Víctor H. García

The effect of chloride and bicarbonate levels in irrigation water on nutrition content, production and quality of cut roses ‘Mercedes’

Abstract Irrigation with chlorinated (Cl − ) and bicarbonated (HCO − 3 ) water, the main salts being NaCl and NaHCO 3 , respectively, was used to study the effect of Na + , Cl − and HCO − 3 concentrations on the yield of good-quality cut roses from ‘Mercedes’ grafted on the rootstock Rosa canina ‘Inermis’. All treatments lowered the number of good-quality roses compared with irrigation with available water (control). The smallest number of flowers/plant (64% of control) was obtained with 13.6 mmols l −1 Cl − ; water with 7.8 mmol l −1 Cl − and 6.8 mmol l −1 HCO − 3 gave 79.6 and 78.6% flowers/plant of control, respectively. Concentrations of Na + , Cl − and HCO − 3 in the soil and Na + and Cl − in the leaves, when higher than normal (control), affected both the total number and the quality of the flowers produced.

Hepatitis A, cardiomyopathy, aplastic anemia, and acute liver failure: A devastating scenario

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) causes an acute infection and is usually asymptomatic in children. When clinical manifestations appear, these include choluria, jaundice, and abdominal pain. Although infrequent, extra‐hepatic manifestations related to HAV have been described, affecting the heart, bone marrow, blood vessels, and other tissues.A 10‐year‐old boy from a rural area presented with a 15‐day history of malaise, fever, and jaundice; laboratory examinations were compatible with HAV infection. The patient turned encephalopathic and was remitted to our center, where laboratory examinations showed a medullary aplasia and fulminant hepatitis requiring a liver transplant that was performed 72 hours after admission. At 24 hours post transplant, the patient developed a cardiomyopathy secondary to HAV, and intravenous immunoglobulin was administered. The patient is still alive and attending his medical check‐ups.Although rare, extra‐hepatic manifestations of HAV infection have been described in 14% of cases. The groups of patients affected are usually aged and present with high bilirubin levels. Acquired aplastic anemia and myocarditis caused by HAV are uncommon, and its pathophysiology has not yet been elucidated.HAV infection is usually asymptomatic in children, although extra‐hepatic manifestations can appear requiring early detection and management.

Tumor Biology as Predictor of Mortality in Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUNDnHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent primary malignant liver tumor, with the Milan criteria considered to be the gold standard for patient selection for liver transplantation (LT).nnnMATERIALS AND METHODSnWe performed a descriptive observational study, reviewing 20 years of experience of LT in patients with HCC in the Fundacion Valle del Lilí in Cali, Colombia. Subgroup analysis was undertaken for periods 1999 to 2007 and 2008 toxa02015.nnnRESULTSnFifty-seven cases with a pretransplant HCC diagnosis were reviewed. In the first period patients within the Milan criteria had a recurrence-free survival at 5 years of 66.6%, and in those who exceeded the Milan criteria, recurrence-free survival was 75%. In the second period, patients within the Milan criteria, recurrence-free survival at 5 years was 93.5%, and in those who exceeded the Milan criteria, recurrence-free survival was 75.7%. No statistically significant difference was found in either period. For patients with mild and moderate tumor differentiation, the relapse survival rate at 5 years was 69.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 35.8-87.8) and 74.7% (95% CI 44.5-90), respectively. All patients with poor tumor differentiation relapsed and died within 3 years.nnnCONCLUSIONnGlobal and recurrence-free survival among patients who met and patients who exceeded the Milan criteria was not significantly different, suggesting an expansion of the Milan criteria to include potential recipients who were previously excluded. Obtaining histologic differentiation and identifying vascular invasion will provide a more worthwhile contribution to LT decision making.

