Genetic polymorphism of ABO and Rh system in relation to bronchial asthma: preliminary report.

115 asthmatic children and 1001 healthy voluntary blood donors were studied in order to determine the distribution of blood groups among them. Gene frequencies were also calculated in asthmatic patients and controls. No difference was noted between Rh system in both groups; but the ABO system showed an excess of blood group A among asthmatic patients. Gene frequency of A (p) and gene frequency of O (r) was quite different too for asthmatics and controls. No difference was noted in blood groups B and AB; nor in the gene frequency of B(q). The difference in the distribution of blood group A and O between control and asthmatic groups was found to be highly significant (P less than 0.02) with the chi-square test.

[Measurement of the peak flow in ambulatory asthmatic patients]. / Valoración del flujo pico en pacientes asmáticos ambulatorios.

The evaluation of the state of respiratory function in asthmatic patients is useful for/the physician to decide on a certain therapeutic method, to determine how this function is modified by the action of a drug treatment schema, etc. The purpose of this work is to describe the behaviour of the results obtained by measurement of the values of peak flow reached for asthmatic patients attended in the allergology service. The measurement was applied to a hundred asthmatic patients of both sexes, selected at random from asthmatic patients seen in outpatient visits. The individuals were tested in a sitting position, using respiratory peak flow standard model equipment (M. 286, Airmed House). The measurements were done on each patient at minimum intervals of one minute. The results obtained in this way were averaged and the resulting value was compared with that foreseen for each individual, by age, sex and height. The patients were classified into four groups according to the presence or absence of positive symptomatology and the presence or absence of wheezing in the auscultation. Comparisons of these groups, both binary and for the four groups, were made as well as an analysis of whether or not the number of individuals with reduction of peak flow and without wheezing was significant in the sample. It was concluded that the use of subjective information obtained from the patient as well as the presence or not of wheezing constitute index of relative value for the evaluation of the functional status of the asthmatic patient, because there is a significant association between the presence of these signs and important obstruction of the airway.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Respiratory function in asthmatics deficient and non-deficient in alpha 1-antitrypsin]. / Función respiratoria en asmáticos deficientes y no deficientes de alfa-1-antitripsina.

The high prevalence of alleles S and Z in relation to deficient states of alpha-1-antitrypsin (alpha-1-AT) in patients with allergic bronchial syndrome has been tested in a sample of the population in Havana City. Due to the high incidence of bronchial asthma in Cuba, it is important to study the factors that might be involved in its etiology, and that is why the probable relation of alpha-1-AT deficiency to bronchial asthma is analyzed in this work. The phenotype for alpha-1-antitrypsin (alpha-1-AT) and the maximum expiratory flow were determined in 174 male and female ambulatory asthmatics between 15 and 82 years of age, by means of a manual flow meter. The possible relationship between the age at which asthma crisis shows up and the phenotype for alpha-1-AT was taken into account. In 108 patients who showed neither dyspnea nor auscultatory signs at the time of expiratory flow measurement, the influence of the phenotype for alpha-1-AT and the age at which the crisis show up on the maximum flow values and eventual interaction of both factors were studied. The maximum flow values reached by patients bearing different phenotypes according to the time of asthma development were also compared. The results did not show significant differences in any comparison made among the subjects with normal phenotypes for alpha-1-AT and the deficient phenotypes beares. Nevertheless, there might be differences in the respiratory function between normal and deficient phenotypes of alpha-1-AT that might be hidden because of the simultaneous occurrence of other factors participating in the etiopathogenesis of bronchial asthma.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Anesthetic agents and visual evoked potentials in patients undergoing transphenoidal or breast reconstruction surgery]. / Anestésicos y potenciales evocados visuales en pacientes durante cirugía transesfenoidal y cirugía reconstructiva de mama.

