RBD-specific polyclonal F(ab´) fragments of equine antibodies in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 disease: A randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, adaptive phase 2/3 clinical trial.

Background: passive immunotherapy is a therapeutic alternative for patients with COVID-19. Equine polyclonal antibodies (EpAbs) could represent a source of scalable neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: we conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to assess efficacy and safety of EpAbs (INM005) in hospitalized adult patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 pneumonia in 19 hospitals of Argentina.

A Randomized Trial of Convalescent Plasma in Covid-19 Severe Pneumonia.

Background: Convalescent plasma is frequently administered to patients with Covid-19 and has been reported, largely on the basis of observational data, to improve clinical outcomes. Minimal data are available from adequately powered randomized, controlled trials.

Methods: We randomly assigned hospitalized adult patients with severe Covid-19 pneumonia in a 2:1 ratio to receive convalescent plasma or placebo.

Viral hepatitis and Treponema pallidum prevalence in persons who underwent premarital blood tests in Argentina.

The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of different serological markers of hepatitis A, B and C viruses and Treponema pallidum among the adult population of Argentina. To achieve this, adults who attended health services for premarital exams (which are mandatory and includes screening for syphilis) were recruited. A cross-sectional study was designed with a cluster sampling strategy.

Abacavir use and risk of acute myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular events in the highly active antiretroviral therapy era.

Background: Some studies have suggested that exposure to antiretroviral therapy (ART) with abacavir is associated with an increased risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: Using the Veterans Health Administration's Clinical Case Registry we calculated the risk of AMI and cerebrovascular events (CVA) associated with the cumulative use of abacavir and other nucleoside combinations. We also evaluated the impact of pre-existing chronic kidney disease on the selection of abacavir versus tenofovir in the last recorded ART regimen, and on highly active antiretroviral therapy-associated AMI and CVA risks.

[Cytomegalovirus infection with hepatic involvement in immunocompetent adults].

We retrospectively evaluated 73 immunocompetent adult patients assisted at our Infectious Diseases Clinic between March 1999 and March 2004 who presented fever and asthenia, mild to moderate increase of transaminases and serological findings compatible with recent cytomegalovirus infection. We excluded patients with a history of transfusions, drug abuse, immunodeficiencies, preexistent hepatic impairment or serological findings compatible with acute hepatitis A, B and C (HAV, HBV, HCV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The laboratory diagnosis of recent cytomegalovirus infection was made by especific IgM detection (ELISA) or a significant increase of specific IgG.

[Teicoplanin in the treatment of bone and joint infections due to methicillin resistant staphylococci. Experience in adult patients].

We retrospectively evaluated 89 episodes of bone and joint infections due to methicillin-resistant staphylococci: 56 chronic osteomyelitis (CO), 10 septic arthritis (SA) and 23 infections associated to arthroplasties (IAA). We analyzed the efficacy of Teicoplanin (T) in three times a week or daily administration schemes and adequate surgery (AS). Also, we determined cost savings derived from outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT).