Eficacia analgésica de una dosis única de dexametasona perineural en el bloqueo ecoguiado del nervio femoral en cirugía de prótesis total de rodilla / Analgesic effect of a single-dose of perineural dexamethasone on ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block after total knee replacement

Introducción. La cirugía de prótesis de rodilla se caracteriza por tener un postoperatorio muy doloroso. El bloqueo del nervio femoral a dosis única ha demostrado proporcionar una analgesia similar a la epidural, con menos efectos secundarios pero limitado en el tiempo. Objetivo. Evaluar la eficacia de la analgesia proporcionada por la dexametasona utilizada a nivel perineural en el bloqueo del nervio femoral para cirugía de prótesis de rodilla, comparada con la aplicada a nivel intravenoso y con un grupo control. Material y métodos. Estudio prospectivo, aleatorizado, con enmascaramiento doble, controlado. Un total de 81 pacientes fueron aleatoriamente divididos en 3 grupos de estudio: 1) dexametasona 8mg i.v.; 2) dexametasona 8mg perineural, y 3)placebo. Todos los pacientes recibieron un bloqueo femoral con 20ml de ropivacaína al 0,5%. La variable principal fue la duración del bloqueo sensitivo-analgésico del nervio femoral. Como variables secundarias se midieron el dolor según EVA, la satisfacción del paciente y la incidencia de complicaciones. Resultados. La aleatorización fue efectiva. La duración de la analgesia fue significativamente mayor (p<0,0001) en el grupo dexametasona perineural (1.152,2 min; IC95%: 756,9-1.547,6) comparada con el grupo control (186 min; IC95%: 81,2-292) y el grupo dexametasona i.v. (159,4 min; IC95%: 109,8-209). El dolor postoperatorio, la incidencia de complicaciones y los efectos secundarios también fueron menores en este grupo. Conclusiones. La dexametasona prolonga el bloqueo sensitivo del nervio femoral realizado con ropivacaína, a la vez que proporciona una mejor analgesia con menos efectos secundarios (AU)

Introduction. Total knee replacement is usually a very painful procedure. A single-dose of femoral nerve block has been shown to provide similar analgesia to an epidural, with fewer side effects, but limited in time. Objective. To compare the analgesia provided by dexamethasone used at perineural level in the femoral nerve block after total knee replacement with the one used at intravenous level, and with that of a control group. Material and methods. A prospective, randomised, double-blind controlled trial was conducted on 81 patients randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1)IV dexamethasone (8mg); 2) perineural dexamethasone (8mg), and 3)placebo. All patients received 20ml of ropivacaine 0.5% for femoral nerve block. The primary outcome was the duration of the sensory-analgesic block of the femoral nerve block. The secondary outcomes included pain intensity measurements, patient satisfaction, and incidence of complications. Results. Randomisation was effective. Analgesia duration was significantly higher (P<.0001) in the perineural dexamethasone group (mean 1152.2 min, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 756.9-1547.6) in comparison with the control group (mean 186 min, 95%CI: 81.2-292) and dexamethasone IV group (mean 159.4min, 95%CI: 109.8-209). Postoperative pain, complications and side effects were also lower in this group. Conclusions. Dexamethasone prolongs sensory block of single dose of femoral nerve block using ropivacaine. It also provides better analgesia and patient satisfaction, with fewer side effects (AU)

Perfiles metabolómicos de sujetos sanos y con cáncer de pulmón. Influencia de la carga tabáquica / The metabolomics of healthy subjects and those with lung cancer: the influence of smoking

INTRODUCCIÓN: la aplicación de técnicas metabolómicas presenta un gran potencial para la búsqueda de posibles biomarcadores de diagnóstico precoz en numerosas enfermedades. El empleo de procedimientos metabolómicos basados en espectrometría de masas permite estudiar las modificaciones metabólicas subyacentes al cáncer de pulmón (CP) y la influencia de la carga tabáquica (CT), medida en paquetes-año, en los correspondientes perfiles metabólicos. METODOLOGÍA: se estudió el suero de 9 controles sanos (no fumadores), 6 enfermos de CP con carga tabáquica moderada (CT 70). Se analizaron los metabolitos mediante técnicas de espectrometría de masas de alta resolución (DI-ESI-QTOFMS). Los perfiles metabólicos obtenidos se sometieron a análisis estadístico multivariante (PCA, PLS-DA). RESULTADOS: los tres grupos de estudio mostraron perfiles metabólicos claramente diferentes, lo que permitió identificar algunos posibles biomarcadores. Los niveles de glutatión se encontraron disminuidos en muestras de suero de pacientes con CP, mientras que se incrementó el contenido de distintos fosfolípidos de membrana (PL). La mayoría de estas anormalidades metabólicas se acentuó en pacientes con una CT elevada. CONCLUSIONES: el análisis metabolómico en muestras de suero permitió diferenciar claramente entre sujetos sanos y pacientes con CP. Así mismo, se identificaron posibles biomarcadores para el diagnóstico del CP (relacionados con rutas previamente conocidas en el proceso del cáncer). Además, estas alteraciones se vieron influenciadas por la carga tabáquica, confirmando la importancia del tabaquismo como factor de riesgo primario en el desarrollo del CP

