Predictive equation of metastasis in patients with malignant ovarian epithelial tumors with the Ca-125 marker.

BACKGROUND: Cancer antigen (CA) 125 (CA-125) is used in ovarian cancer detection and monitoring, whose serum level has a positive correlation with tumor stage. The aim of this study was to obtain a prediction metastasis equation in a group of patients with ovarian cancer based on Ca-125. METHODS: A 2-group comparative observational study was conducted at a single oncologic institution (SOLCA) in Cuenca-Ecuador. All patients who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer between January 1996 and December 2016 were included in the current study. Group 1 (G1) patients with the I and II International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and Metastasis Group (MG), with III and IV stage, were subdivided. A logistic regression equation was performed to predict metastasis based on Logarithm of serum Ca-125 levels. RESULTS: We included 85 cases in G1 and 64 patients in MG, with 47.8 ± 15 years (G1) and 57.5 ± 13.6 years (MG) of age (P < 0.001). Mortality in G1 was 2 cases (3.1%) and 53 cases (62.4%) in MG (P < 0.001). The CA-125 serum level was 163.5 ± 236 in G1 and 1220.9 ± 1940 u / ml in MG (P < 0.001). The equation to predict metastasis = (Age*0.053) + [(Logarithm Ca-125 value) * 1.078] - 8.163 with an OR 2.940 (CI 95% 2.046-4.223) P < 0.001. The sensitivity of the equation was 82.4% and the specificity was 79.7%. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to predict the presence of metastasis in a group of patients with ovarian cancer based on Ca-125.

Optimal surgical timing after post-infarction ventricular septal rupture.

BACKGROUND: Ventricular septal rupture (VSR) following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a dangerous condition. Surgical VSR closure is the definitive therapy, but there is controversy regarding the surgical timing and the bridging therapy between diagnosis and intervention. The objective of this study is to analyze the ideal time of surgical repair and to establish the contribution of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices on the prognosis. METHODS: We designed an observational, retrospective, multicenter study, selecting all consecutive patients with post-AMI VSR between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2018, with non-exclusion criteria. The main objective of this study was to analyze the optimal timing for surgical repair of post-AMI VSR. Secondary endpoints were to determine which factors could influence mortality in the patients of the surgical group. RESULTS: A total of 141 patients were included. We identified lower mortality rates with an odds ratio of 0.3 (0.1-0.9) in patients operated on from day 4 compared with the surgical mortality in the first 24 hours after VSR diagnosis. The use of MCS was more frequent in patients treated with surgery, particularly for intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP; 79.6% vs. 37.8%, p < 0.001), but also for veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO; 18.2% vs. 6.4%, p = 0.134). Total mortality was 91.5% for conservative management and 52.3% with surgical repair (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, we observed that the lowest mortality rates in patients with surgical repair of post-AMI VSR were observed in patients operated on from day 4 after diagnosis of VSR, compared to earlier interventions.

Temporal trends in postinfarction ventricular septal rupture: the CIVIAM Registry.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Postinfarction ventricular septal rupture is a rare but severe complication of myocardial infarction with high mortality rates. Our goal was to analyze which factors could have an impact on mortality due to this entity over the past decade, including those related to mechanical circulatory support. METHODS: The CIVIAM registry is an observational, retrospective, multicenter study carried out in Spain. We designed a comparative analysis, focused on description of in-hospital management and in-hospital and 1-year total mortality as the primary endpoints, dividing the total observation time into 2 equal temporal periods (January 2008 to June2013 and July 2013 to December 2018). RESULTS: We included 120 consecutive patients. Total mortality during this period was 61.7% at 1-year follow-up. Patients in the second period were younger. One-year mortality was significantly reduced in the second period (75.6% vs 52.7%, P=.01), and this result was confirmed after adjustment by confounding factors (OR, 0.40; 95%CI, 0.17-0.98). Surgical repair was attempted in 58.7% vs 70.3%, (P=.194), and percutaneous closure in 8.7% and 6.8%, respectively (P=.476). Heart transplant was performed in 1 vs 5 patients (2.2% vs 6.8%, P=.405). The main difference in the clinical management between the 2 periods was the greater use of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenatiom in the second half of the study period (4.4% vs 27%; P=.001). CONCLUSIONS: Postinfarction ventricular septal rupture still carries a very high mortality risk. There has been a progressive trend to increased support with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenatiom and greater access to available corrective treatments, with higher survival rates.

