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Polychorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners are a cause for concern due to their persistence in the environment, their lipophilic properties that cause them to bio-accumulate in top predators, and their adverse effects on mammalian health. For example, the common urogenital carcinoma reported in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) (CSL) is associated with high tissue levels of PCBs, but the mechanisms responsible for this association are unknown. This study investigated the effect of exposure to six PCB congeners and a congener mix at low and environmentally relevant concentrations on NK cell-like and T cell activity using in vitro assays on cryopreserved lymph node mononuclear cells isolated from dead CSL. Non dioxin-like congeners 153 and 180 increased lymphocyte proliferation at 5 and 10 ppm, while congener 138 decreased proliferation by up to 43% at 15 ppm. Dioxin-like PCBs 118 and 169 did not affect lymphocyte proliferation, while the effects of congener 105 depended on the mitogen concentration; these did not correlate with their predicted toxic equivalent factors. NK cell-like activity was affected only by the highest concentration of PCBs tested; it was increased by non-dioxin-like congeners 138 and 153, and decreased by dioxin-like congener 169. The PCB congener mix suggested that the effects of PCB congeners were not simply additive. Our results concur with effects of PCBs reported for other pinniped's lymphocytes and add further experimental support to the observation that dioxin-like PCBs are not the most toxic congeners for marine mammals, contrary to effects in other species. This is the first evidence of in vitro suppression of NK cell-like cytotoxicity by a dioxin-like congener in a pinniped. More importantly, the observed results suggest that PCBs can modulate the CSL immune system, increasing exposed individuals' susceptibility to viral and oncogenic challenges.

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Patient security is one of the key aspects of the Health-System. Parenteral Nutrition is included in the ISMP's list of high-alert medication, being its appropiate use an essential element in maximizing effectiviness while minimizing the potential risk of errors associated with its use. Multi-chamber bags offer several advantages versus pharmacy bespoke bags. However, their apparent simplicity may induce to misuse, asuming their use requires limited consideration, thus increasing the risk of potential errors. For this reason, the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacist's Clinical Nutrition Group considered it essential to develop a list of safety practices regarding the use of parenteral nutrition multi-chamber bags. These recommendations are based on practices globally accepted to diminish errors in PN therapy.

La seguridad del paciente es un aspecto clave de la asistencia sanitaria. La Nutrición Parenteral está incluida en la lista de medicamentos de alto riesgo del ISMP, siendo su uso apropiado un elemento esencial para maximizar su efectividad y minimizar el riesgo potencial de errores asociados con su empleo. Las bolsas tricamerales presentan numerosas ventajas frente a las elaboradas en los Servicios de Farmacia. Sin embargo, su aparente simplicidad puede inducir a un uso inadecuado de las mismas, al asumir que su utilización requiere considerar menos aspectos, incrementando con ello el riesgo potencial de errores. Por este motivo, el Grupo de Nutrición Clínica de la SEFH consideró necesario elaborar una relación de buenas prácticas para el uso seguro de las bolsas tricamerales de NP. Estas recomendaciones están basadas en prácticas globalmente aceptadas para disminuir los errores con el empleo de NP.

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Twelve patients with critical ischaemia of the lower limbs were treated with iloprost. The purpose of this study was to investigate for a possible iloprost-digoxin interaction and to evaluate the clinical benefit provided by short- or long-term iloprost therapy. The pharmacokinetics of digoxin were studied before and during iloprost treatment. Under iloprost the absorption of digoxin was delayed by about one hour, but the area under the plasma digoxin concentration curve remained unmodified. In 11 of our 12 patients the clinical effect of iloprost was satisfactory both immediately and after 6 months. Pain vanished in 6 patients and diminished in 6 patients. All skin ulcers were healed. In most cases this improvement persisted beyond the study period: 2 patients treated at the beginning of the study and who are still followed up have remained improved after 2 1/2 years. Two patients with pain relapse received iloprost in repeated 10 days' courses with successful results. The treatment was relatively well tolerated (headaches, flushing, abdominal pain). Thus, iloprost can avoid amputation in severe arteritis unsuitable for revascularization and for which there is no effective treatment. Patients under digoxin may continue to take this drug in the same doses during treatment with iloprost.

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We have treated with intravenous iloprost twelve patients suffering from cardiac insufficiency compensated under oral digoxin (NYHA class II) associated with severe limb ischaemia due to arterial insufficiency. Our aim was to study its possible interaction on digoxin levels and to evaluate the long-term efficacy of iloprost. Although iloprost slowed the digoxin absorption by approximately one hour, we found no clinically significant difference between the digoxin pharmacokinetic data before and during treatment by iloprost. Moreover, 11 out of the 12 patients had a good clinical fate after the treatment, which persisted at 6 months. The pain disappeared in 4 and diminished in 7; and all skin ulcers healed. This improvement has lasted up to two and a half years in two patients. The clinical tolerance of iloprost was acceptable despite frequent headache and flushing associated with hypotension and nausea. We conclude that iloprost seems to be a very promising treatment of severe limb ischaemia when no intervention on the proximal arteries is possible. The patients on digoxin can continue their treatment without dose alteration while starting on iloprost.

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