[Plasma concentrations of beta-endorphins in the children of alcoholic patients]. / Niveles de beta-endorfinas en hijos de padres alcohólicos.

BACKGROUND: Of the factors identified in different studies as the possible causes of alcoholism, heredity appears to be the most important. However, environmental factors can increase or decrease the risk of an individual developing alcohol dependence. METHOD: To clarify the possible influence of heredity on alcoholism, we studied the plasma concentration of beta-endorphins in 25 families with alcoholic members: 27 children whose father was alcoholic and 7 whose father and mother were both alcoholics. The results were compared with finding in an age-matched control group of no-drinking adults and normal children in non-drinking families. RESULTS: The children of alcoholic parents had significantly lower beta-endorphin levels (p < 0.001) than control individuals, and concentrations were especially low when both parents were alcoholics. CONCLUSION: We conclude that plasma beta-endorphin concentration may have predictive value in identifying persons likely to become alcoholics.

Niveles de beta-endorfinas en hijos de padres alcohólicos / Plasma concentrations of beta-endorphins in the children of alcoholic parents

Introducción: En los últimos años son numerosos los trabajos acerca de las posibles causas del alcoholismo, donde parece intervenir varios factores, siendo la herencia uno de los más implicados, aunque se han destacado otros, como factores ambientales, que contribuirían a aumentar o disminuir el riesgo individual para desarrollar una dependencia alcohólica. Método: Para intentar aclarar la posible influencia de la herencia en el alcoholismo, hemos estudiado los niveles de beta-endorfinas (β-E) en 25 familias de alcohólicos, en las cuales había 27 hijos con un padre alcohólico y 7 hijos con los dos, así como en dichos padres alcohólicos, y comparado los resultados con unos grupos control: uno de adultos no bebedores y otro de niños normales en familias de no-bebedores, con edades similares. Resultados: Se ha encontrado que los hijos de alcohólicos tienen unos niveles de Beta-E significativamente más bajos (p < 0,001) que los controles, y estos niveles eran aún más bajos en los hijos cuyos dos padres eran alcohólicos. Conclusión: Se concluye que la determinación de β-E podía tener un valor predictivo a la hora de determinar quién es más propenso a ser alcohólico en el futuro

Background: Of the factors identified in different studies as the possible causes of alcoholism, heredity appears to be the most important. However, environmental factors can increase or decrease the risk of an individual developing alcohol dependence. Method: To clarify the possible influence of heredity on alcoholism, we studied the plasma concentration of beta-endorphins in 25 families with alcoholic members: 27 children whose father was alcoholic and 7 whose father and mother were both alcoholics. The results were compared with finding in an age-matched control group of no-drinking adults and normal children in non-drinking families. Results: The children of alcoholic parents had significantly lower beta-endorphin levels (p < 0.001) than control individuals, and concentrations were especially low when both parents were alcoholics. Conclusion: We conclude that plasma beta-endorphin concentration may have predictive value in identifying persons likely to become alcoholics

Epidemiología del déficit en glucose-6-fosfato deshidrogenasa eritrocitaria en España / No disponible

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El déficit de piruvato-quinasa eritrocitaria. Revisión / No disponible

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Actividad asistencial en una unidad de medicina interna / Medical activity in an internal medicine unit

Objetivos: analizar la actividad asistencial en una unidad de Medicina Interna del Hospital Clínico Universitario de Granada. Casuística. Métodos: se estudian367 enfermos ingresados durante el años 1998 en una unidad de 18 camas. Se examinó el informe de alta o epicrisis de todos los pacientes, protocolizando la edad, sexo, diagnósticos principal y secundarios, mortalidad intrahospitalaria, traslado a otros servicios. Resultados: 202 (55%) pacientes eran varones y 165 (45%) mujeres. Hubo un neto predominio de las edades avanzadas con una media de 74±3 años. El motivo de ingreso fue por orden de frecuencia: cardiovascular respiratorio y neurológico. La mitad de los pacientes tenía 5 ó más diagnósticos al alta. La mortalidad fue del 11% (41 casos). Conclusiones: en el servicio de Medicina Interna ingresan la mayor parte de pacientes con edades muy avanzadas portadores de pluripatologías, siendo la mortalidad muy elevada

Aim: to analyse the activity in an Internal Medicine Unit in the Clinic Universitary Hospital of Granada. Patients. Methods: 367 patients was admitted in 1998 in 18 beds unit. We study the discharged report. Results: 202 (55%) men and 165 (45%) women. Many patients was very old, with a median age of 74±3 years. The main causes of hospitalization was cardiovascular, respiratory and neourologic disease. Half of patients had 5 or more diagnoses when they were discharged. Mortality was 11% (41 cases).Conclusions: most of the patients in a Internal medicine Unit was old people, with many diseases and a high mortality

¿Réquiem por la Medicina Interna? / By-By for the Internal Medicine?

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Miastenia gravis tras tratamiento con tetrazepan / Myasthenia gravis after tetrazepam treatment

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[Splenic abscess: a case report and review of the literature]. / Absceso esplénico: presentación de un caso y revisión de la literatura.

A patients with multiple splenic abscesses of fungal origin ist presented. It is a unusual pathology that generally, only by postmortem ist diagnosed. The etiology, clinical features, diagnostic methods and therapeutic measures are discussed, and the necessity of early and accurate diagnostic and treatment. The prognosis of the splenic abscess is still associated with a high mortality.

