[Detection of risks for the safety of the patients in the implementation of continuous techniques of extracorporeal depuration (CTED)]. / Detección de riesgos para la seguridad del paciente en la implementación de técnicas continuas de depuración extracorpórea.

INTRODUCTION: Continuous techniques of extracorporeal depuration (CTED) manage high volumes of fluid exchange and extensive control of its safety is required. OBJECTIVE: To detect the risks of CTED and to determine its frequency per patient. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An observational, retrospective study was performed. Inclusion criteria were patients admitted from January 2009 to December 2009, with CTED in the Polyvalent Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Hospital 12 de Octubre. We previously identified 10 risks that were detectable in the clinical records. We analyzed demographic and treatment variables. The quantitative variables were expressed as mean±SD and the qualitative ones as absolute and relative frequencies. ANALYSIS: SPSS 15.0(®). RESULTS: A total of 54 patients (11.7%), with ages 59.78±14.8, 42 men (77.8%) were included. In 81.4%, the indication was acute kidney failure; 80.3% were treated with hemodiafiltration. Mean hours of CTED were 112.9±139.9 and the medium of 2 filters per patient (recommended intakes 0-31). Risk/patient rate was: 100% of patients without monitoring of the Mg and P, and 3.7% (n=2) urea; in 16 (29.6%), there was coagulation of the circuit prior to 24 hours and in 25 (46.3%) the blood could not be returned; in 14 (29.3%), written regime was always lacking on the order for treatment. The dose was not reflected on the patient's chart in 2 (3.7%); in 3 patients (5.6%) with coagulation disorder, anticoagulants were prescribed in the circuit. In 1 (1.9%) bleeding was observed and in 10 (18.5%) there was mild hypothermia (35-32°C). CONCLUSIONS: A standardized monitoring of the Mg and P is required. The therapy should be prescribed in the medical treatment. The technique needs to be improved in order to prolong its duration and avoid blood losses.

Latent Haemophilus influenzae pneumonia in patients infected with HIV.

Pneumonia caused by common pyogenic bacteria occurs frequently in HIV-infected patients. Its clinical presentation has been described as being similar to that seen in non-immunosuppressed hosts but clearly different to that of opportunistic pneumonias. An atypical presentation has rarely been seen. In a 10-month period, we saw 12 HIV-infected patients who presented with Haemophilus influenzae pneumonia which was clinically and radiologically indistinguishable from Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Ten of the patients were intravenous drug users and were in different stages of HIV disease. The clinical picture was characterized by a prolonged course (median 4 weeks), non-productive cough, dyspnoea, and absence of findings usually present in bacterial pneumonia. Laboratory data frequently showed absence of leukocytosis, increased lactate dehydrogenase levels, hypoxaemia, and decreased CD4+ cell counts. All presented with interstitial or mixed bilateral infiltrates. Resistance to ampicillin and trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole were each found in seven cases. Eleven patients were cured with antibiotic therapy, although five relapsed. H. influenzae pneumonia should be considered in HIV-infected patients who present with pulmonary symptoms and bilateral infiltrates of subacute or chronic onset. Clinical resolution of pneumonia is the usual outcome, but recurrences of infection are frequent.

[Monoclonal IgG lambda paraprotein, Fanconi's syndrome of the adult, and osteomalacia (author's transl)]. / Paraproteína monoclonal IgG lambda, síndrome de Fanconi del adulto y osteomalacia.

The case here reported of 72 year-old female with osteomalacia in whom an adult's Fanconi's syndrome with distal tubular involvement and a monoclonal IgG-lambda paraprotein were discovered. There was urinary excretion of lambda light chains without evidence of myeloma or amyloidosis. Such apparently unrelated entities might be subject to an unitary pathophysiological approach: the nephrotoxicity of light chains could cause a Fanconi's syndrome, which in turn would give rise to osteomalacia through phosphate depletion. It is noteworthy that in this patient the urinary excretion of light chains was of the lambda type, in contrast to similar cases described in the literature which presented mostly kappa chains. The likelihood of this patient developing myeloma or amyloidosis at a later stage is discussed.