Factores epidemiológicos asociados a la hospitalización por descompensación de la insuficiencia cardiaca / Epidemiological events related to decompensated heart failure

Objetivo: El presente estudio pretende conocer el perfil del paciente que ingresa por descompensación de insuficiencia cardíaca en un hospital de tercer nivel asistencial. Métodos: Se diseña un estudio observacional y retrospectivo en el que se registra de forma aleatoria los ingresos por este proceso en nuestro centro durante el año 2005. Resultados: El tamaño muestral es de 209 pacientes (media de edad: 78,6 ± 9,1; 52,4% varones), con un índice de comorbilidades del 87,55%. Casi un tercio de los pacientes no disponen de valoración de la función sistólica y entre los restantes, la gran mayoría (72,4%) presentan función sistólica conservada. La gran mayoría de las descompensaciones surgen en el seno de infecciones respiratorias. La cardiopatía isquémico-hipertensiva es el origen más frecuente de la cardiopatía con disfunción sistólica. Se registró una estancia hospitalaria media de 12,9 días con un índice de mortalidad del 9,56% resultando sus principales factores de riesgo estadíos funcionales avanzados en las escalas de la NYHA o de la Cruz Roja así como la presencia de demencia o ictus. Conclusiones: El presente estudio muestra un perfil del paciente hospitalizado por descompensación de insuficiencia cardíaca que difiere notablemente de aquel incluído en los grandes ensayos clínicos, lo que sin duda dificulta la aplicación de estrategias terapéuticas que han demostrado ser útiles en aquellos casos

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the profile of patients with decompensated heart failure hospitalized in a tertiary hospital. Methods: It was designed an observational and retrospective study where data from clinical records of patients suffering from heart failure along 2005 were registered randomly. Results: 209 patients were collected (average age: 78.6 ± 9.1; male:52.4%) with a comorbidity rate of 87.55%. Almost one third of them have not stimation of systolic function and among the others 72.4% have it preserved. Most of decompensated were due to respiratory infections. Ischemic-hipertensive cardiopathy was the most frequent aetiology ofsystolic disfunction. Average stay was 12.9 days with a mortality rate of 9.56%. Its main risk factors were advanced stages in NYHA od Red Cross scales, as so as dementia or ictus. Conclusions: The present study shows a patient hospitalized for decompensated heart failure roughly different from that one reported at clinical trials. It makes difficult to apply therapeutical interventions, previously well documented to be useful

[Epidemiological events related to decompensated heart failure]. / Factores epidemiológicos asociados a la hospitalización por descompensación de la insuficiencia cardiaca.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate the profile of patients with decompensated heart failure hospitalized in a tertiary hospital. METHODS: It was designed an observational and retrospective study where data from clinical records of patients suffering from heart failure along 2005 were registered randomly. RESULTS: 209 patients were collected (average age: 78.6 +/- 9.1; male: 52.4%) with a comorbidity rate of 87.55%. Almost one third of them have not stimation of systolic function and among the others 72.4% have it preserved. Most of decompensated were due to respiratory infections. Ischemic-hipertensive cardiopathy was the most frequent aetiology of systolic disfunction. Average stay was 12.9 days with a mortality rate of 9.56%. Its main risk factors were advanced stages in NYHA od Red Cross scales, as so as dementia or ictus. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows a patient hospitalized for decompensated heart failure roughly different from that one reported at clinical trials. It makes difficult to apply therapeutical interventions, previously well documented to be useful.

Integral equation procedure based on tailored orthogonal functions for the XY spin fluid in an external magnetic field.

The classical XY model describes particles in three-dimensional space that carry magnetic moments or spins whose motion is restricted to rotations in a plane. Introduction of an external magnetic field lying in the same plane then generates a system that is anisotropic in the azimuthal angle phi . We use numerical simulations and integral equation techniques to study this system, producing in the latter case a formalism that is identical to that of the simpler isotropic version having no external field. The basis for this simplification is a generalization Em(phi) of the ordinary exponential basis set eimphi that restores orthogonality in the presence of the external field. We display results of sample calculations obtained with two integral equation closures, reference hypernetted-chain and soft mean-spherical approximation, both coupled to the Lovett-Mou-Buff-Wertheim relation, along with results from the numerical simulations for comparison. Construction of the Em(phi) is described in an Appendix.

