ABSTRACT Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients with a positive response to acute vasodilator challenge and a clinical response to calcium channel blockers (CCBs) for at least one year are traditionally designated true responders. Nevertheless, little is known about a sustained response to CCBs over longer periods of time. We evaluated the loss of response to CCBs after long-term treatment in a cohort of idiopathic PAH patients previously classified as being true responders. Our data suggest that idiopathic PAH patients can lose clinical response to CCBs even after one year of clinical stability, reinforcing the need for constant multidimensional reevaluation to assess the need for targeted PAH therapies and to classify these patients correctly.

RESUMO Pacientes com hipertensão arterial pulmonar (HAP) idiopática com resposta positiva ao teste de vasorreatividade aguda e resposta clínica a bloqueadores dos canais de cálcio (BCC) durante no mínimo um ano são tradicionalmente denominados “respondedores verdadeiros”. No entanto, pouco se sabe sobre a manutenção da resposta a BCC durante períodos mais longos. Avaliamos a perda de resposta a BCC após tratamento prolongado em uma coorte de pacientes com HAP idiopática previamente considerados respondedores verdadeiros. Nossos dados sugerem que pacientes com HAP idiopática podem deixar de apresentar resposta clínica a BCC mesmo depois de um ano de estabilidade clínica, reforçando a necessidade de reavaliação multidimensional constante para avaliar a necessidade de terapias específicas para HAP e classificar esses pacientes corretamente.

ABSTRACT Cerebral toxoplasmosis or neurotoxoplasmosis is one of the most common opportunistic infections in HIV-positive patients. It occurs in approximately 10 % of untreated AIDS patients. The location of the infection, caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, indicates severe immunodeficiency, with CD4+ T lymphocytes less than 100 cell/mm3. The objective of this work was to describe the clinical and imaging evolution of a patient with diagnosis of neurotoxoplasmosis, attended at the Military Hospital Dr. Carlos J. Finlay: 33-year-old man, with focal neurological symptoms, without vascular risk factor, with studies of suggestive imaging of intracranial expansive process. During admission, the HIV positive result is received and interpreted as a neurotoxoplasmosis. Antiparasitic treatment was used with improvement of neurological disorder and neuroimagens. In the case of a patient with HIV and focal neurological symptoms doctors should think about neurotoxoplasmosis. The response to treatment in the case studied confirmed the diagnosis.

RESUMEN La toxoplasmosis cerebral o neurotoxoplasmosis es una de las infecciones oportunistas más frecuentes en los pacientes positivos al VIH. Se produce aproximadamente en el 10 % de los pacientes con sida no tratados. La localización de la infección, causada por el parásito Toxoplasma gondii, indica inmunodeficiencia severa, con linfocitos T CD4+ menor a 100 cel/mm3. El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir la evolución clínica e imagenológica de un paciente con diagnóstico de neurotoxoplasmosis, atendido en el Hospital Militar Dr. Carlos J. Finlay: hombre de 33 años, con síntomas neurológicos focales, sin factor de riesgo vascular, con estudios de imagen sugestiva de proceso expansivo intracraneal. Durante su ingreso se recibe el resultado de positivo al VIH y se interpreta como una neurotoxoplasmosis. Se empleó tratamiento antiparasitario con mejoría del trastorno neurológico y de las neuroimágenes. Ante un paciente con VIH y síntomas neurológicos focales se debe pensar en una neurotoxoplasmosis. La respuesta al tratamiento en el caso estudiado confirmó el diagnóstico.

