¿Influyen la estación y el clima en la etiología de la neumonía adquirida en la comunidad?

Introduction

Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a highly prevalent pathology whose etiology is determined by the characteristics of the geographic region, and the patient. The study of these features is essential for a proper therapeutic approach. Our aim was to study the changes of the causative agent of CAP brought about by the influence of seasonal and climatic changes in our geographic area.

Patients and method

A prospective and longitudinal study of patients admitted with CAP was done from January 2006 to December 2009. We analyzed demographic data, comorbidities, severity, etiologic agent, complications and mortality. We correlated mean temperature and mean cumulative rainfall for each season with Streptococcus pneumoniae and Legionella pneumophila. Statistical analyses included: Chi squared test, Student's t test for independent samples, variance analysis and Spearman's correlation.

Results

We included 243 patients, 64.6% men and 54.7% over the age of 65. The highest incidence of CAP was in the winter. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common causative agent for all seasons except in summer when the main agent was Legionella pneumophila. We observed a significant correlation between the lowest seasonal average temperature and pneumococcal etiology of CAP; inversely, with higher temperatures, Legionella pneumophila was more common. No etiological differences were found by season when related with environmental humidity.

Conclusions

In our area, Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common etiological agent in winter with low temperatures; in summer, with high temperatures, the most frequent was Legionella pneumophila.     

Impacto de la ecografía pulmonar Durante la pandemia por SARS-CoV-2: distinción entre la neumonía viral y la bacteriana

IntroductionLung ultrasound is an accessible, low-cost technique that has demonstrated its usefulness in the prognostic stratification of COVID-19 patients. In addition, according to previous studies, it can guide us towards the potential aetiology, especially in epidemic situations such as the current one.Patients and methods40 patients were prospectively recruited, 30 with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia and 10 with community-acquired pneumonia. The patients included underwent both a chest X-ray and ultrasound.ResultsThere were no differences in the 2 groups in terms of clinical and laboratory characteristics. The main ultrasound findings in the SARS-CoV-2 group were the presence of confluent B lines and subpleural consolidations and hepatinization in the community-acquired pneumonia group. Pleural effusion was more frequent in the community-acquired pneumonia group. There were no normal lung ultrasound exams. Analysis of the area under the curve curves showed an area under the curve for lung ultrasound of 89.2% (95% CI: 75.0-100%, p < .001) in the identification of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. The cut-off value for the lung score of 10 had a sensitivity of 93.3% and a specificity of 80.0% (p < .001).DiscussionThe combination of the findings of the lung ultrasound, with a lung score greater than 10, added to the rest of the additional tests, can be an excellent tool to predict the aetiology of the pneumonia.     

Cribado de infección por virus de la hepatitis B y C en pacientes hospitalizados con infección por SARS-CoV-2

AimsTo evaluate the results of a hepatitis B and C screening program in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.MethodTransversal prospective study conducted in two Spanish hospitals. Patients admitted from March 1 st to December 31st 2020 with a diagnosis of COVID-19 were tested for markers of hepatitis B (HBsAg, anti-HBc) and C (anti-HCV, HCV RNA) infection.ResultsIn this period, 4662 patients with COVID-19 were admitted to our centers: 56.3% were male, median age was 76 (0–104) years. Data regarding HBV infection was available in 2915 (62.5%) patients; 253 (8.75%) were anti-HBc+ and 11 (0.38%) HBsAg+. From these, 4 patients did not have a previous diagnosis of hepatitis B, 7 received corticosteroids and one received prophylaxis. There was one HBV reactivation. Anti-HCV was available in 2895 (62%) patients; 24 (0.83%) were positive. From these, 13 patients had a previous hepatitis C diagnosis: 10 patients had been treated with SVR, one achieved spontaneous cure and 2 did not receive treatment. From the 11 previously unknown anti-VHC + patients, 10 had a negative HCV RNA. Overall, only 3 (0.10%) patients tested RNA HCV+. However, none received HCV treatment (2 older than 90 years with comorbidities, 1 died from COVID-19).ConclusionScreening of hepatitis C infection in hospitalized COVID-19 patients seems less useful than expected. The low prevalence of active infection after antiviral treatments and the high age of our population limit the detection of potential candidates for treatment. HBV screening should be aimed to prevent reactivation under immunosuppressive treatments.     

¿Podemos descartar infección congénita por citomegalovirus cuando la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa viral es negativa en la prueba del talón?

Introduction

The detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA by real time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) in dried blood spots collected routinely for metabolic screening has been assessed for the retrospective diagnosis of congenital CMV (cCMV) infection in many studies, but not in Spain. The aim of this study is to analyze the diagnostic accuracy of this technique in our hospital.

Methods

A cross-sectional retrospective observational study was conducted including all patients born between January, 2007 and September, 2012 with confirmed cCMV infection.The assessment of CMV DNA was made by using rt-PCR in dried blood spots of these patients.

Results

Fourteen patients were included: 4/14 were symptomatic and 4/14 had sequelae. The detection of CMV DNA by rt-PCR was positive in only 7 patients. A statistically significant relationship between low viral load at birth and negative rt-PCR in dried blood spots was demonstrated.