By using high resolution metabolomics, we obtained the metabolomic profiles for patients who smoked and had lung cancer (LC) and a healthy, non-smoker control (HC) group; we assessed the influence of smoking on said profiles. The results show a clear discrimination between the metabolomic profiles of both groups studied; the metabolites causing said difference could be determined. Moreover, differences were encountered between the metabolomic profiles of heavy smokers with lung cancer compared to moderate smokers. INTRODUCTION: theapplicationof metabolomic techniques offers extensive potential to search for possible biomarkers in the early detection of several diseases. Using metabolomic procedures based on mass spectrometry allow us to study underlying metabolic changes in lung cancer and the influence of smoking, measured as packets/year, in the corresponding metabolic profiles. METHOD: the serum from 9 healthy control subjects (nonsmokers) was studied, as well as that of 6 patients with lung cancer who were moderate smokers (CT 70). The metabolites were analyzed using high resolution mass spectrometer techniques (DI-ESI-QTOF-MS). The metabolic profiles obtained were subject to multivariate statistical analysis (PCA, PLS-DA). RESULTS: the three groups studied showed clearly differentiated metabolic profiles, which facilitated the identification of certain biomarkers. Glutathione levels were found to be decreased in the sample from patients with lung cancer, while the content of various membrane phospholipids increased. Most of these metabolic abnormalities were heightened in patients who were heavy smokers. CONCLUSIONS: the metabolomics analysis in serum samples clearly differentiated healthy subjects from patients with lung cancer. Also, possible biomarkers were identified to diagnose lung cancer (linked to previously known routes in the cancer process. Moreover, these alterations were influenced by the amount smoked, thus confirming the importance of smoking as a primary risk factor in developing lung cáncer

Asma premenstrual: concepto, prevalencia y su relación con el síndrome premenstrual / Prevalence of premenstrual asthma and its relationship with premenstrual syndrome

Se considera asma premenstrual (APM) al deterioro cíclico del asma durante la fase premenstrual y/o los primeros días de la menstruación que experimentan algunas mujeres en edad fértil. Afecta, según diversos estudios, a más del 30 % de asmáticas. No existen criterios unánimes para su definición. Por otra parte, algunas mujeres experimentan cambios físicos y psíquicos en el periodo premenstrual, trastorno denominado síndrome premenstrual (SPM). Respecto al APM, hemos evaluado las distintas definiciones aceptadas y consideramos el criterio semi-objetivo en un ciclo menstrual (deterioro clínico > 20% en el periodo premenstrual, determinado por una metodología específica) como el que mejor refleja la realidad del APM. La prevalencia que hemos obtenido en nuestro medio con esta definición es del 44,7 % (46/103) (IC 95 %: 35,3 - 54,3 %). Las mujeres con APM presentan más síntomas relacionados con SPM, especialmente los de componente edematoso

Premenstrual asthma (PMA) is considered the cyclical deterioration of asthma during the premenstrual phaseand/or the first days of menstruation in some women during the fertile period. According to several studies, PMA affects over 30 % of asthmatic women. There are not unanimous criteria to define it. Moreover some women during premenstrual phase sufferphysical and psychological premenstrual changes known as premenstrual syndrome (PMS). We evaluated different definitions for the PMA and we have considered semi-objective criteria for a complete menstrual cycle -clinical deterioration exceeded 20% in the premenstrual period, determined by a specific methodology- as the criteria that best reflect the reality of this pathology. The prevalence obtained was 44.7 % % (46/103) (IC 95 %: 35.3 - 54.3 %). Women with PMA have more symptoms associated with PMS, especially edematous component