Resumo Muitos avanços ocorreram nas últimas décadas na terapêutica da hipertensão arterial pulmonar (HAP), uma doença grave, progressiva, incurável e potencialmente fatal. Para seu tratamento adequado, são fundamentais o diagnóstico hemodinâmico e a classificação de sua etiologia, em que várias delas (colagenoses, hipertensão portal, cardiopatia congênitas, esquistossomose) requerem medidas específicas, além do tratamento farmacológico característico para HAP. O tratamento com fármacos-alvo para HAP baseia-se em produtos farmacêuticos que interferem em três vias fisiopatológicas moleculares: da prostaciclina, da endotelina e do óxido nítrico. Tais fármacos apresentam múltiplas apresentações (oral, endovenosa, subcutânea e inalatória) e mudaram a história da HAP. Essas medicações e suas estratégias de uso, assim como particularidades das diferentes formas de HAP, são o foco desta revisão.

Abstract In the last decades, important advances have been made in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a severe, progressive, incurable, and potentially fatal disease. For an adequate therapy, correct hemodynamic diagnosis and etiology classification are fundamental. Many etiologies – rheumatic disease, portal hypertension, congenital heart diseases, schistosomiasis – require specific measures, in addition to drug therapy for PAH. The specific therapy for PAH is based on medications that act on three pathophysiological pathways – prostacyclin, endothelin, and nitric oxide pathways. These drugs have multiple presentations (oral, intravenous, subcutaneous, and inhaled) and have changed the history of PAH. This review presents an overview of drug therapy strategies and different forms and peculiarities of PAH.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Cerebrovascular disease is the third leading cause of death and the first cause of disability in the world. Objective: To measure the associations between cerebrovascular strokes and their risk factors. Methods: A descriptive study was carried out, the series was made up of 904 patients diagnosed upon admission of cerebrovascular disease, in the period from June 2017 to June 2018 at the Hospital Militar Central Dr. Carlos J. Finlay. The different clinical forms of cardiovascular diseases were analyzed based on the variables age, sex, smoking, alcoholism, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. Absolute and relative frequencies were used as summary measures. Results: 54.7% of patients were older than 70 years and 58.7% were male. Smoking was found in 87.7 % of atherothrombotic stroke and in 89.2 % of intraparenchymal hemorrhages and alcohol in 64.6 % of intraparenchymal hemorrhages. More than 80 % of the patients with ischemic and haemorrhagic stroke were hypertensive, and cardioembolic stroke was associated in 91.9 % with cardiac arrhythmia. Conclusions: Cerebrovascular disease was predominant over 70 years old and male. Ischemic strokes are more frequent than hemorrhagic ones. High blood pressure and diabetes mellitus were the most frequent risk factors for both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes.

RESUMEN Introducción: Las enfermedades cerebrovasculares son la tercera causa de muerte y la primera de invalidez en el mundo. Objetivo: Medir las asociaciones entre los ictus cerebrovasculares y sus factores de riesgo. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, la serie estuvo conformada por 904 pacientes con diagnóstico al ingreso de enfermedad cerebrovascular, en el período comprendido entre junio 2017 a junio 2018, en el Hospital Militar Central "Dr. Carlos J. Finlay". Se analizaron las formas clínicas de enfermedad cerebrovascular, a partir de las variables edad, sexo, hábito de fumar, alcoholismo, hipertensión arterial, diabetes mellitus, hipercolesterolemia e hipertrigliceridemia. Se utilizaron como medidas de resumen, las frecuencias absolutas y relativas. Resultados: El 54,7 % de los pacientes eran mayores de 70 años y el 58,7 % del sexo masculino. El hábito de fumar se constató en el 87,7 % de pacientes con ictus aterotrombótico y en el 89,2 % de los que tuvieron hemorragias intraparenquimatosas y el alcohol en el 64,6 % de los pacientes con hemorragias intraparenquimatosas. Más del 80 % de los pacientes con ictus isquémicos y hemorrágicos, eran hipertensos. El ictus cardioembólico se asoció en el 91,9 %, con arritmia cardiaca. Conclusiones: La enfermedad cerebrovascular predominó por encima de los 70 años y del sexo masculino. Los ictus isquémicos son más frecuentes que los hemorrágicos. La hipertensión arterial y la diabetes mellitus fueron los factores de riesgo más frecuentes, tanto en los ictus isquémicos como hemorrágicos.

