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Background SARS-CoV-2 seems to affect the regulation of pulmonary perfusion. Hypoperfusion in areas of well-aerated lung parenchyma results in a ventilation–perfusion mismatch that can be characterized using subtraction computed tomography angiography (sCTA). This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of oral sildenafil in treating COVID-19 inpatients showing perfusion abnormalities in sCTA. Methods Triple-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in Chile in a tertiary-care hospital able to provide on-site sCTA scans and ventilatory support when needed between August 2020 and March 2021. In total, 82 eligible adults were admitted to the ED with RT-PCR-confirmed or highly probable SARS-COV-2 infection and sCTA performed within 24 h of admission showing perfusion abnormalities in areas of well-aerated lung parenchyma; 42 were excluded and 40 participants were enrolled and randomized (1:1 ratio) once hospitalized. The active intervention group received sildenafil (25 mg orally three times a day for seven days), and the control group received identical placebo capsules in the same way. Primary outcomes were differences in oxygenation parameters measured daily during follow-up (PaO2/FiO2 ratio and A-a gradient). Secondary outcomes included admission to the ICU, requirement of non-invasive ventilation, invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), and mortality rates. Analysis was performed on an intention-to-treat basis. Results Totally, 40 participants were enrolled (20 in the placebo group and 20 in the sildenafil group); 33 [82.5%] were male; and median age was 57 [IQR 41–68] years. No significant differences in mean PaO2/FiO2 ratios and A-a gradients were found between groups (repeated-measures ANOVA p = 0.67 and p = 0.69). IMV was required in 4 patients who received placebo and none in the sildenafil arm (logrank p = 0.04). Patients in the sildenafil arm showed a significantly shorter median length of hospital stay than the placebo group (9 IQR 7–12 days vs. 12 IQR 9–21 days, p = 0.04). Conclusions No statistically significant differences were found in the oxygenation parameters. Sildenafil treatment could have a potential therapeutic role regarding the need for IMV in COVID-19 patients with specific perfusion patterns in sCTA. A large-scale study is needed to confirm these results. Trial Registration: Sildenafil for treating patients with COVID-19 and perfusion mismatch: a pilot randomized trial, NCT04489446, Registered 28 July 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04489446.

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimation in older adults using a creatinine clearance/24-hour (CrCl) or an equation based on serum creatinine, are often considered equivalent by clinicians.To compare GFR estimated (eGFR) with the available equations and measured CrCl in patients ≥ 70 years. A secondary aim was to know the differences in chronic kidney disease (CKD) classification, when using the different eGFR formulas.In 144 patients aged 77 ± 5 years (58% men), CrCl was measured and GFR was estimated using MDRD, CKD-EPI, BIS-1 and FAS formulas. The eGFR and the stage of CKD were compared according to the different equations used.GFR estimated by MDRD and CKD-EPI equations was 7.8 and 8.4 mL/min/1.73 m2 lower than 24-hour ClCr, respectively. This difference was even greater using the BIS-1 and FAS equations. Twenty-four-hour CrCl classified 47.2% of the patients in a category of renal function60 mL/min/1.73 m2, while MDRD and CKD-EPI equations classified just over a third, and BIS-1 and FAS formulas around 20% of the patients.The practice of considering equivalent the GFR estimation using the creatinine-based equations with measured creatinine clearance in older adults should be reconsidered, because their results differ markedly.

Renal functional reserve (RFR) is the capacity of the kidney to increase its glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in response to physiological or pathological stimuli. The most commonly used stimuli to assess this reserve are an oral load of proteins of animal origin, amino acid infusions, dopamine, glucagon or combinations of them. RFR is calculated as the difference between stimulated and baseline GFR. Vegetarians have lower baseline GFR than the general population and an increased RFR. Subjects with only one kidney and those suffering from chronic nephropathies usually have a reduced or absent RFR despite having normal basal GFR. Quantification of RFR may be useful to detect subclinical renal damage, physiological conditions that reduce baseline GFR, evaluation of potential donors for kidney transplantation, suspected hyperfiltration, detection of renal lability against acute injuries or pregnancy and the evaluation after an acute renal injury when renal function seems to be recovered and residual subclinical damage is suspected.

We report a 23 year old woman presenting with a nephrotic syndrome due to minimal change disease, central diabetes insipidus, primary hypothyroidism, vitiligo and universal alopecia. Eleven years later, she presented secondary amenorrhea due to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, with mild hyperprolactinemia and central adrenal insufficiency. A magnetic resonance imaging of the sella turcica showed a pituitary mass with suprasellar extension that was resected using a transsphenoidal approach. Pathology confirmed the presence of a lymphoplasmacytic hypophysitis. She needed a second surgical resection due to mass growth and neuro-ophthalmologic impairment. One year later, systemic lupus erythematosus, arterial hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus were diagnosed. Two years later, due to back pain, constipation and renal failure, retroperitoneal fibrosis was found, satisfactorily treated with glucocorticoids and colchicine. Hence, this clinical vignette shows the coexistence of autoimmune polyglandular syndrome with retroperitoneal fibrosis and lymphoplasmacytic hypophysitis. Tissue analysis showed the presence of IgG4 producing plasma cells in the pituitary and retroperitoneum, which constitute a basis for the diagnosis of IgG4 related disease.

