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Mario Juárez-Ortega,1 Oscar Rojas-Espinosa,1 Raquel Muñiz-Salazar,2 Enrique Becerril-Villanueva,3 Alejandro Hernández-Solís,4 Patricia Arce-Paredes,1 Sergio Islas-Trujillo,1 Raúl Cicero-Sabido4 1Department of Immunology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico; 2School of Health Sciences, Unidad Ensenada, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada, BC, Mexico; 3Laboratory of Psychoimmunology, Dirección de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente, Mexico City, Mexico; 4Pneumology Unit, Hospital General de México “Eduardo Liceaga”, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico Background: Resident alveolar macrophages, dendritic cells, and immigrating neutrophils (NEU) are the first cells to contact Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the lung. These cells, and additional lymphoid cells in the developing granuloma, release a series of components that may concentrate in the serum and affect disease progression. Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the serum from tuberculosis (TB) patients and their household contacts (HHC) on the nuclear morphology of NEU. Materials and methods: NEU from healthy (HLT) people were incubated with sera from patients with active pulmonary TB, their HHC, and unrelated people. Changes in the nuclear morphology of NEU were analyzed by light and electron microscopy. Results: Sera from patients with TB induced changes in the nuclear morphology of NEU that included pyknosis, swelling, apoptosis, and netosis in some cases. Sera from some HHC induced similar changes, while sera from HLT people had no significant effects. Bacteria did not appear to participate in this phenomenon because bacteremia is not a recognized feature of nonmiliary TB, and because sera from patients that induced nuclear changes maintained their effect after filtration through 0.22 µm membranes. Neither anti-mycobacterial antibodies, TNFα, IL-6, IFNγ, or IL-8 participated in the phenomenon. In contrast, soluble mycobacterial antigens were likely candidates, as small quantities of soluble M. tuberculosis antigens added to the sera of HLT people led to the induction of nuclear changes in NEU in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: These results might help to detect subclinical TB within HHC, thus leading to a recommendation of prophylactic treatment. Keywords: tuberculosis, serum, neutrophils, pyknosis, apoptosis, netosis

It is known that, in ancient Mexico, diseases of the respiratory system were a major cause of death in the population. Severe epidemics in the XVI Century ravaged and killed nine out of ten indigenous persons. Pre-Hispanic physicians served as medical sorcerers and dealt with the physical and spiritual diseases that afflicted the population. Important medical knowledge pertaining to each culture has been identified; this knowledge explained the diseases depending on the religious beliefs of each culture, and it tried to solve the health problems that afflicted the population at that time.

Background: There is little information of intensive care unit (ICU) performance when it's relocated to a totally new and equipped area., Objective: To analyze the clinical performance and use of resources of a new respiratory-ICU (nRICU) in a large third-level care hospital., Method: Cross-sectional, comparative study using prospective data of patients admitted from July 17, 2017 to July 17, 2018. The Rapoport adjusted method was used to obtain the standardized clinical performance index (SCPI) and the standardized resource use index (SRUI)., Results: Out of 354 patients, those who were readmissions or remained hospitalized and those whose treatment was withheld or withdrawn where excluded from the analysis. In 301 patients, the observed survival at hospital discharge was 63% while the expected survival was 67.7%. Values of SCPI and SRUI were -1.03 and 0.05 respectively, placing results in coordinates within two standard deviations when plotted in the Rapoport chart. There was a statistically significant difference in survival when comparing the study period with outcomes obtained in the RICU before its relocation (63% vs. 55%, p = 0.01)., Conclusions: In its 1st year of operation, the nRICU had better clinical performance compared to the former RICU, with no change in the use of resources., (Copyright: © 2020 Permanyer.)

Non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection has increased significantly in recent years, especially in emerging countries. We present the case of a 25-year-old male patient, immunocompetent, with cervical lymphadenopathy, identifying Mycobacterium kumamotonense, a rare species in extrapulmonary forms and with a high drug resistance index., Competing Interests: No Conflict of Interest is declared, (Copyright (c) 2019 Alejandro Hernández Solis, Maribel González Villa, Ernesto Ramírez González, Yesenia Colin Muñoz, Raúl Cicero Sabido.)

