Serum Fas levels during first week of sepsis are associated with severity and mortality.

Introduction: The aim of our study was to explore whether there is an association of serum sFas (cell death apoptosis receptor) concentrations during the first week of sepsis with sepsis severity and sepsis mortality.

Methods: In this observational study, septic patients were recruited. Serum sFas concentrations were determined on days 1, 4, and 8 of sepsis diagnosis.

Blood Bcl-2 levels to predict the mortality of septic patients.

To determine whether blood concentrations of Bcl-2 during the 1st week of sepsis could help predict mortality. Serum Bcl-2 concentrations were determined at the 1st, 4th and 8th days of sepsis diagnosis. Thirty-day surviving patients (n = 168) showed higher serum Bcl-2 levels at the 1st (p = 0.

Sonication did not provide reliability to Maki technique for catheter related bloodstream infection diagnosis.

Objective: The aim of our study was to analyze sonication and Maki techniques for diagnosis of catheter tip colonization and catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) on patients admitted to ICU.

Methods: Observational and prospective study in one Intensive Care Unit. Patients with some central venous catheter (CVC) at least for 7 days and catheter-related infection (CRI) suspicion (new episode of fever or sepsis) were included.

Association between serum concentrations of anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma-2 protein and traumatic brain injury mortality.

Background: There are scarce and contradictory data existing about B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2), one of the Bcl2 family of anti-apoptotic proteins, in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. Thus, the objective of this study was to analyze whether blood concentrations of Bcl2 are associated with mortality.

Methods: Patients with isolated and severe TBI, defined as <10 points of the Injury Severity Score (ISS) in non-cranial aspects and <9 points in Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), were included.

Blood concentrations of proapoptotic sFas and antiapoptotic Bcl2 and COVID-19 patient mortality.

There are no data on circulating concentrations of sFas (proapoptotic protein of extrinsic pathway) and Bcl2 (antiapoptotic protein of intrinsic pathway) in COVID-19 patients. Thus, our objective study was to determine whether an association exists between serum concentrations of sFas and Bcl2 and COVID-19 patient mortality. This observational and prospective study of COVID-19 patients was performed in eight Intensive Care Units (ICU) from Canary Islands (Spain).

Serum Levels of B-cell Lymphoma-2 Anti-Apoptotic Protein and Malignant Middle Cerebral Artery Infarction Mortality.

Introduction And Goal: There is scarce and contradictory data on B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2), member of the Bcl-2 antiapoptotic molecules family of intrinsic apoptosis pathway, in ischemic stroke patients. The objective of this study was to determine whether there is an association between blood Bcl2 concentrations and mortality of ischemic stroke patients.

Material And Methods: Five Intensive Care Units participated in this prospective and observational study of patients with severe malignant middle cerebral artery infarction (MMCAI).

Red blood cell distribution width and mortality of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage patients.

Objectives: Two studies have found an association between hematoma expansion and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) in the diagnosis of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SIH); however, its association with SIH mortality has been not reported. Thus, the objectives of this study were to determine whether RDW in patients with SIH could be associated with mortality and could be used as mortality biomarker.

Patients And Methods: Observational and prospective study of patients with severe supratentorial SIH (Glasgow Coma Scale < 9) from Intensive Care Units of 6 Spanish hospitals.

High serum levels of tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 during the first week of a malignant middle cerebral artery infarction in non-surviving patients.

Background: Higher circulating levels of tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 early after ischemic stroke have been associated with lower survival. The objectives of this study were to determine serum TIMP-1 levels during the first week of a severe cerebral infarction in surviving and non-surviving patients, and whether those levels during the first week could be used as a mortality biomarker for these patients.

Methods: We included patients with severe malignant middle cerebral artery infarction (MMCAI) defined as computer tomography showing ischaemic changes in more than 50% of the middle cerebral artery territory and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) ≤ 8.

Low Serum Melatonin Levels Prior to Liver Transplantation in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma are Associated with Lower Survival after Liver Transplantation.

Melatonin administration has been associated with different benefits in animals and patients suffering from liver diseases. However, there is no published data about circulating melatonin levels in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent liver transplantation (LT). Thus, the objective of this observational and retrospective study was to determine whether patients with HCC with lower serum melatonin levels prior to LT have a higher risk of one-year mortality after LT.

[Current peritoneal dialysis compared with haemodialysis: medium-term survival analysis of incident dialysis patients in the Canary Islands in recent years].

Introduction: Important differences in patient survival exist between peritoneal dialysis (PD) and haemodialysis (HD). Several different studies have shown that PD yields a better survival rate than HD in the first and second years of treatment, especially in younger patients and non-diabetic patients with low comorbidity, whereas HD produces better results in diabetic patients, elderly patients, and in patients with greater comorbidity. In recent years, interesting changes have occurred in PD units in the Canary Islands, such as the introduction of peritoneal dialysis solutions with bicarbonate dialysate and low content of glucose degradation products, extended use of automated dialysis, and continuity of physicians and nurses in PD units, in addition to enhancing visits for advanced chronic kidney disease (ACKD).

Comparison of clinical cure rates in adults with ventilator-associated pneumonia treated with intravenous ceftazidime administered by continuous or intermittent infusion: a retrospective, nonrandomized, open-label, historical chart review.

Background: Beta-lactam antibiotics are reported to exhibit time-dependent bactericidal activity. However, there are limited data on the clinical efficacy of ceftazidime administered by continuous infusion.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy of ceftazidime administered by continuous infusion and by intermittent infusion in the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by gram-negative bacteria.

Cleavage and degradation of Claspin during apoptosis by caspases and the proteasome.

Apoptosis plays a crucial role in development and tissue homeostasis. Some key survival pathways, such as DNA damage checkpoints and DNA repair, have been described to be inactivated during apoptosis. Here, we describe the processing of the human checkpoint protein Claspin during apoptosis.

Tumour spectrum of non-polyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome) on the island of Tenerife and influence of insularity on the clinical manifestations.

Colorectal cancer is a complex disease from a genetic point of view because both genetic and environmental factors interact in its development. Only familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) follows mendelian genetics, in that mutations of the APC gene lead to development of the tumours. Lynch syndrome is the most frequent form of hereditary colorectal cancer and appears to be associated with other types of extracolonic cancers.

[Chromosome abnormalities in hyperparathyroidism: utility of comparative genomic hybridization in the study of parathyroid hyperplasias].

Genetic abnormalities responsible for primary (pHPT) and secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT) are not well described, especially those underlying the autonomous and refractory behaviour of glands from uremic patients with glandular hyperplasia and nodular growth. Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH) is a molecular cytogenetic technique based on a double-color in situ fluorescent analysis, allowing a global description of gains and losses of genomic material. It is a useful tool that localizes unstable genetic areas whose alteration could modify the expression of one or several genes related to the pathology in study.