Background\ud \ud Most studies regarding autonomic dysfunction in ischemic stroke are limited to heart rate and blood pressure changes during the acute phase. However, there are few data on quantitative assessment of autonomic symptoms. We sought to assess autonomic symptoms in hypertensive ischemic stroke patients.\ud \ud Methods\ud \ud In 100 hypertensive patients (45 with symptomatic ischemic stroke (6 months after stroke onset) and 55 without stroke), we assessed autonomic symptoms using the Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson disease-Autonomic (SCOPA-AUT).\ud \ud Results\ud \ud The age (mean ± standard deviation) for the stroke group was 66 ± 12 and 63 ± 15 for the without stroke group (P = 0.8). Orthostatic hypotension occurred in 3.6% of the stroke group and 4.4% in the group without stroke. The total SCOPA-AUT score was higher in the stroke group compared with the group without stroke (P = 0.001). Domain scores for gastrointestinal (P = 0.001), urinary (P = 0.005) and cardiovascular (P = 0.001) were higher in the stroke group. No differences were found when comparing the total SCOPA-AUT scores for stroke subtypes (P = 0.168) and for lateralization (P = 0.6). SCOPA AUT scores were correlated with depression scores (P = 0.001) but not with stroke severity (P = 0.2).\ud \ud Conclusion\ud \ud Autonomic symptoms, especially, gastrointestinal, urinary and cardiovascular function, were significantly increased in hypertensive patients with minor ischemic stroke. Symptoms were associated with depression but not with the characteristic of the stroke.

Introduction and objectives Facial nerve monitoring is fundamental in the preservation of the facial nerve in vestibular schwannoma surgery. Our objective was to analyse the usefulness of facial nerve monitoring under partial neuromuscular blockade. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of 69 patients operated in a tertiary hospital. Results We monitored 100% of the cases. In 75% of the cases, we could measure an electromyographic response after tumour resection. In 17 cases, there was an absence of electromyographic response. Fifteen of them had an anatomic lesion with loss of continuity of the facial nerve and, in 2 cases, there was a lesion with preservation of the nerve. Preoperative facial palsy (29% 7%; P=.0349), large tumour size (88 vs 38%; P=.0276), and a non-functional audition (88 vs 51%; P=.0276) were significantly related with an absence of electromyographic response. Conclusions Facial nerve monitoring under neuromuscular blockade is possible and safe in patients without previous facial palsy. If the patient had an electromyographic response after tumour excision, they developed better facial function in the postoperative period and after a year of follow up.

ANCA mediated vasculitis mainly occur between the fourth and fifth decade of life; therefore, it is very uncommon to see pregnant patients with the disease. Vasculitis may affect significantly the course of pregnancy; in turn pregnancy can change the course of vasculitis. We report a 20 years old woman with ANCA-mediated renal vasculitis lasting 10 years who consulted with a pregnancy of 15 weeks. She was in remission and had amenorrhea attributed to ovarian toxicity due to cyclophosphamide. Pregnancy had an uneventful course with spontaneous delivery at the 37th week, giving birth to a healthy newborn. Proteinuria increased during the course of pregnancy with a mild deterioration of kidney function. During the year after delivery, she had nephrotic proteinuria and a worsening of renal function.

The inability to carry out activities of daily living (ADL) is prevalent in elderly people and it is associated with hypertension and stroke.To evaluate ADLs using the T-ADLQ in hypertensive patients with minor stroke.T-ADLQ, Cognitive tests (Minimental and Addenbrooke), and Hamilton depression test were applied to 100 hypertensive ambulatory patients (55 without symptomatic stroke and 45 with ischemic stroke, Rankin ≤ 2).In stroke patients the ability to perform ADL was significantly reduced compared with hypertensive patients without stroke. Cognitive dysfunction and depressive symptoms were associated with a lower ADL performance.The T-ADLQ is useful to evaluate ADL in hypertensive ambulatory patients with ischemic stroke.

Coronary anomalies are rare heart diseases that can cause sudden cardiac death, especially in young individuals. Coronary computed tomography angiography delivers a three-dimensional view of excellent quality with information of the origin, course and anatomic relationships of the anomalous vessel, allowing differentiation between benign and malignant variants, entities that require different management and treatment.To show that coronary computed tomography angiography is the non-invasive technique of choice for the evaluation of a coronary anomaly due to its high diagnostic accuracy.Between 2008 and 2014, 368 coronary computed tomography angiographies were carried out. Six (1.6%) patients had a coronary anomaly.The age of these six patients ranged from 38 to 82 years (five were women). The coronary computed tomography angiography was requested due to cardiac symptoms (angina and dyspnea) in two patients, after a selective coronary arteriography to obtain additional information of the coronary anomaly in three patients, and after a cardiorespiratory arrest in one patient. Three patients had an anomaly of the right coronary artery, two patients had an anomaly of the left coronary artery and one patient had absent left main coronary artery. In five patients the coronary anomaly was malignant.Coronary computed tomography angiography is a robust diagnostic method to evaluate patients with suspected coronary anomalies.

A 31-year-old woman with nephronophthisis received a cadaveric kidney transplant, and was immunosuppressed with cyclosporine, azathioprine and steroids. Twelve days after transplant a biopsy showed acute rejection with vascular damage. She was treated with 3 pulses of methylprednisolone and change of immunosuppression to mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus, without improving graft function. At day 21, a second biopsy showed accentuation of interstitial and vascular rejection. Antibody-mediated rejection was suspected and plasmapheresis and rituximab were prescribed. Graft function improved rapidly. Staining for C4d was negative and there were no circulating antibodies against the donor. In the interstitial infiltrate there were clusters of B lymphocytes that accounted for 40% of cells, which was thought to be an ominous sign, as it has been associated with poor graft outcome. Acute T-cell-mediated rejection grade III (Banff 07) was diagnosed. Thirty-nine months after transplant her kidney function is stable with no other complication. This clinical case generates the hypothesis that rituximab may have a beneficial role in the therapy of acute cellular rejection when there are clusters of B lymphocytes in the infiltrate and a good response has not been obtained to conventional anti-rejection therapy.

