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Biomedical subjects

L Dias

Publications and source records attributed to L Dias.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Efficacy of carbamazepine in premenstrual syndromes. A report on four cases.

Five patients presented with severe mood disturbance and behaviour change during the premenstruum. Suspiciousness was an important feature in four of them. They were treated with carbamazepine 200-400 mg orally at bedtime for 7 days before the onset of menses. The follow-up period varied from 1 1/2 years to 2 menstrual cycles. Four patients showed remarkable improvement; one patient dropped out because of allergic rash.

Adult↗

Fulminant tropical hepatitis--experimental reproduction.

After a review of the literature on epidemiological, serological and histopathological data concerning so-called "Amazon Black Fever" (Labrea disease), an experimental model of morphological reproduction of the disease is presented. The model is based on the probable causal synergism of Labrea hepatitis, i.e., viral injury plus protein-caloric malnutrition. Mice infected with the Oriboca arbovirus presented classic yellow-fever-like lesions of the liver, with a few malnourished animals showing the characteristic morular changes of the human disease.

Animals↗

Additional endoscopic procedures instead of urgent surgery for retained common bile duct stones.

One hundred and twenty seven patients were treated by nasobiliary drainage, or stenting, to prevent biliary obstruction after endoscopic failure to clear stones from the common bile duct. At presentation, 91 (72%) patients were jaundiced and 39 (31%) had cholangitis. Placement of either a nasobiliary drain or stent was successful in 124 (98%) patients. One hundred and twenty one (95%) patients were followed up. Clearance was ultimately achieved endoscopically in 52 and surgically in 25 patients after (mean) 2.4 months. Thirty day mortality was 3%. There were no complications of nasobiliary drainage, but two of 39 patients treated by temporary stents developed cholangitis, both successfully managed by endoscopic duct clearance. Forty two patients unfit for surgery or further endoscopic attempts at duct clearance were followed with stents in situ for a mean 15.9 months (range 2.5-37.5). Cholangitis developed in four patients and was successfully managed by stent change. These results indicate that longterm stenting can be useful for poor risk surgical patients and that nasobiliary drainage or temporary stenting permits further elective rather than urgent endoscopic or surgical treatment.

Adult↗

CT evaluation of the shoulder in children with Erb's palsy.

The majority of children with traumatic injuries of the brachial plexus recover with only minor sequelae. Some patients develop residual deformity, however. This deformity may consist only of internal rotation contractures, but in some patients subluxation of the humeral head may be present. CT is useful in the evaluation of: the presence or absence of subluxation, deformity of the glenoid and the proper placement of the humeral head in plaster or orthotic devices.

Adolescent↗

Premature closure of the triradiate cartilage. Report of a case.

A case of early closure of the triradiate cartilage, probably secondary to neonatal septic arthritis of the right hip, is reported. Tomograms of the hip showed the triradiate cartilage closed posteriorly, with the anterior portion still open. These findings were confirmed at operation. An arthrogram and a CT scan of the right hip showed subluxation of the femoral head. This unique complication, after an episode of septic arthritis of the hip, has not before been reported in the literature.

Arthritis, Infectious↗

Immunosuppression with antithymocyte globulin in renal transplantation: better long-term graft survival.

We analyzed the impact of antithymocyte globulin (ATG) in renal transplantation. We retrospectively studied 1217 recipients performed from July 83 to December 03. ATG-Fresenius-S (ATG-F) was used for induction therapy in 492 patients (40.4%; group I) and compared with group II, 725 patients (59.6%), without antilymphocyte induction. Groups were comparable in terms of recipient gender and race distribution; time on dialysis; cause of renal disease; number of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatches; donor age, gender, and creatinine; and cold ischemia time. Patients with ATG-F were younger (35.8 +/- 13.8 vs 38.9 +/- 12.5 years, P < .001), more frequently hypersensitized (10% vs 3%, P < .001), and had more second transplants (15.7% vs 5.8%, P < .001). The incidence of acute rejection episodes was lower among ATG-F patients (23.6% vs 32.1%, P = .004). Admission time and incidence of delayed graft function (DGF) were similar in the two groups. Graft survival at 1, 5, 10, and 15 years was 88.9%, 80.7%, 71.3%, and 64.9% in group I and 86.4%, 77.4%, 60.7%, and 48.4% in group II (P = .003). The difference in patient survival over the same follow-up did not reach statistical significance. Multivariate analysis showed that the risk of graft failure was higher for those who did not receive ATG-F (HR = 1.51; 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.00; P = .004). Donor age and DGF were also independent predictors of graft failure. Our results showed a better long-term graft survival among patients who received ATG-F, despite their higher immunological risk. The absence of induction with ATG-F, donor age, and DGF were independent risk factors for graft failure.

