[The role of thiazides in the prophylaxis of recurrent calcium lithiasis].

Objective: To show the prolonged efficacy of thiazides in the prophylaxis and treatment of recurrences in patients with calcium oxalate and phosphate lithiasis.

Methods: A randomised prospective study is conducted, with a three-year follow-up, in 150 patients diagnosed with recurrent calcium lithiasis. The patients are divided into three groups: A) 50 cases subject to observation with no treatment, B) 50 cases treated with 50 mg/day of hydrochlorothiazide, and C) 50 cases treated with 50 mg of hydrochlorothiazide and 20 mlEq of potassium citrate/day.

[Abdominal stab wound involving a horseshoe kidney].

Abdominal stab wounds represent approximately 7% of abdominal injuries in our environment. However, renal involvement in these cases is relatively uncommon (2% of visceral lesions). We present a case of a stab wound in the anterior abdominal wall.

Virological analysis in the diagnosis of sudden children death: a medico-legal approach.

Infections are considered to be an important cause of unexpected death in children. It has also been assumed that respiratory viruses are involved in the genesis of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The Spanish National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences act as the forensic reference centre for Spain.

Challenges of DNA profiling in mass disaster investigations.

In cases of mass disaster, there is often a need for managing, analyzing, and comparing large numbers of biological samples and DNA profiles. This requires the use of laboratory information management systems for large-scale sample logging and tracking, coupled with bioinformatic tools for DNA database searching according to different matching algorithms, and for the evaluation of the significance of each match by likelihood ratio calculations. There are many different interrelated factors and circumstances involved in each specific mass disaster scenario that may challenge the final DNA identification goal, such as: the number of victims, the mechanisms of body destruction, the extent of body fragmentation, the rate of DNA degradation, the body accessibility for sample collection, or the type of DNA reference samples availability.

Latex agglutination for bacterial antigens and meningococcus PCR: two useful tools in legal sudden deaths.

Bacterial infections are considered to be a major cause of sudden deaths. The recognition of infections caused by Neisseria meningitidis is an essential duty of medicolegal offices due to the risk of secondary cases. Since other microorganisms, such as Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae, are also involved in infectious sudden deaths, the identification of the pathogen responsible for death is essential in order to establish a positive diagnosis while also preventing secondary meningococcal cases.

Diagnosing death by drowning in fresh water using blood strontium as an indicator.

The interpretation of the level of strontium (Sr) in blood has been demonstrated to be useful in the diagnosis of death by drowning occurred in sea water, but its use in fresh water drownings is not so evident because of the low Sr concentration present in most of fresh water media. In this paper, we show a survey of the results obtained in the casework analysis of Sr in ventricular blood used in the diagnosis of drowning in 144 bodies found immersed in fresh water over a period of 10 years. Thirty-two percent of the immersion cases examined could be diagnosed as drownings with a reasonable degree of confidence.

Immunoprophylaxis with Simulect (basiliximab) in kidney transplantation: results from routine clinical practice at 18 kidney transplant units.

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess a Simulect (basiliximab) regimen in routine clinical practice in the Spanish kidney transplantation units to evaluate efficacy and safety.

Methods: In this prospective, observational study, data on demographics, parameters of efficacy, and safety in patients who under with kidney transplantation treated with Simulect (basiliximab) were collected through an on-line collection system.

Results: One hundred sixty three patients at 18 kidney transplant units included 12 months follow-up.

[Squamous carcinoma of the penis with a rhabdoid phenotype].

Objective: To describe a squamous cell carcinoma of the penis with rhabdoid phenotype. We believe that only three squamous cell carcinomas with rhabdoid cells have been previously published and none of them was located in the penis.

Methods And Results: A 76 year old man presented a tumoral lesión in his penis, which had all the light microscopic and immunohistochemical features of a squamous cell carcinoma with rhabdoid phenotype.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the penis with rhabdoid features.

A 76-year-old man presented with a tumoral lesion in his penis that had all the light microscopic and immunohistochemical features of a squamous cell carcinoma with rhabdoid phenotype. We believe that this is the fourth reported case of squamous cell carcinoma with rhabdoid features and the first one located in the penis. Rhabdoid cells were primarily located in areas with an alveolar pattern, most of them being isolated and intermixed with necrotic cells and necrotic debris.

[Malignant fibrohistiocytoma of the spermatic cord].

A malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of the spermatic cord is presented and a review of the literature has been performed. The patient here presented survived for eight years and is probably cured of his tumour. In general, MFHs of the spermatic cord have a good prognosis, even when they attain a big size.

[Effect of thiazide therapy in the prophylaxis of calcium lithiasis].

Objective: To analyze the role of thiazide therapy in the prevention of recurrent calcium nephrolithiasis, considering the hypocalciuric action of this drug.

Methods: A prospective study before and after treatment, with a 3-year follow-up, was carried out on 150 patients with recurrent calcium renal stone. The patients were divided into three groups: (A) no treatment, (B) treatment with thiazide 50 mg/day and (C) treatment with thiazide and potassium citrate.

DNA typing from skeletal remains: evaluation of multiplex and megaplex STR systems on DNA isolated from bone and teeth samples.

Aim: To evaluate the performance of three multiplex short tandem repeat (STR) systems (AmpflSTR Profiler, AmpflSTR Profiler Plus, and AmpflSTR COfiler), and a megaplex STR system (PowerPlex 16) on DNA extracted from the skeletal remains. By performing a microbial DNA challenge study, we also evaluated the influence of microbial DNA on human DNA typing.

Methods: A subset of 86 DNA extracts isolated from 8-50 years old bone and teeth samples, corresponding to 20 identification cases from mass graves in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to 4 paternity cases involving deceased parents in Spain, were analyzed by the above systems.

[Renoureteral malformation and lithiasis. Therapeutic approach].

Objective: To analyze our results in the treatment of calculi in renoureteral malformations with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) alone and the efficacy of ESWL and adjuvant methods in the resolution of calculi in different types of renoureteral malformations.

Methods: The study comprised 141 cases of renoureteral malformations with urinary calculi; 68 were renal, 69 ureteral and 4 in the Bricker urinary diversion. All patients had been diagnosed by IVP and treated by ESWL.

Diagnosis of iron deficiency in chronic renal failure.

The cause of anemia in chronic renal failure is multifactorial. Decreased erythropoietin (EPO) production is the main pathogenetic factor, but iron deficiency is the primary cause of unresponsiveness to EPO therapy. The diagnosis of iron deficiency in patients with chronic renal failure is difficult.

[Leiomyosarcoma of the bladder. Report of a new case and review of the literature].

Contribution of a new case of bladder leiomyosarcoma due to the rarity of its presentation. There are barely one hundred cases reported in the medical literature. Clinico-pathological, therapeutic and prognostic assessment of this type of bladder sarcoma and discussion on the convenience of complementary therapy after surgery.

[Efficacy of radiotherapy for upper urinary tract tumor following radical surgery].

Objective: To determine the efficacy of postoperative irradiation for locoregional tumor recurrence and in the prevention of distant metastasis in patients with upper urinary tract tumor treated by radical surgery.

Methods: 51 urothelial tumors of the upper urinary tract, most of which had been treated by radical surgery (nephroureterectomy with resection of bladder cuff were analyzed. Since 1989 an adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy protocol (55 Gy) has been included for high grade and stage tumors.

Adequacy of dialysis in automated peritoneal dialysis: a clinical experience.

Objectives: To compare the peritoneal clearances of urea and creatinine in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) with three types of automated peritoneal dialysis (APD): continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis (CCPD), 50% tidal peritoneal dialysis (TPD), and 25% TPD and to assess the usefulness of the peritoneal equilibration test (PET) in predicting peritoneal clearances in overnight APD.

Patients: Eleven uremic patients (mean age 44.5 +/- 15.

[Sertoli cell tumor of the testis: clinical pathologic varieties. Report of a case].

Tumours derived from sex cords and primitive gonadal stroma account for 4% of total testicular tumours. The low frequency of Sertoli's cells tumour (SCT) and the uneven study and follow-up of patients makes analysis of this tumoral entity difficult. This paper contributes one case report of a Sertoli's giant cell tumour calcified in a 13-year old patient, and reviews the clinical aspects, clinico-pathological varieties believed to require assessment in patients with this type of disease.

[Determining factors in the success of the treatment of ureteral lithiasis by ESWL].

Shock-wave extracorporeal lithotripsy (SWEL) is admittedly the choice method for most ureteral calculi (UC). Treatment of 1.674 UC was carried out with a Lithostar (Siemens).