[Maintenance of chest compressions skill in cardiopulmonary resuscitation in primary health care professionals: Quasi-experimental study]. / Mantenimiento de la habilidad de las compresiones torácicas en reanimación cardiopulmonar en profesionales de la atención primaria de salud: estudio cuasiexperimental.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the efficacy of brief CPR training with dual feedback to maintain the ability to perform quality chest compressions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Quasi-experimental study with two groups to evaluate a brief theoretical training followed by a practice with manikin with feedback; Participants: 155 health and non-health professionals from 5 primary care health centers of urban area (43 losses); Main measurements: Characteristics of compressions that were measured before and after the brief training and their maintenance at 3 and 6 months according to the study group. The effect of training and maintenance of skills were analyzed using multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: 155 participants were included, mean age 39.7 years (SD=12.0) with 82.7% female. The training effect had an improvement in mean compression depth (pre-post difference: 3.5, P<.001), total compressions with adequate depth (pre-post difference: 0.2, P<.001) and Total Compressions with Adequate Rhythm (pre-post difference: 0.4, P<.001). The second phase was completed by 112 participants (72.2%). Compression skills declined at 3 months and were lower at 6 months, although the loss of skills was not statistically significant between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: An individualized, brief training action with feedback immediately improves the quality of compressions. The progressive loss of skills from 3 to 6 months is not relevant.

Endocarditis caused by Neisseria bacilliformis: a case report and review of literature.

A 58-years-old male with history of previous aortic prosthetic endocarditis caused by Enterococcus faecalis was admitted due to dyspnoea and fever. The two sets of blood cultures were positive for Neisseria bacilliformis. Transoesophageal echocardiography did not demonstrate endocarditis signs, but PET-CT scan showed active infection signs in the valvular aortic tube and possible infection in the aortic prosthetic valve. A six-week course of ampicillin was prescribed; gentamicin was added during the first two weeks. The patient continued a favourable clinical course. This is the 3rd described case of N. bacilliformis endocarditis and the first one in a prosthetic valve.

Genotypic tropism testing of proviral DNA to guide maraviroc initiation in aviraemic subjects: 48-week analysis of results from the PROTEST study.

OBJECTIVES: Maraviroc (MVC) is a suitable drug for aviraemic subjects on antiretroviral treatment (ART) developing toxicity. Its prescription requires prior tropism testing. It is unknown if proviral DNA genotypic tropism testing is reliable for guiding MVC initiation in aviraemic subjects, so this study was carried out to address this issue. METHODS: PROTEST was a phase 4, prospective, single-arm clinical trial carried out in 24 HIV care centres in Spain. MVC-naïve HIV-1-infected patients with HIV-1 RNA < 50 copies/mL on stable ART during the previous 6 months who required an ART change because of toxicity and who had R5 HIV, as determined by proviral DNA genotypic tropism testing, initiated MVC with two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and were followed for 48 weeks. Virological failure was defined as two consecutive viral load measurements > 50 copies/mL. RESULTS: Tropism results were available for 141 of 175 (80.6%) subjects screened: 60% had R5 and 85% of these (n = 74) were finally included in the study. Previous ART included protease inhibitors (PIs) in 62% of subjects, nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) in 36%, and integrase inhibitors (INIs) in 2%. Main reasons for treatment change were dyslipidaemia (42%), gastrointestinal symptoms (22%) and liver toxicity (15%). MVC was given alongside tenofovir (TDF)/emtricitabine (FTC) (54%) and abacavir (ABC)/lamivudine (3TC) (40%) in most patients. Eighty-four per cent of patients maintained a viral load < 50 copies/mL to week 48, whereas 16% discontinued treatment: two withdrew informed consent, one had an R5 to X4 shift between screening and baseline, one was lost to follow-up, one developed an adverse event (rash), two died from non-study-related causes, and five developed protocol-defined virological failure. CONCLUSIONS: Initiation of MVC plus two NRTIs in aviraemic subjects based on genotypic tropism testing of proviral HIV-1 DNA is associated with low rates of virological failure for up to 1 year.

Relationships between Serum Levels of Atazanavir and Renal Toxicity or Lithiasis.

