[Hyperuricemia as a marker for anaerobic threshold in chronic cardiac failure].

Background: Patients with chronic cardiac failure often have elevated plasma uric acid levels, that are associated to a dismal prognosis.

Aim: To investigate possible metabolic mechanisms to explain elevated uric acid levels in these patients.

Patients And Methods: Eighteen patients with chronic cardiac failure aged 61 +/- 10 years old, without gout or renal failure and not using high doses of diuretics (equal or less than 80 mg/day furosemide or 50 mg/day hydrochlorothiazide) were studied.

[Prevalence of risk for mental disorders among undergraduate medical students at the Medical School of the Catholic University of Chile].

Background: Stress caused by the high physical, intellectual and emotional demands imposed to medical students, renders them specially susceptible to the development of mental disorders.

Aim: To assess the prevalence of risk for mental disorders among undergraduate students at the Medical School of the Catholic University of Chile.

Material And Methods: The Twelve Item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ 12) was voluntarily answered by medical students from the first to the fifth year.

[Clinical experience in home care of children with tracheostomy].

Background: Home care of tracheostomized children is considered a safe and low-cost alternative.

Aim: To report the experience with tracheostomized children at the Pediatric Respiratory Unit of the Catholic University Hospital.

Patients And Methods: The records of 16 children (9 male) with tracheostomy (TQ) in home care between 1992 and 1998 were reviewed.

[Percutaneous revascularization of chronic iliac artery occlusions with primary stent placement].

Background: Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is a well established treatment method for aorto iliac stenoses. However its success is limited in arterial occlusions and vascular stent placement can improve the results.

Aim: To assess the effectiveness of percutaneous revascularization with stent placement in patients with chronic iliac artery occlusions.

[Infective endocarditis: short and long-term results in 261 cases managed by a multidisciplinary approach].

Background: Early diagnosis, an effective treatment and prompt recognition of complications are essential to improve the prognosis of infective endocarditis (IE).

Aim: To report the results of a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and management of patients with IE at the Universidad Católica de Chile Hospital.

Patients And Methods: The clinical history, diagnosis, treatment and outcome of 261 episodes (Duke criteria) of IE admitted between January 1980 and January 1999 were analyzed.

[Client categorization: a tool to assess nursing workload].

Background: Client categorization is a management tool that allows an objective and structured assessment of the care demands imposed by patients and nursing workloads.

Aim: To characterize the need for direct nursing care of patients admitted to a university hospital.

Patients And Methods: During two months, all patients admitted to intensive, intermediate care units and general services were categorized, their need for nursing care and the time invested by nurses in their care was registered.

[Pulmonary hypertension and HIV infection: report of a case].

Pulmonary hypertension associated to HIV infection has been reported in the literature with increased frequency. Apparently, this condition has a faster clinical evolution and a higher mortality than primary pulmonary hypertension. The pathogenic mechanisms of HIV associated pulmonary hypertension and the influence of its treatment on patient's evolution are not well known.

Ondansetron and droperidol in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting.

We have performed a prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical study to assess the efficacy of ondansetron, droperidol, or both, in preventing postoperative emesis. We studied 242 patients undergoing biliary or gynaecological surgery under general anaesthesia. Shortly before induction of anaesthesia, patients received: saline i.

[Ulcerative colitis and pregnancy].

Background: The evolution of ulcerative colitis in pregnancy is far from clear. While some authors state that the disease aggravates during this period, others do not share this opinion.

Aim: To assess the evolution of ulcerative colitis in pregnancy.

[Rotational atherectomy (Rotablator) for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty].

Background: The use of Rotablator in percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty attempts to reduce the atheromatous plaque abrading it and fragmenting the parietal calcium of the artery.

Aim: To report our experience with the use of Rotablator.

Patients And Methods: Rotational atherectomy was performed in 189 patients aged 60.

[Nocturnal hypoxemia after abdominal surgery: associated factors and usefulness of oxygen therapy].

Background: Postoperative nocturnal hypoxemia (PONH) is a main factor in the genesis of respiratory, cardiac and neurologic complications after surgery.

Aim: To describe the phenomenon of PONH after elective laparoscopy and laparotomy, and to evaluate the usefulness of oxygen therapy in its prevention.

Patients And Methods: Fifteen elective patients (6 M, 9 F, 51 +/- 8 years old) scheduled for laparotomy (n = 8) or laparoscopy (n = 7) were studied.

[Study of the survival of elderly patients in intensive care units. Should they be admitted to these units?].

Background: An important increase in health care costs has occurred lately, determined in part by the expenses of intensive care units. An important proportion of beds in these units are occupied by elders, with high costs and dubious results.

Aim: To study the survival of elderly patients in intensive care units to shed light on the question if these patients should be admitted to these facilities.

[Probable pulmonary damage caused by bleomycin. Communication of 4 cases].

Four patients with advanced germinal cell testicular tumors were treated with cisplatinum, vinblastine and bleomycin. Histopathologic studies revealed pulmonary damage and various degrees of respiratory insufficiency developed in all patients, one of whom died. There was no instance of opportunistic infections in any patient.

[Duodenal villous adenoma. Report of 2 cases].

The case history, diagnosis and management of 2 pts with villous adenoma of the duodenum are reported. Both were operated on with good results, with no relapse at 12 and 18 months of observation. This tumor which is more frequently located in the vicinity of the Vater Ampullae, has a low incidence.

[Sublingual captopril versus nifedipine in the treatment of hypertensive crisis].

The currently accepted drug of choice for treatment of hypertensive crisis is sublingual nifedipine. We compared the effects of sublingual captopril (25 mg) to those of nifedipine (10 mg) in 54 patients with this complication who came to the emergency room. Five min after administration of captopril, blood pressure decreased from 197.