Biomedical subjects

J A de Souza

Publications and source records attributed to J A de Souza.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Comparative effects of fish oil given by gavage and fish oil-enriched diet on leukocytes.

The comparative effects of fish oil given by gavage and fish oil enriched diet on metabolism and function of lymphocytes and macrophages were investigated. For this purpose, the following parameters were examined: 1) phagocytosis capacity, production of superoxide (O2*-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by macrophages, 2) lymphocytes proliferation capacity, 3) antioxidant enzyme activities in the mesenteric lymph nodes (MEN) and liver, 4) Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) content in MLN, liver, and plasma, 5) total antioxidant capacity of the plasma, and 6) fatty acid composition of macrophages, MLN, liver and plasma. Both FO treatments did not affect phagocytosis capacity but increased hydrogen peroxide production by macrophages in the presence of PMA. FO given by gavage markedly increased lymphocytes proliferation both in the absence (5.8-fold) and in the presence (16.7-fold) of Con A, whereas FO-rich diet showed an increase in the presence of Con A only (53.3%). FO given by gavage raised the proliferation index by 2.9-fold and FO-rich diet increased by 29% only as compared to controls. Concomitantly, FO given by gavage was more effective to increase TBARS content in plasma. The proportion of some fatty acids in the tissues and cells was also differently changed depending on the way FO was administered to rats: in particular: myristic, arachidonic, and eicosapentaenoic acids. This fact may partially explain the differences between both FO treatments.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty in comparison with open mitral valve commissurotomy for mitral stenosis during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to compare the maternal and fetal outcomes of patients with severe mitral stenosis submitted to percutaneous balloon dilation versus open mitral valve commissurotomy (MVC) during pregnancy. BACKGROUND: Heart failure in patients with mitral stenosis complicating pregnancy is a common problem in developing countries. Since 1984, percutaneous dilation of the mitral valve using a balloon catheter has become a therapeutic alternative to open heart surgery. Although the efficacy of percutaneous mitral valve balloon dilation is well established, its results have never before been compared with the results of commissurotomy during pregnancy. METHODS: We compared the clinical and obstetric complications in 45 women who were treated with percutaneous mitral valve balloon dilation (group I, n = 21; from 1990 to 1995) or open MVC (group II, n = 24; from 1985 to 1990) for severe heart failure due to mitral stenosis during pregnancy. RESULTS: In our study, percutaneous balloon dilation of the mitral valve had a success rate of 95% (Gorlin formula) and 90.5% (echocardiographic "pressure half-time" method), as demonstrated by the final mitral valve area achieved. This improvement was followed by a marked decrease in the mitral valve gradient, left atrial pressure and mean pulmonary artery pressure. Patients in both groups had similar improvements in symptoms. Patients who underwent percutaneous balloon dilation had significantly fewer fetal complications, with a reduction in fetal and neonatal mortality (1 death in group I vs. 8 in group II, p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty is safe and effective and appears to be preferable for the fetus, compared with open MVC during pregnancy.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Effect of the administration of fish oil by gavage on activities of antioxidant enzymes of rat lymphoid organs.

1. The effect of administration of fish oil by gavage on catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities of the lymphoid organs and liver was compared with those of soybean oil and cocoa butter. 2. Fish oil did not affect the activities of SOD and CAT but reduced that of GSH-Px in the spleen. In contrast, cocoa butter reduced the CAT activity in the thymus and liver, and soybean oil decreased CAT activity in the thymus. 3. The content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances of the lymphoid organs was not modified but was increased in plasma.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

[Primary chronic daily headache: clinical factors].

Under the denomination primary chronic daily headache (CDH) there are different types of headache which present daily or near-daily, during long spells. This concept refers to temporality and not to a specific kind of headache. It is important to know the CDH and its natural history, as well as some factors that possibly turn it into chronic. They are critically reviewed here.

Chronic Disease↗

PubMed1998

[Primary chronic daily headache: a report on 52 cases].

Fifty-two patients (48 women, 4 men, ages varying between 13 and 71 years) that fulfilled the criteria by Silberstein et al. (1994) for chronic daily headache (CDH) were studied. The main clinical characteristics allowed three diagnostic types of CDH: transformed migraine (n = 39; 75%); chronic tension-type headache (n = 11; 21.1%); and new daily persistent headache (n = 2; 3.9%). Thirty-four patient used to take symptomatic medication in excess and were considered as having drug-induced headache. The treatment included increasing doses of amitriptyline alone or associated with propranolol besides the interruption of the symptomatic medication. This scheme was effective to lower the frequency of headache in most CDH patients and its beneficial effects had lasted even six months after the beginning of the follow-up. In the few patients in which the treatment was unsuccessful, the persistence of abusive use of symptomatic drugs was statistically significant.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

[Stenting for iatrogenic coronary dissection treatment].

