Epidemiology of sepsis in the Valencian Community (Spain), 1995-2004.

Objective: To study the incidence of sepsis in the Valencian Community (Spain) during a period of 10 years (1995-2004).

Methods: We downloaded data on discharge diagnoses of septicemia in all 26 public hospitals in the Valencian Community during the 10-year study period, as well as the additional discharge diagnoses of each patient.

Results: We identified 33,767 cases of sepsis during the study period.

Secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) deficiency in serum of patients with GALTectomy (appendectomy and tonsillectomy).

Introduction: In adult human beings, 80-85% of the immune cells are located in the digestive tract mucosa; hence the importance of the Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT) in host defence. We studied the influence of the surgical removal of two important parts of the gut associated with lymphoid tissue (tonsillectomy and appendectomy) on immune parameters.

Methods: One hundred and sixty patients were enrolled in this study.