning curve.

OBJETIVOS: Analizar los resultados de la cirugía de mínimo acceso en comparación con la cirugía convencional, especialmente en cuanto a la mortalidad postoperatoria. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio observacional retrospectivo, empleando regresiones y correlaciones bivariadas en el studio estadístico. Un total de 114 pacientes de más de 65 años derivados a cirugía cardíaca: 57 sujetos en el grupo de mínimo acceso y 57 sujetos en el grupo esternotomía. Las principales variables de interés: demográficas, evolución postoperatoria, sobre todo mortalidad, así como la duración del ingreso en cuidados críticos e ingreso total hospitalario. RESULTADOS: La edad media fue de 73,11 años, con un 52,6% de mujeres y 47,4% de hombres, y sin diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre las características preoperatorias de cada grupo. En cuanto a la mortalidad, ésta result más baja en el grupo de mínimo acceso, siendo estadísticamente significativo en el análisis por correlaciones bivariadas. CONCLUSIONES: La sustitución valvular aórtica mediante cirugía mínimamente invasive es una técnica segura en nuestro medio, a pesar de su curva de aprendizaje.

Análisis de la evolución de los operados mediante cirugía de mínimo acceso en nuestro hospital. ¿Presenta mejores resultados que la convencional? / Analysis of the evolution of those operated on with minimal access surgery in our hospital. Does it present better results than the conventional one?

Resumen La estenosis aórtica severa sintomática es la patología quirúrgica más prevalente en cirugía cardiaca y su sustitución aislada se ha realizado históricamente mediante esternotomía media completa. Sin embargo, se ha producido recientemente una gran revolución, especialmente tras la llegada de las prótesis aórticas sin suturas que, unido a un nuevo impulso por la cirugía cardiaca hacia un rumbo menos invasivo, ha provocado que el reemplazo de dicha válvula se lleve a cabo cada vez más frecuentemente por dichas prótesis y por incisiones de mínimo acceso. Por ello, realizamos una revisión de los casos intervenidos en nuestro servicio desde el inicio del programa de cirugía de mínimo acceso comparándolos con los resultados de los casos intervenidos en la misma época mediante cirugía convencional.

Abstract Symptomatic severe aortic stenosis is the most prevalent surgical pathology in cardiac surgery, and its isolated replacement has historically been performed by means of complete middle sternotomy. However, a great revolution has recently taken place, especially after the arrival of sutureless aortic prostheses that, together with a new impulse by cardiac surgery towards a less invasive course, has caused the replacement of said valve to be carried out more and more frequently due to these prostheses and minor access incisions. For this reason, we carried out a review of the cases operated on in our service from the beginning of the minimum access surgery program, comparing them with the results of the cases operated at the same time using conventional surgery.

Analysis of the evolution of those operated on with minimal access surgery in our hospital. Does it present better results than the conventional one? / Análisis de la evolución de los operados mediante cirugía de mínimo acceso en nuestro hospital. ¿Presenta mejores resultados que la convencional?

Symptomatic severe aortic stenosis is the most prevalent surgical pathology in cardiac surgery, and its isolated replacement has historically been performed by means of complete middle sternotomy. However, a great revolution has recently taken place, especially after the arrival of sutureless aortic prostheses that, together with a new impulse by cardiac surgery towards a less invasive course, has caused the replacement of said valve to be carried out more and more frequently due to these prostheses and minor access incisions. For this reason, we carried out a review of the cases operated on in our service from the beginning of the minimum access surgery program, comparing them with the results of the cases operated at the same time using conventional surgery.

La estenosis aórtica severa sintomática es la patología quirúrgica más prevalente en cirugía cardiaca y su sustitución aislada se ha realizado históricamente mediante esternotomía media completa. Sin embargo, se ha producido recientemente una gran revolución, especialmente tras la llegada de las prótesis aórticas sin suturas que, unido a un nuevo impulso por la cirugía cardiaca hacia un rumbo menos invasivo, ha provocado que el reemplazo de dicha válvula se lleve a cabo cada vez más frecuentemente por dichas prótesis y por incisiones de mínimo acceso. Por ello, realizamos una revisión de los casos intervenidos en nuestro servicio desde el inicio del programa de cirugía de mínimo acceso comparándolos con los resultados de los casos intervenidos en la misma época mediante cirugía convencional.

Caso: Lesión pulmonar cavitada en paciente con diagnóstico de HIV / Case: Cavitated lung injury in Patient with a diagnosis of HIV

Paciente de sexo masculino de 62 años de edad. Motivo de consulta: disnea progresiva de 5 días de evolución; clase funcional I a III sin otros síntomas. Presenta antecedentes personales patológicos de HIV de 8 años de evolución sin tratamiento antirretroviral por tener carga viral baja y recuento normal de CD4; insuficiencia renal crónica secundaria a nefritis túbulo intersticial asociada al consumo de AINES por lumbalgia. El paciente es tabaquista activo con un índice de 15 paquetes/año

Hipoxemia refractaria y poliglobulia / Refractory hypoxia and polyglobulia

Se presenta el caso de una mujer de 65 años de edad que concurre a consultorio externo de Neumonología (Hospital Italiano, Córdoba), consultando por disnea de cinco años de evolución. Dicho síntoma comienza en el año 2001 con disnea grado funcional I, que es progresiva. En el 2007 se detecta poliglobulia y comienza tratamiento con ácido-acetil salicílico AAS, se realiza la primera sangría; en el año siguiente persiste la disnea y se realiza una segunda sangría. En el año 2009, se diagnostica insuficiencia respiratoria hipoxémica comenzando con oxigenoterapia crónica domiciliaria indicándose la tercer sangría, y se repite dicho procedimiento al año siguiente, en el que hay empeoramiento progresivo de la disnea