Premenstrual asthma and leukotriene variations in the menstrual cycle

Background: Several authors have reported an increase in leukotriene C4 in the premenstrual phase in women with severe premenstrual asthma, indicating that antileukotrienes could be used in treatment. Objective: To analyse the role of leukotrienes in premenstrual asthma. Methods: A questionnaire on respiratory symptoms and peak flow during one complete menstrual cycle was given to women of fertile age to define them as asthmatics who suffered from premenstrual asthma or not. Premenstrual asthma (PMA) was defined as a clinical or functional deterioration (major=20%) in the premenstrual phase compared with the preovulatory phase. Blood samples to measure leukotriene C4 were taken during the preovulatory and premenstrual phases. Results: Blood samples were taken in 62 asthmatic women, 34 of whom (54.3%) presented PMA criteria, all with a premenstrual deterioration of between 20 and 40%. There was no difference in leukotriene C4 levels between the preovulatory and premenstrual phases in the women who suffered from PMA (1.50ng/mL vs. 1.31ng/mL; p=0.32) and those who did not (1.40ng/mL vs. 1.29ng/mL; p=0.62). Neither were there any differences in leukotriene levels between women with or without PMA. The results were similar for each category of asthma severity. Conclusions: Our data show that leukotriene C4 does not appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of premenstrual asthma, or support the use of anti-leukotrienes in the specific treatment of premenstrual asthma, at least in women with a moderate premenstrual deterioration. No differences appeared in any of the categories of asthma severity(AU)

Variabilidad interobservador en el diagnóstico y clasificación de la retinopatía diabética mediante biomicroscopía / Inter-observer variability in the diagnosis and classification of diabetic retinopathy through biomicroscopy

Objetivo: Análisis de la variabilidad interobservador de la biomicroscopía utilizada para el diagnóstico de retinopatía diabética. Métodos: Diseño: Observacional descriptivo. Valoración en paralelo, de forma ciega para los observadores, del grado de retinopatía diabética mediante biomicroscopía en pacientes diabéticos tipo 2. Muestra: Para la evaluación del índice Kappa, con una estimación de una proporción de desacuerdo del 15%, (precisión del 5% intervalo de confianza del 95%) muestra n=196, (siendo «n» el número de ojos). Variables a medir: grado de retinopatía diabética, según la clasificación del ETDRS modificada. Resultados: La edad media de los pacientes fotografiados fue de 65,42 años (DE= 9,91). De las 217 biomicroscopías realizadas, en 191 se encontró concordancia total. En 24 la discordancia fue tan sólo en un grado de la clasificación del ETDRS y en 2 la discordancia fue en dos grados. En ningún caso fue mayor. Kappa ponderado cuadrático = 0,876, IC95%: 0,655-0,952 y Kappa ponderado lineal =0,804, IC95%: 0,729-0,878. Conclusiones: El índice Kappa ponderado demuestra un grado de acuerdo «muy bueno». Las discrepancias producidas además de escasas no tienen trascendencia clínica, ya que no afectan a la decisión de tratamiento. La biomicroscopía leída por un solo oftalmólogo es un instrumento fiable como patrón de referencia para el diagnóstico de la retinopatía diabética

Objective: Analysis of the inter-observer variability of biomicroscopy used for the diagnosis of Diabetic Retinopathy. Methods: This was a descriptive study. Parallel observer-blind evaluations of the degree of retinopathy in type 2 diabetic patients, as defined on biomicroscopic photographs, were performed by two ophthalmologists. The sample size required for the Kappa index among ophthalmologists with a disagreement ratio of 15%, precision ratio of 5% and confidence level of 95% is n=196 («n» being the number of eyes). The only variable measured was the degree of Diabetic Retinopathy, according to the modified Early Treatment Diabetic Research Study (ETDRS) classification. Results: The average age of the 217 patients photographed was of 65.42 years (SE= 9.91). In 191 instances there was total agreement between the 2 ophthalmologists. In 24 instances the discrepancy was only of one degree of the classification of the ETDRS, and in 2 the discrepancy was of two degrees. In no case was it greater than this. (Quadratic weighed Kappa = 0.876, IC95%: 0.655-0.952 and linear weighed Kappa = 0.804, IC95%: 0.729-0.878). Conclusions: The Weighed Kappa index demonstrated a «very good» agreement of the degree of diabetic retinopathy. The discrepancies were slight, were of no clinical importance, and would not have affected treatment decisions. The results indicate that this examination, performed by a single ophthalmologist, can be utilised as a reference standard in Diabetic Retinopathy diagnosis