Quality of the blood pressure phenotype in the GEnotipo, Fenotipo y Ambiente de la hipertensión arterial en UruguaY (GEFA-HT-UY) study.

Background: In the ongoing GEnotipo, Fenotipo y Ambiente de la HiperTensión Arterial en UruguaY (GEFA-HT-UY) study, we applied standardized epidemiological methods to determine complex phenotypes including blood pressure (BP). In this report, we present the quality control of the conventionally measured BP.

Methods: Three trained observers measured BP five times consecutively in the seated position at each of two home visits and one clinic visit according to the guidelines of the European Society of Hypertension.

Significance of white-coat and masked hypertension in chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease.

Hypertension is a frequent and modifiable cardiovascular risk factor with a cyclic relationship with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and control of high blood pressure are all mandatory not only in CKD but also in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). As demonstrated by studies using population and hypertensive patients, white-coat hypertension (WCHT) and masked hypertension (MHT) carry a particular degree of risk.

Melanocytic nevi with special features: clinical-dermoscopic and reflectance confocal microscopic-findings.

Histopathology is considered the 'gold' standard for the diagnosis and classification of melanocytic nevi, but the widespread use of in vivo diagnostic technologies such as dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), has enriched profoundly the knowledge regarding the morphological variability in nevi. This is because most morphological observations made via these in vivo tools are closely correlated with features seen in histopathology. Dermoscopy has allowed for a more detailed classification of nevi.

Dermoscopic patterns of 158 acral melanocytic nevi in a Latin American population.

Background: Melanocytic nevi are frequently found on acral volar skin. Differentiation between nevi and melanoma is essential and sometimes difficult, although dermoscopy has enabled a more specific diagnosis of pigmented lesions. Dermoscopic patterns of lesions on acral volar skin have mostly been described in European and Asian populations.

Clinical, dermoscopic and histopathologic features of genital and extragenital lichen sclerosus.

Background: Little is currently known about the dermoscopic patterns of genital and extragenital lichen sclerosus (LS). In order to evaluate and compare the dermoscopic and histopathologic patterns of genital and extragenital lichen sclerosus, a retrospective analysis of clinical, dermoscopic and histopathologic features of genital and extragenital LS, collected between March 2010 and December 2011 at four dermatology clinics in Greece, Italy, Serbia and Uruguay was performed.

Observations: A total of 29 lesions from 14 (mean age 62.

[Ergotism secondary to ergotamine-ritonavir association. Report of three cases].

Ergotism is a complication of the acute intoxication or chronic abuse of ergot derivatives. It may be manifested by a vasomotor syndrome with peripheral vascular disease frequently involving extremities. We report three patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), in antiretroviral treatment (ART) that included a protease inhibitor as ritonavir, and had received self-medicated ergotamine.

[Clinical characteristics of patients with inflammatory bowel disease and thromboembolic events].

Objective: To determine the clinical characteristics of patients with thromboembolic events (TEE) included in the National Register of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases of Uruguay (RNEII).

Material And Methods: From the RNEII database of 515 patients, an analysis of case series was made. Medical records of 23 patients with diagnosis of ETE were reviewed Image studies were required for diagnosis of deep thrombosis, while superficial thromboflebitis diagnosis was clinical.

High-dose selenium for critically ill patients with systemic inflammation: pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of selenious acid: a pilot study.

Objective: Systemic inflammatory response syndrome is characterized by increased urinary excretion of selenium and low serum concentration. Repletion by parenteral selenite is the most efficacious form of supplementation. However, the optimum safe dose and mode of administration remain controversial.

[Analgesic quality in a postoperative pain service: continuous assessment with the cumulative sum (cusum) method].

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the cumulative sum (cusum) method for evaluating the performance of our hospital's acute postoperative pain service.

Material And Methods: The period of analysis was 7 months. Analgesic failure was defined as a score of 3 points or more on a simple numerical scale.

[Topographic anatomy of the asterion].

Background: In the surgical approaches to the posterior fossa, the accurate location of the transverse-sigmoid sinus (TS-SS) complex is of great importance. The asterion is a referral landmark to the transverse sinus location.

Method: Twenty-five skulls of adult cadavers were studied.

[Analysis of the lumbar discectomy complications].

Objective: To analyze the complications in a series of patients operated on for lumbar disc herniations between 1997 and 2002.

Methods: The records of 64 patients with the diagnosis of lumbar radicular compression by disc herniation who underwent 73 surgical procedures were analyzed. The patients with radicular pain without disc herniation were excluded.

[Disorder profile in the Mini-Mental State Examination in patients with mild cognitive impairment].

Introduction: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition that can act as a risk factor for the development of dementia.

Aims: Our objective was to determine the profile of performance in the MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) in patients with MCI.

Patients And Methods: We studied the performance in the MMSE of 117 patients who satisfied the diagnostic criteria for MCI.