Antilymphocyte Serum↗

Impact of homocysteinemia on long-term renal transplant survival.

AIM: We prospectively followed a cohort of 202 renal transplant recipients for 5 years to examine the impact of fasting homocysteinemia on long-term patient and renal allograft survival. METHODS: Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of all-cause mortality and graft loss. RESULTS: Hyperhomocysteinemia (tHcy >15 micromol/L) was present in 48.7% of the 202 patients, predominantly among men (55.8%) as opposed to women (37.1%). At the end of the follow-up period, 13 (6.4%) patients had died including 10 from cardiovascular disease, and 23 had (11.4%) had lost their grafts. Patient death with a functioning allograft was the most prevalent cause of graft loss (13 recipients). Levels of tHcy were higher among patients who died than among survivors (median 23.9 vs 14.3 micromol/L; P = .005). Median tHcy concentration was also higher among the patients who had lost their allografts than those who did not (median 19.0 vs 14.1 micromol/L; P = .001). In a Cox regression model including gender, serum creatinine concentration, transplant duration, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and associated conditions, such as past cardiovascular disease, only tHcy concentration (ln) (HR = 5.50; 95% CI, 1.56 to 19.36; P = .008) and age at transplantation (HR = 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.13; P = .01) were independent predictors of patient survival. After censoring data for patient death, tHcy concentration was not a risk factor for graft loss. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study shows that tHcy concentration is a significant predictor of mortality, but not of graft loss, after censoring data for patient death.

Adult↗

Conversion to sirolimus in a population of kidney and kidney-pancreas transplant recipients.

INTRODUCTION: Calcineurin inhibitors (CI) are associated with nephrotoxicity that might reduce long-term graft survival. We report our experience with sirolimus (SRL) conversion among a population of kidney and kidney pancreas transplant recipients. METHODS: Thirty transplant recipients (6 women, 24 men; age 41 +/- 10.5 years old) were converted to SRL therapy at 25.97 +/- 32.5 months after transplantation. Indications for conversion were: intolerance to mycophenolate mofetil (n = 13), diabetes mellitus (n = 3), CI nephrotoxicity (n = 11), CI nephrotoxicity with chronic allograft rejection (n = 2), and side effects of azathioprine (n = 1). Follow-up after conversion is 3 to 45 months. RESULTS: No significant changes were observed in the 3 months postconversion in renal function, hematological profile, and mean arterial blood pressure. In contrast there was a significant increase in cholesterol values (pre: 198.7 +/- 49.4, versus post 221.2 +/- 60.8, P = .018). At a follow-up of 15.2 +/- 9.9 months after conversion two patients (6.7%) died with functioning allograft (one because of infection and one to myocardial infarct) three kidney allografts (10.7%) have been lost: two chronic rejection; one infection. In two patients SRL therapy was discontinued (one infection, one refractory edema). Neither significant change in renal function nor episodes of acute rejection were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Conversion to SRL was safe. There was no deterioration in renal function nor episodes of acute rejection. There was a significant increase in cholesterol values after conversion. The size of the sample and the time of follow-up may have determined our results.

Adult↗

Renal transplantation in patients over 60 years of age: a single-center experience.

The prevalence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) increases with advancing age. In most countries renal transplant recipients are getting older, too. Transplantation must be considered for ESRD patients older than 60 years; however, there are few data regarding outcomes in this population. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical course of recipients aged > or =60 years (n = 43) who underwent primary or repeated grafts from August 1988 to December 2004. We then compared recipient and donor characteristics as well as graft and patient survivals with recipients aged 18 to 59 years (n = 1058) who were transplanted during the same time. Donor age tended to be higher among the oldest recipient group (P < .001). Mean follow-up was significantly shorter in the group aged > or =60 years (P < .001), as our institution only recently has frequently accepted patients > or =60 years. Older recipients showed more frequent delayed graft function (P = .007), longer initial hospitalization (P = .005), and a significantly lower incidence of posttransplant acute rejection episodes (P = .015). Patient (P = .057), graft (P = .407), and death-censored graft (P = .649) survivals were not different between the two groups. Seven recipients aged > or =60 years died; the main cause of which was cardiovascular in origin. The loss of organs (n = 11) in the older patients was mainly due to death with a functioning kidney (54.5%). Our results confirm that renal transplant must be considered in selected patients older than 60 years as patient and graft survivals are similar to those of younger patients.