Conclusions

Despite the low number of patients included, our data highlight an important amount of false negative results in the DNA CMV detection by rt-PCR in these samples for the retrospective diagnosis of cCMV infection, especially in cases with low viral load at birth.     

Evolución de la mortalidad por asma en España, 1960–2005

Background and Objective

No data have been published on trends in asthma mortality in Spain between 1960 and 2005. The aim of this study was to trace these trends for both the general population and the 5- to 34-year age group in Spain.

Material and Methods

The data on asthma mortality for the general population and by age and sex were obtained from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics and used to calculate the asthma mortality rates per 100 000 inhabitants.

Results

The overall asthma mortality rate per 100 000 inhabitants was 9.36 in 1960 and 2.22 in 2005, showing a reduction from 12.26 to 0.96 in males and from 6.58 to 3.44 in females. In the 5- to 34-year age group, the mortality rate for both sexes ranged from 0.4 to 0.1, showing great variability over time.

Conclusions

Asthma mortality decreased in the period analyzed, but less in women than in men. The trend and rates in Spain are similar to those of most countries for which data are available.     

Evaluación de la progresión y la regresión de la aterosclerosis coronaria mediante ecografía intravascular. ¿Un nuevo cambio de paradigma?

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has emerged as a powerful imaging modality for the assessment of the arterial wall and it's response to the accumulation of atherosclerotic plaque. The ability to image the coronary arteries on a serial basis provides a unique opportunity for IVUS to monitor the impact that potential anti-atherosclerotic strategies exert on plaque burden. As a result, studies incorporating serial IVUS imaging as the primary endpoint have demonstrated that therapeutic strategies that modify LDL, HDL and blood pressure in patients with established coronary artery disease can have a profound impact on the progression of atherosclerotic plaque. This heralds a paradigm shift that emphasizes plaque regression as a potential target in the development of preventive strategies.     

Insuficiencia suprarrenal iatrogénica por la interacción entre ritonavir y fluticasona inhalada. Revisión de la literatura

IntroductionHighly effective antiretroviral treatment has improved the life expectancy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients, but has led to an increase in the comorbidities related to aging, such as the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). All this implies the need for a greater number of drugs and an increasing risk of drugs interactions with antiretroviral treatment, particularly protease inhibitors.MethodsWe report a case of iatrogenic adrenal insufficiency interaction secondary to ritonavir and inhaled fluticasone in an HIV-infected patient with COPD. A review was made of the cases reported in adults in the medical literature (Medline) up to December 2012.ResultsA total of 34 cases were reported. The mean age was 48 years. The mean dose of ritonavir was 187 mg/day, while the fluticasone dose was 866 μg/day. The average time of the interaction between ritonavir and fluticasone was 8 months. In 85% of cases fluticasone was discontinued at the time of diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency/Cushing syndrome. Almost all (90%) patients had a complete resolution of the symptoms after changing the treatment.ConclusionHIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy with protease inhibitor boosted with ritonavir which requires the use of inhaled corticosteroids, beclomethasone would be the best treatment option.     

Carga ácida de la dieta; mecanismos y evidencia de sus repercusiones en la salud

Diet composition has long been known to influence acid-base balance by providing acid or base precursors. In general, foods rich in protein, such as meat, cheese, eggs, and others, increase the production of acid in the body, whereas fruit and vegetables increase alkalis. The capacity of acid or base production of any food is called potential renal acid load (PRAL). Diets high in PRAL induce a low-grade metabolic acidosis state, which is associated with the development of metabolic alterations such as insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, bone disorders, low muscle mass and other complications. The aim of this paper is to review the available evidence which evaluates the association of the PRAL of the diet with the incidence of chronic diseases and metabolic disorders, as well as related mechanisms involved in their development.     

Reparación valvular en la insuficiencia aórtica por válvula bicúspide: ¿una alternativa?

Bicuspid aortic valve is the most common form of congenital heart disease. It is associated with both valvular pathology and aortic disease. Aortic regurgitation caused by a bicuspid aortic valve can be corrected by surgical valve repair, which has good short-term results. However, the significant rate of aortic regurgitation recurrence found on long-term follow-up remains a problem, partly because of the progressive aortic dilatation that is characteristic of this disease. We report three different cases of bicuspid aortic valve treated by surgical valve repair at our centre.     

