SARS-CoV-2 en pacientes de la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos. Hospital de Especialidades Portoviejo, Ecuador

Introducción: el manejo del SARS-CoV-2 en pacientes pediátricos por el profesional de enfermería, debe estar regido por las directrices y protocolos que la Organización Mundial de la Salud y el Ministerio de Salud Pública han diseñado para minimizar las complicaciones y el índice de morbimotalidad que el coronavirus puede desencadenar. Objetivo: analizar el manejo del SARS-CoV-2 en pacientes de la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos del Hospital de Especialidades Portoviejo, en Ecuador. Materiales y métodos: se realizó una investigación transversal, descriptiva y cuantitativa. La población estuvo constituida por 11 profesionales de enfermería y 19 pacientes pediátricos que estuvieron hospitalizados con SARS-CoV-2 y que requirieron soporte ventilatorio. Para la recolección de datos, se realizó una encuesta mediante Google Forms, con el fin de conocer los diferentes procedimientos y revisión de las historias clínicas, así como las complicaciones, tratamiento ventilatorio y egreso. Resultados: el 100 % del personal de enfermería empleó medidas contempladas en los protocolos de bioseguridad. Además de los pacientes que requirieron soporte ventilatorio, el 62,5 % presentó una insuficiencia respiratoria aguda asociada a la COVID-19, frente al 37,5 % que tuvieron una clínica de síndrome inflamatorio multisistémico. Los pediátricos fallecidos padecían de enfermedades congénitas. Conclusiones: la asistencia del personal de enfermería a los pacientes de la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos, demuestra que los conocimientos adquiridos por dichos profesionales logró el restablecimiento de la salud de los menores ingresados.

Introduction: the management of SARS-CoV-2 in pediatric patients by nursing professionals should be governed by the guidelines and protocols that the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Public Health have designed to minimize the complications and morbimortality rate that coronavirus can trigger. Objective: to analyze the management of SARS-CoV-2 in patients of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of Portoviejo Specialties Hospital, in Ecuador. Materials and methods: a cross-sectional, descriptive and quantitative research was carried out. The population consisted of 11 nursing professionals and 19 pediatric patients who were hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 and who required ventilatory support. For data collection, a survey was carried out using Google Forms, in order to know the different procedures and review of clinical histories, as well as complications, ventilatory treatment and discharge. Results: 100% of the nursing staff used measures covered by the biosecurity protocols. In addition to the patients who required ventilatory support, 62.5% presented acute respiratory failure associated to COVID-19, compared to 37.5% who had symptoms of multisystem inflammatory syndrome. The deceased pediatric patients suffered from congenital diseases. Conclusions: the assistance of the nursing staff to the patients of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit shows that knowledge acquired by these professionals achieved the restoration of the health of the children admitted there.

Eosinophil Granule Proteins Involvement in Acute Appendicitis-An Allergic Disease?

