Adherence to synthetic disease-modifying Antirheumatic Drugs in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results of the OBSERVAR Study.

Background: Treatment compliance with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) is essential to achieve the therapeutic goals in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, despite the need for good compliance, there is evidence that patients with RA frequently fail to use DMARD for the control of RA. Thus, the main objective of the OBSERVAR study is to evaluate the reasons for the lack of therapeutic adherence to synthetic DMARD in these patients.

Left-sided infective endocarditis in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Objective: To evaluate the course of left-sided infective endocarditis (LsIE) in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) analyzing its influence on mortality and the impact of surgery.

Methods: Prospective cohort study, conducted from 1984 to 2013 in 26 Spanish hospitals.

Results: A total of 3.

National survey on thromboprophylaxis and anticoagulant or antiplatelet management in neurosurgical and neurocritical patients.

Objectives: To determine the protocols used by Spanish anaesthesiologists for thromboprophylaxis and anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs management in neurosurgical or neurocritical care patients.

Material And Methods: An online survey with 22 questions, with one or multiple options, launched by the Neuroscience Subcommittee of the Spanish Anaesthesia Society and available between June and October 2012.

Results: Of the 73 hospitals included in the National Hospitals Catalogue, a valid response to the online questionnaire was received by 41 anaesthesiologists from 37 sites (response rate 50.

[Controversial issues in congenital nevi].

Congenital melanocytic nevi are very common lesions that nevertheless pose many controversial questions. A systematic review of the literature suggests that the risk of developing melanoma on giant congenital melanocytic nevi (GCMN) is lower than previously thought given that, in the most recent series of GCMN, only 2 % of patients developed melanoma and most did so before the age of 5 years. Therefore,prophylactic surgery should be considered on an individual basis according to the degree of clinical suspicion of melanoma and the esthetic and functional consequences.

In vitro activity and in vivo efficacy of clavulanic acid against Acinetobacter baumannii.

Clavulanic acid (CLA) exhibits low MICs against some Acinetobacter baumannii strains. The present study evaluates the efficacy of CLA in a murine model of A. baumannii pneumonia.

[Allergic contact dermatitis to diethylthiourea in a neoprene wader].

Diethylthiourea, like other thioureas, is often used by the rubber industry and in the manufacture of neoprene. We present a patient who suffered allergic contact dermatitis to diethylthiourea in a neoprene wader and who required admission to hospital and systemic treatment. We review the literature on allergy to diethylthiourea.

Comparison of different methods of determining beta-lactam susceptibility in clinical strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

One hundred and one randomly selected (2003-2005) clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used to assess the quantitative (MIC) and qualitative (susceptibility category) agreement between the microdilution broth reference method (RM) and disc diffusion (DD), Etest and the VITEK 2 automated susceptibility test system for determination of the susceptibility of P. aeruginosa to piperacillin (PIP), PIP-tazobactam (TZP), ceftazidime (CAZ), aztreonam (ATM) cefepime (FEP) and imipenem (IMP). The results obtained by the RM were compared with those obtained by the other methods.

[Acute renal failure in a young male with cellulitis in the lower leg].

Necrotizing fascitiis due to Streptococcus Pyogenes has a high mortality rate. Detection of the infection before it developes to the streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is quite challenging and its one of the main goals of its management because at this final stage the treatment is in most of the cases ineffective. In a secuence of events of the progression of the infection to shock, renal failure occurs before hipotension very often.

[Mitral valve repair using polytetrafluoroethylene neochordae: short-term outcomes].

In recent years, mitral valve repair using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) neochordae has been shown to be an effective technique for correcting valve prolapse due to chordal rupture or elongation. In this study, we evaluated our experience using this technique in a group of 21 patients. The median (range) follow-up period was 9 (1-26) months.

[Chronic graft-versus-host disease presenting as bullous lesions].

Graft-vs-host disease is still the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation. It is important to start treatment early to reduce the severity and consequences of this complication. Cutaneous lesions are often the presenting compliant of graft-vs-host disease and presage visceral involvement.

[Indications for lumbar puncture in patients with early active syphilis and human immunodeficiency virus coinfection: experience in a tertiary level hospital in La Coruña, Spain, 2003-2006].

Introduction: In the last years, the incidence of syphilis has incremented in Spain and coinfection with HIV occurs in a high percentage. In HIV-infected patients with syphilis, neurological complications, treatment failure and relapse appear to be slightly raised. Therefore, careful follow-up must be carried out because of the risk of developing neurosyphilis.