Liver Transplantation in Hepatitis C–Infected Patients: Experience From a South American Transplant Center

BACKGROUNDnAround 2.4% of the worlds population is infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), and it is the most common cause of liver transplantation (LT) in the world. Latin America (LA), with nearly 9% of the world population, has had a continuous increase in the number of LTs per year. Yet, due to the lack of mandatory data collection and a well-developed health-care system, access to transplantation is limited in most LA countries. We report the first LA experience of HCV-infected LT patients.nnnMETHODSnWe performed a retrospective cohort study by reviewing the medical histories of all HCV-infected LT patients between 1996 and 2016 who acquired HCV before their LT, at the Fundación Valle del Lilí, Cali, Colombia.nnnRESULTSnBetween January 1996 and December 2015, a total of 770 LTs were performed, of which 75 had a cirrhotic liver due to HCV infection. With a median follow-up time of 24.4 months (interquartile range [IQR] 4.7-61.2 months), patient survival was 44.9% and 66.9% for the time periods 1996-2006 and 2007-2015, respectively. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was present in 30.6% of the patients, and overall postoperative complications had an incidence of 80%.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThis is the first report of LT in HCV-infected patients in Colombia and in LA. Our results are comparable to those of other transplant centers worldwide with regard to postoperative complications and patient survival. Patients with LT in the 1996-2006 time frame had higher morbidity and mortality. Studies including larger numbers of patients are needed to determine the reason for this finding.

Donantes de órganos en muerte cerebral por herida por proyectil de arma de fuego en cráneo: una trágica realidad que beneficia receptores de órganos en Colombia

Background and objectives: Patients with brain death (BD) due to traumatic brain injury (TBI) secondary to a gunshot (GS) wound in the skull contribute to mitigate the demand for organ and tissue donors. In Colombia, 78% of the homicides are by GS. We describe our experience with BD secondary to TBI by GS organ and tissue donors at a transplant center in Cali, Colombia. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective historical cohort study for characterization of donors diagnosed with BD secondary to TBI by GS at our institution in the period 2010-2016 (n=169). Qualitative variables were assessed by proportions, continuous quantitative variables with measures of central tendency, and survival with

Aspergillus hepatic artery thrombosis in liver transplantation

We present the first cirrhotic patient who underwent liver transplantation (LT) and presented a hepatic artery thrombosis of the graft due to Aspergillus fumigatus, within the first month of LT. This culminated in graft loss, re-transplant with multiple biliary and infectious complications. To our knowledge, this is a case report of an early hepatic artery thrombosis due to Aspergillus fumigatus in an infection-free patient.

Lysosomal Acid Lipase Deficiency, a Rare Pathology: The First Pediatric Patient Reported in Colombia

Patient: Male, 14 Final Diagnosis: Lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LAL-D) Symptoms: Dyslipidemia • isolated hepatomegaly Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Genetic sequencing Specialty: Gastroenterology and Hepatology Objective: Rare disease Background: Lysosomal acid lipase deficiency is a rare genetic metabolic lipid storage disease, with a high morbidity, and mortality, in children and adults. It is characterized by a mutation in the LIPA gene that causes an alteration of lipid metabolism, resulting in deposits of cholesterol esters and triglycerides in organs such as the liver, blood vessels, and gastrointestinal tract. Lysosomal acid lipase deficiency is predominantly caused by the mutation c.894G>A, seen in approximately 50–70% of patients. Our objective is to report the first pediatric case of lysosomal acid lipase deficiency in a pediatric patient in Colombia. Case Report: The patient is a 14-year-old boy with isolated hepatomegaly since 6 years of age without a family history of dyslipidemia. In the pediatric control, laboratory exams revealed dyslipidemia, and a hepatic biopsy was performed, revealing severe fibrosis with septation and grade 3 microvesicular steatosis (>75%). He was referred to our center and was suspected to have lysosomal acid lipase deficiency. Enzymatic activity was measured, showing absent activity. Confirmatory diagnosis with genetic sequencing showed a pathological homozygous mutation of c.894G>A. Conclusions: Lysosomal acid lipase deficiency can manifest as early- or late-onset, with variable and severe signs and symptoms. The late-onset form has a broad spectrum of manifestations with mild symptoms, leading to under-diagnosis, which increases the actual disease burden. Early diagnosis is essential to initiate enzyme replacement therapy, since the natural disease course can be changed. More studies should be conducted in Latin America to evaluate the prevalence of the disease.