The main aim of this study is to describe the relationship between serum levels of atazanavir, renal toxicity, and lithiasis. This is a prospective observational study of patients being treated with atazanavir (ATV) at Son Espases Teaching Hospital, Palma de Mallorca, between 2011 and 2013. The study includes 98 patients. Sixteen were found to have a history of urolithiasis. During a median monitoring period of 23 months, nine patients suffered renal colic, in three of whom ATV crystals were evidenced in urine. Cumulative incidence of renal colic was 9.2 per 100 patients. The variables related to having renal colic were the presence of alkaline urine pH and lower basal creatinine clearance. The mean serum level of ATV was slightly higher in patients with renal colic-1,303 µg/L versus 1,161 µg/L-but did not reach statistical significance. Neither were any significant differences detected by analysing the levels according to the timetable for ATV dosage. Cumulative incidence of renal colic was high in patients being treated with ATV, in 33% of whom the presence of ATV crystals was evidenced in urine. We were unable to demonstrate a relationship between ATV serum levels and renal colic or progression towards renal failure.

A randomized trial comparing the efficacy and tolerability of two HAART strategies at two years in antiretroviral naive patients.

BACKGROUND: The use of HAART combining 2 nucleoside analogues reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) plus one protease inhibitor (PI) or 2 NRTIs + 1 non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) has shown comparable efficacy. The study was designed to compare long term (2 years) effectiveness of two antiretroviral (ARV) treatment strategies in patients not previously treated: starting with a nelfinavir based HAART switching to nevirapine in case of failure or side effects or the reverse sequence. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, open label clinical trial enrolled ARV-naïve HIV patients with CD4 counts below 500 cells/mm3. They were randomly assigned to start ddI + d4T + nelfinavir (switching to ZDV + 3TC + NEV in case of failure or toxicity) (PI-NEV arm) or ddI + d4T + nevirapine, switching to ZDV + 3TC + NFV in case of failure or toxicity (NEV-PI arm). The primary study endpoint was the Kaplan-Meier estimates of the time to failure after switching to second regimen if necessary (considering failure as two consecutive plasma HIV-1 RNA determinations above 200 copies/mL, death, a new category C event or toxicity leading to treatment discontinuation of the second regimen) after a minimum follow-up of two years. RESULTS: A total of 137 patients were evaluable (67 and 70 in the PI-NEV and NEV-PI arms respectively). Baseline characteristics did not differ among groups. Kaplan-Meier estimates of time to failure did not show differences between the two arms neither in the on-treatment (OT) analysis (log rank test, p = 0.81) nor in the intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis (p = 0.58). At 24 months, the estimated proportion of patients free of failure were 72% and 66% respectively in the PI-NEV and NEV-PI arms OT analysis (p = 0.54) and 73% and 64% in the PI-NEV and NEV-PI arms in the ITT analysis (p = 0.49). The difference in the median in CD4+ lymphocyte count at 24 months was not significantly different in the two groups: 393 and 307 CD4 cells/mm3 in the PI-NEV and NEV-PI arms respectively (p = 0.167). The incidence of adverse events (AEs) in the two arms was very similar: 50 (75%) in the PI-NEV and 54 (70%) in the NEV-PI group, as it was for grade 3-4 AEs leading to drug switching. CONCLUSION: At two years both treatments strategies (PI-NEV vs NEV-PI) had a high and comparable efficacy and were generally well tolerated.

[Presence of measles virus antibodies in a group of patients with malignant hemopathy]. / Presencia de anticuerpos al virus del sarampión en un grupo de pacientes con hemopatías malignas.

225 monosera from patients (121 adults and 104 children) with different malignant haemopathies from the Institute of Hematology were studied. The hemagglutination inhibition (HI) technique and the neutralization technique were used to know the presence of antimeasles antibodies. All these patients were under immunosuppression treatment at the time of taking the specimen and children had received the triple viral vaccine (measles, rubella, parotiditis) before the disease was diagnosed. It was found that 51 (42.14%) of the adults' specimens were positive by HI and of the 25 negative specimens that underwent the neutralization technique, 18 (72%) proved to be positive. Of the 104 sera corresponding to children, 31 (29.8%) specimens were positive by HI, whereas 29 of the negative were studied by neutralization. 18.34% of all the specimens continued to be negative by both methods. According with the 2 techniques used, the presence of measles virus antibodies was of 81.66% in children and of 90.78% in adults.

