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Biomedical subjects

F Lima

Publications and source records attributed to F Lima.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Increased rate of lupus flare during pregnancy and the puerperium: a prospective study of 78 pregnancies.

The objective was to determine whether the frequency of flare in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), patients is increased during pregnancy and the puerperium. Seventy-eight pregnancies in 68 SLE patients attending the lupus pregnancy clinic, at St. Thomas' Hospital, during the last 5 yr were included. The pregnancy period and 8 weeks post-delivery were considered. This group was compared with a control group of 50 consecutive, non-pregnant, age-matched SLE patients attending our weekly lupus clinic. Additionally, 43 of the pregnant patients carried on attending the lupus clinic for the year after puerperium, and their course was compared with themselves during pregnancy. SLE activity was assessed using the Lupus Activity Index (LAI) score. An increase > or = 0.26 in the score was considered as a flare of the disease. Pregnancy and control groups were homogeneous for age, race, disease duration and distribution of autoantibodies. Sixty-five per cent of the patients flared during pregnancy and/or the puerperium and 42% flared in the control group (P = 0.015). The rates of flare per patients/month were 0.082 +/- 0.004 for the pregnancy group and 0.039 +/- 0.003 for the control group (P < 0.001). The 43 patients whose course was controlled after the puerperium flared more frequently during pregnancy that thereafter (McNemar test, P = 0.003). The rates of flare per patient/month were 0.093 +/- 0.006 during pregnancy and the puerperium, and 0.049 +/- 0.004 after the puerperium (P = 0.0015). Kidney and central nervous system involvement was not different between the pregnancy and control groups. In terms of frequency of flares, there was no difference in any of the groups between patients taking and not taking steroids. We conclude that SLE tends to flare during pregnancy. Flares are maximal during the second and third trimester and the puerperium. Flares are not more severe than in non-pregnant patients, and most of the flares can be managed conservatively. Prednisolone does not prevent flares.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Hydroxychloroquine and lupus pregnancy: review of a series of 36 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To study maternal and fetal outcome of pregnancy in patients with lupus who were exposed to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). METHODS: The case records of women (n = 33) exposed to HCQ during their pregnancies (n = 36) and of 53 control patients from a single lupus pregnancy centre were reviewed to determine lupus activity, obstetric experience, and infant outcome. RESULTS: HCQ was not apparently teratogenic. Lupus activity and obstetric outcome in the two groups were similar. CONCLUSION: HCQ continuation is probably safe during pregnancy in patients with lupus, but there is no obvious advantage in commencing treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Effects [correction of Effecs] of the thyroid hormone (T3) on astrocytes.

Thyroid hormones have profound effects on growth and development. In the brain L-3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), the bioactive hormone, is involved with the harmonious development acting in neuronal and glial cell differentiation. T3 acts on the cells by interacting with nuclear receptors that can regulate the expression of several genes. Astrocytes also show receptors to the hormone. We reported herein data on the effects of T3 on astrocytes. We have verified that T3 has a morphological effect on cultured cortical astrocytes with rearrangement of GFAP filaments, and induces proliferation in the cultured cerebellar astrocytes of newborn rats. We discuss here the effects of T3 on astrocytes, considering the possibility that thyroid hormone prepares the astrocytes to interact with neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Obstetric outcome in systemic lupus erythematosus.

A prospective study was performed to investigate the fetal and maternal outcome of 108 pregnancies in 90 lupus patients. The protocol was based on shared care of the patients by a rheumatologist and an obstetrician, with input from a hematologist, if necessary. Lupus flares were treated with low-dose prednisolone, azathioprine and hydroxychloroquine. The live birth rate was increased from 31 % in the patients' previous obstetric history to 82%. A high incidence of prematurity was observed (43%). Lupus patients with secondary antiphospholipid syndrome presented a higher risk for fetal loss (P = .006). Flares occurred in 57% of the pregnancies, but most were mild (skin and joints). Flare during pregnancy did not increase the risk of fetal loss. We believe that careful monitoring and management of the lupus pregnancy has substantially improved the fetal outcome.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Pregnancy in granulomatous vasculitis.

OBJECTIVE: To study the fetal and maternal outcome of pregnancy in patients with granulomatous vasculitis. METHODS: Four pregnancies in two patients with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) and one patient with Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) were identified and followed in our specialised clinic for pregnancy and connective tissue diseases. RESULTS: Three pregnancies ended with live babies and one with intrauterine death at 25 weeks of gestation. One WG patient remained in remission throughout pregnancy and the other experienced severe activity at 12 weeks. The CSS patient was in remission during her first pregnancy, but the disease flared severely in the second. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy in patients with granulomatous vasculitis requires preconceptual planning, careful clinical management, and vigorous treatment of active disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Eosinophilic leukaemia with trisomy 8 and double gammopathy.