Objective: To evaluate the occurrence of adverse events during a multifaceted program implementation., Design: Cross-sectional secondary analysis., Setting: The respiratory-ICU of a large tertiary care center., Participants: Retrospectively collected data of patients admitted from 1 March 2010 to 28 February 2014 (usual care period) and from 1 March 2014 to 1 March 2017 (multifaceted program period) were used., Interventions: The program integrated three components: (1) strategic planning and organizational culture imprint; (2) training and practice and (3) implementation of care bundles. Strategic planning redefined the respiratory-ICU Mission and Vision, its SWOT matrix (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) as well as its medium to long-term aims and planned actions. A 'Wear the Institution's T-shirt' monthly conference was given in order to foster organizational culture in healthcare personnel. Training was conducted on hand hygiene and projects 'Pneumonia Zero' and 'Bacteremia Zero'. Finally, actions of both projects were implemented., Main Outcome Measures: Rates of adverse events (episodes per 1000 patient/days)., Results: Out of 1662 patients (usual care, n = 981; multifaceted program, n = 681) there was a statistically significant reduction during the multifaceted program in episodes of accidental extubation ([Rate ratio, 95% CI] 0.31, 0.17-0.55), pneumothorax (0.48, 0.26-0.87), change of endotracheal tube (0.17, 0.07-0.44), atelectasis (0.37, 0.20-0.68) and death in the ICU (0.82, 0.69-0.97)., Conclusions: A multifaceted program including strategic planning, organizational culture imprint and care protocols was associated with a significant reduction of adverse events in the respiratory-ICU., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Introduction: The sputum smear or the culture are the definitive diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. Only a fraction of clinical patients are culture-confirmed., Methodology: A total of 24 clinical cases (40 ± 14 years old) with positive smear and negative co-morbidity were studied. Cases were selected from 600 patients who attended the pneumology service over two years. A sputum sample was cultured in Löwenstein-Jensen medium with consequent amplification of the rrnA V2 promoter, the differentiation region 4, and the IS6110 insertion sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. After the culture result, the patients were divided into negative (n = 14) or positive (n = 10) culture groups. In addition, 30 samples from healthy donors (45 ± 10 years) were studied. The numbers of CD4, CD8 and CD19 lymphocytes were determined by flow cytometry. Levels of IgA and IgG to M. tuberculosis were measured by ELISA., Results: IgG and IgA levels were detected in patients with positive culture, while only IgA was found in patients with negative cultures. The lymphocyte populations in the two groups were similar.  The presence of a pleural apical cap was found more frequently in patients with negative- (57%) than with positive cultures (10%)., Conclusions: The isotype profile in patients with positive cultures was both IgA and IgG positive, while in patients with negative culture, only IgA was found. The results will contribute to improve the diagnostic algorithm and appropriate treatment of patients with clinical tuberculosis. Further studies are needed to determine if this profile is predictive of the outcome of isolation., Competing Interests: No Conflict of Interest is declared, (Copyright (c) 2019 Jorge-Luis de-la-Rosa-Arana, Fernando-Renato Cázares-Sosa, Alejandro Hernández-Solís, Atenea-Estela Andrés-Dionicio, Heliodora González-González, Miguel Ibáñez-Hernández, Raúl Cicero-Sabido, Herón Huerta, Raquel Tapia-Romero.)