Catheter-induced coronary dissection is rare but has a significant mortality and morbidity. The ideal management of acute coronary occlusion, whatever the cause, is the prompt restoration of the vessel patency to limit the extent and duration of ischemia. In the setting of dissection during angiography the usual approach to myocardial salvage has been emergency aortocoronary bypass surgery preceded by insertion of an intra-aortic balloon. The main disadvantages of this approach is the delay in performing emergency surgery, mainly in centers without surgical back-up on site. The authors present a case of an elderly woman with left circumflex artery dissection caused by the catheter during coronary angiography. This problem was successfully managed using an intracoronary stent. This technique has potential advantages in terms of the speed of reperfusion and availability in centers performing diagnostic angiography without surgical back-up on site.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

[Utilization of self-expandable prosthesis (stent) introduced through the femoral artery for treatment of dissection of the descending aorta].

PURPOSE: We present four cases of dissection of the thoracic descending aorta that underwent treatment with an auto expandable dácron-covered stent. METHODS: The stent was deployed through the femoral artery in the hemodynamic laboratory after sedation, local anesthesia in both inguinal areas and systemic heparinization. The catheter with the stent was introduced through a cutdown in the left femoral artery until the area in the thoracic aorta with the previously diagnosed tear. RESULTS: The stent was expanded with immediate occlusion of the false lumen. The whole procedure took 90 minutes and the patients were discharged without complications. CONCLUSION: Stent utilization is an important step to improve treatment results in type B aortic dissection.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1994

[Comparative study of transthoracic Doppler echocardiogram, computed tomography and aortography in the diagnosis of thoracic aortic dissection].

PURPOSE: Comparative and prospective evaluation of three methods (transthoracic echo-Doppler (TTE), computerized tomography (CT) and aortography (AORT) utilized for aortic dissection diagnosis. METHODS: The 39 patients with confirmed aortic dissection (surgery or autopsy) underwent, within a few hours of each other, all three methods scrutinized. There were 19 cases of type A and 20 of type B dissection. RESULTS: In type A dissection the methods were equivalent (TTE = 73.7%, CT = 84.2%, AORT = 73.7% p = NS) but for type B, TTE was significantly inferior to the other two methods (TTE = 60%, TC 90%, AORT = 80%, p < 0.05 for TTE, for TC and AORT p = NS). In three occasions, even though all three methods were performed, the diagnosis was not obtained. CONCLUSION: The methods which were evaluated make the diagnosis in the majority of cases. In type A all methods are similar, however, in type B, TC and AORT are superior to TTE. Even performing all three methods in each patient, in three instances the diagnosis was not made.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

[Directional atherectomy and coronary angioplasty: a therapy complementary to myocardial revascularization surgery].

A white male patient, 59 years old, with two prior surgical myocardial revascularization and unstable angina, was submitted to coronary arteriography that showed: all the saphenous vein grafts patent and obstruction of 75% in the saphenous vein graft to the second marginal branch of left circumflex artery. Left internal mammary artery (LIMA) was angiographically normal and 80% stenosis was detected in the distal segment of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). The patient was submitted to directional coronary atherectomy for saphenous vein graft and coronary angioplasty for distal-LAD. Both procedures were successfully performed.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗

PubMed1990

Criss-cross heart with intact ventricular septum.

We report a case of a criss-cross heart in a 6-month-old male child with echocardiographic and angiocardiographic findings of concordant atrioventricular and discordant ventriculoarterial connexions and an intact ventricular septum. This entity has been described with a ventricular septal defect as part of its own anatomic spectrum. The concept of the criss-cross heart, however, is best restricted to a form of spatial atrioventricular arrangement in which the atrioventricular connexions are criss-crossed.

Crisscross Heart↗

PubMed1990

It is valid to dilate native aortic coarctation with a balloon catheter.

We report our experience in 37 patients with aortic coarctation who underwent balloon aortoplasty. Of the 37, the lesion was native in 34 cases. Clinical re-evaluation was possible in 22 patients, with a mean follow-up period of 13 months and, of these, 21 patients were asymptomatic. Haemodynamic and angiographic studies were performed in 13 patients, with a mean period of follow-up of 12 months, showing excellent results in 11 patients. Aneurysmal formation had occurred in one and recoarctation in the other patient. Our experience has proved that balloon aortoplasty is an effective method for treating patients with aortic coarctation. Adequate selection in terms of the morphology of the coarctation and the size of the balloon catheter are crucial factors in the success of the procedure.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1973