Medicina Clinica最新文献

Introduction and objectives: To identify risk factors associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in an unselected cohort of patients with chronic B virus infection (CHB) in Spain. A predictive model was developed to assess the risk of HCC.

Material and methods: A prospective open-cohort study recruited 446 unselected patients with chronic hepatitis B infection from two hospitals in Málaga (Spain). The follow-up time ranged from 0.5 to 31.5 years (mean: 13.8; SD: 9.5; median: 11.4 years). We used a Cox proportional hazard model to estimate the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios of risk factors associated with the development of liver cancer and developed a clinical score, (HCCB score) to determine the risk of liver cancer, that categories patients into two risk levels for the development of HCC. We compared the diagnostic accuracy of our model with other previously published.

Results: During the follow-up period, 4.80% of the patients developed liver cancer (21 out of 437), 0.33 cases per 100 patient-years. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that age >45 years, male gender, hepatitis C coinfection, alkaline phosphatase >147IU/L, Child score >5 points, glucose >126mg/dL, and a viral load >4.3 log₁₀ IU/mL were independent risk factors. A risk score has been developed with a high predictive capacity for identifying patients at high risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma. AUROC 0.87 (95% CI: 0.79-0.95).

Conclusions: An HCCB score greater than 5.42 points identifies a subgroup of chronic hepatitis B patients at high risk of developing liver cancer, who could benefit from screening measures for the early diagnosis of HCC.

Introduction and objectives: Red flags (RF) are typical cardiac and extracardiac manifestations that may precede the definitive diagnosis of cardiac amiloidosis (CA) by several years, playing a pivotal role in the early diagnosis of the disease. The principal aim of the research was to determine the chronology of onset of RF throughout the natural history of CA as well as its prognostic influence.

Patients and methods: Observational, retrospective inquiry of consecutive patients with a definitive diagnosis of CA in a terciary hospital centre in Ciudad Real (Spain) between February 2016 and December 2023. We defined 21 RF and 3 adverse clinical events, establishing the date of occurrence of each of them.

Results: 102 patients (81.6±7.7 years; 84,3% males) with a diagnosis of CA (89.2% TTR; 10,8% AL) were included. The prevalence of RF was very high (8.4±2.3). In the natural history, the first to appear were integumentary, with the most specific cardiological ones being the closest to diagnosis. The 2-year mortality was 49%, with biomarker RFs and the presence of ≥10 RFs being associated with higher mortality.

Conclusions: RFs proved highly prevalent among patients with CA and substantially preceded disease diagnosis. RF burden was associated with prognosis in the follow-up of ATTR patients.

Mesenteric panniculitis (MP) is a rare disease characterized by chronic inflammation and fibrosis of the mesenteric adipose tissue. It is a benign disease that is influenced by many factors, mainly abdominal trauma and surgery. At present, the pathogenesis and clinical characteristics of MP are still not clear. Most patients with MP are asymptomatic, few will present gastrointestinal symptoms, especially abdominal pain. The diagnosis of MP mainly relies on imaging, such as CT. Medicine treatment is unnecessary for asymptomatic patients, and the curative effect of glucocorticoids is effective in patients with symptom. In the absence of severe intestinal obstruction, surgical treatment should not be considered. The purpose of this paper is to systematically introduce and summarize the epidemiology, etiology, histopathology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of MP, so as to improve the understanding of this disease.

Introduction and aims: Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) induced by the implantation of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) is an increasingly common cause of severe TR. Our aim was to describe the echocardiographic phenotypic characteristics of CIED-induced severe TR.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study that included patients with severe TR related to CIED diagnosed in the cardiac imaging unit of a Spanish tertiary hospital.

Results: 37 patients with severe TR induced by lead/electrode interference formed our study group. TR was predominantly severe (68%), followed by massive (21%) and torrential (11%). The leaflet most affected by the interference was the septal. 58% of the sample presented severe dilatation of the right atrium (RA) (mean RA area 28cm²). Mean tricuspid annulus measurement was 42mm. The usual parameters for quantifying RV systolic function were on average within the normal range (TAPSE mean 19mm, S' wave 10mm, FAC 41%), while global RV strain (RVGLS -15%) and free wall strain (RVFWLS -19%) were found reduced. An incipient degree of ventricular/pulmonary arterial uncoupling was evident (mean TAPSE/PSAP 0.34, SGLVD/PSAP 0.27%/mmHg).

Conclusions: Our patients with CIED-induced severe TR are characterized by a heterogeneous phenotype with a high prevalence of severe RA and tricuspid annulus dilatation. RVGLS, RVFWLS, and arterial ventricular coupling were the most sensitive parameters for early assessment of RV systolic dysfunction.

Background and goal: Vaccination against influenza is widespread worldwide, reducing complications associated with infection. However, the impact of vaccination on mortality/ICU admission in hospitalized patients has been little studied.

Material and methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on 238 patients hospitalized for influenza from October 2023 to January 2024 to evaluate the vaccine's effectiveness in terms of the combined event of ICU admission/mortality during hospitalization. Additionally, the characteristics of vaccinated patients and the existence of bacterial superinfection were analyzed. Cox regression was performed using the SPSS program and the free «R» software.

Results: A total of 238 patients were included. Those vaccinated were older (78.2±8.8 vs 69.97±16.6years; P<.001) and were more likely to have hypertension (82.2% vs 56.2%; P<.001), cardiovascular disease (36.6% vs 24.1%; P=.05), chronic bronchopathy (25.7% vs 8.8%; P=.001), or chronic kidney disease (22.8% vs 8.8%; P=0.005). They had lower levels of CRP (8.39±9.55 vs 11.03±10.75mg/dl; P=.05), procalcitonin (0.62±1.74 vs 1.67±4.57ng/dl; P=.05), and SOFA scores (1.13±0.9 vs 1.39±0.97; P=0.033). 11 patients were admitted to ICU (4.6%) and 11 died (4.6%). Influenza vaccination was associated as a protective factor against ICU admission/mortality in the Cox regression (HR=0.216; 95%CI: 0.062-0.759, P=.017). The presence of bacterial superinfection was similar between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients (63.4% vs 67.9%; P=.556).

Conclusions: Influenza vaccination may reduce the probability of ICU admission or death. This effect is likely due to better control of the immune response. We did not observe any relationship with the risk of presenting bacterial superinfection.