Introduction: New hospitals are replacing old facilities. There is little information on the performance of an intensive care unit (ICU) when it is relocated in a new and equipped area., Objective: To analyze the impact of the change of ICU facilities from a shared environment to individual beds on the occurrence of adverse events., Method: Cross-sectional, comparative study, with prospectively collected data from patients admitted from March 01, 2014 to February 28, 2017 to the former ICU (f-ICU) and from July 17, 2017 to January 17, 2019 to the new ICU (n-ICU) of a public teaching hospital. The rate of adverse events was measured in events per 1,000 patient-days., Results: Among 1,188 patients (f-ICU, n = 681 vs. n-ICU, n = 507), a reduction in the rate of unforeseen cardiac arrest (rate ratio: 0.31; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.12-0.80) and an increase in the rate of unplanned extubation (rate ratio: 2.49; 95% CI = 1.24-5.01) were observed, with both being statistically significant. The other nine monitored adverse events showed no changes., Conclusions: In comparison with the f-ICU, most of the monitored adverse events did not significantly change within the first 18 months of activities at the n-ICU., (Copyright: © 2019 Permanyer.)

The appearance of new anti-tuberculosis drugs such as bedaquiline and delamanid makes it impossible not to remember that the first strictly controlled medical trials of tuberculosis treatment were published in two rigorously researched outstanding articles that can be qualified as historical. In 1948, streptomycin was formally studied as an efficacious anti-tuberculosis drug. In 1952, another trial compared streptomycin-paramino salicylic acid with isoniazid, by means of which the first bases of pharmacological tuberculosis treatment were established., (Copyright: © 2018 SecretarÍa de Salud.)

Background: There is a progressive increase in nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in pulmonary and extrapulmonary infections that might cause confusion with the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. To determine the frequency of finding NTM in clinical samples from patients diagnosed with active tuberculosis, with negative acid-alcohol-resistant bacilli (acid-fast bacillus [AFB]) in a third-level specialty hospital's mycobacterial laboratory between January 2013 and December 2014., Methods: This is a prospective, descriptive study where isolated strains of biological material were studied in Lowenstein-Jensen and BACTEC MGIT 960 cultures., Results: Clinical samples of 120 patients were studied, with pulmonary samples of 99/120 (82%) and extrapulmonary samples of 21/120 (18%). We identified NTM in 37/120 samples (30.8%), of which 16 in pulmonary, 13 in genitourinary, 3 in bone marrow, and 5 in various specimens. Mycobacterium avium was isolated in 20 samples, Mycobacterium intracellulare in seven samples, and various other species of NTM in the other 10 samples., Conclusion: To establish adequate treatment, we point out the importance of identifying the presence of NTM in the clinical samples of active tuberculosis patients with negative AFB, as possibly becoming confused with M. tuberculosis and which is essential in deciding which treatment is the most adequate.

Background: Pulmonary mucormycosis is a rare opportunistic infection with high mortality that is caused by species of Mucorales. The most common species involved are Rhizopus, Mucor, Lichtheimia, and Rhizomucor., Case Report: A 56 year-old woman presented with a clinical history of diabetes mellitus type 2 and chronic renal disease. She underwent a cadaveric kidney transplantation two years before her admission, for which immunomodulating therapy with thymoglobulin, tacrolimus, mofetil-microphenolate and prednisone was established. The patient suffered a pneumonic process with cough, expectoration, and dyspnoea. The computed tomography scan showed a cavitation in the right upper lobe. With all these findings an invasive broncopulmonary aspergillosis was suspected and the patient began an antifungal treatment with voriconazole without improvement. Rhizomucor pusillus was isolated from a clinical specimen obtained by fine needle aspiration, and its identification was confirmed by PCR. After this finding amphotericin B was administered, but the patient had an uncontrolled haemoptysis and died., Conclusions: Pulmonary mucormycosis is a rare infection, usually fatal in kidney transplant recipients with anti-rejection therapy. Mucorales species usually produce thrombotic phenomena, associated with necrosis and parenchymal destruction that caused a fatal uncontrolled haemoptysis in our patient. Early diagnosis is important in order to perform any surgical treatment and to administer amphotericin B., (Copyright © 2017 Asociación Española de Micología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To compare the results of quality monitoring after the implementation of improvement strategies in the respiratory intensive care unit (RICU)., Design: A prospective, comparative, longitudinal and interventional study was carried out., Setting: The RICU of Hospital General de México (Mexico)., Patients: All patients admitted to the RICU from March 2012 to March 2013., Interventions: An evidence-based bundle of interventions was implemented in order to reduce the ratios of three quality indicators: non-planned extubation (NPE), reintubation, and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)., Variables of Interest: NPE, reintubation and VAP ratios., Results: A total of 232 patients were admitted, with a mean age of 49.5±17.8years; 119 (50.5%) were woman. The mean Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS-3) was 49.8±17, and the mean Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score was 5.3±4.1. The mortality rate in the RICU was 38.7%. The standardized mortality ratio was 1.50 (95%CI: 1.20-1.84). An improved ratio was observed for reintubation and NPE indicators compared to the ratios of the previous 2011 cohort: 1.6% vs. 7% (P=.02) and 8.1 vs. 17 episodes per 1000 days of mechanical ventilation (P=.04), respectively. A worsened VAP ratio was observed: 18.4 vs. 15.1 episodes per 1000 days of mechanical ventilation (P=.5)., Conclusions: Quality improvement is feasible with the identification of areas of opportunity and the implementation of strategies. Nevertheless, the implementation of a bundle of preventive measures in itself does not guarantee improvements., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.)

