Pleasant parosmia with regard to own stool after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a significant global impact due to the millions of deaths it has caused secondary to respiratory failure. However, the disease has also been associated with a wide array of manifestations in other organ systems. Among them, the presence of anosmia, which occurs in up to half the patients, has become a new sign of alarm to suspect the infection. Although up to 90% of affected patients will experience an improvement of their olfactory alterations within a month after the infection, the variety and severity of olfactory disturbances clearly cannot be summarized by the dichotomy of having anosmia or not. Parosmias are a type of olfactory dysfunction characterized by altered perception of odors, which can reflect both damage at some level of the olfactory tract, as well as the possibility of reversibility of said damage. The present manuscript describes possible olfactory disturbances associated with COVID-19, their pathophysiology, and potential clinical significance.

La enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) ha tenido un impacto mundial trascendente por los millones de muertes que ha causado secundarias a insuficiencia respiratoria. Sin embargo, la enfermedad también se ha asociado a una amplia gama de manifestaciones en otros sistemas. Entre ellas, la presencia de anosmia, la cual ocurre en hasta mitad de los pacientes, se ha vuelto un nuevo dato de alarma para sospechar la infección. Aunque hasta el 90% de los pacientes afectados presentarán mejoría de sus alteraciones olfatorias dentro del mes posterior a su cuadro, la variedad y gravedad de alteraciones olfatorias claramente no pueden resumirse en la dicotomía de tener o no anosmia. Las parosmias son un tipo de alteración olfatoria caracterizadas por percepciones alteradas de los olores, las cuales pueden reflejar tanto daño a algún nivel del tracto olfatorio, así como la posibilidad de reversibilidad de dicho daño. En el presente manuscrito se describen las posibles alteraciones olfatorias asociadas a COVID-19, su fisiopatología, y potencial significancia clínica.

[Insomnia. A severe health care problem]. / Insomnio. Un grave problema de salud pública.

The magnitude which sleep has on personal well-being is similar to the effects of diet and exercise. Sleep deprivation has severe negative effects on an individual's overall health, and this is usually overseen. From 30 to 40 % of the population has presented insomnia at a certain moment of life and from 9 to 15 % have evolved into a chronic and severe insomnia. Recent investigations have related sleep deprivation with obesity, metabolic disorders, heart disease, mental health problems and dementia. Recently, more investigations have focused on the multiple alterations suffered by the immune system in cases of sleep deprivation. In order to make an opportune diagnosis of insomnia, it is vital to obtain a detailed history of the patients' sleep habits. In the physical exam one must search for signs and symptoms which might suggest an organic cause that generates the patient's insomnia. One of the pillars in treatment of these patients consists in acquiring an adequate sleep hygiene based on the optimization of the environment and the behavior that are associated with sleep.

La magnitud que tiene el sueño en el bienestar integral de una persona es similar a los efectos de la dieta y el ejercicio. La privación del sueño tiene efectos deletéreos graves en la salud del individuo y por lo general estos son ignorados. Entre un 30 y un 40 % de la población ha presentado insomnio en algún momento de su vida y del 9 al 15 % ha desarrollado insomnio crónico grave. Diversos estudios vinculan la falta de sueño con obesidad, enfermedades metabólicas, problemas cardiacos, desórdenes psiquiátricos y demencia. Existen actualmente grupos que se enfocan en las alteraciones en la respuesta inmune que genera la falta de sueño. Para realizar un diagnóstico oportuno de insomnio, es indispensable que durante la consulta se obtenga una historia clínica detallada de los hábitos del sueño. En la exploración física se debe enfatizar la búsqueda de signos y síntomas que sugieran una causa orgánica específica que contribuya a la alteración del sueño. Uno de los pilares del tratamiento es establecer en todos los pacientes una buena higiene del sueño con base en la optimización del ambiente y de las conductas asociadas con el mismo.

