Clinical profile and predictors of in-hospital mortality among older patients hospitalised for COVID-19.

Background: the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by poor outcomes and mortality, particularly in older patients.

Methods: post hoc analysis of the international, multicentre, 'real-world' HOPE COVID-19 registry. All patients aged ≥65 years hospitalised for COVID-19 were selected.

Mortality risk assessment in Spain and Italy, insights of the HOPE COVID-19 registry.

Recently the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak has been declared a pandemic. Despite its aggressive extension and significant morbidity and mortality, risk factors are poorly characterized outside China. We designed a registry, HOPE COVID-19 (NCT04334291), assessing data of 1021 patients discharged (dead or alive) after COVID-19, from 23 hospitals in 4 countries, between 8 February and 1 April.

Impact of renal function on admission in COVID-19 patients: an analysis of the international HOPE COVID-19 (Health Outcome Predictive Evaluation for COVID 19) Registry.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Despite its international aggressive extension, with a significant morbidity and mortality, the impact of renal function on its prognosis is uncertain.

Methods: Analysis from the international HOPE-Registry (NCT04334291).

Real-world effectiveness and safety of apremilast in psoriasis at 52 weeks: a retrospective, observational, multicentre study by the Spanish Psoriasis Group.

Background: Little has been published on the real-world effectiveness and safety of apremilast in psoriasis.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness, safety and drug survival of apremilast at 52 weeks in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis or palmoplantar psoriasis in routine clinical practice.

Methods: Retrospective, multicentre study of adult patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis or palmoplantar psoriasis treated with apremilast from March 2016 to March 2018.

ESBL-producing-multidrug resistant E. coli population from urinary tract infections is less diverse than non-ESBL-multidrug resistant population.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the population structure of three different representative groups of E. coli isolates causing urinary tract infections in a large area of Madrid, Spain: two groups of multidrug resistant isolates (MDR), ESBL- and non-ESBL producers, and one of fully-susceptible isolates (35 isolates in each group).

Methods: Epidemiological relatedness was studied by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST).

Study of the possible link of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with Epstein-Barr virus and human herpesvirus 6 in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Background And Purpose: Although the causes of multiple sclerosis (MS) remain partially unknown, environmental and genetic factors are thought to play a role in its aetiopathogenesis. Hypovitaminosis D, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infections have been described as possible MS triggers. Our aim was to analyse the possible link between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and viruses in patients with MS.

Carotid stenting with proximal cerebral protection in symptomatic low-grade vulnerable recurrent carotid stenosis.

Background: Although the management of carotid disease is well established for symptomatic lesions ⩾70%, carotid revascularization for symptomatic low-grade (⩽50%) stenosis is not actually supported by data from randomized clinical trials. Such patients may occasionally have recurrent neurological symptoms despite optimal medical treatment owing to vulnerable plaques. In such cases, carotid artery stenting (CAS) may represent an option for treatment but this has not been tested in clinical trials.

Randomised crossover trial showed that using breast milk or sucrose provided the same analgesic effect in preterm infants of at least 28 weeks.

Aim: Repeated, ongoing exposure to pain influences the growth, cognitive and motor functions, behaviour, personality and neurodevelopment of preterm infants. We compared the analgesic effects of expressed breast milk (EBM) and 24% oral sucrose on preterm neonates during venipuncture.

Methods: This multicentre randomised, noninferiority, crossover trial focused on five neonatal university units in Madrid, Spain, from October 2013 to October 2014.

[Conservative treatment of a chronic rupture of Achilles tendon: case report].

We report a case of a 64 years-old-female patient with ruptured left Achilles tendon within two months of evolution that has gone unnoticed. By the application of a conservative treatment recovered complete and symmetrical functionality in five months time after the injury.

C-reactive protein predicts aortic aneurysmal disease progression after endovascular repair.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the prognostic significance of the rate of variation of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels as a predictor of aneurysmal sac and neck expansion and, therefore, of aneurysm disease progression, in patients undergoing endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) in the absence of endoleaks.

