RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis has been shown to safely and cost-effectively reduce the incidence of thromboembolic events in medical inpatients. However, there is a gap between evidence and medical practice. The aim of this study was evaluate the appropriateness of prescribing venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in accordance with local recommendations for medical inpatients. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 310 prescriptions of medical general-ward admitted patients of two university hospitals of Buenos Aires, Argentina.Data was collected using filled-out prescriptions, medical records and interviews with the head attending physician. Information was gathered at different times during 16 days randomly selected over September 2007 and January 2008. RESULTS: One hundred eighty eight patients' prescriptions (60.6%) were appropriate according to the institutional guidelines. Inappropriateness was due to excessive (14.2%), insufficient (15.8%) and absent (9.4%) prescribing. According to the recommendations of the American College of Chest Physicians, 256 (82.6%) patients received appropriate prophylaxis. Twenty-nine patients (9.4%) were considered at low risk for thromboembolism and did not need pharmacologic or mechanical prophylaxis. One hundred three patients (33.2%) had at least one major risk factor for venous thromboembolism. Compliance with the institutional guidelines was more frequently in the case of high risk patients. Complex preventive measures and low risk patients were related to lower adherence to recommendations. In the multivariate analysis, predictors of inappropriateness were the requirement of a surgical procedure and absence of prophylaxis prescribing at admission. In contrast, patients with a diagnosis of gastrointestinal disorders had lower odds of inappropriateness than those with an infectious disease. CONCLUSIONS: Most medical inpatients received some thromboprophylaxis measure, but the compliance with recommendations was less frequent. Efforts should be made to improve the appropriate prescription.

RESUMEN

Central nervous system demyelinating processes such as multiple sclerosis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis constitute a group of diseases not completely understood in their physiopathology. Environmental and toxic insults are thought to play a role in priming autoimmunity. The aim of the present report is to describe a case of acute demyelinating disease with fatal outcome occurring 15 days after oral exposure to herbal extracts.

RESUMEN

Propósito: Demostrar que los cortes axiales de tomografía computada de alta resolución (TCAR) son insuficientes para una correcta evaluación de las enfermedades pulmonares intersticiales difusas y que adicionar Proyección de Mínima Intensidad (MinIP) aumenta la especificidad del diagnóstico. Material y Métodos: Estudios previos donde se observaban quistes pequeños subpleurales se seleccionaron 39 TCAR de 33 pacientes con colagenopatías confirmadas y 6 con enfermedad intersticial idiopática y se los reexaminó entre octubre de 2008 y junio de 2009. El equipo utilizado fue un tomógrafo computado multislice Philips Brillance de 16 canales. Los cortes fueron de 1 mm de espesor, de ápices a bases. La evaluación se realizó con la técnica habitual, adicionando la MinIP en cortes axiales, sagitales y coronales, con rotación del parénquima y especial atención en las áreas que presentaban quistes. Se efectuaron además cortes en espiración. Resultados: De 20 TCAR que mostraban quistes subpleurales con la técnica habitual, 14 (70%) correspondieron a bronquioloectasias. En 12 casos, todas las imágenes eran bronquioloectasias; en 2 casos, ellas predominaban, observándose también quistes aislados. Se pudo definir la existencia de quistes verdaderos en 6 casos (30%), todos con Neumonitis Intersticial Usual (NIU). Valor predictivo positivo (VPP) de la TCAR para detección de quistes: 30% (IC95% 0.13-0.54). Conclusiones: Los trabajos publicados sobre enfermedades intersticiales se basan en la evaluación con cortes axiales de TCAR y la demostración de quistes es de suma importancia para diferenciar NIU de la Neumonía Intersticial No Específica (NINE). En este estudio, se evidencia que la utilización de MinIP con rotación del parénquima redefine 70% de los quistes como bronquioloectasias. Dado el rol cardinal de la TCAR en la evaluación de las intersticiopatías, es importante un estudio prospectivo de seguimiento con mayor número de casos que confirme si son los quistes reales y no los redefinidos como bronquioloectasias los que caracterizan a la NIU.

Objective: To demonstrate that axial sections on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) are insufficient for an accurate examination of diffuse interstitial lung diseases. To further show that minimum intensity projection (MinIP) increases diagnosis specificity. Material and methods: Preliminary studies reporting small subpleural cysts were used to select 39 HRCT from 33 patients with confirmed collagen diseases and 6 patients with idiopathic interstitial disease. Patients were reexamined between october 2008 and june 2009. A 16-channel Philips Brillance multislice CT scanner was used. Sections were 1 mm thick de apices a bases. Patients were examined using the common technique, including the MinIP for axial, sagittal and coronal sections, with parenchymal rotation. Cystic areas were carefully examined. Spiral sections were also performed. Results: Of 20 HRCT depicting subpleural cysts with the conventional technique, 14 (70%) were bronchiolectases. In 12 cases, images were all bronchiolectases; in the other 2, a prevalence of bronchiolectases and isolated cysts were seen. Real cysts could be confirmed in 6 cases (30%), all of which presented usual interstitial pneumonitis (UIP). The HRCT positive predictive value (PPV) for cyst detection was 30% (95% CI 0.13-0.54). Conclusions: Interstitial diseases reports focus on performing axial sections on HRCT, and cyst detection is pivotal to differentiate UIP from NINE. This study reveals that the use of MinIP with parenchymal rotation redefines 70% of cysts as bronchiolectases. Given the key role of HRCT in the examination of interstitial diseases, it is important to carry out a prospective follow-up study with a larger number of cases, in order to confirm whether the UIP is characterized by real cysts or by cysts redefined as bronchiolectases.

RESUMEN

El Anticoagulante Lúpico (AL) constituye una familia de inmunoglobulinas que interfieren las pruebas de coagulación dependientes de fosfolípidos. Hay una gran variedad de pruebas que permiten detectar y confirmar la presencia de AL en el plasma de un paciente. Sin embargo, el tiempo de tromboplastina parcial activado (TTPA) sigue siendo una de las pruebas más utilizadas para la detección de dicho inhibidor. Teniendo en cuenta la importancia clínica de su diagnóstico de laboratorio, se dicidió estudiar la sensibilidad, para detectar AL, de 19 reactivos comerciales de TTPA. Se obtuvieron varias conclusiones importantes: No se encontró relación entre sensibilidad y tamaño de los liposomas; tampoco con la uniformidad de los mismos. La fuente de fosfolípido y el tipo de activador no son suficientes para explicar las diferencias en sensibilidad de los reactivos. Finalmente, se encontró una correlación negativa entre la sensibilidad y la concentración total de fosfolípido del reactivo. A menor concentración de fosfolípido, mayor sensibilidad.

Lupus anticoagulants (LA) are immunoglobulins which interfere in in vitro phospholipid-dependent coagulation tests. Various methods have been proposed; however, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) is the most used screening test for lupus anticoagulant. Previous studies have shown that sensitivity to the lupus anticoagulant defect varies considerably with different APTT reagents. In view of the undoubted clinical importance of lupus anticoagulants, the sensitivity of 19 commercial APTT reagents has been evaluated. The study raises several important conclusions: No difference was found in sensitivity associated with a narrower distribution of liposomes' diameter, considering the latter as a marker of uniformity in phospholipid distribution. The source of the platelet substitute and the nature of the contact phase activator are unlikely to determine such varied sensitivity. Finally, a significant negative correlation between APTT sensitivity and total phospholipid concentration was found. The lower the phospholipid concentration, the higher the APTT sensitivity to AL.

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

r

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)