Efficacy and tolerance of interferon-alpha(2b) in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in haemodialysis patients. Pre- and post-renal transplantation assessment.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection represents an important problem for the dialysis population due to its high prevalence and the long-term development of chronic liver disease, particularly following renal transplantation. METHODS: In order to assess the efficacy and tolerance of interferon (IFN) in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in haemodialysis (HD) patients and their clinical course following renal transplantation, a multicentre, randomized, open-label study was conducted to compare IFN therapy vs a control group. RESULTS: Nineteen HCV RNA-positive patients received 3 x 10(6) U of IFN s.c., three times a week (post-HD), and 17 HCV RNA-positive patients were assigned to the control group. Tolerance to IFN therapy was good in nine patients, while treatment was discontinued in the other 10 due to the occurrence of side effects. HCV RNA was negative at the end of treatment in 14 out of 19 patients (74%) receiving IFN and in one patient (5%) in the control group. Six out of the 14 patients who initially responded to IFN therapy had a virological relapse (43%). Eight patients (42%) remained HCV RNA-negative, three of them until the day that renal transplantation (RT) was performed (7, 12 and 27 months, respectively), as did five patients on HD during the follow-up (27+/-5 months). Eight out of the nine patients (89%) who completed therapy were HCV RNA-negative at the end of treatment, and seven of them (78%) remained HCV RNA-negative during the follow-up on dialysis (21+/-8 months). Mean transaminase (ALT) values were significantly decreased following IFN therapy, while no changes were observed during the follow-up period in the control group. Fifteen patients (10 in the treatment group and five in the control group) underwent RT. Three patients in the treatment group were HCV RNA-negative at RT, and one of them had a virological relapse 20 months after RT, while the other two remained HCV RNA-negative at 3 months and 24 months after RT, respectively. In contrast to the control group, transaminase (ALT) remained within normal limits in all patients in the treatment group. Finally, during the post-RT follow-up, the transaminase mean values were significantly lower in treated patients vs patients in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that the biochemical and virological response to IFN therapy is good in HD patients. In addition, IFN therapy appears to exert a beneficial effect on the course of liver disease following RT, regardless of the virological response. Despite the fact that IFN therapy was discontinued in 10 out of the 19 patients due to the occurrence of side effects, these disappeared following discontinuation of therapy. Therefore, IFN therapy is advisable for HCV-infected dialysis patients who are candidates for RT.

Markers of hepatitis C infection among hemodialysis patients with acute and chronic infection: implications for infection control strategies in hemodialysis units.

To evaluate strategies for screening patients on hemodialysis (HD) for markers of acute and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, we studied sixty-nine patients at a single center over a 36-month period. Serum samples were tested for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, anti-HCV and HCV RNA at 3-4 month intervals. Anti-HCV was tested for by EIA1, EIA2, and RIBA2. HCV RNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, IgM antibody to the c33 antigen of HCV was detected by an experimental EIA. Of the 43 HD patients at the start of the study, anti-HCV was detected by EIA1 in 13 (30%). All EIA1 positive patients and 14 (47%) of the 30 EIA1 negative patients tested positive by EIA2. Thus, at the start of the study 27 (63%) of 43 patients tested positive for anti-HCV by EIA2. The presence of anti-HCV among EIA2 positive patients was confirmed by RIBA2 in all patients. Based on the PCR results, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for EIA1 were 48%, 100%, 53% and 100%, respectively, and for EIA2 were 100%, 100%, 100% and 100%, respectively. During follow-up, 26 EIA2 negative patients began HD in the unit. Of the 42 EIA2 negative patients, five (12%) seroconverted for anti-HCV during follow-up. All five patients with new HCV infection tested positive for HCV RNA three months prior to the detection of anti-HCV by EIA2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Triglyceride-rich lipoprotein abnormalities in CAPD-treated patients.

