Medicina
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The occurrence of seizures is frequent during the neonatal period due to the functional immaturity of the brain. The presence of these seizures may lead to a diagnosis of neonatal epilepsy, which is usually associated with structural alterations of the brain during neurodevelopment. ⋯ The presence of neurologic disorders preceding the onset of epilepsy indicates that underlying neurobiological alterations may independently cause the predisposition to epilepsy and comorbid processes. In this review we describe the structural and functional brain processes underlying the onset of neonatal epilepsy and its comorbidities.
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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex and heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder from a causal, clinical and prognostic perspective. Research reflects its multifactorial nature with a prominent role of genetic factors. Population studies have historically pointed to the involvement of numerous genetic variants of small effect size, which hardly by themselves increase the risk of presenting the disorder and hardly justify its high heritability. ⋯ However, after the irruption of new genetic techniques in the last 15 years, a greater number of cases are being identified with genetic disorders (many of them monogenic), whose genetic variants alone explain the presence of ADHD. A detailed study of the personal and family history, as well as a complete physical examination, can help to identify some of them. The identification of the cause in this group of cases has a crucial value in clinical counseling, genetic-familial counseling and prognostic anticipation, as well as in the performance or avoidance of complementary studies and in the design of the intervention plan.
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Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are monoclonal antibodies that are increasingly used in cancer treatments. As experience in the use of immunotherapy increases, more is known about its safety profile and immune-mediated adverse effects. ⋯ In this paper we describe the cases of three patients who presented with episodes of DKA during treatment with ICIs, two of which manifested with fulminant forms, leading to an acute course with initially normal glycosylated hemoglobin values. In addition, we conducted a review of the literature on DKA associated with ICIs in order to highlight the importance of noticing these potentially fatal complications and promptly establishing appropriate therapy.
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In recent years, drug repurposing (DR) has gained significant attention as a promising strategy for identifying new therapeutic uses of existing drugs. One potential candidate for DR in cancer treatment is sodium dichloroacetate (DCA), which has been shown to alter tumor metabolism and decrease apoptosis resistance in cancer cells. In this paper, we present a scoping review of the use of DCA for cancer treatment in adult patients, aiming to identify key research gaps in this area. ⋯ The most frequent adverse events in the evaluated studies were asthenia, reversible toxicity, and an increase in liver enzymes. Effectiveness was difficult to evaluate. We conclude that there is insufficient evidence to affirm that treatment with DCA in cancer patients is effective or is safe.
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Coverage for colorectal cancer screening in Argentina is very low. The objective of this review is to assess and synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of strategies aimed at increasing adherence to colorectal cancer screening among healthcare personnel and the general population at average risk. ⋯ There is more evidence on strategies targeting the population than professionals. Combined strategies showed greater effectiveness, highlighting the need to explore barriers in both the population and professionals in each specific context in order to prioritize and combine those that have proven effective and would have a greater impact.