Background: Bronchogenic cyst is a rare congenital malformation and commonly located in the mediastinum and lung parenchyma., Objective: To determine the clinical characteristics of the patients with diagnosis of bronchogenic cysts, their location and the infectious bacteria when the cysts are infected. The cases were collected from 1 January 2005 to 1 January 2013, in a third level hospital., Material and Methods: The cases with bronchogenic cysts resected by thoracotomy were confirmed by histological study. Age, sex, admission diagnosis, location, size, imagenologic studies, and bacteriological cultures were evaluated., Results: Of the 12 cases with diagnosis of bronchogenic cysts surgically resected by thoracotomy, six were male and six female, with 50% located in lung parenchyma and 50% in mediastinum, one of the latter was para-oesophageal. Bacteriological study of the cystic content demonstrated bacterial infection in seven (58%) cases., Conclusions: Bronchogenic cysts are rare congenital benign lesions. They must be resected because their content might be infected. The histopathology study is necessary to confirm the diagnosis, together with bacteriological examination. Thoracotomy is a safe procedure to resect bronchogenic cysts., (Copyright © 2015 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.)

Primary tracheobronchial amyloidosis (TBA) is a rare disease characterized by extracellular focal or diffuse submucosal deposits of amyloid proteins. Various types of endobronchial lesions have been described in TBA when bronchoscopy is performed using white light. Narrow-band imaging bronchoscopy has been mainly employed for detecting preneoplastic and neoplastic endobronchial lesions as it provides more detailed images of the microvasculature reflective of an altered angiogenesis process. Here, we describe bronchoscopic findings with white light and narrow-band imaging in 2 patients presenting with central airway obstructive disease later confirmed as having primary TBA.

We present the case of a 33-year-old woman who was being treated for bronchial asthma for 4 years. A tracheal tumor was evident on a computed tomography of the thorax and removed with argon plasma coagulation. It was diagnosed as pleomorphic adenoma of the trachea. It is a rare tracheal tumor without definite treatment guidelines. Our endoscopic approach to this rare lesion is discussed.

Background: Malignant mesothelioma is a neoplasm of bad prognosis, it is linked with asbestos contact, but there are cases without this antecedent., Objective: To investigate the relationship of asbestos exposition and other factors with malignant mesothelioma., Methods: Retrospective analysis of histologic confirmed cases of malignant mesothelioma, neoplasic familiar history, tobacco smoking, exposure to wood smoke and to asbestos, were annotated in a paired case/control study 1: 1-3 with logistic regression model to identify risk factors for OR., Results: 61 cases of malignant mesothelioma were confirmed by histopathologic study, 41 male and 20 female. Mean age was 56 years ± 13 years; 56 cases (91.8%) correspond to epithelial malignant mesothelioma, three sarcomatous (4.9%) one desmoplastic and one biphasic. One in eight (13.1%) had exposure to asbestos. Model of logistic regression with four variables: history of familiar cancer, tobacco smoking, wood smoke and asbestos exposition, the the last one with an OR= 3.083 and p > 0.05. No other variables found to be a risk factor for malignant mesothelioma., Conclusions: Exposure to asbestos is a risk factor for malignant mesothelioma, which is confirmed in this study, however it is important to extend the investigation of other possible causal factors of this disease.

