[Prevalence of subjective memory complaints: Population study in Spain]

INTRODUCTION

Subjective memory complaints (SMC) might be an early sign of further deterioration in cognitive functions. However, no population studies have been published covering all Spain to determine the SMC prevalence. The objective of the present study was to determine the SMC prevalence in the general population residing in Spain >50 years of age and also which related actions were done.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Interviews were conducted with a nationally representative sample >50 years of age using an online/computer assisted web interview (CAWI) questionnaire. The survey consisted of 34 items divided into two blocks. Presence of SMC was considered when in question 1 the subject answered that "Yes" he had some memory problem.

RESULTS

Two thousand three hundred people (53.7% women; 23.9% ≥75 years old) were interviewed. 31% answered that they considered they had a memory problem (no differences between sexes, mean time with memory problems of 3.0 years). A higher prevalence of SMC was observed in ≥75 years old (44%). 90% did not include any specific foods in their diet for their memory problems, neither were taking any pharmaceuticals, diet supplements or nutritional supplements (92%). 78% of those interviewed with SMC have not consulted health professionals for their memory problems.

CONCLUSIONS

SMC are considerably prevalent in our environment affecting almost a third of people ≥50 years of age. Most of the interviewees with SMC did not go to health professionals to manage their SMC.

Atrial fibrillation and the use of warfarin in patients admitted to an acute stroke unit

OBJECTIVES

To examine the use of warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) admitted to hospital because of stroke or transient ischemic attack; and to describe the outcome of AF-associated stroke.

DESIGN

Review of the medical records of patients, identified from a prospective registry, admitted from January 1, 1994 through December 31, 1996.

SETTING

Tertiary care teaching hospital.

RESULTS

AF was present in 92 of 722 (13%) patients at the time of admission. Only eight of 60 (13%) patients with ischemic stroke who were known to be in AF before their stroke were taking warfarin. The in-hospital case-fatality ratio for AF patients was more than double that of patients in sinus rhythm (21% versus 9%, respectively, P=0.001). AF patients were less likely to be discharged home (31% versus 59%, P=0.005). Of the 68 AF patients who survived, 74% left hospital taking warfarin. No warfarin-treated patient experienced intracranial bleeding while in hospital or during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with AF had more severe strokes than patients in sinus rhythm. A small proportion of patients with known AF were taking warfarin at the time of hospitalization. Bleeding complications were infrequent. Broader implementation of guidelines for the management of AF is justified to reduce the frequency of stroke in this group of patients.

[Chemical physical study of honey of the province of San Luis, Argentina]

In Argentina, honey is a product of popular and industrial consumption. It has great economic importance for the province of San Luis, with good acceptance at international level for its quality and purity. To accede to these markets, a suitable control of quality is necessary, with the purpose of adjusting to their requirements. The objective of this work was to analyze the honey of different places of the province and to verify if the quality is optimal, for the commercialization and so guarantee a genuine product to the consumer. The methods applied are the specified by the national and international organisms and the results showed the acceptable quality of the honey. In order to maintain the excellence of this natural product, it is necessary to instruct the producer about the importance of an adequate technological practice, supported by a satisfactory control of quality.

Species and sex differences in the liver microsomal nitroreductive biotransformation of nifurtimox and benznidazole

Nifurtimox (NFX) and Benznidazole (Bz) are two drugs effective against acute Chagas' disease. Both have considerable toxic side effects related to nitroreductive biotransformation. In this work, we studied the species and sex differences in liver microsomal NFX (NFX-ase) and Bz nitroreductase activity (Bz-ase). Animal species tested were rats, mice, hamsters and guinea-pigs. Bz-ase is significantly higher in male rats and hamsters than in females. No significant sex difference was observed in mice or guinea-pigs. Bz-ase in the males is: hamsters greater than mice greater than guinea-pig approximately equal to rat and in females it is: mice approximately equal to guinea-pig approximately equal to hamster greater than rat. NFX-ase is higher in either male rats or female mice than in either female rats or male mice. No sex difference was observed in the other species. In males NFX-ase is: hamsters approximately equal to mice greater than rat approximately equal to guinea-pig, while in females it is mice approximately equal to hamsters greater than guinea-pig approximately equal to rat. Results suggest that hamsters and mice might be the most suitable species to study toxic effects related to their liver microsomal nitroreductive biotransformation. This might be of particular relevance for carcinogenicity studies.

Early biochemical alterations in liver mitochondria from carbon tetrachloride poisoned rats

Covalent binding of reactive metabolites of 14CCl4 were found 1 or 3 h after treatment with the solvent in the lipid and protein fractions of highly purified liver mitochondrial of rats. Most of the label was found in the phospholipid (PL) fraction, much less in cholesterol esters (ChE), and only minor quantities in other lipids. The reactive metabolites of 14CCl4 activated by isolated mitochondria interact mostly with ChE and far less with PL and other fractions. Both in vivo and in vitro covalent binding to PL is decreasing in the following order: phosphatidylethanolamine greater than diphosphatidylglycerol greater than phosphatidylcholine greater than sphingomyelin greater than lysophosphatidyl choline. No evidence of lipid peroxidation was found in liver mitochondrial lipids in the first 6 h and only a slight tendency of decrease in arachidonic acid concentration at 24 h. The incorporation of [14C] leucine in mitochondrial, microsomal or cytosolic proteins decreased as early as 1 h after treatment. These results, in agreement with previous reports suggest the existence of multiple sites in liver cells for the activation of CCl4. The transport of altered phospholipids and proteins and the inhibition of protein synthesis might contribute to the propagation of damage from the endoplasmic reticulum to other organelles.

Benznidazole and nifurtimox nitroreductase activity in liver microsomes from male rats preinduced with phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene

Liver microsomes from Sprague-Dawley male rats are able to biotransform Benznidazole (Bz) or Nifurtimox (NFX) by nitroreduction. Pretreatment of the rats during three days with phenobarbital (80 mg/kg/day, ip) but not with 3-methylcholanthrene (35 mg/kg/day ip) increased both Bz and NFX nitroreductase activity. Results suggest that cytochrome P-450 but not cytochrome P-448 is involved in the nitroreduction of these two chemotherapeutic agents against Chagas' disease. Possible pharmacological and toxicological implications of these observations are discussed.