[Cerebral ischaemia secondary to non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis as the presenting symptom of an ovarian tumour].

Introduction: In cancer patients, cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) are the most common complication occurring in the central nervous system after metastasis. One of its causations is non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE), which appears on rare occasions as the first symptom of the tumour. The clinical manifestations of NBTE are the result of multiple systemic embolism.

Activity and safety of oxaliplatin with weekly 5-fluorouracil bolus and low-dose leucovorin as first-line treatment for advanced colorectal cancer.

This study was designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of oxaliplatin combined with weekly boluses of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and low doses of leucovorin (LV) and to determine objective response, progression-free survival, and overall survival of patients with previously untreated advanced colorectal cancer. Seventy-nine patients enrolled in an observational, multicenter, prospective, open-label phase II study received intravenous (I.V.

[Susceptibility of Streptococcus pyogenes to macrolides and quinolones in Guadalajara, Spain].

We carried out a retrospective study of the susceptibility of 104 Streptococcus pyogenes strains, which were isolated in 2000 and 2001 from clinical samples of different origins, to penicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, ofloxacin and levofloxacin. The susceptibility testing was performed using the agar difusion method according to the guidelines of the NCCLS. All of the isolates showed susceptibility to penicillin and clindamycin.

The burden of COPD in Spain: results from the Confronting COPD survey.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a smoking-related condition of progressive airflow obstruction, with disabling symptoms of chronic dyspnoea, cough and sputum production. In Spain, as in other countries worldwide, only a limited number of studies have attempted to quantify the impact of COPD on the patient, healthcare system and society. To obtain comprehensive information about the burden of this disease, an economic analysis of a large international survey, Confronting COPD in North America and Europe, was conducted.

[Analysis of differences in flow-mediated dilation in relation to the treatment of coronary patients].

Introduction: Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is thought to be related to the development of coronary disease. We were interested in knowing the degree of FMD in a large sample of coronary patients in relation to the therapy they were given in clinical practice.

Patients And Method: We studied 1,081 coronary patients (age 68 +/- 12 years, 73% male) in which FMD was evaluated in the brachial artery.

[Clinical benefits of tiotropium, a new anticholinergic bronchodilator].

Bronchodilators are, at the present time, the mainstay of symptomatic therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Anticholinergics are the first steep in the clinical management of these patients although its short half life constitutes a serious limitation in patients with persistent symptoms. However, there have been some important developments on this area.

[Eosinophilic myositis in a 9 year old boy].

Introduction: Eosinophil infiltration of skeletal muscle is rare, but often no etiological factor can be identified and these are isolated eosinophilic myositis. They may be associated with parasite infections or drugs, or be features of rare systemic disorders of hypereosinophilia, such as the myalgia eosinophilia syndrome and the idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome. The eosinophilic myopathies should be distinguished from the commoner inflammatory myopathies such as polymyositis and dermatomyositis.

[The headache in general neruological practice].

Introduction: Headache is one of the most frequent causes of consultation in a neurology clinic. We present a descriptive, epidemiological study about such a pathology in a general neurology clinic. We evaluated as the most relevant points the frequency of different types of headaches, the reasons for remission and diagnosis concordance with the remitting doctor, normally the General Practitioner.

[The use of electroconvulsive therapy in acute services at the general hospital].

Goal: The aim of the investigation focused on a retrospective analysis of the clinical use of ECT in the Acute Psychiatric Unit of The University Hospital of Guadalajara.

Method: All patients admitted to our psychiatric unit from 1993 to 1998 and who underwent ECT along their hospitalization, were included in the analysis. Age of the sample ranged from 17 to 79.

[Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis as presenting symptom of a gallbladder carcinoma].

Introduction: Meningeal carcinomatosis is rare accounting for 4-5% in autopsy of patients with solid tumors, and even less frequent, 1%, in its pure form without brain metastases. We report a case of psychosis symptomatic of a meningeal carcinomatosis as presenting manifestation of a gallbladder carcinoma. This clinicopathological combination has not been described previously.

[A case report of mixed, parenchymatous and meningo-basal neurocysticercosis].

Neurocysticercosis is the most common parasitic disease of the central nervous system. Its incidence diminished dramatically in the last decades in our country, but due to emigration from endemic areas is expected an increase in the next years. In spite of the new immunologic and neuroradiographic techniques, diagnostic of centeinty may be very difficult.

[Adult renal polycystosis as the causal entity of an intercostal hernia containing an intestinal loop: an unusual clinical case].

Objective: To describe a case of adult renal polycystosis causing intercostal hernia with intestinal segment. To our knowledge, no such case has been previously reported in the literature.

Methods/results: Diagnosis was by abdominal CT.

Cyclosporine increases local glomerular synthesis of reactive oxygen species in rats: effect of vitamin E on cyclosporine nephrotoxicity.

Background: We report an investigation of the effects of cyclosporine (CsA) on kidney function, the glomerular synthesis of reactive oxygen species, the peroxidation of lipids, and the levels of thromboxane B2 (TXB2). The effect of the simultaneous administration of the antioxidant vitamin E (Vit E) and CsA in rats was also evaluated.

Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were treated for 30 days with CsA (30 mg/kg/day), with Vit E (0.

Cyclosporine A nephrotoxicity: role of thromboxane and reactive oxygen species.

The main adverse effect of cyclosporine A (CyA) is nephrotoxicity. CyA increases urinary concentrations of thromboxane A2 (TXA2), a potent vasoconstrictor that can be involved in kidney failure induced by CyA. Furthermore, it has been postulated that a relationship exists between oxygen free radicals and the synthesis of arachidonate metabolites in experimental models of CyA nephrotoxicity.

Diagnostic value of three tumor markers determined in pleural effusions.

In order to discriminate between malignant and benign effusions, the values of tissue polypeptide specific antigen,carcinoembryonic antigen and squamous cell carcinoma associated antigen were measured in the pleural fluid of 30 patients with neoplasm, 10 with tuberculous pleurisy, 10 with transudates due to congestive heart failure or cirrhosis, 29 with parapneumonic effusions and 23 with benign diseases other than tuberculosis and pneumonia. Carcinoembryonic antigen and tissue poly-peptide specific antigen levels in effusions due to neoplasms were significantly higher than those in effusions due to other diseases. The areas under Receiver Operating Characteristic curves for carcinoembryonic antigen and tissue polypeptide specific antigen determinations were 0.