Several pieces of evidence point to an allergic component as a trigger of acute appendicitis. As the Th2 immune response is characterized by eosinophil mobilization to the target organ and release of their cationic granule proteins, it is reasonable to investigate if the degranulation of eosinophils could be associated with the local injury. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the participation of eosinophils granules proteins in acute appendicitis, both at local and systemic levels and the secondary aim is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of eosinophils granules proteins for the detection of acute appendicitis, as well as for distinguishing between complicated and uncomplicated acute appendicitis. Eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and eosinophil peroxidase (EP) are the most well-known eosinophil granule proteins. From August 2021 to April 2022, we present a prospective single-center study to evaluate the EDN, ECP, and EP concentrations simultaneously in appendicular lavage fluid (ALF) and the serum of 22 patients with acute phlegmonous appendicitis (APA), 24 with acute gangrenous appendicitis (AGA), and 14 normal controls. Concerning EDN, no differences were found between groups. ECP concentrations in ALF and serum were significantly higher in the histologically confirmed acute appendicitis compared to the control groups (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001, respectively). In ALF, no differences were found between ECP levels in APA: 38.85 ng/mL (IQR 26.50-51.77) and AGA 51.55 ng/mL (IQR 39.55-70.09) groups (p = 0.176). In the serum, no difference was found between ECP levels at APA: 39 ng/mL (IQR 21.30-56.90) and AGA: 51.30 ng/mL (IQR 20.25-62.59) (p = 0.100). For EP, the concentrations in ALF (p < 0.001) and serum (p < 0.001) were both higher in acute appendicitis compared to the control. In ALF, no difference was found between APA: 240.28 ng/mL (IQR 191.2-341.3) and AGA: 302.5 (IQR 227.7-535.85) (p = 0.236). In the serum, no differences were found between APA: 158.4 ng/mL (IQR 111.09-222.1) and AGA: 235.27 (IQR 192.33-262.51) (p = 0.179). Globally, the ALF concentrations were higher than serum concentrations, reflecting an intense inflammatory local reaction in AA. The optimal ECP cut-off for discriminating between acute appendicitis and the controls was >11.41 ng/mL, with a sensitivity of 93.5%, but with a specificity for identifying appendicitis of 21.4%, good discriminative power (AUC = 0.880). For EP, the optimal cut-off was >93.20 ng/mL, with a sensitivity of 87%, but with a specificity of 14.3% (AUC = 0.901), excellent discriminative power. For the diagnosis of perforated AA, the discriminative power of ECP and EP serum concentrations are weak (AUC = 0.562 and AUC = 0.664, respectively). Concerning the presence of peritonitis, the discriminative power of ECP and EP serum concentrations is acceptable, respectively: AUC = 0.724 and AUC = 0.735. Serum levels of EDN (p = 0.119), ECP (p = 0.586) and EP (p = 0.08) in complicated appendicitis were similar to uncomplicated appendicitis. Serum concentrations of ECP and EP can be added to decision-making AA diagnosis. A Th2-type immune response is present in AA. These data bring forward the role of an allergic reaction in the pathogenesis of acute appendicitis.

Multimodal therapeutic approach of vaginismus: an innovative approach through trigger point infiltration and pulsed radiofrequency of the pudendal nerve / Terapêutica multimodal do vaginismo: abordagem inovadora por meio de infiltração de pontos gatilho e radiofrequência pulsada do nervo pudendo

Abstract Vaginismus is a poorly understood disorder, characterized by an involuntary muscular spasm of the pelvic floor muscles and outer third of the vagina during intercourse attempt, which results in aversion to penetration. It is reported to affect 1-7% of women worldwide. With this report the authors aim to describe the case of a young patient with vaginismus in whom techniques usually from the chronic pain domain were used as part of her multimodal therapeutic regimen.

Resumo O vaginismo é uma doença pouco compreendida que se caracteriza por uma contração muscular involuntária dos músculos do pavimento pélvico e do terço externo da vagina durante as tentativas de intercurso sexual, o que resulta em aversão à penetração. Estima-se que possa afetar entre 1%-7% da população feminina mundial. Com este relato os autores pretendem apresentar o caso de uma paciente jovem com vaginismo na qual foram usadas técnicas habitualmente do domínio da medicina da dor crônica como parte do seu esquema terapêutico multimodal.

[Multimodal therapeutic approach of vaginismus: an innovative approach through trigger point infiltration and pulsed radiofrequency of the pudendal nerve]. / Terapêutica multimodal do vaginismo: abordagem inovadora por meio de infiltração de pontos gatilho e radiofrequência pulsada do nervo pudendo.

Vaginismus is a poorly understood disorder, characterized by an involuntary muscular spasm of the pelvic floor muscles and outer third of the vagina during intercourse attempt, which results in aversion to penetration. It is reported to affect 1-7% of women worldwide. With this report the authors aim to describe the case of a young patient with vaginismus in whom techniques usually from the chronic pain domain were used as part of her multimodal therapeutic regimen.

[Duodenocaval fistula]. / Fístula duodeno-cava.

Duodenocaval fistula is a type of digestive fistula rarely described in the literature. It usually manifests by sepsis associated with gastrointestinal bleeding. The treatment is surgical and the prognosis usually not favorable. We describe the case of a woman admitted to our hospital with sepsis, having been diagnosed with a duodenocaval fistula secondary to perforation of the digestive tract by a foreign body. Surprisingly, the fistula sealed by itself, without the need of surgery, and with a favorable evolution.