Evaluation of a New Immunochromatographic Test Using Recombinant Antigen B8/1 for Diagnosis of Cystic Echinococcosis.

Diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis (CE) is based on the identification of the cyst(s) by imaging, using immunodiagnostic tests mainly as complementary tools in clinical settings. Among the antigens used for immunodiagnosis, previous studies described a good performance of the recombinant antigen B8/1 (rAgB) in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) format; however, in remote parts of areas where the disease is endemic, the implementation of an ELISA is difficult, so a more simple, rapid, and reliable method such as the immunochromatographic test (ICT) is required. In this study, using a set of 50 serum samples from patients with surgically confirmed CE, we compared the performance of an ICT and that of an ELISA using the rAgB. The overall sensitivities of ICT and ELISA were not statistically different (78% versus 72%; P = 0.36). The overall agreement between both tests was moderate (κ = 0.41; P < 0.01). Concordance between ICT and ELISA was substantial or almost perfect for patients with liver involvement (κ = 0.65; P < 0.001) and patients with more than one hydatid cyst (κ = 0.82; P < 0.001), respectively. Moreover, specificity analysis using a total of 88 serum samples from healthy individuals (n = 20) and patients (n = 68) with other parasitic infections revealed that ICT had a specificity of 89.8%. ICT and ELISA had similar performance for the detection of specific antibodies to E. granulosus, and ICT had a high specificity, opening the possibility of using ICT as a screening tool in rural settings.

Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for refractory recurrent pericarditis.

Recurrent pericarditis is a troublesome complication of idiopathic acute pericarditis and occurs more frequently in pediatric patients after cardiac surgery (postpericardiotomy syndrome). Conventional treatment with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and colchicine is not always effective or may cause serious adverse effects. There is no consensus, however, on how to proceed in those patients whose disease is refractory to conventional therapy. In such cases, human intravenous immunoglobulin, immunosuppressive drugs, and biological agents have been used. In this report we describe 2 patients with refractory recurrent pericarditis after cardiac surgery who were successfully treated with 3 and 5 monthly high-dose (2 g/kg) intravenous immunoglobulin until resolution of the effusion. Our experience supports the effectiveness and safety of this therapy.

[Surgical treatment for left-sided heart valve disease in a national reference hospital in Lima, Peru]. / Tratamiento quirúrgico de la enfermedad valvular cardiaca de predominio izquierdo, en un hospital de referencia nacional de Lima, Perú

OBJECTIVES: To describe the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative characteristics of patients with left-sided heart valve disease treated in the thoracic and cardiovascular surgery service of a national reference hospital; as well as to describe the occurrence of thromboembolic and bleeding events in these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective longitudinal study was carried out, which included 185 patients who underwert surgery between 1999 and 2006 at the Hospital Nacional Dos de Mayo (Lima, Peru). The patients were divided into 4 groups: patients with mitral commissurotomy; with aortic valve replacement; with mitral valve replacement and with double valve replacement. T-student test, Chi-square test, analysis of variance and Bonferroni test were used. The survival analysis took into account the severe thromboembolic and bleeding events and a follow-up period of 7 years was set. RESULTS: The average durations of disease was 4.6 years. The most frequent etiology was rheumatic valve disease (74.6%). Hospital mortality was 3.8%, the most frequent cause of death was low cardiac output syndrome associated to multiple organ failure. The incidence of ischemic events (thrombosis or embolization) in patients who had a long-term valve replacement (more than 6 months) was 3.2%, and the incidence of bleeding events was 4.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The results of surgical treatment for left-sided heart valve disease in Peru are favorable. The rate of complications and hospital mortality rate, as well as the long-term thromboembolic and bleeding events are comparable to those reported in the world literature.

Tratamiento quirúrgico de la enfermedad valvular cardiaca de predominio izquierdo, en un hospital de referencia nacional de Lima, Perú / Surgical treatment for left-sided heart valve disease in a national reference hospital in Lima, Peru

Objetivos. Describir las características preoperatorias, intraoperatorias y posoperatorias de los pacientes con enfermedad valvular cardiaca de predominio izquierdo (EVCPI) tratados en un servicio de cirugía de tórax y cardiovascular de un hospital de referencia nacional; así como describir la ocurrencia de eventos tromboembólicos y hemorrágicos en estos pacientes. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó un estudio longitudinal retrospectivo en el que se incluyeron 185 pacientes operados entre 1999 y 2006 en el Hospital Nacional Dos de Mayo (Lima, Perú). Los pacientes fueron divididos en cuatro grupos: con comisurotomía mitral; con reemplazo valvular aórtico; con reemplazo valvular mitral y con doble reemplazo valvular. Se empleó la prueba t de student, la prueba chi cuadrado, el análisis de varianza y la prueba de Bonferroni. El análisis de supervivencia tomó en cuenta los eventos tromboembolicos y hemorrágicos serios y se fijó un tiempo de seguimiento de seis años. Resultados. El tiempo de enfermedad promedio fue 4,6 años. La etiología más frecuente fue enfermedad reumática valvular (74,6%). La mortalidad hospitalaria fue 3,8%, siendo la causa de muerte más frecuente el síndrome de bajo gasto cardiaco con falla multiorgánica asociada. La incidencia de eventos isquémicos (trombosis o embolización) en pacientes que tuvieron reemplazo valvular a largo plazo (más de 6 meses) fue 3,2%, y de eventos hemorrágicos fue 4,3%. Conclusiones. Los resultados del tratamiento quirúrgico de EVCPI en el Perú son favorables. La tasa de complicaciones y mortalidad hospitalaria, así como los eventos tromboembólicos y hemorrágicos a largo plazo son comparables con los reportados en la literatura mundial.

Objectives. To describe the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative characteristics of patients with left-sided heart valve disease treated in the thoracic and cardiovascular surgery service of a national reference hospital; as well as to describe the occurrence of thromboembolic and bleeding events in these patients. Materials and methods. A retrospective longitudinal study was carried out, which included 185 patients who underwert surgery between 1999 and 2006 at the Hospital Nacional Dos de Mayo (Lima, Peru). The patients were divided into 4 groups: patients with mitral commissurotomy; with aortic valve replacement; with mitral valve replacement and with double valve replacement. T-student test, Chi-square test, analysis of variance and Bonferroni test were used. The survival analysis took into account the severe thromboembolic and bleeding events and a follow-up period of 7 years was set. Results. The average durations of disease was 4.6 years. The most frequent etiology was rheumatic valve disease (74.6%). Hospital mortality was 3.8%, the most frequent cause of death was low cardiac output syndrome associated to multiple organ failure. The incidence of ischemic events (thrombosis or embolization) in patients who had a long-term valve replacement (more than 6 months) was 3.2%, and the incidence of bleeding events was 4.3%. Conclusions. The results of surgical treatment for left-sided heart valve disease in Peru are favorable. The rate of complications and hospital mortality rate, as well as the long-term thromboembolic and bleeding events are comparable to those reported in the world literature.