Background/Aims: Bipolar disorder (BP) is a severe psychiatric illness, characterised by alternating episodes of depression and mania, which ranks among the top ten causes of morbidity and life-long disability world-wide. We have previously performed a whole-genome linkage scan on 6 pedigrees segregating severe BP from the well-characterised population isolate of Antioquia, Colombia. We recently collected genotypes for the same set of 382 autosomal microsatellite markers in 9 additional Antioquian BP pedigrees. Here, we report the analysis of the combined pedigree set. Methods: Linkage analysis using both parametric and nonparametric approaches was conducted for 3 different diagnostic models: severe BP only (BPI); mood disorders (BPI, BPII and major depression); and psychosis (operationally defined by the occurrence of at least 1 episode of hallucinations and/or delusions). Results and Conclusion: For BPI only, the most interesting result was obtained for chromosome 7p21.1–p22.2 under a recessive model of inheritance (heterogeneity LOD score = 2.80), a region that had previously been linked to BP in a study on Portuguese Island families. For both BPI and mood disorders, nonparametric analyses identified a locus on chromosome 12ct–q14 (nonparametric linkage = 2.55 and 2.35, respectively). This locus has not previously been reported as a candidate region for BP. Additional candidate regions were found on chromosomes 1p22–31 (mood disorders) and 21q21–22 (BPI), 2 loci that have repeatedly been implicated in BP susceptibility. Linkage analysis of psychosis as a phenotype identified candidate regions on chromosomes 2q24–31 and 16p12–q12. The finding on chromosome 16p is noteworthy because the same locus has been implicated by genome-wide association analyses of BP.

Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis (IRPF) is an uncommon, but increasingly recognized, disease. Autoimmune mechanisms probably participate in its pathogenesis. Patients have been treated with high-dose steroids and sometimes immunosuppressive drugs, resulting in toxicity risk during prolonged treatments; thus, it would be wise to look for safer drugs. Colchicine has antifibrotic, anti-inflammatory, and immunosuppressive effects. Hence, it is a potential therapeutic resource.Case series.7 consecutives patients with IRPF diagnosed since 1993 at a navy hospital were prescribed colchicine plus prednisone or deflazacort. After reaching a clinical response, the steroid dose was tapered, maintaining daily colchicine therapy.Symptomatic improvement was defined as time to relief of symptoms; clinical improvement, time to normalization of inflammatory parameters with symptomatic improvement; radiological changes, percentage of decrease in retroperitoneal mass; recurrence, as the need to increase steroid dose or add immunosuppressors because of reactivation of inflammation; and treatment failure, as persistence of signs of active inflammation and/or decrease in retroperitoneal mass less than 50% and/or deterioration in kidney function at the last visit.At month 3 of treatment, all patients had symptomatic improvement and 67% had clinical improvement. Between 8 and 12 months, 67% of patients had a decrease in retroperitoneal mass greater than 50%. No recurrence or treatment failure was observed during follow-up (mean, 72.5 months). At the last visit, all patients had a significant decrease in retroperitoneal mass (mean, 79.8% +/- 19.7%). One patient died of septic shock on day 21 of treatment.This series did not have a control group.Colchicine in association with a low induction dose of steroids (0.5 mg/kg/d) produced remission rates in patients with IRPF similar to those for regimens using greater steroid doses alone or in combination with immunosuppressive drugs. In addition, colchicine may have contributed to recurrence prevention.

Death with a functioning kidney graft is now the leading cause of graft loss after renal transplantation.To determine if renal function at the last outpatient visit before the recipient’s death was different according to the following causes of death: infections, cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal disorders or cancer.Retrospective cooperative cohort study conducted in two kidney transplant centers. All patients who received a kidney graft in the last 32 years were included. During that lapse, 431 kidney transplants were performed. Among them, 85 patients died with a functioning graft and were classified due to their cause of death. Glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was estimated with the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula. Declining renal function was defined as a20% decline in eGFR during the last 6 months prior to the last outpatient visit.Eighty four patients were included in the analysis. Of these, 28.2% died of cardiovascular causes, 35.3% of infectious diseases, 15.3% of cancer and 20% of digestive diseases. Patients dying from cancer had a significantly higher eGFR prior to death than those who died from cardiovascular causes, infectious and digestive diseases (p0.01). Declining renal function occurred in 34.8% of deaths from cardiovascular causes, 39.3% from infectious diseases, 16.7% from cancer and 40% from digestive diseases. There were no significant differences between groups.Kidney graft recipients who die with a functioning graft have better renal function prior to their death when it is due to cancer than when it originates from infectious, cardiovascular or digestive diseases. Declining renal function is similar in the four groups of death causes.

POEMS syndrome is characterized by Polyneuropathy, Organomegaly, Endocrinopathy, Monoclonal protein and Skin changes. We report a woman with the syndrome, who had peripheral polyneuropathy, osteosclerotic myeloma, monoclonal IgA elevation, hypothyroidism, hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism, hyperprolactinemia, adrenal insufficiency, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, thyroid and parotid enlargement, Castleman’s disease, papilledema, stiff and hyperpigmented skin, white nails, clubbing, ascites and chronic diarrhea. She had also a nephropathy characterized by microscopic hematuria, proteinuria, renal insufficiency and a unilateral kidney retraction. She was treated with melphalan and prednisone, achieving remission of the disease and nephropathy. She survived twelve years and died due to a myocardial infarction 20 years after POEMS diagnosis.