Introduction: When compared with conventional surgery, bronchoscopy-guided percutaneous tracheostomy has demonstrated some advantages. We compare the results obtained with bronchoscopy-guided percutaneous tracheostomy performed by Intensive Care Unit personnel with those of conventional surgery., Methods: Prospective and descriptive cohort of patients admitted to a respiratory intensive care unit from March 2010 to March 2012., Results: A total of 510 patients were admitted to the respiratory Intensive Care Unit. Tracheostomy was performed in 51 (10%); of which, 27 (53%) underwent bronchoscopy-guided percutaneous tracheostomy, and 24(47%) underwent tracheostomy by conventional surgery. There were no differences between bronchoscopy-guided percutaneous tracheostomy and conventional surgery groups in age (52 ± 16 vs 53 ± 18 years, p = 0.83). Simplified Acute Physiology Score-3 differed among groups (59.4 ± 11.2 vs 51.5 ± 14.3, p = 0.03). Indications for performing tracheostomy were prolonged intubation (74.1% vs 62.5%, p = 0.55), neurologic impairment (22.2% vs 16.6%, p = 0.88), and laryngeal disease (3.7% vs 20.8%, p 0.14). Mean time between intubation and tracheostomy was 13.3 days (range 4-45) vs 13.4 days (range 2-40). There were three minor complications in bronchoscopy-guided percutaneous tracheostomy patients, transient bigeminism in one, and moderate bleeding in two, and one minor complication of moderate bleeding in one patient in the conventional surgery group, p = 0.68., Conclusion: Bronchoscopy-guided percutaneous tracheostomy is a versatile and safe alternative for conventional tracheostomy when performed in Intensive Care Unit by personnel with expertise and appropriate training.

Unlabelled: Mass communication is essential to social harmony and for the dissemination of ideas and ways of life., Objective: understanding the impact of social networking to complete health communication microblogging and dissemination of tobacco control and describe its scope and limitations., Methods: they opened accounts on Facebook and Twitter Wall recording activity, messages and papers presented at the January 2010 period through September 2011 in the profiles of both accounts., Results: 1,694 there were friends, 707 men and 987 women plus 814 institutions and 77 followers Facebook Twitter followers, having both a greater response between 20-40 years of age in different social levels, with similar characteristics and results of operation as models of counter-advertising to quit smoke and effective with good impact on the measures related to treatment and harm to health caused by smoking, it was shown that the non-professional population has a high interest in these themes., Conclusions: we suggest that the cost-effectiveness of these programs should be evaluated, and improved future programs should be considered also for selected universal smoking cessation programs indicated by activist via the internet.

Background: Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a localized fibrous mesothelioma and was originally described as a benign pleural lesion. It is a mesenchymatous lesion that has been found in different structures and tissues of the human organism. It originates from a stromal fibroblastic cell positive to CD4. We undertook this study to determine the clinical and histopathological characteristics of SFT found from January 1, 2002--January 31, 2010 in a concentrated third-level general hospital in Mexico City., Methods: We present 16 resected cases of different localizations: three pleural, three mediastinal, three lung, two oral cavity, one nasopharyngeal, one in the lateral aspect of the neck, one kidney, one paratesticular and another in the crural region. All were studied with hematoxylin and immunoperoxidase., Results: There was similar affection in both genders. Mean age was 51 years (range: 43-81 years). Two pleural cases presented recurrence and one had hypoglycemia but none demonstrated metastases. No deaths were registered during a mean follow-up of 18 months. Histological pattern corresponded to a fusocellular growth that coincided with hemangiopericytoid zones in five cases and sarcomatoid in four. These cases were considered as mixed. All were positive to vimentin., Conclusions: Definitive diagnosis must be made by immunoperoxidase. Immediate treatment is surgical resection; relapses.

