Proceedings of Scientific Research Universidad Anáhuac. Multidisciplinary Journal of Healthcare

Publication rates and characteristics of medical theses from a University Hospital in México City

Oscar C Thompson-Chagoyán — 2024-06-06

Background. In medicine, as in other disciplines, a significant amount of research is first captured in the thesis of university degree candidates. Nevertheless, on many occasions the scientific rates of thesis publication are meager. The Hospital General “Dr. Manuel Gea Gonzalez” (HGMGG) is a relevant public university hospital in Mexico City; however, the characteristics, fate, and publication rates of the dissertations produced by medical residents are unknown. Objective. The objective of the present study was to examine these essential aspects in our Hospital to identify areas of opportunity to increase publishing of these research dissertations. Material and methods. Data from the theses presented between 1980 and 2000 were obtained from the TESIUNAM repository. Publication of theses in indexed and non-indexed biomedical journals was assessed by a search strategy using Google Scholar, SciELO, Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct, ProQuest, Ebsco, Ovid, Imbiomed, and Lilacs databases. Results. Sixty-eight of 360 (18.9%) medical theses written by residents were transformed into articles published in scientific journals. Residents were the first authors on 19% (13/68) of these articles. The factors associated with the publication of a particular thesis were a prospective and analytical design; human beings as the study subjects; presentation by the Department of Pediatrics; supervisor with PhD degree, and Mexican journal with impact factor in SJR and Scopus Impact Factor. Discussion. A low proportion of theses’ publication was found in our hospital. It is necessary to implement measures to improve the rate of publication by residents.

Zinc supplementation in patients with cirrhosis and dysgeusia: Randomized Clinical Trial

Eva Juárez-Hernández — 2024-06-06

Background: Dysgeusia has been identified as part of liver cirrhosis (LC). Since zinc (Zn) is involved in taste and LC pathophysiology, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of zinc supplementation in patients with LC. Methods: Double-blinded randomized clinical trial, controlled with placebo in patients with LC. The intervention consisted of 100mg/day of Zn for six months. Improvement of dysgeusia was evaluated according to changes in perception (PT) and recognition (RT) thresholds of five flavors evaluated by ascending molar dilutions method. Differences were assessed by determining the size and the magnitude of effects, interpreted according to Common Language Effect Size, and determining the number needed to treat (NNT). Results: 50% (n=17) of patients were male, with a median age of 57 [51-63] years. After six months, 28 patients accomplished the follow-up; in patients who receive Zn, we observed a PT at a lower molar concentration in salty (1.0 [IQR 1.0-14.7] M vs. 12 [IQR 1.0-12] M, improvement probability 58% (NNT=6)), sweet (1.5 [IQR 1.5-3.5] M vs. 3.5 [IQR 1.5-4.0] M, improvement probability 57% (NNT=6)), sour (0.48 [IQR 0.48-0.48] M vs 0.48 [IQR 0.48-2.44] M, improvement probability 65% (NNT=3)) and umami (0.40 [IQR 0.40-0.40] M vs 0.70 [IQR 0.70-0.80] M, improvement probability 74% (NNT=2)) tastes compared to placebo group. With respect to RT, patients who received Zn, recognition of umami taste was observed at a lower molar concentration (0.70 [IQR 0.40-1.17] M vs 0.90 [0.70-1.1] M, improvement probability 59% (NNT=5)) compared to placebo. Conclusion: Patients supplemented with GZn show an improvement probability of PT higher than 55% for salty, sweet, sour, and umami tastes. Meanwhile, the improvement probability of RT for umami taste is 59%.

Dendritic cells in the treatment of HIV, cancer and systemic lupus erythematosus

Lenin Leonardo Bravo-Martínez — 2024-06-06

Vaccines have been one of the best weapons against diseases that have affected humanity for years, their development has allowed the eradication of important epidemics such as smallpox in 1980. Previously, complete microorganisms, or parts of them, were used to fight a disease. Nowadays vaccines make use of more sophisticated components such as genetic material and/or viral vectors. However, although technology in vaccine development has increased considerably in recent years, there are still limitations for the treatment of diseases caused by viruses such as HIV and complex diseases that are difficult to address such as systemic lupus erythematosus and cancer. This article briefly describes an overview of such diseases and the current trend of directing the immune response by vaccinating cells, not people. The importance of dendritic cells and the new technologies that have emerged in recent years are highlighted.

Neonatal Respiratory Distress Disorders: Comparative pathologies review and diagnosis suspicion algorithm proposal

Germán Rivera Monroy — 2024-06-06

Respiratory pathologies, along with congenital cardiac diseases, represent the main etiologies of neonatal disorders. Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome embraces several pathologies that share respiratory impairment as its main clinical manifestation. Epidemiological and risk factors for respiratory disorders, such as weeks of gestation accomplished before birth and maternal comorbidities, have been identified during the last decades. However, similar acute clinical manifestations, as well as laboratory and radiological findings, lack comprehension, which might lead to an incorrect diagnosis and delayed optimal treatment. Hyaline membrane disease, transient tachypnea of the newborn, and meconium aspiration syndrome represent the three most frequent types of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. In this paper, we describe the risk factors and pathophysiology of each disease and compare clinical manifestations, as well as laboratory and radiological findings between them. For this purpose, we analized a key termed based literature review which include Systematic Reviews, Metanalysis, case reports and book chapters as well as private hospitals epidemiologic statistic reports. Finally, we present a differential diagnosis algorithm which can be used to identify which respiratory distress syndrome the newborn manifests and consequently give prompt and optimal treatment.

Asymmetrical Septal Hypertrophy diagnosed by MRI: a case report

Mauricio Muleiro Álvarez — 2024-06-06

Asymmetrical septal hypertrophy (ASH) is defined as an increase in ventricular wall thickness greater than 15 mm that is not associated with any other pathology. It is a condition that, in most cases, is caused by a mutation in one of the genes associated with the proteins that form the sarcomere. In this article, we present a case of ASH in a 43-year-old adult. After manifesting tachypnea, dyspnea, and cutaneous pallor, followed by a syncopal episode, the individual seeks medical attention. During the medical evaluation, an electrocardiogram (ECG) is performed, revealing bradycardia at 48 beats per minute and an inverted T wave in leads DI, AVL, V3, V4, V5, and V6. The diagnosis is confirmed through cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, which shows hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with non-obstructive ASH of 27.22 mm. Consequently, it is decided to initiate pharmacological treatment with propranolol, and the patient is still awaiting a surgical timeframe for the placement of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).