Epidemiology of Hematologic Malignancies in Real-World Settings: Findings From the Hemato-Oncology Latin America Observational Registry Study.

PURPOSE: Limited information is available on multiple myeloma (MM), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) management in Latin America. The primary objective of the Hemato-Oncology Latin America (HOLA) study was to describe patient characteristics and treatment patterns of Latin American patients with MM, CLL, and NHL. METHODS: This study was a multicenter, retrospective, medical chart review of patients with MM, CLL, and NHL in Latin America identified between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2015. Included were adults with at least 1 year of follow-up (except in cases of death within 1 year of diagnosis) treated at 30 oncology hospitals (Argentina, 5; Brazil, 9; Chile, 1; Colombia, 5; Mexico, 6; Panama/Guatemala, 4). RESULTS: Of 5,140 patients, 2,967 (57.7%) had NHL, 1,518 (29.5%) MM, and 655 (12.7%) CLL. Median follow-up was 2.2 years for MM, 3.0 years for CLL, and 2.2 years for NHL, and approximately 26% died during the study observation period. Most patients had at least one comorbidity at diagnosis. The most frequent induction regimen was thalidomide-based chemotherapy for MM and chlorambucil with or without prednisone for CLL. Most patients with NHL had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL; 49.1%) or follicular lymphoma (FL; 19.5%). The majority of patients with DLBCL or FL received rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone. CONCLUSION: The HOLA study generated an unprecedented level of high-quality, real-world evidence on characteristics and treatment patterns of patients with hematologic malignancies. Regional disparities in patient characteristics may reflect differences in ethnoracial identity and level of access to care. These data provide needed real-world evidence to understand the disease landscape in Latin America and may be used to inform clinical and health policy decision making.

Quistes de epiplón y mesenterio en niños; revisión de 10 años / Omentum cysts and mesentery cysts in children. A 10 years review

Se revisan los casos de niños operados con diagnóstico de quiste de epiplón (QE) y mesenterio (QM) en el período de Agosto 2003 a Agosto 2013, en el Hospital Dr. Gustavo Fricke de Viña del Mar. Estos son quistes intraabdominales de escasa frecuencia, que evolucionan como tumoración asintomática, pudiendo presentar diversas manifestaciones clínicas desde constipación, vómitos y dolor hasta ser causa de abdomen agudo en el niño. La radiografía de abdomen simple y el ultrasonido pueden ser de utilidad para plantear la sospecha diagnostica, siendo la tomografía computada el estudio de excelencia en estos casos. Se encontró tres pacientes, dos QE y un QM. Los motivos de consulta fueron: masas abdominal (QE), dolor abdominal recurrente (QM) y abdomen agudo (QM). El diagnóstico se confirmó con TAC y se realizo exéresis total de la lesión en todos los casos. En un paciente fue necesaria la resección intestinal complementaria (QM). No hubo complicaciones en nuestros casos.

This is a case review of operated children with diagnosis of omentum cysts (OC) or mesentery cysts (MC), since August 2003 to August 2013 at Dr. Gustavo Fricke Hospital, Viña del Mar, Chile. These are rare intraabdominal lesions that frequently evolve as an asymptomatic tumor; clinical manifestations are constipation, vomits, abdominal pain and occasionally may be cause of acute abdomen in the child. The abdominal radiography and ultrasound may be useful, but the abdominal pelvic CT scan is the gold standard in these affections. Three cases were found, two OC and one MC. Symptoms were: abdominal tumor (OC), recurrent abdominal pain (OC) and acute abdomen (MC). Diagnosis confirmation was made with TC scan in all cases. Total exeresis of the benign tumor lesion was performed in all cases. In one patient it was necessary to perform intestinal resection for the tumor exeresis (MC). There were no complications.

Drug treatment for portal hypertension.

Pharmacological treatment of portal hypertension has played an increasing clinical role in the past 20 years. In the setting of acute variceal bleeding, drug therapy should be considered the initial treatment of choice and can be administered as soon as possible; even during the transfer of the patient to hospital. Several recent trials have reported similar efficacy to emergency sclerotherapy, therefore drug treatment should no longer be considered as a "stop gap" therapy until definitive endoscopic therapy is performed but continued for several days. Antibiotic prophylaxis is an integral part of therapy as it reduces mortality and should be instituted from admission. Non selective b-blockers are the treatment of first choice for secondary and primary prevention. If they are contraindicated or non tolerated banding ligation can be used. There is less evidence for the benefit of ligation for primary prophylaxis. The use of haemodynamic targets for reduction in hepatic venous pressure gradient response need further study, and surrogate markers of pressure response need evaluation