Seroprevalence of Bartonella spp. infection in HIV patients in Catalonia, Spain

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although the first clinical descriptions of <it>Bartonella </it>infection were associated with immunocompromised patient with bacillary angiomatosis, we currently know that this organism is directly involved in diseases affecting a large number of patients, regardless of their immune status. Cat scratch disease, hepatic peliosis, and some cases of bacteraemia and endocarditis, are directly caused by some species of the genus <it>Bartonella</it>. The purpose of this study was to determinate the prevalence of IgG antibodies against <it>Bartonella henselae </it>and <it>B. quintana </it>in HIV patients and to identify the epidemiological factors involved.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Serum samples were collected from HIV patients treated at Hospital de Sabadell. Antibodies to <it>B. henselae </it>and <it>B. quintana </it>from 340 patients were examined by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Significance levels for univariate statistical test were determined by the Mann-Whitney U test and χ²test.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of 340 patients, 82 were women and 258 men, with a median age of 42.21 ± 10.35 years (range 16–86 years). Seventy-six (22.3%) patients reacted with one or more <it>Bartonella </it>antigens. Of all the factors concerning the seroprevalence rate being studied (age, sex, intravenous drugs use, alcohol consumption, CD4 levels, AIDS, HCV, HBV, residential area), only age was statistically significant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A high percentage of HIV patients presents antibodies to <it>Bartonella </it>and is increasing with age.</p

The RADMED monitoring program as a tool for MSFD implementation: toward an ecosystem based approach

In the western Mediterranean Sea, the RADMED monitoring programme is already conducting several of the evaluations required under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MFSD) along the Spanish Mediterranean coast. The different aspects of the ecosystem that are regularly sampled under this monitoring programme are the physical environment and the chemical and biological variables of the water column, together with the planktonic communities, biomass and structure. Moreover, determinations of some anthropogenic stressors on the marine environment, such as contaminants and microplastics, are under development. Data are managed and stored at the Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO) Data Centre that works under the Sea- DataNet infrastructure, and are also stored in the IBAMar database. In combination with remote sensing data, they are used to address open questions on the ecosystems in the western Mediterranean Sea.Postprint2,293

Influencia de la resección de vena porta/vena mesentérica superior en la morbilidad, mortalidad y supervivencia de los pacientes con adenocarcinoma ductal de páncreas en las Islas Baleares

Introduction: Recent developments have enabled associate to standard pancreaticoduodenectomy (DPC), vascular resections to increase resectability in pancreatic cancer. Objectives: Analyze morbidity, mortality and survival of a consecutive series of patients with pancreatic cancer, in which a DPC with portal vein resection was performed, and compared it with a group of patients with standard DPC without venous resection. Methodology: Consecutive series of 67 patients who underwent a DPC ought to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, between January 2005 and January 2015. Results: Standard resection (RV-) was performed in 49 cases, and a venous resection in another 18 patients (RV+). There were no significant differences in age (65 vs 68.9 years), ASA, or intraoperative transfusion. Duration of intervention was significantly lower in the RV- group (6.1 vs 6.7; p = 0.05). Morbidity grade III -IV was 14.2 % Clavien in the RV- group and 16.6 % in the RV + group (p = 0.87). There were no differences in hospital mortality (0 % vs 5.5%), or hospital stay (14.4 vs 15.2 days). The surgical margin involvement was more frequent in the RV+ group (18 % vs 50 % ; p = 0.003). One, 3 and 5 years survival was 77, 34 and 11% in the RV- group and 92, 23 and 8% in the group with venous resection. Conclusions: DPC with venous resection can be performed with morbidity and mortality rates similar to standard DPC1. Survival shows no significant difference between the two groups.Venous resection may increase resectability in a selected group of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.Introducción: Los progresos recientes han permitido asociar a la duodenopancreatectomía cefálica estándar (DPC), resecciones vasculares para incrementar la resecabilidad en el cáncer de páncreas. Objetivos: Analizar la morbi-mortalidad y supervivencia de una serie consecutiva de pacientes con cáncer de páncreas, en los que se realizó una DPC con resección de vena porta y compararla con un grupo de pacientes con DPC estándar sin resección venosa. Material y métodos: Serie consecutiva de 67 pacientes intervenidos con adenocarcinoma ductal de páncreas, entre enero 2005 y enero 2015. Resultados: En 49 casos se realizó una resección estándar (RV-) y en 18 pacientes, una resección venosa (RV+). No hubo diferencias significativas en la edad (65 vs 68,9 años), ASA, ni en la transfusión intraoperatoria. La duración de la intervención fue significativamente menor en el grupo RV- (6,1 vs 6,7; p= 0,05). La morbilidad grado III-IV de Clavien fue del 14,2% en el grupo RV- y del 16,6% en el grupo RV+ (p=0,87). No hubo diferencias en la mortalidad hospitalaria (0% vs 5,5%), ni en la estancia hospitalaria (14,4 vs 15,2 días). La afectación del margen quirúrgico fue más frecuente en el grupo RV+ (18% vs 50%; p=0,003). La supervivencia al año, 3 y 5 años fue del 77, 34 y 11% en el grupo RV-,y del 92, 23 y 8% en el grupo con resección venosa. Conclusiones: La DPC con resección venosa puede realizarse con tasas de morbi-mortalidad similares a la DPC estándar. La supervivencia no muestra diferencias significativas entre los dos grupos. La resección venosa puede aumentar la resecabilidad en un grupo seleccionado de pacientes con adenocarcinoma de páncreas