Epidemiología de la insuficiencia cardiaca. Proporciones de epidemia / Epidemiology of heart failure. Ratio of epidemic

La Insuficiencia Cardíaca (IC) es un síndrome complejo, con una alta prevalencia en la población, situándose en torno al 10% en mayores de 70 años, y esta continúa aumentando. Su incidencia en mayores de 65 años es del 1% al año. En países desarrollados es la primera causa de hospitalización en mayores de 65 años, suponiendo el 5% del total de ingresos, y su porcentaje se incrementa cada año. La mayoría de los autores reconoce que las cifras alcanzan valores de epidemia, si bien es cierto que debido a su complejidad no es fácil de definir ni de cuantificar. Aunque la supervivencia ha mejorado en los últimos años, continúa teniendo un mal pronóstico con una mortalidad aproximada del 50% a los 5 años del diagnóstico. Debido a su elevada prevalencia y a su alta tasa de ingresos-reingresos supone un problema de salud pública por su elevada carga asistencial. En conjunto se estima que los costes directos de la IC suponen 1-2% del presupuesto sanitario de los países desarrollados

The Heart Failure is a complex sindrom with a high prevalence in the population, being about 10% in older than 70 years and it is continuosly increasing . Its incidence in persons older than 65 years is about 1% per year. In developed countries it is the first cause of hospitalitation in older than 65 years, supposing the 5% of total admissions and it is increasing every year. The most of authors recognise that the numbers reach values of epidemic, although it is true that it is difficult to determine and cuantify due to its complexity. Although the supervivence has improved in last years, it continues being in a bad pronostic with a mortality about 50% after 5 years approximately of the diagnostic . In order to its high prevalence and its high rate of admissions-readmissions it supposes a problem of public health due to high assistance work. Globally it is estimated that the direct costs of heart failure suppose 1-2 % of healthy cost of developed countries

Structure and thermodynamics of a two-dimensional Coulomb fluid in the strong association regime.

The behavior of a two-dimensional neutral Coulomb fluid in the strong association regime (low density, high ionic charge) is explored by means of computer simulation and the hypernetted chain integral equation. The theory reproduces reasonably well the structure and thermodynamics of the system but presents a no-solution region at temperatures well above the computer simulation estimates of the metal-insulator transition. In contrast with hypernetted chain predictions for the three-dimensional Coulomb fluid, here the breakdown of the solution is not accompanied by divergences in any physical quantity.

Spectroscopic imaging of the pilocarpine model of human epilepsy suggests that early NAA reduction predicts epilepsy.

Reduced hippocampal N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) is commonly observed in patients with advanced, chronic temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). It is unclear, however, whether an NAA deficit is also present during the clinically quiescent latent period that characterizes early TLE. This question has important implications for the use of MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) in the early identification of patients at risk for TLE. To determine whether NAA is diminished during the latent period, we obtained high-resolution (1)H spectroscopic imaging during the latent period of the rat pilocarpine model of human TLE. We used actively detuneable surface reception and volume transmission coils to enhance sensitivity and a semiautomated voxel shifting method to accurately position voxels within the hippocampi. During the latent period, 2 and 7 d following pilocarpine treatment, hippocampal NAA was significantly reduced by 27.5 +/- 6.9% (P < 0.001) and 17.3 +/- 6.9% (P < 0.001) at 2 and 7 d, respectively. Quantitative estimates of neuronal loss at 7 d (2.3 +/- 7.7% reduction; P = 0.58, not significant) demonstrate that the NAA deficit is not due to neuron loss and therefore likely represents metabolic impairment of hippocampal neurons during the latent phase. Therefore, spectroscopic imaging provides an early marker for metabolic dysfunction in this model of TLE.

