Ausencia de implicación de la cistatina C en el remodelado ventricular y la insuficiencia cardiaca / Absence of cystatin C involvement in ventricular remodelling and heart failure

La cistatina C (CisC) es una proteasa codificada por genes de mantenimiento («housekeeping genes»). Aunque su valor pronóstico en la insuficiencia cardiaca (IC) es bien conocido, se debate si es debido a su mayor precisión en la estimación del filtrado glomerular, o a su implicación en el remodelado ventricular patológico. El propósito de este estudio fue comprobar si la expresión de CisC se modificaba en el miocardio de fetos de diferentes edades y en el de adultos con diversas enfermedades cardiovasculares, así como analizar la correlación entre sus concentraciones séricas y la estructura y morfología cardiaca en un grupo de pacientes con IC. Pacientes y métodos. Se analizaron las correlaciones (test de Pearson y Spearman) entre la CisC sérica y los parámetros ecocardiográficos de 351 pacientes con IC. También se realizó una tinción inmunohistoquímica para CisC, metaloproteinasa 9 (MMP-9) y desmina en 9 muestras de tejido cardiaco procedentes de las autopsias de 4 fetos con diferente edad gestacional y 5 adultos sanos o con enfermedad cardiovascular. Resultados. En pacientes con IC no se encontró correlación entre las concentraciones de CisC y los parámetros cardiacos medidos por ecocardiografía 2D. La inmunohistoquímica mostró una débil tinción de fondo para CisC en todas las muestras, independientemente de la edad y la presencia o no de enfermedades cardiovasculares. Conclusiones. Nuestros resultados sugieren que la CisC no tiene un papel significativo en el remodelado patológico del ventrículo izquierdo en la IC (AU)

Cystatin C (CysC) is a protease encoded by housekeeping genes. Although its prognostic value in heart failure (HF) is well known, it is debatable whether this value is due to the greater accuracy of CysC in calculating the glomerular filtration rate or to its involvement in pathological ventricular remodelling. The aim of this study was to determine whether CysC expression changes in the myocardium of foetuses of different ages and in the myocardium of adults with various cardiovascular diseases, as well as to analyse the correlation between its serum concentrations and cardiac structure and morphology in a patient group with HF. Patients and methods. We analysed the correlations (Pearson's r and Spearman's test) between the serum CysC levels and echocardiographic parameters of 351 patients with HF. We also performed immunohistochemical staining for CysC, metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and desmin in 9 cardiac tissue samples from autopsies of 4 foetuses of different gestational ages and 5 healthy adults or adults with cardiovascular disease. Results. For the patients with HF, there was no correlation between the CysC concentrations and the cardiac parameters measured by 2D echocardiography. The immunohistochemistry showed a weak background staining for CysC in all samples, regardless of age and the presence or absence of cardiovascular diseases. Conclusions. Our results suggest that CysC does not have a significant role in the pathological remodelling of the left ventricle in HF (AU)

Absence of cystatin C involvement in ventricular remodelling and heart failure.

UNLABELLED: Cystatin C (CysC) is a protease encoded by housekeeping genes. Although its prognostic value in heart failure (HF) is well known, it is debatable whether this value is due to the greater accuracy of CysC in calculating the glomerular filtration rate or to its involvement in pathological ventricular remodelling. The aim of this study was to determine whether CysC expression changes in the myocardium of foetuses of different ages and in the myocardium of adults with various cardiovascular diseases, as well as to analyse the correlation between its serum concentrations and cardiac structure and morphology in a patient group with HF. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analysed the correlations (Pearson's r and Spearman's test) between the serum CysC levels and echocardiographic parameters of 351 patients with HF. We also performed immunohistochemical staining for CysC, metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and desmin in 9 cardiac tissue samples from autopsies of 4 foetuses of different gestational ages and 5 healthy adults or adults with cardiovascular disease. RESULTS: For the patients with HF, there was no correlation between the CysC concentrations and the cardiac parameters measured by 2D echocardiography. The immunohistochemistry showed a weak background staining for CysC in all samples, regardless of age and the presence or absence of cardiovascular diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that CysC does not have a significant role in the pathological remodelling of the left ventricle in HF.

A propósito de un caso de sarcoma sinovial en la infancia / A case of chilhood synovial sarcoma

Los tumores malignos de tejidos blandos en la infancia y adolescencia, exceptuando los linfomas, son muy infrecuentes y, dentro de ellos, el denominado sarcoma sinovíal representa un porcentaje muy bajo. En este trabajo aportamos el caso de un adolescente afectado por un tumor de esta estirpe localizado en un pie (AU)

[Changes induced by simple jejuno-ileal by-pass models in the distribution of D-cells producing intestinal somatostatin. Experimental study]. / Variaciones inducidas por modelos simples de by-pass yeyuno-ileal sobre la distribución de células D productoras de somatostatina intestinal. Estudio experimental.

Cells that produce somatostatin are widely distributed throughout the digestive tube. They are found in the stomach, small bowel, large bowel and pancreas. The authors used 54 Wistar rats, with an approximate weight of 300 gr, to evaluate the possible variations of the D cell population in isolated and functional intestinal segments, using jejuno-ileal bypass as a model. Rats were divided into three groups, a control group and two groups in which simple derivation techniques were performed following the techniques of Payne and DeWind, and Scott. Rats were sacrificed after 7, 30 and 90 days in subgroups of six animals. Macroscopic, microscopic and ultrastructural studies were carried out. Cells were specifically stained using immunocytochemical techniques (PAP). The corresponding values of the mucous areas were obtained using a computerized image analyzer (Quantimet 800) and then the number of D cells per mm2 mucosa was calculated. The results show a decrease in the number of D cells per mm2 of mucosa in the functional intestinal segments and degranulation of these cells, coinciding with the existence of large areas of rough endoplasmic reticulum (sign of cellular hyperactivity).

[Osteoid osteoma in childhood: apropos of 6 cases]. / Osteoma osteoide en la infancia: a propósito de seis observaciones.

Six cases of children diagnosed as having osteoid osteoma with different localization are reviewed. They constitute 0.04% of all those admitted to the paediatrics department. The average age is 8 1/12 years and three exists a male predominance over the female in the proportion of 2/1. The clinic has shown it self through characteristic pain, with nocturnal paroxysms, which disappears with aspirin, in addition to functional impotence and muscular atrophy. In the case of vertebral localization, scoliosis was detected. Both, the radiography and the computerized axial tomography showed to be efficient for the diagnosis, which was confirmed anatomo-pathologically in the case operated on. The evolution was satisfactory in all of them.