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RESUMEN La histoplasmosis es una micosis profunda causada por el hongo dimorfo Histoplasma capsulatum (H. capsulatum). Ingresa al organismo principalmente por la vía inhalatoria en forma de microconidias, las cuales se transforman en elementos levaduriformes intracelulares, y luego se diseminan por vía hemática. La primoinfección en pacientes inmunocompetentes suele ser asintomática y de resolución espontánea, pero los pacientes inmunodeprimidos generalmente pueden presentar una enfermedad diseminada con compromiso mucocutáneo con pápulas, nódulos, gomas, úlceras de fondo granulomatoso serosanguinolento y costras. Se presenta un caso clínico de un paciente diabético inmunodeprimido con infección por H. capsulatum, en el cual se realiza diagnóstico a partir de las lesiones cutáneas.

SUMMARY Histoplasmosis is a deep mycosis caused by the dimorfo fungus Histoplasma capsulatum (H. capsulatum). Which enters the body mainly through the inhalation route in the form of microconidia which are transformed into intracellular levaduriform elements, and then disseminated by blood. The primary infection in immunocompetent patients is usually asymptomatic and spontaneously resolved, but immunocompromised patients can usually present with a disseminated disease with mucocutaneous involvement, with papules, nodules, gums, granulomatous serosanguinolent fundus ulcers and scabs. A clinical case of an immunocompromised diabetic patient with H. capsulatum infection is presented, in which diagnosis is made from the skin lesions.

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BACKGROUND: Invasive Candida bloodstream infections are frequent and display high mortality in clinical practice. There is scarce published on this topic in Central America. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the epidemiology of candidemia in a hospital setting in Costa Rica. METHODS: 210 cases of nosocomial candidemia were analyzed in patients over 17 years of age, admitted to Hospital Mexico, between 2007 and 2011. Descriptive and temporary analyses were performed and the risk factors associated with C. parapsilosis and survival were evaluated. RESULTS: The incidence rate of candidemia was 1.47 cases per 1,000 admissions. The non-albicans Candida represented 62% of the isolated yeasts. Except for 2009, C. parapsilosis was the most commonly isolated species in four out of the five years reviewed, followed by C. albicans. There was a strong association between C. parapsilosis, the presence of a central venous catheter (OR: 4.8, CI 95%: 1.8-14.6, p < 0.001) and the use of parenteral nutrition (p: 0.008). The 30-day mortality was 50%. Candida albicans displayed the highest mortality and C. parapsilosis the lowest. Patients who did not receive anti-fungal treatment showed a significantly higher probability of death. CONCLUSIONS: The high incidence of candidemia from C. parapsilosis is directly related to the use of central venous catheters and parenteral nutrition. There is a need for creating local guidelines addressing the use of central venous catheters and parenteral nutrition, as well as implementing hand hygiene protocols.

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Background: Invasive Candida bloodstream infections are frequent and display high mortality in clinical practice. There is scarce published on this topic in Central America. Objective: To characterize the epidemiology of candidemia in a hospital setting in Costa Rica. Methods: 210 cases of nosocomial candidemia were analyzed in patients over 17 years of age, admitted to Hospital Mexico, between 2007 and 2011. Descriptive and temporary analyses were performed and the risk factors associated with C. parapsilosis and survival were evaluated. Results: The incidence rate of candidemia was 1.47 cases per 1,000 admissions. The non-albicans Candida represented 62% of the isolated yeasts. Except for 2009, C. parapsilosis was the most commonly isolated species in four out of the five years reviewed, followed by C. albicans. There was a strong association between C. parapsilosis, the presence of a central venous catheter (OR: 4.8, CI 95%: 1.8-14.6, p < 0.001) and the use of parenteral nutrition (p: 0.008). The 30-day mortality was 50%. Candida albicans displayed the highest mortality and C. parapsilosis the lowest. Patients who did not receive anti-fungal treatment showed a significantly higher probability of death. Conclusions: The high incidence of candidemia from C. parapsilosis is directly related to the use of central venous catheters and parenteral nutrition. There is a need for creating local guidelines addressing the use of central venous catheters and parenteral nutrition, as well as implementing hand hygiene protocols.