In the present study intermediate-density lipoproteins (IDL) and very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) composition, structure, and mass were analysed in fasting uraemic patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) (n = 12) and on haemodialysis (HD) (n = 15), and in 15 healthy volunteers. All the groups were matched for sex, age, and time on dialysis. Both groups of patients had elevated very-low-density lipoprotein levels, CAPD patients four and HD group three times that of control. We found a fourfold and a twofold increase in the concentration of IDL cholesterol in the CAPD and HD group respectively when they were compared with the control group. Both groups of patients present an increased VLDL mass. The CAPD group showed a four-fold increase in IDL mass compared with the control group, which indicated a preponderance of large size and suggested that defective IDL clearance was involved. The IDL composition of the CAPD patients was significantly different from that of the HD patients: a twofold increase in IDL mass was observed in the CAPD patients if compared with HD patients. We report new data concerning the metabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in CAPD treated patients, which confirm the adverse effect of CAPD on serum lipids.

Piodermia gangrenosa y artritis reumatoidea / Pyoderma gangrenosum and rheumatoid arthritis

Presentamos dos pacientes ,de sexo femenino, de 53 y 57 años respectivamente con artritis reumatoidea,seropositiva, erosiva,no nodular,de 16 y 20 años de evolución, que presentan úlceras en miembros inferiores y glúteo,precedidas en un caso de fenómeno de patergia.La enfermedad articular se encontraba inactiva. El diagnóstico histopatológico reveló Piodermia Gangrenosa.No se detectaron signos de vasculitis reumatoidea sistémica.Se descartaron enfermedades comunmente asociadas conn Piodermia Grangrenosa.La curación de las lesiones se logró con reposo y curas locales,sin modificar el tratamiento de la artritisreumatoidea.

Piodermia gangrenosa y artritis reumatoidea / Pyoderma gangrenosum and rheumatoid arthritis

Presentamos dos pacientes ,de sexo femenino, de 53 y 57 años respectivamente con artritis reumatoidea,seropositiva, erosiva,no nodular,de 16 y 20 años de evolución, que presentan úlceras en miembros inferiores y glúteo,precedidas en un caso de fenómeno de patergia.La enfermedad articular se encontraba inactiva. El diagnóstico histopatológico reveló Piodermia Gangrenosa.No se detectaron signos de vasculitis reumatoidea sistémica.Se descartaron enfermedades comunmente asociadas conn Piodermia Grangrenosa.La curación de las lesiones se logró con reposo y curas locales,sin modificar el tratamiento de la artritisreumatoidea.

Late seroconversion of C virus markers in hemodialysis patients.

We examined the prevalence of the IgG C virus C 100-3 antibody (anti-HCV) in a group of 43 patients on hemodialysis in our center during three periods: A: 1988; B: 1989; C: 1990. During period A, the anti-HCV prevalence was 30% (13 of 43 patients), these patients being regarded as chronic carriers of these antibodies. In period B, two patients displayed seroconversion, and another seven during period C, all of whom had tested negative during period A. These patients were considered acute. During the three years under study, all of the patients shared the same hemodialysis monitors. High ALT values were found in four of nine acute patients (44.4%) and nine of thirteen (69.23%) of the chronic patients. In 10 anti-HCV patients, hypertransaminemia continued long-term (> 6 months). Two patients had been given contaminated blood, four were multi-transfused (> 14 transfusions), two less than 4 units, and one had never received a transfusion. The period between the initial high and/or maximum ALT and the determination of HCV Ac was up to 10 to 11 months in three patients. These findings indicate the lack of sensitivity of ALTs as a diagnostic tool for HCV, the possible late C 100-3 seroconversion, which makes it necessary to carry out periodic serological checks in hemodialysis patients and the decisive role transfusions in HCV transmission, without excluding other possible intra-dialysis contagion sources.

[Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy in patients with coagulation disorders]. / Litotricia extracorpórea por ondas de choque en pacientes con trastornos de coagulación.