Genetic variability among ampC genes from acinetobacter genomic species 3.

As a part of a nationwide study in Spain, 15 clinical isolates of Acinetobacter genomic species 3 (AG3) were analyzed. The main objective of the study was to characterize the ampC genes from these isolates and to determine their involvement in beta-lactam resistance in AG3. The 15 AG3 isolates showed different profiles of resistance to ampicillin (range of MICs, 12 to >256 microg/ml).

Development of neoplasms during lung transplantation follow-up.

Objective: Lung transplant patient survival has significantly improved over the last 2 decades, which has resulted in an increased incidence of malignant disease. We undertook a descriptive, retrospective study of our series of transplant patients.

Patients And Methods: The study included 129 transplantations from 1999 to 2006.

Efficiency and safety of inhaled amphotericin B lipid complex (Abelcet) in the prophylaxis of invasive fungal infections following lung transplantation.

Background: Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) in patients undergoing lung transplantation (LT) are associated with significant mortality. Previous studies have shown the efficacy of aerosolized amphotericin B deoxycholate and oral fluconazole for antifungal prophylaxis. Evolving data show a potential advantage of prophylaxis with lipid-based formulations of amphotericin B in the prevention of IFIs.

[The prophylaxis and treatment of c virus liver disease in the liver transplantation setting. Narrative review].

Objective: To review the use of antiviral therapy as prophylaxis or treatment of virus C liver disease in the liver transplantation setting.

Method: A search was made of the literature in PubMed with the strategy liver transplantation AND hepatitis C AND (interferon OR peginterferon OR ribavirin) from 1966 to June 2007 and a manual search of the journals Gastroenterología y Hepatología, Journal of Hepatology and Hepatology between 2001 and June 2007, to identify publications and communications to congresses relating to the subject. The studies identified were selected and evaluated.

[Sedation in surgical procedures using regional anesthesia in adult patients: results of a survey of Spanish anesthesiologists].

Objective: To analyze the frequency and methods of sedation used in the context of regional anesthesia in adults by means of a national survey.

Material And Methods: We carried out a survey of participants at the courses of an anesthesiology training organization (Fundación Europea de Enseñanza en Anestesiología), held in Spain in 2006. The survey questionnaires asked about indications for sedation used during surgery under regional anesthesia as well as the form of administration, follow-up, and complications.

[New Clinical Aspects of Behçet's Disease].

Behçet's disease/syndrome (BD) continues being aloof in his etiopathogenesis and very complex in its clinical manifestations. BD generates a good amount of scientific articles. For example, a simple search in PubMed sample that in the last 5 years has been published 1394 articles, 159 of them revisions.

Structure-function studies of arginine at position 276 in CTX-M beta-lactamases.

Objectives: In order to assess whether or not the Arg-276 of CTX-M-type enzymes is equivalent to the Arg-244 of IRT-TEM-derivative enzymes, we replaced the former with six different amino acids, some of them previously described as involved in resistance to beta-lactamase inhibitors in TEM-IRT derivatives. We also investigated the role of Arg276 in cefotaxime hydrolysis.

Methods: By site-directed mutagenesis and by use of the bla(CTX-M-1) gene as template, Arg-276 was replaced with six different amino acids (Trp, His, Cys, Asn, Gly and Ser).

False extended-spectrum beta-lactamase detection in Acinetobacter spp. due to intrinsic susceptibility to clavulanic acid.

Background: There are some reports showing the susceptibility of some strains of Acinetobacter baumannii to the beta-lactamase inhibitor clavulanic acid. To address this issue, we determined the MIC of clavulanic acid for a broad collection of Acinetobacter spp. isolates collected in a multicentre study.

[The importance of genotyping of strains for the evaluation and interpretation of 5 school-based epidemic outbreaks of tuberculosis].

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe 5 microepidemics of tuberculosis occurring in schools, establish the risk factors associated with the outbreaks, assess how well a concentric circles strategy for contact tracing predicts infection, and assess the usefulness of genotyping strains in the analysis of the outbreaks.

Material And Methods: The study assessed 5 epidemic outbreaks of tuberculosis using a standard contact tracing procedure. The outbreaks occurred in 2 day nurseries and 2 high schools between 1998 and 2005.