Skin manifestations in COVID-19: prevalence and relationship with disease severity

Background: Data on the clinical patterns and histopathology of SARS-CoV-2 related skin lesions, as well as on their relationship with the severity of COVID-19 are limited. Methods and Materials: Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected cohort of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in a teaching hospital in Barcelona, Spain, from 1 April to 1 May 2020. Clinical, microbiological and therapeutic characteristics, clinicopathological patterns of skin lesions, and direct immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical findings in skin biopsies were analyzed. Results: Fifty-eight out of the 2761 patients (2.1%) either consulting to the emergency room or admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 suspicion during the study period presented COVID-19 related skin lesions. Cutaneous lesions could be categorized into six patterns represented by the acronym "GROUCH": Generalized maculo-papular (20.7%), Grover's disease and other papulo-vesicular eruptions (13.8%), livedo Reticularis (6.9%), Other eruptions (22.4%), Urticarial (6.9%), and CHilblain-like (29.3%). Skin biopsies were performed in 72.4%, including direct immunofluorescence in 71.4% and immunohistochemistry in 28.6%. Patients with chilblain-like lesions exhibited a characteristic histology and were significantly younger and presented lower rates of systemic symptoms, radiological lung infiltrates and analytical abnormalities, and hospital and ICU admission compared to the rest of patients. Conclusion: Cutaneous lesions in patients with COVID-19 appear to be relatively rare and varied. Patients with chilblain-like lesions have a characteristic clinicopathological pattern and a less severe presentation of COVID-19

Nuevas terapias dirigidas para el tratamiento del cáncer

El cáncer es el término que se utiliza para englobar un conjunto de enfermedades que se caracterizan por el crecimiento descontrolado de células alteradas molecularmente por mutaciones o modificaciones epigenéticas.En la presente revisión describimos algunas terapias dirigidas que se están utilizando actualmente en clínic

Famílies botàniques de plantes medicinals

Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona. Ensenyament: Grau de Farmàcia, Assignatura: Botànica Farmacèutica, Curs: 2013-2014, Coordinadors: Joan Simon, Cèsar Blanché i Maria Bosch.Els materials que aquí es presenten són els recull de 175 treballs d’una família botànica d’interès medicinal realitzats de manera individual. Els treballs han estat realitzat per la totalitat dels estudiants dels grups M-2 i M-3 de l’assignatura Botànica Farmacèutica durant els mesos d’abril i maig del curs 2013-14. Tots els treballs s’han dut a terme a través de la plataforma de GoogleDocs i han estat tutoritzats pel professor de l’assignatura i revisats i finalment co-avaluats entre els propis estudiants. L’objectiu principal de l’activitat ha estat fomentar l’aprenentatge autònom i col·laboratiu en Botànica farmacèutica

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Inmuhisotiquímica en dermatopatología: revisión de los anticuerpos utilizados con mayor frecuencia

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Medicina Interna. Fecha de lectura: 28 de Octubre de 201

Monkeypox outbreak in Spain: clinical and epidemiological findings in a prospective cross-sectional study of 185 cases.

Since May 2022, a new outbreak of monkeypox has been reported in several countries, including Spain. The clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the cases in this outbreak may differ from those in earlier reports. To document the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of cases of monkeypox in the current outbreak. We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study in multiple medical facilities in Spain to describe the cases of monkeypox in the 2022 outbreak. In total, 185 patients were included. Most cases started with primarily localized homogeneous papules, not pustules, in the probable area of inoculation, which could be cutaneous or mucous, including single lesions. Generalized small pustules appeared later in some of them. Heterogeneous lesions occurred during this generalized phase. All patients had systemic symptoms. Less common lesions included mucosal ulcers (including pharyngeal ulcers and proctitis) and monkeypox whitlows. Four patients were hospitalized, none died. Smallpox vaccination and well-controlled HIV disease were not associated with markers of severity. Contact during sex is the most likely mechanism of transmission. In this outbreak, cases have been described in men who have sex with men and are strongly associated with high-risk sexual behaviours. Seventy-six per cent of the patients had other sexually transmitted diseases upon screening. The clinical findings in this outbreak differ from previous findings and highly suggest contact transmission and initiation at the entry site. The characterization of the epidemiology of this outbreak has implications for control. What is already known about this topic? Monkeypox eruption is described as consisting of pustules. The roles of HIV and previous smallpox vaccination in the prognosis are unknown. The transmission route was initially described as respiratory droplets and was later suggested to be via sexual contact. What does this study add? Initial lesions at the probable inoculation area were homogeneous and papular (pseudopustules). Generalized small pustules appeared later in some of them. Heterogeneous lesions occurred during this generalized phase. All patients had systemic symptoms. Less common signs included mucosal ulcers (including pharyngeal ulcers and proctitis) and monkeypox whitlows. Well-controlled HIV and previous smallpox vaccination were not associated with severity. No patient died. The data support the hypothesis of transmission via contact during sex. Although this might change, the outbreak is currently limited mostly to men who have sex with men, with high-risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases

Skin Manifestations in COVID-19: Prevalence and Relationship with Disease Severity

Background: Data on the clinical patterns and histopathology of SARS-CoV-2 related skin lesions, as well as on their relationship with the severity of COVID-19 are limited. Methods and Materials: Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected cohort of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in a teaching hospital in Barcelona, Spain, from 1 April to 1 May 2020. Clinical, microbiological and therapeutic characteristics, clinicopathological patterns of skin lesions, and direct immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical findings in skin biopsies were analyzed. Results: Fifty-eight out of the 2761 patients (2.1%) either consulting to the emergency room or admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 suspicion during the study period presented COVID-19 related skin lesions. Cutaneous lesions could be categorized into six patterns represented by the acronym “GROUCH”: Generalized maculo-papular (20.7%), Grover’s disease and other papulo-vesicular eruptions (13.8%), livedo Reticularis (6.9%), Other eruptions (22.4%), Urticarial (6.9%), and CHilblain-like (29.3%). Skin biopsies were performed in 72.4%, including direct immunofluorescence in 71.4% and immunohistochemistry in 28.6%. Patients with chilblain-like lesions exhibited a characteristic histology and were significantly younger and presented lower rates of systemic symptoms, radiological lung infiltrates and analytical abnormalities, and hospital and ICU admission compared to the rest of patients. Conclusion: Cutaneous lesions in patients with COVID-19 appear to be relatively rare and varied. Patients with chilblain-like lesions have a characteristic clinicopathological pattern and a less severe presentation of COVID-19

El periódico escolar como recurso para la comunicación, la participación y la animación a la lectura

Con este proyecto se pone en marcha una publicación cuatrimestral elaborada con aportaciones de todos los alumnos del centro. En esta revista escolar tienen cabida todos los sectores de la comunidad educativa para informar a las familias y para anunciar las actividades que se realizan en el centro. Entre los objetivos está el que los alumnos se sientan motivados en su trabajo diario por la posibilidad de que alguno de sus trabajos sea publicado en el periódico escolar. Además, con la publicación se pretende fomentar la observación y la creatividad entre los alumnos, que estos desarrollen el hábito lector, que valoren los trabajos de los compañeros y dar a conocer a toda la comunidad educativa las actividades que se desarrollan en el centro. Esta actividad también es muy positiva para fomentar la colaboración de los padres a través de la asociación de madres y padres de alumnos. El periódico está compuesto de secciones como creación literaria que recoge escritos de alumnos; un libro, un amigo, que contiene reseñas de libros que los alumnos recomiendan a sus compañeros; nuestro mundo; galería de arte; aprender con el periódico, donde se recogen trabajos de investigación de los alumnos; actividades dentro del centro; pasatiempos; entrevistas; una sección en inglés y otra de música. La publicación es maquetada y diseñada por los profesores. Adjunta un ejemplar del periódico.Madrid (Comunidad Autónoma). Consejería de Educación. Dirección General de Ordenación AcadémicaMadridMadrid (Comunidad Autónoma). Subdirección General de Formación del Profesorado. CRIF Las Acacias; General Ricardos 179 - 28025 Madrid; Tel. + 34915250893ES