Gender differences and woman-specific trends in acute stroke: results from a hospital-based registry (1986-2009).

Objective: We assessed gender differences and women-specific secular trends in stroke.

Methods: Data from 2318 women and 2274 men with first-ever stroke collected from the Sagrat Cor Hospital Stroke Registry of Barcelona between 1986 and 2009 were analyzed.

Results: Patient's age increased significantly from a mean of 74.

Current and potential usefulness of pneumococcal urinary antigen detection in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia to guide antimicrobial therapy.

Background: The role of pneumococcal urinary antigen detection in the treatment of adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is not well defined. We assessed the usefulness of pneumococcal urinary antigen detection in the diagnosis and antimicrobial guidance in patients hospitalized with CAP.

Methods: A prospective study of all adults hospitalized with CAP was performed from February 2007 through January 2008.

[A comparative study of direct immunofluorescence, enzyme immunoassay, and culture for diagnosing metapneumovirus infection].

Introduction: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is an important cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children, accounting for 14% to 24% of all viral respiratory infections with an etiological diagnosis. This study compares a direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) test, enzyme immunoassay (EIA), and shell-vial culture for diagnosing acute bronchiolitis in infants.

Methods: A total of 124 nasopharyngeal aspirates from 108 infants with lower respiratory tract infection were analyzed.