[Complications in diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic cholangiopancreatography. Prospective study].

Background: Studies of ERCP-related morbidity seldom include a sufficient patient follow-up. The complication rate is variable.

Aim: To characterize and to evaluate the frequency of complications in patients after Diagnostic and Therapeutic ERCP.

Clinical factors predicting a rapid response to short-acting beta2 agonists in mild and moderate asthma exacerbations.

Background: The need for establishing criteria that facilitate decision-making has lead to search for factors that could predict prognosis and response to treatment for asthma exacerbations.

Objective: To assess which clinical factors are associated with a rapid response to short-acting beta2 agonists during asthma exacerbations.

Patients And Methods: Two hundred and twenty consecutive adults with mild to moderate asthma crisis were included.

[Treatment with high doses of intravenous immunoglobulin in a case of complicated pemphigus vulgaris].

A case of a young woman with recalcitrant pemphigus vulgaris involving skin and mucosae, with multiple side effects due to the chronic use of corticosteroids and azathioprine related myelosuppression is presented. She received high doses of intravenous immunoglobulin for five consecutive days and showed a rapid disease control, with healing in three weeks. Remission observed in this patient supports the idea that intravenous immunoglobulin is a good alternative of treatment for patients with pemphigus vulgaris, when there is no response to it or when significant adverse effects appear as a result of its prolonged use.

Eustachian tube dysfunction in allergic rhinitis.

Objective: To assess eustachian tube function in patients with allergic rhinitis and compare them with a control group.

Study Design And Setting: Tympanometry was performed in 130 patients (260 ears), divided into 2 groups: 80 cases with allergic rhinitis and 50 healthy controls. Cases underwent skin hypersensitivity tests.

Effect of polymeric diets in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Objective: To determine if a diet complemented with calcium caseinate is better than a natural high protein diet for increasing serum albumin levels in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).

Patients And Methods: A 4-month clinical trial involving 100 patients older than 18 years was performed. Patients were randomized into two groups: group A, high protein diet (1.