Tracheal stenosis (TS) requires a precise diagnosis and an experienced operator in both endoscopic and surgical treatment. We describe a case series at a tertiary care teaching hospital. Twenty patients with TS and/or subglottic stenosis were included. All underwent flexible bronchoscopy (FB). Spirometry (SP) was obtained in 8 patients, and helical computed tomography with three-dimensional reconstruction (HCT3D) was obtained in 11 patients. All cases were graded by each modality on a scale of 1 to 3, and the findings were correlated among modalities. Mean follow-up was 11.1 months (range: 3 to 47 mo). Postintubation injury was the most frequent cause of stenosis in 16 patients (80%). Mean stenosis grade±SD was 2.0±0.92 for SP, 2.3±0.86 for FB, and 2.54±0.68 for HCT3D. A significant correlation was found between HCT3D and FB (r=0.76, P<0.01). There was no correlation between SP and FB (r=0.46, P=0.2) or between SP and HCT3D (r=0.68, P=0.13). Treatment was conservative in 8 patients. Eighteen tracheal dilatation procedures were performed in 7 patients (mean: 2.5 dilatations/patient, range: 1 to 6; mean free time between dilatations 109.7±81 d, range: 6 to 210 d). Tracheoplasty was carried out in 7 patients, with tracheal anastomosis in 4 patients and thyroid-tracheal anastomosis in 3 patients. Tracheostomy was required in 1 patient with scleroma. Neither complications nor mortality related to FB was reported. HCT3D has a good correlation with FB. Tracheal dilatation is a viable option for patients who are not surgical candidates and for those with restenosis of tracheal anastomosis.

Takayasu's arteritis (TA) and tuberculosis (TB) have been associated with major histocompatibility complex genes, especially HLA-B alleles. However, different HLA-B alleles have been detected in these diseases. The aim of the study was to compare the distribution of the residues 63 and 67 on the HLA-B molecule in patients with TA and TB in order to establish a genetic relationship between these two diseases. HLA-B sequences obtained in 30 patients with TB were compared to those previously reported in TA and healthy controls. 8 out of 30 TB patients studied (26.6%) presented at least one allele with glutamic acid at position 63 and serine at position 67. This was observed in 73% of the TA patients (p = 0.0005). Ten TB (10/30 = 33.3%) and two TA patients (2/26 = 7.7%) did not show similarity at the mentioned positions (p = 0.019). This preliminary study suggests a difference in the distribution of the residues 63 and 67 of the HLA-B alleles in patients with TA and TB., (Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

A possible relationship between Takayasu arteritis (TA) and Tuberculosis (Tb) has been suggested. Both diseases present similar chronic inflammatory lesions and occasionally granulomas on the arterial walls. The genetic relationship between these two diseases has not been explored before, however, both diseases have been associated with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyze the distribution of HLA-B alleles in TA (n = 40) and Tb (n = 34) patients and healthy controls (72 exposed and 99 nonexposed). HLA-B alleles were determined by reverse dot blot. The statistical methods used included the Chi(2), and odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. In spite of the loose clinical relationship between TA and Tb, we did not detected any genetic relationship between them when the HLA-B alleles were analyzed in these groups of patients. On the contrary, we detected distinct specific HLA-B alleles for each disease. TA was characterized by HLA-B39, -B44, and -B52, pulmonary Tb by HL-B35 and extrapulmonary Tb by HLA-B39 and -B40. This preliminary study suggests a difference in the distribution of HLA-B alleles in patients with TA and Tb.