Pauci-immune glomerulonephritis in systemic vasculitides usually have anti-neuthrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA). However, vasculitides of large vessels such as Takayasu's and giant cell (temporal) arteritis do not. Exceptionally ANCA(+) small vessel vasculitides are associated with large vessel vasculitis. It may be a coincidence or both vasculitides have a common pathogenesis. We report a 30 years old woman on hemodialysis due to a chronic glomerulonephritis ANCA(+) diagnosed nine years ago. Eight years later, she presented with an aortitis with severe stenosis of distal aorta and vasculitis of left subclavian artery. She was treated with adrenal steroids and cyclophosphamide. During the ensuing five years she has been stable and without signs of reactivation of the disease.

We performed a whole genome microsatellite marker scan in six multiplex families with bipolar (BP) mood disorder ascertained in Antioquia, a historically isolated population from North West Colombia. These families were characterized clinically using the approach employed in independent ongoing studies of BP in the closely related population of the Central Valley of Costa Rica. The most consistent linkage results from parametric and non-parametric analyses of the Colombian scan involved markers on 5q31-33, a region implicated by the previous studies of BP in Costa Rica. Because of these concordant results, a follow-up study with additional markers was undertaken in an expanded set of Colombian and Costa Rican families; this provided a genome-wide significant evidence of linkage of BPI to a candidate region of approximately 10 cM in 5q31-33 (maximum non-parametric linkage score=4.395, P0.00004). Interestingly, this region has been implicated in several previous genetic studies of schizophrenia and psychosis, including disease association with variants of the enthoprotin and gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor genes.

Recent reports have implicated polymorphisms in the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene region in the etiology of several psychiatric phenotypes, including bipolar disorder. Significant disease association has been reported for the G allele at SNP rs6265, which encodes for Valine at position 66 of BDNF (Val66Met), an apparently functional variant of this key BDNF. Here we examined a sample of 224 bipolar type I patients and available parents (comprising a total of 212 nuclear families) ascertained in a South American population isolate (Antioquia, Colombia). We tested for transmission distortion to bipolar patients of alleles at the rs6265 polymorphism and at a microsatellite marker 1.3 kb away from this SNP. Significant excess transmission of the rs6265 G allele to cases was observed (chi(2) = 10.77, d.f. = 1, P = 0.001). Two-locus haplotype analysis showed a significant global transmission distortion (chi(2) = 16.059, d.f. = 7, P = 0.025) with an excess transmission of a haplotype comprising the rs6265 G allele and microsatellite allele 227. These results are consistent with previous studies pointing to a role for BDNF in susceptibility to mood disorders.

After receiving a kidney allograft, patients tend to gain weight acquiring the risk associated with overweight and obesity.To compare the evolution during 10 years after transplantation of patients who gained more than 15% of their initial weight during the first year after receiving the graft with those who did not experience this increase.Cohort study of 182 patients transplanted in a single hospital between 1981 and 2003. Demographic data, weight gain during the first year, drugs used, complications and evolution of patients and grafts were recorded.Seventy two patients gained more than 15% of their weight during the first year. These were discharged after receiving the graft with a lower serum creatinine than their counterparts (1.46 ± 0.71 and 1.97 ± 1.74 mg/dl respectively, p = 0.02). Ten years mortality with a functioning kidney was higher among weight gainers (25 and 12.7% respectively, p = 0.03). No other differences were observed between groups.Patients who gained more than 15% of their initial weight during the first year after receiving a kidney graft have a higher 10 years mortality with a functioning kidney.

Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is used for evaluating atherosclerosis; however, it is far from routine use. The authors validate a new device measuring PWV independently in each limb and explore its usefulness. Validity was studied in 40 patients. PWV was compared with endovascular measurements and comparisons were made between PWV in the extremities in 220 patients. The correlation between brachial PWV and endovascular catheter was (r=0.83, P

Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is uncommon. Eight percent of cases are associated with malignancies. The pathogenesis of cancer related RPF (MRPF) is unknown. It may be originated from a desmoplastic reaction of the retroperitoneum to the presence of malignant cells, to the action of cytokines secreted by the tumor or a reactive inflammation. MRPF may also be a consequence of antineoplastic therapy (surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy). We report eight cases of MRPF associated with breast, cervix, thyroid, kidney and retroperitoneal cancer. In four patients, retroperitoneal tissue biopsy was performed, showing the typical findings of idiopathic RPF. In 6 patients MRPF appeared one to 15 years after cancer diagnosis and in two, it appeared simultaneously. The clinical presentation, course and therapeutic response are described. Six patients were treated with steroids alone and five with steroids associated with colchicine.

Introduction Oncologic surgery leads to important defects and sequelae, as well as notable cosmetic and functional alterations. In this aspect reconstructive surgery has an essential role, allowing more radical excision and lower associated functional and cosmetic morbidities. The aim of this study was to present and evaluate the experience and results of the reconstructive microsurgery unit in our centre's ENT department. Methods Retrospective study of procedures performed between 2006 and 2012. Results A total of 36 cases were reviewed. The primary tumour was found in the oropharynx (58%) in the majority of cases. In 5 cases the procedure was performed for reconstruction and fistula closure (4 pharyngostoma and 1 tracheoesophageal fistula). Failure from total necrosis was 16% (6/36). No associated mortality has been reported. The most common postoperative complications were wound dehiscence in 5 patients and pharyngostoma (fistula) in 5 cases. Prior radiotherapy significantly influenced the increase in the overall incidence of complications (P Conclusions Reconstructive surgery currently plays an important role in surgery for head and neck cancer. The radial forearm flap is a safe, reliable method for reconstruction of most defects in the ENT field. This type of intervention provides greater autonomy and safety in surgical oncology.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used by patients all over the world. Five to eighteen percent of the patients who receive NSAIDs can suffer from kidney-related side effects. Among them, the most relevant are sodium and water retention, hyponatremia, worsening of hypertension or preexisting cardiac failure, hyperkalemia, acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, papillary necrosis, nephrotic syndrome (NS), and acute interstitial nephritis. We report the case of a 65-year-old woman who developed acute tubular necrosis and NS a few days after receiving 15 mg of meloxicam (MLX) for 3 days for tendinitis. Steroid therapy was begun with normalization of kidney function after 7 weeks of treatment. NS (minimal change disease) was characterized by frequent remissions and relapses as prednisone was lowered under 30 mg/day. Azathioprine (100 mg/day) was added on the fifth month of diagnosis and a complete remission was finally obtained 4 years after hospital admittance. In her last medical checkup, 8 years after her debut and receiving azathioprine (50 mg) and prednisone (5 mg/day), renal function was normal (creatinine 1.0 mg/dL and creatinine clearance 80 mL/min/1.73 m(2)), proteinuria was 150 mg/day and there was no hematuria or hypertension. The aim of communicating this case is to raise a warning about these renal side effects of MLX. After thorough review of literature, only one other report with the same findings was found.

Hyponatremia is common in patients with severe neurological diseases and is often secondary to a syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). However, in some patients, hyponatremia is due to cerebral salt wasting syndrome (CSWS). SIADH and CSWS treatments are opposite and misdiagnosis can lead to increased morbidity and mortality. We report a 52 years old female with a rhom-boencephalitis caused by Listeria Monocytogenes (LM), ventriculitis and abscesses in cerebellum and brainstem. It was associated with hyponatremia, hypotension, increased natriuresis, hypouricemia, and low creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels. Large amounts of sodium were needed and the condition persisted after hospital discharge. Hyponatremia is common in central nervous system involvement by LM, however we are not aware of CSWS reports of this condition.

Celiac disease may be associated with other autoimmune diseases and exceptionally with glomerulopathies and nephrotic syndrome. Associations have been reported with IgA nephropathy, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, membranous glomerulopathy and minimal change disease. We report a 63-year-old woman who simultaneously presented with massive nephrotic syndrome (proteinuria 46 g/day) and cachexia due to a malabsorption syndrome secondary to celiac disease. The course of her diseases was complicated with cardiomyopathy due to severe malnutrition, septic shock, acute kidney injury that required dialysis for seven weeks and severe hypertension. A renal biopsy showed a membranoproliferative pattern of injury secondary to a thrombotic microangiopathy and diffuse podocyte damage. Four years later, the patient was in good general health, the glomerular filtration rate was 30 ml/min/1.73m² and there was non-nephrotic proteinuria.

Renal lymphangiectasia is a rare disorder characterized by the presence of cystic masses in renal parenchyma, renal sinus or perinephric space. This condition, congenital or acquired, is probably caused by an alteration of renal lymphatic drainage to retroperitoneal lymph ducts. We report a 48-year-old woman, who consulted in the emergency room due to left flank pain and microscopic hematuria. Blood pressure and renal function were normal. A CT scan showed a multilocular cystic mass in the left renal sinus without alterations in the renal parenchyma. Renal lymphangiomatosis was diagnosed. The pain subsided with analgesics and did not recur. Annual clinical and ultrasound follow-up was suggested.

Nephrotic syndrome secondary to paraneoplastic glomerulopathies is exceptional. We are aware of only three cases reported of cervical carcinomas associated with nephrotic syndrome. Two women, aged 40 and 79 years, presented with nephrotic syndrome. The first had a membranous nephropathy and the second was not biopsied. The first women had a metrorrhagia after 8 months of unsuccessful therapy with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs. An advanced cervical carcinoma with lymph node metastases was found. In the second patient, a cervical carcinoma and hematometra was discovered two months after diagnosis ofa nephrotic syndrome. The syndrome subsided completely, nine months after radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the first patient and 10 months after hysterectomy in the second patient.

Patients who develop hyponatremia during their hospitalization have higher hospital mortality.To determine if the presence of hyponatremia on admission to the emergency room is a risk factor for hospital mortality.Two hundred forty five patients consecutively admitted to the emergency room and then transferred to the Medicine Department, where they finally died, were matched for age and gender with 245 control subjects admitted to the emergency room and hospitalized in the Medicine Department at the same time, but survived. The dependent variable was death, and the exposure variable was hyponatremia. Admission diagnosis and Charlson comorbidity index was considered as confounding variables.Hyponatremia at admission occurred in 30 and 17% of patients who died and survived, respectively, rendering an adjusted odds ratio for death of 2.13 (95% confidence intervals = 1.27-3.57). Charlson Comorbidity Index according to age score was higher in subjects with hyponatremia compared to those without hyponatremia (8.1 ± 3.1 and 7.2 ± 2.8; p = 0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that age, gender, length of stay, cause of hospitalization and chronic diseases did not significantly modify the effect of hyponatremia on hospital mortality.Hyponatremia on admission at emergency room had a significant association with hospital mortality. Subjects with hyponatremia had a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index score.

Patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) have a better survival in chronic dialysis than patients with other etiologies of renal failure. It has been suggested that extra-renal manifestations of ADPKD may increase the odds of complications and mortality, if these patients are transplanted.To determine whether survival and complications in transplanted patients with ADPKD are different from kidney graft recipients with other etiologies of renal failure.Four hundred six patients with kidney transplantation were followed in three hospitals between 1976 and 2011 and 19 were carriers of ADPKD. The latter were matched by type of donor, gender, age and date of kidney transplant, with 38 graft recipients with other etiologies of renal failure.Graft and patient 1, 5, 10 and 15 years survival were similar in both groups. Hospitalizations due to viral infections and sepsis were more common in patients with ADPKD. There were no differences in the rate of acute rejection, delayed graft function, cancer, gastrointestinal disorders and hospitalizations due to cardiovascular diseases. The frequency of graft loss due to death with a functioning kidney was similar between both groups.Patient and graft survival in transplanted patients with ADPKD were similar to patients with other etiologies of renal failure. The rate and type of complications were similar between groups with the exception of hospitalizations due to sepsis and viral infections, which were more common in ADPKD patients.

Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) associated with chronic use of ergotamine is a very rare disorder. We report a 45-year-old woman who presented with a RPf after using, almost daily for 23 years, ergotamine tartrate for migraine relief. FRP presented as a chronic inflammatory state, anemia, abdominal and lumbosacral pain and a hypogastric mass. A CT-Scan showed a periaortic mass and left hydronephrosis. A percutaneous biopsy was obtained and the patient was subjected to a surgical ureterolysis and tissue resection. The biopsy confirmed the presence of RPf. Due to persistent symptoms and increase in the volume of periaortic tissue, treatment with colchicine 1 mg/day and defazacort 30 mg/day was started, resulting in a rapid disappearance of symptoms, disappearance of inflammation and a significant reduction in the volume of the periaortic tissue. The patient remains in complete remission after 29 months of follow up.

Lactic acidosis in the absence of hypoxia or tissue hypoperfusion (type B) is very rare and is associated with the use of some drugs or malignancy. We report a 79-year-old woman, with a marginal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the spleen that was subjected to a splenectomy one year ago. She presented with unexplained tachypnea associated with pancytopenia and elevation of IgM to 10 times over the higher normal limit. Laboratory tests showed the presence of metabolic acidosis and high lactic acid levels in the absence of infection, tissue hypoxia or hypoperfusion. She was treated with sodium bicarbonate and steroids without obtaining a reduction in lactate levels. Twelve days after admission, a single dose of Rituximab quickly normalized lactate concentrations and platelet count. After the fourth dose of Rituximab, pancytopenia disappeared and IgM fell to 25% of its baseline concentration.

Death with a functioning graft (DWGF) is now one of the main causes of renal transplant (RTx) loss.To determine whether the causes of DWGF, characteristics of donors and recipients and complications of RTx have changed in the last two decades.Cooperative study of a cohort of 418 kidney grafts performed between 1968 and 2010. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether their kidney transplants were performed between 1968 and 1992 (Group 1) or 1993 and 2010 (Group 2).Sixty eight patients experienced DWGF. Infections were the leading cause of DWGF in both groups (38 and 41%, respectively), followed by cardiovascular diseases (24 and 23% respectively), gastrointestinal disorders (21 and 26% respectively) and cancer (17 and 10% respectively). There were no significant differences in causes of death between the two groups according to the time elapsed since the renal transplantation. In patients in Group 1, the interval between diagnosis of renal failure and dialysis (HD) and the interval between the start of HD and kidney transplantation were significantly lower than in Group 2. The former had also an increased number of acute rejections in the first five years of kidney transplantation (p0.001). In Group 2, patients more often received their kidneys from deceased donors, had previous kidney transplantation, higher rate of antibodies to a panel of lymphocytes and an increased incidence of cardiovascular disorders after five years of RTx.The proportion of graft loss due to DWGF has increased over the last 2 decades, but its causes have not changed significantly. Infections are the most common causes of DWGF followed by cardiovascular and digestive diseases.

A 68-year-old female in hemodialysis due to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease underwent resection of cysts in her right kidney via a laparoscopic approach due to abdominal pain. Three weeks after surgery, she was admitted with sepsis. A CT scan showed a large abscess around the right kidney. Percutaneous drainage of abscess was performed. The pus smear showed Gram-positive cocci and the culture contained methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Ciprofloxacin, clindamycin and vancomycin were given. In the 3 weeks following admission, she remained febrile and septic and showed a progressive deterioration in her general condition, along with malnutrition and persistent drainage of purulent material from her right flank. The antibiotic therapy was changed to vancomycin, metronidazole and meropenem, but no improvement was observed. Because of the high risk associated with carrying out an open nephrectomy, we decided to use hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as a potentially useful measure to control her infection. The patient underwent 26 daily sessions of 100% hyperbaric oxygen (2.5 atm). The use of HBOT induced a notable break in the clinical course of this patient’s retroperitoneal infection. She was discharged after day 58 without any signs of inflammatory activity, and she has not presented reactivation of infection since then. We think that this case suggests that this therapy could be a new therapeutic tool in the management of patients with similar clinical features when all other therapeutic measures have failed. We did not find any other reports of the use of HBOT in infections of renal cysts.

Relatively little is known on how the Doppler method compares with oscillometric measurement using a conventional automatic blood pressure device to determine the ankle-brachial index, when determinations are performed by physicians with little experience. To assess the diagnostic efficacy of both methods in this professional group, we calculated their sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value in 158 legs of 85 patients with symptoms of intermittent claudication. Angiography was used as the gold standard. Of the legs examined, 131 showed significant arterial obstruction. The oscillometric method showed 97% sensitivity, 89% specificity, 98% positive predictive value, and 86% negative predictive value. The Doppler method showed 95% sensitivity, 56% specificity, 91% positive predictive value, and 68% negative predictive value. This study suggests that the automatic blood pressure equipment has greater diagnostic accuracy when the test is performed by physicians not specifically trained to use the Doppler probe. Full English text available from: www.revespcardiol.org.

