[Pan American Crohn's and Colitis Organization (PANCCO) and the Interamerican Society of Endoscopy (SIED) consensus on endoscopy in inflammatory bowel disease].

Introduction: Endoscopy plays a fundamental role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and becomes essential in diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and detection and management of complications.

Materials And Methods: The Pan American Crohn's and Colitis Organization (PANCCO) and the Inter-American Society of Endoscopy (SIED) appointed 22 Latin American experts in IBD to develop a consensus study using the modified Delphi method, based on the best available evidence. A working group of 22 members from 9 countries identified 15 topics and formulated 98 statements, who participated in 2 rounds of voting.

Presence of intracellular bacterial communities in uroepithelial cells, a potential reservoir in symptomatic and non-symptomatic people.

Background: Urinary tract infection is one of the most common infections in humans, affecting women in more proportion. The bladder was considered sterile, but it has a urinary microbiome. Moreover, intracellular bacteria (IB) were observed in uroepithelial cells from children and women with urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Latin American consensus on the quality indicators for comprehensive care clinics for patients with inflammatory bowel disease: PANCCO-GETECCU.

Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and incurable entity. The aim of the Pan American Crohn's and Colitis Organisation (PANCCO) is to create awareness of IBD, with special emphasis on Latin America, and the primary objective of the Spanish Working Group on Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (GETECCU, the Spanish acronym) is to obtain the accreditation of the clinical and therapeutic criteria for the diagnosis and treatment of IBD.

Aim: To carry out a consensus for evaluating the approval criteria that a Comprehensive Care Clinic for Latin American IBD patients must meet, to be considered a center of excellence.

Somatic hypermutation profiles in stereotyped IGHV4-34 receptors from South American chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common mature B-cell neoplasm in the West. IGHV4-34 is one of the most frequently used genes in CLL patients, which usually display an indolent outcome. In this study, we explored the mutational profile of CLL patients expressing IGHV4-34 within different stereotypes and their association with prognostic factors and clinical outcome.

Irritable bowel syndrome in celiac disease - relationships to celiac disease antibodies and levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Background: Evidence indicates that low-grade inflammation can alter gastrointestinal motor and sensory function and might contribute to the genesis of symptoms in IBS.

Objective: To examine relationships between IBS, disease antibodies and cytokine titers in celiac patients and a control group.

Materials And Methods: IBS, CD activity and serum levels of IL-6, IL-8 and IL12/23p40 were determined in celiac patients and controls.

TH17/Treg imbalance and IL-17A increase after severe aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

To evaluate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral blood (PB) Treg, TH17 cells, TH1, TH2 and related cytokines in the acute phase of aSAH we assessed TH17, TH1, TH2, T regulatory cells and neutrophils in 39 aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) patients and 56 controls. PB TH17 cells and TH17/Treg ratio were higher in CSF and PB of aSAH patients. Serum and CSF IL-17A levels were increased in aSAH.

Absolute monocyte count as a prognostic parameter in diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

Background Prognosis of patients with Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) is highly variable, and despite the use of modern immunochemotherapy regimens, almost 50% of patients will eventually relapse. Standard risk models, like the International Prognostic Index or the Revised International Prognostic Index (R_IPI) incorporate patient and tumor characteristics but do not consider variables related to host adaptive immunity which have been shown to be of significant prognostic value in non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Aim To analyze the prognostic significance of the absolute monocyte count at diagnosis in diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma in a retrospective setting.

First three Escherichia coli isolates harbouring mcr-1 in Uruguay.

Objective: This report described the first Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolates harbouring mcr-1 in Uruguay.

Methods: Three E.

Pain distress: the negative emotion associated with procedures in ICU patients.

Purpose: The intensity of procedural pain in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is well documented. However, little is known about procedural pain distress, the psychological response to pain.

Methods: Post hoc analysis of a multicenter, multinational study of procedural pain.

S100-A9 protein in exosomes from chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells promotes NF-κB activity during disease progression.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is an incurable disease characterized by accumulation of clonal B lymphocytes, resulting from a complex balance between cell proliferation and apoptotic death. Continuous crosstalk between cancer cells and local/distant host environment is required for effective tumor growth. Among the main actors of this dynamic interplay between tumoral cells and their microenvironment are the nano-sized vesicles called exosomes.

Smoke, Biomass Exposure, and COPD Risk in the Primary Care Setting: The PUMA Study.

Background: The evidence indicates that risk factors other than smoking are important in the development of COPD. It has been postulated that less traditional risk factors (eg, exposure to coal and/or biomass smoke) may interact with smoking to further increase COPD risk. This analysis evaluated the effect of exposure to biomass and smoking on COPD risk in a primary care setting in Latin America.

Latin America: the next region for haematopoietic transplant progress.

Haematopoietic cell transplant activity in the 28 countries comprising Latin America is poorly defined. We conducted a voluntary survey of members of the Latin American Bone Marrow Transplantation Group regarding transplant activity 2009-2012. Collated responses were compared with data of transplant rates from the Worldwide Network for Blood and Marrow Transplantation for other geographic regions.

COPD Underdiagnosis and Misdiagnosis in a High-Risk Primary Care Population in Four Latin American Countries. A Key to Enhance Disease Diagnosis: The PUMA Study.

Background: Acknowledgement of COPD underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis in primary care can contribute to improved disease diagnosis. PUMA is an international primary care study in Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela and Uruguay.

Objectives: To assess COPD underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis in primary care and identify factors associated with COPD underdiagnosis in this setting.

[Celiac disease associated with systemic sclerosis].

Systemic scleroderma (SS) affects the connective tissue, with involvement of multiple organs. Digestive system involvement occurs in 50% of patients. SS is frequently associated with other autoimmune diseases.

[Aneurysms of the distal anterior cerebral artery].

The clinical, angiographic and surgical features of 13 (out of 18) patients harboring pericallosal aneurysms and operated on by the same group of neurosurgeons, are analyzed. The mortality rate of the whole series was 5.5% with good (GOS II) or excellent (GOS I) recovery in the 91.

[Variants of the anterior circle of Willis. Anatomic and angiografic correlation and its implications in the surgery of intracranial aneurysms. (Acigos anterior cerebral artery, median artery of the corpus callosum and accessory middle cerebral artery)].

It is worlwide accepted that in almost 60% of cases, anatomical variants in the Circle of Willis can be found. Some of them are associated with vascular malformations such as aneurysms. The knowledge of these anatomical variants is of vital importance when facing surgery, being the aims to preserve arteries in unusual localisations, which when injured can determine invalidating sequelae.

[Descompresive craniectomy in head injury. Intractable I.C.P. ].

Decompressive craniotomy is a neurosurical technique known since the origin of neurosurgery, but its use as a routine started at the end of the 19th century. In last decades, the use of decompressive craniotomy decreased, mainly because of poor results obtained and the advances in medical treatment of refractory intracranial hypertension in the Intensive Care Units. Nevertheless, in recent years there has been a renewed interest with the use of this surgical techique in young patients with head injuries and severe intracranial hypertensio'n, but no surgical mass lesion, as well as in patients with ischemic stroke causing life threatening mass effect.

[Surgery of grade "0" aneurysms. Report of 22 cases].

Subarachnoid hemorrhage secondary to aneurysms rupture is still a devastating disease, in spite of advances of medical and surgical management. Mortality remains about 50% at the initial event, and less of 30% of survivors recover their previous level. The authors present a series of 22 patients with grade "0", aneurysms that had not bled, operated on during a six year period, with no mortality and a very low morbidity (less than 5%).