Browsing by Author "Carrasco, Alejandra"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Comentarios al proyecto de ley “Muerte digna y cuidados paliativos”
    (2021) Valera, Luca; Ramos Vergara, Paulina; Pérez Hernández, Iván Modesto; Olivares Osorio, Patricia Carolina; Florenzano, Alejandra; Carrasco, Alejandra; Barrientos Zamorano, Marcelo Heriberto; Godoy F., Jaime
    The Chilean House of Representatives is discussing the bill on “Dignified death and palliative care”, which regulates the so-called medical assistance in dying or euthanasia. This paper will critically analyze the different aspects of the bill, particularly concerning four main dimensions, namely, the patient's condition at the time of requesting euthanasia; the doctor-patient relationship and respect for the autonomy of both parties; the idea of medicine involved in it; and the possible therapeutic alternatives to euthanasia. This critical analysis raises the need to discuss in more depth a project that has to do with such important decisions about our lives and that implies a radical change in the way of thinking and practicing medicine.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Outcome of renal transplantation in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease
    (SOC MEDICA SANTIAGO, 2012) Vega, Jorge; Lira, Daniel; Medel, Simon; Betancour, Pablo; Goecke, Helmuth; Carrasco, Alejandra
    Background: Patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) have a better survival in chronic dialysis than patients with other etiologies of renal failure. It has been suggested that extra-renal manifestations of ADPKD may increase the odds of complications and mortality, if these patients are transplanted. Aim: To determine whether survival and complications in transplanted patients with ADPKD are different from kidney graft recipients with other etiologies of renal failure. Subjects and Methods: Four hundred six patients with kidney transplantation were followed in three hospitals between 1976 and 2011 and 19 were carriers of ADPKD. The latter were matched by type of donor, gender, age and date of kidney transplant, with 38 graft recipients with other etiologies of renal failure. Results: Graft and patient 1, 5, 10 and 15 years survival were similar in both groups. Hospitalizations due to viral infections and sepsis were more common in patients with ADPKD. There were no differences in the rate of acute rejection, delayed graft function, cancer, gastrointestinal disorders and hospitalizations due to cardiovascular diseases. The frequency of graft loss due to death with a functioning kidney was similar between both groups. Conclusions: Patient and graft survival in transplanted patients with ADPKD were similar to patients with other etiologies of renal failure. The rate and type of complications were similar between groups with the exception of hospitalizations due to sepsis and viral infections, which were more common in ADPKD patients. (Rev Med Chile 2012; 140: 990-998).
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Rituximab in the treatment of acute cellular rejection of renal allograft with CD20-positive clusters in the infiltrate
    (2011) Vega, Jorge; Goecke, Helmuth; Carrasco, Alejandra; Escobar, Carlos; Escobar, Max; Espinosa, Roberto; Mendez, Gonzalo; de los Angeles Rodriguez, Maria
    A 31-year-old woman with nephronophthisis received a cadaveric kidney transplant, and was immunosuppressed with cyclosporine, azathioprine and steroids. Twelve days after transplant a biopsy showed acute rejection with vascular damage. She was treated with 3 pulses of methylprednisolone and change of immunosuppression to mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus, without improving graft function. At day 21, a second biopsy showed accentuation of interstitial and vascular rejection. Antibody-mediated rejection was suspected and plasmapheresis and rituximab were prescribed. Graft function improved rapidly. Staining for C4d was negative and there were no circulating antibodies against the donor. In the interstitial infiltrate there were clusters of B lymphocytes that accounted for 40% of cells, which was thought to be an ominous sign, as it has been associated with poor graft outcome. Acute T-cell-mediated rejection grade III (Banff 07) was diagnosed. Thirty-nine months after transplant her kidney function is stable with no other complication. This clinical case generates the hypothesis that rituximab may have a beneficial role in the therapy of acute cellular rejection when there are clusters of B lymphocytes in the infiltrate and a good response has not been obtained to conventional anti-rejection therapy.