The usual form of presentation of celiac disease is chronic diarrhoea and deficiencies of vitamin D, vitamin K, iron and vitamin B12, due to malabsorption. Intestinal obstruction secondary to an intussusception is rare in adults and usually is a complication of carcinoma of the colon or post-operative adhesions. We report a 45 year-old female consulting for diarrhoea and vomiting lasting one week and progressive abdominal bloating. A plain abdominal X ray showed air fluid levels in the small bowel and a CT scan showed an intussusception. She was operated and discharged but continued with diarrhoea. She was admitted again and a new CT scan showed three intussusceptions that were resolved with the administration of oral contrast media. Antiendomisial antibodies were positive and a celiac disease was diagnosed. After one year with a gluten free diet, the patient remains asymptomatic.

Endobronchial location of metastases is uncommon. We report an 83 year-old woman with a history of a left hemicolectomy due to tubular colon adenocarcinoma, three years ago. She consulted in the emergency room for progressive dyspnea, cough an mucous sputum. There was abolition of breath sounds and dullness in the left hemithorax. Chest X ray examination showed a complete opacity of the left lung. She was treated as a pneumonia and her left lung expanded again. Three weeks later, left lung atelectasis relapsed. A bronchial biopsy showed a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, compatible with colon adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the colonic origin of the tumor. The patient rejected radiotherapy and is alive after 11 months of follow up.

A 57-year-old woman presented with fever and cellulitis of the right leg. Urinalysis and kidney function were normal on admission. Cellulitis remitted but fever persisted for six weeks. X-ray imaging, cultures, serological assays for viruses and autoimmunity did not reveal the cause of fever. Unexpectedly anti-Scl 70 (anti-topoisomerase I) antibodies were positive. A skin biopsy ruled out scleroderma. On the fifth hospitalization week kidney function declined in association with hematuria, leucocyturia, and proteinuria. Prednisone was administered due to clinical suspicion of drug-induced interstitial nephritis. Fever declined in 24 h, but renal failure became rapidly worse requiring hemodialysis. Kidney biopsy revealed extensive crescentic glomerulonephritis (CGN), with much glomerular destruction, with an IgG-positive linear pattern on immunofluorescence microscopy. No overtly active microangiopathy or vasculitis were present. There was no pulmonary involvement and anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies were not detected in the serum. After one year anti-Scl 70 antibodies were still positive without scleroderma manifestations and 17 months later the patient received a kidney transplant with excellent results. Presentation of type 1 CGN as a fever of unknown origin (FUO) is exceptional. Anti-Scl 70 antibodies are highly specific for scleroderma and are seldom present in other diseases. As far as we are aware there are no published cases of the association of type 1 CGN with anti-Scl 70 antibodies.

We report a 42 year-old woman with a hypothyroidism and a mixed connective tissue disease treated with prednisone and methotrexate. The patient had normal blood glucose levels but when the methotrexate dose was tapered, she presented a diabetic ketoacidosis that required up to 520 units of insulin per day. Due to the intensification of the mixed connective tissue disease symptoms, the doses of methotrexate and prednisone were increased again with a simultaneous normalization of serum glucose levels and glucose tolerance. In the following six months, when the dose of methotrexate was tapered again, the hyperglycemia reappeared and was again controlled increasing the dose. Thirty months after the episode of ketoacidosis, the patient was with a weekly dose of methotrexate, asymptomatic and with a normal glucose tolerance. Anti insulin antibodies were not detected and anti islet antibodies were indeterminate, due to interference with antinuclear antibodies. It is possible that the episode of ketoacidosis was unveiled by an autoimmune phenomenon.

Kidney graft loss because arterial thrombosis is not common and is related to risk factors such as recurrent vascular hemodialysis access thrombosis, collagen-vascular disease, repeated miscarriage, diabetes mellitus and thrombophilia. Patients having this last disorder have an increased risk of repeated thrombosis in successive transplants unless they receive anticoagulation therapy. We report a 51 year-old diabetic woman who had a history of recurrent vascular hemodialysis access thrombosis (both native and prosthetic) while on dialysis and received a cadaveric donor kidney. One month after transplantation she had axillary vein thrombosis complicated with pulmonary embolism and received anticoagulants for six months. Just days after stopping the anticoagulation, she became suddenly anuric due to renal artery thrombosis and complete graft infarction. The coagulation study showed moderate hyperhomocysteinemia and a significant protein C deficiency (39%). Days after nephrectomy she suffered a femoral vein thrombosis and anticoagulation was prescribed for life.

To conduct a preliminary evaluation of the Program for Depression Detection, Diagnosis, and Comprehensive Treatment, which was developed by the Ministry of Health of Chile.A group of women who had entered the Depression Program in eight primary care centers in three regions of Chile were monitored for three months. The initial sample was made up of 229 women, of whom 169 were able to be interviewed at the end of the three months. Sociodemographic variables, psychosocial risk factors, anxiety and somatic symptoms, and the degree of satisfaction with the care received were studied. Depressive symptoms were evaluated with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The treatments prescribed for the women were also analyzed.The clinicians' decision to enroll the patients in the Depression Program was appropriate, with 95.2% of the women having depressive symptoms, according to the BDI. The accuracy in the clinical assessment of the severity of the symptoms was around 50%, with a tendency to underestimate the severity of the depression. The dropout rate for the women was 19.5% at the end of three months of monitoring. Those who dropped out tended to present less severe clinical symptoms (less intense anxiety and somatic symptoms), a smaller number of psychosocial risk factors, and a lower level of satisfaction with the care received. The patients showed good adherence (73.3%) with the pharmacological treatment, but less with the individual psychotherapy (47.4%) and the group psychotherapy (37.8%). A significant decline was seen in the intensity of the depressive symptoms by the end of the three months, with the decline being greater among the women with more serious symptoms. There was also a significant decline in anxiety and somatic symptoms.The preliminary evaluation indicates that the Depression Program is meeting the proposed objectives, although there appears to be a need to develop specific strategies to improve the accuracy of the clinical diagnosis as well as compliance with the treatments that are offered.