[Eradication of measles in Cuba]. / La eliminación del sarampión en Cuba.

The vaccine against measles came into use in Cuba in 1971. During the seventies, a new early strategy for measles control was established, and it was followed by further efforts in the early eighties. Despite improvements to the control program, disease outbreaks continued to occur. In 1986, after examining the experience acquired through the control initiatives that were already in place, a new measles vaccination strategy was adopted. In time, the new vaccination strategy against measles came to have three main components: first, a single vaccination "catching-up" campaign targeting children 1 to 14 years of age. Second, efforts were made to achieve and maintain high vaccine coverage through mandatory vaccination services for 12-month-old children ("maintenance vaccination"). Finally, periodic "follow-up" campaigns were carried out for children 2 to 6 years of age. Steps were taken, for the purpose of monitoring the progress made so far toward eliminating measles, to strengthen disease surveillance systems, including the screening of suspected cases. The "catching-up" and "follow-up" campaigns both achieved greater than 98% coverage within targeted age groups. The routine vaccination program has also maintained high coverage. The high population immunity against measles that has been attained through these vaccination strategies has resulted in a rapid decrease in the incidence of the disease. From 1989 to 1992, less than 20 laboratory-confirmed cases were reported annually. In Cuba, the last case confirmed through serologic screening was reported in July 1993. Cuba's strategy for measles elimination has interrupted disease transmission and kept the causal virus from circulating on the island. Cuba's experience with measles elimination suggests that if an appropriate vaccination strategy is applied, measles can be globally eradicated.

[A comparison of the results obtained in IgM serology and anti-Coxsackie A9 (strain 47) neutralization in cases of epidemic neuropathy and their contacts]. / Comparación de los resultados obtenidos en la serología de IgM y la neutralización anti-Coxsackie A9 (cepa 47) en casos de neuropatía epidémica y sus contactos.

A number of 213 monosera from patients presenting with epidemic neuropathy and their contacts was studied by indirect immunofluorescence and neutralization tests with the aim of demonstrating the presence of serum IgM and neutralizing antibodies against the strain 47/93 IPK identified as a Coxsackie A9 virus. The mean age of the patients ranged from 20 to 59 years and positivity to both techniques was not found to be predominant for one or another sex. No significant difference was observed with respect to results obtained between patients and contacts with the techniques used for the study.

[Design of a curve model for the detection of human immunoglobulin G against herpes simplex virus in ultramicroELISA from a single serum dilution]. / Diseño de una curva patrón para la detección de inmunoglobulina G humana contra virus herpes simple en ultramicroELISA a partir de una dilución única del suero.

The use of a curve model in the application of a ultramicroELISA technique for the detection of human immunoglobulin G against herpes simplex virus is reported. Based on end point titration (linear regression) of 100 initial sera, 51 of these, with r2 > 0.98, were selected, and 4 curve models were elaborated to relate the natural fluorescence logarithm for 4 dilutions with the previously determined natural end point titration logarithm. The curve corresponding to the 1:40 (r2 = 0.9645) was selected to evaluate 39 additional serum samples whose approximate titration was known through the graphic design of the 4 dilutions. An 89% coincidence was found regarding the latter. Divergence of the other 11% was due to the lack of accuracy of the graphic method in the points near the cutline.

[Outbreaks of hepatitis A in the City of Havana in the year 1991]. / Estudio de brotes de hepatitis A ocurridos en Ciudad de La Habana en el año 1991.

Fifty-six outbreaks of hepatitis A infection were studied in City of Havana between January and September, 1991. In 34 of these, the presence of the hepatitis A virus (HAV) was confirmed, either by the detection of specific serum IGM antibodies to the HAV or by the detection of the antigen in the feces of the subjects under study. Diagnosis was not made in some of the outbreaks due to the insufficient number of samples sent to the laboratory. Of the 453 blood serum samples under study, 126 were positive for IGM antibodies to HAV (27.8%): a there was a good correlation between the presence of this immunoglobulin and the levels attained by the alanyl aminotransferase enzyme (ALT). Only in 19 feces samples, of the 263 under study, was the HAV antigen detected, which accounted to 7.2%; it was demonstrated that this marker is not useful for the diagnosis of an outbreak of hepatitis A infection.