Methods: 192 patients following non-emergency elective EVAR for asymptomatic infra-renal abdominal aorta aneurysm (AAA) were included after a six-month period after intervention to ensure the treatment success and absence of endoleaks. Expansion of aneurysm sac or neck after the six-month stabilization term occurred in 120 (63%) and 128 (67%) patients for a mean follow-up of 53±23 months.

[The X of dyslipemias].

Patients with cholestatic diseases can present secondary hypercholesterolemia, as a result of the accumulation of lipoprotein X (Lp-X); an abnormal LDL form, considered as the biochemical parameter more sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of cholestasis intra or extrahepatic cholestasis. The aim of this clinical communication is to illustrate this association. A 54-year-old male with severe cholestatic liver disease which in turn presents a progressive total cholesterol rise and LDL with presence of lipoprotein X.

Improving Total-Cholesterol/HDL-Cholesterol Ratio Results in an Endothelial Dysfunction Recovery in Peripheral Artery Disease Patients.

Aims. To evaluate the effects of variations of total-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio and the effects of the atorvastatin on endothelial function in peripheral artery disease (PAD). Material and Methods.

Primary nitinol stenting in femoropopliteal occlusive disease: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Purpose: To determine the efficacy and safety of balloon angioplasty (BA) with optional stenting vs. routine stenting with current open cell nitinol stents for femoropopliteal occlusive disease by analyzing the overall results from all available randomized controlled trials.

Methods: A bibliographic search of electronic medical databases (MEDLINE, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) was conducted to identify relevant articles from 1960 to July 2011.

Prediction of asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm expansion by means of rate of variation of C-reactive protein plasma levels.

Objective: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an independent risk factor for arteriosclerosis, but its role in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) expansion remains not completely verified. There are no data about the prognostic significance of rates of variation of the CRP levels in asymptomatic AAAs. This study investigated the association between plasma CRP levels and AAA diameter and assessed the relationship between the gradient of CRP levels and rates of expansion in asymptomatic AAAs.

Vascular endothelial growth factor polymorphisms are involved in the late vascular complications in Type II diabetic patients.

Aim: To determine the potential genotype differences in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene in diabetic patients, which might explain the difference in terms of the development of clinical vascular complications: great vessels atherosclerosis vs. retinopathy.

Methods: Genotyping of the VEFG gene insertion/deletion -2549, the C-2578A and the G+405C polymorphisms was done in 40 diabetic patients (26 with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and 14 with diabetic retinopathy (DR)).

[Seizures secondary to hypomagnesemia in patients with short bowel syndrome].

Magnesium (Mg) is the fourth most abundant cation in the body and plays a key role in numerous cellular functions such as glycolysis and energy metabolism. Its deficit may cause gastrointestinal disturbances, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Among the latter, the symptoms may range from muscle weakness and numbness, to lethargy, hyperreflexia, ataxia, tetany, convulsions and coma.

A prospective randomized controlled study with intermittent mechanical compression of the calf in patients with claudication.

Objectives: The study tested the feasibility of using a new portable mechanical compression device for the treatment of claudication. The device applies intermittent non-pneumatic mechanical compression (IMC) to the calf. It was hypothesized that it can offer a low-cost convenient option for patients and achieve good compliance and improved clinical outcomes.

Meta-analysis of randomized, controlled clinical trials in angiogenesis: gene and cell therapy in peripheral arterial disease.

We aim to determine the efficacy and safety of gene and cell angiogenic therapies in the treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and evaluate them for the first time by a meta-analysis. We include in the formal meta-analysis only the randomized placebo-controlled phase 2 studies with any angiogenic gene or cell therapy modality to treat patients with PAD (intermittent claudication, ulcer or critical ischemia) identified by electronic search in MEDLINE and EMBASE databases (1980 to date). Altogether, 543 patients are analyzed from six randomized, controlled trials that are comparable with regard to patient selection, study design, and endpoints.