To evaluate the effect of short-term (12-h) high-volume hemofiltration (HVHF) in reversing progressive refractory hypotension and hypoperfusion in patients with severe hyperdynamic septic shock. To evaluate feasibility and tolerance and to compare observed vs. expected hospital mortality. Prospective, interventional, nonrandomized study in the surgical-medical intensive care unit of an academic tertiary center. Twenty patients with severe septic shock, previously unresponsive to a multi-intervention approach within a goal-directed, norepinephrine-based algorithm, with increasing norepinephrine (NE) requirements (> 0.3 μg kg–1 min–1) and lactic acidosis. Single session of 12-h HVHF. We measured changes in NE requirements and perfusion parameters every 4 h during HVHF and 6 h thereafter. Eleven patients showed decreased NE requirements and lactate levels (responders). Nine patients did not fulfill these criteria (nonresponders). The NE dose, lactate levels, and heart rates decreased and arterial pH increased significantly in responders. Hospital mortality (40%) was significantly lower than predicted (60%): 67% (6/9) in nonresponders vs. 18% (2/11) in responders. Of 12 survivors 7 required only a single 12-h HVHF session. On logistic regression analysis the only statistically significant predictor of survival was theresponse to HVHF (odds ratio 9). A single session of HVHF as salvage therapy in the setting of a goal-directed hemodynamic management algorithm may be beneficial in severe refractory hyperdynamic septic-shock patients. This approach may improve hemodynamics and perfusion parameters, acid-base status, and ultimately hospital survival. Moreover, it is feasible, and safe.

When patients are admitted to an internal medicine ward, they and their relatives believe that they will leave the internal medicine service in a better health condition or, if they die, their cause of death will be the same that motivated the hospital admission. Sometimes, patients die due to a different disease than the cause of admission or due to complications of diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.To assess the proportion of deaths that occurred in internal medicine wards for causes that differ from the cause for admission and the proportion of deaths related to complications of diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.Three hundred and three consecutive patients were studied during 28 months. Their cause qf death was classified n four groups: A. If it was the same illness of admission; B. Afrecuent or expected complication of the illness that motivated the admission; C. A complication of one of their chronic diseases and not the one of admission; D. If it was not related to an already present chronic illness or the cause for admission.Sixty nine percent of deaths corresponded to group A, 7.9% to group B, 11.2%96 to group C and 11.9% to group D. Diagnostic or therapeutic procedures were the cause of death in 0. 7 and 3.6% of cases respectively.Twenty three percent of patients died due to causes that differ from the cause of admission. A low percentage of deaths were related to procedures and most of them were due to complications of therapeutic measures.

A 27 years old woman was admitted due to abdominal cramps, jaundice and oligoanuria, starting 48 hours after eating Chinese food. Hepatic biochemical tests, abdominal ultrasound and retrograde pyelography were normal. The urine was intensely orange colored and microscopic analysis was normal. The serum creatinine and urea nitrogen on admission were 4.59 and 42.5 mg/dl and rose to 13.5 and 72.4 mg/dl, respectively, at the 6th hospital day. Oliguria lasted only 48 hours. Dialysis was not used, since the patient was in good general condition and uremic symptoms were absent. On the 7th day, azotemia began to subside and at the 14th day, serum creatinine was 1.0 mg/dl. Before hospital discharge, she confessed the ingestion of 2.000 mg of phenazopyridine, during a nervous breakdown, aiming to sleep deeply. Remarkable was the persistence of the orange color of her urine during several days and the dissociation between the rate of increase of serum creatinine with respect to urea nitrogen. This is an unusual case of acute renal failure caused by an overdose of a drug, commonly prescribed for urinary tract infections.

Repeated exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) does not always result in seroconversion. Modifications in coreceptors for HIV entrance to target cells are one of the factors that block the infection. We studied the frequency of ∆32 mutation in ccr5 gene in Medellin, Colombia. Two hundred and eighteen individuals distributed in three different groups were analyzed for ∆32 mutation in ccr5 gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR): 29 HIV seropositive (SP), 39 exposed seronegative (ESN) and 150 individuals as a general population sample (GPS). The frequency of the ∆32 mutant allele was 3.8% for ESN, 2.7% for GPS and 1.7% for SP. Only one homozygous mutant genotype (∆32/∆32) was found among the ESN (2.6%). The heterozygous genotype (ccr5/∆32) was found in eight GPS (5.3%), in one SP (3.4%) and in one ESN (2.6%). The differences in the allelic and genotypic frequencies among the three groups were not statistically significant. A comparison between the expected and the observed genotypic frequencies showed that these frequencies were significantly different for the ESN group, which indirectly suggests a protective effect of the mutant genotype (∆32/∆32). Since this mutant genotype explained the resistance of infection in only one of our ESN persons, different mechanisms of protection must be playing a more important role in this population. COL0012444 COL0006723 COL0012426