Arritmias ventriculares en el síndrome de takotsubo: cuestión de sexo / Sex-related risk of arrhythmia in takotsubo syndrome

Resumen El síndrome de takotsubo, también conocido como miocardiopatía de estrés, representa un difícil reto diagnóstico, pues en muchos casos su presentación es superponible al infarto de miocardio por ruptura de placa; el diagnóstico definitivo se basa en la ausencia de lesiones culpables en la coronariografía. La fisiopatología de la enfermedad no está por completo establecida, y tiene un pronóstico generalmente benigno. Sin embargo, existe un porcentaje no despreciable de pacientes que sufren complicaciones graves, entre las que destacan las arritmias malignas tipo taquicardia ventricular polimórfica por prolongación del intervalo QT. A pesar de que el síndrome de takotsubo afecta principalmente a las mujeres, quienes por otra parte también suelen tener intervalos QT más prolongados en condiciones basales, la muerte súbita de origen arrítmico aparece con mayor frecuencia en los hombres que sufren esta enfermedad. Se presentan dos casos de ensanchamiento extremo del intervalo QT corregido en pacientes con takotsubo que tuvieron desenlaces diferentes. El propósito de este trabajo es destacar y revisar las diferencias electrocardiográficas y pronósticas relacionadas con el sexo de los sujetos que desarrollan esta controvertida enfermedad.

Abstract Takotsubo syndrome, also known as stress cardiomyopathy, is a difficult diagnostic challenge as, in many cases, its presentation can overlap with that of myocardial infarction due to plaque rupture. The definitive diagnosis is based on the lack of culprit lesions on coronariography. The pathophysiology of the disease has not been completely ascertained, and it has a generally benign prognosis. However, a not inconsiderable percentage of patients experience serious complications, notably malignant arrhythmias like polymorphic ventricular tachycardia due to a prolonged QT interval. Despite takotsubo syndrome affecting mainly women who, furthermore, generally have longer basal QT intervals, sudden death due to arrhythmias is more common in men with this disease. Two cases are presented of extremely prolonged corrected QT intervals in patients with takotsubo, with different outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to highlight and review the electrocardiographic and prognostic differences related to the gender of the individuals who develop this controversial disease.

Evolución en el manejo de las dislipemias: análisis comparativo de las guías ESC 2019 versus ACC/AHA 2018 / Evolution in the management of dyslipidemia: comparative analysis of the 2019 ESC versus 2018 ACC/AHA guidelines / Evolução no manejo da dislipidemia: análise comparativa das diretrizes da ESC 2019 versus ACC/AHA 2018

Resumen: El tratamiento de las dislipemias ha mostrado un cambio constante en la última década. La aparición de relevantes ensayos clínicos con fármacos de gran poder hipolipemiante, como son los inhibidores de la absorción de colesterol y los inhibidores de la enzima proproteína convertasa subtilisina kexina tipo 9 (PCSK9), ha condicionado un cambio en la perspectiva del tratamiento, siendo necesaria una actualización de los objetivos en este terreno. A su vez, han surgido varios estudios que aportan evidencia sobre el riesgo individual de determinadas situaciones, como la diabetes o la hipercolesterolemia familiar, que han ayudado a estratificar adecuadamente a los pacientes y han facilitado información sobre qué niveles de colesterol son los más adecuados para prevenir el desarrollo de enfermedad cardiovascular (CV). Además, han aparecido herramientas nuevas para poder individualizar cuál es el riesgo de cada individuo. Las técnicas de imagen CV se han desarrollado de tal manera que pueden diagnosticar el estado de salud o enfermedad, incluso en estadios precoces y en pacientes asintomáticos. Todos estos cambios han derivado en la aparición de nuevas guías de práctica clínica, siendo el análisis de las más actuales (ACC/AHA (American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association) 2018 y ESC (European Society of Cardiology) 2019) el motivo de esta revisión.