Diferencias epidemiológicas y de mortalidad entre hombres y mujeres con infección por VIH en la cohorte CoRIS entre los años 2004 y 2014

IntroductionThis study sought to analyse differences in epidemiology and survival between women and men living with HIV in the CoRIS cohort and the course of their disease over a 10-year period.MethodsVariables of interest between women living with HIV and men living with HIV were compared. A trend analysis was performed using the Mantel-Haenszel test. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and a Cox regression analysis were used to study survival.ResultsA total of 10,469 people were enrolled; of them, 1,742 (16.6%) were women. At the time of enrolment in the cohort, women living with HIV, compared to men living with HIV, had higher rates of transmission due to intravenous drug use (IDU), hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection, AIDS-stage disease and foreign origin. They also had a worse immunovirological status and a lower educational level. These differences were maintained in the trend study. Regarding age, the women included in the cohort were older whereas the men were younger. In the comparative analysis between women according to place of origin, we found that the group of Spanish women living with HIV featured older women with higher rates of IDU transmission and HCV coinfection, whereas the group of women living with HIV born outside of Spain featured women with higher rates of syphilis infection. There were no major differences in relation to other characteristics such as educational level or disease status. Although sex was not a determinant of survival, conditions more prevalent in women were determinants of survival.ConclusionsHIV-infected women presented at diagnosis with certain epidemiological and HIV-associated characteristics that made them more vulnerable. These trends became more marked or did not improve during the years of observation.     

Escalas de probabilidad clínica y algoritmo diagnóstico en la embolia pulmonar: ¿se siguen en la práctica clínica?

Introduction

Clinical probability scores (CPS) determine the pre-test probability of pulmonary embolism (PE) and assess the need for the tests required in these patients. Our objective is to investigate if PE is diagnosed according to clinical practice guidelines.

Materials and methods

Retrospective study of clinically suspected PE in the emergency department between January 2010 and December 2012. A D-dimer value ≥ 500 ng/ml was considered positive. PE was diagnosed on the basis of the multislice computed tomography angiography and, to a lesser extent, with other imaging techniques. The CPS used was the revised Geneva scoring system.

Results

There was 3,924 cases of suspected PE (56% female). Diagnosis was determined in 360 patients (9.2%) and the incidence was 30.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants/year. Sensitivity and the negative predictive value of the D-dimer test were 98.7% and 99.2% respectively. CPS was calculated in only 24 cases (0.6%) and diagnostic algorithms were not followed in 2,125 patients (54.2%): in 682 (17.4%) because clinical probability could not be estimated and in 482 (37.6%), 852 (46.4%) and 109 (87.9%) with low, intermediate and high clinical probability, respectively, because the diagnostic algorithms for these probabilities were not applied.

Conclusions

CPS are rarely calculated in the diagnosis of PE and the diagnostic algorithm is rarely used in clinical practice. This may result in procedures with potential significant side effects being unnecessarily performed or to a high risk of underdiagnosis.     

Glomerulopatía por invaginación podocítica; reporte del primer caso en Latinoamérica y revisión de la literatura

BackgroundPodocyte infolding glomerulopathy (PIG) is a condition of uncertain origin, frequently associated with autoimmune diseases. Its specific treatment and clinical course are unknown.It is characterised by thickening of the capillary walls due to the presence of non-argyrophilic intramembranous bubbles similar to those found in membranous glomerulopathy, but without electron-dense deposits of immune complexes in the ultrastructure, where translucent microspheres generated by invagination of the podocyte cytoplasm into the basement membranes are observed.ObjectivesGenerally reported in young females patients. To date, few cases in Asian patients have been reported. Our case is the first to be reported in a Latin American Caucasian patient.MethodsA 38-year-old woman with SLE. In 2014 she presented with nephrotic syndrome empirically treated with corticosteroids (CO) and intravenous cyclophosphamide with good response. She had a relapse in April 2015 with normal renal function and no extrarenal lupus activity, so she was referred to our hospital to be biopsied.ResultsThe biopsy reported focal segmental glomerular sclerosis without deposits of immune complexes in the immunofluorescence. However, methenamine silver staining revealed clear spaces in the capillary walls accompanied by marked podocyte alterations. On electron microscope study, numerous aggregates of microvesicular and cylindrical ultrastructures bound to the membranes were observed, without evidence of dense deposits, and diffuse effacement of pedicel foot processes, confirming the suspected diagnosis.ConclusionsThis is the first reported case of what can be considered a new pathological glomerular entity in a Latin American Caucasian patient, whose clinical course and therapy are still unknown.     

Impacto de la calidad de la atención por parte de los residentes

The quality of care received by patients is a basic element of modern medicine. Medical residents or interns are essential within the healthcare system, but their lack of experience can raise concerns about the quality of care given. A registrar or specialist has greater knowledge and skills, while a resident has greater motivation and enthusiasm. The aim of training programs is to prepare residents to provide high quality care. This requires close supervision that seems to be lacking, with the consequent impact on both healthcare quality and academic results.The so-called “July effect” refers to the diminished quality of care during the summer months when resident physicians switch over. The results of studies analysing this effect vary widely, but the loss of efficacy during these months does seem to be real.Pulmonology is one of medical specialties that generates the least demand for internships and residencies, but it is impossible to determine if this affects the quality of care. The high prevalence of respiratory diseases and the latest diagnostic and therapeutic advances may mean that this situation will change in coming years.     

Características y evolución de la infección crónica por virus de la hepatitis B antígeno e negativo

Objective

To describe the epidemiological, analytical and histological characteristics and clinical course of hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers with negative HBe antigen.