Neumonía por Mycoplasma pneumoniae y síndrome de distrés respiratorio del adulto / Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia ad adult respiratory distress syndrome

No disponible

[Epidemiology of heart failure. Ratio of epidemic]. / Epidemiología de la insuficiencia cardiaca. Proporciones de epidemia.

The Heart Failure is a complex sindrom with a high prevalence in the population, being about 10% in older than 70 years and it is continuosly increasing . Its incidence in persons older than 65 years is about 1% per year. In developed countries it is the first cause of hospitalitation in older than 65 years, supposing the 5% of total admissions and it is increasing every year. The most of authors recognise that the numbers reach values of epidemic, although it is true that it is difficult to determine and cuantify due to its complexity. Although the supervivence has improved in last years, it continues being in a bad pronostic with a mortality about 50% after 5 years approximately of the diagnostic . In order to its high prevalence and its high rate of admissions-readmissions it supposes a problem of public health due to high assistance work. Globally it is estimated that the direct costs of heart failure suppose 1-2 % of healthy cost of developed countries.

Insuficiencia cardíaca. Diagnóstico insuficiente / Heart failure. Insuficient diagnostic

No disponible

[Pacemaker endocarditis]. / Endocarditis del marcapasos.

Pacemaker endocarditis is a rare but serious complication of permanent transvenous pacing. The most common presentation is fever syndrome or gram positive bacteremia. For the diagnostic it is important to performed blood cultures and an echocardiography. A retrospective study included the cases of pacemaker endocarditis diagnosed in the Internal Medicine Department of our Hospital between 1989-2003. Six patients were included. Repeated manipulation of the system and diabetes were the most frequent risk factors. The most frequently detected causative microorganisms were Staphylococci. In spite of the low sensitivity of the transthoracic echocardiography in expert hands it can improve, in this series it places in 66 %. Surgical treatment with cardiopulmonary bypass and implantation of a new system was performed in the same intervention in all patients. None relapsed and the overall mortality was 17%.

Phase behavior of a hard sphere Maier-Saupe nematogenic system in three dimensions.

We present a detailed computer simulation and integral equation study of the phase behavior of a nematogenic system composed of hard spheres with embedded three-dimensional Maier-Saupe spins. For this well-known system, we map the gas-liquid equilibrium, which is coupled to a first-order isotropic-nematic transition. The anisotropic integral equation theory is found to yield excellent agreement with the simulation data within the fluid regime. Additionally, we determine the fluid-solid equilibrium transition by means of computer simulation.

Endocarditis del marcapasos / Pacemaker endocarditis

La endocarditis del marcapasos es una complicación poco frecuente pero grave. La forma más frecuente de presentación es como síndrome febril y/o bacteriemia por gérmenes gram positivos. Dos elementos claves para el diagnóstico son los hemocultivos y el ecocardiograma. Se realiza un análisis retrospectivo de los pacientes con endocarditis del marcapasos ingresados en el Servicio de Medicina Interna de nuestro hospital entre 1989-2003. Se incluyeron 6 pacientes. En este estudio la manipulación repetida del sistema y la diabetes mellitus fueron los factores de riesgo más frecuentes. Los microorganismos más frecuentemente implicados fueron los Staphylococcus spp. A pesar de la menor sensibilidad del ecocardiograma transtorácico, en manos expertas puede mejorar su rendimiento, en esta serie se sitúa en el 66%. Se realizó extracción mediante cirugía extracorpórea e implantación de un nuevo sistema en la misma intervención en todos, sin ningún caso de recidiva y con una mortalidad del 17%

Pacemaker endocarditis is a rare but serious complication of permanent transvenous pacing. The most common presentation is fever syndrom or gram positive bacteremia. For the diagnostic it is important to performed blood cultures and an echocardiography. A retrospective study included the cases of pacemaker endocarditis diagnosed in the Internal Medicine Department of our Hospital between 1989-2003. Six patients were included. Repeated manipulation of the system and diabetes were the most frequent risk factors. The most frequently detected causative microorganisms were Staphylococci. In spite of the low sensitivity of the transthoracic echocardiography in expert hands it can improve, in this series it places in 66 %. Surgical treatment with cardiopulmonar bypass and implantation of a new system was performed in the same intervention in all patients. None relapsed and the overall mortality was 17%

[Pacemaker endocarditis]. / Endocarditis del marcapasos.