Differential Immune Profiles in Two Pandemic Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 Virus Waves at Pandemic Epicenter.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Severe influenza A(H1N1)pdm2009 virus infection cases are characterized by sustained immune activation during influenza pandemics. Seasonal flu data suggest that immune mediators could be modified by wave-related changes. Our aim was to determine the behavior of soluble and cell-related mediators in two waves at the epicenter of the 2009 influenza pandemic. METHODS: Leukocyte surface activation markers were studied in serum from peripheral blood samples, collected from the 1(st) (April-May, 2009) and 2(nd) (October 2009-February 2010) pandemic waves. Patients with confirmed influenza A(H1N1)pdm2009 virus infection (H1N1), influenza-like illness (ILI) or healthy donors (H) were analyzed. RESULTS: Serum IL-6, IL-4 and IL-10 levels were elevated in H1N1 patients from the 2(nd) pandemic wave. Additionally, the frequency of helper and cytotoxic T cells was reduced during the 1(st) wave, whereas CD69 expression in helper T cells was increased in the 2(nd) wave for both H1N1 and ILI patients. In contrast, CD62L expression in granulocytes from the ILI group was increased in both waves but in monocytes only in the 2(nd) wave. Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells (TREM)-1 expression was elevated only in H1N1 patients at the 1(st) wave. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that during the 2009 influenza pandemic a T cell activation phenotype is observed in a wave-dependent fashion, with an expanded activation in the 2(nd) wave, compared to the 1(st) wave. Conversely, granulocyte and monocyte activation is infection-dependent. This evidence collected at the pandemic epicenter in 2009 could help us understand the differences in the underlying cellular mechanisms that drive the wave-related immune profile behaviors that occur against influenza viruses during pandemics.

[Association of stress hyperglycemia and in-hospital complications]. / Asociación entre hiperglucemia de estrés y complicaciones intrahospitalarias.

BACKGROUND: Stress hyperglycemia is the elevation of serum glucose found in a patient, once he is admitted in the hospital. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of admission serum glucose level in the outcome of noncritical hospitalized patients. METHODS: A prospective analytical cohort study was conducted in patients hospitalized in the Internal Medicine service of the Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social), from September 2011 to February 2012. RESULTS: We included 89 patients with serum glucose level < 110 mg/dL (group A) and 90 patients with serum glucose > 110 mg/dL (group B). Diabetes mellitus was more frequent in group B (p < 0.001). Glycosylated hemoglobin greater than 6.5 % was found in 36.4 % of the patients in group B and in 8.7 % in group A (p < 0.001). Patients in group B had higher APACHE II score (p = 0.02) and worse in-hospital outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Stress hyperglycemia was associated with higher APACHE II score and more medical complications, such as sepsis, urinary tract infection, pneumonia and use of pressor amines. Mortality independent predictors were systemic arterial hypertension and APACHE II score.

Introducción: la hiperglucemia de estrés es la elevación de la glucosa sérica que se encuentra a la admisión hospitalaria de un paciente. El objetivo fue evaluar el impacto de la hiperglucemia de estrés al ingreso en el desenlace de pacientes no críticos hospitalizados en un servicio de Medicina Interna. Métodos: estudio de cohorte prospectivo y analítico realizado en pacientes de Medicina Interna del Hospital de Especialidades del Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, de septiembre de 2011 a febrero de 2012. Resultados: se incluyeron 89 pacientes con niveles séricos de glucosa < 110 mg/dL (grupo A) y 90 pacientes con niveles de glucosa > 110 mg/dL (grupo B). La diabetes mellitus fue más frecuente en el grupo B (p < 0.001). La hemoglobina glucosilada mayor a 6.5 % se encontró en el 36.4 % de los pacientes del grupo B y en el 8.7 % del grupo A, (p < 0.001). Los pacientes del grupo B tuvieron mayor puntuación en el APACHE II (p = 0.02) y tendencia a mayor frecuencia de complicaciones. Conclusiones: la hiperglucemia de estrés se asocia a una mayor puntuación de APACHE II, y tiende a una mayor frecuencia de enfermedad crítica, sepsis, infección de vías urinarias, neumonía y uso de aminas vasopresoras. Los predictores independientes de muerte fueron la presencia de hipertensión arterial y el score APACHE II.