Introducción: Las infecciones invasoras por Candida son frecuentes y de alta mortalidad. Existe poca información publicada de la región centroamericana. Objetivo: Caracterizar la epidemiología de la candidemia en un hospital de Costa Rica. Métodos: Se analizaron 210 episodios de candidemia nosocomial en pacientes sobre 17 años de edad, entre los años 2007 y 2011. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo y temporal de la serie y evaluación de las características clínicas asociadas haciendo énfasis en C. parapsilosis. Resultados: La incidencia acumulada de candidemia fue 1,47 casos/1.000 admisiones. Las especies de Candida no albicans constituyeron 62% de las levaduras aisladas. Exceptuando el año 2009, C. parapsilosis fue la especie predominante en cuatro de los cinco años estudiados, seguida por C. albicans. Se demostró una fuerte asociación entre C. parapsilosis, la presencia de catéter venoso central (OR: 4,8, IC 95%: 1,8-14,6, p < 0,001) y el uso de nutrición parenteral (p: 0,008). La mortalidad a 30 días fue de 50%. Candida albicans mostró la mortalidad más alta y C. parapsilosis la más baja. Los pacientes que no recibieron tratamiento antifúngico presentaron un aumento significativo en la mortalidad. Conclusiones: La incidencia elevada de candidemia por C. parapsilosis está relacionada con los catéteres venosos centrales y la administración de nutrición parenteral. Para su control es necesario establecer guías locales para uso de los catéteres venosos centrales y la nutrición parenteral, así como implementar estrategias para promocionar la higiene de las manos.

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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The differentiation of pilocytic astrocytomas and high-grade astrocytomas is sometimes difficult. There are limited comparisons in the literature of the advanced MR imaging findings of pilocytic astrocytomas versus high-grade astrocytomas. The purpose of this study was to assess the MR imaging, PWI, DWI, and MR spectroscopy characteristics of pilocytic astrocytomas compared with high-grade astrocytomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients with pilocytic astrocytomas and 22 patients with high-grade astrocytomas (8-66 years of age; mean, 36 ± 17 years) were evaluated by using a 1.5T MR imaging unit. MR imaging, PWI, DWI, and MR spectroscopy were used to determine the differences between pilocytic astrocytomas and high-grade astrocytomas. The sensitivity, specificity, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of all analyzed parameters at respective cutoff values were determined. RESULTS: The relative cerebral blood volume values were significantly lower in pilocytic astrocytomas compared with the high-grade astrocytomas (1.4 ± 0.9 versus 3.3 ± 1.4; P = .0008). The ADC values were significantly higher in pilocytic astrocytomas compared with high-grade astrocytomas (1.5 × 10(-3) ± 0.4 versus 1.2 × 10(-3) ± 0.3; P = .01). The lipid-lactate in tumor/creatine in tumor ratios were significantly lower in pilocytic astrocytomas compared with high-grade astrocytomas (8.3 ± 11.2 versus 43.3 ± 59.2; P = .03). The threshold values ≥1.33 for relative cerebral blood volume provide sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, and negative predictive values of 100%, 67%, 87%, and 100%, respectively, for differentiating high-grade astrocytomas from pilocytic astrocytomas. The optimal threshold values were ≤1.60 for ADC, ≥7.06 for lipid-lactate in tumor/creatine in tumor, and ≥2.11 for lipid-lactate in tumor/lipid-lactate in normal contralateral tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Lower relative cerebral blood volume and higher ADC values favor a diagnosis of pilocytic astrocytoma, while higher lipid-lactate in tumor/creatine in tumor ratios plus necrosis favor a diagnosis of high-grade astrocytomas.

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La pancreatitis aguda es la inflamación aguda del páncreas con grado variable de compromiso de los tejidos regionales y diferente grado de compromiso sistémico. Se utilizan como definiciones las establecidas en el consenso de Atlanta (anexo 1). B. Diagnóstico 1. Historia clínica. Se presenta dolor en hemiabdomen superior, usualmente serio y acompañado de grados variables de vómito, náuseas y fiebre. Son importantes los antecedentes personales y familiares. 2. En el examen físico siempre se deben incluir el peso, la talla, el índice de masa corporal (IMC), la temperatura, la saturación de oxígeno (SAO2), la frecuencia cardiaca, la frecuencia respiratoria y la tensión arterial.