Prolonged eosinophilia of unknown cause has generally been described as the hypereosinophilic syndrome, and is characterised by peripheral blood and bone marrow infiltration and frequent multisystem disease. The nature of this disorder has been questioned, and the clinical features are quite variable, suggesting its heterogeneity and probable neoplastic aetiology. A patient with severe eosinophilia, karyotype abnormalities, serum gammopathy and massive organ disease is reported. The clinical course was aggressive despite cytoreduction of eosinophils and terminated in multisystem failure. These findings are consistent with a diagnosis of eosinophilic leukaemia, and it is suggested that chromosome and cell culture studies might be useful in the early diagnosis of this controversial entity.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

[Demand for human resources on the part of water and sanitation institutions].

The article considers three main aspects of the demand for human resources: manpower planning and overall planning, the components of a manpower planning system for a water supply and sewerage agency, and manpower as part of an institutional development strategy. It examines and defines the place of manpower planning in the broader context of overall planning, and in organizational planning in particular. It develops one by one the salient stages in a system for the planning of human resources and its support functions. Finally, the paper describes the strategies for comprehensive institutional development, which are valuable instruments for a philosophy of adaptation to change in an institution, and the application of the manpower development concept to the implementation of those strategies.

Health Planning↗
PubMed1978

Hb J Camaguey alpha 2 141(HC3) Arg replaced by Gly beta 2: a new abnormal human hemoglobin.

An electrophoretic fast-moving hemoglobin was found in a Cuban family of Spanish descent. Structural studies demonstrated a replacement of arginine by glycine at alpha 141(HC3). This change is not associated with clinical symptoms, although the substitution is in one of the residues involved in the stabilization of the deoxy form of the hemoglobin molecule.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1977

Haemoglobin J Guantanamo (alpha 2 beta 2 128 (H6) Ala replaced by Asp). A new fast unstable haemoglobin found in a Cuban family.

Haemoglobin J Guantanamo (alpha 2 beta 2 128 (H6) Ala replaced by Asp) was found during a screening from abnormal haemoglobins in three members of a Cuban family, of negro ancestry. The substitution in this variant is located at the alpha 1 beta 1 contact. This explains the slight instability and the mild haemolytic anaemia and morphological abnormalities found in the carriers of this variant. The instability of haemoglobin J Guantanamo indicates that the presence of Asp at the position beta-128 (H6) weakens the alpha 1 beta 1 contact.

Alanine↗
PubMed1977

Haemoglobin Porto Alegre in a Cuban family.

During a screening programme for abnormal haemoglobins in Habana, one case of Hb Porto Alegre was found in 23 000 cases analysed. The ability of this variant to polymerise in vitro and the absence of clinical features in the carriers have been confirmed. These observations are now explained by the findings of high levels of glutathione in the red cells of subjects heterozygous for Hb Porto Alegre: it is suggested that the increase of glutathione is responsible for the absence of in vivo polymerisation and accounts for the lack of clinical symptoms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

A study of the genetical structure of the Cuban population: red cell and serum biochemical markers.

Gene frequencies of several red cell and serum gentic markers were determined in the three main racial groups--whites, mulattoes and Negroes--of the Cuban population. The results were used to estimate the relative contribution of Caucasian and Negro genes to the genetic makeup of these three groups and to calculate the frequencies of these genes in the general Cuban population.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1975

Spontaneous motility and distribution of prostaglandins in different segments of human Fallopian tubes.

The "in vitro" spontaneous magnitude and stability with time of the isometric developed tension (IDT) and frequency of contractions of ampullar longitudinal and ampullar circular as well as isthmic longitudinal and isthmic circular muscle, from human Fallopian tubes, were explored. The effects of polyphloretin-phosphate (PPP), an inhibitor of prostaglandins (PG), upon the IDT and frequency of different tubal segments, were also explored. We looked for PGE, and F2alpha in extracts of ampullar and isthmic tubal segments. The initial IDT and frequency (recorded at 10 minutes following equilibration) as well as the stability with time (explored afterward during 40 minutes) were comparable among all the preparations, with the exception of the isthmic longitudinal muscle, which suffered a progressive decrement of IDT. PPP inhibited significantly the IDT of the isthmic circular muscle but had no effect upon the ampullar circular muscle. Whereas PGF2alpha was frequently detected in extracts from the isthmic region, those from the tubal ampullar region showed the consistent presence of PGE1. The results suggested a possible relationship between isthmic PGF2alpha and its spontaneous motility. Also, the peculiar distribution of PGE1 and PGF2alpha could have some bearing on the regulation of the different functions of isthmic and ampullar regions of human Fallopian tubes.

Fallopian Tubes↗