Longitudinal association of dietary acid load with kidney function decline in an older adult population with metabolic syndrome

Background: Diets high in acid load may contribute to kidney function impairment. This study aimed to investigate the association between dietary acid load and 1-year changes in glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR). Methods: Older adults with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome (mean age 65 ± 5 years, 48% women) from the PREDIMED-Plus study who had available data on eGFR (n = 5,874) or UACR (n = 3,639) at baseline and after 1 year of follow-up were included in this prospective analysis. Dietary acid load was estimated as potential renal acid load (PRAL) and net endogenous acid production (NEAP) at baseline from a food frequency questionnaire. Linear and logistic regression models were fitted to evaluate the associations between baseline tertiles of dietary acid load and kidney function outcomes. One year-changes in eGFR and UACR were set as the primary outcomes. We secondarily assessed ≥ 10% eGFR decline or ≥10% UACR increase. Results: After multiple adjustments, individuals in the highest tertile of PRAL or NEAP showed higher one-year changes in eGFR (PRAL, β: -0.64 ml/min/1.73 m2; 95% CI: -1.21 to -0.08 and NEAP, β: -0.56 ml/min/1.73 m2; 95% CI: -1.13 to 0.01) compared to those in the lowest category. No associations with changes in UACR were found. Participants with higher levels of PRAL and NEAP had significantly higher odds of developing ≥10% eGFR decline (PRAL, OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.07-1.54 and NEAP, OR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.03-1.50) and ≥10 % UACR increase (PRAL, OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.04-1.46) compared to individuals with lower dietary acid load. Conclusions: Higher PRAL and NEAP were associated with worse kidney function after 1 year of follow-up as measured by eGFR and UACR markers in an older Spanish population with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome. Keywords: albuminuria; chronic kidney disease (CKD); dietary acid load; glomerular filtration rate (GFR); kidney function; net endogenous acid production (NEAP); potential renal acid load (PRAL); renal nutrition

Longitudinal association of dietary acid load with kidney function decline in an older adult population with metabolic syndrome

Background: Diets high in acid load may contribute to kidney function impairment. This study aimed to investigate the association between dietary acid load and 1-year changes in glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR). Methods: Older adults with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome (mean age 65 ± 5 years, 48% women) from the PREDIMED-Plus study who had available data on eGFR (n = 5,874) or UACR (n = 3,639) at baseline and after 1 year of follow-up were included in this prospective analysis. Dietary acid load was estimated as potential renal acid load (PRAL) and net endogenous acid production (NEAP) at baseline from a food frequency questionnaire. Linear and logistic regression models were fitted to evaluate the associations between baseline tertiles of dietary acid load and kidney function outcomes. One year-changes in eGFR and UACR were set as the primary outcomes. We secondarily assessed ≥ 10% eGFR decline or ≥10% UACR increase. Results: After multiple adjustments, individuals in the highest tertile of PRAL or NEAP showed higher one-year changes in eGFR (PRAL, β: –0.64 ml/min/1.73 m2; 95% CI: –1.21 to –0.08 and NEAP, β: –0.56 ml/min/1.73 m2; 95% CI: –1.13 to 0.01) compared to those in the lowest category. No associations with changes in UACR were found. Participants with higher levels of PRAL and NEAP had significantly higher odds of developing ≥10% eGFR decline (PRAL, OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.07–1.54 and NEAP, OR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.03–1.50) and ≥10 % UACR increase (PRAL, OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.04–1.46) compared to individuals with lower dietary acid load. Conclusions: Higher PRAL and NEAP were associated with worse kidney function after 1 year of follow-up as measured by eGFR and UACR markers in an older Spanish population with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome

Protocolos RADMED (versión: 1.01 – 2014). Procedimientos a seguir en las campañas del proyecto RADMED

Los protocolos RADMED se pueden considerar como una guía de mar de las operaciones a realizar en el desarrollo de una campaña de ese proyecto, en donde figuran: el montaje del equipamiento científico, las secuencias de las diferentes operaciones y muestreos, la identificación de las estaciones, cómo rellenar los diferentes estadillos, las determinaciones de variables oceanográficas a bordo y el post-procesado de los datos hidrográficos. Detrás de todo ello está la intención de homogeneizar la información, para facilitar el post-procesado y el fiel tratamiento de las muestras y análisis.[Abstract] The RADMED protocols can be considered as a guide to work at the sea in the development of a campaign of this project and to conduct its different operations. They include: installation of scientific equipment, the sequences of the different operations and sampling, identification of stations, the filling of the various work sheets, determinations of oceanographic variables on board and the post processing of hydrographic data. All this pretend to standardize the information to facilitate post processing and accurate treatment of the samples and analysis