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OBJECTIVE: There are few studies on anthropometry and nutritional status in large and representative samples of elderly populations in Chile and South America. We describe age and sex differences in weight, height, body mass index, knee height, waist circumference, midarm circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, arm muscle area, and calf circumference in Chilean elderly subjects. METHODS: This was a population-based, cross-sectional study. A total of 1220 elderly persons (819 women and 411 men; age range, 60-99 y) were recruited in the city of Santiago (Chile) through a probabilistic sampling procedure carried out from October to December 1999. RESULTS: Men were significantly heavier and taller than women in all age groups, whereas body mass index values were significantly higher in women than in men. All anthropometric variables showed a decrease in average values with aging in men and women. The apparent negative slopes for the decline in average values of body weight with aging was of greater magnitude in women than in men (-0.42 kg/y and -0.54 kg/y in male and female subjects, respectively). However, significant age x sex interaction was detected only for triceps skinfold thickness. In women, quadratic terms for age provided a significantly better fit than did the simple linear model for the association between age and weight, body mass index, waist circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, calf circumference, or midarm circumference. CONCLUSION: These observations indicated that body weight changes associated with aging might be more severe in Chilean women than in men, probably determining a differential pattern of lean and fat mass loss.

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Medulloblastoma has variable appearances on MRI in both children and adults. Adults are more likely to have heterogeneous cerebellar hemisphere tumours, and this is thought to be related to the greater prevalence of desmoplastic tumours in adulthood. Few studies have addressed the MRI features of adult medulloblastoma and the specific characteristics of desmoplastic and classic tumours have not been analysed. Our aim was to analyse the imaging characteristics of desmoplastic (DM) and classic (CM) medulloblastomas in adult. We retrospectively studied preoperative MRI of six men and three women, median age 33 years, range 23-53 years, with pathologically proved medulloblastomas. There were six (67%) with DM. The tumour was in the cerebellar hemisphere in eight patients (89%), including the three with CM, one of which was bilateral. All tumours were heterogeneous, giving predominantly low or isointense signal on T1- and isointense signal on T2-weighted images. Cystic or necrotic areas in all patients were particularly visible on T2-weighted images. Contrast enhancement was absent in one DM and varied from slight to intense in eight (three CM), homogeneous in one DM and patchy in seven. All tumours extended to the surface of the cerebellum and two had well-defined margins. MRI does not allow a clear distinction between DM and CM in adults.

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Pharmacological therapeutics in acute myocardial infarction. The acute myocardial infarct is one of the main causes of death among the adult population of the industrialized countries, and this pattern is starting to be paralleled in many developing countries. The mortality rate due to coronary diseases has decreased 30% in the last decade, thanks to the new therapeutic strategies and the guidelines developed by the American college of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, aimed at physicians, nurses, and health personnel in charge of patients with suspected myocardial infarct or with an established myocardial infarct. These guidelines and strategies explain the fundaments of the administration of thrombolytic agents, coronary angioplasty, surgery, and the use of betablockers, platelet antiaggregating agents and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. These recommendations are followed at the Coronary Intensive Care Unit of the National Institute of Cardiology "Ignacio Chávez", and therefore it was necessary to perform this bibliographic review to continue with the safety standards established for the follow-up protocols of the ischemic patient, aimed at assessing their efficacy and efficiency.

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A prospective descriptive observational study was made to determine the incidence of esophageal foreign bodies in adults who had been admitted to the Manual Ascunce Domenech teaching hospital of Camaguey, Cuba in the period from 1 September 1997 to 31 August 1998. The highest frequency of patients with this diagnosis was in 31 to 50 year-old men. Dysphagia and salivary retention in the pyriform sinuses were the prevalent symptoms. The state of the oral cavity was poor in 82.50% of patients. The foreign body was removed in the first 24 hours in 83.33% of patients. The radiological diagnosis was positive in 75% of patients. The upper third was the most common location in radiological and endoscopic studies. Fish bones were the prevalent foreign body. A quarter of the patients had complications and stable esophagoscopy was used to extract the foreign body in 96.67% of cases.

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A case of a 40 year old female patient who began to present alterations in the tongue and who was diagnosed of Progressive Sclerosis of that organ is presented. The manifestation and diagnostic tools used in this case, as well as the treatment use, is given. The rareness of this disease, which is possible in systemic diseases, stands out.

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