Affectively salient signal to random noise might be used to identify psychosis vulnerability in severe mental disorders.

Background: Subclinical psychotic symptoms are present in the general population. Furthermore, they are quite common in diagnostic categories beyond psychosis, such as BPD patients.

Methods: We want to assess the differences between 3 groups: BPD (n = 68), FEP (n = 83) and controls (n = 203) in an experimental paradigm measuring the presence of speech illusions in white noise.

Relation between psychotic symptoms, parental care and childhood trauma in severe mental disorders.

A relation between different types of parental care, trauma in childhood and psychotic symptoms in adulthood has been proposed. The nature of this association is not clear and if it is more related to psychotic disorders per se or to a cluster of symptoms such as positive psychotic symptoms remains undefined. We have analysed the presence of childhood trauma using the CTQ scale and types of parental care using the PBI scale in three groups of subjects: borderline personality disorder patients (n=36), first psychotic episode patients (n=61) and healthy controls (n=173).

Pharmacokinetics of Benznidazole in Healthy Volunteers and Implications in Future Clinical Trials.

Despite its toxicity and low efficacy in the chronic phase, benznidazole is the drug of choice in Chagas disease. Scarce information about pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of benznidazole has been published. We performed a phase I, open-label, nonrandomized pharmacokinetic study of benznidazole (Abarax) conducted with 8 healthy adult volunteers at the Infectious Diseases Department of the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital (Barcelona, Spain).

Evaluation of cytokine profile and HLA association in benznidazole related cutaneous reactions in patients with Chagas disease.

Background: Benznidazole is the drug of choice for Chagas disease. The major drawback of this drug is the high adverse events rate, being cutaneous reactions the most frequent one, leading to definitive withdrawal of treatment in 15%-30% of patients.

Methods: Prospective observational study where adult Chagas disease patients accepting to receive benznidazole (100 mg/8 hours for 60 days) were included.

Novel evidence that attributing affectively salient signal to random noise is associated with psychosis.

We wished to replicate evidence that an experimental paradigm of speech illusions is associated with psychotic experiences. Fifty-four patients with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) and 150 healthy subjects were examined in an experimental paradigm assessing the presence of speech illusion in neutral white noise. Socio-demographic, cognitive function and family history data were collected.

Bioavailability of two metamizole (dipyrone) solutions as single doses of 2 g versus metamizole capsules.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the extent and the rate of absorption of metamizole, appearing in blood as methylaminoantipyrine (MAA), from a new oral solution and a parenteral solution administered by the oral route relative to capsules.

Methods: An open, randomized, 3 single-dose (2 g metamizole), crossover study with intervals of 7 days between periods was performed in 19 male and female healthy volunteers (age 22 - 45 years, body weight 49 - 88 kg, body height 156 - 189 cm). Metamizole metabolites were measured with an HPLC technique.

[Acute myocardial infarction in nocturnal paroxysmal hemoglobinuria].

The case of a 62-year-old diabetic and smoker male who was under study in another hospital due to anemia, thrombopenia and hematuria of several months of evolution is presented. The patient was admitted to the coronary unit for an acute extensive transmural myocardial infarction and treated with t-PA. A few hours later the patient presented hematuric urine, a decrease in hemoglobin and platelets and acute renal insufficiency.

Fatal pulmonary embolization of a right atrial mass during transesophageal echocardiography.

Transesophageal echocardiography is a semi-invasive diagnostic technique with a very low incidence of significant complications. Only two deaths related to the procedure have been reported in the literature. We present the case of a 46-year-old man with a right atrial mass, presumably a cardiac myxoma.

[The absence of interference between GSM mobile telephones and implantable defibrillators: an in-vivo study. Groupe Systèmes Mobiles].

Introduction And Objectives: The electromagnetic field created by mobile telephones can cause pacemaker dysfunction. Although implantable cardioverter defibrillators are also susceptible to electromagnetic interference, few studies have addressed this issue and compatibility with the GSM mode has not been tested. This study was developed to detect possible "in vivo" interference between GSM mobile telephones and implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

Intravenous amiodarone in treatment of recent-onset atrial fibrillation: results of a randomized, controlled study.

Objectives: This study was designed to determine the efficacy of intravenous amiodarone in the management of recent-onset atrial fibrillation.

Background: The optimal approach for acute atrial fibrillation has not been established. Amiodarone is a unique antiarrhythmic agent with activity in both supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmias, but its value for the restoration of sinus rhythm in patients with recent-onset atrial fibrillation has not been demonstrated.

[Right ventricular arrhythmogenic dysplasia. The role of heart transplantation in its management].

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia is a rare disease that usually presents with ventricular arrhythmias and sometimes with heart failure. Rarely symptoms become severe and refractory to conventional therapy. We present the case of a 36-year-old man with this disease who had sustained ventricular arrhythmias and severe right heart failure.

[A heart transplant in a patient with doxorubicin-induced myocardiopathy as a complication of the treatment of a lymphoma].

We present the case of a young man who developed severe cardiomyopathy eight years after receiving high-dose doxorubicin therapy as treatment for diffuse lymphoblastic lymphoma. He underwent cardiac transplantation and eighteen months later the tumor has not recurred and the patient has no cardiac symptoms.

Randomized trial comparing ceftriaxone with cefonicid for treatment of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotic patients.

We compared cefonicid (2 g every 12 h) and ceftriaxone (2 g every 24 h) for their efficacy and safety in treating spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotic patients in an open randomized clinical trial (30 patients in each group). Clinical, laboratory, and bacteriologic characteristics were similar in both groups. Ceftriaxone-susceptible strains were isolated on 44 occasions (94%), and cefonicid-susceptible strains were isolated on 43 occasions (91.

[The use of digoxin in primary care].

Objective: A study aimed at a population attended at the Primary Health level was designed, in order to reach a greater understanding of the use of Digoxin by doctors and patients.

Design: A crossover observational study, carried out wholly at the Primary Care level.

Patients: 205 patients under long-term Digoxin treatment were studied.

[Pharmacokinetics of acetylsalicylic acid for the prophylaxis of cardiovascular pathology].

Background: The metaanalysis of clinical trials on the secondary prevention of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular disease with antiplatelet drugs suggests that low doses of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) reduce cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. The ideal galenic formulation should contain a low dose of ASA, should be enteric-coated--to reduce gastrointestinal toxicity--and should be slowly absorbed--to facilitate selective inhibition of thromboxane synthesis by platelets.

Methods: The kinetics of a single dose of an enteric-coated sustained-release preparation containing 300 mg of ASA were studied in 6 healthy volunteers.

Intracoronary platelet activation in ischemic heart disease: effects of ticlopidine.

Plasma levels of platelet factor 4 have been measured in the aortic and coronary sinus blood of 35 patients: group I (n = 12) with normal coronary arteriograms; group II (n = 15) with angiographically proven coronary artery disease; and group III (n = 8) composed of patients with ischemic heart disease who were being treated with the antiaggregant agent ticlopidine at the time of cardiac catheterization. The mean increase in platelet factor 4 levels through the coronary circulation was 27.4 +/- 21.