In the last years an increment has taken place in the pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator indications that will have as consequence an increase of the prevalence of endocarditis associated to intravascular devices, for what acquires special relevance for the clinician to know this entity and to include it in his differential diagnoses. The objective of this article is to describe the epidemiology, clinic characteristics, diagnosis, treatment and outcome of the pacemaker endocarditis.

[Splenic abscess: presentation of nine cases]. / Abscesos esplénicos: presentación de nueve casos.

Relatively rare, splenic abscess is difficult to diagnose and often fatal if left untreated. The disease is thought to be growing in frequency because of the increasing number of inmunocompromised patients. Several mechanisms for the development of splenic abscess may exist. Some studies demonstrate that prior splenic injury in addition to bacteraemia is required for a splenic abscess to occur. In our series, 9 non immunocompromised patients were identified to have this disease during a 6 years period. Pathogens isolated included Salmonella sp, Staphylococcus sp and Enterococcus sp. Splenectomy was performed in three patients; in another a percutaneous drainage was done. One patient died. In summary, though rare, splenic abscess presents with high morbidity and mortality. In our experience, risk factors as immunocompromise seem not to be so prevalent in patients with splenic abscess and therefore this diagnosis should be considered in all patients with fever of unknown origin.

Endocarditis del marcapasos / Pacemaker endocarditis

En los últimos años se ha producido un incremento en las indicaciones de marcapasos y desfibriladores autoimplantables que tendrá como consecuencia un aumento de la prevalencia de la endocarditis asociada a dispositivos intravasculares, por lo que adquiere especial relevancia para el clínico conocer esta entidad e incluirla en sus diagnósticos diferenciales. El objetivo de este articulo es describir la epidemiología, características clínicas, diagnóstico, tratamiento y pronóstico de la endocarditis asociada al marcapasos

In the last years an increment has taken place in the pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator indications that will have as consequence an increase of the prevalencia of the endocarditis associated to intravascular devices, for what acquires special relevance for the clinical one to know this entity and to include it in his differential diagnoses. The objetive of this article is to describe the epidemiology, clinic characteristics, diagnosis, treatment and outcome of the pacemaker endocarditis

[Tumor necrosis factor blocking agents: a review. Part I: Clinical efficacy evaluation]. / Lugar en terapéutica de los medicamentos antagonistas del factor de necrosis tumoral. Parte I: evaluación clínica.

Blockade of tumor necrosis factor with monoclonal antibodies, has emerged as one of the most promising therapies in some autoimmune conditions as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and Crohn s disease. They have shown effectiveness on reducing symptoms and modifying the progression of the disease. However, they disrupt the balance of inflammatory and immune responses and some risks associated with TNF-blockers have become apparent. The purpose of this article is to review the evidence about benefits and risk associated with the use of TNF-blockers in approved indications and to provide practical recommendations for its use in the management of these conditions.

[Tumor necrosis factor blocking agents: a review. Part II: safety and recommendations]. / Lugar en terapéutica de los medicamentos antagonistas del factor de necrosis tumoral. (2da de dos partes): de los efectos indeseados y recomendaciones.

Blockade of tumor necrosis factor with monoclonal antibodies, has emerged as one of the most promising therapies in some autoimmune conditions as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and Crohn's disease. They have shown effectiveness on reducing symptoms and modifying the progression of the disease. However, they disrupt the balance of inflammatory and immune responses and some risks associated with TNF-blockers have become apparent. The purpose of this article is to review the evidence about benefits and risk associated with the use of TNF-blockers in approved indications and to provide practical recommendations for its use in the management of this conditions.