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Objectives: To describe the prevalence and characteristics of interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) in CT scans performed prior to the initiation of antifibrotics in a series of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), and to identify characteristics apparent on early CT scans that could help to predict outcomes., Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study. The original cohort consisted of 101 patients diagnosed with ILD and treated with antifibrotics in a tertiary hospital. Patients were included if they had a thoracic CT scan performed at least one year before initiation of therapy. They were classified radiologically in three groups: without ILA, with radiological ILA and extensive abnormalities. ILA were classified as subpleural fibrotic, subpleural non-fibrotic and non-subpleural. The initial scan and the latest CT scan performed before treatment were read for assessing progression. The relationship between CT findings of fibrosis and the radiological progression rate and mortality were analyzed., Results: We included 50 patients. Only 1 (2%) had a normal CT scan, 25 (50%) had extensive alterations and 24 (48%) had radiological criteria for ILA, a median of 98.2 months before initiation of antifibrotics, of them 18 (75%) had a subpleural fibrotic pattern. Significant bronchiectasis and obvious honeycombing in the lower zones were associated with shorter survival (p = 0.04). Obvious honeycombing in the lower zones was also significantly (p < 0.05) associated with a faster progression rate., Conclusions: Fibrotic ILAs are frequent in remote scans of patients with clinically relevant ILD, long before they require antifibrotics. Findings of traction bronchiectasis and honeycombing in the earliest scans, even in asymptomatic patients, are related to mortality and progression later on., (Copyright © 2023 SERAM. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Psittacosis is a relatively uncommon cause of community-acquired pneumonia, often leading to diagnostic difficulty., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on the clinical features of psittacosis patients in China. Forty-six cases of Chlamydophila psittaci infection with atypical pneumonia of varying severity in the last two years were described retrospectively., Results: Fever, relative bradycardia, and other systemic upsets were the main clinical presentation. The most common radiographic abnormality was segmental or lobar shadowing or consolidation. The total white cell counts were usually normal or slightly increased. The concentration of creatine kinase, C reactive protein, and lactic dehydrogenase increased, while albumin decreased remarkably. These cases exhibited good recovery after being treated with tetracycline or quinolone antibiotics., Conclusion: These features may help differentiate psittacosis from other traditional bacterial pneumonia. However, they do not provide a definitive diagnosis. Psittacosis diagnosis must perform the whole-genome sequencing for Chlamydophila psittaci in respiratory, blood, or sputum specimens. Increased awareness of psittacosis can shorten diagnostic delays and improve patient outcomes., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

Objective: To evaluate the periodicity of hyaluronic acid (HA) reinjection in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Secondary aim: To relate the degree of arthrosis with the time between infiltrations and the possible study by subgroups between the different commercial preparations., Design: Retrospective observational study., Materials and Method: Review of medical records and X-rays of patients with knee osteoarthritis that had been treated with intra-articular HA at the Rehabilitation Service in the period between January 2017 and June 2019., Variables: Socio-demographic, Laterality, Intervention Date, Degree of Arthrosis according to Kellgren and Lawrence, HA used, Time between filtrations. Statistical analysis carried out by Kaplan-Meier curves, taking into account the reinfiltration as final event, and Kruskal-Wallis test for non-parametric quantitative data., Results: We analysed 110 infiltration acts in 67 patients: average age at the time of infiltration 72.12 years, 85.1% women, 59.1% right knee. 4 types of HA: 33 cases at 1%. MW: 0.9MDa (HA1), 12 at 1.5%. MW: 1.5-2MDa (HA2), 42 at 2%. MW: 1.2MDa (HA3) and 6 Hylan G-F20. MW: 6MDa (HA4). We reinfiltrated in 31 occasions (28.2%). Average of months (IC 95%) between infiltrations: HA1 6.9 (5.7-8.16), HA2 12.5 (0-35), HA3 9.3 (5.5-13.1), HA4 5 (3-6.9). In 2 cases where it was not possible to establish the type of infiltrated formulations, the mean value between reinfiltrations was 8.5 (5.6-11.4) There were no statistically significant results by relating the HA type or the degree of arthrosis with the reinfiltration time., Conclusions: In our study, we observe that the HA3 presented a longer time between infiltrations in comparison with other types, with no possibility to detect significant differences., (Copyright © 2022 Sociedad Española de Rehabilitación y Medicina Física. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To characterize the time in therapeutic range (TTR) and estimate the incidence rate of complications (PTIRc) in adults with warfarin protocol., Design: Retrospective cohort based on medical records of patients older than 18years, between 1996 and 2016 and followed for at least three months. SITE: Hematology unit of a Venezuelan specialized cardiovascular center., Participants: Electronic health record., Main Measurements: TTR and PTIRc. The variables were sex, functional illiteracy, occupation, International Normalized Ratio (INR) and follow-up time, which were analyzed with TTR and PTIRc using binomial logistic and Poisson regression models, respectively., Results: 2,770 patients were followed up for a total of 1,201,380 days, 42.3% had a TTR<65% and 3.5% had INR 2.5-3.5. 61.8% had complications. PTIRc was 6.84/100 person-months (95%CI: 6.56-7.15). TTR<65% showed significant adjusted OR with functional illiteracy and INR 2.5-3.5, while for higher PTIRc a significant RR was found in the two factors mentioned, shorter follow-up time, TTR<65% and in women., Conclusions: Despite new anticoagulant treatments, warfarin is useful. As follow-up time increased, control was better and the rate of occurrence of complications decreased; however, the conditions that showed lower TTR and higher rate of occurrence of complications require a thorough review of follow-up especially in patients with functional illiteracy., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The hypothesis of an association between papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT) continues to generate debate. Retrospective studies suggest that there is a greater probability of diagnosing a PTC in surgical specimens with CLT; however, prospective studies suggest that there is no true increase in risk., Methods: An analytical, cross-section measurement and retrospective study was carried out considering gender, age and diagnosis of CLT and PTC in surgical specimens. A binary logistic regression model was proposed to predict the probability of carrying out the diagnosis of PTC based on the diagnosis of CLT, gender and age., Results: The study population consisted of 1136 patients, 1047 (92.2%) women and 89 (7.8%) men, with an average age of 47.5±14.3 years. The prevalence of CLT and PTC was 14.9% and 16.1% respectively. Coexistence between PTC and CLT was found in 44 patients, corresponding to 3.9% of the population. Our logistic regression model suggests that the probability of diagnosing PTC in surgical specimens of male patients under 40 years old and with CLT is 53.8%., Conclusions: We suggest that there is a greater probability of diagnosing PTC in surgical specimens with confirmatory histological data for CLT; in addition, in males under 40 years old this probability increases., (Copyright © 2019 Sociedad Española de Anatomía Patológica. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Short-duration ambulatory surgery for the removal of skin tumors under local anesthesia is increasingly common in dermatology. Preoperative assessment has traditionally targeted the identification of any unknown diseases or other health conditions that might lead to changes in plans for anesthesia or surgery. Hospitals and specialists differ greatly in the tests they order in patients about to undergo outpatient dermatologic surgery given that hardly any finding would be likely to contraindicate or lead to changes in the procedure. This study aimed to provide guidance for those ordering tests before outpatient dermatologic surgery., Methods: In 2017 our hospital developed a protocol to standardize preoperative testing for outpatient dermatologic surgery. We designed an observational, descriptive, retrospective analysis of tests ordered for patients scheduled for such surgery before and after the protocol was applied., Results: Fewer tests were ordered after the protocol was introduced. We detected no statistically significant differences in relation to type of surgery planned or postoperative complications., Conclusions: Patients about to undergo outpatient dermatologic surgery under local anesthesia who have no unusual health risks may not require preoperative testing., (Copyright © 2019 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The course and long-term outcome of pure membranous lupus nephritis (MLN) are little understood. The aims of this study are to evaluate the clinical features, course, outcome and prognostic indicators in pure MLN and to determine the impact of ethnicity and the type of health insurance on the course and prognosis of pure MLN., Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of medical records of 150 patients with pure MLN from Spain and the USA., Results: Mean age was 34.2±12.5 and 80% were women. Sixty-eight percent of patients had nephrotic syndrome at diagnosis. The average serum creatinine was 0.98±0.78mg/dl. Six percent of patients died and 5.3% developed end-stage renal disease (ESRD). ESRD was predicted by male sex, hypertension, dyslipidemia, high basal 24h-proteinuria, high basal serum creatinine and a low basal creatinine clearance. Age, cardiac insufficiency, peripheral artheriopathy, hemodialysis and not having received mycophenolate mofetil or antimalarials for MLN predicted death., Conclusions: Pure MLN frequently presents with nephrotic syndrome, high proteinuria and normal serum creatinine. Its prognosis is favourable in maintaining renal function although proteinuria usually persists over time. Baseline cardiovascular disease and not having a health insurance are related with poor prognosis., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. All rights reserved.)