To study the effect of general anesthesia with diazepam, fentanyl and nitric oxide, a common combination during the intraoperative recording of visual evoked potentials (VEP) in transsphenoidal surgery, we compared the amplitude and latency of VEP components before anesthesia and at four moments after induction during the first hour of elective breast surgery in 20 patients with no neurological deficits. The results for these patients (group I) before anesthesia and 15 min after induction were also compared to presurgical recordings for 19 patients with hypophysial tumors and histories visual field and acuity involvement (group II). Latency increased significantly as a result of anesthesia whereas amplitude was affected to a lesser degree. Changes in latency of the main positive component was after anesthesia was the only parameter that was significantly different for the two group studied, variation being greater in group II.

[Genetic and environmental factors in essential arterial hypertension in an urban population of Cuba]. / Factores genéticos y ambientales en pacientes con hipertensión arterial esencial en una población urbana de Cuba.

The present trial has been conducted in order to determine familia aggregation and the relationship between high blood pressure, inheritance and environmental factors. We studied 108 subjects (36 high blood pressure patients, 36 controls and 36 first degree relatives) ranging in age from 21 to 55 years. This case-control study was undertaken to determine risk factors. Multivariance analysis with logistic regression was carried out. Our results showed hereditary factors in 73.8% of the cases. Being the main gene autosomal recessive. Thus the main factor for high pressure is hereditary predisposition. Others factor are, body mass index and the coefficient waist-hip. We found no correlation with serum lipids.

[The assessment of the nutritional status of patients with epidemic neuropathy in the year of its evolution. The biochemical indicators]. / Evaluación del estado nutricional de enfermos con neuropatía epidémica al año de evolución. Indicadores bioquímicos.

The nutritional status of a group of patients with epidemic neuropathy (EN) was reevaluated after a one-year follow-up to observe the changes occurred and to assess their relationship with the individual clinical evolution. 71 patients (40 men and 31 women) were examined. 28 had optic epidemic neuropathy and 43 mixed epidemic neuropathy. Vitamins thiamine, niacin, A and E were determined and the values were compared with those of risk 21 days later. There was an improvement of these indicators after 21 days as a response to the treatment, and an increase one year later of the percentage of individuals deficient in or situated at the margin of thiamine and niacin, which reflects a nutritional unbalance without an apparent association with the clinical evolution that showed a trend towards the recovery of the patients. This disassociation between the clinics and the nutritional and vitamin status suggest that the pathogeny of the EN may be connected with non-nutritional factors. The deficiency found in the nutritional vitamin state could anticipate a worsening of the clinical picture and/or the appearance of clinical manifestations corresponding to deficiency diseases.

[Humoral immune response to the capsular polysaccharide of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C in an antimeningococcal BC vaccination trial in Antioquia, Colombia]. / Respuesta inmune humoral al polisacárido capsular de Neisseria meningitidis serogrupo C en un ensayo de vacunación antimeningocócica BC en Antioquia, Colombia.

As a complement to studying humoral immune response to the proteins of an antimeningococcal vaccine (VA-MENGOC-BC) against serogroups B and C, the humoral immune response to polysaccharide C of the vaccine was also evaluated in 142 children from 1 to 5 years of age in an area of the Department of Antioquia, Colombia. Paired pre-(T0) and post-vaccination (T1) sera were tested for IgG response by means of ELISA and for serum lytic capacity against a strain of serogroup C by means of the bactericidal antibodies test (BAT). Response to the vaccine was statistically significant (P < 0.01) by both techniques. PAB demonstrated seroconversion (T1/T0 > or = 4) in 88% (95% confidence interval, CI95%: 80% to 95%) of all those who were seronegative before vaccination. The proportion of seroconversion in children 2, 3, and 4 years of age was 86% or more. Of all the sera tested with ELISA, 93% (CI95%: 89% to 97%) showed response to the vaccine (T1/T0 > or = 2), and 98% (CI95%: 94% to 100%) of the subjects with T0 < or = 500 U/mL seroconverted. In this sample, the vaccine stimulated a specific and protective response as measured by ELISA and BAT, the latter test being utilized to evaluate protection status.