Absceso esplénico: presentación de un caso y revisión de la literatura / Splenic abscess: presentation of a new case and review of the literature

Se presenta el caso de un paciente afecto de un absceso esplénico múltiple. Se trata de una patología poco frecuente, generalmente diagnosticada en estudios postmortem. Se discute la etiología, forma de presentación clínica, métodos diagnósticos y posibilidades terapéuticas, así como la necesidad de realizar diagnósticos precoces para iniciar pautas de tratamiento que permitan disminuir las altas tasas de mortalidad que tiene esta enfermedad (AU)

Increased peripheral mononuclear cells expression of adhesion molecules in alcoholic cirrhosis: its relation to immune activation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cell adhesion phenomena are relevant in the immune mechanisms leading to organ damage in various diseases. Patients with alcoholic cirrhosis present with immune alterations that include findings of immunodeficiency and indications of an activated immune response. METHODS: In 37 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis we have determined the expression of surface antigens and adhesion molecules on peripheral lymphocytes and monocytes, serum levels of immunoglobulins, circulating cytokines, namely tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1 beta, serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecule and neopterin. RESULTS: In patients, we found an increased expression of several adhesion molecules ICAM-1, LFA-3 and MAC-1 in lymphocytes, LFA-3 in monocytes and surface activation markers CD71 and DR in lymphocytes, as well as increased concentrations of the serum parameters measured: IgA, IgG, IgM, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, soluble ICAM-1 and neopterin, in comparison with controls. CONCLUSIONS: The enhancement of the adhesion phenomena in circulating mononuclear cells of patients with cirrhosis correlates to the severity of the disease and is related to other parameters of immune activation.

[Pleuropericarditis as the only manifestation of Legionella pneumophila infection]. / Pleuropericarditis como manifestación única de infección por Legionella pneumophila.

Pleural effusion caused by Legionella is seen fairly frequently but is hardly ever of great clinical significance. Pericardial involvement has been described only rarely. We present a case of pleuropericarditis as the only sign of infection by Legionella pneumophila in a 66-years-old man with no prior history of disease. The patient came to the hospital with chest pain suggestive of pleurisy, low-grade fever, dry cough and dyspnea. The etiology was not suspected and the diagnosis was made retrospectively based on indirect immunofluorescence. After 3 weeks of treatment with high dose of erythromycin the patient recovered and remains asymptomatic to date. We conclude that infection by Legionella pneumophila should be suspected in patients with pleurisy or pericarditis of unknown cause.

[A retrospective study of alcoholism at the Hospital Universitario de Granada. II. The reasons for admission and associated pathology in these patients]. / Estudio retrospectivo del etilismo en el Hospital Universitario de Granada. II. Causas de ingreso y patología asociada en estos pacientes.

In a retrospective study conducted from 1985 to 1990, the cause of hospitalization and associated pathology of 221 chronic ethylics were investigated. The most frequent cause of hospitalization was neuropsychiatric, followed by digestive pathology. With respect to the most frequent associated pathology, it was mainly digestive, causing multiple hospitalizations in most of the patients. The respiratory, cardiocirculatory and endocrine-metabolic pathologies followed in the frequency rank in these patients, as well as the traumatisms resulting from the ebrietas condition. We also observed gynecological and neonatal pathologies among the alcoholic women. The association of alcohol, tobacco and analgesics and psychodrugs consumption deserves also to be mentioned.

[Lyme disease: a multisystemic condition]. / Enfermedad de Lyme: una afección multisistémica.

While Lyme's Disease is clinically well known since 1920, its complete ascertainment and its etiological agent, as well as the details of its transmission mechanisms and multisystemic clinical manifestations (mainly dermatological, cardiac, neurological and articular) have been only recently known. In Spain, the number of papers published on this affection has increased lately, although its understanding is still not as generalized as it should be. This review focuses mainly on our country's experience, as well as on its clinical characteristics. We think that it is a very important affection, since its estimated incidence is 500 cases per year, a significant figure compared to other European countries.

[A retrospective study of alcoholism at the Hospital Universitario de Granada (1): the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics]. / Estudio retrospectivo del etilismo en el Hospital Universitario de Granada (1): Características sociodemográficas y clínicas.

This work offers the results of a retrospective study carried out on 856 patients diagnosed as suffering from alcoholism and/or other alcohol-related illnesses over 120456 who were admitted at the Granada University Hospital over the period 1985-1990. The patients have been classified in a distribution according to various factors, including age, sex, place of residence, profession and hospital admittance and discharge procedure. We have also taken into account both annual and accumulated incidence, as well as the distribution of those patients in the different hospital services and the evolution of the global average hospital stay. We then offer a study contrasting our results with other national and international studies, taking into account elements such as conceptual diversity and similarities and differences in methodology.

[Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and lipids in acute myocardial infarct]. / Dehidroepiandrosterona-sulfato y lípidos en el infarto agudo de miocardio.

To establish the possible relationship between acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) in a group of 15 patients with AMI, blood levels of DHEA-S and certain lipids (total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides) were determined at admission in the hospital and after 10 days. As controls a group of healthy individuals or with minor diseases, and a group of 24 severely ill non-cardioischaemic patients have been studied. DHEA-S and HDL-cholesterol levels have been found significantly lowered both in patients with AMI (at 10th day) as well as in the severely ill non-cardioischaemic patients, in comparison with the healthy volunteers group. We conclude, then, than the lowering in DHEA-S and HDL-cholesterol seems not to be specifically relates with AMI but has a certain relationship with severe disorders in general.