Intestinal pseudo-obstruction in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a real diagnostic challenge.

Intestinal pseudo-obstruction secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a rare syndrome described in recent decades. There are slightly over 30 published cases in the English language literature, primarily associated with renal and hematological disease activity. Its presentation and evolution are a diagnostic challenge for the clinician. We present four cases of intestinal pseudo-obstruction due to lupus in young Mexican females. One patient had a previous diagnosis of SLE and all presented with a urinary tract infection of varying degrees of severity during their evolution. We consider that recognition of the disease is of vital importance because it allows for establishing appropriate management, leading to a better prognosis and avoiding unnecessary surgery and complications.

[Recurrent pericardial effusion due to familiar Mediterranean fever]. / Pericarditis recidivante y fiebre mediterránea familiar.

Pericarditis is usually a complication of viral or bacterial infection. In addition, it can be associated to systemic diseases such as autoimmune disorders, rheumatic fever, cancer, tuberculosis and AIDS. It can also be related to familial Mediterranean fever, an autosomic recessive inflammatory disease, characterized by fever, abdominal pain, and pleuritis mainly seen in persons from the Mediterranean area. In this study, we described the evolution and treatment response to colchicine in three patients with pericarditis associated to familial Mediterranean fever. Two of the patients had a pericardiectomy showing in their biopsy nonspecified inflammatory changes. Later their diagnosis were confirmed by genetic markers, echocardiogram and EKG. They were treated with antiviral and antibiotics without any improvement; subsequently they had good results with colchicine.

[Pneumonia and its social representations]. / La neumonía y sus representaciones sociales.

OBJECTIVE: To correlate the sociostructural variables with the knowledge about pneumonia and to explore the social representations about the etiology, prevention, development and treatment in poor communities. METHODS: A survey in 848 adults from seven Rural Health Centers affiliated to IMSS-Oportunidades Program in four States, was carried out. RESULTS: One-third of the sample did not understand the term pneumonia; 35 % of the patients with risk factors did not know its etiology; 43 % did not know about associated complications but 85 % considered that it causes death. The use of antibiotics was recognized as a therapeutic measure by 78 % and 20 % did not know how to prevent pneumonia. CONCLUSION: The findings showed a positive attitude to immunization but inadequate information about respiratory diseases. In neighborhoods with insufficient public services (purified water, electricity and paved roads) the ignorance about pneumonia tended to increase.

[Urinary incontinence in the elderly]. / Incontinencia urinaria en el adulto mayor.

Urinary Incontinence (UI) is a cardinal geriatric syndrome that has an impact on the health and quality of life of the elderly and those living around them. The etiology is often multifactorial. Physical, cognitive, functional, and psychological factors contribute to the appearance of UI. In most patients, the clinical history and a good physical examination are enough to diagnose UI accurately; although to confirm and classify UI further more complex tests are needed. The fields of pharmacology, endoscopy, neurophysiology, and surgery are making significant progress to manage UI; therefore, is useful for all practicing physicians that attend elderly patients to learn about the new therapeutic options.

[Cerebral venous thrombosis in systemic lupus erythematosus. Case report and literature review]. / Trombosis venosa cerebral en lupus eritematoso sistémico. Informe de un caso y revisión de la literatura.

We reviewed a case of cerebral venous thrombosis as the manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus in a 27-year-old woman whose main symptom was headache, and in which subarachnoid hemorrhage was initially suspected. The angiography revealed thrombosis in the superior longitudinal sinus. The treatment with steroids was satisfactory, with complete resolution of symptoms. We also reviewed the reported cases in medical literature.