Clinical and Demographic Predictors of Conversion to Dementia in Mexican Elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

BACKGROUND: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered a clinical stage between normal cognitive aging and dementia. The clinical course of MCI is heterogeneous, with a significant number of cases progressing to dementia or reverting back to normal. OBJECTIVE: To determine the predictors of conversion from mild cognitive impairment to dementia among Mexican older adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of 175 persons underwent clinical and neuropsychological evaluation to establish mild cognitive impairment diagnosis. These patients were followed-up for a mean 3.5 years. RESULTS: Mean age was 81.7 (± 6.9) years, 57% were women, and mean education level was 9.5 (± 6.1) years. Sixty-one percent of mild cognitive impairment participants progressed to dementia. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that progression to dementia was associated with age (HR: 4.95; 95% CI: 1.96-12.46; p = 0.001), low education level (HR: 5.81; 95% CI: 1.90-7.78; p < 0.002), history of stroke (HR: 3.92; 95% CI: 1.37-11.16; p < 0.012) and cognitive decline (HR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.18-1.45; p = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Age, poor education, cognitive decline, and a history of stroke were predictors of conversion to dementia. The identification and control of modifiable risk factors could influence conversion to dementia.

[Spontaneus pneumomediastinum associated with exacerbation of asthma during the epidemic of influenza A H1N1: Inform of four cases]. / Neumomediastino espontáneo asociado a exacerbación del asma durante la epidemia de influenza A H1N1; informe de cuatro casos.

Spontaneus pneumomediastinum (SP) is an infrequent but usually benign pathology. Its main clinical manifestations are thoracic pain, dyspnea and subcutaneous emphysema. We describe the clinical findings of 4 SP patients, identified in the context of an A H1N1 influenza virus epidemic. All the patients were young and all of them required initial medical attention for asthma exacerbation. The most frequent symptoms and signs to detect SP were cervical pain and subcutaneous emphysema; chest radiography helped to confirm the diagnosis. Concomitant A H1N1 influenza virus infection was documented in two patients. The treatment was focused in the basic pathology; two patients were placed on oseltamivir, whereas the two others just had expectant management.