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Biomedical subjects

B Barraviera

Publications and source records attributed to B Barraviera.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

[Neuromuscular action of crotalid venoms: preliminary data].

We studied 6 patients and 2 dogs that have been bitten by South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus and one rabbit inoculated with crotalid venom. We analyzed sensory and motor peripheral nerve conduction, repetitive stimulation for studying neuromuscular transmission and electromyographies. Muscle biopsies were processed by histochemistry. All patients had peripheral mononeuropathy of the closest sensitive nerve to the area of snakebite. The neuromuscular transmission alterations were minimal. Muscle histochemistry of 4 patients, 2 dogs and 1 rabbit showed findings of mitochondrial myopathy. The majority of authors admit that crotalid venom causes myastenic syndrome. Our findings suggest that palpebral ptosis, myastenic facies and muscular weakness observed after crotalid poisoning are, probably, due to transient and reversible mitochondrial myopathy. As far as we know, this is the first report on the ability of the venom of this rattlesnake to cause local sensitive mononeuropathy and the first muscle histochemistry showing mitochondrial myopathy in humans poisoned by crotalid venom.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Sputum cytology in the diagnosis of pulmonary paracoccidioidomycosis.

The presence of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis was determined in sputum samples from 50 patients with paracoccidioidomycosis using four different techniques: (a) cell-block preparations stained with silver methenamine, (b) direct microbiologic examination, (c) smears stained with Shorr, and (d) smears stained with silver methenamine. Overall, cell-block preparations and smears stained with silver methenamine proved to be the most sensitive techniques, followed by smears stained with Shorr and direct microbiologic examination in decreasing order of sensitivity. Sputum cytology tended to be less positive in patients with interstitial pulmonary lesions as determined by chest X-ray than in patients with alveolar lesions. In addition to its high sensitivity, cell-block preparation technique allows storage of blocks and slides for further studies.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Evaluation of acetylator phenotype, renal function and serum sulfadiazine levels in patients with paracoccidioidomycosis treated with cotrimazine (a combination of sulfadiazine and trimethoprim).

The authors evaluated the relationships among renal function, acetylator phenotype and serum sulfadiazine levels in 22 patients with paracoccidioidomycosis treated with 1 tablet of cotrimazine (a combination of 820 mg sulfadiazine and 180 mg trimethoprim) administered orally every 12 hours. Fifteen patients (68.18%) presented free sulfadiazine levels above 50 micrograms/ml, 6(27.28%) presented serum levels above 40 micrograms/ml, and 1(4.54%), levels lower than 40 micrograms/ml, this being the patient in which treatment failed. The highest free sulfadiazine levels were obtained in slow acetylator patients with reduced renal function. One patient with neuroparacoccidioidomycosis presented free sulfadiazine levels in cerebrospinal fluid corresponding to 55% of the serum levels. Finally, the authors consider cotrimazine to be an important therapeutic alternative for neuroparacoccidioidomycosis and conclude that administration every 12 hours can provide therapeutic sulfadiazine levels. They also suggest that when the sulfadiazine-trimethoprim combination is used, the therapeutic levels of sulfadiazine should be above 40 micrograms/ml.

Acetyltransferases↗
PubMed1988

Measurement of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glutathione reductase activity in patients with paracoccidioidomycosis treated with ketoconazole.

Hemoglobin rates, hematocrit and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and glutathione reductase activities were measured in 38 patients with paracoccidioidomycosis treated with ketoconazole or sulfadoxin, and in 13 normal individuals. Ketoconazole-treated patients showed reduced G6PD and glutathione reductase activities. One of these patients was found to be G6PD-deficient and suffered a hemolytic episode during treatment, which, however, did not require interruption of therapy. The authors suggest that patients showing an erythrocyte enzyme defect should be monitored hematologically during treatment with ketoconazole. They also suggest that ketoconazole is an oxidant drug in addition to being a possible inhibitor of antioxidant erythrocyte enzymes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Paracoccidioidomycosis in the region of Botucatu (state of São Paulo, Brazil). Evaluation of serum thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) levels and of the response to thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH).

T4, T3 and TSH serum levels were measured in 25 patients with paracoccidioidomycosis. Thyroid T3 reserves were measured on the basis of the increase in T3 (delta T3) 2 h after intravenous injection of 200 micrograms TRH, and pituitary TSH reserves were measured on the basis of TSH increase (delta TSH) 20 min after the same injection. Twenty healthy volunteers with no history of thyroid disease were used as controls. When the two groups were compared, the following results were obtained: (a) there was no significant difference in mean T4, T3, delta TSH between groups; (b) reduced T3 levels were detected more frequently in patients with paracoccidioidomycosis, especially among those with the acute form of the disease or with the severely disseminated chronic form. The results suggest the occurrence of a reduction in peripheral conversion of T4 to T3, but do not indicate the occurrence of hypothyroidism in any of its forms (thyroid, pituitary or hypothalamic).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Paracoccidioidomycosis: study of six cases with ocular involvement.

We present 6 patients with ocular involvement due to paracoccidioidomycosis. All cases were confirmed by the finding of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in histopathological or direct mycologic examination of material from the lesion in the eyelid or conjunctiva. In two cases the bulbar conjunctiva was also involved, in another the cornea, and still another patient developed endophthalmitis. The presence of this mutilating disease which may lead to blindness should be suspected when chronic blepharitis or palpebral ulcerated papular lesions are detected in patients from endemic areas of paracoccidioidomycosis. This etiology should also be suspected in patients with anterior and posterior uveitis after discarding the most frequent causes of this condition.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Neurocysticercosis: treatment with albendazole and dextrochloropheniramine.

We evaluated the use of albendazole in combination with dextrochloropheniramine for the treatment of neurocysticercosis. Forty patients were treated from September 1984 to December 1987; each was diagnosed on the basis of clinical, epidemiological, cerebrospinal fluid and tomographic data. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the albendazole treatment schedule. Group I received 10-15 mg/kg albendazole daily; group II received 15-25 mg/kg/d; group III received 15-30 mg/kg/d. Each patient also received simultaneously 18 mg/d of dextrochloropheniramine. Clinical improvement was observed in 4 patients in group I (50.0%), 10 patients in group II (83.3%) and 18 patients in group III (94.7%). Three patients in group II, and one in group III, died. Group III patients showed a significant improvement in quality of life compared to the other 2 groups. Side effects were insignificant in all groups. The combination of albendazole and dextrochloropheniramine seems to be a promising treatment for neurocysticercosis, especially at the doses used for group III, i.e. 15 mg/kg/d of albendazole for 21 d followed by 20-30 mg/kg/d for 30 d after a one-week interval, in combination with 18 mg/d of dextrochloropheniramine.

Adolescent↗