Mónica Acevedo B

Perfil de presión arterial e historia familiar de hipertensión en niños escolares sanos de Santiago de Chile

Data of 112 children aged between 6-12 years was analyzed. Hypertension (BP>percentile 95) was detected in 2.7% and pre hypertension (BP in percentiles 90-95) in 3.6% of thesample. Children with abnormal BP had higher levels of usCRP (p <0.05) and a non significanttendency towards a higher body mass index. All hypertensive and one pre hypertensive children hadFH of AHT. Eleven percent of parents, had high blood pressure. In no children, both parents werehypertensive. Children with a family history of hypertension had higher concentrations of totalserum cholesterol (p <0.05).

Insuficiente control de factores de riesgo en prevención secundaria cardiovascular

One year survival was 96%(all 13 deaths were of cardiac origin). Eighty seven percent of patients were free of majorcardiovascular events. At discharge from hospital and at the end of follow up 49% and 44% hada total cholesterol over 200 mg/dl respectively, 9,6% and 20,8% had systolic pressure over 140mmHg. There was no diastolic hypertension in these patients, 27% and 31% had a body massindex over 25 kg/m

Biomarcadores coronarios y evolución clínica alejada en pacientes con síndromes coronarios agudos sin elevación del segmento ST

Background: The use of new biomarkers improved risk stratification for patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Aim: To evaluate the relationship between multiple biomarkers and long-term clinical outcome in ACS without ST segment elevation. Patients and Methods: Consecutive patients presenting with suspected ACS were studied. On admission to the emergency room, serum was obtained to determine highly sensitive C reactive protein (hsCRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), lipoprotein (a) (LPa) and soluble P selectin (sPS). Clinical endpoints were mortality and a composite endpoint of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including death, re-infarction, and angina. Results: Seventy patients, aged 63±13 years, 54 males, were studied. Final diagnosis was unstable angina in 71% and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in 29%. MACE and mortality rate were 17% and 5.8%, respectively. We found higher plasma levels of hsCRP, ESR and Lp(a) in patients with MACE (p=0.032, p=0.015 and p=0.010, respectively). Plasma levels of hsCRP and ESR were also higher in patients who died during the follow up (p=0.002 y p=0.045, respectively). Conclusion: Plasma levels of inflammatory markers and atherosclerosis biomarkers are associated with a worse long-term clinical outcome in ACS without ST segment elevation. The inclusion of these biomarkers in the routine blood test on admission, could improve risk stratification of patients with ACS in the future (Rev Med Chile 2005; 133: 1275-93).

Hipercoagulabilidad en fibrilación auricular y su relación con factores de riesgo para embolia sistémica

Background: Atrial fibrillation is associated to a high risk of systemic embolism and to hypercoagulability. Aim: To evaluate the activation of the coagulation cascade through determinations of the thrombin-antithrombin complex in patients with atrial fibrillation and to correlate this data with the clinical and echocardiographic risk factors for systemic embolism. Patients and Methods: In 53 patients with atrial fibrillation plasma levels of the thrombin-antithrombin complex were determined on admission to a coronary care unit and 30 days later. Using a univariate and multiple regression analysis, the association basal thrombin-antithrombin with the duration of the arrhythmia, age over 70 years, previous use of antiplatelet agents, history of hypertension, mitral valve disease, diabetes, heart failure, previous systemic embolism, left atrial diameter and the presence of spontaneous contrast echo or thrombus in the left atrial appendage, was studied. Results: Basal thrombin-antithrombin values were 40.1±69 mg/L (Median 8.34 [3.0-47.5]) compared to 2.7±3.3 mg/L in healthy controls (p <0.001). No significant correlation was found between activation of the coagulation cascade and risk factors for systemic embolism. There were no significant differences in thrombin-antithrombin values between patients with chronic or paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (29.5±43 mg/L and 49.4±83 mg/L respectively). Mean thrombin-antithrombin values in patients under antiplatelet agents were lower than in those without treatment (17.3±43 vs 66.8±127 mg/L; p=0.018). Conclusions: The activation of the coagulation cascade in patients with atrial fibrillation was confirmed. However, no association of this activation with well known clinical and echocardiographic risk factors for systemic embolism, was found. Previous antiplatelet treatment prevented a higher activation of the coagulation cascade (Rev Med Chile 2002; 130: 1087-94)

La hiperuricemia es un marcador del umbral anaeróbico en la insuficiencia cardíaca crónica

Background: Patients with chronic cardiac failure often have elevated plasma uric acid levels, that are associated to a dismal prognosis. Aim: To investigate possible metabolic mechanisms to explain elevated uric acid levels in these patients. Patients and methods: Eighteen patients with chronic cardiac failure aged 61 ± 10 years old, without gout or renal failure and not using high doses of diuretics (equal or less than 80 mg/day furosemide or 50 mg/day hydrochlorothiazide) were studied. Plasma uric acid levels were correlated with anaerobic threshold, maximal oxygen uptake, plasma noradrenaline and creatinine and left ventricular ejection fraction, measured radioisotopically. Results: Mean maximal oxygen uptake was 16.6 ± 4.2 ml/kg/min. There was a negative correlation between uric acid levels and maximal oxygen uptake or maximal oxygen uptake/body surface area (r=0.521 and -0.533 respectively, p<0.05). Patients with uric acid levels over 7 mg/dl had a lower anaerobic threshold than patients with lower levels (9.81 ± 2.41 and 13.08 ± 3.28 ml/kg/min respectively, p<0.05). No significant differences in maximal oxygen uptake were observed in these two groups of patients (15.5 ± 4.24 and 18.08 ± 3.86 ml/kg/min respectively). Uric acid levels did not correlate with plasma noradrenaline, creatinine or lefi ventricular ejection fraction. Conclusions: These results suggest that a defect in cellular oxygenation contributes to the elevation of plasma uric acid levels in patients with chronic cardiac failure. (Rev Med Chile 2001; 129: 503-8)

Las preguntas que el clínico debe hacerse en un paciente hipertenso al sospechar una Hipertensión Secundaria

Los pacientes con Hipertension Arterial (HTA)pueden clasificarse segun si estos presentan o nouna etiologia clara y evidente y, si tienen o nomecanismos hipertensogenos conocidos. Asi, a losprimeros se les clasifica como HTA secundaria(HTAS), y a aquellos que no presentan una causadeterminada, se les clasifica como HTA esencial oprimaria