Summary: Treatment of dyslipidemia has shown constant changes in the last decade. The emergence of several clinical trials with huge lipid lowering power, fundamentally cholesterol absorption inhibitors and PCSK9 inhibitors, has caused a change in the treatment perspective and an upgrade in patient control. At the same time, there has emerged various studies regarding the individual risk in certain situations, such as diabetes or familial hypercholesterolemia. They have helped to improve the stratification of patients and have contributed with ample data about best cholesterol levels to prevent cardiovascular disease. We have also now more tools for the individualization of patients' risk. Image tests have developed in such way that can change the perception of health and illness, even in early stages of the disease and asymptomatic patients. All these changes have resulted in appearance of new clinical practice guidelines, being the analysis of the most current (ACC/AHA (American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association) 2018 and ESC (European Society of Cardiology) 2019) the purpose of this article.

Resumo: O tratamento da dislipidemia mostrou uma mudança constante na última década. O surgimento de grandes ensaios clínicos com medicamentos de alto poder hipolipemiante, como inibidores da absorção de colesterol e inibidores PCSK9, condicionou uma mudança na perspectiva do tratamento, exigindo uma atualização dos objetivos nesse campo. Por sua vez, surgiram varios estudos que fornecem evidências sobre o risco individual de certas situações, como diabetes ou hipercolesterolemia familiar, que ajudaram a estratificar adequadamente os pacientes e forneceram informações sobre quais níveis de colesterol são mais adequados para impedir o desenvolvimento de doenças cardiovasculares neles. Além disso, novas ferramentas parecem capazes de identificar mais qual é o risco de cada indivíduo. As técnicas de imagem cardiovascular foram desenvolvidas de forma a modificar o estado de saúde ou doença cardiovascular, mesmo em estágios iniciais e em pacientes assintomáticos. Todas essas mudanças resultaram no surgimento de novas diretrizes de prática clínica, com a análise das mais recentes (ACC/AHA (American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association) 2018 e ESC (European Society of Cardiology) 2019) o motivo dessa revisão.

Colestasis: un enfoque actualizado / Cholestasis: an updated approach

Mediante una extensa revisión bibliográfica fue posible profundizar en el tema de las ictericias obstructivas o las colestasis, sobre todo en los aspectos más importantes de su definición, semiogénesis, clasificación, etiopatogenia, manifestaciones clínicas, estudios de laboratorio e imagenológicos, además del diagnóstico, la evolución, el pronóstico y tratamiento, con el objetivo de proporcionar los elementos más novedosos de cada uno de ellos, a través de un enfoque didáctico y una base científica, desde la óptica del internista, para así facilitar conocimientos prácticos acerca del síndrome

It was possible to deepen in the topic of the obstructive icterus or cholestasis by means of an extensive literature review, mainly in the most important aspects of its definition, semiogenesis, classification, etiopathogenesis, clinical manifestations, laboratory and imagenological studies, besides diagnosis, clinical course, prognosis and treatment in this respect, with the objective of providing the most original elements of each of them, through a didactic approach and a scientific base, from the internist's optics, and in this way, to facilitate practical knowledge about the syndrome

Enfermedad hepática por depósito de grasa / Hepatic disease due to fat deposit

La enfermedad hepática por depósito de grasa adquiere cada vez una importancia mayor como entidad y, al mismo tiempo, como factor de riesgo aislado o asociado al síndrome metabólico. Con el objetivo de actualizar algunos aspectos relacionados con esta hepatopatía, tales como su actual nomenclatura y nuevo enfoque etiopatogénico, se efectuó la presente revisión bibliográfica desde una perspectiva clínica, la que incluye datos elementales sobre la fisiopatología y las características de presentación de la entidad, así como las principales armas utilizadas en su diagnóstico, control o terapéutica. Se demuestra, además, que la visión sobre el tema ha cambiado en los últimos años y constituye fuente de investigación en múltiples grupos prestigiosos por las particularidades de su evolución.

The hepatic disease due to fat deposit acquires greater importance as entity and, at the same time, as isolated or associated risk factor to the metabolic syndrome. With the objective of updating some aspects related to this hepatopathy, such as its current nomenclature and new etiopathogenic approach; the present literature review was carried out from a clinical perspective, which includes elementary data on the pathophysiology and the presentation characteristics of the entity, as well as the main tools used in its diagnosis, control or therapy. It is also demonstrated, that the vision on the topic has changed in the last years and it constitutes an investigation source in multiple noted groups due to the particularities of its clinical course.