Background: No reliable data are available in the province of Buenos Aires regarding the frequency of dermatophytoses and other fungal diseases. The distribution of the clinical forms and the species involved are also unknown., Aims: To present the data collected by the laboratories participating in the Mycology Network of the province of Buenos Aires (MNPBA) from a retrospective epidemiological survey on dermatophytoses., Methods: A descriptive and exploratory analysis was performed on the cases of dermatophytoses gathered between 2002 and 2007 by the Mycology Network of the province of Buenos Aires., Results: Of the 3966 dermatophytosis cases reported by 41 laboratories in 31 municipalities, more than a half occurred in three highly populated urban municipalities. The male:female ratio was 1:1.5. The most frequent clinical form was tinea unguium, diagnosed in 904 cases (51.83%), followed by tinea capitis (19.32%), tinea corporis (15.19%), tinea pedis (6.77%), tinea cruris (3.73%), and tinea manuum (2.18%). The species involved was identified in 1368 (33.49%) cases. Trichophyton rubrum was the most common species, with a frequency of 42.03%. An association was found between urban municipalities and T. rubrum or the Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex., Conclusions: Results from the MNPBA survey provide valuable information that should enable further interventions to be designed in order to prevent and control the disease., (Copyright © 2017 Asociación Española de Micología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To compare the punch technique and linear incision with soft tissue reduction for the placement of auditory osseointegrated implants (AOI) and analyze results of osseointegration obtained with the punch technique as measured with the Implant Stability Quotient (ISQ)., Methods: Case review of 34 patients who received auditory osseointegrated implants between January 2010 and July 2015 and were divided into two groups according to the surgical technique: 18 with the punch technique (PT) and 16 with the linear incision technique (LI). Minimum follow-up was four months (mean: 24 months; range 4-64 months). Included in the analysis were patient profiles and records of the demographic data, surgical indications, surgical technique, implant placement, surgical time, intraoperative complications, as well as postsurgical complications (Holgers classification) and implant stability quotients (ISQ)., Results: Use of larger abutments was significantly greater in the PT group (PT, 10mm; LI, 6mm, p<0.001). The PT technique resulted in a shorter procedure than the LI (PT, 20min; LI, 45min, p<0.001). Holgers classification scores identified significantly fewer skin complications one week after surgery for the PT group; however, only small differences were seen between the two groups at the one- and three-month control visits., Conclusions: As shown for our cohort, the punch technique for surgical placement of AOI is faster and presents fewer immediate postoperative complications when compared to the linear incision technique. The clinical application of the ISQ is a useful, easy method to demonstrate the status of osseointegration and, thus, the stability of the device., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The appropriate selection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who are eligible for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) remains a challenge. The ART score has recently been proposed as a method of identifying patients who are eligible or not for a second TACE procedure., Objective: To assess the validity of the Assessment for Retreatment with TACE (ART) score in a cohort of patients treated with drug-eluting bead TACE (DEB-TACE)., Secondary Objective: to identify clinical determinants associated with overall survival (OS)., Method: A retrospective, multicentre study conducted in Spain in patients with HCC having undergone two or more DEB-TACE procedures between January 2009 and December 2014. The clinical characteristics and OS from the day before the second DEB-TACE of patients with a high ART score (ART≥2.5) and a low ART score (ART 0-1) were compared. Risk factors for mortality were identified using Cox's proportional hazards model., Results: Of the 102 patients included, 51 scored 0-1.5 and 51 scored ≥2.5. Hepatitis C was more frequent in patients scoring ≥2.5. Median OS from the day before the second DEB-TACE was 21 months (95% CI, 15-28) in the group scoring 0-1.5, and 17 months (95% CI, 10-25) in the group scoring ≥2.5 (P=0.3562). Platelet count and tumour size, but not the ART score, were independent baseline predictors of OS., Conclusions: The ART score is not suitable for guiding DEB-TACE retreatment according to Spanish clinical practice standards., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U., AEEH y AEG. All rights reserved.)