Revista médica de Chile
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Revista médica de Chile · Jun 2023
Letter Biography Historical Article[Dr. Jaime Pi-Suñer Bayo (1903-2000): The beginning of the School of Medical Physiology in Chile].
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Revista médica de Chile · Jun 2023
Review[Understanding Bipolar Disorder: Risk Factors & Protective Measures].
Bipolar Affective Disorder (BD) is a severe mental pathology characterized by recurrent mood episodes that usually cycle between two opposite poles: mania or hypomania and depression. It has a high level of morbidity/mortality (i.e., cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, altered functionality, and absenteeism from work) and associated substantial socioeconomic costs. The most dramatic outcome is death by suicide, which occurs in 5% to 15% of patients. ⋯ It is essential to determine the disease's risk and specific protective factors to prevent its occurrence, delay its appearance, and reduce its deterioration effects. Characteristics such as genetic profile, cognitive reserve (partially explained by educational level and premorbid intelligence), chronotype (particularly morning chronotype), personality aspects (including resilience and hyperthymic temperament), the absence of substance use and childhood maltreatment, in addition to an adequate support network, have been associated with a lower impact in the onset and course of the disease. Once present, interventions -both in the early and late stages (i.e., specific pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, dietary factors, physical activity, and judicious use of antipsychotics)-can play a protective role against the appearance of the disease and the severity of its mood episodes.
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Revista médica de Chile · Jun 2023
Multicenter Study[Assessing Convalescent Plasma Efficacy in Moderate COVID-19 Hospitalizations: A Bicentric Retrospective Study].
COVID-19 claimed millions of lives, mainly in the pre-vaccine era. Preliminary studies showed promising efficacy of convalescent plasma against SARS-CoV-2 (CP). ⋯ The use of CP in patients hospitalized for moderately severe COVID-19 was not associated with lower mortality, hospital stay, or the need for IMV.
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Revista médica de Chile · Jun 2023
Comparative Study[Prevalence of nasal colonization by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in medical students in Chile: comparison between pre-clinical and clinical environment].
The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of nasal colonization of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in medical students in pre-clinical versus clinical courses at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and to describe the epidemiological, clinical and molecular pattern of the MRSA strains obtained. ⋯ The MRSA nasal carriage found in our medical students was low, finding positive samples only in students with clinical exposure. This prevalence is similar to the one reported in other studies in Chile with similar characteristics.
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Revista médica de Chile · Jun 2023
Admissions by tuberculosis in a regional reference Center. A complex and worrying scenario.
To characterize clinical aspects, evaluate the diagnostic opportunity, and identify factors associated with mortality in patients hospitalized for tuberculosis (TB). ⋯ In this case series, the diagnosis of TB cases was delayed, scarcely diagnosed by molecular methods, highly concentrated at the hospital level, required admission in a large percentage of cases, and had a high case-fatality rate.