ABSTRACT Introduction: The state of frailty is a syndrome, characterized by decreased resistance and physiological reserves of the elderly. It is related to the occurrence of adverse health effects such as: falls, disability, hospitalization, institutionalization and death. Objectives: To determine prognostic factors for mortality in frail elderly patients. Method: Longitudinal type and observational study, developed from December 2017 to November 2018. The sample consisted of 50 frail elderly, who were admitted to the Internal Medicine service of the Hospital Militar Central "Dr. Carlos J. Finlay" and were followed for 12 months afterwards of having been discharged. Results: Mortality was in the order of 62% (CI = 48-76). After logistic regression and adjusting for age and sex, independent variables were associated with mortality in frail elderly people: disability (OR = 13), poor health self-assessment (OR = 6.5) and cognitive impairment (OR = 4.3). Conclusions: The results of this study provide strong evidence to support the use as predictors of mortality in frail elderly people, the presence of cognitive impairment, disability and poor health self-perception.

RESUMEN Introducción: El estado de fragilidad es un síndrome, caracterizado por disminución de la resistencia y de las reservas fisiológicas del adulto mayor. Está relacionado con la ocurrencia de efectos adversos para la salud como: caídas, discapacidad, hospitalización, institucionalización y muerte. Objetivos: Determinar factores pronóstico para mortalidad en pacientes ancianos frágiles. Método: Estudio observacional, de tipo longitudinal, desarrollado desde diciembre del 2017 a noviembre del 2018. La muestra estuvo conformada por 50 ancianos frágiles, que ingresaron en el servicio de medicina interna del Hospital Militar Central "Dr. Carlos J. Finlay" y que fueron seguidos por 12 meses luego de haber sido dados de alta. Resultados: La mortalidad estuvo en el orden de 62 % (IC: 48-76). Por regresión logística y después de ajustar por edad y sexo, resultaron variables independientes asociadas a mortalidad en ancianos frágiles: discapacidad (OR = 13), mala autoevaluación de salud (OR = 6,5) y deterioro cognitivo (OR = 4,3). Conclusiones: Los resultados de este estudio proporcionan evidencias para apoyar el uso como predictores de mortalidad en ancianos frágiles, la presencia de deterioro cognitivo, discapacidad y mala autopercepción de salud.

The objective of this investigation was the preclinical evaluation and the stability study of the Momordica charantia Linn hydroalcoholic and aqueous leaf extracts. The hydroalcoholic and aqueous extracts were obtained and the quality specifications were determined by evaluating three lots. The stability of the extracts was evaluated for 12 months. The genotoxic potential of the extracts was evaluated by mouse bone marrow micronucleus test and chromosome aberration test. The hypoglycemic effect was determined by oral glucose tolerance test. As results, the quality specifications were established and the aqueous extract was stable for 6 months and the hydroalcoholic extract for 12 months. A genotoxic effect was not observed in both extracts and the hypoglycemic effect was observed at the oral dose of 450 mg/kg of body weight.

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue la evaluación preclínica y el estudio de estabilidad de extractos a partir del follaje de Momordica charantia Lin. Se obtuvieron extractos acuoso e hidroalcohólico para los cuales se establecieron las especificaciones de calidad mediante la evaluación de tres lotes y se estudió su estabilidad por el método de vida de estante durante 12 meses. A los extractos se le evaluó el potencial genotóxico mediante ensayos de micronúcleos en médula ósea de ratón y aberraciones cromosómicas en linfocitos de sangre periférica. La actividad hipoglicemiante oral fue evaluada en animales con hiperglicemia temporal inducida por carga de glucosa. Como resultados se establecieron las especificaciones de calidad de los extractos acuoso e hidroalcohólico, los mismos mostraron estabilidad por 6 meses para el extracto acuoso y 12 meses para el extracto hidroalcohólico. No mostraron efecto genotóxico en los ensayos evaluados y mostraron efecto hipoglicemiante oral a la dosis de 450 mg/kg.