Background: Pleural effusion is a common clinical entity. Proper diagnosis and management are important for successful treatment. We undertook this study to evaluate immediate results of the procedures used in a group of cases with pleural effusion., Methods: Of 2589 patients at first consultation, 787 were hospitalized and 156 had pleural effusion. Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used were evaluated., Results: With thoracentesis and evacuation of liquid, 23 nonneoplastic cases had resolution. Chest tube drainage with water seal was performed in 133 patients. This procedure suppressed the effusion in 109 patients, but in 24 patients another approach was necessary. In this group there were 35 neoplastic and 96 nonmalignant cases, the latter 36 were provoked by iatrogenic management. Twenty two cases of pneumothorax considered as gaseous effusion and 10 cases of chronic empyema sequelae of pleural effusions were also studied. Proportion comparison demonstrated significant differences between neoplastic and nonneoplastic effusions (p =0.001) and in cases managed with minimally invasive procedures and chest tube drainage (p =0.001). The performance of pleurodesis and thoracoscopy is discussed. In chronic cases, indications of open window thoracostomy and myoplasty are elucidated., Conclusions: In pleural effusion, opportune diagnosis and proper management are essential. Drainage tube can solve the majority of cases. Pneumothorax must be treated in the same way. In chronic empyema, open window thoracostomy and myoplasty are indicated. Careless patient management and poor treatment lead to iatrogenic complications.

The right to information is a right that all human beings have; it is unrenounceable and confers to the human being the Rights to the Political Constitution of the United States of Mexico, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Declaration of Geneva, and the Code of Behavior for Health Personnel. Information given to a sick person should suffice so that he/she can make a decision on management and treatment. Information is related directly with medical ethics and is obligatory not only for health workers but for all professionals in general.

Unlabelled: Fiberopticbronchoscopy (FOB) is a well established method for diagnosis in bronchogenic cancer (CABR)., Objective: To evaluate sensitivity and specificity of FOB in suspicious cases of lung neoplasia., Material and Methods: A total of 119 suspicious cases of CABR were subjected to FOB under local anesthesia with lidocaine and sedation and bronchial brushing and lavage were carried out. In all evident lesions, a biopsy was taken. Sputum was collected in carbowax for 5 days. When histopathogic and cytopathologic studies were negative, fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the lesion was performed; if pleural involvement was present, a biopsy and a sample of liquid were taken., Results: Of 119 cases, diagnosis of CABR was confirmed by FOB in 45: brushing 25; lavage 25, and biopsy 29 with sensitivity 52.33%, specificity 100%, PPV 100%, and NPV, 42.31%. In 17, positivity was obtained in two-thirds samples; in carbowax, three were positive. In another 41 CABR-suspicious cases, all FOB samples were negative and neoplasia was confirmed by FNA in 15, biopsy of extrathoracic lymphatic node in 11, pleural biopsy in eight and liquid cytopathology in six. Non-malignant pathology was found in 33 cases: pneumonia 22, lung abscess three and tuberculosis, eight. FBO is indicated in CABR-suspicious cases. Negativity of FOB samples is due to different causes. All FOB instruments must be in optimal operative conditions and must be handled by a well-trained endoscopist.

Objective: Miliary tuberculosis (MTB) is difficult to diagnose. When prompt diagnosis is necessary, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect mycobacterial DNA may be valuable., Setting: Tuberculosis clinic in an academic tertiary-level hospital in Mexico., Design: Bone marrow (BM) aspiration samples from 30 consecutive clinically suspected MTB patients and 58 non-tuberculosis hematologic patients were evaluated by in-house PCR using a fragment of the insertion sequence IS6110; results were compared with those obtained by acid-fast-stained smears, culture in Löwenstein-Jensen medium, histology, and serology., Results: Tuberculosis diagnosis was confirmed in all MTB suspects, 28 by microscopy and culture in pulmonary or extra-pulmonary samples other than BM, and two by clinical and radiologic improvement after antituberculosis treatment. In fresh BM specimens, in-house PCR was positive in 21/30 (70%) suspects, contrasting with only one positive (3.3%) in staining and culture, and four with compatible histologic findings (13.3%). BM samples from the control group showed negative results in bacteriologic and histologic studies, except in nine who had positive PCR results. These nine control cases had malignant processes., Conclusion: PCR in aspirates of BM is a useful diagnostic assay in cases of MTB, mainly when bacteriological results are negative.