Gallbladder carcinoma in the "Hospital de Clinicas" of Uruguay: 1998-2002. A clinicopathologic study of five cases in 802 cholecystectomies.

Five cases of primary carcinoma of the gallbladder are presented. The cases were identified after a study of 802 cholecystectomies in a period of 5 years. The patients are three women and two men between the ages of 43 and 60 years (mean, 55.

[Prognostic value in radical prostatectomy of positive cilinders number and cancer percentage per cilinder in prostate biopsy].

Introduction: Clinical stage, PSA value and Gleason score in biopsy are well known independent prognostic factors in prostate cancer. Since the widespread use of PSA, we assist to a changing trend in clinical presentation of patients with prostate cancer toward low stage, low PSA and well-differentiated tumors. This has motivated the search of new prognostic factors to predict those patients at risk of poor outcome.

Histologic analysis of chronic inflammatory patterns in the gallbladder: diagnostic criteria for reporting cholecystitis.

Cholecystectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures. Inflammatory disease is by far the most common pathology of the gallbladder. Terms for describing cholecystitis are numerous, thus there is no uniform terminology.

Immunohistochemical study of nerve fibres in basal cell carcinoma.

Few studies have been made about the influence of the autonomous nervous system on the proliferation of malignant cells. The aim of this work was to investigate if there is any relationship between the aggressiveness of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and the presence of nerve fibres. We studied 20 samples of BCC, classified in two groups: non aggressive and aggressive, according to current criteria of malignancy.

Neutrophil count in the normal appendix and early appendicitis: diagnostic index of real acute inflammation.

It is generally accepted that the uninflammed appendix does not contain neutrophils. In view of that, we searched for the presence of neutrophils in 60 uninflammed appendectomies and compared the findings with the neutrophil count in 20 cases of early appendicitis. In the uninflammed appendix, the upper third of the mucosa showed a mean of 0.

Can we use 99mTc-MIBI in functional studies of the parathyroid gland?

The usefulness of technetium-99m-sestamibi (99mTc-MIBI) in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism on haemodialysis was assessed. We studied 33 patients with parathyroid scintigraphy with i.v.

Localized myofibroblastic proliferation in the neck of a patient with an IgG myeloma.

We describe a myofibroblastic proliferation in the neck and lower part of the face involving skin and muscle of a 68-year-old female patient with an IgG kappa myeloma. Biopsies showed a fusocellular proliferation with scarce pseudoganglion cells involving the superficial fascia and the cutaneous muscle of the neck. The proliferative cells showed immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features characteristic of myofibrobasts with a proliferating cell nuclear antigen index of 48%; 42% of the cells displayed HLADR-positive membrane staining.

[Endoscopic-pathologic correlation of rectocolonic lesions less than 10 mm].

Ninety eight rectocolonic lesions up to 10 mm in diameter found in 50 patients were analyzed. The relationship between endoscopic and pathologic diagnosis was established. Emphasis was made on the detection of adenomas based in the following: Yamada III or IV lateral vision, Yamada I and II with smooth but erythematous surface, and in pale with irregular surface lesions.

Hemostasis and platelet aggregation in purpuric pigmented angiodermatitis eruptions.

Ten patients with chronic purpuric and pigmented angiodermatitis in the extremities and two patients with acute and disseminated eczematoid-like purpura angiodermatitis were studied with current hemostasis parameters: (1) platelet aggregation, (2) platelet circulating aggregates, (3) clotting factor measurements and high molecular weight kininogen (HMWK) in their coagulation fraction. The results showed: (1) reactional thrombocytosis with morphologic changes; (2) increased levels of platelet circulating aggregates; (3) increased response of platelet aggregation to different agonists, especially at very low doses, and also when we used washed platelets resuspended in normal plasma; (4) delayed activation of the contact system; (5) decrease of the activity of the fibrinolysis activators; and (6) diminished function activity of the HMWK coagulation fraction. As a physiopathogenic hypothesis in these patients, there is a cutaneous pathology that could be entailed to these hematologic alterations of the platelet-HMWK-endothelial cells-kinins-coagulation-fibrinolysis system.

[Intracranial hemorrhage in hemophiliacs. Study of 10 episodes].

The intracranial haemorrhages presented within a group of 64 haemophiliacs along 25 years were revised. During this period, 10 such episodes were seen in 8 patients with haemophilia A; six of them appeared in children under 10 years of age. In five instances there were traumatic antecedents, whereas in the remaining five the haemorrhage was spontaneous, no vascular abnormalities being demonstrated in these last.

[Whole body and thoracic impedance changes induced by cardiopulmonary bypass].

Impedance is defined as resistance to alternating electrical current. It is inversely proportional to the volume of tissues traversed by the current. Cardiopulmonary bypass, as used in cardiac surgery, results in extravascular fluid overload manifested by a decrease in whole body and thoracic impedance.