During treatment of renal lithiasis with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) hemorrhagic events, especially renal hematoma, may present. A coagulation study is warranted in order to institute hemotherapy for blood factor deficiencies. We reviewed the records of 4,000 patients that had undergone ESWL. Of these, 17 (12 males, 5 females) presented coagulation disorders. The bleeding diatheses were due to platelet deficiency in 6 cases, plasma defects in 5, platelet and plasma disorders in 2, and capillary wall defects in 5 cases. The underlying cause was hepatosplenic disease in 12 cases, iatrogenic in 1, connectivopathy and corticoids in 2, and capillary purpura of unknown cause in 2 cases. Due to this protocol, no patient presented hemorrhage or hematoma from shock wave-induced lesions. These results show that a complete coagulation study must be performed in order to institute the necessary measures in patients with disorders of hemostasis due to the high risk of hematoma repeatedly reported in the literature.

Cuban programme for prevention of sickle cell disease.

The percentage of carriers of the sickle cell gene in Cuba ranges from 3 to 7% in different regions. In 1983 the National Medical Genetics Centre initiated a programme for the control of sickle cell disease, which was started in Havana and later extended nationwide. The programme is based on mass education, screening and supportive genetic counselling, care of affected individuals, and availability of prenatal diagnosis. 806,935 pregnant women had been screened by the end of 1989: 29,913 (3.7%) were heterozygous, homozygous or doubly heterozygous for abnormal haemoglobin. 19,686 fathers (67%) were also tested: 1268 at-risk couples were detected. 531 elected to have prenatal diagnosis; 404 results were obtained and 98 affected fetuses (SS or SC) found. In 72 cases the pregnancy was terminated.

[Mycobacterium fortuitum in patients with chronic renal insufficiency: apropos of 2 cases]. / Mycobacterium fortuitum en pacientes con insuficiencia renal crónica: a propósito de 2 casos.

Mycobacterium fortuitum is a rapidly growing mycobacteria recovered from human infections such as skin, soft tissue, skeletal and pulmonary infectious diseases. We report 2 cases of M. fortuitum isolation from clinical samples from two patients placed on dialysis program. Our clinical findings were: The first, the presence of an abscess in the area of insertion of a CAPD catheter and the second, the detection of a lobar pneumonia in a patient placed on long-term hemodialysis program. We consider this report to be important because of the few reported cases of non tuberculous mycobacterial infections in patients with chronic renal failure.

Establecimiento en Cuba de la técnica de fertilización in vitro (FIV) y transferencia embrionaria (TE): informe preliminar / Establishment in Cuba of fertilization in vitro technique (FIV) and embryo transference (ET): preliminary report

La infertilidad constituye un serio problema de salud al nivel mundial con repercusiones psicosociales de extrema importancia. La fertilización in vitro y transferrencia embrionaria es considerada actualmente el tratamiento de elección en gran parte de las causas de infertilidad masculina y femenina. Se estableció en nuestro país el primer Programa de este tipo y se logró el primer éxito a los 10 meses de comenzado el trabajo. Hasta el presente se han obtenido 8 embarazos, de los cuales hay 3 nacimientos, 1 embarazo en curso, 1 ectópico y 3 abortos espontáneos tempranos. La tasa de embarazo es de 12,3

[Physical exercise and serum potassium in renal insufficiency]. / Ejercicio físico y potasio sérico en la insuficiencia renal.

In order to study the effect of physical exercise on serum potassium in renal failure, twelve patients currently on chronic dialysis were subjected to physical exercise by means of an ergometric bicycle. The initial serum potassium was 5.2 +/- 0.6 mmol/l and after the performance of 3.304 +/- 1.583 kilopondimeters of total work, serum potassium was not modified: 5.5 +/- 0.6 mmol/l (p = NS). With regard to the parameters that regulate the intra-cellular distribution of serum potassium, physical exercise aggravated metabolic acidosis, decreasing the blood pH: from 7.33 +/- 0.05 to 7.23 +/- 0.08 (p less than 0.01) and plasma bicarbonate: from 19 +/- 3 mmol/l to 14 +/- 4 mmol/l (p less than 0.01); this was accompanied by a significant and percentage-wise similar increase in plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine. Patients with end-stage renal failure can perform moderate physical exercise, since this does not produce significant changes in serum potassium.