Diagnosis and treatment of deep vein thrombosis of the lower and upper limbs. 2024 recommendations of the venous thromboembolism group of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the limbs is a common disease and causes significant morbidity and mortality. It is frequently the prelude to pulmonary embolism (PE), it can recur in 30% of patients and in 25-40% of cases they can develop post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS), with a significant impact in functional status and quality of life. This document contains the recommendations on the diagnosis and treatment of acute DVT from the Thromboembolic Disease group of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI). PE and thrombosis of unusual venous territories (cerebral, renal, mesenteric, superficial, etc.) are outside its scope, as well as thrombosis associated with catheter and thrombosis associated with cancer, which due to their peculiarities will be the subject of other positioning documents of the Thromboembolic Disease group of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI).

[Mortality and survival in a cohort of 1,115 HIV-infected patients (1989-97)]. / Estudio de la mortalidad y supervivencia en una cohorte de 1,115 pacientes con infección VIH (1989-97).

BACKGROUND: To study survival and HIV/AIDS-related mortality from 1989 through 1997. To analyze the effect of antiretroviral treatment and prophylaxis against P. carinii pneumonia (PCP-prophylaxis). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied a cohort of 1,115 HIV (+) outpatients (331 with AIDS-defining criteria) seen in our specific HIV hospital unit from January 1989 through May 1997. We analyzed the effect of different antiretroviral treatments on annual mortality rate. In survival studies we used Cox regression analysis to analyze survival over time as well as the effect of different opportunistic events, adherence and changes in treatment during follow up. RESULTS: Mortality rate was 13.7 per 100 person-years in 1994. It went down to 4.2 during the first half of 1997 (p=0.001). Mortality rate decreased depending on treatment received: 53% (CI 95=34-65%) with monotherapy, 68% (CI 95=38-84%) with bitherapy, 86% (CI 95=40-96%) with triple therapy, and 49% (CI =29-64%) with PCP-prophylaxis. Patients with more than 100 CD4 had an increasing survival over time (p=0.002). In AIDS patients good adherence to antiretroviral treatment and PCP-prophylaxis were associated with a lower risk of death (RR=0.88; CI 95=0.63-1.22 and RR=0.72; CI 95=0.55-0.95 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In recent years PCP-prophylaxis and antiretroviral treatment (especially combined therapy) have contributed to a decrease in AIDS-related mortality. Adherence to treatments relates to risk of death and survival.

Estudio de la mortalidad y supervivencia en una cohorte de 1.115 pacientes con infección VIH (1989-97) / Mortality and survival in a cohort of 1,115 HIV-infected patients (1989-97)

Fundamento: Analizar la supervivencia y mortalidad por VIH/sida entre 1989 y 1997, y evaluar el impacto que sobre ellas han tenido el tratamiento antirretroviral y la profilaxis frente al Pneumocystis carinii (anti-NPC). Pacientes y métodos: Estudio de una cohorte retrospectiva de 1.115 pacientes (331 con sida) seguidos en una Unidad hospitalaria de VIH en Madrid entre enero de 1989 y mayo de 1997. Se analizó tasa anual de mortalidad y el efecto en la misma del régimen de tratamiento antirretroviral. La regresión de Cox fue utilizada en los estudios de supervivencia para analizar su evolución, la influencia de los distintos eventos oportunistas, el efecto de la adherencia a los tratamientos y del cambio de tratamiento antirretroviral durante el seguimiento. Resultados: La tasa de mortalidad fue de 13,7 por 100 personas-año en 1994 y descendió hasta 4,2 en el primer semestre del 1997 (p=0,001).La monoterapia se asoció a una disminución de la mortalidad del 53 por ciento [IC95=34 por ciento-65 por ciento], la biterapia del 68 por ciento [IC95=38 por ciento-84 por ciento], la triple terapia del 86 por ciento [IC95=40-96 por ciento] y la profilaxis anti-NPC del 49 por ciento [IC95=29 por ciento-64 por ciento]. En los pacientes con CD4>100/mm3la supervivencia mejoró a lo largo del tiempo (p=0,002). En los pacientes con sida, el buen cumplimiento del tratamiento antirretroviral y de la profilaxis antiNPC se asociaron con una disminución del riesgo de muerte (RR=0,88; IC95=0,63-1,22 y RR=0,72; IC95=0,55-0,95 respectivamente). Conclusiones: La profilaxis anti-NPC y el tratamiento antirretroviral, en especial la terapia combinada, han contribuido a disminuir la mortalidad por sida en los últimos años. El grado de adherencia a los tratamientos se relaciona con el riesgo de morir y la supervivencia (AU)

Vasoactive intestinal peptide modulates proinflammatory mediator synthesis in osteoarthritic and rheumatoid synovial cells.

OBJECTIVE: Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has demonstrated beneficial effects in several murine models of immune-mediated inflammation by inhibiting both the inflammatory and the autoimmune components of the disease. We investigate its potential to modulate the release of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines by human synovial cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Fresh suspensions of synovial tissue cells (STC) or cultured fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) were obtained from patients with RA or osteoarthritis (OA). The effects of VIP on basal or tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha)-stimulated production of CCL2 (MCP-1, monocyte chemotactic protein 1), CXCL8 [interleukin (IL)-8], IL-6 and TNF-alpha were studied by specific ELISAs (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays). The mRNAs for CCL2, CXCL8 and IL-6 in FLS were analysed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: VIP at 10 nm down-regulated chemokine production by STC and FLS from RA and OA patients. VIP also down-regulated the expression of mRNAs for CCL2, CXCL8 and IL-6. The effects of VIP were more clearly detected in RA samples and after stimulation with TNF-alpha. CONCLUSION: Our observations confirm that the proposed anti-inflammatory actions of VIP in murine models also apply to human synovial cells ex vivo. Further studies are encouraged to evaluate the use of VIP as a potential therapy for chronic inflammatory joint diseases.