Adolescent↗

Impact of hepatitis C virus on renal transplantation: association with poor survival.

Data concerning the effect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on the long-term outcome of patient and allograft survival are conflicting. We performed a retrospective study including all renal transplant recipients who underwent the procedure at our center between July 1983 and December 2004. We compared HCV-positive (n = 155) versus HCV-negative (n = 1044) recipients for the prevalence of anti-HCV, patient/donor characteristics, and graft/patient survival. The prevalence of HCV-positive patients was 12%. The anti-HCV positive recipients displayed a longer time on dialysis (P < .001), more blood transfusions prior to transplant (P < .001), and a higher number of previous transplants (P < .001). There were no differences in the incidence of acute rejection between the two groups. Patient (P = .006) and graft survival (P = .012) were significantly lower in the HCV-positive than the HCV-negative group. Graft survival censored for patient death with a functioning kidney did not differ significantly between HCV-positive and HCV-negative recipients (P = .083). Death from infectious causes was significantly higher among the HCV-positive group (P = .014). We concluded that HCV infection had a significant detrimental impact on patient and renal allograft prognosis. Death from infectious causes was significantly more frequent among HCV-positive than the non-HCV population.

Adult↗

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation: five-year results from a single center.

We report the 5-year results of our simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPKT) program, started on May 2, 2000. Forty-two SPKT were performed on 42 type I diabetic patients with chronic renal failure. The procedure was performed with enteric diversion and vascular anastomosis to the iliac vessels. Immunosuppressive protocol included antithymocyte globulin, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroids. The 24 women and 18 men had a mean age of 33.5 +/- 6.3 years and mean 22.8 +/- 14.2 years time of diabetes evolution. Forty patients had been on dialysis for 34.3 +/- 24.1 months, and two were preemptive transplantations. Acute rejection episodes were treated in eight patients (19.1%): in three cases they affected both organs; in two only the kidney was affected; and the other three were pancreas graft rejections. The incidence of postoperative complications requiring re-operation was 42.9%, mostly pancreas graft related. Two patients died, one due to cardiovascular disease; the other was transplant related. Three kidney grafts were lost, and the causes were immunologic, thrombosis, and patient death. Pancreas graft loss occurred in seven patients: thrombosis (n = 3); infection (n = 3); immunologic (n = 1). The patients with surviving grafts were doing well, with normal kidney and pancreas function: serum creatinine = 0.89 +/- 0.15 mg/dL; fasting blood glucose = 79 +/- 16 mg/dL; HbA1c = 4.7 +/- 1.1%. The 1-year patient, kidney, and pancreas survival rates were 97.3%, 94.6%, and 83.8% and 5-year values, 91.7%, 89.2%, and 78.7%, respectively. In conclusion, these results are similar to the most recent UNOS/IPTR reports, leading us to consider our experience with SPKT very positive.

Adult↗

MR imaging of osteoid osteoma.

An osteoid osteoma was detected in a young boy with a classic history for this lesion. Plain radiography was not helpful but ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated the tumor nidus.

Child↗

Tethered cord as a cause of scoliosis in children with a myelomeningocele.

Scoliosis interferes significantly with the functional ability of most children with a myelomeningocele. While it is recognized that tethered cord at the repair site causes neurological deterioration, it has been controversial whether tethered cord causes scoliosis. The spinal cord was untethered in 30 children with progressive loss of function and scoliosis. Of 6 children with curves greater than 50 degrees only 1 improved. Of the other 24 children their curves were stable or improved at 1 year follow-up. At late follow-up, 2-7 years, 63% were stable or improved while 38% began to progress. Tethered cord causes scoliosis and stability or improvement can be anticipated following untethering. Close long-term follow-up is essential to identify those individuals with retethering of their cord.

Adolescent↗