Search

Objective To determine reproducibility and validity of an Argentine version of the Lupus Quality of Life questionnaire (LupusQoL) and to determine cut-off values in the questionnaire. Materials and methods One hundred and forty-seven systemic lupus erythematosus patients (American College of Rheumatology 1982/1997) were assessed from April 2014 to July 2014. Demographic and socioeconomic variables were collected, as well as SELENA/SLEDAI, Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index Score, comorbidities and treatment data. Patients completed LupusQoL-Argentine version and European Quality of Life Questionnaire (EuroQoL-5D). Internal consistency and reliability were examined. Convergent validity with EuroQoL-5D was assessed through analysis of latent classes, which established homogeneous categories from the responses of each domain of LupusQoL and for the total. Results Out of 147 patients, 93.2% were female, mean age 36.4 ± 11.1 years, mean disease duration 2.7 ± 9 years, mean SELENA/SLEDAI 2.7 ± 3 points. The cut-off point that defined good or bad quality of life was 0.739 for EuroQoL 5D and 63 for LupusQoL. Cut-off values for each LupusQoL domain were also defined, creating two classes in each of them. There was moderate to high concordance to classify quality of life (Kappa = 0.74, 95% confidence interval = 0.54, 0.95). Conclusion The Argentine version of LupusQoL is a valid, reliable and reproducible instrument to assess quality of life. In this study, cut-off points that allow the classification of patients regarding whether they have good or bad quality of life are established for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In June 2009, the World Health Organization declared a novel influenza A, S-OIV (H1N1), pandemic. We observed 44 consecutive patients during the "first wave" of the pandemic. 70.5% of them showed co-morbidities (hypertension, obesity, chronic respiratory diseases, chronic renal disease, diabetes, pregnancy). Serious cases were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), particularly those with severe acute respiratory failure. Some of them developed acute kidney injury (AKI) and required renal replacement therapy (RRT). The average time between admission to the ICU and initiation of RRT was 3.16 ± 2.6 days. At initiation of RRT, most patients required mechanical ventilation. No relationship was found with creatinine-kinase levels. Seventy-five percent of the cases were observed during a 3-week period and mortality, related to respiratory failure, doubling of alanine amino transferase and use of inotropics was 81.8%. In conclusion, the H1N1-infected patients who developed RRT-requiring AKI, in the context of multi-organ failure, showed a high mortality rate. Thus, it is mandatory that elaborate strategies aimed at anticipating potential renal complications associated to future pandemics are implemented.

The relict Patagonian Argentine Creole cattle population consist of a small feral population (Los Glaciares population) that is geographically isolated in the South-West of Patagonia. In order to determine the level of genetic variability of this population, the polymorphism of eight structural genes and two microsatellites loci were studied using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, genetic characterisation was used to compare Los Glaciares population and the ACc breed of cattle. Results obtained in this study show that the value of average heterozygosity of the studied loci for the Los Glaciares were not significantly different from the ACc. Furthermore, the data of this report were consistent with the hypothesis that Los Glaciares originated from ACc brought to the area by colonialists in the last century. Such data may be useful in formulating management plans for Feral Patagonian Creole cattle populations.