The airway obstruction may be for many diseases. In some cases is for malignant pathology and other cases for benign pathology. The etiology of malignant pathology may be for bronchogenic carcinoma, metastatic tumours, trachea primary tumours and larynx. The benign pathology may be for late obstruction post-tracheostomy and granulomas at many infections diseases. In this cases the most important etiology is Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The early diagnosis and the intervention of multidisciplinary group, with the participation at otorrinolaringologies, bronchoscopist, neck surgeons, chest surgeons, and radioterapeuts, can result in a best life quality and resolve the airway obstruction.

Background and Objective: Tobacco consumption is a public health problem. Hospitals are not free of this circumstance because there are smokers inside these institutions; thus, it is important to identify who smoke in hospitals., Method and Results: A general survey with closed questions was carried out among 659 workers at a tertiary level general hospital. Smoking habit was positive in 184 employees and negative in 475. The majority of smokers were married and worked in the administrative offices, 46 of which belong to the medical area. Academic level was not an important determinant for tobacco consumption. The habit began between 10 to 20 years of age, mainly in relation with a sensation of pleasure, relaxation, and the need to smoke., Conclusions: The main site for smoking was the working area, 70% of nonsmokers are converted passive non-voluntary smokers. It is important to take actions to avoid tobacco smoking in hospitals in pursuit of a hospital environment free of tobacco smoke.

Objective: There are few studies available about skin response to mycotic antigens in diabetes mellitus subjects, therefore, the possible difference of skin reactivity to coccidioidin in subjects with and without diabetes mellitus was analyzed., Material and Methods: The prevalence of skin reactivity to coccidioidin in a population sample of 1651 subjects in a coccidioidomycosis endemic zone was estimated using a transversal design. Subjects with diabetes mellitus were identified and the diagnosis was validated by clinical and laboratory criteria. In order to determine the reactivity association level with the diabetes mellitus history, data was compared with the population sample, through logistic regression analysis adjusted by age, sex and residence geographical area. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were obtained., Results: In the population study, there were 665 coccidioidin positive subjects (40.28% rate). Seventy six cases with diabetes mellitus were identified, 23 were positive to the test (30.26% rate) with an odds ratio of 0.63 for this group (95% CI 0.37-1.07). The OR decrease to 0.52 (95% CI 0.31-0.88, p = 0.014) with the adjusted logistic regression analysis., Conclusion: Coccidioidin reactivity was lower in the diabetes mellitus cases than in general population. It is necessary to be cautious with the coccidioidin test interpretation in people with DM 2.

Carboxyhemoglobin levels (COHb) were determined in residents of two Mexican cities (Mexico City and Toluca) at altitudes of 2200 and 2600 meters above sea level. The figures in non-smokers of both cities were slightly higher than those seen at sea level by others: 1.63% in Mexico City and 1.54% in Toluca versus 0.5-1% at sea level. There were no intercity differences in smokers and non-smokers, but there were intergroup differences in both cities (p less than 0.01 in Mexico City, and p less than 0.05 in Toluca). Our findings suggest that the most important source of carbon monoxide in smokers is tobacco smoking, and that the COHb level may be reliable index to establish active smoking.

A case of small and large cells non Hodgkin lymphoma with an unusual involvement of the lung is presented. The tumor was located in the inferior lower lobe of the right lung and coincided with hemorrhagic pleural effusion. The cytopathological study of the fluid was negative for neoplastic cells, so were the aspiration biopsy of the lung and the pleural biopsy. The transmission and scanning electron microscopic study of the pleural fluid demonstrated lymphoid atypical cells. The patient was treated by resection of the lower right lobe and pleurectomy. The difficulties in the differential diagnosis of this type on non Hodgkin lymphoma are discussed. The importance of scanning and transmission electron microscopy is stressed when the light cytologic studies are negative in processes suggestive of being neoplasms. After one year of the lobectomy and treatment with vincristine-epirubicin-cyclophosphamide and methyl-prednisolone, the patient is in good condition without evidence of neoplastic activity.